Just the After

While I was in Idaho my sister and I decided we would make a couple of things. She needed some help with a gift she wanted to make and we wanted to do some ornaments. Luckily we were snowed in for two days. Of course snowed in isn't exactly what I'd call luck....but we were trying to make the best of it. We took five square canvases and painted the big one. Then we Mod Podged some scrapbook paper to the small canvases. Kim cut some letters with her Cricut and we were finished! It is SO cute!
Then we moved on to the ornaments. She wanted to make some snowmen for the girls at her daycare and I do love me a cute snowman! I did find out that the square glass ornaments will only bounce twice on a tile floor. On the third bounce....they shatter. FYI
Stinkin' cute!
Then I made two variations on this pretty snowflake. I filled this one with the same snowball pellets that we used in the snowmen.
Then I painted the back of these other two with some really pretty glitter glue.
Some ribbon and a fancy hanger and they are finished!
For the third set I grabbed this silver ball/cut-out thingie. I used the glitter glue again and more ribbon. I love how fancy they look.
These will look great for those pesky neighbor gifts.....(right, like we know our neighbors this year!)
I need to find some more to make. I am now addicted. Shocking, I know!
So that is the latest project. Maybe next time I will remember to take some before and during photos.....not just the after.

Kitchen Re-Do

First of all, I am just going to apologize for the amount of pictures in this post. I will be covering a 3 month time span.....so there are a ton of photos. This is my kitchen about 2 months after we moved in. Note the white cabinets....white counter tops and the mostly white appliances. If you know me at all, you know that white and I don't always see eye to eye.
Really, the kitchen is fine.....adequate. But when Hubby and I decided to by this house we wanted to be able to customize it a bit. So fine....well, it just won't do.
First thing we did was change out the counter tops. We chose Quartz (in a lovely Brazilian Brown).....sort of a man made stone. It is durable and has the same likable qualities as granite.....but it never needs sealed. Bonus!
A weird view that I never see.....an island without a top. Strange.
So here is the first look at the new counter tops. Lovely.
Only one thing missing......a back splash......And I was so not sure which direction to go with tile. I got help from 2 amazing women here in Omaha. We took a morning and hit the tile stores. We changed our direction of thought several times. Dark big tiles.....dark small tiles....accent tiles....and finally.....
A tile that has white (to pull in the cabinets) and darker tones.....and an accent tile to pull in the counter tops AND the cabinets! Score!
Even before it was grouted I was in love.
Here it is grouted....almost finished. Love love love!
Just waiting for the grout to dry to put the outlet covers back on.
A little more love.....
I like the way he trimmed out the window. It looks really good.
And....TA DA!!! It looks so much better.
My next project will be to sand down the floors and stain them darker......I can hardly wait!
You do know that my kitchen NEVER looks like this.....right?
I am also going to be changing out the light fixture above the sink. So not a fan of the exposed can....
But for now it is finished. As finished as any room in any house ever is.....
Oh...and eventually the oven and microwave need to be changed out. But how do you justify new appliances when the existing ones are just fine? Someday!
If you are in the Omaha area I highly recommend Duncan Tile. Tom did a great job and was reasonably priced and very friendly.

Met Monday is where you'll find me today! Jump on over and check it out!

Joy x 2

What an appropriate post for today. I hit a rough patch a while back and wasn't doing much crafting (or much of anything really). Then the last week or so I have been feeling more like myself.....so back to doing the things I love and finding JOY in every day. I made these little guys out of stuff I had in in my craft room. I like the constant reminder......
Snowmen and Christmas bring me lots of JOY. I keep the snowmen up in my bathroom all year.
Here is the other JOY project I did. These letters didn't stand up on their own....so using what I already had I made it work.
I used scrapbook paper, Mod Poge and distress ink.....
And of course a jingle bell for the "O". I found some ribbon in my stash that matched the paper really well.
A gentle reminder for me that no matter what the day brings to take a minute and find the JOY. It is there. Sometimes you just have to look for it.

