It's December?!

Holy cow!  Where has this year gone?? It is December 1st and that seems crazy to me.  I love Christmastime, I do NOT love the craziness that this season brings.  I always find myself getting stressed out.  I remember last Christmas while I was attempting to decorate our house... we had just moved a few months before to this house that is much, much smaller than our last house.  I have a hard time fitting my stuff, nevermind trying to put Christmas stuff up.  I was really not in the decorating mood last Christmas.  Which is not like me at all, because usually the Friday after Thanksgiving we dig everything out, get a tree and spend the day decorating.

So anyway, I am feeling a bit better about the whole idea this year.  Tomorrow is the day we are planning to go get the tree and start some decorating.  I think part of my problem is that I need some new decorations.  :)

I am planning on keeping it kind of simple, but pretty this year.  I have some new ideas for our tree too.  So I'm starting to get excited about putting it all together.  I love Pinterest for Christmas decor ideas.  There is so much great stuff on there for Christmas, I especially love looking at christmas trees.

I will be sure to post pics of the tree this year - which in case you are wondering will be real.  We have always done a real tree.  Growing up in MA, they have tree farms everywhere and you cut your own tree.  Which was one of our family traditions.  In TX, they have tree farms, but the trees are weird and not the kind of trees that I like.  So we go to Lowes.  Which kind of takes away from the fun of it.  So I think after Christmas this year, we might invest in a really nice artificial tree.

Do you go with real or fake?

Happy Thursday everyone!

Advent Calendars

So who does advent calendars?  I love them so much but I am not very consistent.  I just don't like the grocery store bought advent calendars, so I end up just not doing one.  I am planning on doing one for the girls this year.  They would just love it.   The problem is, I have no idea what I want to do exactly.  I've been on Pinterest alot, and there are so many great ideas.  It's hard to figure out exactly what I want to do.  I would love to see / hear about what ya'll do in your homes for Advent calendars.  I need some inspiration here, and there's not much time left. 

Here are a few that I love from Pinterest

I like the idea of giving an ornament to put on the tree for each day.  What's your favorite?

You can see all of my boards here to find out how to make any of these particular advent calendars.

Happy Thanksgiving and Stuff

How was everyone's holiday?  We spent ours in a cozy little cabin in Oklahoma.  We missed the best part of the leaves changing by a couple of weeks,  but it was still so pretty.  We spent a week in OK just doing a bunch of nothing.  Well, actually, we did some exploring - the windy roads through a mountainy area that was so pretty, so I had to take a few pictures.  We played ALOT of games, roasted marshmallows around a campfire, explored the state park where we were staying, did some shopping, went bowling, tried new restaurants... it was a very enjoyable vacation.  A good time to ourselves to enjoy eachothers company.  Take a look at some of the pics below.

On a different topic, what's everyone doing this year for teacher's gifts for Christmas?  I think I know what I'm going to do, but I always love hearing what other people are doing.  We've got quite a few teachers this year, and I always try to do something nice for the bus drivers too... I think last  year I just did baked goodies for everyone.  Which I think I still might do this year, but I am also thinking of making magnets for all the teachers too - with those glass beads that you buy from the floral section at hobby lobby.  Do you think that's a good teacher gift?  I like to do homemade, but I want it to be something they will use. 


Anyway, have a great Monday everyone! 



 

Our cabin



It's hard to tell, but this was an eagle!  I promise

Sunday Style

Hey Everyone!
I feel so bad that it's been so long since I've written anything.  I hate when I let it go so long, but we've just been busy.  And this whole time change thing is really messing with me this year for some reason.  It must be old age, but I swear I feel like I should be going to bed at 6pm.  It get's dark and I lose all motivation to do anything else.  I hate that.

So anyway, I thought I would stray from my "normal" posts and do a Sunday style post instead.  I have no idea if this will become a new addition to the blog or not.  I love fashion, but I've never really considered incorporating that into my blog.  I love reading fashion blogs, so maybe I'll add a style post in every once in awhile, we'll have to see.

This is the outfit that I wore to church Sunday.  This was a little out of my comfort zone, which makes me like it even more I think.  And I also couldn't decide if this outfit was age appropriate.  I love the look of shorts and tights for the fall, but I have a hard time being ok with wearing it - like I'm trying to relive my 20's or something.  LOL  But I think it came out really great AND appropriate for a 36 yr old.

