the way it used to be...

Here is the beginning of my dream kitchen

....12 years ago...

This is what we bought.

(read all about our Home Sweet Home here)

The little room was the original pantry

and the only existing cabinets .

The bigger room was empty except for this china cabinet.

It became the model for the new cabinets.

Family-style remodeling

We gutted, insulated, wired, and sheetrocked,

added new cabinets

and oak floors.

Oh, what good times we had...

We dreamed, we worked, we learned new skills ,

and we made memories .

Tomorrow I will show you more.

It really is my *dream* kitchen.

a white peek...

Well, it didn't happen...

Everything is still a mess in my kitchen.

And there is so much I want to show you.

These are roses from our Thanksgiving Table

and my birthday necklace from my bestest friend, Gayle.

She found it just for me at Mary Jane's store.

It says family forever on one side and farmgirl on the other.

So here is a peek of just one corner...

more to come.

make it monday...

or Motivational Monday

Last week I worked on these projects

that had been *brewing* for awhile.

I'd had these cute little jars sitting at the shop for awhile.

Nobody was interested.

Then I found these cute mailbox numbers

and...

other *black and whites* that I worked on

Maybe this will keep me motivated to keep going...

on those piles of unfinished projects.

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In the meantime, I 'm still busy...

busy cleaning my kitchen.

One thing leads to another and then another;

but it is getting clean!

Feels good.

So far, I have resisited the urge to

re-paint!

What good is cleaning if I can't re-decorate?

Oh ya, it keeps the health dept. away.

Anyways, I'm hoping

to get to where I can take photos

for White Wednesday.

Another motivator.

Talk to ya later,

Rene'

sparkleliscious...

This is where you would have found me on Black Friday.

This nursery puts on one of the prettiest Christmas open houses around.

My Mom and I took the day off, and went to check it out.

And this wreath...

it was...

PLASTIC!

It reminded me of my grandmother.

Isn't it funny...how everything comes back?

There was the plastic vintagey wreath

right along with the all of the other glittered goodness.

And then there were these pokey things...don't know what they are called.

And when I showed them to Mom she said,

"Grammy used to make those"

I had a really good time of just browsing...and resting...

and enjoying all of that glitter.

my thankful heart...3

and a little white wednesday

Thou hast given so much to me,

Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;

Not thankful when it pleaseth me,

As if Thy blessings had spare days,

But such a heart whose pulse may be

Thy praise.

~George Herbert

my thankful heart...2

I am thankful for our traditions.

Traditions bring continuity...a sense of uniqueness to our

family...the building of memories.

2 of my favorite thanksgiving traditions are:

homemade pumpkin pie

to see how we do it read here and here:

and the M family turkeybowl...

my thankful heart...

This morning I am thankful for ...sleep.

You know, the all-night, sleep like a log kind.

The kind that when you wake up you are ready to tackle the day ahead.

I needed that kind of sleep.

My posts have been kinda one dimensional lately.

That's because I really didn't think you wanted to read

about my intensive cleaning

of the insect-infested pantry

(note to self-don't ignore those little moths)

or the never-ending attempt

to get everything under cover

(and maintain some bit of an organized plan)

before it snows.

That's what I've been up to around here...

So we begin this week of concentrated giving of * THANKS*

and my favorite holiday...

shabby house whites...

This is what I've been up to...last week was our Holiday Open House...I do have to admit it was a stuggle to prepare for...I always feel like I'm a season behind anyway and then the way retail moves in christmas so early...now am I 2 seasons behind? But it was my last big push of the year and now I can turn my attention to home...pumpkin pie and fall cleaning...ahhh...back on schedule.

***The Shabby House***

a very cool old house turned antique store where I rent the back porch to sell my many projects

got tea?

Have you been over to cottage instincts, yet?

Cindy is a hoot...she is real and always is working on great projects.

She is hosting a "i made it with what i have" party...

I signed up, thinking,

" I'll get to that pile of lampshades , or that box of bottles, or

maybe even make a pillow."

But that didn't happen...it was a such busy week

getting ready at The Shabby House

so I dug through my files looking for a project

and I found *her*.

I wanted a vintage manny

but those are pretty rare around here.

So I bought 2 mannequins off of ebay

1 to sell and 1 for me.

She came with bright white fabric...

Now for the vintage, water-stained look...

TEA

I love it...instant age!

I used dark tea in a spray bottle and just went at her.

I spritzed on several light coats

letting it dry in between.

The patient girl that I am...I got in a hurry...and switched to coffee...

much quicker and much darker.

I love how she came out blotchy...just like water stains.

We use tea stain all the time round here...

on fabric, on ribbon and lace, on paper,

and even on our clothing to get that shade we are after.

I just use whatever black tea we have.

How about you...got tea?

white cupboard love...

I have a thing for old cabinets...

Remember this one?

I put this beauty up in my inspiration room

I had great fun filling it up with all kinds of pretties.

Have a fabulous week!