Fun Finds and a Visit

How much is that chicken in the window? The one with the adorable dots? How much is that chicken in the window? I want it lots and lots!

Cute, isn't it? And yes, it did come home with me. My twin sis and her husband, along with their border collie, Tag, came up to visit us at the farm. She and I went shopping in downtown Palestine while the guys cleared brush, trimmed a couple of trees in the front, and cleaned out Martin houses.

We found some really cool stuff -
A cute chicken mug:

Don't you love her kerchief? She makes me smile!

A metal heart ( I want to find some freeze-dried roses for it )

A old coffee tin and a Gingerbread-scented candle and of course, my chicken pitcher.

I can just see it in various places over the house.

I had Theresa hang up my husband's baby clothes on my clothesline in the laundry room as I can't climb a ladder yet, and no, I didn't take a picture of them. I forgot. Lol.

I also took a canvas painting someone was going to toss, repainted it with chalkboard paint ( can you have too much chalkboard? ), and then wrote wintery sayings on before hanging it over the mantle:

 I love it! I'll be changing it up each season. Oh what fun it's going to be!!

We really enjoyed our visit. The guys got to go flying with our neighbor in his little airplane:

 He flew them over the property and Bruce took pictures. How cool is that? You can see the barn, house, and shop:

In the next one, you can see the neighbor's vineyard to the left:

We also walked the dogs around the acreage - Tag is a good influence on my rowdy youngsters:

 He doesn't run off so we were able to let Buddy run leash free and Herbie only had to be leashed when we got close to the pond ( he tends to bolt after wild life ). Herbie did so much better in listening and staying when told. Ha, ha, I need to borrow Tag to show them what to do more often.

We had a great time with them.
Here Michael and Theresa are watching Bruce plant a couple of blueberry bushes:

Me and my twin sister:

You can see we are not identical.

As always, time flew by and it was time to leave and head back to the city. But until the next time, our memories will keep us smiling.


Hugs,
Cecilia

First Project Out of My Stash and Master Bedroom "Love" Vignette

Like everyone else, I'm trying to organize my spaces. I'm also trying to cross projects off my list and take care of some of those that have been languishing for awhile. One of those is a "Key to My Heart" project. I have seen some really nice ones on Pinterest and have wanted to make one. So when  I found a heart-shaped jello mold at GoodWill, I knew it was perfect for what I had in mind.

I wanted it to look rustic, so I spray painted it matte silver and sprinkled cinnamon on it while it was still wet. ( looks like rust!) Ta-da! A rusty heart.

Next, I had this fake lock and key from a purse I'd bought so I glued the lock in the center of the heart. The key dangles from that.

Then I made a tag using a brown paper bag and scrapbook paper. I tied it on with a burlap string.

In my bedroom, I have a wall dedicated to us and love. I added the rusty heart to it:

It has pictures ( some from our 30th Anniversary photo shoot ):

Close up of picture...with "I love you" sign clipped onto branch

Cherubs:

A postcard my grandfather sent his first wife before they were married (she died in childbirth):

And signs with sweet sayings:

Printed on burlap

On the couch below, my teddy bear sits - it was the very first thing my husband bought me when we were dating...I can't believe it's lasted this long (35 years!).

So, that's my "Love" wall. I'm liking what my "Key to My Heart" adds to it. And if you noticed the pillows on the couch, I am going to recover those. Our room has been fairly girly and Bruce has been a good sport about it. I am trying to make it more gender neutral. The pillows will be one way for me to pull in something Bruce will like.

Stay tuned for that and other projects...one which will be the master bedroom closet. Yikes, it's time to get that baby organized!


Linking up here:
French Country Cottage Feathered Nest Friday
DIY Showoff That DIY Party
Revisionary Life Thrifty-life-thursday-3
Rain On a Tin Roof GMTG-link-party-45
One More Time Events Share It One More Time
The Dedicated House Make-it-pretty-monday-week-86

Initial Door Hanging

I really like the large Initial Wreaths I've been seeing on Pinterest and other blogs, so I made me one.

It was super easy…I bought the "B" from Hobby Lobby - it was painted black so I just gave it two coats of ASCP in Old White. I then added the established date and after tracing it onto the letter, filled it in with a Sharpie pen. I then tied a burlap bow around it and stuck a frosty pine branch pick in. Voila!

I can switch the pick out with different ones for different seasons if I wish. Gotta love easy and multi-use! :o)

On another note, when I was painting the hallway, I had Bruce remove the doorbell box as it didn't work and we really didn't need it. Anyway, Bruce got a what I call a dinner bell for Christmas - it was perfect for the farmhouse so he hung it up by the front door. Clang, clang! It rings pretty loud and the house is small so it makes a great substitution for the doorbell. See why I think it's perfect?

So come on by…if you happen to go to the front door instead of through the garage/kitchen door, ring the bell - I'll welcome you and we can sit and enjoy a cup of coffee together.

Hugs and Blessings,
Cecilia

PS
I am currently working through my stash of pending projects…I am trying really hard not to go into a thrift store until I get this pile reduced. I need to get it under control. LOL.

And for those who read about Bruce wanting a desk somewhere and complaining I'd taken over the spare bedroom for guests, you'll be pleased to know we are bringing a small table/desk up to put in the room. I think it will go well with the furniture in there and he will have a space for work, etc. More on that later. I shouldn't have to shift too much around.

Winter Decorating

 We got to spend several days up at the farm from Christmas night to the following Monday.

Peaceful bliss…

We always get the most beautiful sunsets ( sunrises too, if I get up early enough to see them - lol )…

The colors deepen as the sun sets further

The pond is still full but the leaves have all fallen off the trees….

which meant we got to rake up leaves :o) but it was good exercise and I got to practice balancing and walking without crutches (still supposed to use them but my therapist suggested I not use them at home). I think she meant inside but I did outside too - carefully.

Inside, I took down all the Christmas decorations but left out wintery stuff. The burlap snowflakes I made for the tree ( see here ) got repurposed for the mantel - I made two more slightly larger ones for the end:

Cozy fire…so enjoyed the fire the entire time we were there!

( Notice the smudging on the fireplace? I'm not sure what the previous owners used on it but I can't get it to go away…anybody know anything about fireplace inserts and what I might use to remove that? )

I placed a stack of old books on one side and topped them with this rustic candle holder tin:

On the other end, I left my twine and kitchen string cone trees but added the owl - it's also an ornament but he fit my color scheme:

Of course, the large pinecones, glittery snowflakes, and faux pine branches got to stay. In the middle, I added my paper mache reindeer. I decided to just paint him white and add a touch of silver glitter for now. Someday I might cover him with book pages like the pumpkin I did for Halloween, but now I'm liking his wintery coat:

The entry table also got an overhaul with garland, snowman sign, candles, and silver accents:

My round cutting board now sports a chalk snowflake and a wintery saying:

The side table got my message plate I normally place on the entry table. It too, sports a wintery theme and message:

My snowman bowl I received as part of the ornament exchange sits on the side table too along with one of my concrete birds, a glittery snowflake, and faux pine bough:

It always makes me sad to put away the Christmas things but changing things over to a winter theme helps keep things from feeling bleak.

As for me, I am looking forward to getting off these crutches - hopefully next week. I'm still going to physical therapy but making good progress. I really want to be able to start cleaning up along the driveway and making new flowerbeds, not to mention just being able to walk all around the farm again.

Hope your week is going well,

Cecilia

Linking up at this great party:
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