Teacher Appreciation!

At the end of each school year you can go into any Michael's or Walmart and see mothers scurrying around to buy towels and totes, mugs and books, or anything that can be given to teachers. Is it appreciation or compensation for spending another year with our children? Whatever the reason, I am always looking for new ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week. This year my a dear friend and I got together to make these lovely gifts.
(I apologize for the blurry pics, a Canon Rebel is in my future as soon as I sell a kidney!)
I decided to make a flower pot full of goodies!
I started with a terra cotta pot and spray painted it with chalkboard paint. Then stocked up on gardening things. Gloves, shovel, apron, spray bottle, chalk, all purchased at Michaels. I then stopped by Home Depot for a gift card and Voila, instant teacher gift.

It wasn't easy to let the perfectionist in me stand aside while my daughter added her touch to the pot. However, when she was finished I knew that she had made these gifts priceless!

These pots are for my daughter's Visual Therapist, Occupational Therapist and Exceptional Children teacher. On the back of this pot she wrote "When I need help, you help me." How precious it that?

I can see all the possibilites here. I am going to paint one and place it at my front door with a flower and leave notes for my kids. Something along the lines of - Come on in - I have Brownies, or Wipe your shoes off, it was a rainy day, or Water me before you come in.

The possibilities are endless.I hope you can grab a can of spray paint and think of a fun way to personalize your pot!

Spring Porch!

I love Spring! Who doesn't? God performs His most fabulous symphony during this season. Everything comes alive and reminds us that He is always at work. His beauty can't be crushed! In this season of my life God is teaching me so much about life and peace, contentment in the little things, and joy.

I had decided in the bleak days of winter that I was going to pay some attention to my front porch as soon as the weather would permit me to do so! When we built our house, as a young couple without a clue, I knew I wanted a porch. You know, the rocking chair/swing porch, the kind you read about and see in the movies. Where Southern ladies sip sweet ice tea, while lounging around in their cotton sun dresses! (I think I have seen too many episodes of Designing Women- I have often imagined myself to be Susan Sugarbaker!)

I did get a nice porch but I have neglected it for other things! I wanted to make sure that this year it recieved a little TLC!
I started with a few hanging plants and accented with black furniture!

I found this at the farmers market and fell in love with it. I had no idea what it was but the blooms were tissue paper thin. The saleswoman said it loved full sun and did not like alot of water. I thought, wow the perfect plant for me! It only took me two weeks to kill off all the blooms and take it down.
This is the most precious bloom in my yard. Isn't it beautiful! It is a flower that grows sweeter by the day. It takes alot of TLC and perfers chocolate over water. I have been tending this particular flower for four years and it is, without a doubt, my favorite!

I love to blog hop and saw alot of ideas for my bench. Some character was definitely needed here.
So I found a beautiful tablecloth at TJ Max for $10.00 and proceeded to cut it up to make a bench cushion. I had enough material left over to make a matching cushion for the rocking chair and will soon be making a pillow for the swing! Love that matchy, matchy!

I then found some table napkins that were on clearance for $3.00 and whipped up two pillows! My mother has an embroidery machine, so I had her stitch one of my favorite verses for all to see when they enter my home.

Next, I found this table at Good Will for $30.00. It was an ugly yellow, but I saw the potential. What can't be fixed with black spray paint?
I am still working on the finishing touches! I have gotten a rug for under the table and finally have some ferns hanging. I found these wonderful iron baskets for $6.00 and filled them with verbena. They fit right over my railing.

There is still work to be done but I am pleased with the start!
I love to sit out here at night and listen to the sounds of a Springtime night in the country.

Sorry for the blurry picture! Boy do I need a new camera!

Thanks for stopping by! Next time call first and I will have some of that Southern sweet tea ready! Don't forget to visit more outdoor fun at A Southern Daydreamer.

Let There Be Light!

I have embarked on refreshing my daughters bedroom! She recieved a Justice catalogue in the mail and we both went crazy over all the fun, bright colors. We decided as a team to spruce up her room. I stole an idea I had seen at an antique store not far from the house. I wanted desperately to have a chandelier in my daughters room, but just couldn't make myself buy one. They seem ridiculously priced for a childs room so I improvised and made one myself!

A few years ago my neighbors updated their kitchen and were throwing away their very outdated kitchen light. Not wanting anything that still worked to go to waste, my husband put the light in a pile in the garage. I disassembled the light and spray painted the fixture lime green!

I bought some big "jewels" at walmart on clearance for $3. I then dug into my jewelry making/beading box and whipped up a few strings to tie it all together.I tried to find little lamp shades to go on the bulbs but that would have cut the light down. The shades that work only allow 15 watts and that just wasn't enough light for my little princess to play. However, now the light is blinding but it can be switched to 'down light only' if needed.

I love the way it sparkles but is still funky fun for her!

The only thing lacking is a medallion for the ceiling to make it really stand out. Isn't is fun to take somebody else's junk and make it work for you?

