Thrifty Miss Priss

This is the Life!

When my daughter was about 5, there was a moment that is etched in my brain forever.  I'd taken her to rent a block buster movie and get a McDonalds Happy Meal.  As I drove home I heard her say from the back seat "THIS is the life!"  It struck me because the innocense of a little child can sometimes remind us to see the little things.

 

Fast forward about 20 years.....I saw this sign somewhere on the internet.  When I clicked on the link It was over $100.00.   

I decided to try and make the sign myself.  I went to our local Habitat Store where the cabinet doors are around $2.00 - $5.00.  I liked this one in particular because it had the raised detail aroun the edges to "frame" the words.   I spray painted the sign in Heriloom While, as this is the color I wanted the text to be.

I printed out the words to see if they would fit.  Then I taped my words to a piece of contact paper and CUT OUT the individual letters.  I know this sounds incredibly time consuming but honestly for these 4 words it took about 30 min. max.  You are also probably thinking "use a cricut machine" ....well I personally do not like how perfect those machines cut letters.  To me, it makes the sign look like it was something purchased new in a store.....made in China type thing.  I wanted slight imperfections in the lettering.  

I adhered each letter to the White Cabinet door, then I spraypainted it in black.  The paint bubbled up in a lot of places.  After about 20 minutes I peeled the contact letters off and this is what I had.  

I felt like it was an EPIC FAIL and decided this would be going straight into the trash.  I was so bummed because I had this in my head forever and it looked awful.

I finally went back to it, and with a lot of sanding, adding some black paint wash overtop of everything, and finally a coat of wax, it looked a little better. 

On Christmas morning I still didn't know if I would give it to her.  My younger daughter convinced me it was PERFECTLY imperfect (like I wanted) and convinced me to give it to "baby mama".

Here it is...hanging in her house.....

And she too has never forgot that time in the car...when all it took to make your life complete was a rented movie and a Happy Meal.

 

- inspiration for old distressed signs started a long time ago when I first discovered Donna at Funky Junk Interiors!

Catching up......

So.....whats new?

I've just been laying around thinking about baby things...

Just thinking about life........

and discovering that my my email associated with my blog was not working.  at. all.  

If you left a comment in the last couple of months...i never knew it.  I wasn't logging on to my blog because I wasn't blogging!  I logged on yesterday and felt awful that there were comments there that I never saw/got.

So I changed my email....and had to change my google reader too...which means re- subscribing to all my favorite blogs. Phew...thats a LOT of work...I think I need a nap...

So to catch you up to speed on things.....

This is my tiny little peanut Charlee.  She was born 10 weeks ago and doesn't even resemble this anymore.  As a gift to my daughter and her husband (at the baby shower) my husband and I paid for a photographer to come to their home when she was just days old and do a photo shoot.  I really love the way she styled the baby.  She spent over three hours at their home that day.....and lets just say there were lots of "baby accidents"

I guess a little laundry won't kill a person now will it?

 I'm a lucky Granny, she only lives about 15 minutes away and we get to see her every weekend.  I do my own litle photoshoots when she comes to visit.

I just can't get enough of her!  I've even been known to facetime her (like skype) during the week if I start to have withdrawls.

I only missed one weekend away from her.....I flew to St. Louis to watch my neice get married in the most beautiful over the top wedding ceremony I've ever attended.

yes, it was an outside ceremony and during the first dance a live firework display went off the entire time to a live band singing Queen "you're my best friend"

and this pretty lady turned 14 a few weeks ago.  I can't believe how fortunate we've been with her health.  She still runs and jumps and acts like a pre teen.  I'm convinced her diet is whats kept her healthy so long.  We never give table scraps, and if she is to get lucky the most she'll get is chicken and some rice here and there.  Otherwise....always dry dog food.

 

Well, I guess thats about it.  I promise this won't turn into a baby blog- but I can't promise I won't sneak pictures in from time to time!  

Here's hoping you a wonderful Christmas Season!

And they call her.....

 on the day that you were born

The angels got together and decided

To create a dream come true

So they sprinkled moondust in your hair

Of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue..........

