Happy fall, ya'll!

I'm very excited to tell you guys the great news! Ok, it's really only great to ME lol, but we FINALLY got a new couch!! The old couch had become the bane of my existence. It was a great couch in its day but it had surely been put through the wringer and it was past time for it to go. 

I had been searching out prices at different places for a couple weeks and finally settled on going to Knoxville Furniture Distributor's and I'd recommend them to anyone local. Their prices really were the best I could find and as you guys know, we are all about saving money where we can. They have nice name brand furniture at warehouse prices. It's a no frills place but I really don't need fancy staging and lights to pick out a piece of furniture--but if that's what you like then this place is definitely not for you. 

We drove to Knoxville on Thursday and I picked out the couch I loved...it was SO SO pretty and I had my heart set on it. But, in the back of my mind I knew...somehow I just knew it wasn't going to be couch for us. And, after asking my friends and all the kids, I knew I had been right ((sigh)). So we went back on Friday and after much debate between myself and Garrett, who met us there, I picked out my new couch and we loaded that bad boy up and brought it home! It looks a bazillion times better than the old couch and that makes me very happy. But, I admit that as I watched Garrett and the crew at the convenience center (aka dump lol) toss it into the container it sort of broke my heart. I have a terrible tendency to become attached to things and that couch bore so many memories for our family. I cried most of the way home with only a few snickers from the boys. And then I came in and saw my new couch and I felt better. And here it is! 

NOTE: We only got the couch this time as the recliner will have to wait a little longer to be replaced. But it's next on my list ;)

As I said in my last post, I seriously debated about whether to dig out the totes of fall decorations this year. But, in the end, it was decided for me when Garrett said that it wouldn't "be the same" if I didn't. And really, how I could I argue with that? :)

I will say that I had a harder time with the decorations this year than any other year that comes to mind. I'm not sure if it was the fact that my heart wasn't really and truly in it or something else. But, either way, I struggled. 

I had to start by packing and putting away all the normal stuff I keep in the living room. On the plus side of that, I always enjoy getting it all back out and into place after Christmas. 

As I was taking pictures of the decorations to share with you all, I couldn't help but wonder how other bloggers get such incredibly perfect photos of their homes, projects, decor, etc. I apologize that my pictures aren't perfect but I'm not a professional photographer or blogger. Anyway, I hope you get the idea as they truly do look better in person. 

The first photo is an over-all look from the kitchen and then there are some close ups of some of my favorite decorations.

The colors on this are so very vibrant in person! I picked it up at Hobby Lobby a few years ago and still love it just as much!

I got her on clearance one year a few years back but I can't
for the life of me remember where. I absolutely LOVE her!!
I only add a few hints of Halloween in with my fall decorations
but she is one I can't wait to pull out ever year. She is so gorgeous!

I found these two candles at separate times...the larger
one I got from Cracker Barrel about 4-5 years ago and the
smaller one I got in Gatlinburg. I love candy corn and these
are two of my very favorite decorations!

I actually think I got this little beauty at a yard sale a couple years ago.
She looks like a cantankerous witch but I love her. I've never tried putting batteries
in her but maybe I will this year. I thought I got all the decorations dusted when
I took them out of the totes but I guess I missed this one lol, sorry about that.

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to keep checking back!

Rhonda

Synopsis of September

Hi and HAPPY FALL! This is the 2nd day of fall and the temperatures are certainly feeling fall-like here in East Tennessee! I've actually had to use the heat in my car every morning this week, brrr!

I admit I haven't had a whole lot to blog about the last couple weeks as I've not been particularly crafty nor has there been a lot going on.
At the moment I'm debating on whether to even decorate for fall this year which is odd in itself because I so love the fall decorations. The colors of fall are almost hypnotic to me and I've always decorated for the season...some might even say I go overboard (as if that's possible). This year though, there are the grandkids to consider--especially the 21 month old lol. Let's just say he's "curious" and possibly "mischievous"  and I can foresee a battle or three with him over scarecrows and pumpkins. On the other hand, he'd probably enjoy the pretty colors as much as his Nana :) But, that's still up in the air and really it's only September so there's plenty of time.

