tray bella

she's a beauty

2012-01-24T20:18:00.002-06:00

large and drippy aren't great descriptors of something really so beautiful.

unless

of course

you are this:

a large, drippy chandelier.

my grandma passed away last month, just before christmas. this is the one thing that i really wanted of hers.

i remember always sitting at the kids table at her house when i was young. i will never forget the first time i sat at the big table (i was 23 years old). it felt special, sitting at the adult table under this beautiful chandelier.

i felt so grown up.

i feel so lucky to have this piece from her.

my plan was to put her in my living room, but she is too large. (really meaning that mr. traybella at 6'4" hits his head on it) and since i don't have a designated dining space (because i move my dining room table around all the time) i have decided that she will hang proudly in my bedroom. i can't wait to get her hung there and see her sparkle.

RIP grandma.

~ linking up to white wednesday over at faded charm ~

old buffet : breakfast bar

2012-01-05T19:37:00.002-06:00

the only thing i really liked about my old buffet was the amount of storage it had.
so i really didn't want to get rid of it, but i needed it to function in a different way.

so i swung it out from the wall and repositioned it to act like a peninsula in my kitchen.
and then i thought, if it had an overhang, it could double as a breakfast bar.

i had my home depot cut down a 4x8 sheet of oak plywood to the size i needed 3x5. purchased some trim to go around the edge, some stain and headed home. i had the brackets in my stash, they were purchased at a garage sale this past summer for a buck each.

i also wrapped the back with bead board so that it looks pretty from all sides.

then i painted it white and just spray painted the existing handles.

but my favorite part of the entire project has got to be the top. you've seen this french chocolate label all over blog land. so i found an online source to make me a stencil. personalized it with our last name and the year we were married 1995.
melissa & bill at http://www.mulberrycreakonline.com/ were awesome to work with. a few email conversations and my stencil was off in the mail to me.

the stencil was so easy to place and i love the result.

use what you've got! simple enhancements to make it new and unique and now we've got a great family piece that also doubles as a conversation starter. i love multi functional furniture. sooo cool!

linking up to faded charm for white wednesday. check out all the other fabulous whites!

happy new year

2012-01-01T13:59:00.000-06:00

i do not like to make new year resolutions.

probably because i do not like to set myself up to fail.

but

i do like to make a new list of things that might challenge me.

call it what you want, i guess.

it is nice to have all the christmas decorations down and put away.

the house is clean, all the sweets are gone and we have had some great relaxing days.

because i can not plan for an entire year,

for the month of january...

i plan to do weekly meal planning,.

grocery shop only once per week.

seldom swipe my credit card.

organize the boys closets.

continue the Insanity workout program{this time with everything i've got!}

eat healthy.

cut back, if not out, sugar. {this will be so difficult for me}

me more by doing less.

love more, take risks and continue to live a simple life.

i hope, that by going month by month, i am able to stick with these lifestyle changes.

Cheers! to the new year!

christmas cookies

2011-12-22T09:54:00.000-06:00

i have made approximately 10 dozen of these cookies

this past week for several occasions.

hopefully there will be a few left for santa saturday night.

forever ribbon

2011-12-20T20:36:00.000-06:00

i have absolutely no excuse to not have pretty packages.

this year, or next year, the year after....

found {last year} at a flea market for 5 bucks.

the never ending roll of ribbon.

{love!}

a favorite place

2011-12-14T09:15:00.000-06:00

eight years ago when we bought our home i liked it.
i could see past the orange shag carpet, the kitchen that needed updating and so many other updates.

and the front, i didn't love, but worked with what i had.

and what i also had, was a dream.

a dream to change the flat front to something with more curb appeal.

and so we did.

we added this beautiful porch this fall.

i love it and it is now my new favorite place.

first time ever that packages delivered don't sit out in the rain.

or when guests come they are protected from the weather.

removing all the landscape prior to the project was a huge workout.

putting it all back in, including the rock path, was another huge workout.

but the satisfaction of doing things on your own...priceless.

i can hardly wait for spring!

christmas decorations

2011-12-12T08:53:00.000-06:00

i pretty much use the same christmas decorations every year.
some years not everything gets used.
some, i add in something else that i love that was maybe in another room of the house.

keep it simple, use what you've got and maybe think outside the box.

i added some bibles and a cross this year. getting back to the real reason for the season.

our entry table. religious decor on the top shelf, presents on the bottom. small indication to what is a top priority and what comes secondary. so happy that when my oldest son saw this display, he understood it!

love my rosary hanging on this old garden statue.

pretty packages are always my all time favorite!

in the still of the night

2011-11-28T19:49:00.001-06:00

i think i must admit.

that, the still of the night,

is the most favorite part of my day.

i try to stay simple.

but sometimes the days get too busy.

it is at the night, when the boys are tucked in,
and my small lights cast a warm glow,
that i relish the calmness.

i make the coffee for morning {knowing i am unapproachable without it},
ensure school papers are looked over and signed.
lunches made and a things are picked up.

i often sit, for a minute, and realize how lucky i am.
to have a beautiful home filled with warmth, soft glowing lights,
and an abundance of love.

take a minute, and count your blessings.
and then breathe....deeply.

small room decorating

2011-11-22T08:36:00.000-06:00

so excited yesterday when i received the current issue of Small Room Decorating and to see my home featured on page 44.
such a lovely article, so well written by gloria gale.
on newsstands now.

happy halloween

2011-10-30T21:37:00.000-05:00

just a few shots of some halloween decor we've had up this season.
i try to keep it pretty simple, and not too spooky.
happy halloween! enjoy the day.

garden clean up

2011-10-18T11:37:00.001-05:00

the temperatures are dropping and on my list of things to do is clean up the vegetable garden.

today our visit to the garden resulted in what i think is sure to be...the last of the garden for this year.

my dreams of spring begin.

a beautiful day

2011-10-11T09:33:00.000-05:00

we've had perfect weather here in the midwest for about the last 14 days.

the leaves are turning and falling like crazy. i love this view out my window.

who says...

2011-10-10T12:24:00.000-05:00

that an uber cool industrial sewing machine table from new york...

can't make an uber cool industrial kitchen island!

and with a drippy chandelier, moved from what used to be my dining room (oh yeah, that room has changed too!) i am so in love with my kitchen again.

think outside the box and use what you have. don't be afraid to switch thing around...it's cheaper than moving!

a trick and a treat

2011-09-28T16:33:00.001-05:00

i have a trick and a treat for you today!
the treat is that after a month break from blogging, i am adding a post today.

just kidding, your treat is at the end of today's post.

inside, outside, upside down around here lately. a porch project going on the front of the house. and with mr. traybella out of town last week, i rearranged everything again inside. i'll have posts on these later, but let's get to todays.

the trick: to buying halloween candy this early is to wrap it up!

in years past i have made halloween crackers and passed them out to all my trick-or-treaters.

but this year i decided to change things up a bit...no surprise,

i know {ahem}.

i purchased small paper bags (at michael's) and filled them with candy.

if i don't put the candy in something, i end up eating most of it by oct. 31.

then i buy more, eat more...you know the cycle.

i designed this cute little label for each of the bags.

simply taped it on, and stapled the tops closed.

the treat: free printable labels for you! just like the ones i put on my bags. enjoy!

thanks for stopping in today. i am glad i had something new to share!

for the love of wallpaper

2011-08-26T13:03:00.000-05:00

hello, my name is kathi and i am addicted to wallpaper.
i know what you are thinking...wallpaper? that is so yesterday! so 70's!

have you looked at a wallpaper book lately?

if you ask me, i think wallpaper has come a long way. there are some beautiful papers out there and i also think they can totally make a room.

since i have closed my booth i have to admit i have days were boredom sets in. so i am always looking for a project. it is also nice that time is being spent on my home again and things are finally get done around here.

while waiting for paint to mix at my local sherwin williams i was flipping through wallpaper books.

and there it was.........O.M.G.....i was sooo in love. i checked the book out and brought it home. (even the cover of the book is a beautiful taupe linen...i wanted to keep it. forever!)

