Friday, January 31, 2014

Cheap revamp of my bedside lamp

When I decided to paint my  bedroom I knew I'd have to do something about the terribly old and ugly lamp I had in there. I have had this lamp for at least 10 years and it was a cheap lamp to begin with---I want to say I got it at Dollar General for $5 or $10. It was still functional, just ugly and I thought surely there was hope for the poor thing.
I'm still getting the hang of this blogging business so I didn't even think of taking a "before" pic until I'd already started. But here is a before pic where I just happened to get the lamp in a different picture. Sorry for all the vitamins and junk around it (oops!).
And here's a sideview of the shade right after I started slapping the paint to it :)
As you can see, it really was ugly. I figured I couldn't make it worse no matter what I did to it. So I thought to myself..."Hey Self, why don't you try the same paint you used on the wall and put it on the shade?" Well, every now and again ol' Self has a good idea, so that's what I did. I just used a regular paintbrush and brushed the paint onto the shade. To my surprise the paint actually adhered and looked pretty darn good. Woohoo...GO SELF!
I put a couple of coats of the paint...Ocean Teal semi gloss wall paint.
 I knew better than to try painting the lamp base with that paint though as the base was glass.
I did, however, have some spray paint I was pretty sure would work :)
And I was right again...Crazy, right? lol

As I'm hoping to go with a butterfly theme in my bedroom I decided I'd try sticking some paper butterflies punched from a very similar colored cardstock that I just happened to have.
It's hard to tell in the pictures but the butterflies and the lampshade are VERY close in color and it looks much better in person.

I just used mini glue dots to adhere the butterflies to the shade.
I love how it turned out and it matches the bedroom perfectly now! And since I used only supplies that I already had it was a FREE transformation--and folks, it doesn't get much cheaper than that ;)

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Recap of the past week

In one way it's seemed to be a busy week and in another way, not so much. I haven't forgotten my blog...just haven't had a lot of opportunity to update until now.
Last Sunday I attended a wedding for one of my oldest, dearest friends. It was a beautiful wedding and I'm thrilled that she's found happiness again. Her first husband was an amazing man that was dearly loved by us all and he was taken way before his prime by the evil monster, cancer. I know her new husband must be a special guy to have captured and healed her heart. It was a good day <3

Monday was a normal day with just normal stuff except that Monday night we all loaded up and headed to the hospital for the long wait for the birth of our granddaughter, Princess Cadence. And believe, wait we did!! Was it worth it? No question :)  She is absolutely beautiful and perfect.

 And this is one proud Nana :) Let's just gloss over the fact that I had been awake for about 43 hours when this picture was taken.

 And here's Mommy, Daddy and baby Cadence. I sure have a beautiful family :)
While we were at the hospital a freak snow storm bestowed up on us several inches of snow. Normally I wouldn't mind so much, but in this case, I wasn't expecting it AND it kept several family members from being at the hospital which made them sad and also made those of us at the hospital sad. This was our yard when we finally made it home early Wednesday morning. Normally a 1 hour drive took us 2 hours.
The only plus side is having no school 3 days this week!

And apparently I picked up a nasty cold from the hospital and started feeling sick yesterday and even worse today. Just sinus junk, tired and sneezy. I'm awaiting my knight in shining armor as we speak--he's bringing me some much needed Nyquil and he can't get here fast enough!
In the absence of kleenexes I've resorted to good old White Cloud...not as good as Klennex but it's the next best thing and gets the job done.


You might be surprised to know too that I am slowly getting my scrapbook mojo back and started a layout today.

And I leave you with my current music playlist :)  I love me some BeeGees <3


And there you have the recap of my week. Hopefully I'll feel all better in a day or two and I can be a little more creative with my postings. Until then, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!

Friday, January 24, 2014

LOST: Scrapbook mojo

If found, please return to me ASAP!!
I mean, seriously, I have hundreds--no, thousands of photos waiting to be added to the scrapbooks. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way I've lost my scrapbook mojo--it's completely deserted me :(
I've done other projects...such as working on my bedroom wall but scrapbooking has been my passion since I first started in 2003.
Ya know, on second thought, it could simply be buried under all the junk on and around my scrapbook desk...Perhaps I should look there before I send out an APB :)


Tuesday, January 21, 2014

My finished "headboard" wall, as promised

Finished the birds for the branch on my bedroom wall and I love how they turned out!
I downloaded the cutting file from https://www.misskatecuttables.com/products/animals-pets/
I hope that link works! If it doesn't, you can go directly to www.misskatecuttables.com and search for "lovebirds on branch". She has a lot of great files there if you're ever in need of cutting files...I use .svg but she may have other formats, not certain.
I think I'm going to call this particular wall--dare I even say it--FINISHED!
 I used some chalk to just highlight the edges and give a little extra dimension. Seriously LOVE these!

