MaggieGrace returns

She's back and it feels good. I don't know if I have shared the news here, but College Girl is now a Grad Student and is well into planning a huge event for herself in December.

College Girl will become Married Girl on December 15 this year.

We are well into a whole bunch of DIY wedding details.

The outtake below is from the day of the save the date photo shoot. Yes I am standing there to hold the danged chandelier out of the shot. This was made on my front porch and you may be wondering about the reason I happen to have a 12 arm light hanging there.

Here is why. College Girl pinned this image and wants a blinged candolier at the altar. We are trying to duplicate this idea "on the cheap" because that's how we roll. Enter Crusty Old Guy and the Habitat ReStore. He found the fixture in the picture above for 20 bucks.

Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com via Molly on Pinterest

Enter Mom and tools and spray paint.  I took the fixture apart (note to self  *** shoulda took reassembly notes) and stripped all the wiring out of it. I can tear ANYTHING up. I draped the drop cloths over the front porch steps and proceeded to start spray painting things white.

I sent these cute little images to College Girl showing here the progress I was making. The one below is the top without the hanging chain. The plan is pearls, crystals and rhinestones to be glued, hooked and draped from it.

Now remember that note to self from up yonder. Last night, bootcamp workout outside in 98degree weather then I go home still sweaty and gross and decide its time to put the fixture back together. I sit down on the steps and (fighting gnats) start to put this monster back together. It's still 95 degrees and about 90% humidity (welcome to july in georgia). I get all twelve arms together and aligned correctly.

Now look at the little text bubble in this picture.

See that cereal bowl sized piece on the bottom? See the swirl pieces that curve around it? I have all twelve arms on this monster at this point. I pick up the little bowl shaped piece and discover that it has to go on before ANY of those arms go on. At that very moment I was not a genteel southern lady at all (DAMMIT - THOSE OF YOU WHO REALLY KNOW THAT I AM NEVER ONE OF THOSE,,, QUIT LAUGHING) There was much cussing and stomping and slinging of arms as I took the whole damned thing back apart to put this together correctly this time.

I have not added all the candle cup things back on it, that is tonight's part of the project. Then it gets to hang there for a week while I go wiggle my toes in the sand.

Every little groove will get tiny seed pearl strings glued on. I'll be drilling holes for dangly bits with my handy dandy dremel tool.

I can see it in my mind. Maybe it will turn out the way I am imagining.

Much love.

Teresa

It's a good life

Good morning. It's summertime and the living is super wonderful. Hot -- July hot and humid here.

We are enjoying it though -- spending time NOTICING things.

Like last night's local episode of Animal Planet. We have black snakes at the house - not pets. I found this one eating a rat out by my studio. I'm not afraid of the snakes and find them in my studio fairly often. They are not typically agressive and keep the poisonous ones away. They keep the rats and mice out of the barns too. So they get to stay.

Way back in cold weather we found a trash pile in the woods behind the house. I dug out out several bottles and jars. No telling how long they had been there. Being the super efficient person that I am -- I had these in a tote by the kitchen steps since then. (Please don't judge) One night recently I cleaned them. Oh my there were treasures.

See that atlas strongshoulder jar -- it has a grey cast to it -- from being naturally irradiated. There is not a lid, but the jar is pristine ans the color is amazing. I found one on ebay that is not as clear for 16.99 -- not too bad for dug out of the trash pile.

The smaller jar is a Jumbo Peanut Butter jar - again I found a similar one on ebay for 14.00. Now to decide what to do with these ---- should they stay with me bcause they are cool or should I sell them because they have value?

This is just a fun edit of the picture ------

Now there is no quandry about the bottles above. They will be displayed / altered / sold as inspiration strikes. College Girl snagged these from her future mother-in-law for me. Love that they think of me on that kind of thing. I altered the raw picture using the free tools at www.befunky.com

Saturday, the 14th was my birthday and my Mama surprised me with this gallon sized pickle jar FULL of wooden spools. How cool is that? I'm thinking she knows me really well too.

She also gave me this baby food jar full of cloth shirt buttons. These will only be used on very special "perfect" projects. Why? They were my Nanny's. Right now they will sit in my studio and make me happy.

I'm planning the simply simple September series again -- hope you guys will join me for that.

Have a wonderful end of the summer Friday.

Blessings -- Teresa

Hey there Princess -- Happy Birthday

She was a total surprise -- I stood there holding that little stick looking at the indicator saying "it's pink, damn it's pink."

She got here fast and has not slowed down since --- 42 minutes of labor and she was ready to tackle the world.

Wide open and ready to go...that's my girl.

 She loves her mama.

 But, she is her daddy's little girl.

 Fearless -- she's that too.

 A serious athlete.

With great style. 

She loves her sister -- her sister loves her too.

Very little surprises me about her.

But she still amazes me every single day.

Fun loving (and she can dance) (and sing) --- and there was also this comedy thing in her graduation speech.

Not afraid of hard work - didn't miss a practice even on the day she had surgery to repair a broken hand. She was right there being a huge part of her team.

As she jumps for joy, she also makes others joyful.

This beautiful young lady, my second daughter, love of my life, and all around special and beautiful person ---- well she turns 19 at 2:42 this afternoon

Happy birthday Abby --- we love you.

I haven't passed away.

I do feel as if I am drowning.

Employee at work let go.
Me responsible for cleaning up the mess.
New manager that I am responsible for training (can you say massive issues here)

Getting a child ready to go back to college.

Getting a child ready to move into her own apartment.

Driving 14.2 mile each day to take a shower because the well went dry again.
Driving 5 miles to do laundry for the same reason.

Oh and did I mention --- planning a wedding and it's a DIY wedding. In December. The College Girl is marrying her great guy.

CAN YOU SAY MY LITTLE OL' PLATE IS FULL?

But just like in the Terminator Movies "I'll be back"