this lovely paper...isn't to die for?! will soon grace the walls of my mud room/office.

but first.

i have to strip off the red plaid wallpaper (that i used to love and have since grown tired of it).

i used to hang wallpaper professionally. so it is nice that when i find a lovely (expensive) paper, i won't have the cost of paying a hanger to install it.

but the stripping. ugh. it is hands down the worst part and it's why i have waited this long to get it done. but with the little one starting school next week, you can know what i will be spending my time on.

stay tuned...it may be awhile before i post after photos.

cheers, to the week end.

a pirate looks at 5

2011-08-24T11:33:00.001-05:00

i love when the boys pick a theme to their birthday party. it makes all the planning so much easier.
so if you have a request for a pirate party in your future, i hope that you will be inspired by our recent pirate buccaneer bash!

the invitation:

i always try to do birthday parties on a budget. so that translates to making my own invitations.
start with a photo of your pirate and add some pirate verbage when telling the details.
print out and mail. i also decorated the envelope by using rubber stamps. i stamped a scull and cross bones on one end, and a X on the other. with a sharpie pen i drew dash lines from the scull to the X, representing a treasure map.

the decorations:

our party was mostly outside. with some simple decorations, our play fort turned into a pirate ship.
i made the sign using poster board. added cutouts of a scull and crossbones. for the writing i just used chalk. it was quick and easy! the pirate banner was purchased at michael's.

inside by the cake table i hung this pirate banner. i made it by simply photo copying pictures from a pirate book i checked out at the library.

activities:

at 5, mostly all they want to do is run around. i did have a few extra things for them to do. most popular being 'walk the plank'. who knew that a 2x4 drug out of the attic could be so much fun?!

i had a station set up to do shaving cream painting. the process is so cool. if you have never done this craft, google shaving cream painting and be ready to be amazed. so fun! once dry, i popped these into dollar store black frames and they doubled as party favors.

the pirate pinata was 'a hit' {pun intended}. filled with all things pirate: gold coins, pirate people, bouncy balls, and some candy, everyone took a turn. one boy even wanted to take home the head.

pirate bags to take loot home in.

grog and grub:

i kept this simple by having a self serve snack table. bags or cups work well here, everyone can just fill them up with what they want. the favorite snack? pirate booty of course!

i am no professional baker. but i aim to please when it comes to birthday cakes. i was concerned when this years cake request was a pirate ship. and said well by the 5 year old pirate himself ... "every pirate needs a ship". probably one of the ugliest cakes i've ever made (due to some early morning mishaps...ahem) but the 5 year old pirate said "that's the coolest cake i've ever seen!" nuff said.

if you google pirate ship cake you can find all the directions on how to make this.
cans of root beer are also good pirate grog. we however forgot to put ours out, but i'm confident they had enough sugar by the time the guests left us.

that pretty much wraps it up! with paper pirate hats, eye patches and beads at the cake table a good time was had by all.

hard to believe that my 'baby' is 5....happy birthday cooper!

back to school

2011-08-11T14:15:00.000-05:00

we're going, but we're kicking and screaming.

we have had such a great summer that my boys,

nor i, are ready for school to start.

sleeping in,

no schedules,

lots of playing outside,

swimming,

just being...kids.

we drop off school supplies tonight,

meet the teacher,

and school starts on monday.

one last weekend, and you can bet

we're making the most out of it!

these slow summer days

2011-08-03T18:17:00.000-05:00

we are really trying to just drag out these last few

days of summer before school starts.

with weather being the hottest it has been in 25 years we have

been spending most days enjoying our backyard cement pond.

oh yes, there has been lots and lots of swimming.

with a fifth birthday looming in the upcoming week there has

also been some party planning.

so hard to believe that this little pirate will be 5 soon.

i am really trying to treasure these last few

days of having a four year old.

{pirate party pics will be posted after the 14th...stay tuned!}

once the weather cools down in the evenings

(if you call 99 degrees a cool down!)

we have been practicing bike riding with no training wheels.

do they always have to ride so fast?! i suppose so, just to keep his mommy's heart beating.

fresh berries make for a yummy COLD summer snack.

an abundance of tomatoes from the garden

make for some great BLT's.

the tiny ones never even make it to the kitchen. nothing

like a warm, fresh tomato popped into your mouth.

if that doesn't scream summer i don't know what does.

too proud to call in a plumber, i knew i could tackle this

home improvement project.

the drippy bathroom faucet.

long story short, we now have an entire new faucet,

and new plumbing underneath.

all installed by moi!

8 trips to the hardware store, and several calls to dear 'ol dad

and i did it!

and finally....i am doing cartwheels because we finally have the ball rolling on the front porch project.

a few more hoops to jump through with the city

before we can actually start.

fingers crossed, and hoping for pumpkins

on my porch for halloween.

{this is just a sneak peek, i'll be sure to post before, during and of

course after photos as we go along}.

hope you are staying cool & enjoying the lazy hot days of summer.

i appreciate each and every one of you that

visit my blog. from near and far, you make my day!

thanks for stopping by.

i am not ready

2011-07-26T11:27:00.000-05:00

school supply list: purchased and labeled.

back to school clothes: purchased, laundered and put away.

summer days: not enough left!

we are having such a great summer.

it is africa hot here in the midwest, but we're making the best of it.

i am going to drag out these lazy summer days as long as i can.

school starts way too soon!

can we please have just one more MONTH of summer please?!

my bucket list

2011-07-19T16:20:00.000-05:00

i love coffee.

i could seriously drink it all day.

but i don't.

one of the items, on my bucket list, is to own my own coffee shop.

i think about it almost daily, owning my own coffee shop.

i also think about how i will make it successful since i am not a morning person.

we're talking opening at 6:30am. i haven't seen 6:30am in a loooong time.

i am more of a night owl. guess first things first is to change my ways.

so in the meantime i am forever inspired by these photos:

all of these photos speak to me.

and in my head i have a design, for my own shop, that pulls all of these together.

my place would no doubt be small, chic, bohemian and of course comfy.

but do i really want a coffee shop of my own?

or do i just want to decorate one?

mr. traybella says "maybe you should work in one before you own one".

so rational he is. but probably right!

what are you dreaming about today?

{all photos found via the web}

boys and baseball

2011-07-12T15:06:00.000-05:00

to me summer is not summer unless there is baseball.

and i love nothing more than spending some hot evenings watching MY boys play!

maguire had a great season and it was so fun watching him play first base.

and i don't know who had a bigger smile on his face when he got a home run this year,

but i bet it was his oh so proud mom!

cooper got in on the action this year too.

he is thrilled to have his own team after watching his brother play for so long.

maguire wrapped up his season last month. cooper still has a couple of games left.

i find myself anxious for next spring to roll around so we can

PLAY BALL! some more.

mockingbird cottage on tybee island

2011-07-11T09:38:00.000-05:00

our summer vacation to tybee island was just perfect.

i knew i wanted to rent a small cottage, instead of a condo in a high rise.

one day i googled "cottage for rent tybee island"

and i was thrilled with what popped up.

mockingbird cottage: 2 bedroom cottage in a quiet neighborhood close to the beach.

all of the pictures made it look adorable.

but i have been steered otherwise in what you see is not always what you get.

excited and nervous i book it.

the photo of this porch had me at hello,

this dining room with it's drum shade light drew me in.

and can i just say that once we checked in . . .

it was better than any of the photographs!

filled with lovely antiques, such a homey feel to it.

decorated so well that i kept saying to myself "i wouldn't change a thing if i would have decorated it myself". it was totally us. and now i want to meet the owners, because i think we could be best friends!

mockingbird cottage oozes with charm and is updated and beautiful.

white coffee mugs and a french press coffee maker...i knew i was "home".

most of our time, at the cottage, was spent on the screen porch.

it was a test run to see how much we would use it, after all i have the plans drawn out for ours at home. just waiting to pull the plug and get started. and don't call me crazy, but i even measured the porch at the cottage. it's the same size that ours will be, so it was a perfect test run!

