Unexpected Necessities

My 1st Wholesale Account!!

2011-08-31T15:43:00.001-04:00

I'm so happy to have my 1st wholesale account.........Rhinestone Cowgirl in Oklahoma. It's the cutest shop EVER! I've been busy making keychains and crosses for them. Thanks y'all!

Funky Key Chains & Crosses

2011-07-27T16:26:00.005-04:00

I also make these beaded crosses and super cute fluffy key chains. 4x6 Beaded cross $9.95
Key Chains $6

Questions? cena80 (at) yahoo.com

Beaded Cross Photo Blocks

2011-07-27T16:13:00.002-04:00

I've been making this funky beaded cross photo blocks for a few months now. No two are ever alike! This one has 3 clothespins on the back to display 3 different photos. $12
This one stands up by itself and has a magnet to hold the photo. $14

Another cross position option $14

Fun Teacher Gifts

2011-05-06T11:28:00.002-04:00

Here are some fun teacher gifts available at Bella Bella!Fleur de lis ribbon keychain $6
School/crayon magnet block frame $12

Houndstooth/Zebra/ABC keychain $6

Want to order? cena80@yahoo.com

Fun Magnet Block Frames

2011-05-05T11:25:00.003-04:00

All of these magnet blocks are available at Bella Bella or by special order. These are great for holding photos, recipes, etc. Beaded cross magnet block $14

Pastel beaded cross magnet block $14

Brown/Natural beaded cross magnet block $14

A variety of magnet block frames $12

New Arrivals @ Bella Bella

2011-05-02T12:10:00.003-04:00

New Arrivals in time for Mother's Day Swarovski crystal cross necklace set $16
Crystal ball bracelet $8

Swarovski crystal cross bracelet $10

Filigree cross earrings $5

Hammered fleur de lis necklace set $14

See something you like? I ship!

cena80@yahoo.com

Ribbon Tassel Keychains

2011-04-18T09:54:00.003-04:00

These ribbon tassel keychains are the newest thing I am making. I love these!

And you can wash them when they get dirty! (I recommend hand-washing) They measure between 6 and 7 inches from the top of the ring to the bottom. Fleur de lis, crosses, zebra, harlequin, and houndstooth.....what's not to love?

fleur de lis, stripes, giraffe, and cute dots

The colors are this one are so cute to me.....swirls, polka dots, green zebra, and pink crowns.

Want one? They are available at Bella Bella in Laurel or contact me at cena80@yahoo.com

$6.00 per keychain and $2.00 shipping anywhere in the US!

Cuteness

2011-04-13T12:02:00.004-04:00

New stuff at Bella Bella, all hand-crafted by me!

Yes, I have been in a crafty mood lately.Fun ribbon key chain $6 Multi-beaded wire cross $9.95 Antiqued photoe block with beaded cross $12

Burlap rose cross photo block $14

Distressed black photo block with damask ribbon $14

New Jewelry at Bella Bella

2011-03-09T12:24:00.002-05:00

Here's a sneak peak of what will be available @ Bella Bella next week: Metallic "fireball" earrings- $5
Long faux pearl necklace set with "fireball" accent $5.95
(The little bow is removeable)

Little girl necklace/earring/bracelet sets $5

Beaded cuff bracelets $5

Fun flower earrings $5

Also, Bella Bella will be hosting a Ladies Night Out next Thursday night (3/17). Lots of sales and discounts throughout the store!!

Conversation Starters

2011-02-03T22:17:00.002-05:00

Here's a preview of some of the new jewelry that I plan to put out at Bella Bella next week. I always try to stock cute pieces that are sure to be conversation starters. This set reminds me of Easter...$16
This one is too much fun! $22

Fun glass beads on invisible wire $14

Zebra and fleur de lis cross set....does it get any better? $20

Long shell/bead set $16

It is soooo cold here in South Mississippi. I am so ready to see flowers and green grass!
How about y'all?

Christmas 2010

2010-12-05T21:14:00.007-05:00

Welcome to my house! We live in the country in a country style house. Nothing fancy. I tend to gravitate towards French Country decor (i.e. Ballard Designs...I could just lick the pages!lol). I love to decorate for Christmas. I haven't done as much this year because I just haven't had time!

I decorate using 2 color schemes: red and lime green in the kitchen/dining room and blue/brown/gold in the living room. Santas on top of the fridge

above the kitchen sink...love my Merry Christmas Y'all frame!

Kitchen nook table. I decided to try something different and just stuck the $1.00 plastic candy canes from Wal-mart in the vase and added a bow.

R ed and lime green tree....I usually have 2 trees, but I just did 1 this year. The snowmen came from Dollar Tree. Cute, huh?

Nutcracker collection

More nutcrackers

my little tree collection....most came from dollar stores, but mixed together, who knows or cares?

Curio cabinet in living room

Living room end table. The tree was a $6.99 Ross find!

Angel collection in living room

Hope y'all enjoyed the tour!

I'm linking up to Southern Hospitality Blog. Lots of great ideas there.

Also linking up to Hooked on Houses Christmas party.

Jancie is 4!

2010-11-25T20:41:00.002-05:00

This time four years ago, I was one sleep deprived (but happy) momma! Jancie's birthday is Nov. 21, and I brought her home on Thanksgiving Day 2006. To be honest, I was sleep deprived for about 1 full year. Anyway, this year she wanted a skating party, so we had the party at our local skating rink. I had a birthday party here back in 1992, I think. Some of the little girls....didn't get a picture of the boys.
Jancie and Alli Jewel
(her mom and I have been friends for 16 years, and we just happened to give birth to little girls within 6 months of one another. )

This is what they did when we told them to "strike a pose." Hilarious!

(All of these girls were born within 6 months of one another, so they will all be in the same grade. And 4 out of 5 of the moms graduated the same year. We joke that we are not letting them go anywhere together in about 12 years. It will be payback time, I guess. )

Jancie's birthday cake....she (or I) chose an owl theme. Super cute, I thought.

Striking a pose at her last pageant. I just love this little outfit. It's made by Peaches n Cream.

Last but not least, I am so thankful that God has blessed me with so many wonderful things. I am not worthy, but He blesses me anyway. I hope that y'all have a great Thanksgiving!

Easy Supper

2010-11-09T19:07:00.002-05:00

I just tried this Bird's Eye Chicken Florentine for the first time. Very, very good. I added a splash of milk at the end to make it creamier.

I'm all about easy, if it's good!

Christmas Cottage Magazine

2010-11-07T21:48:00.001-05:00

If you like Christmas decorating magazines, you must buy this one! Fabulous! I bought mine at Books-a-million, but you can order it online at Hoffman Media. (It's from the publishers of Southern Lady magazine.)

What's Up?

2010-10-19T21:18:00.003-04:00

I've been MIA for awhile now.....I just have tons going on: My job, taking care of Jancie, my hubby and dogs, keeping my store booths up, fulfilling by duties as Junior Auxiliary VP, and finally taking care of myself. I just don't have time to blog anymore. I miss it soooo much, but I guess there is a "season" for everything!

These are some new items that I will be putting out this week at my booths. Cute owl ring $8

(Owls are IT for Fall! And I was skeptical about these stretchy band rings, but they are very comfortable.)
Stacking bracelets $8

Rhinestone hoops $8

Chunky pearl bracelet $10

(These little "disco" balls are so popular here.)

Fleur-de-lis a-holics!

2010-09-09T21:30:00.003-04:00

I've been selling a ton of fleur de lis jewelry at Bella Bella. Here are some re-stocks due in the store on Saturday.... Stretchy fleur de lis ring $12

(Supposedly this ring is extremely popular in Baton Rouge....

I was skeptical about these, but they are very comfortable.)

Fleur de lis stretch band ring $10
Filigree earrings $7

Fleur de lis magnetic bracelet $10

To order, email me cena80@yahoo.com

Book Heaven

2010-08-29T19:27:00.002-04:00

Yep, it's official....I've died and gone to book heaven. I guess that I am probably the last person who has heard about Paperbackswap.com I just don't like to pay full price for books. I utilize local libraries, but this is better for books that you just can't find in the library. If you love to read, this is the place for you!

Fall Necessities

2010-08-23T18:57:00.005-04:00

2 cute things that I've found this week while searching for Fall ideas..... Personalized Pumpkin from The Polka Dot Pavilion.

They have tons of cute stuff!

Super cute Halloween treat cups from The Swell Life

I'm going to make these for Jancie's K3 class.

Miracle in a Bottle

2010-08-13T22:06:00.003-04:00

I know this is a totally boring post, but I had to share this stuff with y'all. When we moved in our house 2 years ago(2008), I was so appalled at the condition of the floors. They are laminate floors that look like wood. The funny thing was that I had the same floors in my old house, and I had no complaints with them. They were actually older than the ones in m house now, but were taken care of. The ones in my current house were not kept up....they were scratched, had lost shine, etc.

Since 2008, I have tried EVERYTHING to restore the finish to my floors......Murphy's Oil, specialty laminate floor cleaners and restorers, or whatever I could find. Finally I found some good reviews for Pro Shot floor restorer, so I took a chance and ordered it. It is worth every penny (I think $18). My floors are super shiny and look new. It did not get out all of the deep scratches, but I'm okay with that. I have to reapply every few weeks. I've used it 3 times, and I have enough for 1 more application.

Just a sidenote, though.....If you use a steam mop to clean your floors, it will take some of the Pro Shot off. That's the only drawback that I have found. I love my steam mop, but I love my shiny floors, too. So, after I have applied my finish, I mop with Murphy's Oil or a disinfectant.

Here's the link to buy it on eBay. ($18 with free shipping)

Are you ready for some FoOtBaLL?

2010-07-30T21:37:00.002-04:00

Are y'all ready for some football? It's getting to be that time of year here in the South. I just put out some cute new gameday things at Bella Bella and The Emporium. Rhinestone fleur de lis flip flops....super comfortable $30
Peace, Love, and Football rhinestone accented shirts....Saints colors! $25

Mississippi Backyard Wedding

2010-07-19T17:45:00.005-04:00

Last Saturday, my sister was married in my backyard. She had originally planned a beach wedding in Gulf Shores, AL, but with the oil spill, she had to change plans. We started the ceremony at 7PM, but it was still HOT! Mississippi heat and humidity are crazy! On the bright side, I was thankful that it didn't rain.

Her colors were aqua and lime green. We incorporated the beach as much as possible using shells, etc.

