Trash to Treasure

Don't you love when you can dig through your neighbors trash! Last year on Christmas my neighbors put out a beat up old china cabinet out on the curb for trash pick up. After seeing it my mind got to thinking that I had been needing a china cabinet and could redo this one to work with what I had going on in the dining room. I convinced my husband and brother-in-law to carry it into the garage for a redo. Many, many moons later Mr. Tanner and I got to the project and it did not take us long at all. We painted it black and then distressed it a bit and left some wood detailing. Our sideboard is black and wood so it looks great with that. I am so pleased that we picked it out of their trash and I love nothing more than my FREE china cabinet that holds all of my lovely china, crystal, and special serving pieces.

Here is a picture of the Halloween decor on my dining room table. You can see a little bit of the sideboard in this picture.

Happy List and Christmas Crafts

"Please play Rhett," Sam begged.

On my friend Heather's blog she made a "happy list" that listed 20 things that made her truly happy. It got me to thinking and made me realize that each and everyday you have something to be happy about. I am generally a really positive upbeat person but do not take time to reflect on why I am just so dang happy. So here is my go at a list of my 20 happy things (will I be able to limit it).......

1. Sam's silly little laugh that sounds so crazy

2. Red toenail polish

3. Sonic drinks with Mr. Tanner

4. Jack saying "Hey Baby" in his high pitch voice to make his brother smile

5. The way my niece Ava walks....it is like she has music playing in her head all the time

6. Granite counter tops

7. My mom's extensive craft room

8. My families' loud and chaotic holidays....my sister, brother, and I have always made sure

they were the most fun any family could possibly have.

9. Dreft

10. Candy....I seriously love candy more than anyone else I know...except maybe Jack and I

think he just inherited the gene.

11. My nephew Hayden's amazing sense of humor. He is the most witty little guy.

12. Mr. Tanner's willingness to act crazy with me.....silly routines, blowing in each other's noses,

ten second game, I'll pay you a dollar if... game, and any other stupid idea I come up with for

fun.

13. My blank canvas that is my home.

14. High heels

15. Our church

16. That my parents live done my street and are always so willing to help out with the boys.

17. Disney World...planning, going, memories

18. Watching my chocolate pie disappear in a day when I make it for Mr. Tanner

19. Conversations that last probably a little too long everyday with Brittany

20. Watching Jack and Sam wrestle and kiss all at the same time.....even though they are so

young you can see that brotherly bond already being secured

Take a second and think about how so many simple things make you happy. Perhaps even post about it. I would love to read other people's list.

One other thing that makes me happy.....CHRISTMAS! I went to visit my friend Brittany today and took her a get well Christmas craft basket. It is time to move on from fall and start preparing for the biggie. I have already made one Christmas craft that I am so pumped about. It is an Advent Calender on a cookie sheet. So much fun to make. Anyone else started Christmas crafting or preparations? It is really getting close now.

One more thing...Shell In Your Pocket is having a 100th post giveaway! Check it out it has some great stuff. Her blog has some really cute things in it.

INSTALLED

The granite is here! It took them over 4 hours but it is here and installed and I LOVE IT! My back splash is not done and my cabinets are not updated with pulls and such but the granite is here and I do not know how I lived without it. Also, my sink and faucet are not hooked up yet.

Water Closet???

You know that little room that houses your toilet.....the uhhhh, "water closet". Mine has been ugly and boring for TOO long. So I have been slowly but surely picking up a few thrifty (never cheap) items to spruce it up some. I will take pics when it is all finished. I recently got this shelf from Southern Living at Home (LOVE THAT STUFF) and am ordering this magazine/toilet paper holder soon from a catalog party. Now on to jazzing up the shelf and figuring out a few other unexpected treasures to add to that silly little pointless room. I am thinking a little chandelier would be precious. We'll see.

I got the new bathroom towel hooks for $2.50. That is just a good deal. I made the tassel and the polka dot vase came from Goodwill. I made the little serenity sign from some old scrabble pieces I bought a long time ago at an antique store but did nothing with (another cheap...oh, I mean thrifty, project).

One more thing.....tomorrow is the granite install day!!!!!!!! I am so excited I probably won't be able to sleep. I am a dork like that. Granite really does excite me that much. I just got to say I love my home.

Oh yeah, don't forget the giveaway at Decor to Adore for her 100th post. She is doing a really awesome giveaway. Just post a comment on her page to enter. I can't wait till I get to my 100th post. What a fun tradition.

Another Tassel....am I addicted???

I made several more tassels this weekend for friends and family. I am loving every bit of it. I am sprucing up my bathroom right now and made a new tassel for in there. Do you really need a tassel in the bathroom? I do not think so but why not just do it!

I was so busy this weekend with cookies, kitchen redo, the kiddos, landscaping, and decorating the outside of our home. It was a great weekend. I have several projects to post but it is late tonight so I will post them later this week.

Off to dreamland....to start a birthday party planning week. Jack turns two next week.

Playroom Blues

I am just not happy with the boys playroom. It needs work. BIG TIME! It needs inspiration, color, excitement, or something. I am open to any advice at all. I just am not sure what to do because the walls seem so tall compared to their little furniture. What does anyone elses playroom look like? HELP! Also, our little buddy, Hudson, is at home now and doing well. He is being such a trooper and is as precious as ever in his little camo cast. The cast covers most of his body so he still needs lots of prayers to get through the next 6-8 weeks. What a precious little boy! He is wearing his little Halloween shirt that Jack and Sam got him.

Pretty Pretty Pumpkin

These blog land parties are a lot of fun. Sanctuary Arts is having a Pretty Your Pumpkin Party! I could not help but want to participate. It is making me want to go out and get more pumpkins to pretty. If I have time today I will and then I will post more pics.

I posted pics of these pumpkins earlier but I have had a lot of people ask me how I did them. I just bought or had the fake pumpkins, acrylic paint, glaze, very fine glitter, and glass beads. On the orange one I just put a little khaki glaze over it and then painted with modge podge and sprinkle glitter and the beads. The white pumpkin I just used a brown glaze and did the same thing. The little pumpkin was orange so I painted the whole thing khaki and then used a darker brown glaze. I love the way they turned out! Very cheap project.

I decoupaged these to go in my formal dining room. It fits the decor and I will post pics of how I decorated in there at a later date.

Can't wait to see everyones pretty pumpkins. And hopefully I will get some more pumpkins posted before then end of today. Happy Pumpkin Prettying!