Up-cycled Lamps

My New Year's project is to redesign my bedroom.  It's proving to be harder than I hoped, with having no money and all :).  But, that's not gonna stop me!  I'm having a great time experimenting with a very, very tight budget and making my own stuff (which means you get to experience the make-over step by step)!  The first step was cleaning the carpet with a trick I found on Pinterest.  It was soooo cool!  I made Logan and Will come and watch the "magic trick" like I was a Vegas magician.  They were impressed.  Then, I made them help move the bed and they ran away.

Today's project:  Up-cycling a set of lamps.  AJ and I scoped out a local Goodwill store the other day and found some (ugly) used lamps for $4 a piece!

They're not the same shape, but similar enough that I thought they'd work.  

Two different colors did not work for me though!

After the first coat of primer, I knew they would be perfect for my bedside tables!

Added a coat of ivory spray paint and a shade Logan and I found at Garden Ridge and whoa! 

I now have some nice looking table lamps on each side of the bed! 

 It's funny how the little things excite me :)

Tonight, I'm making little paper roses for a wreath to hang above the bed.  It's a fun project while we are watching TV and playing games and waiting to bring in the new year.

In honor of our Harrison & Holbrook Irish blood...  

"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want."

Happy New Year!

Reflecting on Christmas 2011

I've searched since Christmas evening for my camera... to no avail.  So, I still can't post the pictures of the other gifts I made.  I can tell you, though, that I believe everyone liked what they received!  I think a couple of my favorite moments this Christmas were when my cousin, Joanna, and Will's sister, Heather, opened their gifts.  They both received personalized glass pendent necklaces with pictures of their children.  I made my little brother, Shane, a t-shirt to express my disdain for his love of Chevy trucks.  He was not in the least bit impressed (which just made it all the more fun for me :)).  

My Christmases have always been so special.  I think that comes from having the most awesome parents in the world.  This year was no different.  I'm going to share a little secret about my mom... she's amazing.  Well, that's not the secret, everyone knows that.  The secret is that she is like the real-life Santa, or motherly version of such.  She shops year round to make sure her 9 children/spouses, her grandchildren, her foster children, her foster-grandchildren, nieces/nephews, my Dad, my Mamaw, people from their church, and her friends have presents every Christmas.  It's something she and Dad have always done. I remember her running out last minute to go get "a little something" if she found out someone was in need.  This year, she brought tears to my eyes when she stopped to at her Amish neighbors to see what each of the little ones had picked out with the $10 she gave them for Christmas.  The whole thing just put so much into perspective...  To a lot of kids, ten bucks would not have been a big deal.  But, these little rosy-cheeked babies acted like they had won the lottery!  And, there are 10 of them.  I think that's the part that hit me.  $10 each for 10 kids out of nothing but love.  My parents are not rich by any means, but are blessed beyond measure because of their kindness to others.  I love them so much!  And, I hope to teach my boys to have a giving spirit like my Mother continues to teach me.

Glass Pendant Necklaces for Gifts

Woke up to the rain here in Kentucky.  I love it, but it makes me just want to lay in bed all day and listen to the soft patter of raindrops outside my window.  And, Joey & Susie don't want to go outside when it's raining.  I always have to nudge them out and promise they can cuddle with me after they've taken care of their business :)

As for the pendants I started last night... the glue has finally dried.  I'm excited with how well they turned out!

Clearly, a few of these were made for some of my co-workers :)  Can you guess which ones?

So, a few more gifts completed.  And, it's a good thing... time is running out!

Tonight, we will be baking and prepping for the Christmas dinner party we're hosting for a few of our friends (parents of the boys' friends).  I'm excited to try a new Christmas Cake idea (thanks to Pinterest).  Watch for pictures coming soon!

T - 5 days...

until Christmas!

In our family, the big event is Christmas Eve.  Every year for my entire life, we've spent it with the whole family.  I was always allowed to open one present from my parents before heading to my Aunt & Uncle's for our Holbrook passing party and dinner.  After we were stuffed with food and shared presents, we would go home just minutes after Santa had been there.  I remember frantically begging Dad year after year to drive faster so maybe we could catch him this time!  Oh, my... what memories!  This Saturday, we'll all load up in the car and drive to my Aunt & Uncle's for one of my favorite holiday traditions.  I can't wait to see you all there!

Tonight after dinner, instead of wrapping gifts and preparing, we took a nice drive around a few of Lexington's finest neighborhoods to see how everyone has decorated their homes.  We cranked up the carols on the radio and sipped hot chocolate from McD's.  It was a nice evening with both boys.  I'm usually running one or the other someplace or another.  I like our together time.

And, since I've been home, I've been working on my glass tile pendant necklaces.  The glue is drying now, but I hope to share pictures later.  Until then, here are a couple of Christmas cuties  :)

  

And, a couple more...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I can't believe Christmas is only one week away!  We decided this year to focus more on the "true" meaning of the holiday, and focus less on shopping/spending/stressing.  And, I have been making a lot of gifts.  The more materialistic me of past was concerned at first about the whole "homemade" gift-giving.  But, I am pleasantly surprised by the sense of satisfaction from making these gifts.  Not only was it cost-saving, I feel like the gifts were more heartfelt.

It seems that everyone in this state is obsessed with UK basketball.  This makes gift ideas so much easier, especially for people you don't know well.  So, when we had our silent auction of wreaths to raise money for our Christmas donation to local charities at my office, I knew the UK wreath would pull some donations.  And, I had enough materials to make an extra for a co-worker of Will's.

The wreath for the silent auction at work.  Each year, we make wreaths, take bids, and donate money to local charities.  I'm blessed to work with a great group of folks who spread the spirit of Christmas!

This is the second one I made.  I thought using the extra blue and silver bulbs and some discounted ribbon from Michael's would be a great value gift for Will to take to work. 

I have too many on my "team" to do a big gift.  But, I did make a little something for everyone.  I gave gifts to my pals last Friday at our out-of-office staff meeting.  Everyone liked their ornaments :)

I'll not share all my gift ideas.  (I don't want to give away any surprises!)  I hope everyone enjoys receiving as much as I have enjoyed making presents.   Ahhhh, Christmas is such my favorite time of year!  One week... I can't wait!