My Poor Poor Book

Do you ever feel like saying,

Why me?

I'm sure you do,

everybody does, right?

Well I have kind of a funny story for you.

I have been drooling over a huge,

hand blown cloche

at Trish Land for MONTHS now.

They are beautiful as well as expensive.

So I finally put one on lay-a-way.

I thought....

I won't feel as guilty,

if I just pay maybe $5 here and there.

Well, God stepped in.

I had gotten some really cool

Enamel French House Numbers

from a Rummage Sale

and when I took them in for my friend

to see that owns the shop...

She just had to have them!

She basically said I wasn't leaving with them.

Don't get me wrong,

I LIKED them,

and I'm really sure I coulda' took her

if it had come down to it...

But to save all that.......

I traded her for the beautiful Cloche

I've been wanting.........

(Sorry, bad pics, took with my cell phone)

and she also threw in several

other things in to make it EVEN MORE

appealing to me.

One thing that closed the deal

was this DELIGHTFUL French Decorating Book.

The LAST one in the store I have to say.

I loved it!!!

It was LOADED

with wonderful photographs

that I had only begun to explore.

Yes....

I said had.

Yesterday,

In my haste to get home from work

and unload the car

to get 2 kids to

2 separate ball practices,

on 2 completely different sides of town.....

I (notice I have NO ONE else to blame here)

must have left my prized book

and a Victoria magazine on the back of my car.

I didn't even think of it

until we got to the ball field

and I started to look for it

so I could longingly savor the glorious photographs of France and all the wonderful
decorating that is only French

while my kids played in the red dirt.

So I called our 17yr old son

still at home,

he went to the street to look for it for me.

He found the Victoria magazine,

that I had gotten at the THRIFT STORE

by the way.

My book, however,

my $40 book

that I probably wouldn't,

in a million years,

buy for myself,

gone.

Not a sign of it anywhere.

Oh well,

easy come.........

Apothocary Jars -n- eggs

Hello My Friends.

I hope you are all are having a wonderful day!!!

Can you believe it's finally turning spring?!!!!

I'm so glad!!!!

Although..... in my world.....

this means freezing while watching the kids at baseball/softball practices!!!!

I mean....Burrrrrrrrr!!!!!!

But pretty soon.....

We'll all be so hot and sunburned and we will wish for just a little breeze!!!!!

I haven't done a lot of

Easter Decorating yet.......

even though......

I've had the best of intentions!!!!

I did do a quick project for a table at my office.

I thought you might like to have a peek!!!!

My Supplies......

These apothecary jars I got at TJ Maxx

a while back.

I love the size of these

and they were very inexpensive!!!

One of them is a little uneven

on the bottom

and will rock back and forth just a little bit...

but that doesn't bother me in the least!!!

Do you know how many ways you can use an apothecary jar!!!!!!

The possibilities are endless!!!

I had some of these other things

from left over projects at home.

The little eggs and chicks

are on sale at Hobby Lobby and

are about a dollar!!!!

For the whole pack!!!

I just layered

some of the spanish moss

and green moss

and put in some of the eggs and chicks in.

Cute huh?
These cute rabbits I found about a month ago at the Thrift Store.

Mrs. Rabbit needs a little basket or something.


Here's the whole little scene so far.

I know I will probably add some more fufu

but I though they turned out to be cute.

I purchased the Amazing Grace plaque

with the rusty nail

last year for the office,

and I've kept it out all year.


I'll probably end up taking one of these jars

home and paring each one with a cloche.

I think that will look good,

but I thought I'd give you a quick,

easy and cheap idea to decorate for Easter.


Have you started decorating yet?

Mooresville and Belle Mina

Hello my friends!!!!

I hope all of you are having a wonderful day!!!

I thought I would share a few photo's that I shot this last weekend in a historic town within 15 minutes of my house!!!

Most of these were taken at Historic Mooresville and the ones of the little white church were taken about 5 minutes away from there at Belle Mina.

I hope you Enjoy!!!!

Wow!!!!

I'm amazed and astounded at the beauty surrounding me.

Sometimes, we're just too busy to notice it!!!

I also took some at a historic Civil War Home.

I'll try to post a few of those tomorrow!!!

Until then!!!

How to make a terrarium

I have fallen in love with all the French/Country/Farmhouse decorating.

I think one of the reasons I love it so much is that I can use what I have on hand.