we ate breakfast and lunch everyday on the porch.

we relaxed on the porch after a day at the beach and after taking showers in the outdoor shower.

the boys loved the outdoor shower, it was a new experience for them.

mr. traybella and i would play card games on the porch each evening.

we used that porch a ton!

the boys liked sharing a room. with two comfy twin beds and space in the middle to play, they were often found in here enjoying a game together.

the cottage also had a bookshelf filled with books and a cabinet filled with games.

mockingbird cottage is also close to the beach. the boys loved playing in the larger

waves of the atlantic ocean.

so happy that we found mockingbird cottage and were able to spend a week there.

adorable place, so comfortable and lives larger than it actually is.

my boys loved it.

so much that they want to move to mockingbird cottage and take up surf lessons.

is that not the dream of every midwestern boy who gets a holiday on the beach?

i highly recommend a stay at mockingbird cottage. tybee island is a great little place. 3 miles long by 1 mile wide it has an old beach town feel to it. almost key west like. savannah is just a 20 minute drive away.

i hope we get to return next year,

and the year after,

and the year after...

paris market

2011-06-25T22:32:00.001-05:00

our family vacation this summer was to Tybee Island, GA.
we had such a fantastic time.
i've been meaning all week to get photos out here of our vacation.
but have been having fun with the boys pretending that we're still on vacation!

i'll get them out here after i return from scout camp this weekend.
in the meantime if you ever venture to Savannah, GA you'll have to check out this cute shop: paris market

two stories of merchandise, i was drooling as soon as i walked in the door.

it even has a cute little coffee shop in it.

i could have stayed her for an hour or so...
but someone started being silly.

when you shop with the boys...it's on borrowed time.

update later with beach photos and a post on the most adorable cottage ever that we rented for the week.

enjoy the weekend!

summer

2011-06-16T09:45:00.000-05:00

sometimes.
a change of scenery is all you need.
cheers.
to summer!

photo shoot

2011-06-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

a crazy busy week last week.
and on tuesday gloria gale and bill mathews were in my house shooting photographs!
gloria will write the article for a magazine called small room decorating.

watching them work their magic was so fun. you can't even imagine how great your house looks when you look at it through the lens of bills camera.

it was a joy to have them in my home all day. i was fascinated with the entire process.

i will post more once it gets published!
thank you gloria and bill....you have the best jobs!

big cedar lodge

2011-06-11T14:14:00.000-05:00

we spent some family time last weekend at big cedar lodge.
just past branson, mo. big cedar is only about 3.5 hours from kansas city.
the kids had a blast!
such a fun weekend of no schedules, doing a ton of fun things and just being a family.

it was such a hot weekend, that the lazy river was a favorite for everyone.

a quick break for lunch.

the feel of this place is amazing. i love the history of it, and all of these old original (circa 1921) buildings.

we played miniature golf after dinner every night. also a favorite was ice cream out of an airstream trailer!

the setting at big cedar is just so beautiful and relaxing. paddling around in a canoe was so fun and a first experience for the boys.

if you're looking for a family getaway this summer, i suggest big cedar lodge!

i went to a garden party...

2011-06-02T21:50:00.000-05:00

and took home made cilantro pesto as a hostess gift.

don't forget to use your garden to make

delicious hostess gifts this summer!

it's more fun to think outside the box

2011-06-01T16:43:00.000-05:00

who says?

i always say that to myself when i am out junking.

rules? hate to follow them.

be different? absolutely with a capital A!

who says:

that this huge iron pot rack has to be in a kitchen?

remove the chains and the hooks and it's a beautiful planter on my patio table.

who says:

that andirons have to be next to a fireplace?

i love to use them to mark my garden paths.

i encourage you to think outside the box this summer...it's fun!

how does your garden grow?

2011-05-26T14:00:00.000-05:00

my garden has gone crazy this year.

so fun to see some of the herbs come back from last year.

growing potatoes 'up' in straw...we'll see how that goes.

you can't get more local than your own backyard...enjoy!

pretty vintage plates

2011-05-17T16:35:00.000-05:00

out thrifting last week i found 4 of these adorable plates and one matching platter.

i am hard pressed to think of anything pink around my house,

but i love these so much, that i am keeping them.

i wish there were 8.

but this just means i need to keep an eye out for 4 more

pretty plates. that don't match. that just coordinate.

these are perfect girlfriend plates.

because if i served dinner on these to my boys... oh heck they probably

wouldn't even notice!

the leaves on the plates are more brown than green (difficult to see here).

and i love them paired up with my brown chargers.

it is the little things that make me happy...

4 plates and a platter....$10

thoughts of lunch with girlfriends...priceless.

if you want it done right...

2011-05-09T16:32:00.000-05:00

sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do!

and this time, it was brick laying.

for about a year i have had two brick columns, dry stacked, in my garden.

since i have been making some money (burlap junktion), i thought i would hire someone to do this small project for me. i explained my project to him and he said no problem.

but this (pillar on the right) is what he left me with...

seriously? you are proud of that?!

when i said it was "a little more rustic than i had envisioned" he assured me that

it was because i was using reclaimed bricks.

uh, how about it is because you used concrete instead of mortar?

what a mess i had on my hands.

i fired him and told him i could not pay him for the work he had done.

then i started chipping off all the concrete and tackled the job myself.

the pillar on the left is the one that i did. with the same 'reclaimed' bricks.

mind you, i have never in my life done any brick work.

but with the right materials, and some determination

i am thrilled with the end result.

so here is to all you girls out there who think you can't

YOU CAN!

just use some common sense, prayers and determination.

this job was back breaking, but nothing that a hot shower didn't cure.

what projects have you tackled ...that you thought you couldn't?

inside, outside, upside down

2011-04-22T12:45:00.000-05:00

i love spring.

i love spending all day out in the gardens.

getting the flower beds ready,

planning what to plant in the vegetable gardens.

but.

then the inside suffers.

and other things get put on the back burner.

i just can't help it.

i am so drawn to long days in my gardens.

inside, outside, upside down...cest la vie!

the last few years i simply had chicken wire around my beds to keep the rabbits out.

but this year my early spring project was to build a fence to keep our black lab puppy out.

i cranked it out in a weekend.

not bad for never building a fence before.

shear determination to not have my garden dug up by our lab

is what got me to get it done so quickly.

i'll show some more garden photos next week.

enjoy the Easter weekend and thanks for stopping by!

for the boys

2011-04-17T17:31:00.001-05:00

my eight year old is in cub scouts and i am the leader of his den. our group is large with 14 boys. we recently had our annual banquet, the Blue and Gold. this is a special night for the boys (the entire pack, not just our den) as they receive their advancement badges. i (with my co-leader) was in charge of the centerpieces for this year....18 of them.

we needed to be creative, as there is very little budget for centerpieces. we also wanted to create something special for the boys. they all love to camp, so we focused on a camping theme. this is what we came up with:

we started with the wood bases. my dad, and his chain saw, helped with this part of the project.

(thanks dad!)

then with a power drill, i drilled holes for the flag and the evergreen branches.

the tents were made out of blue card stock. i took photos of our pack number and american flag and then pulled them through my print shop program. printed them off and taped them to the tents.

for the other side of the tent i used a giant fleur di lis rubber stamp (found at michael's for 99cents) and then stamped it on a gold stamp pad.

the fire pits were made out of small rocks and cut branches. each rock was glued to the wood base as well as the fire sticks. this made setting them up at the event so much easier.

creating 18 of these wasn't so bad, if you just tackle it assembly line style.

the boys absolutely loved them! we had tables of 8 and on one chair at each table i placed a piece of tape. whomever was sitting in the chair with the tape on it, got to take the centerpiece home.

the cost was minimal. the flags, the paper for the tents, rubber stamp, gold ink pad and a bag of rocks.

and as if making 18 centerpieces wasn't enough....

i also volunteered to bring dessert. so in keeping with the

camping theme i whipped up these s'more cupcakes.

oh. my. gosh. they were sooo yummy!

all of this for the boys!

such a great group of kids and glad i get to

be part of their childhood.

to my boys in blue...cub scout salute to you!

give it a shot

2011-04-05T20:36:00.000-05:00

i find brass chandeliers at just about every garage sale i go to.

they have never been my favorite type of light fixture, and to some, these days they are considered dated.

but give them a shot of spray paint and you've got yourself a new statement piece.