Revenge of the Arachnid

Are you afraid of spiders? Is it actual fear or do they just creep you out? I'm in with the creeped out bunch....but I'm not really afraid of them. My hubby and sweet daughter hang over with the fear bunch. I am the spider killer in our house. It works out pretty good. Hubby is in charge of all things rodent and I take on the eight-legged predators. I like this deal....most of the time. We spray around our house to lower the spider to human ratio so that helps. But every once in a while we get one of the really big, gianormous house spiders. Those creep me out BIG time. Did you know they look very much like a hobo spider. In fact I have added a couple of pictures to help illustrate my point. I give you exhibit A......
And exhibit B.......
Can't really tell the difference can you. Me either. In fact the only definitive way to tell the difference is through a microscope. Bummer.....right! Well here we come to the story of my latest encounter with the spiders. I was minding my own business one morning when I heard a frantic cry for help coming from the garage. I raced out to see what was the matter and I found my sweet daughter backing away from the car she was supposed to be driving to the store for me. "I can't g g get in the car...." she stammered. I looked around for the cause of her fear and found a BIG DANG SPIDER that had crawled up the wall and seemed to be waiting to pounce on her. Well since I rarely have shoes on, I had to go find some instrument of death....I was in the garage so that wasn't a big problem. I grabbed a hunk of 2x4 and squished the spider into a heap on the floor. Jo got in the car and drove away while I went back into the house. I left the carcass on the floor as a warning to his friends and relatives.....Don't mess with Lori....she is B.A.
Fast forward a few days.....I was out sitting on the porch at dusk, it was about 65* and the sunset was beautiful. I was just enjoying the sounds of the neighborhood.....the kids playing a few doors down, the commuters making their way home for the night. I was peaceful, I was content, I was unsuspecting. When my rear was beginning to fall asleep I decided I'd better head in and start some dinner for my family. My sweet daughter was perched on the counter of the island, watching me assemble ingredients and we were chatting. I turned away from her toward the oven to get a pan from the drawer when I saw something moving on my flannel shirt. After quickly identifying it as one big bleepitybleepin spider I proceeded to swack, flap, slap and otherwise try to dislodge it from the front of my shirt where it was RACING toward my face. I didn't scream but there was a panicking sound coming from somewhere in the room (ME!). My sweet daughter was watching me with a confused albeit concerned expression on her face. "Did you burn yourself?" She asked as I whipped off my flannel shirt/jacket and proceeded to jump on it. As soon as she saw the wild look in my eye she knew it was not a burn. As I stood there convulsing with the heebiegeebies my sweet daughter just had to know....."What is wrong with you?" Such concern, such sympathy from one so young....NOT! I then explained to her that some time while I was out sitting on the porch, enjoying the evening and minding my own business, the spiders were hatching their plan for revenge. I told her about looking down to find one very large eight legged bandit charging up my front, headed for my face. I was (at the very least) expecting some show of concern, some empathy from my spider fearing child. You wanna know what she said to me? "Are you sure you weren't imagining it? I didn't see anything." So much for empathy, sympathy or any other pathy you can think of. Imagine it.....I think not. That sucker was real and he had revenge on his mind. Well, I never did find that spider. He is somewhere in my house....regrouping, strategizing. Planning to attack when I least expect. I have had nightmares about spiders all week. I am over it! Today I am declaring war on all spiders and I'm bringing the spray INSIDE the house. Oh, I'll get him alright.....and his little dog too!!

Photo Wall

This is one of the walls in my bedroom. I started with a bunch of empty frames that I spray painted either black or heirloom white. I had a rough idea of where I wanted everything....but now that they are up....a little tweeking is in order. But first of all I am hoping to fill the frames. The big frame on the right is for a project I am working on for Jim for Christmas. I am pretty excited about it.
Here is a close up of the left side. Just frames and pics of people that I love...Oh, and the Salt Lake Temple. It is the most gorgeous building.
The middle....a tree with a fabulous quote at the bottom;
Living Life
Life is not a race-but indeed a journey. Work hard. Be choosy. Say "thank you, "I love you", and "great job" to someone each day. Go to church, take time for prayer. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh. Let your handshake mean more than pen and paper. Love your life and what you've been given, it is not accidental - search for your purpose and do it as best you can. Dreaming does matter. It allows you to become that which you aspire to be. Laugh often. Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy them. Some of the best things really are free. Do not worry, less wrinkles are more becoming. Forgive, it frees the soul.Take time for your self - plan for longevity. Recognize the special people you've been blessed to know. Live for today, enjoy the moment. -Bonnie Mohr
The right side. The pic of Jim and Kevin is one of my all time favorite shots. The photo with the glare on it is a mural of the pictures of my first 5K. It reminds me every day that I can do things that are hard or scary or that I think are impossible.
This is another wall. How many bracelets and necklaces does one girl need? But look at how easy they are to find!! When I get the energy to actually clean and stage my room for photos I'll show you the rest. For now....that is it...hahahaha I know....you don't care if Jim's dirty socks are on the floor or the fan we use in the summer is still in the corner. But I do.
Until then, my friends, be thankful this wonderful holiday season. I am thankful for you.

It's Time

So this year I had decided to wait to put up my Christmas stuff until the neighbors around me had theirs up. I didn't want to deal with the comments....these folks don't know of my love, nay...the passion I feel for Christmas. They don't know the years my Mom spent cultivating this obsession with all things Christmas (that only intensified upon her passing). I am still finding my way in this new place and i didn't want the constant reminder that I just don't fit (yet). And then my mood crashed. We are talking epic melt down here. My sweet daughter and her friends (that happened to be visiting from Minnesota) decided to help cheer me up. I came home from church to find the tree up and the boxes containing all things Christmas stacked in the living room....waiting. We found the lights and the kids put them on the tree and then we sat back to take it all in. Sweet. I did feel a bit better having the familiar sight of my old Christmas tree hogging up precious space on display for all to see. Then I dug into the boxes to find the rest of my favorite things. No hiding it now.....all the neighbors will know....yes, I am crazy.
It lights up and everything!!! It is great at night!
Ah, snowman......how I heart thee......
I did decide to down-size a few of my collections. Since we got rid of some of our furniture for the move I am short a few places to display my obsession lovelies.
This set is probably my favorite. It is identical to the one that has been displayed at my Mom's house since I was little.
I did discover that I am missing a box that has a couple of my Nativity sets. I'm not very happy about that.....but I would be devastated if this one was lost. My Mom made it at a church craft Super Saturday when I was about 10. I loved it then and I am over-the-moon for it now. There is just something about those things that my Mom loved.....it makes her seem close.
Here is my tree. After the Season of Joy is over and the Christmas trees go on clearance, I will be looking for a tall skinny one for next year. This one is just too massive.
A few of my favorite ornaments......
Loving those Ruby Slippers.....there is no place like home.....
From my Mom......on our last Christmas together.
The traditional Christmas Spider. What....? You don't have a traditional Christmas Spider?
Of course my tree has a few of this particular gal. Cinderlori likes Cinderella.
My babies.....when they were actually babies. The time....were did it go?
I just thought you'd all like to see what I will be looking at for the next couple of months. I am happy to have it up and I guess the neighbors will just have to deal.

I have been working on some other projects too. I promise to get busy and show you all very soon!