 

Introducing......Charlotte Ann (Charlee)....my first grandchild!  She was born 9/9/11 and weighed 6lbs 3 oz.  She is absolutely perfect......

 

I got a feeling this blog will get dusted off............

 

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice......

It's a girl!

After many sonograms we are certain that the pitter patter of little feet will belong to A GIRL!  I'm so excited!  I was the ONLY ONE who kept saying "it'll be a girl!"....guess Grandma knows best huh?

Her name has been picked and I'm IN LOVE WITH IT!  I will have to wait to share her name because I didn't get the "go ahead" from her parents........She will be here in September.  

This is the Wizard Of Oz loving Momma around 1987......she has such a generous and loving spirit.....and double that in the spunky/feisty department!

I've let this blog go for so long....I seriously considered just deleting the whole thing.  But when I remembered all the memories I've documented here over the last several years.....they'd all be forgotten if it weren't for my blog.  I've gone back through all the posts about my mom and I'm so glad I have those pictures to remember those times.  Lots of happy times.  Sad ones too....and although I miss her so much...I'm grateful I've got it all right here.

So I'll push ahead and blog when I can....or when I have something fun or pretty to share....because this is where I'll come years from now when I want to remember all these special times.

Easter 2011

(thrift store blue canning jars and thrift store wood box)

Until next time........

Pitter Patter of little feet

 
I've been bursting to tell my blog friends that I'm going to be a GRANDMA!

My daughter and her husband are having a baby in September.  We don't know yet what it's going to be but one things for sure....it will be a whole new FUN adventure for our family!

Since I can't name the baby (darn...but guess the parents get to do that) I can ask YOU what name the baby should call ME.........

I don't FEEL like a grandma....so I want other suggestions.  

It doesn't matter how crazy our outrageous the name is...I'll consider all suggestions!

I just can't wait to meet our new grandchild!

Finding the good stuff

Well!  There's so many cobwebs on this blog I decided to dust it off and give you all a Gigantic Thank You for all the wonderful messages and sweet comments about my moms passing.  It still seems so surreal......that it didn't happen.  My sisters and I are kind of walking around wondering what to do with ourselves now. I was so touched by all the messages and emails.  

We had a wonderful memorial service for my mom a few weeks ago.  So many friends and family that I have not seen in ages came to honor my mom.  The pastor did an unbelievable job at capturing her essence.  My sister in law bought little Norwegian Flag pins for us all to wear that day to honor my mom.  The pastor threw in a lot of "Uf-Dah" references throughout the service. (Uf-dah is a Norwegian term for oh-Darn!)

I captured this picture of all my moms grand kids in one place at one time.  If you look at the slide show playing on the TV it looks like my mom is looking on with such pride....

I went back through all my blog posts about my mom and treasure the memories I've stored here.  I would not have remembered all the little things like the milkshakes I brought her every Saturday if it were not for this blog.  

Still feeling a little lost as to what to do with my weekends now.  I got seriously motivated to clean out my art room but lost steam fast and just closed the door again.

Today I had to do a lot of driving taking my daughter back and forth to an orientation for her new part time job.  It's a 40 mile round trip and I had to do it twice!  In between I stopped at the Habitat restore to kill some time.  I was looking for a large piece of wood to make a sign like this

have no idea who this belongs to but found it on google images

My son is marrying his high school sweetheart (they're 26 years old and have been together since they were 16).  They want me to make a sign like the one shown above.

So I found this but it might be a bit too big.  It's a headboard

It will be hanging on an iron fence at the reception so it doesn't matter that it's this big.  If it doesn't work out and we find another piece, I already have ideas swimming through my head on what to do with this instead.

I also found these great cubbies.  They are really dirty and dinged up.  I will clean them (there are two pieces) and then decide if I want to paint them.

Just the other day I saw this great cubby on a blog (i can't get the link button to work) just click and you will see the original post

http://www.2gypsygirls.com/2011/01/no-1-good-junk.html

So I saved this image on my computer and just a few days later I found TWO of my own!  Lucky Girl I tell ya!

