~I Won Again~

Isn't it funny how things happen? I do have a sewing machine that I've had since the 80's and did sew crafts and curtains but just haven't really touched that machine since the 90's! Yikes!!!
My mother was a wonderful sewer made all my clothes, curtains for my bedroom when I was home and the curtains always matched the vanity skirt:) Funny how you remember those things, oh and I remember the vanity too...she made it out of a board covered it in (white) contact paper and used brackets to place the board on then attached the vanity skirt.:) I remember in my teens putting on makeup there. Well, for the past couple weeks I've been thinking about that machine that is in the basement...don't even no if it works, but maybe winning this giveaway from Ann-Marie will give me the boost that I need:) We have a wedding to go to in July and I've been looking for a simple black dress, sleeveless sort of like the ones they were in the 60"s? Do you think I can find any like that? NOT! I sure wish mom were here, I only had to show her a picture from the Seventeen magazine that I wanted and she would have had it made by the time I got home from school! God bless her, I used to hate trying on the things she made me so she could trim the armholes or measure for a hem:) My sister is also a great sewer so maybe I'm just a bit intimidated LOL.
Thanks Ann-Marie....you just might have did me a favor!!!
P.S. Then I see what Leslie does with her sewing machine and I want to do the same so I should just get that machine up here and start:) I'll be waiting Ann-Marie...thanks so much!

~Finally Mulch!!!~

Seems like we have did everything around the house later this spring and summer then we usually do, yesterday Stush pulled all the weeds around the house and this morning went to get two yards of mulch and just made it he said, with two yards:) We badly needed it and it's finally done! I did change the wreath on my door..just a grapevine with two teadyed flags in it, at least it shows up better.
Thought I'd share the front of my home with the mulch so that you could see how it does give it a brighter look :)

~Let Me Know~

I was updating my Favs on my blog and accidently erased all of them, if I did have you listed and you don't see your blog there now please leave a comment and I'll list it. Sorry just can't remember them all and I know the other day I exchanged links with a really nice lady and can't remember who:) So leave me a comment okay?

~Blog Giveaway~

I've been blog hopping in between painting and vacuming and found http://farmchickskitchen.blogspot.com/ Fresh From the Farm...Farmchick. A soy candle with the scent of pears & berries is her giveaway, so stop on over she has great recipes to try, I still have to read some more of her posts but the recipes look sooooo good!

~Whatcha Workin on Wednesday~

Time for "Whatcha Workin on Wednesday" at Leslie's!http://sweets-mycountryhome.blogspot.com/ (one of these days I'll get time to learn what Leslie was so kind to post on her blog about just useing the name but until then:)
This is a mirror I found at the fleamarket last year for $3.00...cute but very 80's to me, well I needed a mirror and to be honest I painted it to go in my bedroom but when I finally finished it today and brought it in and looked at my mantel and I knew this was the place for it! I also redecorated the mantel with some other prim things...I think this is what has been wrong with me and my prim decorating, I need to move things around and from room to room, I do like the cottage, vintage look but truthfully doing it would be alot of work...like painting furniture and new linens and such. I just can't do that now, not to cheaply either. The other day I stopped at Target to look at their Shabby Chic line and it was more expensive then any other linen there, so I think I'll stay Country Prim, maybe Vintage is down the road for me in the near future but just not now:) BTW I think I'll stay with my wonderful prim friends!!!

Here is a closer look, I think it turned out neat, oh and the wood watermelon slice I found for .59...I've been looking for one on Ebay and found it alot cheaper at Goodwill!

It's alot darker then what the camera is showing. Well, I'm off to paint something else and I'll post that next Wednesday:)

~Isn't This Neat~

I thought you girls would like to see this...I thought it was pretty neat! Go to this site:http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/06/diy-project-whitneys-mason-jar-lights.html Have a great evening!

~Sweet Awards~

Good Mornings,
I tried for hours last night to post pictures but blogger wouldn't let me so I had to let it go till this morning. I was so surprised and yes, honored to recieve this award from Tammy and Leslie, it is the Arte Y Pico award and I'm happy to know that prim lovers and others too like and visit my blog. I'm so glad I started this blog I have met so many wonderful ladies this way and I always do look forward to posting and reading other's blogs and seeing what they are up to:)
I met Tammy on the CS forum and liked her right away there was such a connection there for me and Leslie, I think I found her blog from Robin's at Bird in the Hand and I'm so glad I did because she is just great always helping me with this darn computer blogger stuff:) Hopefully I won't have to bother her to many more times!


Ok, here are the rules and remember if you already have the award just accept and that's all you have to do!
1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2. Each award has to have the name of the author and a link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that presented her/him with the award.