(now for sale in my burlap junktion booth)

joining white wednesday at faded charm

blooming

2011-04-03T20:31:00.002-05:00

i found some lovely spring fabrics to make
a large batch of spring flower pins.

these will be blooming in my booth within the next week or so.

it seems overwhelming to get all of these cut out.

but once i start to put them together, and they come to life,

it's easy to get them finished up.

i hope flowers are blooming in your world.

back at it

2011-03-26T21:17:00.000-05:00

sometimes, something has to give. and this time, it was blogging.

i pride myself in being a super multi-tasker.

but lately, i am not sure what happen.

i think, at times, it just all catches up with me.

i also think that this time of year,

when i am called out to the garden,

everything else gets put on the back burner.

i love nothing more than cleaning out the flower beds and

getting the vegetable gardens ready (which entailed a new

puppy proof fence this past weekend...update on that later this week).

the boys also love when we play kickball all afternoon outside.

and who doesn't love the crack of a bat this time of year?

oh yes, there have been many baseball games many afternoons.

and when you finally come in, exhausted from the fresh air, and try

to throw something down for dinner, there just wasn't much

energy left for blogging (or being creative for that matter).

and then there is the burlap junktion booth....open every weekend now.

love it, but my is it ever a j.o.b. now.

but i did take an entire weekend, with the hubby sans the boys. (thanks mom & dad for helping out!)

to tackle the unfinished portion of our basement. the good old staycation!

the workbench is now cleared off, and every nail, screw and tool is organized.

and....

so is my studio!

i moved, purged, and organized and i can't tell you how wonderful it feels. wow!

two of these old cabinets came in the basement when we bought the house.

i have always admired their shabbyness. and finally i put them to good use

in my studio. i also was sitting on the floor, sorting nails, and had a thought.

how fun to insert some of my favorite papers into the sections on the

cabinet doors. so i started digging through all my scraps

and just love the result....

most of my papers are stashed away in a file drawer, all color

coordinated and organized. i never get to see them. so i thought

this was a perfect idea to get them out where i could see them.

it also fills that 'i need some color, but can't live with it upstairs"

urge that i have been having lately.

was so happy that i had two of them. allowing me to create

a work area with one on each side.

a random bookshelf, bought at a garage sale months ago, propped on top

makes for some display place. i have everything here for tagging my items

for the booth. and each cabinet has shelves inside too that hold things like

tax papers, extra business cards, etc.

i just used what i had. all this stuff was just stashed and not being used.

it is so much more fun organizing with the things you have than spending money on

containers to contain everything. equally makes me feel like less of a hoarder now that i have

some empty shelves and bins in my studio.

the other side of my studio has this big black cabinet. also left here at the house

when we moved in. it was just open shelving and a few years ago i added the toile fabric to the front so that i could store more junk in there. another random bookshelf that holds necessities but also just pretty things to look at.

my ever favorite galvanized bins. found at a junk shop when i was living overseas. they are from a hardware store and they are big and heavy duty. i will never part with these. i have 6 total and 3 smaller ones.

threads from grandma. love the colors and that when i see them i think of her.

ribbons at the ready. for wrapping packages, or who knows what.

a ribbon fetish you say?? perhaps! because this is just a small bit of what i actually have.

since i am no longer creating trays, i had every intention of getting rid of all these larger paper rolls.

but i just couldn't do it. i love to look at them standing all tall in galvanized buckets.

and besides, they'll be perfect when i need to wrap up a small present.

feels so good to be this organized. and even though my studio is in the unfinished part of the basement, right next to the laundry facilities. it's my creative space and last week when i had a cup of coffee down there, i think it just might have been the best cup of coffee i have had in awhile.

more to blog about this week...stay tuned!

juggling a million things

2011-03-21T14:52:00.000-05:00

so much going on these days....too busy to blog.

thanks for checking in!

{photo found here}

updates soon...pinky promise.

is it just spring fever?

2011-03-10T12:59:00.000-06:00

surprise! a blog post from me today!

i must be in some kind of a winter funk lately.

have not been doing much, except cleaning house often

because the puppy comes in all muddy
from this rainy weather we've been having.

i have also been feeling the need for some color in my world.

but not too much, because i really do still just love a neutral home.

i feel this way every spring.

so i don't want to redo major things with color,

but maybe a pillow .... or...

maybe this lovely quilt that i picked up when living overseas.

i like it on the sofa...kind of a bohemian chic look, but not

sure i can live with it.

but i also know that a sofa like this:

isn't in my budget. i would love this in an ever so pale grey blue.

or how about this one:

or this one:

so i keep checking CL in hopes of one day finding one.

i currently have ikea slip covered sofas.

they are great with two boys, a husband and a black lab puppy.

when they get dirty, i just chuck them in the laundry.

not sure my family is ready for an uber cool french sofa like the ones pictured....but maybe.

so in the meantime i've decided to repaint my dining room...yes again. yes the room that which has the seal skin paint (and now chalk drawings all over it). love the seal skin color, but really for the fall and winter. so i've got my choice narrowed down to BM cloud cover. a white, but with a hint of grey.

and to also bring in some color, i have a drawer on my wall with the ever faintest turquoise blue paint on it. i'll see if i can't match it at the paint store and just might have to repaint my armoire cabinet in the living room with it. i'm not scared of paint, but i guess it's just color that i'm afraid of. AND if i paint the cabinet and don't like it, i hate to paint it again.

eek, i'm rambling.

we entertained this past weekend with some friends.

had a great time.

dinner was amazing, the company even better.

also have been busy with the burlap junktion booth.

a wedding theme this month. come check us out if you're in the KC area.

that's all for now. thanks for checking in!

{photo credits for the sofa photos}:

archivevintagerentals.com

eclecticrevisited.wordpress.com

google

all other photos mine

farmhouse friday

2011-02-25T05:30:00.006-06:00

{farmhouse friday: drool worthy houses that i fall in love with}

{image found here}

get it done

2011-02-21T10:25:00.000-06:00

was my motto this weekend.

i purchased this old shipping crate probably 6 months ago.

4 months ago i found the wheels at a second hand store for $2 each.

and until this weekend, they have been sitting in the basement.

total project time: 7 minutes.

why does it take me so long to just

get things done?!

pillow and plates

2011-02-16T05:30:00.002-06:00

while out thrifting this week i found this lovely pillow.

i just love the ruffle around it.

embroidered on the back is paper white.

which apparently is some upscale linen company.

i originally though it would make an appearance in my booth.

but now, it's looking beautiful on my bed.

and then today, i found these fun plates.

there are no markings on the back. and found nothing by using google.

they appear vintage to me, but i am not sure.

i think they are adorable with a capital A.

i scooped up all 4 of them.

anyone know anything about these? leave me a comment if you do, and hey, about just leaving me a comment today even if you don't know anything about them. ;)

you'll make my day!

{check out other whites over at faded charm by clicking here}

valentine's day

2011-02-14T05:30:00.002-06:00

{image found here}

love like there is no tomorrow.

love, with your whole heart.

love yourself first.

love.

happy valentines day!

farmhouse friday

2011-02-11T05:30:00.004-06:00

{farmhouse friday: drool worthy houses that i fall in love with}

{image found here}

i think my plans for my summer vacation just changed!

you can see more photos of this lovely farmhouse

by clicking on the link above.

enjoy the weekend!

10 minute solution

2011-02-09T05:30:00.004-06:00

my four year olds problem today:

"how can i make a wish

if i can't see the stars"?

my 10 minute solution:

make a paper star garland.

now, he just has to look up,

see his stars

and make a wish.

problem solved! whew!

done with the cold weather

2011-02-08T09:15:00.001-06:00

{image found here}

i've gotta go where it's warm.