I have started Christmas shopping--yay, GO ME!! I've started early the last couple years and I think I started even earlier this year. Tim says our Christmas list keeps getting longer and longer lol and I suppose he's right. But oh how I've always loved Christmas. For someone who stresses so much over the actual gift giving, I absolutely love seeing everyone open their gifts on Christmas morning. Amazon gets very little business from me throughout most of the year but I tend to do at least 80% or more of my Christmas shopping on Amazon. Free shipping and I don't have to leave home? Yeah, that's what I'm talking about lol.

Garrett has settled into somewhat of a routine at school and things seem to be going smoothly. I think it's still a struggle for him (and ME! lol) but he's adjusting. He came home this past weekend and I got a couple pictures of him when he was getting ready to leave.

It's still difficult watching him drive away and I still miss him but I don't dwell on it and I don't go into his room unless I have to lol--THAT is the hardest thing I've encountered so far--that quiet, empty room.

This past weekend there was an extremely rare occasion where Tim was together with his sister who lives in Ohio and one of his brothers that we rarely see--the occasion itself isn't a happy one but I won't go into that right now.
Here are a couple of the pictures I took--they were taken with my phone so not great but thank the good Lord for whoever decided to put cameras on phones lol.
Also pictured is their aunt who is 88 years old and the matriarch of their family--their dad's only remaining sibling.

Now, I do have a few scrapbook layouts from the last several weeks I want to share. I didn't bother scanning them because I've found the color and texture just don't come out in the scans so I just took some photos so please excuse the cropping or angles...and also the glimpses of grass peeking in lol.

I did a lot of sewing on this page and I used some stickles as well on the titling but of course it doesn't really show in the photo. Love those pictures of Chris!

Seriously love this guy and can't imagine our lives without him!

I used a lot of glimmer mist and sequins on this layout and again, it's hard to discern from the photos. All the doodling around the edges are freehand--haha, like it isn't obvious LOL. 

Don't you love the little deer? Oh and also the little "dear" :) I added this close up just to show the liquid pearls dots I added for texture...makes a big difference I think in person.

I know this post was more on the personal side rather than craftiness but hopefully I'll start creating some crafty goodness as the holidays draw nearer and I have start working on the handmade gifts :)

As always, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to give my blog a read :) It always means a lot to me! Please check back soon!

Rhonda

Painted canvas

Yes I'm still here! Didn't mean to be ignoring my blog but it has been a wonky 2-3 weeks just trying to get adjusted and settled into a new routine. My emotions have been somewhat of a yo-yo recently and I've had a bit of trouble shaking it off but I think I'm just about there! So thank you for hanging around while I pull myself together!

Last weekend my college boy *finally* came home for one night before rushing back out the door barely 24 hours later...but I digress :)  It was wonderful having him home if even for just one night. He spent a couple hours like this---(and if you follow me on Instagram you've already seen this and I apologize). It's amazing that you love your kids just as much lying here sleeping at this age as you do when you are cradling them in your arms and looking into their precious tiny faces--and you moms *know* what I'm talking about :) <3  A mother's love never changes.

Later in the day we had a house full and oh how I loved it :) There's nothing like having all your kids, most of their significant others and your grandkids all under the same roof. It was loud, crowded, hectic and wonderful!

 And I love this picture of the grandbabies. I dare anybody to look at this slice of adorableness and not smile.

AND now that I've got all the mushy gushy stuff out of the way I'll move along to the crafty part.

I've always wanted to paint a canvas but to be honest, I was terrified. Of what? I have no idea lol. I've never had much faith in my artistic ability. I have a hard time even drawing the simplest things but I saw a piece of art on Pinterest (yes, AGAIN! LOL) and decided that I already had every supply I needed so why the heck not give it a shot. The very worst that could happen would be to ruin a $3 canvas. I was timid and wary as I put the brush to the canvas and even though it is far from perfect and fairly dissimilar to the way I had it pictured in my head, I still love how it turned out! I see a couple things I'd like to change but over all I'm thrilled with it and it will definitely not be my last painted canvas!