These are a few of my fav pictures. My sister, Memree.....the fans were given as favors.
A rainbow appeared....surely that's a good sign to have a rainbow on your wedding day, huh?

A glimpse of the gazebo where the ceremony took place.

Her dress

My niece, Rhyla-Kayte

Groom's "Table"....we put this in the back of an antique truck. He's a big Alabama fan, so he chose a camo Alabama red velvet cake. We also served candy and sweet potato rolls. Rings

Wedding cake......chocolate with buttercream icing

Memree and Rhyla-Kayte

I love this picture! Isn't RK a doll?

Jancie & Rhyla-Kayte

2010-07-05T20:24:00.003-04:00

Here are some new pictures of Jancie and my niece, Rhyla-Kayte. JJ is 3 1/2 and RK is 9 months old. The 1st picture that she has shown a strong resemblence to me....usually she looks just like her daddy.
Sweet Rhyla-Kayte

LOVE this one....Is she a doll or what?

Sweet cousins

This is Jancie doing her ballet move. She just breaks out and does this several times a day. Hilarious!

She's growing up!

P.S. The smocked dresses are from Orient Expressed in New Orleans.

P.P.S The photographer, Samantha Cason, is awesome. She only charges $30 for a sitting fee. She also puts the pics on a CD to print. Anyone is the Hattiesburg/Laurel/Meridian, MS, area should give her a try. It's worth the drive.

I HeArT my K- PAK Flat Iron!

2010-06-24T21:28:00.004-04:00

I know that my posts are few and far between, but my life is crazy right now. I just had to mention this little piece of heaven right here. I bought this K-PAK from my stylist about 2 weeks ago, and it's better than my C*i iron by a landslide. The secret is the bottle of vapor that you put in the iron. It totally reconstructs my hair and it gets it really straight with usually one pass. I have highlights and lowlights, and I use my flatiron everyday, so you can imagine that my hair is fried.....BUT, this helps tremendously! It's not cheap....Thankfully, my stylist gave me a discount. (It's around $175, but you may can find it cheaper.)

Here's a link with more info.... Let me know if you have one or buy one! It's really the best money you will spend for your hair.

My China Collections

2010-06-11T16:03:00.002-04:00

I'm linking up to Kelly's "Show us your Life" China Edition this week. I have 2 sets of what I would call "good" china. I did not register for formal china when I got married because I knew that we would never use it. And so far, I have been right!
I love this Johnson Bros. Old Britain Castles pink china. It's actually red, but it's called pink. I registered for this when I got married. I had a red dining room back then, and I kept my dining room table set at all times. That was waaay before my 3 yr old came along! I loved it because they also make a holiday pattern with Christmas trees. I don't have any of those, but I may buy some eventually.

I bought a complete set of American Atelier Athena china the summer before I got married. I found it at a good price and fell in love with it, so I bought it. I also have the canisters, pitcher, and serving tray. I have been able to mix and match it with my other china and use it with so many different tablecloths and such. Last year I decided to take it out of storage and use it for my everyday china.

If you are getting married, I would suggest gettting a great neutral pattern like this one. You can dress it up or down.

Also I purchased my flatware at Overstock.com I bought a huge set instead of registering for place settings. It's heavy and has a fleur de lis on it. I haven't seen anymore, and I LOVE it! I chose it because it was French inspired, which matched the Athena china above.

Have a great weekend!

Wedding Time!

2010-06-11T12:05:00.005-04:00

My inspiration

I've been traveling alot here lately and just don't have time to post. I'm also planning my sister's outdoor July wedding IN MY BACKYARD! She was supposed to get married in Orange Beach, AL, but due to the oil, it's not going to happen. So.....we moved to plan B, which is my backyard.

I'm just worried about 1) The HEAT! 2) The mosquitoes 3) Rain

Not too much to worry about, huh?!

It will be at sunset, we're getting a tent and I'm lighting tiki torches, so hopefully I will have my bases covered.

It's going to be a crazy couple of weeks!

Summer Time

2010-06-11T12:05:00.000-04:00

Watches and More....

2010-05-30T09:50:00.003-04:00

I am officially out for summer vacation.....I've been out for almost 2 weeks now. I'm just soooo lazy that I don't want to do anything. We are leaving for our 1st long vacation this week, and it will be great just to get away. Then we will have several little 3 day trips here and there. Our school has extended our summer vacation by a little over a week, so that's great news, too. Here in Mississippi, we usually start back at the first of August, but now it's around the middle of August. I'm still holding out for a Labor Day start, but I don't know if that will happen.

Anyway, since I have customers reading this blog, too, I thought that I would mention these new rubber watches that I am about to stock in my booths. They are totally popular here right now......Super cute for $20. They remind me of childhood. I always liked the clear straps, though. I had a Guess watch collection that was super cute back in the day! LOL Have a great week!

Confessions of a School Librarian

2010-05-14T11:19:00.007-04:00

Since I started reading about 26 years ago, I have had a love affair with books. I still get giddy when I check out new books from the library. I used to read about 100 books every summer, but since I became a mommy, it's usually about 20. My husband loves to read even more than I do, if that's possible. He has to read every night before he goes to bed. He can be dead tired and still will read. He has so many books that I can't keep track of them.

My favorite author of all times is Judith McNaught. Love, love, love her!

I also read Fern Michaels, John Grisham, Nora Roberts, and whatever is new and notable.

(photo

I've been a school librarian since 2003. My profession is fitting since I like to read so much. Popular books come and go, but these are the ones that my students like right now.
Twilight....I got sucked into these, too. I did not read them at first. Then I started and couldn't put them down. If only all men were like Edward! (sigh)

My students are loving Diary of a Wimpy Kid. 3rd-5th grade boys, especially.

Fancy Nancy....little girls love this series

Magic Tree House series...2nd graders to 4th graders like this series

Eloise My all-time favorite children's series....Hilarious!

I'm linking to Kelly's Korner.

Confessions of a School LIbrarian

2010-05-14T11:19:00.003-04:00

Confessions of a School LIbrarian

2010-05-14T11:19:00.001-04:00

Jancie's Before & After Bathroom

2010-05-11T11:25:00.004-04:00

I've blogged about Jancie's bathroom before, but I've added some stuff to it, so I decided to post again. BEFORE: Beige and boring

AFTER: I painted the walls pink, slapped on some vinyl dots, painted the vanity black, installed black and white tile, and installed a new light fixture.
The "J" wall

Vanity area with Hello Kitty items

Looking in from the hall. The pink chest is a new addition. I use it to store towels, tp, her hair dryer, and other odds and ends.

The Hello Kitty curtain is from Target. The dress form is from Hobby Lobby.

Isn't it cute?

Jancie's name

2010-05-07T17:37:00.002-04:00

Kelly's Korner wants to know the origin of everyone's children's names. My 3-year-old little girl, Jancie Jean, is named after my 2 grandmothers. They are both extremely strong, independent women, which is what I hope Jancie will grow up to be.

Jancie is from my maternal grandmother, Janice....I just inverted the i and c.

Jean is from my paternal grandmother, Jean.

Both of my grandmothers are still living, so they are so happy to have a namesake. I am so glad that Jancie Jean is getting to know them.

I don't really have any other names picked out. I have a very unusual name(Cena), my little sister is named Memree, and my niece is named Rhyla-Kayte; so I guess you can say that unusual names run in our family. I could never find anything personalized when I was little! lol I'm so thankful for monogramming machines now.

Cuffs!

2010-05-05T09:08:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite jewelry items is a cuff bracelet. I have a super tiny wrist and usually I can bend a metal cuff to fit it. These are some new ones that I am putting out this week. They are all $9

Weekend Trip to Fairhope, AL

2010-04-21T11:41:00.004-04:00

My husband and I took at trip to Fairhope, AL, this weekend. I looove Fairhope. It's so pretty. It's one of my favorite places to go. The downtown streets are very well-kept and landscaped.
Even the trash cans are pretty...see the white one in the background with the basket of petunias on top?

We stayed at The Grand Hotel in Point Clear. If you've never been, it's worth the trip! I grew up hearing about it because my grandparents always went. My husband and I now come annually in the spring.

Part of the entrance to the lobby.

Walkways with old trees

Outside the lobby

Love how they put the plants in the fountain

View from our room in the Spa House

Pretty container and flower bed

Outside of the Spa House

Small ponds with fountains

Easter 2010

2010-04-05T11:15:00.003-04:00

Jancie had a week full of Easter activities! Before church on Easter Sunday....this is her version of a smile.
With her little bunny purse and pearls

She loved her Easter basket. The Easter bunny brought her a pretty brown bunny, bunny purse, lollipops, bunny catch game, and cotton candy. This was in addition to the easel and sandbox that we bought her this week. She has lots of new things to play with.

Getting ready for her egg hunt at school.

Posing for the camera before she gets dirty.

Last weekend she went to an egg hunt at her friend, Lily's, house. She called these her "movie star" shades.

Counting her eggs.

Before the hunt...this is the best picture that I could get of her.

Hope y'all all had a great Easter!

Pearls and Shells

2010-03-31T10:18:00.002-04:00

I'm going to stock some new jewelry tomorrow at my booths at Bella Bella and The Emporium.....just in time for Easter. I love all of the faux pearl and the shell sets! Unique faux set $15
Pearl and Swarovski crystal set $ 20 (or I may just keep it!)
Flower medallion set $16
Triple Strand faux pearl with multi-colored chips woven inside $15
Shell set $15

Jancie & the Bunny

2010-03-26T12:09:00.007-04:00

I had a friend of mine take pictures of Jancie with a little bunny this week. She is so photogenic, but she did not get it from me!

Barefoot with the bunny. I've always let her take pictures with bare feet. I just prefer bare feet to shoes in pictures. Jancie prefers bare feet 24/7!

Cute pic that shows off her monogrammed dress. The dress is from Orient Expressed.

One of my favs.

Cute smile here.

This is a typical Jancie face.....trying to get her to smile and this is what she does.

The Boys!

2010-03-23T11:42:00.001-04:00

I guess that I'm getting a little taste of what it's like to have boys! I got these 2 little chihuahuas a week ago, and my house has been rocking since then! ha! I've previously only had girl dogs, so this is a new adventure for me.

2 are just as easy as 1 to take care of, AND they keep each other entertained, which is GREAT! One is a little older than the other one, but they pretty much think that they are brothers. Jancie is already planning their birthday parties, but I don't know how we will celebrate with 2 different birth dates.

I keep them inside a good bit, but I also put them outside to play some. They sleep with me at night, and they sleep ALL night, which is wonderful. And they love Jancie!

