To the Moon and Back

Coming soon.....a new grandson!

So, what does this crafty grandma do?  I start making things for the new little bundle of joy!

Here's my favorite gift so far - a precious little child's chair, with Solar System decor to match his nursery.   And my feelings, because I definitely Love Him to the Moon and Back again - already!

Of course, I used Dixie Belle Paint products, as they are the best this Nana has ever tried!  The chalk mineral paints are "easy peasy", have great coverage and make almost anyone seem like a pro!  I first cleaned this dirty little white chair with Dixie Belle's White Lightening cleaner.  Then I blended colors on the old rush seat, as well as the chair, to create a dark night effect.  I used Bunker Hill Blue and Pure Ocean, then splattered a fine mist of Pure Ocean to create my own Milky Way.

I hand painted the lettering with a mix of Pure Ocean and Drop Cloth, and the moon with Colonel Mustard, also blended with Drop Cloth.  The stars were so tiny that I had to use paint pens in silver and copper to get the tiny details I wanted.  My hands just aren't quite steady enough to go that small with a brush!  Keep in mind, the chair is less than 2 feet tall!

You can purchase all the amazing Dixie Belle Paint Company products HERE through our affiliate link.  We are here to help if you have questions or advice.  Just drop us a message.

Anyway, I'm so excited to see this chair in action soon.  But in the meantime, I'll stay busy creating lots of other fun and useful things for my new little man.

Flower Boxes

What a lucky gal I am!  Look at what my sweet hubby built and surprised me with this week!

Yes, a gorgeous flower box full of colorful blooms!  He certainly knows well my love of these gorgeous ornamental plantings...and if you know me at all, you probably know it too.  You see, my dear Irish Isle is just covered with colorful blooming flower boxes, and I've longed to recreate that charm here in hot, dry Texas.  Being a pragmatist, dear hubby has continued to point out how bad they look when all the flowers are dry and dead.  But, being a problem solver of the finest degree, he obviously found a solution!  And an inexpensive and easy one at that!

Look closely at the photo...yes, indeed!  That is simply a section of vinyl gutter transforming my little fence into a glorious garden!  A quick coat of spray paint, a few drain holes drilled in the bottom, and voila!  Beautiful!

Here's his instructions:  Cut vinyl gutter to desired length if needed.  Spray paint all white vinyl pieces as desired.  Assemble per instructions for gutter.  Drill drain holes in bottom approximately 12 inches apart.  Hang with cable ties (see detail in photo below).  Lay landscape fabric (or coffee filters) in bottom of entire planter, then fill with potting soil and flowers!  The vinyl makes this very light and easy to handle!

 

Dear Hubby hung this on our low fence where normal lawn watering will keep them moist.  He also selected heat & drought resistant plants (portulaca) which thrive in our hot and humid climate.  I'm thrilled with this surprise, so I'll repeat....what a Lucky Gal I am!!

Possibilities!

I'm married to a true visionary!  This can be such a blessing....and can also drive me to madness!  I've never met anyone who can walk through Home Depot and find an alternate use for every single product on the shelves.  When asked if we need help, I usually just grin and say "no thanks" because explaining is way too complicated for my simple mind.

We've used plumbing fixtures for furniture, galvanized gutter for crown molding, cattle tanks for bathtubs, and on and on.  I plan to share more about the projects soon.  Today I'm remembering my introduction to "creative thinking" and recycling.....not to mention a life of crime!

Many, many years ago my dear hubby came home from work with a sparkle in his eye and a plan in his mind.  He'd seen a railroad cart in a trash dumpster and had to have it.  I was told to dress in black, put my hair inside a dark ball cap and join him for a ride.  We drove in the darkness to an industrial area, parked in a nearly empty lot and snuck inside an open fence.  He stealthily climbed into a huge dumpster and handed down a large dirty cart.  It was heavy and I was frightened, but exhilerated at the same time.  We quickly packed the treasure into the truck and headed home.   I didn't sleep much that night, partly from fear, and partly from the noise in his workshop.  By morning, he'd dismantled the cart into neat piles.  I was told this would soon be my new coffee table.  Hmmmmm.....not so sure about that one, pardner!

Within a few days the weathered wood had been sanded and stained.  The metal parts had been cleaned, primed and painted.  I wasn't so sure of the bright green and red, but like always, I trusted his artistic eye and keen sense of style.  This was the result:

This beauty now graces my living room and is such an amazing source of pride and memories.  It was our first "project" together, and set the tone for our future artistic adventures.  We've since built a new home and are still in the process of putting that personal touch into the final finishes.  I still value dear hubby's vision and eye for seeing the possibilities!

Pathways of Life

Happy New Year everyone!  After a long absence, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel!  Several family members have suffered serious illness recently and so many of you have lifted up prayers in our behalf.  For your thoughtfulness we are truly grateful and we know that God will guide our way through the pathways of life.

 Additionally, we are fast approaching a new stage of our lives - retirement!  We are packing our home of 28 years and planning to move into our new nest in the country.  We've owned "the farm" for many years, and have enjoyed many weekend outings in our little apartment.  Now we're preparing a full-fledged house with room to spare.  No doubt we'll need that extra room as we adjust to spending 24 hours a day together!  We plan to post our progress here....so stay tuned to join us in the fun!  Here are a few photos of the site which we've prepared with our own hands (and a little help from our trusty blue tractor!)

(Don't try this at home!  This crazy behavior is for certified, licensed, hard-headed do-it-yourselfers only!!!!)

Stay tuned............