I'm Back!

Sorry I've been gone without warning...I left Friday morning to go up to North Carlina to my parents'.  My dad found out Thursday that the college he was working at was closing.  This is the last week he's going to have a job there.  It was a big shock and so I went up to help move his office and library (about 200 boxes of books, I think? Maybe more?).  No worries, my parents are going to be fine--my mom is a teacher so she'll start school in a few weeks and my dad is still pastor of a church.

They have some wonderful thrift stores up in NC so we hit a few of them while I was around...and I got some great deals on some fun things...I can't wait to show you everything!

Julia!

Wednesday I had the day off from work and drove down to Americus to visit one of my best friends from high school, Julia.  It was WONDERFUL to see her--I love how we picked up right where we left off and how she's still the same fun-loving Julia as always!  She's also starting to sew and make cute things for her new apartment, so hopefully we'll get to see pictures of her creations on her blog soon!

How I Updated and Charmed My Den {thanks to The Nester}

The Nester's post about using lamps to "Update and Charm Every Room" couldn't have been more timely for me. 

Our den was in desperate need of extra lighting and I'd been thinking about getting some lamps for a while.  The Nester's post was just what I needed to pinpoint what I wanted.  And then I was so shocked delighted when, Tuesday night, Shane said, "I think we need to get some lamps for the den."  So off to TJ Maxx and Target we went, looking for lamps. (Well, to TJ Maxx, then Target, then back to TJ Maxx.)

We ended up getting these three lamps at TJ Maxx for $28.00, $29.99, and $34.99.  

 Not bad...but not great, either.  I thought maybe I could do better.

So yesterday, I stopped at a couple thrift stores and picked up three lamps at Salvation Army for $1.99, $1.99, and $2.99.  I also got three shades from Target at 50% clearance for $9.98 each (still wish I could have gotten some cheaper ones, but I really liked the ones I picked).

Hello, Rust-Oleum Green Apple Spray Paint.  I love you.  You were only $2.99 at Hobby Lobby after my 40% off coupon and an exact match to the paint sample I carry around with me that is the color of my kitchen cabinets.  You saved me money.  You are lovely.  I love you.

When I got home I got to cleaning and spraying.  I've seen tutorials on spray painting lamps and taping everything up, but I have to admit, I didn't do anything special.  In preparation, I just wiped them down with a damp rag.  I knew the shade would cover the top part where I was spraying so it didn't matter if I got it perfectly painted.  I didn't worry about it when I ended up painting part of the cord.

I love how the lamps turned out!  Total cost of TJ Maxx lamps: $92.98 / Total cost of Salvation Army lamps: $39.90 (including lamps, shades, and spray paint (I only used about 1/2 a can).

I did take the plastic off the shades before I turned the lamps on, just not for the pictures!

We're doing some work in our den (more on that next week, but it involves rearranging everything) so I'm not thinking about the overall presentation here (in other words, ignore our off-center wedding picture and book wreath on the wall).  Just admire my new lamps, ok?  Thanks!

Sharing with Transformation Thursday.

A Finished Kitchen!

Welcome to my kitchen!

Before: Christmas 2009

After: July 2010

Before                                            After

Before                       After

Thanks for visiting!

My best advice on painting a kitchen--just do it!  Don't be worried about getting things perfect and don't be worried if it takes you a few days weeks months longer than you planned!

I'm sharing this with Chelsea at Room to Inspire and Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage and Chris at Just a Girl.

Kitchen Update 8

Our kitchen is ALMOST done...I'm going to show you THE AFTER tomorrow and am so excited!!!

For now, here's one of the finishing touches--a giant fork and spoon above the doorway to the dining room...

after a couple years of periodically asking Shane to hang them up, he finally got around to it...took about 10 minutes, I think? 

Come back tomorrow!!!

Ruffled Necklace

I LOVE this necklace from this seller at Etsy.  

LOVE!

Grey jersey, glass beads, and pearls....yum!

What Made My Day

I thought today was going to be an average day at the bookstore...but then I recieved this from one of my little customers:

Made my day!!!

J.Crew Copy Cat #2

Here's the second pair of shirts I refashioned.  (See #1 in my last post).  I loosely copied Ashley's shirt at Make It and Love It by cutting out hearts and folding in half--sewing along the middle of the heart.  I was originally going to ruffle up the whole side, but decided to keep it simple. 

Eventually I may go back and add some, making it more like Ashley's J. Crew inspiration shirt:

But for now, it's perfect for me!

J.Crew Copy Cat

Inspired by this shirt I saw at the J.Crew outlet with my SIL, I knew just what to do with a couple shirts I got at the Gap.  I loved the tiny stitches and the randomness of the pattern.

I bought four shirts (two of one color, two of another color) on clearance at Gap for $1.97 each.  My stitches aren't as tiny as J.Crew's, and I used a contrasting thread, but the randomness is all there.

I'll show you what I did with the other pair of shirts on Monday.

Happy 4th of July, everybody!

Home from Texas

I had a WONDERFUL visit with my sister-in-law, Courtney.  Loved every minute, but I'm happy to be home!

 How great is it that we're both wearing the same earrings as we did in this picture of us from her visit to GA in May?