It is Finished--

I wish I could say I thought of that. But I didn’t. Those are God’s words—upon Completion of the ultimate Sacrifice. That of His Son Christ Jesus—when he died for US. You may be asking yourself what does Re-decorating the Bathroom have to do with Christ and His Saving Grace?
Nothing.
And everything!
This isn’t some kind of spiritual transformation. No. It is just a commonly used room in my home that was in serious need of a makeover. The fact of the matter is…God created me- and He knows how I procrastinate. Some times that is a good thing; it keeps me from running ahead of the plans He already has for me. Sometimes it is a sinful thing… and it keeps me from doing what He has for me to do.
It keeps me from accomplishing things—and it drags me down in my spirit. This is me sharing some accomplishment~
Last month I started RE-decorating my bathroom. It was in serious need of freshening up… I took it from a Coke and Smile
  To Cottage-y Wonderful!!!I used DIY Chalk Paint here on the corner shelf,  below on the linen cabinets (YES~ I finished painting them! and here)


I did away with the Coca- Cola elements; but kept  some of the red touches, even though I had a thread of blue running through the new decor—I like the way the red and turquoise compliment each other. I got a little creative in some areas and painted a cutesy little sign.

I love the fresh look of the whites, creamy beige and reddish brown wood tones… I tried to use things I had already and liven them up.Being thrifty is key!
The vanity had been painted red and white

…I used the DIY chalk paint here too. This is paint I mixed myself with Ooops! paint and I used a watered down beige  brushed on and wiped off for a glazing detail. I also covered this with Minwax paste.   I like how it turned out.
I have this old “honey pot” or “thunder bucket” as some would call it. I lined it with a vintage pillow slip, I like the colors in the flowers and tied a piece of linen dresser doily to the handle. It holds spare T.P. rolls. :)
My favorite (and apparently yours, too) all time project~ my papered floors. 
I love the way they make my bathroom have an even more cottage feel to it. They’ve been a pleasure for me to see when I come into the bathroom, they compliment my cabinetry now and they’re super easy to clean!     The window treatment I had changed out way before February—when I was starting to get the itch to change things up. I used twigs to make the curtain rod—totally free! The curtain is a vintage dresser runner with little flowers embroidered on it. . The scalloped paper book pages though rough, and uneven—lend to the cottage feel too; and I lit the candle this time, so you don’t have to imagine it being lit!  
Lastly, the thing that makes me smile is being able to switch the light on and off when ever I want… I don’t have to stand in the dark groping around for the PULL CHAIN any longer~My bathroom is small but it is packed with all the little homey cottage touches I love now.  You know one of the reasons I think I’m so happy with it?
Because It IS finished!!! Yes, I do lots  of little things around my home and I show you a lot of my inspirations and aspirations… but I hardly ever get to show you a finished Picture Perfect Room.
Well, this is it. I don’t know that it’s magazine worthy, but for me –It is finished.  One of my  favorite phrases of all time! I don’t know how God must have felt that day—when His Son uttered those words; but He made me to be creative, and He wants us to see things through and do them unto His Glory. He also gave me this home to be a Good Steward over and doing it on a budget is a must for me.
I’m happy I was able to see it through---Now onto the rest of the house!

Before: HERE

linking here:
FJI-SNS 139



 




Also Posting here::  FJI SnS  #152 ...WINDOW TREATMENTS

Just so you know I didn’t do away with my Coca-Cola Girl… I hung her outside the door in the Utility Room… She still greets me with a smile! 
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
~Philippians 4:23

Egg Shells- Shakers and Nugget News~

 Barn Hop #56 

The other day I had a huge coffee container full of egg shells. I’ve been crushing them up in a bag with a rolling pin and feeding them to my chickens as a source of calcium. I’ve read it is good for them and makes their own egg shells stronger. 
The problem is I don’t think I was making the shells small enough; I understand that this could cause them to start to eat their own eggs. To remedy this,  I decided to use the blender. This is what I ended up with … a pretty fine powder. Now for some place to store it.  I took the scissors and cut the top off an old salt box… I measured a canning ring. Perfect fit~ Now I have a pour spout~  I got this idea off Pinterest. I no longer have the link, sorry.
Monday was my birthday, my youngest daughter knows what I like… she bought me this book. Which, I’ve not had time to read yet—but am dying to read. She also got me a gift card to one of my favorite stores… The Tractor Supply Store!  Woo-hoo! Here is a picture of the Nuggets… they are trying out their roosting skills. I put this stick in the fence and the curious little things all came over right away and stared at it… MUCH LIKE A CALF LOOKING AT A NEW GATE…but NOT~! Chicks looking at a new perch~

adding this to : Party with my Peeps


The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
~Philippians 4:23

Memorable Wisteria-

I'm posting this because I had just taken a certain photo before I read this from Cindy's Fractured Fairy Tale ...pertaining to Wisteria she wrote, 

I just walk right out into the parking lot at work

 and go straight to the fence where it is dripping in purple and violet 

and i bury my face in the soft scented flowers....

doesn't everyone do that?

If you've not read her blog, please hop over and visit her. She is a beautiful blogger, with a beautiful home and a wonderful talent for creating beautiful paintings. So talented-- not to mention funny! I love her sense of humor. Tell her Hi! and that I sent you.  

(Sorry, you don't win anything for doing so; 

just the opportunity to meet a nice lady is all the prize you get!) 

We have two Wisteria planted in our yard; they are Memorial plantings the one seen in the background sort of left of center is for my Mother in love, the one front and center pictured here is for my Mom.  
The front Wisteria got a brutal pruning mid to late winter. (no names)
This is the display I’m getting this year.  It sort of looks naked, I know!
There are a few flowers. Enough so that She can enjoy doing this…
And I can laugh and laugh at her. Just before she stuffed her face into this bloom…she said, ‘Take my picture Oma, pleEEEase.’ and then buried her face right in there. (I guess everyone does do that!) 
Making it blog worthy and MEMORABLE!