NOTE: the dragonfly is not painted...it is actually a punch, painted with watercolor paint and covered with glitter.

I first covered the canvas with a coat of Gesso because, well I think it is supposed to help the paint adhere and not bleed through or something lol. Remember, I'm not an artist, just a crafter who loves to create!

 After the Gesso dried completely (with a little help from my handy dandy heat gun) I used all acrylic paints to paint with. Some brands from WalMart and some from Making Memories...but all acrylic.

I really needed a teensy tiny brush for the lettering and I'll definitely pick one up for next time.

 Now, if I can do this, anyone can do it so don't be afraid--and I'd love to see what you create--Post it here or shoot me an email!

Thanks for stopping by and come back soon!

Rhonda

(almost) Empty Nest Syndrome anyone?

I'm sure this month has been or will be a difficult one for many moms and dads as we watch our babies pack up all their belongings as well as their most prized possessions and head off to life on a college campus. I know I, for one, have dreaded it more than I could put into words. Sometimes I fear that I'm too much of the overprotective clingy mom...and yet I don't know how to not be that mom. From the time my oldest son was born I vowed that nobody would love and protect their children more than I would. I wanted to be *the* mom...you know, the one who was always volunteering, the one who was the most supportive and the one who was always cheering the loudest. I'm not ashamed to say that for the most part I have been that mom. I've served a lot of hours working in concession stands, going on field trips and working at school carnivals. I've sat for countless hours at baseball games, basketball games, football games and even a few track meets. My husband and I continue to strive each day to unconditionally love and support each one of our children.
So, while I do still(thankfully!!) have one child left at home, yesterday was still a very difficult day for this clingy over protective mom.
It was the day my "baby boy" moved into his college dorm to begin a new chapter in his life. He is now living his lifelong dream of being a college athlete.
I can only imagine how scared, nervous but most of all, EXCITED he is! And, make no mistake, I am excited for him. And so very proud of him as well!

But, I'm also dealing with some major emptiness in my life that is accompanying the excitement and pride. It's now just my husband, our youngest son and me and there is a definite emptiness in our home. Not only is Garrett not here, but  his friends aren't here either. He's not just down at the courts playing basketball or out running. He's not at his girlfriend's house. He didn't run to town for this or that. He really won't be home again for awhile.
There is a quietness that is out of the ordinary for our home. His absence is almost palpable. His room sits empty just as he left it 2 days ago. His personal items are absent from the bathroom. His car is not in the driveway. Nobody is sitting on my bed beside me saying "mom, you have to watch this" or "you have to hear this" as he shows me his favorite new song on youtube. There's nobody doing laundry at midnight because he needs a shirt for school the next morning.
 I could keep going but I won't...I can barely see through my tears to type at this point. Garrett is special...he annoys me more than I could convey at times, but he also evokes a love in my heart that is beyond expression. His personality is bigger than life and I guess I miss not only his presence but also his very essence.

But, like the millions of moms before me and millions who will come after me, I will get through each day and cherish the fact that his dad and I have raised an amazing young man who is on his journey to make his mark on this big old world. I know we have guided him to the best of our ability and he's as ready as he'll ever be to face his future. Go get 'em son...and know that we are here for you always, no matter what! Love you big as the sky, Garebear!

This will be his home for the next 9 months or so

And THIS picture brings tears to my eyes every single time I look at it. I took this after we said our goodbyes in the parking lot and he headed back upstairs to his room. He stopped at the window to give me one last wave. Right as he turned around and walked away from the window he also gave me the "I love you" sign. Gosh, I love that kid...he's got me wrapped and he knows it lol. 

Crepe paper butterflies and more!

I've got a few projects ready to share! Don't get TOO excited lol...it's a new scrapbook layout and a couple other projects.
I'm fairly pleased with my level of crafty productivity this summer and hopefully I can keep the momentum flowing even when school starts again.