I've been seeing alot of blue and orange together and I LOVE that color combo.  I've also had this pair of shorts that I've been dying to dress up for fall somehow.  And I'm pretty sure this outfit is a new favorite for fall.

I was done taking pics at this point, if you couldn't tell.  haha

Pin stripe shorts - Thrifted

Shirt - TJMaxx

Tights - Target

Wedges - Thrifted - I could wear wedges everyday of my life... love them!

Gold Belt - Thrifted

Who doesn't love a great outfit that was almost entirely thrifted?!  I paid more for the shirt than I did for everything else combined I think!  

And special thanks to my 11 yr old daughter for taking these pics of me.  

So what do you think?

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone!  Any plans for parties or trick or treating?  You can't trick or treat in our neighborhood, so we are taking the girls to a local church where they have a festival/carnival type event every year.  They still get candy, so it keeps them happy.  :)

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted last.  I've been doing some thinking about my blog, and where I want to see it go.  I think I have some decisions to make, I'm still working it all out.   I haven't quit blogging - figured I should make an appearance so no one forgets about me.  :)

Hopefully I will have some new pics of my master bedroom makeover to share with you later this week.  And I will post pics of the girls halloween costumes too.  I am making Kalyssa's costume this year.  Fingers crossed it turns out how I want it too!

Anyway, happy Monday everyone, and HaPpY HaLlOwEeN!

Freebie Friday #2

Hey Everyone!

Welcome to Freebie Friday #2.  Every Friday, I will have a new freebie available for you, so you can start collecting the layouts and design your own album or photobook! How fun is this?! Maybe you've always wanted to start a scrapbook, but don't want to invest the time or money. This is a perfect chance to "try it before you buy it" With My Memories, everything is done online - fun and easy.


This is the Freebie available for you this week. Feel free to download away and get started on your scrapbook.

http://mymemories.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2db59f577e9668b002ca5c0af&id=17a9656ad6&e=9e1f5b04b6

I'm thinking of having a link party once a month where you can link up your scrapbooks so hurry and start downloading and creating!  I'd love to see what everyone is doing with their free pages!  Or if you have purchased the digital scrapbooking software, you could also share pages you've created there as well. 

Don't forget you can also get a $10 discount off of the digital scrapbooking software AND a $10 gift certificate to use at My Memories Just be sure to use the coupon code STMMMS47694 to get your discount and certificate.


Have fun creating, and check back next Friday for your next Freebie!!

Feel free to follow along, so you don't forget about Freebie Fridays!

Table Lamp

I got the idea for this lamp at Not Just a Housewife.  The minute I saw it, I knew I had to make one.    I did not, however attempt to make a hand painted lampshade.  LOL

For the lampshade, I just hot glued clothesline rope all the way around all the way up - I used a lampshade that I already had.  I tea stained the rope so that it would look more like twine.  I know, I know - it probably would have been easier to just buy twine.  But I already had the rope and I wanted to finish the lamp.  The wood was all scrap wood that we cut different sizes and drilled holes in.  I already had the stain (Minwax Dark Walnut)
The only thing I had to purchase for this project was the lamp kit, which was around $10 at Lowes.

This lamp will also be part of my Master Bedroom Makeover which is coming along nicely!

The pictures are unedited because I was having Picasa issues.  Seems like I always have picture issues... what can I say, I'm not a photographer.  :)

The side table was a previous Master Bedroom Makeover post.  Bedroom is coming along nicely.  Next big project is to paint our bureau and dresser.  I have 2 50% off coupons from Michaels, so I think I am going to get some spray paint from there for the dressers.
Happy Monday everyone!!

Freebie Friday #1

Hey Everyone!
Something new that will be going on at Because I Said So - every Friday I will have a Free gift available for you from My Memories.  They are giving away 2 quick pages and all the papers and elements used to create those pages.  Every Friday, I will have a new freebie available for you, so you can start collecting the layouts and design your own album or photobook!  How fun is this?!  Maybe you've always wanted to start a scrapbook, but don't want to invest the time or money.  This is a perfect chance to "try it before you buy it" With My Memories, everything is done online - fun and easy. 

I'm thinking of having a link party once a month where you can link up your scrapbooks so hurry and start downloading and creating!  I'd love to see what everyone is doing with their free pages!  Or if you have purchased the digital scrapbooking software, you could also share pages you've created there as well. 

