Renovations in the Family

Good morning all. I wanted to share Sister#2's renovation photos with you all, because they are so amazing. She and her husband are very talented when it comes to remodeling houses. This is the third house they've remodeled/renovated and each one gets better. She was pleased when I requested sharing the photos with you all.

You can see how closed in the living room feels in these two before shots. It's a nice room, and the ceiling is awesome, but it really needs some work.

They opened up the wall between the living room and kitchen/dining area, faux finished the walls, added beautiful moldings and pillars and made the space totally different. I'd live there!!! If I could, I'd hire them to renovate my little house!!

Here's the guest bathroom redo.

Kinda stuck in the 80s eh? 90s at best. Dull and dreary.

After it's bright and inviting, and did you notice the Razorback shower curtain....?? I'm loving all the white cabinetry and molding. And how they moved the cabinet door to the bottom and opened up the top instead.

So, there you have it folks. I wish these could have been MY renovation photos, but I'll share what I can get! I'm really proud of her. You should have seen her house at Christmas. She gave my Mom a run for the money. I wish I had taken photos of it all, but maybe next year I'll remember to do that.

Friday Fun

I've been enjoying my afternoon, baking and quilting.
Wanna See?

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Box Butter Recipe cake mix
1/2 Stick of real butter softened
1/2 Cup milk
1 Egg
Chocolate Chips and Pecans if desired

Mix all together well. Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. When the bottom edges begin to brown and the top starts looking like it's getting little squiggly lines in it, take them out and let them cool on the sheet. They are soft and chewy. If you like a crispier cookie, bake until the top is getting golden.

Wanna taste? Here you go.

Yummmy!

I also began quilting my Rainbow Bricks Charity quilt. I'm really pleased with how it's turning out.

Another hour, hour and a half and I'll have this little jewel finished. Alas, it must wait because SR and I are going to be spending some time with family this weekend. I'll finish it up on Tuesday and post on The Seam Rippers.

Y'all enjoy your weekend!!

What I'd Like to Do

There's been something in my head going round and round and I would really like to do it.  It's sort of a Twelve Months of Christmas thing.

I've so much enjoyed this past Christmas with all the cool ideas out there, and I wanted to see if I could do one Christmas blog post each month. That means, I have to find make the time to actually do something Christmasy. Since this is only January, I'll just share what I bought at Cracker Barrel the other day. I had a little bit of Christmas money, and they were having a 75% off sale on all their Christmas items.

 These canvas beauties were $3.00 each. I am very much looking forward to hanging them up next year. I'm always drawn to black capped chickadees, so this was an awesome find in my opinion!

I also bought two ornaments that were $1.50 each. I thought I'd gather inspiration for next year.

Ever since I brought them home, I've been studying and studying and thinking and planning what I can make.  I lay in bed at night and try to figure it out in my head.  I have an idea perk-o-lating in my brain. I just need to figure out what it will take and gather the supplies.

I've bookmarked some cool ideas on other blogs too and hope to try some of them. Today at Walmart, they had their tiny little ball ornaments on sale for $.81. I bought two containers thinking I can use them. When I figure all this out, and get it up and running, I'll be posting it on The Seam Rippers.

Creative Beings

In one of my recent posts, I spoke about the possibility of being a modern day Michelangelo. And I spoke of being creative beings in God's image. So, I was wondering what kind of creative being are you? You don't  have to be artistic you know. And you don't have to paint or sew.

Do you write from the heart, inspiring others and helping them with all sorts of different things?

Do you create peace and harmony in your workplace or home?

Do you create order in the life of your family or others?

Do you teach?

All these things and more are "creative" in my opinion. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

One Year

Today is the first anniversary of my mother's passing to that better place known as Heaven. I've missed her more than I thought I would.

Both my parents are gone now. I guess that makes me an orphan doesn't it? We all wind up that way sooner or later.

My mother and I had our differences, and since I lived in a different town, we didn't spend a lot of time together. She had her life and was happy doing what she loved...shopping and going out to eat with her school friends. I had my kids and church and my own interests. But we loved each other. There is no doubt.

In the summer of 2008, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. For the next three years, I shook off my interests and took her to countless appointments and chemo treatments. I took her shopping and out to eat. She still had her separate life and her friends, but we seemed to draw closer as time went on. You do things for your  mother when she's sick that you wouldn't normally do, or you wouldn't think you would do. She occasionally thanked me, but was not an overly gracious person so I would learn about her appreciation from other sources. The ones she would brag to about how good I was to her. She was not an affectionate person, but in the last year of her life, she became that way to me. I would not give up any of what we experienced together for anything in this world. Good and bad.

At first, I was so tired, I hate to admit I was almost glad it was over. Not that she was gone, but that the constant worry, ER visits, and hospital stays were over. As the months went on, I began to miss her more than I ever thought I would. There are things I wanted to ask her, more love I wanted to give her, things I wanted to do for her. I was so selfish in my frustration at it all, that I didn't appreciate the time we were together.

But, there is no changing it now, and I just try to remember that I did all I could for her. I am happy with that. She inspired me to create. She was a creative person and I saw her do all sorts of cool things. I hope and pray I can be someone's inspiration.

Well Mom, I do miss you. I know you and Daddy are having a wonderful time in the presence of the Living God. Before you know it, I'll join you and we'll all party down! I love you.

Food For Thought in 2012

 I've never been one to make new year resolutions. I just feel that I will either do it or not, regardless of the "New Year". I make resolutions several times a year. Sometimes I follow through, and sometimes I don't.  Sometimes I get distracted.

I had lunch with two friends yesterday, and we discussed this resolution thing. When I got home and checked my email, one of them sent this "devotional" she got from purposedrivenlife.com. I wanted to share it with you, because it really spoke to me.

 

“So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.” (Philippians 3:15–16 MSG)

Imagine if God created you to be the Michelangelo of this age, but you stayed so busy doing all kinds of things — good things — that you never got around to painting and sculpting.

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 You’d end up missing God’s plan and design for your life because you got distracted chasing lesser things.

What a disappointment it would be for God, you, and all the people who would have been blessed if you’d stayed focused on your original purpose!

Today, make a list of things not-to-do in 2012. Fill your list with things you do that don’t match God’s purpose for your life or things you think you have to do but haven’t been told to do by God.

Ask God to clarify the things he wants you to do this year, and then ruthlessly move everything else onto your list of things not-to-do. Then, press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called you (Philippians 3:14).

 And I felt like God had knocked me upside the head.  And I begin to think...

I must decide what's important and what isn't. Then make the decision to do. that. which is important to the best of my ability. And I must not. feel. guilty. for not participating in every thing in the world. 

I must figure out (with God) a daily plan to study and spend time in His word, take care of my body and health, take care of the house and my family, and do. my. crafting/painting/quilting. 

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God is the creator of all. We are His image. That makes us creative beings. Yes? What if Michelangelo put off painting the Sistine Chapel to make sure the house was spotless? Or because he was behind in his blog reading? It boggles the mind.