4.The award winner and one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y Pico" blog so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5. To show these rules.

Here are the bloggers that I try and read everyday (among others) and I really thing they deserve the award:)

1. Sandy http://fortheloveofprims.blogspot.com/ I think Sandy I visited your blog right when I started mine, you are such a crafter I love seeing what you creat and hearing about your daughters.

2. Trudy http://www.crowsintheatticprimitives.blogspot.com/ I just love the patriotic pears that I won from your give away, they are so well made, and you really deserve this award!

3. Kate http://pinetreesonthemoor.blogspot.com/ is from Scotland and just started to blog and is doing very well with it! I just love it Kate when you mention the carboot sale...so neat!

4. Shirlee http://paintedprairie.blogspot.com/ I met you on the CS forum and knew right away that you were a fun person, love your blog and glad you are back from vacation.

5. Maryhttp://gettysburghomestead.blogspot.com/ oh how I wish Mary I could live in an old farmhouse it must be so much fun to decorate! Stop over and visit her she has been blogging since May and doing well!

I hope all of you visit these special ladies!


I thought I'd show a couple pics of where my DH and I usually end up on the weekends, it's just down from our home but yet it is like a mini vacation at times! We were there last Sunday until the storm came!

We just put our boat in yesterday, with all the storms and rain we have been having the river is still brown looking. We will spend the 4th here then go on our boats to watch the fireworks along the river.

Well, I better get a move on I have to watch the girls today!

~Rocking Chair~

This was my mom's rocking chair, a neighbor had given it to her and I believe it was painted a dusty rose, after mom passed we divided her things and Michele took the rocker. Sydney was only 1 week old then and Michele painted it pale blue for the nursery, after it was in Samantha room. I saw it a couple weeks ago and asked her if she wanted me to take it home and paint it black so that she could use it in the family room. This is how it turned out, after it was done I thought it would look good here but no I'll give it back:) I couldn't resist putting a pillow on it and the geraniums below! So neat what a can of spray paint can do:)

I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

~ A Meme~

Good morining everyone!
We have been having cooler tempertures here the last few days, the AC hasn't been on for days and yesterday all the windows were closed it only hit 64* so as night drew near it was darn chillyLOL.
I've been visiting blogs and when I arrived on Country Girl at Home I realized I had been tagged to do a meme, this is Tammy's link http://countrygirlathome.blogspot.com/
so here goes, I was asked to name 5 things that I do for myself:
1. I do get my hair colored and highlighted every month....just
did that yesterday BTW:) Also get the fingernails & toenails
done. Also wear make-up everyday DH loves it!
2. Go to fleamarkets, thrift stores and yard sales to find decor
for my home..... this just relaxes me!
3. Visit with my grandaughter's.....this does me a world of good
to be able to get their hugs & kisses.
4. Exercise! Love to do this for myself, although haven't been
able to in a while because of my knee.
5. Belong to the library I love to read and also love my magazine
that I buy to much of:)

Name 5 kind things I do for friends, my children or partner:
1. Watch my grandaughters so that my son-in-law can golf on
Tuesdays.
2. Wash my youngest's clothes, when he brings them the
basket is always over flowing:)
3. When ever I see my kids or grandaughters I always have
have a smile on my face when first they see me.
4. Get the Sunday paper at the end of the driveway so Dh
doesn't have to....and this is in all kind of weather guys:)
5. I also pray for my love ones and those that aren't with us
anymore.

Name 5 kind things I've done for a strangers:

1. Hold open doors ( although some college students need to
brush up on their manners:)
2. Smile and be kind to sales associates...they can't help prices
are so high. Believe me I've walked in their shoes!
3. Say thank you to waitresses and tip....sometimes this could
mean milk & cereal for their kids.
4. Talk to senior citizens, some are just lonely.
5. Gave money to the guy in the car ahead of me because he
didn't have enough at the toll booth.

Name 5 hobbies I enjoy:

1. Decorating my home....although right at this very moment
I'm in love with two different styles and really confused.LOL
2. Love to read...anything
3. Painting furniture and "stuff."
4. Taking pictures....I just realized this when I first started to
blog.
5. Blogging and visiting other wonderful blogs!!!

Tag 5 people to do the same but only if you want to:)


1. http://gettysburghomestead.blogspot.com/ (Mary)
2. http://thissimplelifeofmine.blogspot.com/ (Ann-Marie
3. http://pinetreesonthemoor.blogspot.com/ (Kate)
4. http://simple-needs.blogspot.com/(Kim)
5. http://fortheloveofprims.blogspot.com/ (Sandy)

Thanks everyone! I know sometimes we are busy and just don't have the extra time to do these meme's but I always do them because quite simply they keep us in touch with each other and let all our friends no a little bit about us, I also do it because it helps out the person who tagged me.
You don't have to post it right away either, have a wonderful day the sun is finally out here!