I let Marcus name them, and of course, he named them after baseball players. Who knew? BTW, he's in "hog heaven" this time of the year (baseball season), and he's been umpiring baseball games like crazy. I never get to see him, but I get to spend the money!!! Duke (after Duke Schneider)

Willie Mays (we just call him Mays)

Emporium @ The Reserve

2010-03-08T11:56:00.002-05:00

I lease a space at the Emporium at The Reserve in Laurel, MS. The Emporium was actually Tiffany's Emporium until about a month ago. This is my 5th year to have a booth here. Colorful shell jewelry
Crosses and pearls

Fleur de lis

Shot of my entire booth

Corner of booth.....lots of COLOR!

If you are ever in the Laurel area, check it out.

Spring at Bella Bella

2010-03-05T09:31:00.009-05:00

I rent a space in Bella Bella, a gift emporium in Laurel, MS. I finally took photos, so I could give y'all a tour. The building used to be a warehouse a long time ago. This is the space that I rent.....It's not as large as my space at the Emporium at the Reserve, but I still sell quite alot of jewelry. Right now it's 20% off!
I only rent half of a display case, so that's why it's empty on one side.

Lots of fleur de lis, crosses, and sparkle!

Now for the other vendors......

Pewter and fleur de lis

Pottery and more

Iron and decorative accents....I want the angel in the background, but I don't need her, so she won't be coming to my house!

Bunnies!

Ugly dolls

Front entrance

More bunnies

Fresh Topiaries....these are so cute!

Polka-dots, purses, and jewelry

Fun toys

Tutus and canvases

Candles!

Shells and more

More fleur de lis and crosses

Same vendor as above

Clothing

More clothing

Jewelry

Perspective

2010-03-01T10:14:00.002-05:00

Kelly requested prayer for a sweet little 2-yr-old girl named Layla Grace, who is in hospice care right now due to cancer. Visit here to read her story and pray.

Oh, it just breaks my heart. I can't imagine the pain her parents and family are in. It makes me treasure my baby even more. Even when she doesn't go to bed until 11:30. Even when she colors all over her white furniture. Even when she disobeys me and laughs about it.

It puts everything into perspective.

Lamp-o-holic

2010-02-26T08:45:00.000-05:00

Kelly's Korner is having a "show your collections" day today. I have to admit that I have several collections......pewter, crosses, fleur de lis, black and white stuff, ironstone, and blue and white stuff. But I guess my largest collection is my lamps.

I have 29 lamps and counting. I adore lamps, and I would probably buy them all of the time, but I have run out of places to put them. I think that my most expensive lamp was $40ish, with most of them hovering around the $15 mark. I have bought the majority of them at dollar stores.....if you've never shopped at dollar stores, you just don't know what you are missing.

Also I have the ability to remember where I bought all of them and almost exactly what I paid for them............but I can't seem to remember what my husband told me 5 minutes ago. It's something about the shopping, honey; it's not you! ha ha

I didn't post a pic of every one, but I posted my favs.

Silver lamp in my kitchen window. I bought this at the Canton Flea Market several years ago.

Cute little lamp in my kitchen(from Fred's $10). The "e" ornament if from Michael's and I added some black and white ribbon since my kitchen is black and white.

This is my fav....I bought this cross lamp for $12 two years ago (Fred's).

I have a pair of these bedside lamps. Totally cute for $12 per lamp(Family Dollar)!

Red lamp from Kirkland's($19)....I used to have it in my room, but moved it to my dining room a couple of months ago.

Harlequin lamp.....LOVE this one! (Antique Mall $42)
(BTW, this is a shot of my kitchen BEFORE the redo....I had almost forgotten what it looked like.)

Black buffet lamps from Kirkland's ($30 pair)

LR lamp(Fred's $15)....added a cross ornament from Hob Lob

New iron lamp(Trees n Trends $18)

Lamp by recliner in LR....it's been broken twice, but I just keep on glueing it back together. I bought it in 2002, and I am amazed that the animal prints are still in style. I added the ornament for interest. (Fred's $10)

Mantle lamps from Lowes ($30ish)

$5 dollar store lamp(Family Dollar) in Jancie's bathroom

My MIL bought this one....it's very unusual, and I have candlesticks to match.

Small lamp on my dressing room vanity (Roses $10)

Guest room bedside lamp from Kirkland's ($20)

$3 lamp base from Wal-Mart + $5 shade from Target + leftover black trim and zebra ribbon + $3 eiffel tower ornament for Books-a-million= totally one of a kind lamp for Jancie's room

This floor lamp came from Target($35). I hot glued the ribbon to it and added a pipecleaner "j".

Hope y'all enjoyed the lamp tour!

JJ

2010-02-23T10:16:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted about what Jancie Jean is up to these days in a while. I think that she is finally feeling better since being diagnosed with asthma, so Momma's feeling better, too.

JJ :

is 3 years, 3 months old
is fully potty trained (Yay for this!....didn't think that it would ever happen)
still takes afternoon naps (sometimes 20 mins., sometimes 2 hours)
can recognize numbers up to 25
can recognize the majority of the alphabet
is learning to write some letters and numbers
loves to listen to the radio
has become a momma's girl again since she's been sick
loves to play in her room by herself (she still comes out to find me at times)
loves apples, flavored water, crackers with melted cheese, yogurt parfaits, and m&m sundaes from Sonic
has an amazing vocabulary....she must get this from her daddy because I didn't talk very much at her age.
LOVES to shop
LOVES to get dirty.....mud, water, whatever!
finishes my sentences for me (ha!) if I don't say the words fast enough
is probably going to love books as much as her daddy and I do.
is NOT really that jealous of her new cousin (surprise!)
doesn't complain when she's sick.....she's tough!

She's the sweetest baby in the world!

Asthma

2010-02-18T09:27:00.002-05:00

Pediatric nebulizer....It's cuter than the regular one for sure.

Jancie was diagnosed with cough variant asthma yesterday....basically she coughs instead of wheezes. She has coughed for almost 2 weeks straight now. So, the doctor wants her to do breathing treatments 2x per day for the next few months to get everything under control. She just doesn't feel good, and she has lost 2 pounds in the last few days. Please pray that she recovers quickly, and that she gets used to the treatments. She threw one more fit during her first one yesterday.

Also, if any of y'all have any experience dealing with cough variant asthma, please let me know. I may have some questions to ask you! :)

Mississippi Snow

2010-02-15T09:20:00.003-05:00

Snow is a very rare occurance here in South Mississippi. When it does happen, it shuts everything down. So, we got a snow day on Friday, which was nice because my husband got to spend the day with us. We got about 5 or 6 inches, and it was sooo pretty! Wooded area to the right of our house.
Fountain in front

Neighbor's house to the left of our house. It is separated by our field.

Our barn in the back of our house. Our cows usually stay in this pasture directly behind our house. I'm assuming that they were in the barn. They didn't venture out until Saturday afternoon.

This is the main road that runs by our house. It stays pretty busy with lots of 18-wheelers and just traffic in general. We live in a bad curve, which is a good thing because usually everyone slows down. I keep waiting for someone to wind up in our ditch or hit our mailbox, but so far, so good!

Front of house

Jancie loved the snow. I didn't let her stay out long because she is sick.

A pic of the snow falling.

Hope y'all had a great Valentine's Day. My husband was sick with a virus, so we didn't do anything. He was sick with a virus at Christmas, so this holiday virus thing is becoming too regular for me......But the ironic thing is that all the men(husband, daddy, granddaddy) in my family got it, but none of the women!? I'm not sure what's up with that!

I'm preparing for.....

2010-02-11T12:28:00.003-05:00

SNOW!

I live in South Mississippi, right near the Alabama line.....basically where the 2-5 inches of snow is forecasted to fall. We had snow 2 years ago, but not inches and accumulation since then. I know that some of y'all have just been bombarded with bad weather this year. This is the crazy for us, though!

Favorite Products

2010-02-05T11:09:00.002-05:00

Kelly is hosting a "Show us your favorite products" day, so I decided to share my favorite products with y'all. Ion Color Defense hair spray from Sally's. This is my hands-down favorite of all times! It doesn't dull my highlights, it brushes out, and doesn't leave my hair sticky.
Philosophy Booster serum....the best thing that ever happened for my skin. It's not cheap, but you can sometimes find the serum and the capsules from QVC for about $75. I use this about 2x a week.

I don't use foundation. I use a mixture of tinted moisturizer and Oil of Olay. I have pretty good skin, so I really don't need alot of coverage. Don't hate me!

This in shower body lotion from Olay is my new best friend. LOVE it! It works better than regular lotion to me and you just wash it off.

I use Bed Head Dumb Blonde shampoo and conditioner once or twice a week. I have found that my hair does better when I mix up shampoos and conditioners and don't use the same ones every single time.

Have a great weekend!!

Orient Expressed trunk show

2010-02-04T11:20:00.001-05:00

Every Spring and Summer, a friend of mine and I host an Orient Expressed trunk show. They are based out of New Orleans. I usually order Jancie 1 or 2 things, but this year I am having a hard time deciding what to get her. Do any of y'all buy from here?

Love the blue and white capri set.
Cute monogrammed bikini

Love this blue and white, but I know that it won't stay clean!

This white dress with the flower on the back would be perfect for beach photos. I bought a hot pink one like this last year, and everyone loved it! I'm hoping that she can still wear it this year.

Circle E Candles

2010-02-02T10:16:00.002-05:00

Have y'all ever tried Circle E Candles? I first tried them a few years ago, and loved them. My aunt gave me a new one for Christmas, and I have used it in my school's library. Everyone LOVES it! You can smell the fragrance when you walk in the main door and all throughout my wing of the building. My fave is buttery french vanilla.....it smells just like you are baking a cake.

Circle E Candles

2010-02-02T10:16:00.000-05:00

Geaux Saints!! ~New Fleur de lis Jewelry~

2010-01-25T12:25:00.002-05:00

Geaux Saints!

My husband and I were looking at Super Bowl tickets last night, and while we were looking, the price went up $200 per ticket. Isn't that crazy? I don't think that we will be going. $6,000 is 1/4 of my inground pool! Ha!

We are both sad that we let our season tickets go this year. This would have been our 3rd year to go, and we never went but once or twice, so it was a waste to spend that much money when we never went. But, we are starting to travel more since Jancie is older, so we would have probably went to more games this year. Oh well. We will never be able to get them back now!