*sigh*

mom, we're bored

2011-02-07T05:30:00.011-06:00

a lazy saturday morning.

the boys were using up their allotted wii time

and i was catching up on my favorite blogs.

i am so glad that i did.

late saturday afternoon i heard those three little words...

mom, we're bored!

and i knew exactly what to do!

i copied kasey buick!

i had read her blog saturday morning

and saw that she had painted a wall dark for her children.

and then let them draw all over it!

remember this sealskin colored wall i painted last fall?

nope, it isn't chalk board paint.

it is just a dark, flat paint.

and yes, it wipes right off with an eraser or damp cloth.

so i jumped in too,

i didn't want to miss any of the fun.

and we ended up going a wee bit crazy.

we covered most of the wall.

but it kept us busy, the boys thought it was ultra cool,

it was a fun activity for a cold day

and

i am now having second thoughts on repainting this wall back to cream.

thank you kasey for such a fun idea!

{you can see her cute blog here}

what do you do when your kids are bored?

leave me a comment, i'd love to hear!

farmhouse friday

2011-02-04T05:30:00.016-06:00

{farmhouse friday: drool worthy houses that i fall in love with}

high temperature today...23 degrees. brrr!
i decided to have you inside for farmhouse friday.

have a seat in this french farmhouse kitchen,
i have a vanilla latte and cranberry scones to serve you!

still cozied up from the blizzard...3rd no school day...yeah!

{image found here}

stocked up

2011-01-31T13:31:00.001-06:00

they are calling for a major snow storm
to hit kansas city tomorrow.

they are calling it 'the big one'.

we stocked up today on:

books at the library

makings for a couple pots of soup

chocolate and wine.

let it snow!

farmhouse friday

2011-01-28T05:30:00.013-06:00

{farmhouse friday: drool worthy houses that i fall in love with}

such a beautiful setting.

{photo and additional photos found here}

enjoy your week end!

dig yourself out...

2011-01-27T08:53:00.000-06:00

of the snow and come and shop the Burlap JunKtion booth!

vintage market south open this weekend:

friday, january 28, 10am-9pm

saturday, january 29, 10am-5pm

sunday, january 30, 1pm-4pm

7930 Lee Blvd, Leawood

hope to see you there!

so what does it take...

2011-01-25T12:58:00.000-06:00

to get a project done that i started two years ago?!

apparently a snow day.

i made a quilt for my older son and have been wanting to make one for cooper too.

two years ago i cut apart all the pieces to his crib bedding. the bumper pad, dust ruffle, etc. and added a few extra fabrics too.

about a year ago all the squares were sewn together and it was supposed to be under the tree this year for him...ahem...didn't happen.

but last week, on a snow day, i unburied the sewing machine and finished this project up!

at 10pm that night, while he lay sleeping, i covered him up with his new {and finally done!} quilt.

felt so good to tuck him in, know that he'd be warm on a cold winter night and to finally have that project finished.

i am always so surprised that it never takes me very long to finish things. but that's me, the starter not the finisher. cest la vie.

we also loaded everyone up this past weekend and went sledding.

so fun!

and our local news says that this is almost one of the worst winters on record?

not around this house hold.

hope you're staying warm!

farmhouse friday

2011-01-21T05:30:00.005-06:00

{farmhouse friday: drool worthy houses that i fall in love with}

old barn turned into a home...just love this story.

{photo and story can be found here}

coffee filter ruffles and a giveaway

2011-01-18T21:02:00.003-06:00

i love to use things for a different purpose

than that of which they were intended for.

so why can't 100 coffee filters

and 8 hot glue sticks

be layered and turned into

a beautiful, if i do say so myself,

skirt for this lady??

i recently found this mannequin at a thrift store.

i covered here with book paper but thought she still

needed something else.

so the hot glue gun got plugged in, and now she's wearing

a beautiful ruffled skirt which are all the rage these days, no?

i would love to keep her around, but i really have no place for her.

i mean really, she can not live on the coffee table in my living room.

though i do like the statement that she makes.

i also quite like her in my front window.

but my neighbors would surely think i have gone off my rocker if

i had a mannequin in my front window.

and if i had the coffee shop of my dreams

i would for sure have her in the window of the coffee shop.

because i think dressed in her coffee filter skirt,

she would look right at home in a coffee shop window.

but i do not.

so i will sell her in my Burlap JunKtion booth

and hope that she goes to a good home.

i would like to give her a name before i send her off,

and this is where YOU come in!

i will tempt you with this lovely necklace.

that's right, it can be yours.

all you have to do is tell me, in the comments,
what name you think would be good for her.

if you add yourself as a follower {and tell me if you do}

then i will add your name to the drawing twice.

contest ends saturday, jan. 22, 2011 at midnight (cst)

i will post the winners name on sunday.

{please make sure that when i hit reply that i am able to send you an email.

if i can not get a hold of you i will have to chose another winner}.

i will chose the name for her that i like best.

all comments will then go into a hat, and i will draw a winner.

good luck!

contest is also open to you overseas girls! comment away!

comments are a now closed, and the winner is:
junquegypsy!
please contact me with your address

thanks to all of you for playing along, i chose JAVA JUDY as her name!
and she looks amazing in my booth...photos coming soon!

i'm linking up over at Faded Charm for white wednesday. hello to everyone
that came from there!

a winter meal

2011-01-18T05:30:00.003-06:00

straight out of the february issue of country living magazine is this awesome winter meal.

super easy and quick to throw together.

served with some crispy rolls, this is a meal that will for sure please your hubby.
i made it just as the recipe stated, but omitted the olives, and added some yummy grated irish white cheddar cheese over the top.
if you're in a cooking rut, put this on your meal plan this week!
{you can find the recipe here}

school auction art project

2011-01-17T05:30:00.002-06:00

i freaked when i found out

that i would be doing one of

the third grade class auction items.

there are 19 kids.

and not a big budget.

but let me tell you that

after 19 kids painted on the background,

and 19 hands were traced and cut out,

and one artist friend with fancy dancy handwriting

added her special touch {thank you JANE}...

i am in love!

with our final piece!
this is a large 30x40 canvas.

all 19 names are also written on the sides of the canvas.

ended up being such a

cool

colorful

awesome

art piece.

i can not wait to see how much it goes for!

{school auction is feb. 12}

i'm linking up with making monday marvelous (MMM) over at c.r.a.f.t.
please go check out all the other awesome projects!

farmhouse friday

2011-01-14T05:30:00.002-06:00

{farmhouse friday: drool worthy houses that i fall in love with}

looks like a charming place.

wish i could visit.

{image found here}

newspaper logs

2011-01-12T05:30:00.003-06:00

some time ago i found an old paper log roller at the thrift shop.

we have had so much fun recycling newspapers into these useful fire starter logs.

{don't worry dad, i'm not burning them in the fireplace}

we still have a shake shingle roof and my dad says its a sure ingredient for a fire because

of the embers this kind of paper would put off.

so we burn them in our outdoor pit.

but when i'm not burning a real fire indoors, i like to have these resting in my fireplace.

i love the simple look of them.

and equally like that it's another way to teach the boys about recycling.

linking up with white wednesday over at faded charm!

hello to all newbies...add yourself as a follower

or leave a comment to let me know you stopped by.

tiny pies

2011-01-11T05:30:00.017-06:00

if one is your favorite number then today 1-11-11 is your day!

and one

is all you'll need

of these

tiny pies.

made in a muffin tin,

just the perfect size

for that sweet fix.

a day off...from school

2011-01-10T10:34:00.001-06:00

our first snow day of the year!

so glad it fell on a monday..woo hoo..three day weekend.

after a busy weekend of

soccer

basketball

pinewood derby

and more soccer

we can for sure use this day to

play!

might just venture out to a new sledding hill that i found

we may just stay in and play games all day.

so fun to get a free day!

