Looking Back

and Moving Forward 

2013 

a year in review

First a quick shot of my buffet for Christmas this year.

I didn't get it finished. I got sick and gave up.

(I didn't have Christmas dinner at my house)

That white tree in the foreground is a white feather tree given to me by my sister.

I got it just a day or two before Christmas so it didn't get decorated but I'll be anxious

to do it up next year!

That little white tree fence was given to me last year by MVL reader....Belinda.

Hi, Belinda!

So...

I've succumbed to peer pressure....

Everyone is listing all their accomplishments of the last year during this last week of 2013.

I thought I'd list what I got done too.

I'm afraid it was far less than I intended.

I did not get any major projects done but let's review anyway.

January started out with my Mom recuperating from her heart valve surgery in my back bedroom.

see post here

Today, she is 100%. That was a great start to the new year but a slow start for me and projects.

I gathered up some vintage pink doilies to make a table runner for Valentine's Day.

see post here

I made a lampshade and pillow and dressed up the guest bedroom with a vintage headboard.

see post here

Warm weather took me outside on the deck where I fashioned a chandelier out 

of outdoor led candles and a birdcage.

see post here

Harvey has been on a big time diet this year. This photo was taken in July. He's lost more weight since then.

Some of you noticed in his Christmas tree decorating photo how thin he is.

more photos to come....this one was in low light. 

He's just about reached his goal weight but he is hungry all the time.

He follows me around the house and demands to be fed.

This summer I did a little painting including this dog portrait for a fellow blogger...

see post here

That's Kelly's little Emmett from My Soulful Home.

I made a fun umbrella slipcover for my outdoor umbrella.

see post here

Fixed up a Goodwill lamp and made a burlap lampshade and interchangeable lamp jewelry.

see post here and here

In the fall I made lots of sweater pumpkins

see post here

and scary little flying bats

see post here

For Thanksgiving I sewed up a burlap table runner and gave instructions on how to make one for yourself.

see post here

During the fall...I was busy painting my living room.

Lamps.com sent me a pretty lamp to review and it was my first photography 

of the living room's new color - Sherwin Williams: Shoji White.

see post here

For Christmas I made lots of little bottle brush trees and included directions.

see post here

You can see the new living room color in these photos.

The day I posted photos of these trees it was cloudy so the photos were not as bright as I would have liked.

So I took a few more photos today in the sunlight.

There....that's the ugly truth...those chippy windows.

Still to be painted. First thing on list for 2014.

And the room badly needs drapes.

Another shot of the wall color. More chippy woodwork.

Did I tell you that the piece of furniture I was going to make into a potting bench has

ended up in that far corner? 

The dresser I had there before was too small and this piece

is just right. 

So its going to get painted soon and stay.

I think.

Last year...in January I brought this ottoman home. 

Now, Pier 1 has a new fabric choice in this style.

A solid linen in a color called parchment.

I'll be selling this one and have already got the new one on order.

I wanted a solid when I bought this one and was going to slipcover.

Now I don't have to.

Sometimes it pays to procrastinate.

sometimes....

but rarely

I've got lots I need to get done this year

Here is a new list...

Paint the windows in the living room and dining room and all woodwork.

Paint the dining room to match the living room.

Make drapes for the living room and dining room

paint the shutters I have in the dining room

get the salvaged piece of carrera marble I've got in my car cut for my kitchen island top

find a new piece of furniture to use as a potting bench cause I brought that piece inside and 

and like it in the corner of my living room

paint that piece of furniture for my living room

paint my french dresser which I am now using in the dining room

fix up a mirror that is on that chest

get the thermostat fixed on the oven

fix the garage door...make it work and look better

Paint the front door

Those are just the musts!

There are plenty of other things I just want to do.

And projects that will just come up.

Oh...and I need to figure out what I'm going to do with the rest of my life!

Here's to a full and busy and productive 2014!

Happy New Year!

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Mod Mix Monday #133

via

A great big vintage junk bar cart to get the party started for the New Year.

It is that time....time to start a new year....or almost anyway.

but 

First,

the reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

Yes, I've been gone for so long some of you worried something was seriously wrong.

I just had too much going on with trying to get ready for Christmas and working and 

I got a serious cold and flu too.

I'm still sniffling but much better.

It was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other for a few days there.

Posting seemed impossible.

I could go on and on about how my holiday was.

It was weird.