I have some new fleur de lis jewelry for sale at Tiffany's and Bella Bella. If I can't go, at least I can show some support. Toggle bracelet $10
Earrings $5

2 tone toggle bracelet $13

Love this one....toggle bracelet $15

Rhinestone fleur de lis bracelet $18

2010-01-21T11:38:00.002-05:00

http://www.unexpectednecessitiesblog.com/

My new url

FuN SpRiNg Stuff!

2010-01-21T11:30:00.002-05:00

I am sooo ready for Spring this year. It has been so cold here in Mississippi, and I think that everyone I know is ready for warmer weather and for flowers to start blooming.

I just put some new jewelry in my booths at Tiffany's Emporium and Bella Bella in Laurel. 3 bracelets and earrings $4-$5
Shell heart earrings $3-$3.50.

Shell circle earrings $3.50

Seed bead necklace and earring sets $4

An inexpensive way to add color to your wardrobe!

I'm Loving....

2010-01-19T12:30:00.002-05:00

I'm loving this new fragrance by Sarah Jessica Parker.....I smelled a sample in Feb. In Style magazine, but of course I can't buy it until February. I LOVE the packaging, too. It's totally me. I usually change perfumes once a year. I wore Clinique Happy and EL Pleasures for soooo long. Then I started changing up for some reason once Jancie was born. Lately I've been wearing Baby Grace by Philosophy. I'm really picky when it comes to fragrances, so I am looking forward to wearing this!

Hot Cheese Dip recipe

2010-01-11T10:27:00.002-05:00

This is the BEST cheese dip recipe that I have ever made. My husband LOVED it!

Two 8 oz creem cheese (softened)
1 c. mayo
2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 green onions (finely chopped)
6 slices fried bacon, crumbled

Mix first 4 ingredients
Top with bacon.
Bake @ 350 degrees until bubbly.

I halved this recipe and made 2 ramekins and it was enough for a few people. It is sooo addictive and rich! Also, the recipe calls for crushed crackers on top, but I found that it's just as good without them.

Enjoy!

Jancie's Hello Kitty Birthday party

2010-01-04T11:45:00.003-05:00

I'm a little late with this post.....Jancie's 3rd birthday was Nov. 21! But I wanted to share photos of her birthday with y'all. The birthday girl sitting in her new hot pink beanbag.

Opening gifts with her friends, Heidi and Lily.The food...I found the birthday hat and polka-dot gift candle holders at Hobby Lobby a few years ago. I plan to use them some way for every birthday.

Close-up of the cupcake stand

Cupcakes with hello kitty rings from ebay.

Sweet table

I am actually using the cupcake stand as a side table now. It's huge and heavy. It's not really a cupcake stand, but it works. I tied one of her tutus around the base. The Hello Kitty bubblegum machine came from Target and the mini bubblegum machines came from Party City.

The only bad part of a November birthday is that it is too cold to play outside. :( It was sooo pretty the week before at Lily's party, and then it was cold and rainy for Jancie's. It's that crazy Mississippi weather!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T19:41:00.002-05:00

I hope that y'all had a great holiday season! We did, with the exception of a nasty virus during the week of Christmas that left us all sick.

Now for my resolutions for 2010....

Spend more time in Bible study. I started the Esther study last summer, but due to scheduling conflicts, I started having to miss sessions. I tried to keep up with the study, but I only made it half-way. So, I am going to keep working to finish it.
I think that I made a resolution to read more last year. I have to say that I did, but not as much as I wanted to. By the time that I have time to read at night, I am just soooo tired. But I've read about 8 books in the past 2 weeks. Rainwater by Sandra Brown is possibly the best book that I've read in a long time. It's short, but GREAT!

I also was really touched by something that Kelly wrote in her resolutions about doing good things for strangers that we encounter in everyday life. Like buying food for someone behind us in the drive-thru or just little things like that. You never know what a person may be going through, and how a little random act of kindness may help.

Here's to a great year, y'all!

MerrY ChRiStMaS!

2009-12-23T10:23:00.002-05:00

Hope y'all have a very merry holiday! May we all remember the true reason for the season---Jesus---and what his birth means to us.

Christmas Tour 2009

2009-12-11T09:23:00.009-05:00

Welcome to my 2009 Christmas Tour!

Back door
Kitchen breakfast nook (I used red and green in the kitchen/dining area)

I love these snowman place mats that I found at Dollar Tree. They have some black and white on the border, which fits perfectly in my kitchen.

Kitchen Island....I bought the little trees at a dollar store and the gingerbread house came from Bath and Body Works.

Another shot of the island

Kitchen sink area

My advent calendar.....I just started this tradition this year, and my 3-year-old loves it!

Buffet between the kitchen and dining room. I have displayed trees, snowman, etc. here. The Merry Christmas Y'all frame is by Glory Haus.

Close-up of the buffet.

Red and green tree in the dining room. I decided to put all of my Christmas gifts under this tree.

Nutcracker collection....I have around 50, I think.

More nutcrackers

Living room tree....brown, gold, and blue.

Close-up of my "E" topper.

One side of the fireplace. I stuck some little gold trees and angel ornaments in here.

Fireplace mantel

Other side of the fireplace

Full shot of the living room.

Garland around Jancie's bookcase

Jancie's dresser

Little pink tree in Jancie's bathroom

Mudroom decor

Master bath window....see the little deer votives?

Small white nativity in guest bedroom

For more tours, visit Nesting Place & Southern Hospitality & The Inspired Room & Hooked on Houses.

I would love to hear from you. Leave me a comment so I can come and visit you!

Advent Calendar

2009-12-08T20:33:00.002-05:00

Do any of y'all do an advent calendar with your kids? I just started this year with Jancie, and she LOVES it. I leave a little note inside the door with instructions on where to go to get her "gift of the day." I give her little dollar store stuff like coloring books, Christmas books, etc.

It's become a discipline tool, too, because if she is doesn't obey, I will say, "Don't you want to open #7 (or whatever) tomorrow?" She does whatever I ask after that!!

I bought my advent calendar similar to the one below at a local discount place for $20. It's totally worth every penny.

This calendar is from Target.

Burnout Tops

2009-11-30T11:01:00.002-05:00

I usually don't talk about fashion on my blog. I love to shop for clothes, though.....for myself and for Jancie Jean. I had to share this shirt with y'all. I bought a burnout shirt at Mistletoe Marketplace a few weeks ago. Several booths were selling this shirt. I kept looking at them and finally bought one. It's the best layering piece that I have ever found. It even slims you down a little! You will have to wear something under or over it because it's see-thru.

The one below is from Buckle. It's $25. They have TONS of different styles. The brand that I purchased was Kavio. I paid $20 for mine.

It's beginning to look...........

2009-11-18T11:37:00.002-05:00

.....a little like Christmas at my house. Santa collection on top of fridge
Collection of trees and crosses on dining room buffet.

Full shot of buffet.

I have 1 tree up and 1 more that needs to go up. Not to mention outside wreaths and such. Anyone else working on decorating??

Cute Preppy Engraved Hairbows

2009-11-13T11:26:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to share these super cute bows with y'all. I bought Jancie one of these about 2 years ago, and it's my favorite bow. The shop owner found my blog last week, and she left me a comment because we are both Mississippi girls with similar interests. I had been meaning to post a picture of this bow, but I kept forgetting it.

You can buy them online HERE.

They are priced $12.50 for the bow and the engraved disc (or you can just purchase the disc ). The disc can be removed because it is secured with a zip tie.

How cute are these?????

Zebra Baby Shower

2009-10-28T12:42:00.002-04:00

I finally had a baby shower for my sister and her baby, Rhyla-Kayte, on Saturday. I had originally planned it for Sept., but my sister was in the hospital having her , so we had to postpone. Zebra Invitation
Close-up of the Centerpiece

This is an iron 2-tiered stand that I recently bought with intentions of using it as a cupcake stand. I displayed my gifts to my sister on this, and I thought that it turned out great.

My sweet niece, Rhyla-Kayte. She weighed 4lbs, 6 oz. We think that she is around 5.5 lbs now. Isn't she sweet? I can get my baby fix by holding her a little bit, but then I get to give her back!! Seriously, being an aunt is great!

Itzy Bitzy Shoes

2009-10-23T09:40:00.003-04:00

I've found Jancie some really cute shoes from Itzy Bitzy. They are squeaky shoes, but you can take the squeakers out. The best part is that they are $19.99! I've been paying more than $30 for similar shoes. Check them out at www.itzybitzy.com.

Dressing Area Before and After

2009-10-12T10:40:00.005-04:00

I've mentioned before that my husband and I have separate bathrooms and closets. We've lived in 3 different houses in the 5 years that we have been married, and it just works for us to have 2 different areas. I let him have the master, and I take the guest.....I guess that it should be the other way around, but he says that his closet and bath are the only rooms that he has in the entire house, and he is right.

My dressing area has been a work in progress, but I am finally finished, I think.

BEFORE

This is what it looked like the day we moved in. I painted the walls right away, tore out the blue carpet, and stained the concrete floors.

BEFORE
As you can see, it was pink at one time.

AFTER
I love all of this black and white stuff. I've used it in my last 3 houses, and I keep on adding to my collection. This little table was once a dark wood.....I spray painted it. I usually throw my clothes and towels on the top, so it's a good catch-all table. (The door to the right is my closet.)

Vanity area
I replaced the knobs with harlequin knobs from Hobby Lobby and replaced the mirror and light fixture. I really want to replace the vanity top and sink/faucet, but it's not a priority right now.

Sitting area

This desk is a piece of my childhood furniture. I keep my jewelry and perfumes here. I use the lower part as a lingerie chest.

Chandy from Lowe's for $10 (it was a display).

View from the bedroom. I used a shower curtain tension rod and some spare curtains to section it off a bit.

View looking into the bedroom.

My little fleur de lis corner of my sink area.

I have to mention that I bought this little gold stand at Target after Christmas for $6. Cute, huh? Also, my revolving earring stand to the right is totally a lifesaver. It's the only way to keep my earrings organized.

Have a great week!

For more DIY projects, visit A Soft Place to Land. Tons of great ideas!

Christmas Inspiration

2009-10-07T11:18:00.002-04:00

It's getting that time of year again.....I LOVE Christmas. I love to look at the decorations, love finding the perfect gift, love decorating.....everything! I tend to lean toward a french country theme, and I found some really cute ideas to use this year. Door pocket....these are fresh, but you could use artificial.