It must be the weather…because this is last years (2011) Wisteria LOADED with flowers…and the tree behind it is almost bare of leaves. Looking at this years—it is the opposite. You can see that the date is about the same,too.  
There is just no telling…
linking here: Newbie Graduate Party...
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
~Philippians 4:23

Menus- Week of 3-26 thru 4-1

I meant to post this yesterday—but was having some internet problems.
I’m trying to get back into the habit of making menus ahead of time (before the week starts); because when I know what I’m making, it takes the thought out of it during the week when I’m usually TIRED and don’t KNOW OR HAVE A CLUE what in the World to fix.  That is when I usually resort to TAKE OUT!
I used to do this (make menus) years ago when the kids were all still at home and I just need to get back in the habit. It’s part of a FOOD AND GROCERY BUDGET… and it’s all part of finances.
You know this isn’t a FINANCE BLOG, really. But, like most of the rest of you; we’re just trying to make do with what we’ve been given, stretch it and have little waste. I say that if you go to the store buy groceries and leave them to sit in the fridge or freezer to go bad and instead eat out… that is wasteful. I don’t want to do that anymore.  I can honestly say, this became a habit for us once Honey retired and certainly after his heart attack.
I’m so hoping I can stick to it and here are a couple of reasons why:

• It’s healthier: Quality- You know what you’re getting. Quantity- You can control the portion size. Quantitative- You’re not limited to any menu but the one YOU create.
• It’s cheaper: In terms of per serving (what you pay for a meal for 2 people at a restaurant could total 1 meal 4-5 nights for 2 people); travel time- being away from home costs money-we NEVER JUST GO EAT. We almost always go someplace else, because we’re already out; gasoline (one trip to the store vs. several trips to different restaurants) We live in a rural area, so a trip to town is traveling. 

 
Monday: Italian Sausage Sandwiches w/ chips
Tuesday:
         bkfst: oatmeal w/ dried cranberries and whole wheat toast-
         lunch: left over It.Sausage sandwich w/chips
         supper: bar-b-qued chicken legs- Baked potatoes & Mixed veggies
Wednesday:
         bkfst:
         lunch: Tuna Salad / crackers
         supper: Cincinnati Chili  and corn salad * cook whole package of venison, save 1/2 cooked portion for Tacos on Friday.
Thursday:
         bkfst: eggs/ sausage/ whole wheat toast
         lunch:
         supper: Individual Meat Loaves and Potato Salad  *meat loaf prepared with venison w/ added pork sausage
Friday:
         bkfst: PIGS and Coffee  * make enough PIGS for later store in the fridge
         lunch:
         supper: Soft Tacos w/ lettuce and tomato fixings
Saturday:
         bkfst: PIGS and coffee-
         lunch:
         supper: SPECIAL DINNER @ birthday party to attend
Sunday:
         bkfst: cheese toast and coffee-
         supper: early supper after church-- Beef Tips and Rice w/ asparagus and tossed salad           snack:  early supper means: sandwich or leftovers later
       That’s our menu for this week. I’m pretty much of the opinion. It doesn’t have to be fancy to taste good OR be good for you. I also happen to think you only need about 10-15 GO-TO meals that you can rotate on a menu- because you have sandwich and/ or soup nights, LEFTOVER nights, and SPECIAL DINNER, HOLIDAY, or the rare EAT OUT NIGHT (which I’m trying to avoid right now)  
So how about you; do you have a menu that you make out on a regular basis? 
Do you save money by doing this? 
How have you changed your meal times or eating habits w/ the economy or is it personal preference that determined your decision?  
Is it working for you?
Please leave a  comment and feed back. Let’s discuss this—I’m really interested in how everyone else is doing in this area of homekeeping.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
~Philippians 4:23

My very own- 3 chair bench

THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN CAUGHT


My Repurposed Life -Catch as Catch Can -68 







…as seen EV.ER.Y. WHERE… but I’ve wanted to do this project ever since I saw Roses bench…before Rose  EVEN HAD A BLOG!

That’s right-the original (as far as I’m concerned)  Rose made a bench and Gail at My Repurposed Life… posted about it here. Now Gail is the "Queen of the Bench Seat and Bench Seat Designs" in my opinion AND~ A whiz with the Kreg Jig. She can really work that thing. I’ve been wanting one and finally got it and used it on this project. I had a terrible time with it. Not The Kreg’s fault…NO. Not saying that at all. It was just our first go around with it. Probably should have started out with something a little easier.
AND! read the instructions thoroughly PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HELPED,TOO.

You can see the front wood piece on the middle chair. Well my attachment wouldn’t fit inside the chair to get it to screw in…so we made our holes on the outside… you can see them there. Some reason—the bench torqued /twisted AND THAT the foot shown here doesn't set level or touch the floor.  It just doesn’t set right. Well it didn’t. It sets alright now. But it took some FINAGLING.  Oh, and then there was the gluing the little pegs in to cover the holes.  That was a mess. Needless to say—I’m glad it’s going against a wall and the table will be in front of it.


Here it is in my dining area of my kitchen. I’m trying to decide do I want two small pillows (these will be recovered)      Or…one long pillow. This is just a bed pillow… I’m eyeballing—nothing settled yet.
But I wanted to show you my bench. I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out over all. I’m eager to jump back in and try the little Kreg, jr. again.  I think I’ve got some experience under my belt now. It’s bound to get easier.


LINKING HERE: 








I told you my word for the year was ATTITUDE, right?
This is all part of it.
Now see? You can’t even see all the issues we talked about previously.

all better~





The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
~Philippians 4:23