One Down and a few more Tasks to go!

I was so thankful that the girls caught the "help Mom" bug yesterday.  We have way too many clothes.  I had gotten several loads behind - folding, hanging and putting away.  Thanks to my girls they jumped right in and we just had a clothes folding/organizing party.  Or so H declared.  I can't tell you how wonderful it felt to have them help me tackle this.  I told them if they didn't give me anything as a present, this was the perfect gift.  It was so overwhelming, but when we all chipped in it was not so bad. 

Now we still have a few loads that need to be washed etc. and the "basket of missing a mate socks" is still there, but all in all I can check that one off the to do list.  Since the rain has set in I know yardword is off the list for the next few days, so I will pick another inside task.... Maybe I will finally get my kitchen organized and decluttered? 

I know I will be spending time with Mom on Thursday so- probably not much work will be done at our house.  I look forward to spending some quality time with MOM:)

Just enjoying time with my Family!

It's is a busy season, but I don't want to be too busy to enjoy it.  Loving the extra time I have off from work to catch up on some things around the house and spend time with my family.  I hope that my list of things to do will be checked off by the time we all go back to school.
1. organize kitchen
2. clean out my closet
3. yard work
4. tackle the laundry
5. help my Mom

Free Lamp (part 2)

Just wanted to post a quick update on the Free lamp makeover.  It was simple and lots of fun.  I had always wanted to cover a lamp shade.  Luckily I had some material that I had previously purchased.  So basically the only thing we had to purchase was the $2 can of spray paint.  So here it is.

Once I get it to its new home I will post an update to this blog entry.......  I love how it turned out.  I think C was suprised at how well it turned out.

Give a Mom a Free Lamp and......... (Part 1)

Busy week for the Madden girls.  C is packing up for college, H has her second week of band camp, and me I am wide open getting ready for the first days of the school year.  Last minute things always come up.  Well C and I ( mostly me) have been busy gathering things for the new "college" apartment.  Luckily it has all the appliances and main furniture.  We were just lacking in the area of misc items.

So enter my plea to my wonderful Facebook friends for a little help.  Within seconds of my plea for a table lamp- I had an offer. Thanks Kristin..... She tagged me in a picture of the wonderful lamp and of course I said YES!!!!  I knew I could make it work.


Here is the before picture as posted on facebook.....

 

How could I turn this down.  I ended up picking up this lamp, a floor lamp, some cook books, a tv and my most favorite piece of all- a drop leaf side table.  LOVE.  Kristin my dear how could you let her go?  (That will be another blog post) I am keeping it for my house.   Any way thank you so much Kristin- I appreciate every item so much.

Where was I...... I had C pick up a can of matte black spray paint.  We decided it would look better painted black to match the floor lamp that Kristin gave us.

Here it is again before I painted it.  Pay close attention to that shade.  You will not recognize the makeover .

Sorry to leave you hanging,  projects like this take a little time and I have to work on them along.   I am almost finished with the final project,,,,,,,,  Stay tuned...

jen

Busy Summer So Far

Already two weeks of summer gone.  Is it just me or does time go by faster when you get older???  Any way I have had a productive summer so far.  I really have not accomplished alot at home but that is fine.  I have enjoyed time with the girls- right now that is more important to me than having a spotless house.  I can never take credit for how they have grown and matured in to the wonderful young women they are.  I thank God for them.  As they get older I do find myself searching for a balance.  They no  longer need me as much - I don't mean that in a bad way.  I have spent  most of my adult life raising these girls- and I think sometimes you loose who you are.  While I do enjoy doing lots of things, My life is most joyous when my children are involved.

H has attended a Girls in Technology camp this week at PTC. (No I do not expect her to follow in my footsteps). She felt it was a bit boring , but I am happy she stuck with it.  C was my precious taxi driver and woke up early each day to make sure H made it there and back.   I do appreciate her doing that.

C and I have had a great time since she has been back from college.  I really was not sure how we would mesh since she has been away and had her full freedom.  I have been pleasantly suprised. Not sure if she will read this or not,  but she agrees totally with me.  She had her reservations about how we would get along.  If I am not mistaken we have not really had a huge argument so far.

Work took me to a wonderful Technology conference this week.  It was refreshing to see some new things, and I can't help but say I work with the most awesome group of people!!!  Can't wait to implement some of them.

I have some time off soon, so I will be digging in and showing some more of my mom's home projects, and I hope I get to one of mine. 