~A Little of This and That~

Hi everyone,
It's late but I've been trying all day to post but blogger wouldn't let me post pics, believe me this post would have been up this morning but just couldn't get any pics loaded and what's a post without pics?:)
Anyway, I wanted to post my youngest grandaughter's picture it was her birthday party last Saturday and they always want to see their pics on grammy's post. Samantha Rondell is 3 and as of right now she loves Dora so that is what her cake theme was. Her coloring reminds me so much of my mother's... dark hair and blue eyes, isn't God amazing? Mom's been gone for 6 years
but here is this little one with her coloring! Here is the Dora cake!
These here are pics, my daughter gets their pictures
taken for every birthday. She is so adorable.. I love
each and everyone of grandaughters.

Now on to what I have been doing....remember in another post I had these wicker chairs wrapped in patriotic fabric? Well, at Walmart I found this navy check gingham for $2.00 a yard with 20 percent off so I grabbed some...then the pillows are the same that I had I just covered them with 2 red gingham napkins, also from Walmart, I just hot glued two napkins together over top the pillows I already had all for the cost of $2.00 a piece!!!

The pillow on the rocking chair was on sale for $7.00!

As you can tell I took the country blue tablecloth off and refreshed the table with white paint...Stush got the table from the college when the remodeled, it is heavy and all metal, I wouldn't have any other table...when I think of all the college students that have sat at this table talking and laughing, studying and eating I just smile!

The tray is the patrotic one painted white. The three glass vases are also from Walmart and the silk flowers .99 also from Walmart. I'm having so much fun these days!
P.S. I wanted to say that I do really try to answer all comments. I like to go to that person's blog and anwer because I feel that is the way they know that I'm aware that they commemted on my blog, it might take me a few days to get around to everyone but I guess I just wanted you to know how I go about answering you! Thanks for all your wonderful comments and to all you great lurkers I appreciate you too!

~Starting the Cottage, Vintage Look~

Rainy here and can't do anymore spray painting, seems that's all I do is spray paint...but I love doing it, love seeing an object go from one look to another just by using paint! This is one project I did get done yesterday, remember I posted this in a earlier post? The table I found at a yard sale for a $1.00 and it was redwood, Stush power washed it and I just didn't get around to painting it until yesterday afternoon. This is how it came out: Love it! It sort of came out like a pickled finish, the paint just wouldn't cover it very much and so the more I looked at it the more I liked it:) that's the look I'm going for sort of a Cottage, Vintage look.
The shabby chic tin flower container I of course found at a yard sale last summer and got it for a $1.00 (must have loved it back then but didn't know it) the two, small ceramic containers I bought at Lowe's and they were a bright yellow soooo I spray painted them white, they turned out so cute (BTW I'm using gloss paint) the plants in them are called succulent plants and require no upkeep at all it seems. The ball jar I had and I have two tea lights in them darn, I should have lit them, I always forget to do that.:)
I have another before and after for tomorrow's post, see you then!
P.S. I forgot to mention in my Father's Day post that my son (who looks like my dad) is named after him...Michale...all his friends call him Mike but not his mom to me he is Michale:)

~Happy Father's Day~

This is my son Michael, no he's not a dad yet:) Although he is old enough 33 years old but not married yet, as a matter a fact right now he is in Annapolis, Maryland... he has an interview tomorrow for a teaching position also his girlfriend just landed a speech pathologist job there soooo, I sure hate to see him move away but where he is teaching they just don't pay enough, he's a very conscientious teacher so I'd like to see him get paid for it. Just hate to see him go, it's only 4 hours away so at least I know he will be home on holidays or weekends.
The reason I showed you his picture is because he is the "picture" of my dad, same mouth, same eyes and yes, if he styled his hair in the 30's look, same hair although he has it covered here in the "cool" style.

My dad is in his 20's in this photo and I don't blame mom one bit for falling in love with him, I think he is quite handsome, mom told me once that they meant at a carnival on the ferris wheel, little did they know that WWII would seperate them four long years. He was a very hard working man and loved his garden, I think my love of vegetables is all because of him, he would explain to me how each vegetable was good for my body:) to this day I think the only vegetable I don't like is eggplant! I would give anything to eat his corn and tomatoes again....sigh. Love you dad.