Monday, January 20, 2014

Busy busy Monday

Whew I have been a busy bee today working on the wall above my bed.  My bedroom has been a thorn in my side since before we even moved in here. I knew that my bedroom would have to triple as my craft/scrapbook room AS WELL AS my computer area and I knew there just wasn't enough space. My husband's solution was to pare down my craft supplies (GASP!). I knew that wasn't going to happen lol so basically I just ignored this room and cringed anytime someone came into it. It became just the catch-all room and anything that didn't have a place found its way here. I wanted a pretty bedroom but I felt so overwhelmed and didn't even know where to start. And then one day a few short weeks ago I decided "why not". No there's nothing I can do about the craft side of the room--it's hopeless. But I could do something about the bedroom side...I'd just have to work harder and keeping them separated. And that's where I am now...working on the bedroom part of the room.
I took loads of pictures of the trailer before we moved in but for some reason I only took one of my bedroom and it's not a great angle. The A/C unit is still inside as well because it hadn't been installed yet.
 Here's the original "before...that's the closet door to the left of the window.
 And here is the actual "before"PLEASE ignore that nasty mirror--I swear it did not look that disgusting in person...it was dusty but it wasn't filthy. And there was a flower swag above the mirror. Hideous right??
 So I took down the strips--you know the strips they use in all mobile homes? I despise those things! Tim picked up the paint which is called "ocean teal" and we got it from Wal-Mart because Lowe's is 45 minutes away lol. I love the color and I made the framed Mr. & Mrs. picture as well as the paper flower wreath but for some reason I just didn't love the wall. And you can bet that if I'm not "in love" with something, I'm gonna change it lol.
So I changed it :) I still need to add the little love birds I'm going to make for the branch but I have to say I am loving this much better! And best of all it only cost the paint which was about $20, the candle sconce which I got for half off at Hobby Lobby for $7.50, $3 for candles and 2 sheets of vinyl that I already had. Much better, yes??


As I get more of the room finished I'll upload more pictures to give an over all look.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Happy Saturday

It's been a busy week and nobody was more happy to see the weekend than yours truly!!
Here's a quick recap of my week...

Garrett has been sick all week and after 2 nights of fever I decided it was time for a trip to the dreaded doctor. Flu test was given and came back negative. Garrett was not happy about having his nostrils swabbed but he was a trooper ;) He apparently has a really nasty sinus infection and got 2 shots and a couple prescriptions. He had a reaction to the shots and scared his Mama to death but that's another tale. Today he's feeling much better!


Then I had this fafsa to deal with and if you've ever filled one of those out you know it's just a necessary evil that is....well, EVIL lol. Numbers are NOT my forte so I don't enjoy anything focusing on them. But, according to the college coaches Garrett is dealing with it's imperative to get the fafsa filled out so that they can determine scholarship awards. Everyone please keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer about those said scholarship awards. Garrett's played football his entire life and his dream is to continue playing in college. I must admit that I wouldn't mind seeing him suited up in a football uniform again either.

And then this little tidbit which isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things but one of the little girls on my bus brought me this yesterday and said she made if for me <3 It's a bowtie...and I've worn it since she gave it to me. It's the little things....

And last but not least our youngest son had his last regular season basketball game, which they won!
He's number 23 in the white <3



And now, apparently, I'm going on a date with a handsome fella for some Hobby Lobby, Goodwill and Olive Garden so I have to go get ready! Hope you all have a great day!



Wednesday, January 15, 2014

What day is it again?

Because it really feels like Monday. Yesterday afternoon I noticed one of my tires was pretty low on my car so I stopped by the convenience store beside my bus lot--yes I'm a school bus driver (bless my heart, right?? lol)--and aired the tire up. Never gave it another thought. I came home, cooked supper and did the other regular stuff. This morning I go out and start my car to warm up before time to leave. What I didn't notice when I did that was that my tire was flatter than a flitter. Don't ask me what a flitter is because I have no idea lol...picked that up from my Mama way back when I was a kid and been saying it all my life.
Luckily for me one of my adopted boys, Stefan dropped me off at the bus lot so I wouldn't be late. Then Brandon-my second oldest son, changed the tire for me and my next to
youngest son, Garrett, came and picked me up. Poor Garrett is sick and still came to get me. I came home and fixed Chris (the baby of the family) some breakfast and rushed out the door at 7:45 get down the road a piece only to remember that I forgot Chris's flash drive with his report on it in my computer (((cry!!))). I came back and got it and while hurrying to get back in the car I ended up smashing my finger in the door. By this point I was ready to cry and I may or may not have said a bad word.
My solution? I came home and ate ice cream for breakfast while playing Candy Crush :)


Monday, January 13, 2014

Happy birthday!!

Yesterday we celebrated our grandson's 1st birthday---and what a wonderful day it was! I know everyone thinks their kids or grandkids are the best and I am no exception. He's an absolute joy.
Happy birthday Hagel  Bagel--Nana loves you super-de-duper lots! (Hagel Bagel is our nickname for him lol)


The hat lasted longer than we expected lol.




Saturday, January 11, 2014

In the beginning...

     I guess like most everyone else in the world my goal is to have a nice comfortable home. A place for my family to find comfort and for my friends to feel welcome. We have realized that we don't need "fancy" or "expensive" to achieve that goal.  
     We live in a modest 1997 16 x 80 single wide mobile home with an acre of land surrounding it. 
     The term "tralace" as I'm sure you've already surmised is a combination of trailer and palace and our home truly is our tralace.

     Every project we tackle is done on a budget because we don't have an unlimited supply of money to spend. 

We moved into our mobile home in June 2008. Here's a picture of the trailer when it was first set up...even before utilities.





Fall 2020
And this is our home currently as of Fall 2020
Still far from perfect but the old girl has come
a long way.