Fall Mantel

My ever evolving Fall Mantel.

Do you ever feel like you just can't ever get it right?

I am working on a little project - my moving announcement cards, never mind that I moved to this house a month ago. I think that I could have ordered the top of the line custom made cards, and would have spent WAY less time and money that I have by being "frugal" and making them myself. I have so reached that point of "I reeeeally am tired of this and I don't want to finish them", insert whine. But they are there, half finished spread out on my table in my crafting room that I can't organize because I am overwhelmed with all of the stuff on the table. So even if they don't get sent out till Christmas, they will get sent out. They must go, I must be set free. If you get one, please tell me you love them, and that I am a geniousously creative person although I really am not, I am really a resourceful copycat person. but still, they are cute and you will love them. So the real reason I'm posting today, is because I came downstairs to get my glue sticks that I bought yesterday because I ran out while working on the mentioned project (if you get one you will know why). Twenty minutes later, I have a re-arranged "Fall Mantel" and no glue stick when I walk up the stairs. When I got to the craft room, I didn't even know why I left... So here I came back downstairs to get them AGAIN, but here I am telling you about it. Giggle with me... Glue sticks in hand I am on my way back up the steps to get back to work. Sigh... I love procrastination.




Please, please, please ignore the ugly light thing at the top left corner.

Empty wall problem temporarily solved

I have never been much on Halloween. I didn't grow up with it, and I never went out of my way to do anything special. Both my boys were born at the end of October, so most of my energy and money has gone toward that instead of making a big to do about Halloween.

It is a better solution to just do general FALL decor that will work as a good crossover to Thanksgiving, cause then you blink and it's time for the Christmas stuff. Gosh, I'm exhausted already!!!

But when I was going through some archives on Dana MADE, I just loved the simplicity of this super quick and easy Halloween decor. What I loved most about it was that it would be a perfect solution for my bare wall that is too big for the current table and mirror I have there.











For the super easy tutorial go visit MADE and check it out. Like her, I didn't have a printer that I could use so I just traced it right from my monitor. I couldn't find black cardstock, so I used poster board. Two pieces were plenty for the amount I made. I did two sizes, 100% and 75%. It was so easy!!! And I just love the fun results.

Welcome to my Family Room

Let's begin our journey in the almost center of the home. This room is the most used other than perhaps the kitchen. You may need a refresher of what it looked like empty, the day we moved in:

BEFORE

This is what it looks like today. (Sorry about the quality of picture and the glares, no fancy camera and no drapes)

AFTER

I have a very different vision for this room, but just like everything else, it may take years to change. Here are a few improvements that I should begin with. But you know that when you move in somewhere, you just have to make due with what you have.









It's quite overwhelming when you have so much that you want and feel like you need to get done with your home, it's just hard to know where to start. This room is actually very low on my priority list except for the need for drapes. The rest will probably stay put for now. My kitchen annoys me way more and I haven't even begun to organize my craft room. So, there you go.

What I love about this room is the fact that it is open to the kitchen. I took these pictures from the edge of the kitchen, it is separated by a "bar" but it is one big open room. I can cook and know exactly what is being watched and played on the TV. The breakfast room is on the other side of the kitchen and we actually have a desk and computer in there, so I also know what is going on there too!!

If you have any brilliant ideas or suggestions for this space I would love to hear from you. See you later in my bedroom!!!

WELCOME HOME

I have most definitely gained a new respect for my parents, my parent's colleagues (or any other missionary in the world), military folks, and really most any person that has ever moved in their life.

The first few years of our married life Mike and I moved several times. But the last time we had moved was 10 and 1/2 years ago, we had a 2 year old and an infant and probably less than half of the "stuff" we have now. For those reasons and who knows what else, this was such a hard move for me. I think I was taken by surprise, which isn't really a surprise, because I always have way off expectations to most anything in life. Here are a few "hardships" I did NOT enjoy:

1. Being displaced for 10 weeks living in the house of my most gracious in-laws.

2. Having to cook and eat salted butter for 10 weeks.

3. Sleeping on a bed that was not mine.

4. Moving during the hottest summer in TEXAS history.

5. Having to walk my dog every night in 100 degree weather, after the sun went down, otherwise it would be too hot!

6. Sleeping in a single bed that squeaks, in a bedroom that had no lock. (you get the picture)

7. Did I mention the heat?

8. Looking for a house not even knowing for sure where we wanted to live.

9. Once we did find "The" house, having to wait an entire month to close.

10. Being in linbo.

Well, enough of that. In hindsight, really we had it good. No mortgage payment, nothing to do but shop and do fun projects, like THIS and the fun change of address cards I'm sending out some day...