Southern Living photo
This is not really my style, but look at that fabulous arch!
Country Living photo

This is an outdoor sitting area....isn't it divine?

Southern Living photo

I have those little trees, which I love. Lots of magnolia leaves for accents....super easy if you have a magnolia tree in your yard, but they don't last very long.

Southern Living photo

Love this black and white, especially that ribbon. I have a mirror in my kitchen/dining area that I am going to hang a wreath on this year.

Country Living photo

Rhyla-Kayte is here!

2009-09-29T09:12:00.002-04:00

My niece, Rhyla-Kayte, was born last Thursday (9/24) weighing 4lbs, 9oz. She was 34 weeks.....my sister had been in labor for the last 2 weeks with contractions and leaking fluid, so her doctor tried to hold her off until 34 weeks. She had to stay in the hospital for those 2 weeks to get monitored.

The great news is that Rhyla didn't need any oxygen or feeding tubes; she was alert, breathing great, and started drinking 2 ccs of formula every 2 hours. As of today, she is up to 30 ccs every 2 hours. They did an ultrasound of her kidneys yesterday and she does indeed only have one. The neonatologist wants her to go to Jackson to see a specialist in a few months. However, everything seems to be working well right now.

My sister is staying at a room in the hospital to be closer to Rhyla. She has started to gain weight, but no word on when she may be allowed to come home.

I don't have any pictures to show because I only took one with my camera phone, but she is beautiful with a head full of dark hair (great for bows!). I got to see her about 2 hours after she was born, and she just looked at me and we had our first talk!! She seems to be a content baby, so I am so thankful for that.

Thanks so much to everyone who prayed. She is truly a miracle. We are believing that God will take care of the one kidney that she does have, and she will not have any problems.

Jancie Jean

2009-09-21T09:12:00.002-04:00

My baby is not a baby anymore (most of the time). She still needs her momma, but she hardly lets me hold her anymore. I definitely can't carry her around on my hip because she weighs 36 lbs. She is such a HUGE talker, and she literally never hushes unless she is sleepy or asleep. Everyone asks how old she is after they hear her talking and are surprised that she is still 2. She doesn't get it from me because I didn't say ONE word until I was 2 1/2! Getting ready for church
Our dog, Sandy, wanted to get in the picture, too. Sandy is a stray that lucked up and made it to our house in May. She got hit by a car or maybe a cow (we don't know) and hurt her leg a few months ago, but she is almost completely healed now. She only barks when there is a strange animal in the yard so that's a great thing! She's a sweet, gentle dog, so she's perfect for Jancie.

Posing on her first day back at school (my school's daycare). I just take her to work with me, drop her off, and pick her up at 12:00 everyday. How great is that?!

at the duck pond in Meridian....she loves ducks. I do, too, and if we build a small pond one day, I want to get some ducks.

Kitchen Before & After

2009-09-14T09:23:00.008-04:00

ETA: Thank y'all so much for the sweet comments! Isn't it amazing what a little paint can do?

I've had a few questions , so I'll try to answer them.

I bought almost all of my accessories from Kirkland's, TJ Maxx, Hobby Lobby, with a few dollar store items mixed in.

The wall color is Benjamin Moore, but I'm not sure what color because I don't have the can handy. I prefer Sherwin Williams Believable Buff (it's very similar to this color).

I plan to add some wireless puck lights under the cabinets for my under cabinet lighting. I don't have a backsplash, but would LOVE to have one eventually. I've added the plates and wire trivets that are pictured to kind of break up the space where the backsplash tiles would be.

Also, I love, love, love glazed cabinets, but I decided not to glaze mine because I don't want to get tired of the glaze 5 years down the road.

If you have any more questions, please ask!

I am finally finished with my kitchen updating! I think the before and after is totally dramatic! This is what it looked like the day we moved in (July 08). It was seriously stuck in the 90's. Everything was original to the house when it was built in 1994. The countertops were ugly/scratched/stained, and I was just so unhappy with them. I lived with them for 1 year, which was 1 year too long; however, it makes me totally appreciate the new ones.
BEFORE: View looking into dining room.

BEFORE: Breakfast nook

After: We hired someone to paint the cabinets Sherwin Williams Creamy and replace the countertops with Formica butterum granite. Traditional granite is still extremely expensive in my area. I would LOVE to have it, but I am content with the Formica.

I would have saved money by painting them myself, but it's just not feasible to paint with a 3-yr-old. They stripped the varnish off with a low odor orange stripper, sanded, and sprayed 1 coat of primer and 2 coats of paint. I replaced the hinges with oil rubbed bronze hinges from ebay.

This island was a steal from ebay for less than $500 (with shipping-it came on this big 18-wheeler....it was the only thing in it!). It is almost an exact match to an island at Ballard Designs that is close to $1000. The rug came from Hobby Lobby for $40ish.

A view of the bar.

I replaced the kitchen sink with a 9 inch deep one, which I had in my old house and I missed soooo much. I purchased the oil rubbed bronze faucet from ebay for $90. I added lots of decorative trim to the cabs. If you look closely, you can see the appliques above and below the sink. I also added 2 sizes of rope moulding.

All of the appliances were replaced a few days after we moved in. I chose black because I love the black and white contrast. I have to say that white appliances are much easier to keep clean, though. I know that everyone buys stainless now, but I wanted to be different.

Shot of my breakfast nook.

Hall tree that I bought at the Canton Flea Market last year for $50. It's a perfect fit. And yes, I still put my almost 3-year-old in a high chair. It's the only way that I can keep her still long enough to eat!!

I also replaced all of the lights. I bought all of the new ones at Lowe's.

A view into my mudroom. I debated on whether to paint those cabs or leave them. I am going to paint them eventually, but I think that I'm going to paint them BLACK!!

Glass cabinets that hold some of my pewter collection.

I've had these fleur de lis canisters for 5 years, but I've never used them for kitchen stuff. I finally broke down and put sugar and tea bags in them.

I bought them before fleur de lis became so popular, and people would ask me, "Why do you have those Saints canisters?" ha ha

I bought the little wire shelves on ebay. I thought that I could use those to put little seasonal accessories. I've had the little wire shelf in the window for 5 years. I've used it several different ways, but I like it in my window the best. It's a perfect fit.

Hope y'all enjoyed the tour! It just goes to show that you can make a kitchen look completely different without knocking down walls or spending LOTS of money!

For more DIY projects, visit A Soft Place to Land's DIY day.

Rhyla-Kayte

2009-08-31T09:17:00.003-04:00

I had asked everyone to pray for my unborn niece, Rhyla-Kayte, during the summer and am so thankful for your prayers. My sister went to a specialist twice for an ultrasound. The first time he discovered that the cyst on her kidney was actually a cyst, but no kidney....she only has 1. But he wasn't too concerned since her fluid output looked fine. Still it worried us that she only had 1 kidney.

Last week she went back to the specialist and the cyst was gone (PRAISE!), and her absent kidney could possibly be growing, but he wasn't for sure. The specialist was not concerned at all about her only having one kidney. The great news is the cyst is gone, so she would not require any surgery to remove it.

If everything goes as planned, the day after she is born she will probably require a MRI and other tests to see exactly what is going on. If everything looks okay, she will probably just require regular kidney ultrasounds.

Please continue to pray!

Specifically for
1) Her absent kidney will grow to normal size.
2) If that's not possible, that her 1 kidney will be normal and take over for both.

Oh! I just wanted to throw this in here, too.....I'm doing Beth Moore's Esther study, and one thing that I read last week really spoke to me. Sometimes God allows bad things to happen here on earth "so we will stop feeling so at home here." Isn't that a great way to put it??

Price My Space

2009-08-21T11:22:00.007-04:00

Well, I'm a little late to the party, but still wanted to share....Nesting Place is having a Price My Space party where everyone shares the amount of money it took to outfit their space. I decided to share my living room/dining room/breakfast area with y'all.

Just so you'll know, everything was purchased over a span of probably 5 years, so that lessens the blow some! :) My philosophy is to purchase something that I really love (and on sale), and figure out where to put it later. I almost always find the perfect spot, and use almost everything I buy.

This is the front entry of my home.

Antique buffet (free/family heirloom)
Green chair $125 (antique mall)
wall prints $40 pair (dollar store about 5 yrs. ago)
buffet lamps $40 pair (Kirkland's)
sunburst mirror $40 (Kirkland's)
candlestick collection (wedding gifts)

Living room

chair/couch/loveseat $600
rug $100 (online 5 yrs ago)
end table/coffee table (my husband's before marriage)
white antique door table $120
cross art $150
lamps on mantle $30 (Lowe's - last yr)
clock $20 (Fred's)
picture frames/mirror/gold e (Kirkland's)
glass hutch (antique family heirloom)
junk in hutch (mostly dollar store stuff...framed pictures, small candleholders, etc)

Sofa console table ($55 Pier One..5 yrs ago)
Monogrammed tub (Target $5 clearance)
Table by chair (family heirloom/free)
Iron piece above doorway ($30 Trees n Trends)

Breakfast nook

Monogrammed slipcovers $40 (JcPenney + $40 monogramming)
Table/4 Chair set ($120 at a flea market...it's survived 5 moves)
centerpiece (plant on a silver pedestal from Ross $9.95)
Rooster Placemats (Fred's $1.00 each)
Buffet on side (free-family heirloom)
Black/White runner ($7.95 Ross)
Lamp (Kirkland's $19.95)

Dining Room

Ashley Funiture Table/Chairs/Hutch $2000
Black rug ($85 online)
White creamware (wedding gifts)
Lighted Hutch ($395 Haverty's)
Red Lamps/urns/Platter (wedding gifts)
(Disregard the bunnies on the hutch....photos are from Easter.)

Chandelier ($100 Lowe's....$36 shades from Stein Mart)

Placemats ($24 Stein Mart)

Candle holders ($9.99 pair Hobby Lobby)

Mirror above buffet ($29 Kirkland's)

Barstools (free/husband acquired with a previous house)

Whew! When you add it up, it's not that bad! Hope y'all enjoyed the tour!

Zebra & Pink Shower

2009-08-21T10:01:00.005-04:00

Kelly's Korner is having a baby shower party today, so I decided to show y'all what I am planning right now......

I'm having a shower for my sister at my home in September. She's having a little girl named Rhyla-Kayte, and her bedding is zebra and pink. Oh how I LOVE some zebra and pink! I've started picking out some stuff, and can't wait to decorate for this! We're playing a game that involves ribbon....The guests "guestimate" how big the mom-to-be's tummy is and cut off a piece of ribbon that size. Whoever is the closest wins a prize. Usually everyone over-estimates, which is funny!
I'm doing a cute diaper cake for the centerpiece similar to this one at classybabydiapercakes.com

In lieu of a cake, I am going to bake strawberry creamsicle cupcakes in zebra liners. These cupcakes have to be refrigerated, and they are soooo good!

