A new desk started it all!

I found out over the past week or so that you can get a lot of stuff in a studio that measures
approx. 15 ' x 9 ', but you can't get everything in! {I had to remove a six foot table and there was no
 room to bring it back in, however I usually schlep my stuff to the kitchen or dining room to work
on it anyways so for now it is okay. I would like a small table for the room someday}
  It all started with a Lovely new computer desk that
we desperately needed, but one that was much larger than what we originally had.

That started the whole ball rolling.
I unloaded  heavy drawers of stuff , moved furniture, put drawers back in, realized I didn't like it where I moved it so started the whole process all over again...once or twice before I was all done. The dining room was FULL of stuff and it was really getting to me so I tried to hustle. It still took a good week to get it all done. Hubby was not here to help, but I managed. {If you would see before pictures you would be amazed} lol

Now ideally I would have an amazing room with bins and it would be much more "stylish" looking, but I determined that I was not going to spend one penny and just utilized things I already had. Old plant stands, pieces of furniture etc. etc. and I don't think it turned out too bad.

As you come in the door and look to the right this is what you see. I think this area can use some more help, but for now it stays like it is! :)

These pictures are all jumbled up, but this is to the right of my LOVELY new computer desk now.

You can always hang stuff too! The only place I have to go now is UP! ha!

Pretty roses resting in an old drawer.

This is one of the corners. It is amazing what you notice when taking photos. I am going to move the canvas sign up higher so you can actually read the whole thing. This is the only place I had left to put it. The plastic corners are still on it also. LOL.

crochet thread in a jar

I have three windows in this room and right now all I have up are blinds. Thinking about burlap, but I do not want it to be dark in here so still mulling that over. Right above this area off to the right is where my son's leg came throught the ceiling last summer while working on the roof. {we still have to fix that yet. I have a feeling that we will be putting in a new ceiling next year and I will have to do this process all over again!! ugh.}

A vintage card rack holds some of my vintage paper items and old cabinet cards. Many of my old photos are too wide to fit in here though. I used a vintage plant stand and put baskets on to hold more goodies.

White goodies

White parchment roses

old tart tins to be used in something...someday.

The only dress form I have...it is plastic and PINK underneath.

Everyone loves a birds nest!! I got these on clearance for a bit of nothing after Easter last year at Meijer.

 I always love visual pictures so you can think of me sitting here now when I blog...at my Lovely new desk.

She started out like this and she is the one who got the whole ball rolling...again I would have loved to have found an antique desk , but I was tired of looking and our old stand was on it's last leg. In fact I have a funny story to share.
The day that hubby and I hauled the old one out we carried it out to his pole barn as he thought he might be able to use it in his office. On the way out we stopped and adjusted our hands a couple times because it was heavy! Almost got to the pole barn and one side of it fell off. We just laughed and continued on our way. Got IN the pole barn , sat it down and the whole thing gave way  just like dominoes!!! We just started laughing and left it there. I suppose you had to be there to actually see it , but it was funny!!
Linking up with Faded Charm today for White Wednesday.

Peace, Love, Joy and Hope

I did a little after Christmas shopping one day last week and found these adorable white
frosted pine and bell garlands so I purchased the last two @ 50% off.

I hung them on my chippy white shutters and took a few pictures.
I do  love taking pictures. :)

Don't you just love the simplicity ? I do.

I was thinking that these would make neat postcards or notecards.
What do you think?  I may check into that.


Praying that whatever is going on in your life right now, that you are at peace and
have love and joy in your heart. If by chance you are going through hard times,
please don't give up...there is always hope.

Gifts for the New Year

I wanted to start out the first White Wednesday post of the New year by sharing some goodies that I won a month or two ago in blog giveaways. I won this dreamcatcher from Ozma of Odds. I hung it beside my bed on the closet curtain rod. {Yes I have curtains instead of doors on my closet} When we moved into this house in 1982 it had no doors and still has none. That is progress huh? lol. Hubby wants to move our bedroom upstairs and gut this room and start over, but I just don't know if I have it in me to start this project. Sounds like a lot of work to me.  :)

Don't you think it goes well with my DREAM glitter banner that hangs on a large mirror over our bed?

Rosemary added many little details to this beauty.  Much prettier than any dream catcher that I have ever seen.

Feathers, lace, ribbon, wire, beads...wonderful.

I have shown this lavender sachet before, but just had to include it because I still love it!

D.R.E.A.M.E.R.

Thank you so much Rosemary!! You do beautiful work and I am blessed to own a few pieces.