And in my final comments I must put a plug in for my little happy spot, The Ragpicker.  I do not know why all of a sudden I love this stuff, but I do.  Maybe its just a new thing for me to focus on.  Home blogs, pinterest, and learning my Ipad are some of my favorite things to do right now.  They take little effort- and I just enjoy them.

So until i post again take care!

Love Affair with a Drop-leaf Table

I am now the proud owner of an old drop-leaf table.  I had been eyeing that baby for a couple weeks and finally it was marked down.  I have no idea yet where I am going to put it- but I am so excited it is mine.  Don't know why- but hey its the little things that make me happy.  I don't have a picture of it- I know whats wrong with me...  But I will take one and post it when I get it home.  Yea, that's another problem.  I have to ask someone (with a truck) to help me get it home.

I purchased it at the Ragpicker- which by the way has a great moving sale going on.  I really hate they are moving - but the place they are going to is a really cute house on South Main Street Gwd.  It will be a fun Sat morning adventure spot.

Until later........

An update on My Mom's projects!

Spent some time with Mom on Friday.  Did not get into any major "projects".  She had my Brother and my nephew building a deck and I didn't want to have too much going on.  Besides I was just not that into painting and such.  She was able to get an issue taken care of in the little bathroom beside her new "office" so I will be working on that next.  I promise I will post pictures.  I will get some pictures of the Deck she had done as well.  Her little place needed lots and lots of work.... but we are plugging away at it one task at a time.

I have a few projects of my own that I hope to take care in the near future.  I recently purchased some material at our local Hancock fabric store.  I want to spruce up my backporch/laundry room and my kitchen.  I have recently discovered I love shopping and looking at places like the Ragpicker.  I have purchased quite a few items that I want to use in my kitchen.  I also need to organize my cabinets and create some storage.  Caitlin informed me that I did not need to buy anything else until I used all my stuff that I have bought.  I don't think she understands that I have a plan and there is a reason for my collection of goodies.

Let me go get busy with my projects.... until next time.......

Mom's room almost complete!

Mom's room is almost complete.  I took a few hours Saturday with the help of Caitlin to complete some of the finishes.  I completed the molding around the floor and fixed the window ac unit opening.  We also changed out the light fixture, good thing Caitlin is tall.  I have never installed a light fixture, but I found it quite easy.  ( sorry forgot to take a light picture- I will next time)  We had purchased a simple book shelf to hold some of mom's favorite books.  We also placed a few of the pictures in the room.  I have some other ideas and personal touches I want to add to the room- but my main goal was to finish the painting and finish work.  The pretty touches can come later.  Mom also needs to find a comfortable chair.

Here are a few pictures!

I hung this picture even though I did not have everything I wanted to go on this wall.  I have some family photos that I plan to hang around it. ( Sorry for the glare on the picture)

I loved this picture- Mom may have not picked it but she let me  be the one to choose the pictures.

Hope, believe, love, laugh

I plan to use the W on the shelf and the little dog planter somewhere in the  room.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer

Day two of Mom's room

I am ashamed to say I forgot my camera on Saturday so I have no before pictures.  You are going to have to trust me on the difference a coat of paint makes on a small room.  I primed and then painted.  I used valspar paint from Lowes.  I found the color online.  When I went to our local Lowes they no longer had the paint chip sample for that color - so the guy just mixed up a sample for me.  I loved it so I went with it.  It is SR910 Midsummer's dream.  Go to http://www.valsparpaint.com/en/explore-colors/color-selector/#2  to see it.  Also you can click here http://www.valsparpaint.com/en/index.html to order a free sample they are giving away until May 1- 1000 a day.

Today is day two and I am going to focus on laying some of the press and stick tiles.  I have some prep work first, but I think it will go pretty smooth.  I then plan to put the molding at the bottom- so wish me luck with cutting the molding.  Ha Ha- me and that little saw don't really get along yet.  Notice I said yet!

I have in mind the decor for the room but I have not purchased it all yet.  I plan to take my camera today so I will post those pictures.

Day ONE of my Mom's room makeover

I am excited to finally have the time to get started on my Mom's place.  We will be working on her reading room.  I have picked out a pretty shade of green.  I have lots of work ahead of me so I hope that I can finish this project in the two days that I have alotted.  My hope is to create a space that My mom can relax, read a book and use her computer.

I love doing home projects.  I will admit I would love to be here!

Edisto!!!  I will get there soon enough... so for now I will work on my fun projects.

I will post my adventure soon!!!  So stay tuned.....