Things I've inherited or thrifted or someone passed on to me because they didn't want it anymore!

These are the things most people

wouldn't find appealing at all.

But somehow, once you get it arranged.

And as Christopher Lowell used to say, you put your hand to it.

Suddenly, it takes on a new life

And people will say,

"I would have never thought to do that"

Sometimes,

I wouldn't either.

Sometimes its just a happy accident,

or I have copied something I've seen in a magazine or on blog!

I just look around

and see what I have

or what I can make that is similar,

then I just start,

and somehow.....

it just comes together!

So today, just because I am so happy

to finally have it finished...

I'm going to show you the terrarium I just finished this past weekend.

It all started with this pile of stuff !

I just went around my house trying to find some rustic things....

I had found the small spice jars

on clearance at Anthropology !!!!!

(which I love, love, love, but normally can't afford).

I think this brass thing

is an old watering can.

I just love the look of it!!!

I found it a few weeks ago at the SA for $1.25!!!!

Yes, I said $1.25!

The rocks and round decorative pieces I got at a yard sale I think last year.

The moss, bird nest, and robin eggs

I purchased recently

(very inexpensively)

to use in Easter Decorations.

And the plants I got from one of my FAVORITE local stores called Trish Land!

I will be featuring this wonderful place soon!

I have to show you what wonderful things

they have!

I think me and the owner Trish

are kindred spirits!

Because we love all the same things!

She also has a wonderful eye

and an amazing gift!!!

She can just place things and make them look FABULOUS!!!!

And here is the terrarium I'm going to use. Isn't it cute?!!!!!

I know, I love it without anything in it!!!

So, I just started adding stuff in,

Spanish moss on the bottom for filler....

Then some green moss...

Then stuff.....

Then more stuff......

And before long (like 5 minutes)

it turned out to look like this!

I know, cute huh?!!!!

The bell cloche in the top on the right

is an old candle holder turned upside down

that used to sit in a wire base.

I did add a couple more things to the back right corner after this pic was taken.

My youngest son, Jonah, went out and found some 'nature' things he wanted me to add in.

What a sweetie pie he is!

Do you see the

small terracotta pot

right in the middle?

It is some wheat grass

Jonah and I are waiting to grow.

My friend Trish I was just telling you about

grows this grass from seeds

in all sorts of containers

and it is just beautiful!!!

I was in the other day and she planted some

in this little pot so me and my little ones

could watch how fast and easy it grows.

Its just been a couple days

since I took this pic

and its grown like 2 inches!!!!

So that's all there is to it!!!

Just use what you have,

add a couple plants

and you have a one of a kind terrarium!!

I love mine!!!

And the plants do too!!!

They thrive in their glass house!!!

You hardly have to water them at all!!!

I try to just check every day or two

and I keep a spray bottle handy

and just give um a mist or two

if they look thursty or feel dry.

So now......

I wanna see yours!!!!!

Wanna Bawl Your Head Off This Morning?

OK, I hadn't planned on crying like a baby this morning,

but this video really takes the cake!


I am at a point in my life when my children don't need me like they always have.


For so many years, my life has been defined as mama...

a mama active in every part of my children's lives.

But as you know....

our kids grow up,

our relationships change.


I miss our older children being little and needing me.

I miss it more than you can imagine.

Our youngest baby is in the second grade

and he still loves me.

But our relationship with our older children is not the same.



And I know this is 'normal'.


But nobody told me it would be this hard.



I came across this video this morning and it put into words so many of the feelings I have been
having but just not able to verbalize.


If you have a few minutes, its so worth your time.


You may be in the same position as I am....

You may have already been there......done that.....

or you may still have sweet little ones at home that you can still put up in your lap,

tickle and listen to their sweet laughter,

and carry them to bed at night.

If you do, savor every moment,

because in a blink,

it'll be over.

And you feel like they don't need you anymore.


You can click on the video below from Sarah at Clover Lane:

Wanna Bawl Your Head Off This Morning?

Homemade Laundry Soap

Hello My Wonderful Friends!!!

I hope you are having a Fabulous day!

I have discovered SO many wonderful blogs

since I was introduced to 'Blog Land'
that have great decorating ideas

and unique thrifty finds.

And I have some awesome new friends

that I am so excited about over at

Drab to Fab!

I even love the name!!!

Take a look at their blog

when you have half a second!

You will be SO IMPRESSED

at how they can make a treasure out

of just about anything they find!!!

