Trick or Treatment

For the two or three of you who are following the saga of me & my search for the perfect window treatments (if you need to catch up, click here), I post these pics of one of my best ideas of the past week. And actually it wasn't even completely my idea, but rather that of my 6-year-old compulsive crafter who was in search of a home for her gigantic half-a-pack-of-construction-paper chain. After I vetoed several of her suggestions for where in the house to hang it, we both agreed it'd be perfect for the playroom.

So, if you're out there, like myself, with way more windows than window-treatment budget, consider this. Construction paper chains. They're not just for Christmas trees anymore!

My New Designer Shades

It's literally been like 6 months since I stepped foot in Ann Taylor Loft, but Home Depot? Lowes? They know me on a first name basis over there now. Manicures & pedicures? Not since summer. For the past several months all my style energy has been directed toward this house. I guess that's why my heart skipped a beat when my husband surprised me the other day, not with a dozen roses, but with a couple of light fixtures I'd had my eye on at Home Depot.

I fell for these immediately, when I first saw them a few months ago. After choosing every single light fixture in this house over the course of the previous 9 months, I pretty much knew what was available out there, & I knew these were gonna be perfect for the basement craft room/family room.

However, I didn't see in them a ready-to-hang fixture, but rather a blank canvas begging for me to give them life. So, I had to go on a search for the perfect color green ribbon that I'd seen in my mind. After several days & two trips to JoAnn Fabrics (that's another story)... I found this ribbon & what was even better-it was self adhesive! So I had these shades re-vamped within minutes!

If you want to try this for some of your dull shades, you can also use craft glue or hot glue to adhere the ribbon. I even considered covering these in fabric, but maybe I'll do that in a couple years. I'll post the directions for how to do that some other day. Meanwhile, I love my new shades. Tell me what you think of them & what you guys have done with your dull shades.

And The Winner Is....

Congratulations to ASHLEY GORDON who is the winner of the $50 Gift Certificate from My Fine Art!

Thank you so much to all you sweet people who participated in my first giveaway! I wish I was able to give everyone a free canvas! I would be happy, however, to offer anyone who posted a comment during the giveaway a discount at my shop of 10% off your entire purchase between now & December 15th. Maybe that will help a little with your Christmas list! To receive the discount, message me thru etsy & mention the blog when you're ready to place an order. To start shopping, just click here!

Follow my blog to hear about giveaways in the future! Plus--I just started tweeting & you can follow me on twitter by clicking here.

GIVEAWAY DAY!!!

I'm sorry--the giveaway has closed. Please click on my banner at the top of this page to view my latest posts!

Wednesday-Thursday

November 18-19

My First Giveaway!

To help you kick-start your Christmas shopping & welcome you to my new blog, I'm giving away a $50 Gift Certificate to my shop! Visit my shop here to see all the ways I can turn your own photos into your own fine art on canvas! These canvases make great gifts for pretty much anyone on your Christmas list! And there's still plenty of time to order before Christmas!

Many of you are fans of other blogs that have done giveaways & you're pros at this, but some of you may not know how it works. To be entered into the random drawing, just leave a comment on this post. The Giveaway ends Thursday at midnight. I'll announce the winner in a post on Friday, so be sure to check back!

P.S. For another great Giveaway, visit my sister's blog! Click here to see what great stuff she's givin' away!

Reflections on the Everyday

This is who I really am, who God made me to be. The wife to a man who depends on me, & a mother to a son & three daughters who look to me for everything from clean socks to advice on how to deal with the unexpected. I'm here to teach what life is about... How choices can change us forever... How to make the right ones & avoid making the wrong ones... How to be kind when the world isn't... How to undo being unkind... How to be the bigger person when you're really the smaller... How to wash the dishes the right way & know when the dishes can wait... How to fold the towels & ice a birthday cake & address a letter to your great-grandmother. How to cherish now so you won't regret it later.

Some days I can be the business woman or the Bible study leader or the party hostess or amateur home decorator, but even then, I'm really the mom. With four children in my rear view mirror. Who are always watching & learning all about life by how I'm living it.

I just wanted to remind myself of this.

Haven't Met You Yet

If you come to my house today, the first thing you might notice are my great windows. And the second thing you will notice is that 90% of them are stark naked. They are one of my favorite things about my house. However, while I was dreaming of their uniqueness & grandeur while painstakingly choosing just the right colors & types during our days of planning & construction, I failed to foresee the other side of the coin, which is finding a treatment for every one of them.

Therefore, as I sit here, 2 months after our move-in day, most of them remain naked. And unfortunately, I am not that person who can go to a store & buy window treatments. For those of you who know me well, you need no explanation, and for those of you who don't, this is partly because it's hard to find the sizes needed for some of these windows, partly because I'm on a sort-of spending freeze imposed by my husband for anything else design-related for this house, but mostly because I'm ridiculously picky about window treatments. And so, I have been on a search for great prices on great fabric or even some great pre-mades! But have, so far, been unsuccessful! I admit I have a major crush on some green-striped ones for the family room, but they are somewhat pricey. But that doesn't stop me from returning to the site & flirting with them now & then. We may still have a future together.

It was this painful search for the right treatments & my undying love for Michael Buble that inspired me to write a new verse to one of Michael's new songs in honor of my future treatments. If you don't know the song, click on the video below, & imagine me crooning it out in my glass house while the neighbors & heaven-knows-who else peek in.

Haven't Met You Yet

I'm not surprised.
Not everything's right.
I've shopped so many sites now that I stopped keeping track.
I talk myself in.
Then my husband talks me out.
I get all worked up, then I let myself down.

I've tried so very hard not to lose it.
People think I should have no excuses.
It seems I've thought of every possibility.

And I know someday that it'll all turn out.
I'll search & sew so we can work to work it out.
And promise you, kid, that I'll give so much more than I get.
I just haven't met you yet.

Mmmm...

I might have to wait.
I'll never give up.
I guess it's half timing,
And the other half's luck.
Wherever you are.
Whenever it's right.
You'll come out of some design blog and into my life.

And I know that we can be so amazing.
And, baby, your look is gonna change me.
And now I can see every possibility.

Mmmm...

But somehow I know that it'll all turn out.
And I'll talk my husband into letting me spend some more cash so we can work to work it out.
And I promise you, kid, I'll give so much more than I get.
I just haven't met you yet.

They say all's fair.
In design and war.
But I won't need to fight it.
We'll get it right and,
We'll be united.

And I know that we can be so amazing.
And your being in my house is gonna change me.
And now I can see every single possibility, mmmm.

And someday I know it'll all turn out.
And I'll search & sew to work it out.
Promise you, kid, I'll give more than I get,
Than I get, than I get, than I get.

Ohhh!

You know it'll all turn out.
And I'll get some cash so we can work to work it out.
And I promise you, kid, to give so much more than I get.
I just haven't met you yet.

I just haven't met you yet.
Ohh, promise you, kid, to give so much than I get.

(I said love, love, love, love...)
I just haven't met you yet

I just haven't met you yet.