Beuhler? Beuhler?!

My goodness! Has it really been 2 months since my last post?!  You thought I fell off the face of the earth, didn't you?  I'm so touched that you noticed my absence : ) thanks for checking on me!!  I did go back to work.  And with the end of the school year, spring sports & having a graduating senior it's been quite a whirlwind. I have several projects in progress but nothing truly complete...  hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's day! & hoping to have something to share in the near future(ish)

Here's a glimpse at a few things I've been working on in the last few months:

Just a little 'thank you' gift

Before

After

There was nothing wrong with the light before.  I just wanted something different.  I still need Handy Hubby : ) to rewire the light to add a candle...

Someone had the bright idea that hand-painting a canvas drop cloth would be an economical solution to purchasing expensive fabric to cover my first chair.  After hours and hours and HOURS of painting...

and realizing I would need about 4 yards of fabric...

I couldn't take it any more and have abandoned that idea to make a couple of pillows!

Sigh!!

And finally, the only project I actually finished.

It's a centerpiece for senior night at youth group.  We were each asked to create a centerpiece that represented out senior.  I wasn't sure which direction I wanted to go with that.  Wandering around Hobby Lobby one day I came upon a display of birdhouses.  I decided the centerpiece would reflect my daughter's many different homes.  First, our house number is above the front door.  It's a place she'll always be welcomed and where I hope she'll always call home.  The little sign on the perch is for her church home.  One side of the house is for her high school home.  A place that will hold a special place in her heart, I'm sure!  I made a little tassel out of embroidery thread that hangs from the Fleur De Les (she takes French, is part French & it's the symbol of her HS).  The other side represents the place she will be making her new school home in the fall.  The ribbons on the post reflect the different parts of her personality.  And on the back I printed up a Bible verse.

One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.  Psalm 27:4

My!  How time flies!!  Graduation already?  Where did my baby go?

She's about to spread her wings and fly!

{I didn't totally realize how perfect and symbolic that birdhouse really was until just now!}

Well, that's all folks!!

Back to reality - groceries & laundry await!

Blessings!

Partying at:

Craft-o-manic
Decor Chick 
Making the World Cuter

Vision Victory

Today I'm going Green and recycling one of my earliest posts {I don't even think anyone ever read it : ) }.  & talk about green - Sheesh!  I'd like to think I've shown some improvement since I started blogging...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once upon a time there was a Mad Bench. What is a Mad Bench, you ask? It is a solid oak plank bench acquired by my mother-in-law many moons ago... many children ago (of which she has 9 and between the 9 there are 32 grandchildren). When her children were young and foolhardy, they were made to sit on what became dubbed the Mad Bench when they were 'mad' and needed to calm down (or if mom was mad at them and she needed a break). 

At some point we became the proud owners of the Mad Bench. Over the years it moved further and further from public view and only came out when we needed extra seating. It's sorta functional but not even sorta pretty. I've thought of giving it a makeover for years some time but am an awful not a very good seamstress . Then push came to shove due to "The Great Furniture Shuffle" and it became necessary to bring out the 2nd and 3rd string players. I decided to tackle the Mad Bench project - duun, duun, duuuuuun! Again, I had no plan or pattern - sometimes people never learn!! Maybe it makes life more frustrating exciting to wing it...

I got all of the materials 1/2 off or with coupons, of course! Handy Hubby : ) built me a wooden apron to go right over the top of the bench so as not to permanently alter the sentimental bench. I used spray adhesive to attach the 2" foam for some cush on the tush. I picked out a fabric suspiciously similar to one in Ballard Designs and some black piping.



I measured, I pinned, I sewed, I undid, and redid. (Grrrrr)

I'm happy to finally, Finally report that the Mad Bench is no longer what it was (although I almost went mad during the process and had to take a time-out from that said bench many, Many times)!!!! Now you wouldn't even recognize it as the Mad Bench, mostly because you can't see any of it anymore. It's not too horrible for my first attempt, if I do say so myself! Not beautiful, not horrible. But... well, nobody is allowed to sit on it - are you kidding me?! After all the blood, sweat and tears? Uuuuum. No. Ma'am!!


Benches are for looking at and admiring from afar. Try to sit on that bench and I'll give you something to be mad about!!  : )

Come join me for another look-see, won't you? We're admiring and admiring.

And so these three new looks (the tablecloth, the spray painted coffee table and the mad bench) were a few of the little things that made me say, "Aaaaah! so satisfying!" 

Gotta love it when a plan comes together!

So there you have it - MLE's ABC's

Blessings!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Today I'm participating in:

R is for Ridiculous!

CAUTION:

Too many snow & ice days...

 

may kill brain cells...

 

Yup!  I'm sooo proud!  : )

Blessings!

Wordless Wednesday

Seven Clown Circus

Happy 2011!

Wow!  It seems like for.e.ver since I posted last!

Well, I've finished my seasonal stint with Am@z*n.com.  Whew!  that was WAY more than I bargained for...
Was sick in bed for Christmas...
Still putting away holiday stuff that I feel I hardly got to enjoy...
Filled out FAFSA forms for 2 kids...
Threw a 70th birthday celebration for Dear 'ol Dad...
Muddling through teenage angsty issues...
Assembled a donation for a Ladies' Candlelight Dinner auction...
Gearing up for an anniversary...
Shoveled the driveway at least 3 times...
Feeling a bit brain dead & it's only January...

I could probably bore you to death on each of these topics but I'll spare you today : )

I try to peek in on my dashboard now & again but I'm terribly behind!  Hopefully, I'll be back in the swing of things again soon and I might even manage to muster up enough creative juices to pull something together for Valentine's Day?!  Oh the pressure!  I am tempted to participate in Decor Chick!'s Real Homes, Real Messes, Real Life Party.  That's about my speed right now...  Go take a peek, it'll make ya feel better : )

At least I've updated my blog background - it's officially winter-fied!  {although maybe I should have done that 25" of snow ago.  hehe}  Ah well!  spring won't be here anytime soon!

I truly hope you are all well!  Looking forward to sitting down with my cup of coffee, my sanity, my mojo & catching up with you soon!

Hugs & blessings