~update: we went sledding! so much fun!!

but forgot the camera...dang it~

farmhouse friday

2011-01-07T05:30:00.002-06:00

{farmhouse friday: drool worthy houses that i fall in love with}

cute house,

to die for barn.

AND...

it's 26 minutes from my house.

there are several other out buildings too.

be still my heart.

i want to go look at it.

BUT...

i don't think i could ever live in it.

when you add the house numbers all together...

1273

they = 13.

*sigh*

AM I CRAZY??!!

{image and more images found here}

happy new year & wine wednesday

2011-01-05T13:14:00.001-06:00

i am a wee bit late on wishing everyone a happy new year.
we had a fantastic weekend in st. louis, so much fun! more on that later {when i figure out how to get my photos off of my new digital camera...ahem}.

hope you all had a fantastic time ringing in the new year...i think i was actually in bed by 10:30. yep, we party hard.

my favorite gift given and very well received this christmas was a wine bottle to mr. traybella.

i made a new label for it that read WINE WEDNESDAYS.

so from now until death do us part we will be having wine wednesdays.

just he and i.

after the kids go to bed.

no t.v.

no cell phone.

just chatting the night away.

of course we didn't need a designated night to drink wine.

but i am trying to be a better wife and we can't always get out on a date.

so we'll just stay right here in the comfort of our home.

with a winter fire going.

or pool side come summer.

wine wednesdays: like it, love it. need it.

cheers! to being a better balanced person this year!

farmhouse friday

2010-12-31T05:30:00.023-06:00

{farmhouse friday: drool worthy houses that i fall in love with}

it's cold outside so we're going inside for farmhouse friday today.

i am partial to old, cozy, bead board ceilings in farmhouses.

but i could sooo see myself in a kitchen like this.

be still my heart. isn't this just so beautiful?!

the only thing i would change is that entire oven surround.

i'd make it out of stone just to add more texture to the room.

i am for sure putting this photo in my dream file!

{image found here}

enjoying time with the boys this week. i'll be back here after the week end.

happy new year!

from our house to yours

2010-12-25T05:00:00.001-06:00

{image found here}

to my family, friends, and followers

i wish you a very Merry Christmas!

i feel blessed that so many of you visit my blog.

i will be taking a wee break from my blog to spend time with my boys while they are on christmas break.

i will see you, back here, in the new year!

CHEERS!

farmhouse friday

2010-12-24T05:30:00.002-06:00

{farmhouse friday: drool worthy houses that i fall in love with}

image found here

a few of my favorite {white} things

2010-12-22T11:17:00.001-06:00

i am linking up to white wednesdays over at faded charm.

again, so many great whites over there today...go see!

around our house

2010-12-21T16:35:00.002-06:00

today there is more cookie baking and decorating.

it's nice to get these boys in the kitchen with me.

they actually were the ones that wanted to make cookies today.

they lasted long enough to make a big mess. but isn't that what being in the kitchen with kids is all about?

they are so proud of their creations.

oh, and did i mention the mess? sprinkles are everywhere around here today. {good thing for that new black lab vacuum we got this past summer!}

we even managed a big long walk through our neighborhood today.

today is the start of christmas break. i can't wait to spend all my time with these special boys in my life!

christmas music blaring, boys screaming and cookies baking....aahh...the sounds of christmas break!

cookie party 2010

2010-12-20T10:25:00.000-06:00

i am still on a high from yesterdays cookie party.
no, not a sugar high.
a high from what fab friends i have.
smart, creative, funny and beautiful my friends are the best.

look at all these lovely cookies.
and oh the smell! chocolate, and sugar goodness my house smelled oh so yummy.

it is so fun to see all the different cookies. i so wish i could have tasted every one of them.
but i hate to workout so i did not.

thanks to all my wonderful friends who spent hours searching for just the right recipe. baking and decorating such beautiful cookies.

how super cute are these mice?!

and it wasn't all about the cookies....

cheese, fruit and some yummy sweets....

and drinks to keep the chatter going.

i am sure that when my friends arrived back home their assorted cookie trays were devoured by loved ones. i love that my party is in the late afternoon....so that all the kiddos can have dessert first when mom brings home the cookie tray!

cheers! to good friends, good cookies and a good Christmas season!

** all extra cookies were again donated to the Forum Assisted Living. they loved seeing me walk in with a box of cookies for the 4th year! my cup runneth over.

come sunday

2010-12-17T16:24:00.000-06:00

all of these empty platters will be filled with lovely cookies.
my annual {4th year...wow!} cookie party is sunday and it is one of my all time favorite parties to throw.

and falling under the 'use what you have' category i bring you this lovely chandelier.
the base is a side of a crib from the 1800's. it's all rusty and perfect. i added some greenery, snowflakes, shiny ornaments and drippy crystals and hung it up above my table. it looks so beautiful i think i want to keep it up all year. or, at least start looking for a proper chandelier.

but for sunday's party...it will be perfect. photos of the party on monday. cheers! to the week end.

farmhouse friday

2010-12-17T06:00:00.003-06:00

{farmhouse friday: drool worthy houses that i fall in love with}

this could be a super cute guest house no?

{image found here}

concrete christmas

2010-12-15T16:45:00.000-06:00

'tis the season. and i don't think i've ever been this far behind.

bought some presents but don't have them wrapped...fa la la la la la la la la,
having a cookie party and don't have a clue what cookie i'm making...fa la la la la la la la la,
got the tree up,
and decorated the mantels fa la la la la la la,
next week will be here before i know it...fa la la la la ...la la la laaaaaa.

a quick look at my decorations. pulled the statues and concrete pieces in from the garden. brought in some branches, and threw in some silver and white. poof. done. whew! keep it simple, use what you have.

enjoy!

farmhouse friday

2010-12-10T06:00:00.002-06:00

loving the setting of this farmhouse.

oooh what i could do with all those raised beds.

{image found here}

cheers! to the week end.

teacher gifts

2010-12-06T16:52:00.001-06:00

i have a fabric fetish.
and now, i have a fabric flower fetish.

wool and felt make these beauties stand out the best. search for wool scarfs at thrift stores and you'll get two or three flowers out of each one. a great way to use up fabric scraps too.

these were so quick and simple to make. i made 10 in about an hour and half. they have a pin on the back. adorable pinned to a hat, jacket, sweater, or even a ribbon around your neck {choker style}. these will be our teacher gifts this year.

they came together so quickly that i'll also have some for sale at my booth this weekend.

the quote on the bottom says: "more than anything, i must have flowers always always". ~Claude Monet

i found the tutorial to make these here.

farmhouse friday

2010-12-03T06:00:00.001-06:00

simple.
beautiful.
love it!
{image found here}

enjoy the week end!

swan or ugly duck?

2010-12-01T15:50:00.000-06:00

recently i purchased a couple of dressers.

the drawers on one of them were not in great shape.

i thought i could sand and paint them and they would be fine.

i was wrong. hate when that happens.

old book pages to the rescue.

i opted just to put them on the bottom four because i liked the floral detail on the top two.

sanded the heck out of them, and then gel stained over the top of them.

swan? or still an ugly duck?

also loving the look of the concrete floor of my garage. wish i could get that inside somehow?! hmmm...

ever so thankful

2010-11-23T09:40:00.000-06:00

{photo: country living}

i have been a little bit MIA lately....so busy with so many things.

but wanted to take a minute and let all my readers know that i am truly thankful for YOU!

still so surprised that so many of you come back here, to my wee blog, to see what i have to say {or of late, nothing to say because i can't seem to manage all 10 irons in the fire}.

happy thanksgiving to all you! may you enjoy time with family and friends...and eat dessert first!

farmhouse friday

2010-11-12T07:00:00.004-06:00

{farmhouse friday: drool worthy houses that i fall in love with}

enjoy!

pack your bags. today we enjoy this lovely farmhouse in france.

cheers! to the week end.

focus? i can't relate

2010-11-11T16:32:00.001-06:00

for the life of me if i don't have 10 irons in the fire...