Please visit all the other wonderful metamorphosis' at Between Naps on the Porch.

Disney Memories!

We have had a winter storm here in the South. Hard to believe isn't it? I am thrilled to be playing in the snow and cozying up in front of a fire. But the days are getting longer and I am wishing for warmer weather. I am remembering my trip to Disney back in November and thinking of the beautiful weather. So, I am blogging today about our trip and all the fun we had...


We had 9 glorious days to play at Disney and here are the girls at the Princess breakfast with Cinderella. This was our first time to the Akerhaus, located at Epcot. I really enjoyed the food and the girls were able to visit with all their favorite Princesses.

I'm not sure how many of these we actually consumed, but we had chocolate stains on every outfit!

We took one day out of Disney to visit Sea World and it was fabulous. There were no lines and we could pick our seats at every show. Here we are with the cast of the Dolphin show!

Parade, after parade, after parade...Yes, we saw them all!

As you can see, we didn't have any problems with crowds. We had time to hit every ride early in the morning, then we just ate for the rest of the day!

Here is Rebekah feeding the dolphin at Sea World! She is such an animal lover and she was in awe of these gentle creatures!

It didn't matter what time we went to bed, Emma was up at the crack of dawn. On the very first full day she whispered over to me at 5:30, yes that was 5:30 AM, "Mom, I see a sliver of light." So, each and every day she was the alarm clock and we were up and outta' there by 7. On the only morning that we had to be up early, Emma wanted to sleep in. However, the Princesses wouldn't wait so I got to wake up this Sleeping Beauty.

If you have never been to Disney around Christmas you really should make a point to go. There are such beautiful decorations and trees everywhere. There is a special display called the Osbourne Family Lights that is more than magical. It is millions of lights up and down a street at Hollywood Studios. The lights perform to Christmas music and snow (soap) falls as everyone stares at the display. It is a must see!

Me and my man!

The teacups were a hit for all members of the family! Well, not me, but I don't like Woozy rides!

Chef Mickey was yummy! I mean who wouldn't want to eat at a buffet that included great breakfast food along with cupcakes, doughnut, chocolate, etc...

Here is Princess Kitty and Tinkerbelle!

Oh, I miss the warm weather! Not one drop of rain for the entire trip!

By nightfall I was tired! I finally took possession of the stroller for myself. It wasn't long before there was mutiny among the troops though! I would like to note the toilet paper I have tucked around the toe of my flip flop on my right foot. I thought since it was so beautiful outside I would wear flip flops in the park. What was I thinking? I had a massive blister by the end of the day! Fashionable or not, I wore tennis shoes every moment after that!

Sweet! Isn't it the most precious thing to see the wonder and excitement of childhood in the eyes of your own children.

As some of you know, my mother was battling Lymphoma during our trip and had just finished up her last Chemotherapy. Needless to say, she didn't have any hair and refused to wear hot wigs for the entire trip. So we had a great selection of hats for her. It was a good thing because the children ended up needing to wear them because of the sun! Of course, Emma was the only one who wanted to wear them all at once!

My sweet Rebekah at the Swiss Family Treehouse!

I love Disney, and love the It's a Small World ride more than any other. I guess it is because it is one of those eternal, never changing, things you can count on. I can remember it from my childhood and know that my girls look at it with the same wonder that I saw.

Here is my mom, who "Fought like a Girl" to go on this magical trip. She had more stamina than either of my children and my husband. I am so glad she was able to go and it wouldn't have been the same without my parents there. We really had a magical time!

Blinging up the Cast!

I am dedicating my blog to my sweetie pie, Rebekah! As many of you know she suffered a stroke in utero that left her with Cerebral Palsy. This requires a whole new world to navigate through as a child and mother. One of the many things we get to share is a bi-yearly trip to the Hospital for Botox treatments. She receives many injections in her arm and leg, with subsequent casting of the lower extremity to stretch out her spastic muscles. (No, I do not get to get any of the extra Botox, just in case you were wondering.) Anyway, we have struggled with cast for most of her life. Casts are hard, ugly, difficult things to decorate. We have been through many phases and colors with the castings, but have finally come to grips with the necessity of this inconvenience! Now it is just an opportunity for glam on a whole new playing field!!
We have settled in on a color and typically spend our evening working on a beautiful light blue cast. Imagine our shock and horror when the cast technician said he was out of Carolina Blue. Well, army green and hot pink were NOT options and so we had to go with the dark blue. Okay, dark blue is a color that has been banned from my childhood due to my mother growing up in Chapel Hill. Now the trickle down effect has occured with my daughter. We could not, would not, settle in on a dark blue cast. Something had to be done............

A trip to Conference store and Michaels just about did the trick!

But then we realized there are some people who need a little more direction and may still be confused by the color of the cast. So it was off to my mothers for an embroidered patch........

A few crystal sparkles hot glued for good measure, a ribbon toe ring, and Voila!


(Sorry for the blurry picture but don't you just love the Ribbon toe ring! I have way too much free space in my gray matter!)