Jewelry Box

    No....this isn't a far stretch from the post I just made yesterday but still a different style box for a different purpose.  When I purchased this box it was just plain white, I found it in the craft section at Walmart.  Again this is a flashback just like the hat boxes I painted when I was pregnant with Gregory in 2009 so I don't have step by step directions but it's simple.  I did not have to paint the base color of the box since it was already white, I just painted a black strip around the edges just to give it a little more black than just some circles....that way I could also add some white circles on the box as well as the black circles.  I taped it off so my black strips could be as straight as possible.  I used the same circular sponges and compass to make the circles as I used when I painted our hat boxes we use for catch-all storage. 

This box...........

...........is used to store my jewelry.  It's not the most pretty on the inside but the outside hides this chaos and looks great in my room.  I don't really have a place in my room for a stand-up jewelry box and well everything in my room is black and white so this works for me!

Inspired by my bedroom decore

Parties I'm linking up to!





 

A Life to be Thankful for! Day #4

 

             (The above picture is from my Uncle Michael's departure ceremony before he left for Iraq)

    Continuing how thankful I am for the members of my family but on a whole new level!  I have an uncle whose name is no other than; Michael....there are A LOT of those in my family  :-)  Uncle Michael is a good family man that I of course love and am thankful for.  Yes I am thankful that my uncle serves his country but I am even more thankful for the fact that my Uncle Michael arrived home just this past Wednesday from Iraq!  I never would have dreamt that he would be back home before Christmas but I'm super excited that he is!  This tour was shorter than any of his other 3 tours but just as worrisome. But the worry is over b/c all those prayers were answered....he has returned safely home!!

Inspired by Thanksgiving

Hat Box Storage

        These were once upon a time plain old card board hat boxes I purchased at Hobby Lobby.... This is a Flashback.  I bought these hat boxes because my husband had has a bad habit of emptying his pockets in the cubby on his side of the bed which would of course cause a pile of junk on his side of the bed....so I was going to decorate them to match our bedroom and put a few on each side of our bed so we could put out odds and ends out of sight!

  (I'm so sorry these pictures are sideways....I didn't realize they needed to be flipped and my picture situation is complicated right now....lets just say I really need a new computer and hope to score one very soon!)

Our bedroom decor is black and white circles....obviously!  :)  These boxes work fabulously!

Along with all my husbands pocket lint....he has these trimmers and the mess of pieces that go with them...so with the tall hat box I cut out the bottom so we could just place the hat box over the trimmers to hide them!  It works wondrously....as long as Gregory doesn't get into them!

Since this is a flashback, I regret that I do not have step by step pictures....but it's pretty easy.  I just used craft paint to paint them.  I painted the base color first...the above are black on the lid and white on the box.  I used circular sponges to make some of the circles and other circles I made using a compass to draw the circle b/c freehand is not something I'm very good at.

They serve their purpose...they hide our clutter!

Inspired by Mike's bad habit

Linking up to parties at!






 







 

A Life to be Thankful for! Day #3

                             (Gregory walking through the pumpkin patch with his Mamaw and Papaw)


    As I've been thanking the good Lord above for the men in my life, I would like to add one more to that list +1!  You guessed it...my daddy...... and his wife which is of course my step-mom.  I am a self proclaimed daddy's girl and an extremely lucky one at that.  My daddy can do it all...wood work, paint, clean, cook, work on cars (I'd say where I inherited my love for working with my hands in creating and crafting....and he is a really nice person to have when you need someone to bounce DIY and craft ideas off of.) and save the world!.............Okay well....he is my hero anyways :)  It's a bit complicated but my daddy saved me from a different life; at the age of 12 despite my rough edges he allowed me to move out of my biological mother's home into his.  (Don't get me wrong I love my mom but thats a different story that may or may not ever make it into my blog)  He saved me from the path I was traveling on and I believe I'm a WAY better person for it.  My daddy's name is Greg or per his birth certificate "Gregory"....remind you of anyone?  Yes my son is named after my daddy!  (Just to make it clear this was Mike's idea not mine!  Mike's father's name is Michael which is Gregory's middle name.....therefore no Gregory's middle name is not after my husband but Gregory is named after both of his Papaws!)  If that doesn't explain how much I value my daddy I don't know what would!