1 strawberry cake mix

2 (3 oz) pkg. strawberry jello

3 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding

1 c. milk

2 c. water, divided

8 oz. cream cheese softened

1 t. vanilla

8 oz. tub Strawberry Cool Whip

Bake cake according to package directions.

Remove from oven.

Poke holes in it with fork.

Cool.

Combineone package jello with 1 c. hot water.

Stir till dissolved.

Add 1 c. cold water.

Pour over cake.

Chill for 2 hours.

In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.

Add other box of jello, pudding, milk, and vanilla.

Beat well. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread on cooled cake

zebra liners from etsy

Zebra shower invitations from etsy

If anyone else has done a zebra party, please leave me a comment so I can visit your blog to get ideas! Thanks!

Bargains

2009-08-16T18:01:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I am able to get really GREAT prices on the jewelry that I buy for my booth at Tiffany's. So, I'm selling the necklace sets, bracelets, and earrings for $3.50 per item. Multi-strand long necklace sets multi strand bracelet

embossed wood bangles

animal print earrings

wood necklace sets

Big Girl/Little Baby

2009-08-11T09:09:00.003-04:00

No pics for this post because I can't find my camera cord, but I wanted to record this stuff while it's fresh on my mind!

Jancie is 2 years, almost 9 months old.

She wears a 5T in clothes (35 lbs).

She is 95% potty trained.

She talks ALL day long. If I don't say "uh-huh", "ok", etc. every few minutes, she says, "Momma, you are not talking to me....are you listening?"

She wants to be a big girl sometimes and a little baby some, too.

She is in 2-yr-old preschool for the 2nd year now.

She is about to start dance this week.

She loves to eat chicken, but does not like beef.

She still watches the same tv shows, but her current fav is Max and Ruby.

She LOVES to shop. (Hmm, I wonder where she gets that from!)

Her favorite places to eat are: Sweet Peppers, McDonalds, Wendy's, Pop's (local), and Quizno's.

She is currently all about some puzzles.

She plays in her room for greater period of times.

She wants a duck birthday party (changed from pig).

She says so many funny things that I can't keep up anymore.....Yesterday she said, "Momma, are we going home? Home is where the heart is." I still can't figure out where that came from.

Some other funny things she says:

"Momma, you are driving me crazy!"

"I'm Momma's little baby."

"I'm cute."

"Momma, you're the best momma in the whole world."

"I the sweetest baby in the world."

"We going shopping?"

"I'm gonna be in pageant tonight." (She says this on a daily basis. I've got to put her in another one, I guess.)

"Momma, you're nuts."

"That's fantastic."

"Wait! I gotta get my knockers so I can see." (binoculars)

Isn't a 2-year-olds vocabulary hysterical??? I LOVE this age!

You know you're _when _!

2009-08-05T11:38:00.003-04:00

You know that you're tired of cleaning when the highlight of your day is finding an empty dishwasher to load when you were dreading the thought of unloading and loading it back again!

It's time for me to go back to work, y'all! I start back tomorrow and Jancie starts Monday. The only downside is having to wake up soooo early. Summer is officially over for me. For those of you starting school after Labor Day.....you are so lucky.

My hubby told me that I didn't have to go back to work, but I need to. If I am going to take Jancie to daycare from 8-12, I might as well go to work and earn some extra money to spend on Jancie and junk for the house (my daddy's words, not mine). I have to say that the kids are great, so it's a breeze most of the time. I'm very fortunate to have the job, and I enjoy it so much more than my old public school job that I gave up when I had Jancie. It's night and day by comparision.

Have a great week!

New Jewelry and a New Mop!

2009-07-29T13:12:00.007-04:00

I know this is a strange pairing of things to post about, but I'm working at my husband's office today and don't have my camera to share pics with you. I'm having my kitchen cabinets painted and a new countertop installed, so I'll share that with y'all when it's completed. I am SOOO excited about that! I've lived with the old ones for a year, and I am so ready for my new ones. Thank you to my husband for paying for them!

I bought this Haan floor steamer mop from QVC a few weeks ago, and it's my new best friend. Love, LOVE, LOVE it! Girls, it will clean your floors like nobody's business. I've tried everything over the years and have used a microfiber pad mop with Murphy's Oil soap for the past several years. Nothing cleans like this! It's a dry steam, so your floors don't even get that wet. I brought it to my husband's office to clean his crazy dirty ceramic tile floor, and it just cut thru the dirt. Now on the really bad places, I had to leave it there for 15 seconds or so and let it penetrate the dirt. Totally worth the money!!!

Now on to the new fall jewelry......These are for my booth at Tiffany's.

Stone chip necklace
seed bead bracelet

multi strand stone/bead necklace set

multi colored necklace set

chunky 3 strand necklace set

What I've been doing............

2009-07-22T11:09:00.009-04:00

I've been super busy for the last few weeks. I start back to work VERY soon, so I've been really trying to get all of my chores done for the summer. Plus, I've been trying to keep a VERY active 2 year old little girl occupied, so that takes up alot of my time, but it's soooo worth it! I had a black and white floor installed in Jancie's bathroom. Isn't it cute?

I decided to add ribbon to Jancie's curtains to "cutesy" them a little bit more. I bought the ribbon at Hobby Lobby for $1 a spool, so I spent a total of $5 per window. I actually safety pinned the ribbon around the curtain rod and between the tabs, if that makes sense....That way I can reuse the ribbon one day. Totally easy!

BEFORE: I decided to recover my dining room chairs to match my black and white scheme.

AFTER: I bought the fabric at Premier Fabrics in Jackson for $9.99 per yard. 1 yard covers 2 chairs. I mixed up my patterns because I just cannot stand for everything to match. I have 2 of each fabric shown and 2 more of a black and red dot that I am having monogrammed.

I'd been searching for a new coffee table for YEARS. I wanted something pretty substantial that Jancie couldn't destroy and something french country in design. Do y'all realize how hard that was to find? I finally found one at a discount place for under $200. I got a piece of glass cut to fit the top, and it's perfect! I didn't buy new end tables because 1)they only had one & 2)it was round. I am just using my old ones even though they are a cherry finish. I like to mix everything up anyway.

My sweet hubby brought these home to me last Friday. He said that he was passing by a florist and thought of me. He treats me like a queen, I have to admit.

Jancie playing dress-up wih her shoes on the wrong feet. Isn't she prissy?

Prayer Request Update

2009-07-13T16:36:00.002-04:00

I wanted to update y'all on my sister's baby. We went to Jackson to see a prenatal specialist on Friday. He did a really in depth ultrasound and was able to give us some definite answers. He did not see a left kidney, and the cyst seen by the regular tech 2 weeks ago is either an ovarian cyst or a non-functioning kidney that never grew correctly.

The good news is that her one kidney seems to be taking over and her urine output looked fine. The specialist was not overly concerned about her lack of 2 functioning kidneys, saying that his partner did not find out that he only had one kidney until he was 51 or so.

I mentioned my kidney issues to him, and he said that kidney development issues may run in our family. (A previous urologist said blue eyed, blonde haired girls are more prone to kidney issues, too) As for any surgery, he said that an ovarian cyst would probably go way when the baby was born. If the "cyst" is a nonfunctioning kidney, surgery may be needed to remove it in the future.

So tentatively, this is not something that would affect the baby at birth. She would probably not have to be whisked away for surgery or something, but would just have to be monitored. My sister goes back in August for another ultrasound in Jackson.

We still need your prayers, though. Please pray that she is born a healthy baby with no complications.

Jancie Jean, Beauty Queen

2009-07-08T15:22:00.002-04:00

This weekend I put Jancie in a small "Little Miss Firecracker" pageant, sponsored by our Chamber of Commerce. This was her first pageant in over a year. She had been in 3 previously, but I was a little hesitant to enter her because I had no clue what she would do.

Now I just want to add that I do not believe in the high glitz pageants, but I don't think that there is anything wrong with natural, simple pageants. My sister and I have always been in pageants...we've won some and lost some, but we've always enjoyed them.

I started asking Jancie a few weeks ago if she wanted to be in a pageant and she said yes. So, I bought her a new dress and hoped that would wear it and not throw a fit. The day of the pageant I took her to the auditorium to practice. I showed her what to do, and we talked about smiling for the judges and all that good stuff. I told her that if she did well that she would get a trophy that night. So that definitely got her attention. She talked about that trophy for the rest of the afternoon.

After we practiced, I called my momma and told her that I didn't know what she was going to do on stage, but it was going to be HILARIOUS!! Sure enough, it was. She really turned it on and smiled, laughed, waved, blew kisses....even sat down on stage at one point.

But she kept on talking about that trophy. I told her that we would have to wait and see. Well, as we were waiting for another group to come on stage, she broke away from me, ran on stage, and grabbed a trophy..........right as the curtain was opening. All you could see was me trying to pry the trophy out of her hand.........the audience just died.

So, I am sure that they breathed a sigh of relief when she won most photogenic and the overall title for her division. Afterwards, Jancie told me that it was so much fun and she wanted to do it again. So.....we'll see!

Wearing her crown
After receiving her awards.....all the winners were in blue!?

With her prized trophy....she didn't really care about the crown!

Cute New Bags

2009-07-02T23:46:00.002-04:00

I think that animal print bags might take a little hiatus for a little while. I know here in my neck of the woods EVERYONE has one, so maybe the new is wearing off.

I recently bought some of these cute new laminated bags to put in my booth at Tiffany's. I don't carry alot of handbags because I sell more jewelry than anything else; however, if I find some really cute ones that I have not seen anywhere else then I will buy them. Cute houndstooth laminated diaper bag.....I bought one for my sister.
Damask

Retro print that reminds me of Tepper Jackson, but a whole lot cheaper.

Fun, huh?

Prayer Request

2009-06-29T09:44:00.002-04:00

I have debated all weekend if I should post this or not, but I do feel the need to. My little sister is 22 weeks pregnant with a little girl, and I went with her for a routine ultrasound on Friday. Everything was normal, except that the ultrasound showed a cyst on 1 of her kidneys. The cyst is approx. 1 cm in diameter, which isn't really big until you remember that the baby weighs 15 ounces right now.