And it's all from items that are cheap and

easy to find!!!

I've also attached a link
for you to check out

their recipe for

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap.

Bon got it from Michelle Dugger

(You know!!! The Duggers with 19 kids!)

She made this for just pennies!!!
( I mean like $1 for ten GALLONS,

if you have your own bucket!!!)

She has put her own spin on it the original recipe

and I wanted to know if it was as good as my Gain!!!

She said it was!!!

She said she's going to add a tablespoon or so of

her Gain

in the next batch she does

and maybe not dilute it quite as much as she did last time.

But all in all, she's really be satisfied with it.

So I'm gonna take all her great advice

I've got borax and baking soda,

and as soon as I have a spare minute (or 2),

me and the kiddos are gonna whip us up a batch!!!!

Wow!!!
Yay!!!!!!

So if you all try it before I do,

let me know how your very

own Homemade Laundry Detergent turns out!!!

A HUGE THANKS

to the Chic's over at Drab to Fab

for their Fabulous Post!!!!

And I will be checking out their blog DAILY!!!

Don't Judge A Find By It's Box

First and foremost....

My blog post looks crazy!

I know it does!!!

It keeps changing my font on my post!!

I don't have a clue why, so I am apologizing in advance!!!

So....how are you all doing?

We're all doing better here.

We've had a really rough go at it these last few months.

We've been under attack

in just about every way you can imagine.

But guess what?

WE are coming out of this life victorious!!!!

What is it they say?

I know cause I've read the end of the book!

And I know how were coming out of this thing!!!

Blessed and Prosperous!!!

Above and not Beneath!!!

The Head and NOT the tail!!!

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,

plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11.

So thank the Lord!!!

For your promises are true!!!

And one more thing

Satan still owes me for what he's stolen from me!!!

AND MORE!!!!

And I'm tired of walking around here

all down and defeated!!!

Christ came to give us (ME) LIFE!!!

And life more ABUNDANTLY!!!!

SO THERE!!!!

CHOKE ON THAT THIS MORNING SATAN!!!

I do want to let each and every one of you know

that I am continuously grateful

for all your thoughts and prayers!

And here's a few updates on the fam.

Our son Joey's symptoms are much better at this time.

He has been diagnosed with CMT,

a form of MS

that is hereditary.

But they do not think this is the cause

of his recent neurological symptoms

or the white matter they've found on his brain.

We will be taking him to Vanderbilt

in March for more testing.

He has started back to work at Chucky Cheese

and this is really a great thing for him.

It gets him out of the house

and occupies his mind

and keeps him active.

Also one of our 18 year old son's, Eli,

is being sent to a cardiologist for

some testing next week.

(Actually they have changed his appt. till 1 pm today!)

I think this is just a precautionary measure

for some problems he's been having

lately and to test a murmur they found

a while back.

That is next Tuesday, Feb. 5Th.

Also, my baby sister (she's 30 but always my baby),

Daphne,

has been diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer.

She is having a hysterectomy next week,

February 5Th,

and I would ask for you all

to agree (Matthew 18:19)

with me that this surgery will get

EVERY BIT of cancer out

of her body!!!

And that she will be totally and completely healed!

The year I was a senior in high school,

my Daphne was in 1st grade.

She has always been such a joy to me

and to our whole family.

She's every body's favorite.

She's beautiful, sweet, a wonderful mother, daughter, sister,

wife, and friend!

And outgoing is

an understatement!!!

And she needs us to lift her up!!!

I know she's already healed.

OK, Enough about that stuff,

seems strange after all that...

But I have some Finds I've found at the thrift store

over the last little while

that I haven't shown you!!!

You never know,

sometimes you might just see a box with a

ceramic piece in it

that everybody else has just passed by.

That's $1.91,

I hate the way they price at that thrift store.

But under the cardboard on the bottom

There was the other piece!!!!

I just had to glue it together!!!!

The ribbon can be changed out too!!!

I also got these at the SA. 25 cents each

They look cheerful, don't you think?

I can't help it,
I still love milk glass!!!
I still pick it up when I see it cheap!!
I think it will make a comeback
one day soon!!!
I like this bowl because I could
put ribbon through the holes in the top.
And it this one is a good serving bowl too!!!

Well. thanks for letting me get all that off my chest.

Thanks for all your

support, prayers, and friendship!

Until next time...

Be Blessed