Looking Back at My Projects for 2013

Sometimes I don’t feel like I get very much done but after reviewing my blog posts of projects in 2013 I wonder how I was able to accomplish so much. I hope that you will enjoy looking at some of my projects that you might have missed. Click on the bright green text to go directly to the post about each project.

My most viewed post of the year was my kitchen renovation that I actually did the previous year. It was quite a labor of love but worth every bit of effort that I put into it. My nephew came in the kitchen this week and said “Every time I walk in here I have to check to make sure I’m in the right house!”

It is quite a dramatic difference! You can click here to see all of the photos and progress.

Another popular post was a tour of our summer cottage – part 1!I still haven’t gotten to part 2 but hopefully will do it soon!

Click here to take the tour! Another popular post was a surprise use I discovered for Bar Keepers Friend. Click here to see my discovery. 

I completed several projects using parts of my grandmother’s piano that my son and I deconstructed.

This old upright was repurposed into this entry table,

this headboard,

this headboard,

and a couple of towel bars.

I still have material left to complete several more projects from the piano parts.

I completed several upholstery projects.

You can read about this one here.

You can see my updated living room furniture here.

These antique oak chairs were updated very quickly and easily. You can get the details by clicking here.

I was delighted with how well this $15 thrift store find turned out. You can read about it here.

I also made a slipcover for my grandmother’s sofa to be used in my son’s apartment. You can read about it here.

I completed several furniture painting projects.

This dresser was painted for my sweet friend’s nursery. You can see the progress here.

I painted this antique music cabinet for the screened porch at our summer cottage.

I painted this bamboo cabinet black and put it in the bunk room at the summer cottage to use for storage.

I decided to have some fun with this table and chairs. You will have to click here to see how ugly they were before!

I made a few more updates to our guest room that you can see here and here.

I repurposed this shoe box by covering it with fabric and I repurposed this vintage gas can into a lamp.

I also shared highlights of trips to Philadelphia, the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC, and the Country Living Fair at Stone Mountain Georgia.

I am looking forward to the coming year and hope to make a few more major updates to our home and share them with you.

I’ll be sharing this post at Rhoda’s party at Southern Hospitality and at Savvy Southern Style. Click the links to see lots of inspiration.

Christmas Beverage Station

I don’t know about you but I am thoroughly enjoying the Christmas season.  While I am still decking the halls around our house, I took a different approach this year. I decided to enjoy several seasonal events instead of fretting over decorating the house. I hosted my family for Thanksgiving then got started on Christmas on Friday following Thanksgiving. With the help of my crew, I was able to complete one of my business installations on Friday. Then on Saturday we traveled to Atlanta to see the Story Tour. If you are not familiar with it, you need to check it out. The Story tells the story of the Bible through music and the cast is somewhat of an all-star cast of contemporary Christian musicians. It was a special treat.  On Sunday, we came back to our church for Keyboards and Carols which is an all keyboard program. It is always excellent. We also attended our downtown Christmas stroll, several Christmas parties, and the Christmas choral program at the nearby college where our nephew is enrolled. I also completed another commercial installation and have finally done a little decorating at home. I have also shipped lots of dinnerware. If you are interested in Bethlehem Christmas dinnerware, there is still time as turn around is very quick and shipping is still moving very quickly.

I wanted to share our Christmas beverage station in the kitchen.

The little ginger jar to the right has individual Keurig packets.

I thought it would be fun to put the hot chocolate powder and marshmallows in these bottles that originally had syrup in them.

The snowman bottle holds mini marshmallows.

This fun corner makes me smile very time I see it. I hope that you are taking time to enjoy the season too!

I’ll be linking to the Scoop at Stone Gable.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! In appreciation, the Thanksgiving sale is now in progress until Sunday, Dec 1.  Click on the image to go directly to the website.

Making the Most of the Holidays

I love the holiday season! I am determined to make the most of the season again this year. I am well into my preparations for Thanksgiving and I have started preparing our holiday treats too so that my family members will be able to take some treats with them to enjoy during their holiday hustle and bustle. I have also started on two other goals. One goal is to play some Christmas music on the piano every day between now and Christmas. Yesterday, the piano technician came and picked up the action (that’s the working parts that move with the keyboard) for my nearly 100 year old grand piano to have some work done. I can’t wait to see how it turns out and I am confident in the company that is doing the repair work.  Meanwhile, I will be playing on our electronic piano.

My other goal is to put something in every red bucket that I pass. This requires extra effort since I don’t always have cash on me but so far I haven’t missed one yet! I would encourage you to do the same.  All of our decorating will be starting immediately after Thanksgiving.

The nutcrackers will be put out for enjoyment.

The snow village will come to life.

The table will be set.

Mantles will be decked.

Cherished collectibles will come out.

Trees will go up.

And I will savor every moment. I hope that you will too! If you would like to see more photos of previous posts, you can click here,here,here,here and here.

Don’t forget, there will be a great Thanksgiving sale this week on Bethlehem Christmas dinnerware! Click on the photo to go directly to the website.

Blessings!

I will be linking to Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style.

A Great Gift for the Men in Your Life

For me, this is THE BUSIEST week of the year! My “to-do” list is a mile long and I am tackling it as quickly as I can. Christmas will be here before we know it and I have a great gift idea for the men in your life. My husband recently purchased this book and has thoroughly enjoyed it. He has enjoyed it so much that I thought I was going to have to call 911 several times. He has laughed so hard that I thought he was going to need emergency assistance. I am not exaggerating!! After regaining his composure he would say “I have to read this to you.” It has certainly brightened several evenings for us after a hard day of work.

This book is filled with humorous and heart warming stories of outdoors in the south. While my husband would not be considered an outdoorsman, he grew up hunting and fishing with his grandfather and this book brought back great memories for him.  Obviously, I can’t give this to my husband because he has already read it, but we will be gifting it to other men on our list. Ten Was The Deal comes in all formats, hardcover, paperback, and eReader. You can go to this link to find out where to purchase it.

I will be hosting Thanksgiving this year and am planning to try something a little different for seating. I hope to be able to post my table soon. The menu will be traditional. My family does not like it when we switch things up for the holidays! I will be baking my fresh apple black walnut cake and can’t wait to have a slice!

You can click this link to get the recipe. I hope to post the recipe for our pumpkin pie too. It has a secret ingredient that makes it better than any other we have had. I’ll also be making my 5 Minute Sweet Tea.

You can see how I make it by clicking here. Of course, there will be  a whole lot of cooking in this house! I hope to make some Christmas treats for my family to take with them to enjoy during the holidays. I will have my dishpans ready before Thursday. If you haven’t seen it already, you have to click here to get the best tip ever if you are hosting a large meal in your home. I have used it several times and it works great! I have two Christmas Decorating installations to do and am ready to get started on those. And lastly but not least, I will be packing and shipping dinnerware.

You can click here to place your order. There may just be a great Thanksgiving sale a little later this week!

I am so thankful for all of my blessings including my online friends and readers. I hope that you have a wonderful week and a very Happy Thanksgiving!

I’ll be linking to Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life and to The Scoop at Stone Gable.