So I jammed the cubbies into my car and had to make another trip back for the headboard.  As soon as we walked in this couch had just been donated

It's in PRISTINE condition.  My daughter ran over to it immediately and begged me to buy it for her room.  She wants to paint all the wood parts white.  The tag on the bottom says 1979 so i think it sat in some little old ladies living room and nobody was allowed to sit on it.  It has the softest velvet material and a beige trim that goes all the way around it.  So I bought it and had to call my other daughter to come and get it with her pick up.

Hopefully I will get motivated enough to start on some of these projects!  Thank you for visiting even when my posts are few and far between!

 

The Long Goodbye

It is with a heavy heart that I tell you today that my sweet mother passed away two days ago.  I'm so blessed that I was able to be with her and help her on her journey. 

With the help of my sisters, family and friends I will be able to handle this.  Mom was the strongest most determined woman I will ever know. 

 

Getting Ready!

Do you need last minute EASY gift wrapping ideas?  Beth (Gathering Dust) has made some WONDERFUL tags available for download...for FREE!  They are absolutely terrific!  

After I printed them out in multiple pages...I cut them all out at once by layering the paper.....made things much easier.  Then I was bummed about having to put them on my bright red wrapping paper...I didn't think they'd show up very well.  So I decided to REVERSE the wrapping paper and use the WHITE side......I love the look of the neutral colors and the tags really POP now!  Thanks Beth!

Here's a few fun vintage things I've found this season

And while I'm thinking about junking.......

My friend Sue has recently  published a calendar  that I missed out on last year!  I just placed my order just in time for the NEW YEAR!

I'm late mentioning this...but my friend Sue and another blogger,  Inis Lovely have published an e-book "Selling at an antique mall"  I downloaded it right to my ipad and devoured it immediately!  Totally worth the LOW COST if you are considering doing booth space or flea market sales.

Speaking of selling in antique malls....hop over to The Faded Farmhouse for the latest news!

I hope this season fills your heart with happiness!

Merry Christmas!

Beverly Hillbillies go shabby chic

one load down about 20 more to go

The space isn't "ready" yet as we'd hoped.  We are waiting on final permit and final carpet removal specialist (ie family members) but we started moving in just a small portion of what we've accumulated.

Yesterday after a quick stop at the Habitat Re-Store I scored some great wood pieces to make a few more signs.  Last night while watching Dear John on my ipad I painted this

I'm so in love with it I want to keep it.  I can always make another but I keep imagining it hanging over my kitchen sink.  This is a huge piece of heavy plank.  I remember seeing this one a long time ago in country living magazine.  I could not find the image online so I just searched around for some inspiration.

Do you all know Donna?  From Funky Junk Interiors?  SERIOUS DAILY inspiration over there.......if you visit her you'll be gone for a few hours....just warning you!

I was eager to get started after the purchase of the wood yesterday.  I printed out the letters on cardstock and cut them out.  My older daughter bought a Silhouette but it hasn't arrived yet.  So I did this the old fashioned way.

I lightly sanded the board.  Then i dry brushed a cottage white on to it and wiped most of it off.  I taped down the letters

This was just for blog purposes.  As I said, I'd painted the board in a dry brush technique, then taped the letters on.  I traced around with a pencil and lifted off the cardstock letters.  Then I sat and watched "Dear John" and painted away.

This morning after it had dried really well I sanded the whole sign down by hand and distressed it.  I wiped on walnut stain and let it sit for a few minutes then wiped it off.

So thats all there is to it.  It's so gratifying to have something turn out the way you pictured it in your head!  Today my husband opened the back door when I was loading the truck and said "hey!  I CAN'T GET OVER that sign!"  Guess he didn't see the vision like I did originally!

Last week I made a sign for our store (WHEN WE FINALLY GET IT OPEN).  I used an overhead projector to do this one

Stay tuned for more Faded Farmhouse goodness in weeks to come!

Thankful

So much to be thankful for!