This is my oldest son Nick, also a teacher, and his daughter Alex, if they gave awards for "Mr. Mom" he would be the winner, he loves her with all his heart, goes to church with her and Christine every Sunday and it just does a mother's heart good to see her son do so, teaches and comes home to take care of Alex. Oh, and did I mention that he is a high school football coach? He has a lot on his plate but takes care of everything responsibly and treats me with the highest respect, I love them all!

~Going a Bit Different~

I've finally finished (I think) my bathroom and believe it or not I have enjoyed doing it, why? Because it is so different then what I've every did before I guess. I've had so much fun looking for things.... at yard sales, and especially Goodwill. I go there every chance I get and now that I"m decorating
a little differently... it is so much fun, I guess because I get to find things alot more easier and I'm not so fustrated like when I was hunting just for prim things, do you no what I mean?
I've been decorating country and prim now for 28 years and frankly I need to do something different, maybe it's because Stush is home now all the time, I just know that my tastes have changed. I feel bad because I do still love the prim look but I read somewhere in blogland that the tastes you had in your 20's and 30's you won't have in your 40's and 50's which makes sense to me. I'll still be country sort of..... only just a different kind, I guess you could call it vintage:)
This 1st pic is of what
I have found and did:)
The lace shower curtain I
found at Walmart for
16.00 and I love it, made
the walls look so nice. The mirror is one I found down in the basement an old, gold Home Interior one that I painted white ( I think I should own a spraypaint company) I was thrilled at
how it turned out!

On the back of the toilet is a crome basket that I already had, the faceclothes, 2.00 a piece at Walmart and I think you can see the glass candleholder there on the end I found that at Goodwill for .49 plus brand new candle, can't beat that:)


The glass jars in the corner on the sink, more of a close up below, the chubbier jar I also got at Walmart and inside, at Goodwill, I found brandnew bath salts for 1.59 there is Lily of the Valley, Lavender, Lilac and Gardenia plus more that I can't think of right now. The taller jar .49 at Goodwill, I found ribbon at Walmart....black with white dots! Tied it around the neck of the jar and walla!
The black rug .99 at Goodwill and never used still had price tag on!



This is the top of the mirror I painted, sorry about the glare...I sure hope you all like it:) Sorry also about the hurry up job on this blog but I have to get ready we are going out to eat! Oh, I also got more goodies today.

Have a great weekend!

~Flower Boxes~

It's been a really nice day out today so we have been outside most of it. I of course grabbed my camara and thought I take a few closeups:) This is out in the front of our home, I know in a recent post the pictures I took you couldn't see everything very well so this one shows a closeup of the sign I made also the beehive birdhouse that I found at BigLots so far it's holding up well with the weather.
Most prim bloggers have an old window.....I have had one but just don't know what to do with most of the time, I have had it sitting outside for the past couple years. I took it out of garbage on a curb, spotted it and figured I can slide it in the trunk but boy was I surprised when I tried to lift it, it was so heavy! One side is this chippy, white paint and the other side is sort of a hunter green, it's actually taken from a garage of my brother-in-laws parents old home. I new and remember Paul and Mary so it does hold some memories. This BTW is on the other side of the tree.
I found these flower boxes at a yard sale last summer....small one for 1.00 & larger one for 2.00 brackets included:) They where white so we decided to paint them barnred to match the front door. I planted flowers yesterday in them, I hope they do well, it's my first time with flower boxes and also with petunias and every time I see them I think of mom she always planted them.
Yes that's me LOL...... Im trying to find the right button....electronics and I always fight each other a constant battle but I figure it's my age if I had been taught in grade school like they do now I'd be a whiz at it gee, I didn't even have it in highschool:) I'll try to be back tomorrow.

~Flowers Everywhere~

Good morning!
Looks like the 90's and higher are over for a while will still be in the 80's today but with storms likely. I hurried outside this morning to take some pictures of my flowers for you, this 1st picture is right outside my window where my computer is in the diningroom, it is some sort of lilly and very hardy.... I love looking at it while I'm on here:)just a simple pleasure I guess! We bought it two summers ago when we were first married.

I love this chair because no matter what style you are shabby or prim it goes, I purchased it at an antique fair for $8.00 and the little sign also for $1.00, the basket at Goodwill for .25 and I painted it black. I did buy a garden book last year for .25 at a yardsale and it said for containers with flowers should be watered everday, I sure hope these petunias last the summer this is my first year for them:) This year I decided to put some flowers on the chairs, don't they just look so old fashioned? Doesn't take much to make me happy:)

>

I just love how these pictures turned out looks like they could be on a calender or cards, well at least to me:) I think for Christmas I'm going to ask Santa for a more advanced camera....I can't believe I even typed about Christmas LOL Sorry! Have a great day and all of you that are suffering with the bad storms and flooding my prayers are with you!