So, the ob/gyn is sending her to a specialist in Jackson for a more detailed ultrasound in a few weeks. She said that it was abnormal to see a cyst, but not necessarily something that we need to be concerned about.

She said that 1 of 3 things would happen:

1. The cyst would get bigger.
2. The cyst would stay the same.
3. It would go away.

We are praying that it will just go away.

To give you some more background info, it is possible that some kind of kidney issues MAY run in our family. A couple of years ago, I found out that both of my kidneys were WAY enlarged due to the fact that my ureters are so small that they only work at about 90%. I had extensive tests run before I even considered becoming pregnant because it was possible that I would need stents during pregnancy. Thankfully that was not an issue, but I still have my kidney condition. I really don't have any pain or side effects from the condition, so it's really a non-issue right now.

With all that being said, please pray that the cyst will go away and the baby will be 100% healthy. Thank you so much!

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
—John 14:13-14

Summer TV

2009-06-27T22:42:00.002-04:00

I am definitely catching up on all of my TV viewing this summer......it's just too hot in Mississippi to get out much. I'm talking 100 degrees+ for the last week or so. And the humidity is killer, too. Enough about that, though. I started watching Burn Notice last summer, and I got Marcus hooked on it, too. We very rarely watch the same kind of shows, but he likes this. And the lead guy is a cutie...he kind of reminds me of Ben Affleck.

Girls, if you want your hubby to watch a show with you, try this one!
I just watched the 1st season of this on DVD this week. It's my new fav for sure. I've read all of the books, but of course, they don't really coincide with the show. I read the books to see if I could put them in my school's library, but due to the content I couldn't. Not for jr. high kids anyway.

Royal Pains is a new series, and it's pretty good. It's a little glimpse inside the lives of rich people.....even though it's fictitious, it's fun.

Hope y'all are having a great summer!

I'll try to post my dining chair recover project in the next few days.

~Beach Bums~

2009-06-21T22:13:00.006-04:00

I'm finally able to post beach pics from our trip to Gulf Shores in May. I wanted to go before it got so hot, and I am so glad that we went early in the season. Jancie loved the sand, but not the water. She was a little afraid of the sound of the waves crashing, I think. Posing for the camera
This is her "cheese" smile!

On the beach...Isn't her little halter tankini cute??

I cannot believe that I am posting this one.....but it's the only one of us together.

Washing her hands off in the water....she cannot stand dirty hands. She gets that from me!

Another "cheese" shot.

Hope y'all are having a great summer!

I am so glad to be able to sleep late, lounge around in my pajamas all day (if I want), and get some projects finished around the house.

Beating the Heat

2009-06-15T16:55:00.002-04:00

Well an inground pool may or may not be in our near future. We are going to decide in the next few days to have it installed at the next available time (4 weeks) or wait and get a winter discount a few months from now. I will say that my hubby definitely sees the need for one now because he was in Jancie's kiddie pool last night because he got so hot bush-hogging....ha ha It was hilarious!

I'm debating over a roman or rectangle shaped pool; although I like the tahiti, it is much more expensive due to the curves, I guess. We are going to eventually build a pool house with an outdoor kitchen space, but I don't think that it will happen anytime soon. We're getting a saltwater system, which I've heard is soooo easy to take care of. Let's hope so!

Don't you just love pools in the summer??

New Summer Jewelry

2009-06-09T11:08:00.002-04:00

I had planned to post beach photos, but they would not cooperate; so, I will show y'all some of the new jewelry that I put in my booth last week. I try to buy stuff that you can wear with anything. It seems to work because I usually sell a pretty good bit of it. Of course, the economy has hurt my little side business some, but it's still extra spending money for me and Jancie (mostly Jancie! ha)

I've been selling jewelry since 2002, and there is no telling how many pieces that I have sold since then.....I would say probably close to 10,000 or more. I used to do festivals, but I stopped them before Jancie was born because it is such hard work. I just have my booth at Tiffany's now, and I take it to work every now and then to sell. 3 bracelets and earrings $9
Turquoise and crystal set.....love the colors in this one. $18

long pink necklace set $9 (also black and yellow)

multi-chip set $9

turquoise cross toggle necklace $12

If you would like to order anything, I will gladly ship it to you, if it is still available. Sometimes I only have 1 of the item and when it's gone, it's gone!

Cute Cross Art

2009-05-21T10:28:00.002-04:00

I found some cute art at the Canton Flea Market last week, and I wanted to share it with you. I bought a 5x7 print of a cross made out of a written scripture from Simply Written Designs. Isn't it cute? I think I paid $8 for the print(it doesn't have the blue mat as pictured) and $3 for a matted frame to put it in (at Wal-Mart). They have a website, so you need to check it out...............very cute stuff!

Also, I am officially out of school for the summer! I think that I have to report back on Aug. 7. Who-Hoo!! Of course, I have yet had a chance to sleep in because some little girl keeps on getting me up at 7:30. We leave for Orange Beach, AL, tomorrow for 5 days. It's going to be fun to see Jancie on the beach! I won't ever get the sand out of her head! ha ha

Jr Auxiliary Conference

2009-05-15T11:58:00.002-04:00

The first weekend in May I went to Franklin, TN, for a national Jr. Auxiliary conference. I LOVE Franklin! I wish that I would have had more time to explore the downtown antique area, but hopefully I can persuade Marcus to take a little trip there this summer. These are the downtown Brownstones. These were absolutely stunning!
This one had a floating spiral staircase. It's still for sale, too!

Flowers downtown...I love the fleur de lis topiaries.

This was at the awards banquet. We won an award for our adopt-a-family project.

Our table at awards banquet....Isn't the logo cute??

Next year the conference is in Mobile, AL, which is less than 2 hours away from me....I hope to make that one, too!

Pray

2009-05-12T10:05:00.002-04:00

Please visit Self-Confessed Lamp Tramp and read about her son-in-law. For those of you who are not familiar with her blog, this time last year he was marrying her daughter. What a difference a year makes.....Please pray for them.

Kelly's Korner Living Room Tour

2009-05-08T10:39:00.004-04:00

Welcome to my living room!

Kelly at Kelly's Korner is hosting a living room tour today. I decided to join in. If you are new to my blog, let me just say that I love french country/Ballard Designs style. I'm very eclectic and love to mix different styles together.

My living room has a vaulted ceiling, but it's probably the smallest living room per sq ft that I have ever had.

This is by the front door entrance...I do not have a foyer, so this antique buffet helps divide up the room somewhat. The majority of my accessories were purchased at dollar stores, Kirklands, Hobby Lobby, and antique malls.
We could not mount the tv above the mantle due to space issues, so we just placed it on the hearth. The curio to the right is an antique that matches the buffet above.

Another shot of the fireplace....The coffee table is Jancie's perch. It is really beat up because of that, but I haven't been able to find another one that I love yet. The piece on the left is an antique door with a table attached. I added the little wrought iron thing above it to add some interest. The painting is by Mandy Buchanan of Laurel, MS.

This is the view from the front door. My living room opens up to my kitchen and dining room.

Hope y'all enjoyed the tour!! Leave me a comment because I would love to come visit your blog!

Garden tour 2009

2009-05-06T09:33:00.005-04:00

ETA: I posted this back in the spring for Rhoda's garden party. I figured that I could use it again for Kelly's Yard/Garage post.

Welcome to my country garden!

Back door......this is the entrance that we use the most.
Front yard pond area with lantana. This area needs lot of attention-I would just blow this up and start over if I could! Jancie loves to get in the nasty pond. I want to fill it in because it is a snake and mosquito magnet.

Front porch

Front door with an artmesh wreath

Side View of front entrance

Front fountain area...This is outside the master bedroom area. I have a iron scroll piece that I am going to hang above the fountain for a little drama.

Front driveway area...This road leads to the barn.

Back porch swing. I bought the cushion at Trees n Trends. The wall fountain has too many cracks to hold water (from the move) so I am going to plant some flowers in it. BUT it was a steal Belk's for under $8.

Mandevilla that will hopefully start to climb up these trellises.

The damask tablecloth is several years old, but I still love it. I bought all of my outdoor rugs at Trees n Trends for $9.99

These french doors lead to my guest bedroom. I bought the striped pillows for $6 at Trees n Trends.

Pink plastic chairs from Big Lots for $19 and cushions from TJ Maxx for $14.99. Jancie drinking water out of a $1.00 spray bottle=PRICELESS

If you look closely, you can see the barn in the background. We live on 28 acres, so we have plenty of room.

All of these pots are on a metal rod that allows you to stack them. This is outside of my breakfast room.

This is the flower bed that made myself....I am very proud! Although I did get staph infection in my finger from digging around in the dirt!

Looking out the back door. See the cows in the background??

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

Thrifty Treasures

2009-04-27T12:41:00.003-04:00

Rhoda at Southern Hospitality is hosting a Thrifty Treasures party every Monday on her blog. I'm pretty thrifty on a daily basis because I never pay full price for anything unless it is an absolute necessity!

This treasure is something that I've had for about 7 years, and I still love it.

I found this animal print ottoman cover at a Goodwill in New Orleans on a trip with friends. It was well made and lined. I had no idea what I would do with it, but it was $7, so I bought it. I started thinking about it and discovered that it fit an outdoor plastic table ($3 at Big Lots) perfectly.

I use it beside my guest bed to put magazines, etc. I can even hide stuff underneath if necessary.

Not bad for about $10, huh?

Be sure to visit Rhoda for other ideas!

~NeW Spring Jewelry~

2009-04-27T09:19:00.003-04:00

I always love the changing of the seasons because the jewelry that I sell at my booth changes color schemes then. I love fall stuff and I love summer stuff, but toward the end of each season, I begin to get tired of looking at the same colors!

It just dawned on me the other day that I have never posted pics of my booth at Tiffany's. I will try to do that soon. I also want to show you other vendors, too.

You can wear this with anything! $12.00

Long shell necklace sets.....something about long sets makes you look thinner....seriously!!
$6.00 (solid) $8.00 (multi)

These are in between regular length and long. $5.00

Shell earrings $3.50

Colorful lucite bangles $3.50

Just Jancie

2009-04-23T09:14:00.005-04:00

Jancie is 2 years, 5 months.....I'm recording this to have for future reference. I wrote down what we did every day for 1 year, then I slacked off.