things just don't feel right.

i am such a starter not a finisher (oh eventually i finish...just takes me awhile sometimes).

so this week, week of a million things going on....should be focusing on this huge sale for saturday... i get a whim to rearrange my entry. what ???

i have actually been thinking about moving the massive clock from the basement to the entry. so i did. just like that. right in the middle of my crazy week. right in the middle of a project i was working on.

i have had a long mirror in the entry for EVER, so when i put the clock there i liked it but didnt' love it.

i missed the sparkle and reflection of the mirror.

so a light bulb went off. i remembered that i had a round mirror in my booth that had not sold. went and got it, put it behind the clock and now i LOVE it!

i mean what are the chances that mirror would actually be the right size? love when things happen like that.

i'm on the hunt now for some kind of a small lamp for the entry table. i removed two tall buffet lamps and now am missing the light. one project leads to another. it's no wonder i can't focus.

oh, and just so you know that i DO in fact eventually finish a project here is a photo of my complete painted living room.

and after viewing this room in these photos, i can't say that i love it. probably come spring, i'll be painting it cream again.

sheesh...no wonder i can't focus...my mind just doesn't stop.

in the kitchen

2010-11-10T07:00:00.004-06:00

yes, it is 4pm and i just made myself a vanilla latte.

it's been a long 9 days. you see, the heat element in my latte machine crapped out.

mind you, i am up to 4 shots of espresso in my morning latte.

so...
i tried my french press.
i tried really strong brewed coffee.
heck, i even tried drinking coffee all day long.

but nothing compared to my morning addiction.

today the doorbell rang. when i heard the sound of the big brown truck driving away, i knew exactly what was waiting on my front step.

aaahhh. i love this machine a latte! if you are in the market for a dual latte and brewed coffee machine i would highly recommend this one. the reviews, for some reason, aren't great on it. but i have no bad comments to make about it. {i am not being paid, or compensated in any way by putting this post out today} so stop screaming and thinking that you might be getting a new mack daddy coffee maker. i wish i had one to give away to one of my awesome readers...but not today. anywho, DeLonghi rules in our house.

my heating element did go out in my last one. but i had that thing for two years and used it everyday. that is approximately 730 lattes! wow...just realized what a deal this machine is. 730 lattes at a coffee shop would have cost me approximately $2,920....on lattes for two years! makes spending the $97 (+ $20 rebate) on this new machine look like a huge bargain.

and because i am linking up to white wednesday over at faded charm here is some more white...in my kitchen:

these small white bowls are a staple in my kitchen. i love when i discover one at a garage sale or thrift store. we use them for everything. i would like to have stacks of them.

i am also working on a stack of white platters.

i just love white dishes. oh, that's obvious? well i guess it is. so simple, so pretty and they go with any table scape you create for any time of the year.

big big show this saturday if you're in the kansas city area. the cure of ars gift gallery is taking place. the past two nights i have been up until the wee hours getting everything tagged and packed up. i always freak that i won't have enough merchandise. i have more than enough...wow! fun stuff....vintage, just old, chippy, silver, sparkly, and a last batch of trays {more on that later}.

perfect timing on the latte machine today. looks like i'll need it to get all my work done.

i am such a procrastinator!! are you? leave me a comment. i'll be posting photos of my space at the show...eventually.

farmhouse friday

2010-11-05T05:00:00.001-05:00

would love to see a front view of this farmhouse.

loving the awnings on the windows.

{found in my files. source unknown.}

count down

2010-11-03T08:35:00.002-05:00

update: for those of you jumping up and down wanting a set of these for yourself...you can order them from here: http://shop.tuesdaymorning.com/dsp_productDetail.asp?ssid=1&pid=7634

some of you might be counting the days down until christmas. but this post isn't about that, i am still wearing flip flops and can't quite wrap my head around the thought of getting ready for christmas. some of you know that i am a sheet snob. as in i love my high thread count sheets. and if you have them, you know exactly what i am talking about here.

i was so excited the day i brought home my 1000 thread count set. but i didn't love them. they were a bit scratchy even and hot. so i am on the count down....back to 600's. and i am loving this set i bought a few months ago with the pretty detail on the edges.

if you have a tuesday morning in your area, it's the best place to get high thread count sheets. king size is usually just at 100 bucks.

i'm linking up to white wednesday over at faded charm. there are tons of great looking links over there today. think i'll crawl into my high thread count sheets tonight and review most of them. could be a late night!

what's your type?

2010-11-02T11:40:00.000-05:00

i found a vintage underwood typewriter today! such a cool piece of the past.

the ribbon needs replaced. but other than that i think it might really work. could you imagine typing on this?

super heavy. super cool. super good fun find!

it will be for sale in my booth at some point.

farmhouse friday

2010-10-28T21:48:00.002-05:00

with my obsession of wanting a farmhouse these days i thought i'd start this new friday series. {well almost friday...just play along} i've got a busy friday and wanted to get this out.

just photos that i find out on the internet that i drool over.

enjoy!

{photo found here} good story too on farmhouse architecture.

B O O !

2010-10-27T16:31:00.000-05:00

bet i scared you huh? scared you with a post today!!
has it really almost been a month since my last post? just how do some of you
do this on a daily basis? candy corn kudos to you!

and thank you to all of my readers {old & new} who come back to view my blog. i'm sorry
that i don't always have something out here for you.
you get what you pay for though no? hee hee!

and speaking of BOO! this post is just about some of the halloween decorations
we put out this year. kept it sweet, simple and just a wee bit spooky.

ahhh...and the 'every goblins favorite' halloween crackers. i will be selling these in the Burlap JunKtion booth this weekend. and speaking of i have a few things to wrap up for tomorrows opening. better get to it.

thanks again for visiting....it means a lot to have so many readers out there! Happy Halloween!!

partial update

2010-09-30T11:03:00.000-05:00

in my previous post i asked 'what do sealskin and brazil have in common?'

every time my husband goes out of town, on business, i crank out a project.

this time he went to brazil. and do you see that ever so dark grey on the skin of that cute seal?

well that is the new color that i painted, a feature wall, in my living room...it's called sealskin and it is oh so beautiful.

the black mantel is in the process of being painted white {don't you just love projects that snowball?!}.
i'll post final photos when i get it completed.

take a guess

2010-09-28T15:04:00.000-05:00

want to take a guess at what sealskin and brazil have in common?

stay tuned....

vintage market

2010-09-23T16:29:00.000-05:00

all set up again at vintage market south....check out photos of our booth here and our new paint color!

what's for dinner?

2010-09-22T08:38:00.000-05:00

in a dinner rut? try these yummy fish tacos with cucumber-avocado salsa.

fish of your choice {i used tilapia} grilled, or pan cooked,
tortillas and shredded lettuce.

for the salsa:
1 medium cucumber
2 medium firm-ripe avocados
1/2 red onion
juice of 2 limes
salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 jalapeno peppers

chop all of the above and combine in a bowl. gently toss. serve within an hour of preparing.

these were so fresh, light and so good!

quick herb wreath

2010-09-21T13:33:00.000-05:00

an easy way to preserve the last bit of summer is to create an herb wreath.

i have been seeing these all over blogland lately.

these are so simple to make.

head out to your garden and clip some herbs.

tie them into small bundles.

i used an old frame {sans glass} as my base.

tie each bundle to the frame, overlapping as you go.

i love the wildness of this wreath.

and oh my...does it smell amazing!

poof :: halloween decor

2010-09-20T16:16:00.000-05:00

i tend to prefer halloween decorations that aren't the typical orange and black.

so when i found these cool amber bottles {at a thrift store} i grabbed them.

cool sticker labels from target and {poof} easy halloween decor.

i love them tossed into this urn by my front door.

i'm also searching for skeleton heads and black ravens. they seem to be in a shortage this year, or i'm just not looking in the right places. i'll throw up some dead branches from the yard, hit the pumpkin patch for some cool white pumpkins and we'll be decorated. might throw in some spiders and bats too...just love all the black.

i'll post more photos as i get it done.

thanks for viewing my blog!! can't believe it was four years ago that i started it...time sure flies!

junking finds

2010-09-03T11:32:00.000-05:00

it has been a good junking week this week.

some fun finds and cooler weather.

a super cool vintage shipping crate, an old basket on wheels, tarnished silver champagne bucket,

an interesting old bolt container,

can not even wait to add some big old casters to this shipping crate and turn it into a coffee table.

perfect spot for storage too, not to mention just cool looking.

enjoy the Labor Day weekend....i will be working away on new projects and some much needed to be finished old projects.

can you help?