 After closing August 26th, we were not able to move in till the 28th. These pictures were taken that day, the 28th of August, 2011, the day we were welcomed home.


Here they are, Mike, Isaac and Elijah, about to enter our new home


Quite the change for us. We went from 3 acres to I think its like 0.12 lot. It is like a matchbox!!! However, we also went from a 1185 square foot home to a 2445 square foot home. WOW! That is HUGE, for us, it is. Once you enter the front door and turn right you see this, the formal lining room and formal dining room in the back. From there you would turn right into the breakfast eating area (informal dinning) and kitchen.





I am going to skip the kitchen for now. I really don't like the kitchen. As a matter of fact, I almost didn't even look at this house based on the pictures that were posted on realtor.com. You will see it soon, just not yet. I have a great size pantry under the stairs, lots of cabinet space, and best of all a GAS stove! But the colors are hideous, and for now I just have to live with it. I told Mike I would for a while. Next up is the family room, which is adjacent to the kitchen. (family room, kitchen, informal dinning, all one big room)





The next two pictures are the reason why I bought this house. This is my bedroom. My giant, ginormous bedroom. The one I still walk into and still think that I am living in some sort of twisted dream, the one I don't want to wake up from! My friends that came over last week, I kid you not, GASPED, I heard them, they gasped when they walked in. They also said that the pictures they had seen on fb (with the previous owners furniture) did not do it justice. It is a sanctuary, one that I can't wait to work on and perfect! AHHH, the things I will do to you oh, my bedroom. Come, gasp with me.





Next is the, don't blink while you pass, back yard. The previous owners didn't take the swing set. We will some day, but my boys actually like hanging out on it. So for now it stays. The other cool thing about the yard is the covered patio, with fans AND misters, which we haven't used yet, but they are still so cool. If you didn't see the reflection of the slide you would be looking at the fireplace-in TEXAS?- what a joke!






I didn't do so good with the empty house pictures, we were in a hurry that morning and Mike was rushing me. But pictures of the rest of the rooms would be even more boring than these. On the other side of the front of the house there is a study that my husband has claimed as his "man cave". Kids were not too happy about that because they had envisioned a game room, but, they really can't complain because they each got their own bedroom and I also have a craft room all to myself (4 bedrooms, 1 study), (2 living, 2 eating), not too shabby of a place. And I love it. Just to add icing to the cake, I have a fabulous neighbor that has been a great friend to me already! So, not to worry, these rooms have furniture in them now, so, stay tuned...

Subway Art. My first project

Since we arrived in Plano, TEXAS we have been living with my wonderful and gracious in-laws. I spent about a month house hunting, an adventure that I thought would be fun but ended up being a very frustrating and overwhelming task. Long story short, I finally found my house. I'm not going to post pictures yet, because the only ones I have are the pictures that I took when looking at it. I feel kind of weird posting pictures of someone else's house. So, just like me, you will have to stay at the edge of your seat waiting to move in with me.

In the mean time I am bored out of my mind, so what is a girl to do with all of this time and no house to indulge in? I go shopping of course!! The current home owners have this house decorated so nicely! They have lots of mirrors all over the house, which gave me my first inspiration. So, my very first purchase for my new home was this fabulous mirror I found at Garden Ridge.
It's just hangin' out in the garage, waiting. Like me, waiting...







I also decided, that I could probably work on some sort of project to keep me busy. Two actually, but the reveal of the second project won't be till after the move. I am so excited about this one!

It was quite a task, and I goofed up so much, that I couldn't even begin to tell you how I made it. I will say that I had a great starting point with this tutorial at lil blue boo . After about 4 days of trial and error I came up with this masterpiece:





I chose to make something for my room, it's more like a master suite, it is HUGE, I can't wait to show you. Anyway, these are part of the lyrics to the song that was sung at our wedding, every word in that song is just as true today as it was 20 years ago.