~Nicole Richie:)~

Yesterday Stush and I went to get more flowers!!! I just have so many places to put flowers and over the years I've collected quite a few containers to fill. I spent all morning doing that then my DH and I took a dip in the pool... it was so hot!!! I think today hit 95! I'd work a little then come into the AC then go back out to fill another container:) I'll take pictures to show tomorrow morning I think the flowers look so pretty in the morning don't you?
Also went to Michele's to swim, this is my oldest grandaughter wearing her Hannah Montana sunglasses which she never takes off, notice those two missing front teeth, I told her she looked like Nicole Richie.LOL She's a sweety and likes for her Grammy to play games with her in the pool. By the way her real name is Sydney:)

This one is my youngest grand baby, her name is Samantha Rondell, yep her middle name is mine and she has the prettiest blue eyes but do you think she'd open them for me? She also calls the swimmies (on her arms) muscles... isn't that cute?This Saturday we are having her birthday pool party she's 3! They wanted to have their pictures on Grammy's blog, I'll show them tomorrow when I watch them, they will be happy, they get such a thrill out of seeing theirselves on here.

I also wanted to mention things...stuff that I'll be selling on here, I'm just trying to decide if I should do another blog like one blogger mentioned to do and also how to really do it all, by that I mean shipping and handling how to do an invoice...stuff like that! Right now it's confusing but hey....I blog now and I know a heck of alot more than when I first started doing all this:) A big thank you to Leslie http://sweets-mycountryhome.blogspot.com/ for taking the time to explain the html verses the compose...I think I figured it out, oh and thanks to all that commented about names for this little on line business they were fantastic and out of them all I never even came up with any of them myself. LOL I'll be back tomorrow!!!

~Happy Weekend~

Here is a pic that I forgot to add yesterday, I figure I'll add what I can everyday because there are just to many:) The little table is a 1.00 yardsale find, just haven't had the time to paint it white so I threw a patriotic dish towel over it, the blue, ball jar is full of dark, red coffee beans and wood apples I have it in a single canning jar holder that I have had for years you can hardly see it because it's all rusty....and of course put in the flags. The little blue colander(just like Leslie's over at My Country Home only she got her's for .25...she is listed to the left under my favs) I got for .49 at Goodwill and the bee hive candle also for .49 it has a little black bee on the side:) I also want to let you all know that I'm going to list a few things to sale on here, I'm going to see how it goes, I'll list prim items but also some shabby chic as I find them. Marie, from A little Bit of Country on the Shore, suggested this to me, she's also listed under my favs, and I'm going to give it a try, thanks Marie! I'll let you know when I post about it, any suggestions for a name for this little adventure that I'm going to undertake? Please leave a comment if you do, I really love hearing from all of you, I know it takes time out of your busy days to do it and I so do appreciate it. Have a wonderful summer weekend!

Hi again everyone! We just got back from getting groceries and stopping at two yardsales...just to hot to go to anymore so at least we got out of the house for a while:0
Here are the pictures of the pool I wanted to share with you these were taken
early this morning. I love it and on days like this it is wonderful! The 40's chairs were all given to
me so I painted them all
primary colors and just
this summer I repainted them, darn it how do you guys get your words around your pictures?
Everytime I hit Enter it moves the picture down arrrgh. Oh well. the next pic is my grandmother's rocking chair which my mom gave to me because I was named after her it is at least 100 years old and I've painted it every color over the years, creme, country blue, barnred and now white:) I've had fun with it and I'm sure my grandmother would have approved. That's just a red pipberry garland that I found at Goodwill for 1.79 and just put there for now!

This 3rd pic is of the wicker chair and table that was also given to us last year....I already had the patriotic fabric and just wrapped it around the cushions and the pillows I had got at a yardsale for 1.00 each, the picnic basket I had also found for 3.00. I also bought a tablecloth in the beginning of spring and now I can't find it....have you every did that? I've looked everywhere!

These are the chairs at the end of the pool, I just love the green one it's a rocker.

This is my centerpiece for the table, we ate out there yesterday evening it was so nice, just somethings from around the house I'm really learning how to make-do:)

My swing that I got two years ago...I love going out there in the early morning and having my coffee, I have to have a rug there I can't stand to feel cement under my bare feet:)

These chairs are on either side of the pool in the front by the porch, we have alot more of them but only bring them out when we have company.

The birdhouse I got at the Cracker Barrel, I love going in and seeing there stuff, some things are really nice reproductions and I really like their antiques where you eat.

Well I don't think I'll be doing Show & Tell this Friday just not enough time...I want to get outside!!!