I also won this cute white stepstool from Circle Creek Home. They make three different styles and this is the one I chose. Are you surprised that I wanted it in WHITE? :)

I still have not removed the tags that were tied on it when it arrived. My granddaughter Annika used the stool a few days ago so she could get up to the sink in the bathroom to wash her hands.  It is going to be very useful. Thank you Circle Creek Home!

Joining up with Kathleen today for the first White Wednesday of the New Year!! Can't wait to see what this year has in store. I just listened to the author of One Thousand Gifts on our christian radio station...I want to work on a gratitude journal this year...how about you? What plans do you have?

{curtains are actually Simply Shabby Chic shower curtains from Target in gray and white...love them! Sorry the photos aren't brighter. The lighting here is not good at all in the winter. I should have lightened them up for you}

Happy New Year...2012!

via pinterest


Wishing all my bloggy friends a wonderful New Year...2012!



A New Year blessing:
I hope the kindness you've given to others returns many times to you.


Tick Tock

I’m writing this in a state of shock,
Watching the clock—tick tock, tick tock,
Advancing, approaching, relentlessly,
A brand new year; Oh, can it be?

The calendar says the same thing, too;
Time races, vanishes for me; Boo hoo!
No, wait! If time flies, I’m having fun!
A year of fun! It’s gone! It’s done!


I now embrace the blur of time,
Because it simply means that I’m
Too busy with pleasure, joy, delight
To mourn the passing days’ swift flight.


So I’m wishing you fast, happy days,
Pleasuring you in myriad ways,
Filled with happiness and cheer,
Oh Happy, Happy Bright New Year!
-By Joanna Fuchs

xoxo,
Sandi

Yummy treats and year end random shots

Have you ever had these pretzel bites? Oh my goodness...they are SO addicting!! My body has inhaled more sweets in the last week than it has for several months. I must get back to being good when this weekend is over!
In case you are interested here is the recipe:

Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites


1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoon softened butter

2/3 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Pretzels

Chocolate candy coating {I used white chocolate}

Beat peanut butter and butter together until smooth. Beat in sugars and vanilla extract until moldable.

Use a small melon baller to scoop portions of mixture, sandwich between 2 pretzels. Place on cookie sheet & freeze for

half an hour. Dip in chocolate, let set, and enjoy! Store extras in refrigerator.

{I also had a tad of the melted chocolate left so I drizzled it over them at the end}

{I made this french toast for Christmas morning breakfast...Delicous!}

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

1 loaf french bread, unsliced

1 {8 ounce} package cream cheese, cubed

1-2 cups fresh blueberries

8 eggs

2 and 1/2 cups milk, light cream, or half and half {I used 2% milk}

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla

Cut french bread loaf into cubes. (you should have about 12 cups of bread cubes)

Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Place 1/2 the cubes in the baking dish. Top with cream cheese cubes and blueberries. Then top with remaining bread cubes.

In large mixing bowl, using a wire whisk , mix together eggs, milk, melted butter, cinnamon and vanilla until well combined. Pour evenly over bread cubes . Using a spatula, lightly press down to moisten.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-24 hours. {I did it overnight}
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and remove plastic wrap from baking dish.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until center is set and edges are slightly golden. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with maple syrup. {this is sooooo good} Enjoy!

I purchased this bird piece for my mother for Christmas and wanted to show it to you. It is such a pretty piece all covered in sparkles! My mom is crazy about birds and she loved it!

The top of my antique buffet in the dining room.

I added the words to this old door the day we were out of power for 13 hours. I was bored and had wanted to do this for a long time, so I finally did. One slight problem...the word ALWAYS is very sticky.  The black letters are just fine, but not the *Always*. What to do? Glitter?? Any ideas? Maybe that is why it was on clearance? hee hee

I also found out that it is not good to put adhesive letters on this kind of board with grooves in it. It was very tedious to get the letters to stick.You can also see the spots above the words, "rejoice in the Lord" where the masking tape took off some of the paint. Definitely not perfect, but live and learn I say! :)

This is how I packaged up some of my goodies to send in the mail this year. Took this angel graphic from The Graphics Fairy and lightened it up a lot and used it for an address label. I think they look much better than a computer printed label. One drawback...I actually had to take them to the post office to mail , but that is okay.


Lots of random photos, but wanted to share it anyways. Do you have big plans for the weekend? We will spend some time with our youngest son and maybe buy a new computer stand and put it together...and REST! lol
Happy New Year ...2012!!


Blessings~
Sandi