I tried to make it the best but it just turned out strange.

I was going to tell you all about it...but it might be better left unsaid.

I did get to spend it with my Mom although it was rushed, I was sick and it was weird.

Mom didn't care. She is a trooper.

We'll try again next year.

I could talk quite a bit about my observance of how people were acting this Christmas.

I'm afraid I'd sound quite a bit like Charlie Brown talking about the over commercialization of it and all.

I will say....sales at the store were slow...and people were in a bad mood but as 

soon as the holiday was over...sales were brisk and people were in a very good mood.

What does this say?

Before Christmas I'd decided that everyone was in a bad mood because they were having 

to spend money on others and not themselves.

I'm afraid what I've noticed after has confirmed my hypothesis. 

People were unhappy and mean before Christmas because they were buying for others and

People were happy after Christmas because they were spending money on themselves.

I hate to say it but I'm glad its all over.

I'm very tired.

I even thought about quitting blogging.

But you know what?

 The only place that things are really perfect in my life is here on this darn blog.

So....let's get this party started!!!!

Here are my favorites from the last time I held Mod Mix Monday!

 Laurel of The North End Loft finished her kitchen remodel.

It's so lovely. Open and airy and they kept all the vintage details.

 Over at Home Coming they finished their master bedroom. 

It's so fresh and modern!

Look what Karen of Somewhat Quirky Design came up with for Christmas.

A Christmas tree made of stacked light globes!

Karen by the way is an old sorority sister of mine. We reconnected this past summer

after not seeing each other since college. She wrote me one day and said...

"I think I was a Delta Zeta with you." 

Yep, we were sleazy DZ's together. small world

 

Karen of Elderberry Street shared her Christmas Home Tour.

I fell in love with this little corner. It's everything Christmas should be.

Ok, I am in love with this image. It invokes the perfect Christmas by the Sea and it comes

via Mary of Boogie Board Cottage. It's so divine.

Mary also made this wonderful lampshade for one of her lamps this Christmas.

So special.

I feel better already...back in the groove.

Time to start thinking about projects to do in the next year.

Let's look at what your up to now.

Link up below!

Remember anything old made over to be new...anything new changed up to look old.

New and old together...

Please include the Mod Mix Monday logo and back link to me.

Use a permalink to your individual post not to your entire blog.

If you link up...I'd appreciate it, if you'd follow me.

 

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Stockings Are Hung

This morning the sun finally came out and I shot a few pics before rushing off

for a busy day at the store.

The weenie's stockings are hung all in a row.

A few weeks ago one of my long time readers, Karla sent a surprise for my dogs.

Handmade stockings for each!

And they were full of gifts!

I've been keeping these hidden ever since they came.

 

Aren't they cute? All sewn up using strips of different ribbon and satin.

 They add to the candy colored effect of my Christmas decor.

It's not Christmas without Hermey the Elf wanna be dentist.

This year he got a spot under my pink tinsel tree. 

My sister surprised me with another tinsel tree

similar to this one the other day...but in white.

That's another tree to decorate...not this year but next.

See the sorry state of my woodwork? 

That is going to be a job.

 I intended on taking more photos but I was running short on time before work.

Story of my life...

 Just a couple of shots of ornaments on the tree.

 Love these ornies. I need lots more!

 Really like the look of this over exposed photo...it looks so vintage!

 Isn't it amazing how Karla picked up all the colors of my Christmas stuff and included them in these handmade beauties? So very sweet. I can't imagine how many hours it took to make them.

Thank you Karla! I'll post photos of the weenies opening them.

 Now that my Christmas is all arranged...I just want to sit in the room but I have to keep going places. 

So many last Holiday things to do.

 Like I said in a previous post...those twinkles lights are soooo staying inside the fireplace after Christmas.

 I wanted to get some perfect shots of the tree but not enough time.

The chandelier all done up for Christmas.

See how much better all looks with my new wall color?

I'm in love with this room again!

Now I just need to paint the windows and hang drapes.

I really think the room needs some neutral colored drapes.

Tonight after work cause I won't have much time I'm going to make some 

simple Christmas treats like these...

via

tortilla rollups with cranberries, feta cheese, cream cheese and chives

 via

but I'm hoping to stack them like this on a cake plate.

We'll see if I get that far.

via

These will be sooooo easy to make...

via

Making these too but using a red velvet cake mix to do them.

Merry Christmas to You!!!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

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