2010-08-27T12:51:00.000-05:00

i found this at a sale today and was wondering if anyone knew anything about it.

if you can reply with some history on the print or the artist that would be great.

i googled it, but didn't find much. anyone?

enjoy the weekend!

passport to paris

2010-08-26T13:10:00.000-05:00

there is a passport to paris theme at Vintage Market South this month!!

and the Burlap JunKtion booth is looking great.

hope to see you there.

mona and moi

2010-08-20T15:09:00.001-05:00

there she was.
sitting all pretty in a gold frame.
with a great price tag.
at an estate sale i went to today.

i bought her because we're having a french theme to part of our booth at Vintage Market this month.
{i know her artist was italian, but she seems french to me because i saw her at the louve}
i think she would look amazing in our booth.
but
she also looks good around my house.
i think i want to keep her.
is that weird? to have a copy of the mona lisa in my home?
i am sure the boys in my house will say to take her down because "she keeps looking at me".

maybe it's just the frame i like...who knows...i am keeping her!

{she may end up in my booth 'just for looks' with a NFS sign on her}

what is this?

2010-08-16T17:59:00.000-05:00

i saw this at a thrift store today.
pondered what i could do with it, wasn't feeling creative so walked away and left it.

later this afternoon i was flipping through an old country home magazine.
right there, on the bottom shelf of a kitchen island was something very similar to this. ideas starting floating through my head on ways i could us it.

back to the thrift store, fingers crossed that it was still there, and there it was!! yeah!

originally i think it to be a commercial loaf pan. but this thing is huge. each pan measures approx. 15" x 5" that seems so large for loaves of bread but maybe not.

does anyone know?

i'm not planning to use it to bake with, just thought it was cool, industrial and might be something i could use is M's new room design. {note: for those waiting on the baseball room redo....it's not going to happen. we've been getting brick wallpaper samples and they all look really bad. NOW he's decided that he doesn't necessarily want a baseball room, but just more of a grown up boy room.}

i think this boy has more than a bit of his mama in him. ;)

leave me a comment and let me know what you think this might be.

gettin' the ball rollin'

2010-08-12T16:30:00.001-05:00

i have always wanted a house with a screen porch.
for 5 years i have been entertaining mr. traybella with all my ideas for a screen porch.
i have folders full, books dog eared, and inspiration saved on my computer for such project.

i finally got the OK to get the ball rolling on this project.

so all my ideas are getting sorted through.

and because i have been anticipating this project for so long,

it isn't just a back screen porch anymore...it has grown.

a back screen porch with a really cool fireplace. {i believe that the only reason the fireplace made it into the plan is because i promised mr. traybella that he could then hang a flat screen above the mantle}. i am a girl who knows how to get what she wants. sure honey, have the t.v. and for every football game please invite your drinking buddies over and i'll be sure to have lovely snacks at the ready !!

this long overdue project has also grown into a front porch,

and an arbor out by the pool. not to forget the new roof, shutters, and a new garage door. oh and let's just bump out the garage while we're at it too.

all of these photos are just inspiration for my projects.

we are meeting with architects to get all my ideas into drawings.

and then we will see what the damage will be.

and then we'll wait and save.

but the ball is rollin' and if i can get what i see in my creative mind down on paper, then we'll be rollin' in a very exciting direction.

a reminder to mr. traybella {who sometimes reads my blog}...flat screen, drinks, friends and football!

it's as good as it gets! !

lego birthday party

2010-08-10T16:34:00.000-05:00

my baby turned 4 this past saturday.

he wanted to celebrate with a Lego themed party...and so we did!

i designed and made the invitations.

i poured out a ton of Lego pieces on the table and inserted 4 candles. lit the candles and took the picture.
the photo then lifts for all the party info inside.

we put out a bunch of Lego pieces on the table for the kids to build with.

and then there was the cake.

it took me all morning to get it made. i am no professional baker, but i always put out my best effort for a homemade birthday cake. luckily my kids are always happy with the results.

i baked two 9x13 size cakes. each 9x13 cake was cut into 4 pieces. two 4" widths (for the green and blue pieces) and then the piece that was left i cut into 2 squares (for the white piece). i just felt that one 9x13 cake wasn't enough...they were too thin. so i frosted in the middles and topped them with another piece. the round buttons on top are made with marshmallows. spray your kitchen scissors with cooking spray and the marshmallows cut easily.

topped off with homemade ice-cream (a birthday tradition around here!) and presents and our 4 year old was extremely happy!

so hard to believe that he's 4....time has flown. he's such a sweet boy and is growing faster than lighting!

for love of the game

2010-08-02T09:10:00.001-05:00

i have a client requesting a bedroom makeover.
he loves baseball and has requested his room redo be all about baseball.

i couldn't sleep last night because i was pondering this baseball room redo.

i automatically thought of vintage baseball.

i am also thinking photos of my client, in his baseball uniform, printed out on canvas.

my clients room needs de-cluttering and storage. he is also in need of a large dresser.

i am thinking an antique hi-boy will do the trick.

that's about all i could think of late last night before i hit a brick wall.

ahhhh....a brick wall.

a feature wall behind my clients bed....perfect....or not??

one of the disadvantages to repainting, rearranging, switching in and out furniture in my home is that my boys constantly want their rooms redone.

my client . . . my 8 year old son.

i am hoping i hit a home run on this one!

leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts on using brick wallpaper as a feature wall....in the meantime i am going to order a sample.

i could : i would

2010-07-29T18:06:00.000-05:00

i could:

design an entire room around this chair.

i would:

use this in photo shoots if i were a photographer

found {in perfect shape} today at an estate sale.

selling it next month in my booth at vintage market.

that means i have a month to not get drool on it.

i love a good find!

when you have a garden. . .

2010-07-27T18:01:00.000-05:00

pulling together a healthy summer dinner is e-a-s-y.

let's start with fresh from the garden salsa for an appetizer.
my favorite summer drink: gin and tonic

easy throw together salsa:
tomato
onion
cilantro
jalapeno
lime
cumin
garlic
black beans
about that much of each.... i don't measure i just throw it in the processor until it looks/tastes good.

serving up a healthy bowl of pasta is quick and delicious!
{again, i don't measure, just chop and dump}

whole wheat pasta
tomato
basil
cilantro
chicken
feta cheese
a little EVOO and red wine vinegar

would you like some fresh cracked pepper? bring it on!

too hot to crank up the oven today so no yummy sweets for dessert.

but ahhh...i do have some yummy dark chocolate! one square to bring this meal to an end.

easy summer meals. love them!

tears in my eyes

2010-07-26T09:42:00.001-05:00

i tried to be strong.
i tried to not embarrass him by asking for one more hug.
he has been waiting for this week all summer.
but when he walked up the stairs of that bus,
i got tears in my eyes.

my oldest went off to nature camp this week.
it is just a day camp.
he rides the bus to a camp that is about 100 blocks away from our house.
he will play in creeks, learn about animals and be unplugged for 8 hours each day.
i am looking forward to the 4:15 pick up to hear all about his day.
:
i always say that being a mom is one of the toughest jobs.
the teaching, cooking, cleaning, shopping for necessities, making sure they are safe etc.
but i think two of the toughest days are sending them off on that first day of school,
and
sending them off to camp.
is it 4:15 yet?

update: first day of camp...he LOVED it! whew...tomorrow should be easier for me! :)