This is the Freebie available for you this week.  Feel free to download away and get started on your scrapbook.

http://mymemories.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2db59f577e9668b002ca5c0af&id=0a9aef7f92&e=9e1f5b04b6

Don't forget you can also get a $10 discount off of the digital scrapbooking software AND a $10 gift certificate to use at http://www.mymemories.com/.  Just be sure to use the coupon code STMMMS47694 to get your discount and certificate.

Have fun creating, and check back next Friday for your next Freebie!!

Cedar Chest

I've had this cedar chest for a few years.  My aunt bought it for me for my 30th birthday I think.  I had been wanting one, and she is a master thrifter/antiquer so she found me this one.  One of the best things about it, is that it came with the original skeleton key!  I love skeleton keys, they have to be one of the coolest things ever.

Anyway, this chest has been in our master bedroom at the foot of the bed ever since.  It houses extra blankets.  Well, since I am in the midst of a master makeover, I decided to paint it blue.  The blue is the same as the stripes that I put on the wall - my oops paint that I got for $5.  You can see my stripe wall here.

After I painted the entire thing, I distressed it with a palm sander.  I wanted it to look pretty beat up.  Mission accomplished.  Then I applied one of my most favorite products - Valspar's antiquing glaze in asphaltum (black)

I may add a stencil to the top, but I'm not sure yet - I kind of like it just the way it is

This is going to make a great addition to my master bedroom makeover!

I started painting and then remembered the before photo

Awesome skeleton key - love

Check out the cute wheels, love those too

You can also see other parts of my Master Bedroom Makeover here.  Links to each post are on that page.

Side Table Makeover

This little bedside table is part of my master bedroom makeover.  I already had the table, and I liked it, it was just in desperate need of a makeover.  I cleaned and sanded the whole thing.  Then I used Valspar's Golden Maize spray paint.  (My new favorite color)  After I painted it, I lightly distressed it and applied some of Minwax's Dark Walnut Stain to give it that "old" look.  Then I mod podged a piece of 12x12 scrapbook paper to the top.

Loving how this little table turned out and it will look great in my bedroom.

Click on any of the links below to see different projects in my master makeover.  I will post before and after pics of the whole room when everything is done and put together.  For now, everyone just gets bits and pieces of different aspects of the room.

I Made A Pillow Cover!!
Bedroom Makeover Post #2
Bedroom Makeover Post #1
Bedroom Makeover

I will be linking this up with http://thediyclub.com/2011/10/31-days-of-spray-paint/


Side Table Before and After

The mod podge was still a little wet in this pic, but you get the idea

Also check out the giveway I'm having for my one year blogging anniversary... it's going until Thursday, so hurry and enter.  You get up to 3 entries.  Who doesn't love free stuff??

One Year Blogging and a Giveaway!!

Well everyone, I've been blogging for a whole year now.  What better way to celebrate than to have a little giveaway.  My Memories is giving one lucky person their digital scrapbooking software for FREE.  I must warn you though, it's very addicting.  So much fun stuff you can do - photobooks, scrapbooks, calendars, cards, make a movie to share with family and friends - tons of possibilties!  I've spent the last two nights putting a scrapbook together.  So many fun options!  Make a calendar for the grandparents for Christmas...  ;)




To enter you can do one or all of the following - each one is an entry so be sure to leave a separate comment for each:

1.  Become a follower of my blog and comment telling me that you've decided to come along for the ride. (great decision by the way)

2.  Go to My Memories and pick out your favorite digital paper pack or layout and then leave me a comment telling me what you like.

3.  You can follow/like My Memories on Facebook and then leave me a comment telling me you did so.  They always have some fun stuff going on, so make sure to follow them to stay up to date on tips, prizes, and scrapbooking info.

The lucky winner will be chosen at random on Thursday October 13th, 2011 8am CST.  I will post the winner on my blog, and I will contact you by email to let you know you've won and how to get your FREE gift.


Oh, and by the way... My Memories is also giving everyone a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbooking Software and a $10 coupon to use in the My Memories Store.  Just go to My Memories and enter the following PROMO code at checkout STMMMS47694.  This is a $20 value!! - Awesome


Great ideas for the upcoming holidays...

Good luck everyone and happy shopping!

Blast From The Past

For those of you who grew up in the 80's, here is a fun post for you from Sassy Sites.

Enjoy!

Now back to housecleaning - I just had to take a blogging and smoothie break.  Yes, the two go hand in hand.

Happy Saturday