Do you know what today is?

It's our anniversary! Three years ago I got married to my bestest friend ever. I love you Chuckles<3 width="425" height="344">

Sorry I still haven't posted anything yet. I've been uber busy and all over the place. Heading out to Memphis today. I'll actually have some alone time w/ Chuckles. Woohoo. And plus my mom's a new year's baby so we are having a party at her house on the 31st. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and wil have a Happy New Year's. I can't wait to show some things I've gotten done, as well as some things I've done at my mom's. Take care of yourselves during this time of the year :o)

Please Accept My Sincerest

Apologies. I have been so busy lately. Working hard on projects. And we finally put up the Christmas tree last night at 11pm. Still no ornaments though :o( We'll do that Monday. Why Monday? Because it's my time to get away from it all..woohoo. It's currently 18 degrees out here. I'm heading south to Florida, where it is 80 degrees. Not Key West, though it is my hometown, I wish. But Tampa, Fl.
I'll have before and afters posting for a few days straight when I get back! I promise. I almost have 3 projects fully completely finished and 2 projects just started. Woot woot! See you soon, and with a new do to show off too. Homegirl's hair is looking more than worse for wear.

Jadeite or Jadite..Does it Really Matter?

Not when you're searching eBay. I found it's better to do both.
I've been wanting to do a plate display in my living room for a good minute. Well now that I have my projects under some control I think it's a good time to start looking for plates to pull it off with. This is the picture that sparked the controversial debate in my mind.


done by her

I also plan on doing 2 pictures with plates over them by my armoire

to tie into whatever plate display I do.

I'm either doing them over this entry doorway or over my fireplace.

Oh How I wish I could do it over my den entry. I would do something grand and huge.
(Ignore the wretched fan plz.)

I want plates like these. I actually have 2 in cream bought at TJMaxx for $2 ea.

I would love these too! I plan on mixing in turquoise, light green, and cream.

While searching here & here I found these. They would be so perfect for my bedroom, which btw has come a little ways since this. Well back to painting. I'll try to have a reveal tomorrow...*fingers crossed*

Cheap Matting

While shopping for more frames for my son's room I noticed they didn't come with matting like they used to. I buy the 11x13 frames from walmart for $5. So instead of going out to buy 6 sets of matting (which adds up fast inclusing the cost of the frames) I decided to make my own. I also needed matting for the girl's room too. So here is what I used & did.

Frames bought on eBay for uber cheap, more $3.50/yd fabric, poster board from the dollar tree, & items not pictured. **Not pictured is the exacto knife and adhesive spray I used**

I took the board backing out (which just happened to be the ugly picture that came in the frame) and traced it onto the poster board. This way I knew it would fit snug and no measuring would be needed.

One poster board produced 2 mattings.

I then took my photo, flipped it over and traced it onto the self maden matting.

I layered the matting on top of each other and taped the ends together. I did this to save time by cutting both mattings together. I took the exacto and cut out within the traced square. You want to make sure it has enough space added to cover the edge of the photo you are matting.

This was what it looks like after. I didn't measure the photo before tracing, I just placed it in the middle. If you are more of a perfectionist you may want to measure first. Then I sprayed adhesive on my matting and added the fabric as I did here in this project. Be sure to spray your adhesive away from the fabric if you are using silky or thin fabric. You don't want wet spots showing on your fabric (which I learned today from experience).

Here is the finished product. I may go back and add ribbon, rhinestones, their names, or anything else later.

So in total the project only cost me $1 for the poster board. I already had everything else on hand.

Can It Be..

I stayed away to long? Did I leave your mind while I was gone? Yes, I love that song. It was one of my go to's while the Man was gone last year.

So back on subject. I haven't been on lately because I have been working on multiple projects at one time. I tend to do that. I have lazy spells then just start working on everything at once. So remember this? Well her she is. Slowly looking better right? I still have to paint the murals on it but hey, she's getting there! And to think it only took some 1.5yd @ $3.50/yd fabric & half a gallon of $6 oops paint.

The cup in the bottom is for chalk. And the boxes (from target) hold her hair bows. I'll do a quick post on that next. So this weekend I plan on painting the dresser (which you see the drawers in the background) and the vanity in the next 2 days.

**Excuse the dirty rug. I've been dragging furniture from the garage and basement through today.**

Good Deal Gone Bad

Don't you just LUV LUV LUV a good deal?!? Well I know I sure do. And I will search to the end of the earth for one. Don't believe me ask the man that drives the truck (hubby) & picks all the goodies up.
So let me get to my sob story of the week. As you know I went to my mom's for Thanksgiving. A year earlier (yes a whole year...maybe a little more) I bought a ton of items off of eBay made by The Find. This company sold gorgeous items at shopnbc.com at out of my range prices. After searching eBay I was able to buy mirrored tables, sconces, candle holders, boxes, stands, chandeliers, chandelier lamps, and so forth for dirt cheap. One day I will do a post on the stuff I have gotten made by this company. So with my Find purchases I bought some items that were turquoise (my favoritist color).

This mirror was bought for $60 after shipping. It's a good size tho the pic makes it look smaller. But upon it's arrival my mom didn't check it thoroughly. Yep, it was broken.

Shattered piece on top.

And cracked/chipped side. I did open the box so many months ago and closed it immediately. Now that we brought it home so I can figure out what to do with it I have to look at it again. It hurts my feelings just looking at it.

To add insult to injury I lifted this box up and it fell apart in my hands! I'm sure I can reglue it, but what the hey?! How does this happen? Underneath is the original pic of it.

And let me add I bought the chandelier to match it all. Got it for $88 total. Beautiful in the picture. Not so much in person. The green was a grass green or crayola green with cobalt blue crystals. I like cobalt blue with grass green (awesome combination mixed with black and cherry wood against white or cream) but NOT done like this! I ended up selling it on ebay.

Though I absolutely adore The Find's items because they are so ornate and beautiful this haul was an epic fail.

I do have some good news to share though. We got a new member to our household. My pomeranian Cameo needed a friend badly. I never wanted dogs until we got her (she was a gift from my mom to my son). She is very well trained and sweet as can be. Buuuut she always wanted to play fetch and stuff. So now we got her a friend. He is a shitzu & terrier mix. He is scruffy looking and just as sweet as Cami. He gives Cami a run for her $$. Not sure what to name him yet. We are working with Bailey at the moment.

Here he is waiting her out for her toy. They've been fighting over it constantly. Fun to watch :o)