As I have been working on my projects I have realized one thing: I miss my stuff, I can't wait to get that craft room set up. I realized how alive I feel and how much joy I experience when I do this kind of creative stuff.

Be back soon!

On moving to TEXAS and having babies

I had this vision of keeping a detailed chronicle of this whole moving thing. As you can tell it has been an epic fail. However I have not given up on myself, and I would appreciate it if you followers follower would not give up on me either.

We arrived here in Plano, TX on a sweltering hot day, June 18th, to be precise. We had left East TN on the 17th when it was about 70 degrees outside, and arrived to 100 degrees in North TEXAS. It has stayed that way since we arrived. Every day highs above 100 and lows no lower than 80. And just for the record, this summer has been a record setting summer. The hottest in recorded history for this area. And I arrived just in time to be a part of this grand event! Lucky me!!!1

I was just thinking when I ran errands today, as sweat gathered under my eyes where my sunglasses rest, of how similar this move has been to having my 2 babies. Well, let me be a little more specific: when you have babies the way I did, with absolutely no medications whatsoever.

If you have children, medicated or not, you know, just like the rest of us that there is absolutely nothing in this world that can prepare you for motherhood. From, giving birth "naturally"to staying up all night, to the pain of seeing your children suffer. All of it, to me at least, has been a total shock! No matter how many birthing classes I took, or how many breathing techniques I was taught to deal with the pain- NOTHING- could have prepared me for that kind of pain. And no matter how many parenting books you read or how many friends and grandparents you have to guide you, no one has your children but you, so nothing can truly prepare you for what rearing your child is really like.
"Oh TEXAS is so hot" they say. "I know, I know" I said.

No, you don't know. Nobody, has your body, your hormones, your heat tolerance. Nothing can prepare you for this kind of heat.

Also, when you have a child "al natural" something very interesting happens as time ticks on by. You actually experience this incredible phenomenon called amnesia. It is true, you completely forget the horror and pain that you go through when giving birth. I know this because it took me 4 hours of pushing to deliver Isaac. I'm told I was in a lot of pain, and I do remember screaming quite a bit, and not pushing hard enough because, well, I guess it hurt too much... And then, get this, I decided to do it again! "Can you believe it? I remember when it was time to have Elijah, being in the car on the way to the Birthing Center - which was an HOUR away. I was in the transition phase of birth, (which is supposedly the most painful phase, but  that is a total LIE), sitting in my tiny Honda Civic with very little "wiggle room"- thinking to myself  "Why are you doing this? You are so stupid! This is so painful and ridiculous! What were you thinking!!!!!"

Believe it or not, I have actually lived in TEXAS before. I lived here for my last two and a half years of College, and my first two years of marriage. Yes, this is a special place because it is here that I met the Love of my Life and it was here that we began our life together. But I must say, very naively, I just don't remember it being this HOT. Just like I "knew" that it was painful giving birth to my boys, I also "knew" it was HOT in TEXAS, but this amnesia thing must have totally kicked in. I definitely do not remember this kind of heat.

Even in my naivenes, lack of true preparation (which there really is none), and the amnesia of it all, I am, just as I was with my kids, totally looking forward to a new life in this great state of TEXAS. Living this close to family is priceless and we are so thrilled to give to our children what neither one of us had, which is the opportunity to live this close to grandparents and cousins.

Just as it is with our kids, there will be plenty of joy, fun, and celebration, as well as pain, sorrow and heartache. But in the end, we would not trade this experience for anything. From day one I have put my children in the hands of the Lord. And I do the same as we begin our new life in McKinney, Texas.

Our lives are in your hands dear Lord.

MORE CLEARENCE Fabric Checkbook Covers

Here are some more great items I want to get rid of.

Plain checkbook covers are $5.00

Checkbook covers with ruffles $6.00
Add $1.50 for shipping.
First email me what # you want. I will send you a link to my etsy shop for easy payment and shipment.

susanharms69@gmail.com

$5.00 Checkbook Covers















$6.00 Checkbook Covers