                                                  (Gregory and Papaw on the mower)

.........anyways

                                   (Gregory and his Mamaw playing peek a boo around a door)

    My daddy is a great man and loved by many....including of course his wife; Lisa.  So this is a two parter b/c I started feeling like I was just going to be naming each of my family members in these thankful posts!  Lisa has been a HUGE part of my life...married to my father since I was 2 years old.  We butted heads of course but now that I'm a wife and a mother she is honestly my best friend!  My husband works a lot of Saturdays which isn't all that great but allows me and Gregory to go out and have fun with Lisa....we shop, play, visit family, eat out.....whatever...after being home all week with tiny people I love getting out on the weekends.  I've even managed to convert her into a Peddlars Mall, Goodwill and Yard Sale shopper!  I know that no matter what is going on I can always count on her....even if it's just that I need someone to keep an eye on Gregory while I'm doing some cleaning....she is just 10 minutes away and will drive right over just to entertain him!  She is a great Christian woman and she loves Gregory with such passion.  I'm so happy he has her for his Mamaw...he loves her dearly too.  Next to Mike and I...Lisa is Gregory's favorite person  ;-)

(Gregory with his Mamaw and Papaw)

Inspired by Thanksgiving

A Life to be Thankful for! Day #2

Day#2

As yesterday I made it clear that I'm extremely thankful for my son....today I want to express how thankful I am for another man in my life.  My husband, of course I wouldn't have Gregory without him.  He is my support system, even when I cannot count on anyone else; Michael is always there for me.  Yeah sometimes he could care less about the craft I did or he would prefer to go hunting than shopping with me....he is my best friend!  He works so hard to do his part in financially supporting our family.....this past summer he worked his full time job which usually was six days a week and then he would mow grass or whatever other odd end job afterwards.  He lacks in romance but I'm working on that....any advice would be appreciated!  No he isn't perfect but he strives to be great!....and he puts up with me!

Just a few pictures of my husband and his awesomeness!

(Look at all of Gregory's hair!!  I miss it and want it back but mommy keeps cutting it too short!...this is on vacation...Gregory and daddy napping!)

                                               (At the zoo!  Daddy attracting the birds!)

                            (Daddy and Gregory riding the John Deere train at the pumpkin patch!)

                                            (Daddy walking w/ Gregory as he trick or treats!)

and just b/c I'm sure you're curious about the little guy in that costume:

Mike is a wonderful daddy and a great husband!

Inspired by Thanksgiving

A Life to be Thankful For! Day #1

    I've decided that for the month of November, with Thanksgiving approaching and all, I am going to post everyday something that I'm thankful for.  I have so many blessings in my life! 

Day #1
I find it only makes since that today I express how thankful I am for my son; Gregory.  He does top my list of things I'm thankful for, not to mention today he is 19 months old!  As most of you know these tiny people grow so super fast, it's amazing to watch him grow, develop and learn about the world around him.  I am so blessed that he is mine and I am his!  I'm sure you saw that coming since I write about him all of the time!  But he plays a huge part in what makes my world go 'round.  Plus...I did make him from scratch!

                                                          (A little photo shoot we did today!)
I Thank God everyday for allowing me to have Gregory in my life!

So that is my Day #1....what are you thankful for today?

Inspired by Thanksgiving

Chocolate Chip Dip/Tasty Tuesday #1

  As promised in my post The Recipe Box Challenge I'm going to be mixing up a recipe right out of my own recipe box.  This past weekend I went for the oh so yummy Chocolate Chip Dip.  It's as good as it sounds too!  I first tasted Chocolate Chip Dip two weeks ago at a baby shower and there set in an immediate addiction and a slight tummy ache!!  This was my kind of recipe....super easy and fast.

Ingredients:
1 pkg (8 ounces) Cream Cheese (softened)
1/2 c Butter (softened)
3/4 c Confectioners Sugar
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 c (6 ounces) Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Graham Cracker Sticks

In small bowl beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.  

                                                                        (my mess!)

Add the sugars and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Stir in chocolate chips

Serve with Graham Cracker Sticks.

I made this for some fellow mommas that I invited over on Sunday.  It was a huge hit, except with my husband.  He isn't a huge fan of cream cheese.
I hope you enjoy!

Inspired by Sarah (my friend who made this for the shower)

Parties I'm linking up to:
















































Thank Ladies!

After thought:  I'm going to try to post my recipes on Tuesday for Tasty Tuesday!  So this would be considered Tasty Tuesday #1!