25 December, 2012

Christmas Playhouse Surprise!

Merry Christmas Everyone!
Marc and I spent the last couple of days building a special Christmas gift for Emry, Caroline, Matry and Annabelle.
Also for Caroline's little brother or sister...we don't know which yet :)
All of this was built step by step with no plans...
just my vision of what I wanted the end result to be.
 
 
At the beginning...
 
 
Day two.
 
 
Day three.
 

Cheap labor :)

 
Very early Christmas morning...
Wrigley was checking everything out.
I moved the Christmas tree from the family room to the playhouse
because I needed the room in there for Emry's present.
 
 
 
 
 
It was a huge hit!
 
 
 
 
 

 
I think it'll be enjoyed by all the girls!
 
 


 
 
Annabelle may be a little young to understand
 all the fun times ahead with her sisters and cousins....
 
Have a safe and wonderful New Year!
 
 
oh...Mrs Potato Head's glasses...rough morning...
 
 
ann marie



17 December, 2012

Vintage Sparkle



 
 
I've always loved vintage.
I think it just gives me a sense of comfort.
Things seemed to be simpler.
Times seemed to be safer.
Maybe they weren't, but we didn't know that.
 
Many of these pieces hold special memories for me.
 Snapshots.
Smiles.
 
 
Roadside find and memories.
 
 
 
The stunning blue necklace was a wedding gift from my father in law to his bride.
 
 
The strand of pearls with the cameo clasp belonged to my Grandmother, she was born in 1895.
I think my mom may have been a surprise.
My Grandmother, Eva, kept all her earrings in this tiny container.
I think she may have had 6 or 7 pairs.
I remember helping her pick out the earrings she would wear that day.
 
 
I took all these little works of art out of boxes they'd been sitting in.
I remarked to my husband it was like Christmas morning,
I hadn't seen some of these in awhile.
Others I simply forgot I had.
 
 
 
 
I know that my display is a male torso.
He's pretty and useful, what more can you ask for?
 
 
 
 
 
One of my very favorite little people...
in her pink Patriot's jersey.
 
ann marie
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 


05 December, 2012

Going Gray :)

It's not what you're thinking...
 
After an extremely busy year, I took the month of December off.
So...I'm getting some things done around here while I have the time.
We sold the dark leather couch, loveseat and chair.
We sold the rug.
We sold the coffee table that was way too big for this room.
This is the only picture I could find that shows the dark rug, furniture and coffee table,
kind of.
 
I wanted a lighter room with comfortable furniture.
We bought a new couch.
We bought a new rug.
I brought my Wingback chairs in from the Family Room.
I love the legs on these chairs.
 
 
This is my "before" of how the room was this morning.
I had already started to disassemble the room.
A couple of hours later and this is what we now have.
 
 
 
 
 
New wall color?
Why, Going Gray of course!
 
ann marie
 
 
 
 
 


14 November, 2012

Hello Sweet Annabelle James

Enjoy!
 
 
 
 
Big Sister ...giving her first kiss
 
 
 
Her toes are so tiny...
 
 
Sneaking another kiss...
after this Matry was more interested in playing
than with visiting with her new baby sister.
 
 
Yep...she's really here...had to share some of the love :)
 
ann marie
 


29 July, 2012

Dutch Door for Dogs and Kids?


This is my project door.
This is what the kitchen looked like when we bought the house.
The door opened into the garage.
The garage is now our family room and there is no need for a door.
The door has been spending time in the side yard the last couple of years.
Then I had a brilliant idea.
I was in need of a functional way to keep the dogs out of the living room on occasion.
Like when Matry comes over to visit.
She doesn't really mind them being around, I do.
Lots of dogs and a little house.
 I've been using one of those doorway gates.
Not a problem for the three little ones.


Noble, however, hops right over it.


Matry tries to climb over to get into the kitchen...
she knows that's where the good stuff is.
Especially when her Pepere is cooking.
Not a safe place when there's cooking going on.
Now's when the door pops into my head!


Leave a painted door outside for a year or two and all the paint just peels off.
My Plan A was to make a Dutch door out of it and put it between the Kitchen and Living Room.
I carefully mark where I want to cut it, set up my straight edge and go to town with my circular saw.



So far everything going according to plan.
I did have to take a smidge off one of the sides so it would actually fit the doorway.
I will prime and paint it this week.
I wanted to be sure it would work the way I pictured it...


I think it's going to be perfect!


I'm not sure if I'm going to install the top half of the door.
The truth is it wouldn't ever be closed.
We have to leave it open for the air flow for AC and Heating.
Not to mention it is already hot when cooking.
Maybe Plan B will be a half door with some type of crown molding
and a shallow shelf for the top of the door.
I'll let you know with an update when it's finished.

ann marie









25 July, 2012

Vintage Industrial....Love

Took in a Yard Sale a few weekends ago...
while we were out walking on a Saturday morning.
There wasn't anything I couldn't live without.
Until I saw this.

16 and a 1/2 lbs of industrial beauty.


Gorgeous patina.


Add in some very delicate legs...


The perfect spot for towels,
or a glass of wine,
candles maybe?


In such a tiny bath she found the perfect spot.
How much do you have to spend for so much beauty?
$5.00 if you're at the right yard sale ;)

ann marie

17 July, 2012

4th of July...snapshots

OK, so this is a little late.  Here are some of the highlights.

Parade in the morning






Only in Texas...


Later in the day we went down to the park where friends were competing in the
BBQ Ribs and Chili Contest. 
We had a blast!


This was their BBQ/Smoker setup.
This trailer was crazy!
2 huge grills/smokers.
Prep space.


A very cool sink setup.


What was so nice was that the grills were up and away from all the kids running around.




Excellent food!  These guys cooked for 2 days. 
 They started the brisket at 11 pm on July 3rd.
We had it for lunch on the 4th.
Dedication.


Cowgirl Up!


I wish you could smell what a Cook-Off smells like.
Wonderful!




Ummm....deconstructed deer...I mean Super Deer!



Did I mention it was HOT!
High 90's.
So we gathered up the kids and went back to the house for a dip in the pool, some shade and cold refreshments.
We live 5 houses away from the park.





As the sun started to go down, people started to gather in anticipation of the Fireworks.
They also enjoyed the Carnival which sets up right here in the park.












The Fireworks were amazing
and a good time was had by all.


For Matry it was a very long day.
I think she really enjoyed it though.

ann marie