Jancie

can count to 20.
still loves milk.
finally gave up her paci (3 wks ago)
can sing ABC's,Row Your Boat,Jingle Bells(?!),Jesus loves me,Itsy Bitsy Spider,etc.
loves to go somewhere every day.(Where are we going today, Mama?)
loves to go to church.
never meets a stranger
can almost color in the lines....she does extremely well for her age.
points out landmarks when we drive (Granny's work,our house,Dora's Coffee Haus,McDonalds,Wal-Mart,Quiznos,Target,Daddy's office,Wendy's)
loves to go to the bank to get a sucker and a sticker.
LOVES to shop (dollar stores,Wal-Mart, Target, Hobby Lobby)
Loves to eat at Quizno's, Sweet Peppers,and McDonald's
has a vocabulary of probably 750 words.
will remember something if you tell her one time.
identifies colors and animals
LOVES to be outside and DIRTY.
loves cows
loves fish
watches Max and Ruby,Wonder Pets,Oswald,Wow Wow
Still isn't interested in potty training

Funny sayings

"I just don't know what to do with you."

"I give up."

"Goodness Gracious"

"I want some Easters." (meaning easter eggs)

"Hang on a second."

"You're a genius!"

"Where are we going today, Mama?"

"Actually....."

"Say thank you, Mama." (if I forget to say it.)

Garden Sneek Peek

2009-04-21T10:21:00.005-04:00

I promised y'all a garden tour last week; however, I am not quite finished due to a sore throat that I can only compare to getting my tonsils removed.....it's been rough, to say the least. I 've been on 2 different kinds of antibiotics in the last 10 days, but hopefully I am on the road to recovery! I love the pink color of these geraniums.
I'm not sure what this is, but I love this purple color, too.

I have 2 of these urns filled with a skypencil, potato vine, and this other plant with periwinkle colored blooms.....I'm not good with remembering plant names...sorry!

More pink geraniums....I added my windchime to the bottom of this basket I found at Dollar General for $5.

Window planter outside of my mudroom window. I bought the planter at Dollar General for $8.00. Cute, huh?

Back door area....I just bought the inital rug at Kirklands for $15. The fern in the planter has survived 2 winters outside.....it just keeps on coming back.

View from my backyard/patio. It's very peaceful.

Jancie's version of gardening.....picking up all of my breakable garden figurines and riding them around in her tractor! ha ha!

Easter FuN!

2009-04-14T12:09:00.003-04:00

We had a very eventful 4 day Easter weekend....we started out at the dr.'s office on Friday with a shot for me and antibiotics for Jancie Jean. Then we had a egg hunt at my friend, Emily's house on Saturday afternoon followed by supper at my mom's house that night.

Marcus was sick on Sunday, so he did not go to church with us. I picked up my grandmother after church, and we went and ate fried catfish and did a little shopping. On Monday, we worked out in the yard. I should have garden pics to show you later in the week after I get my straw out. JJ before we left for church....this is her new "cheese" shot.
Looking at her Easter basket.

Easter basket goodies....play-doh, a puzzle, a carrot golf putter, and a Little People set from Target....absolutely no candy!!

Saturday egg hunt at Emily' s house

All the shots are of her back.....she was running around like crazy trying to get those eggs!

JJ and Lily playing t-ball.

Emily's bunny cake

Close-up of the table

Shot of the food table.....it was too cute!

Hope y'all had a great Easter weekend!

Cowgirl Jancie

2009-04-09T09:09:00.003-04:00

We have 5 cows that we bought last year when we first moved into our house. My husband has always wanted cows, land, a barn, a tractor, and a big diesel pick-up.....well, he has all of the above now. We are about to buy a bull because the "girls" are old enough now to be mommas. One of the cows, Sadie, LOVES Jancie and will let Jancie pet her thru the fence, so I told my husband that we could never get rid of her. JJ standing on my yellow horse(it's 28 years old) talking to the cows.
Still talking....She was saying, "Hey cows, y'all need to go to the barn."

FYI, the cows are red limousines(breed).

Jr Auxillary Bridge and Bingo

2009-04-06T08:51:00.007-04:00

Before I get to Bridge and Bingo, I must tell you that Jancie has finally stopped her paci use. Her great-granddaddy took it away during a trip to town on Friday, and she has not had it since. Hooray! She's asked for it once or twice, but I remind her that he took it away, and she's fine with that. It's just a little bit bittersweet for me because it means that my baby is growing up! The absolutely funny thing is that I when I tell people about it, I spell out p-a-c-i and say that he took it away. She'll stop what she is doing and say, "Yeah, he took my paci away in Laurel." ha! Her 2nd of many nail polishings to come.....

This is my provisional year in Jr. Auxilary. Every year one of our main fundraisers is Bridge and Bingo. We have on a weekday and serve lunch. Then we play bridge or bingo and give away prizes. We also have a silent auction. It was a lot of fun, but a TON of work. I have more appreciation for waitresses now. Each of the auxillary members are responsible for setting up and decorating tables. We also had 1 food item to bring. We served pasta, broccoli salad, corn salad, pistachio salad, and chess cake with strawberries.

My friend, Emily, is JA President this year. She is very creative and has done a great job this year. Everything went off without a hitch.

***The photos should all be clickable, so you can enlarge them.****

This was my black and white table.

Close-up of the table. I did not have to buy anything to use. The runner came from Ross. I stacked a white placemat and a wicker placemat, used a silver charger, and then used an Ironstone plate. I bought the china before I got married, and I love it. I've had the napkins and rings for ages....I know that the napkin rings came from Dollar Tree, and I think the napkins came from a salvage place. The stemware looks exactly like my crystal stemware, but I bought 4 for under $10 at Big Lots a couple of years ago to have for back-up.

The silver thing that I have in the middle of the table is actually kind of like a plant stand. That's what I use it for, but it has a multitude of uses. I bought it for $12.99 at Marshall's in 2004, I think. The black wrought iron vase and candlelabra was purchased at a Little Rock antique mall a couple of years ago. It's been inside and outside. I filled it with clippings from my asparagus ferns and ivy.

Everyone gets a small gift on their table. This is a Tussie Mussies gift box. It's a bath box with the most WONDERFUL smelling stuff. This is what I use.

Now on to other tables......

This was my favorite.....I just love the colors.

Blue and brown

oops....extra photo

mint green and yellow

hot pink and black......the centerpiece was a styrofoam ball covered with pink flowers sitting on a clear vase.

This china was gorgeous....a Tiffany blue....

This table was gorgeous under the lights. The centerpiece is silver Christmas trees.

Asian/bamboo with Oriental orange purses for favors.

Christmas table

Burgandy red and yellow

Gail Pittman table

Colorful table

Pink and black polkadot table....loved this one, too.

simple brown and green

This china was a dark red....it was gorgeous.

zebra and green

Easter with blue willow china

red and gold

floral/spring....This china was gorgeous, too....very unusual.

red and white.....the tablecloth was from Panama.

black, grey, and white

blue and black

Hope y'all enjoyed the photos!

Goodness Gracious!

2009-03-30T09:58:00.004-04:00

..........That's about all I can say about my latest predicament. I have a staph infection in/on my right index knuckle/finger. I'm on antibiotics for 14 days, was given an antiobiotic shot, and have been applying ointment and regauzing several times a day. Let me tell you, it HURTS!

It's better today, I think the swelling is almost gone, but now I have a hole in my finger. I wasn't able to do much this weekend.....I couldn't even change Jancie's clothes yesterday. So pray that I get well soon!

I have a Junior League fundraiser tomorrow that I hope to take pics of to share with y'all. We play Bridge and Bingo and serve lunch. I have to decorate a table for 4 ladies, so I hope they like black and white!

Toile Party!!

2009-03-24T15:06:00.002-04:00

Pretty Organized Palace is hosting a toile party today. I love toile, but don't have alot of it in my house, but I do have some in Jancie's room. Hopefully, you should be able to click on the pics to enlarge them.

This is a daybed, but you can't really see the frame itself. Anyway, I bought this toile comforter and all of the black and white pillows from ebay last year. I had searched high and low for black and white daybed bedding, and let me tell you.....it's hard to find. I took the large throw pillows and had them monogrammed. Then I added some cute pink pillows for color.

This is a close-up of the bedding. It was originally from Charles Keath and pretty pricey. I bought the little poodle applique and ironed it on the pillow.

Some more of Jancie's room.....In the bottom left corner, you can see a glimpse of her toile diaper stacker.

Jancie's bath....no toile in here, but cute anyway!

Unexpected Necessities

My 1st Wholesale Account!!

Funky Key Chains & Crosses

Beaded Cross Photo Blocks

Fun Teacher Gifts

Fun Magnet Block Frames

New Arrivals @ Bella Bella

Ribbon Tassel Keychains

Cuteness

New Jewelry at Bella Bella

Conversation Starters

Christmas 2010

Jancie is 4!

Easy Supper

Christmas Cottage Magazine

What's Up?

Fleur-de-lis a-holics!

Book Heaven

Fall Necessities

Miracle in a Bottle

Are you ready for some FoOtBaLL?

Mississippi Backyard Wedding

Jancie & Rhyla-Kayte

I HeArT my K- PAK Flat Iron!

My China Collections

Wedding Time!

Summer Time

Watches and More....

Confessions of a School Librarian

Confessions of a School LIbrarian

Confessions of a School LIbrarian

Jancie's Before & After Bathroom

Jancie's name

Cuffs!

Weekend Trip to Fairhope, AL

Easter 2010

Pearls and Shells

Jancie & the Bunny

The Boys!

Emporium @ The Reserve

Spring at Bella Bella

Perspective

Lamp-o-holic

JJ

Asthma

Mississippi Snow

I'm preparing for.....

Favorite Products

Orient Expressed trunk show

Circle E Candles

Circle E Candles

Geaux Saints!! ~New Fleur de lis Jewelry~

FuN SpRiNg Stuff!

I'm Loving....

Hot Cheese Dip recipe

Jancie's Hello Kitty Birthday party

Happy New Year!

MerrY ChRiStMaS!

Christmas Tour 2009

Advent Calendar

Burnout Tops

It's beginning to look...........

Cute Preppy Engraved Hairbows

Zebra Baby Shower

Itzy Bitzy Shoes

Dressing Area Before and After

Christmas Inspiration

Rhyla-Kayte is here!

Jancie Jean

Kitchen Before & After

Rhyla-Kayte

Price My Space

Zebra & Pink Shower

Bargains

Big Girl/Little Baby

You know you're _______when _______!

New Jewelry and a New Mop!

What I've been doing............

Prayer Request Update

Jancie Jean, Beauty Queen

You know you're _when _!