First up, I'll share my latest layout finished up last night. As usual, it looks nothing like I had it planned in my head but that's just typical and I've learned to accept that. But, even though it isn't how I envisioned it, I am still happy with it. I put a lot of time into it and made most of the embellishments myself. Obviously, the gems, brads and sequins were not made by me--I'm crafty but not that crafty lol.  I try to be as frugal as possible with embellishments because come ON...they're expensive and I'd rather spend my scrapbook money on tools and materials that give somewhat of a return. I'll try to put a list at the end of the post stating what materials were used just in case anyone is interested. I can't promise that it will be a perfect list though.

And next up is a large chipboard letter I bought at Hobby Lobby for my living room. I had seen several on Pinterest that I loved and wanted to replicate so I got the letter and the yarn and got busy. I admit this wasn't as simple as I'd anticipated. Not meaning it was difficult, but it was somewhat tedious getting the yarn wrapped just right. And, as with most of my projects, it isn't perfect but I'm quite pleased with it nonetheless. I also used the same material I used in the hallway furnace project to make a fabric flower--my very first.
I still need to take some paint and touch up the bottom of the letter where I wasn't able to figure out how to get it wrapped...but really and truly it is barely noticeable when looking at the letter in person.

And the final project I want to share with you are a couple of butterflies I made using a butterfly punch, some plain cardstock, white crepe paper and a few odds and ends. I saw some Prima butterflies in the scrapbook.com superstore and loved them but holy moly those things are pricey! And if I can make something similar then I usually do.

I'm not sure if you can truly see the lovely texture carried over from the crepe paper (basically white party streamer) but I was very careful when adhering the crepe paper onto the cardstock punch out not to smooth out the texture. I was extremely pleased with the result.  Also hard to tell from this photo but the butterflies are double layered and very dimensional.

For the purple I didn't use a stamp because I was rushing just to see how it would turn out but any stamped image would look great on these--especially swirls or flourishes. For the green, I used a musical stamp and it turned out wonderful.
Isn't it truly amazing what can be made just from things we have in our stash or purchased very cheaply? I picked up a large roll of the crepe/streamer at Hobby Lobby for no more than $2 and I only used a few inches making these butterflies. I intend to make lots more!

Here are the basics of how I made them and I'd be happy to do a tutorial later on if anyone was interested.

SUPPLIES:
I used an EK Success large butterfly punch
white smooth cardstock
hot glue gun
YES glue (purchased from sb.com and LOVE it)
Glimmer mist
inks
stamps
fake snow I've had for AGES (like literally years)
misc. flower stamen used as the antennae

Punch two butterfly shapes to make one butterfly
cut off a few inches of the crepe paper...enough to cover your butterfly and spray it with Glimmer Mist or whichever spray or medium you perfer.
I dried mine with my heat guy but you can also just leave it to air dry.
Use YES glue to cover the cardstock and then gently smooth the crepe paper onto the butterfly.
Once it's dry you can basically embellish your top butterfly however you like.
Be sure and glue your antennae of choice between the two butterflies.

Gosh, was that clear as mud?? LOL...hopefully you can understand and if not please don't hesitate to shoot me a message and I'll try to explain more thoroughly.


Hope you've enjoyed today's post and please check back soon!!

Rhonda 

It's my anniversary!

Today marks 28 years from the time Tim and I made it official. We didn't have a fancy wedding--I believe I've mentioned before that my family was not in the best shape financially--but I was so excited and nervous walking into the courthouse in Chattanooga that day! Tim had to work that day but we were suppose to meet inside the courthouse at 3:00 pm. When me, Mama, Kim, Billy and Brian got there Tim was nowhere to be found. I was convinced he'd backed out lol but I was wrong. He was running a few minutes late but much to my happiness, he showed up! It was all over in no time...just a basic ceremony with a judge (gosh I've forgotten his name!!) and we were married. It hasn't been all sunshine and roses and that's putting it mildly. There were times I thought I hated his guts and I'm sure he felt the same about me. There was even a time when I didn't want to be married to him anymore but he somehow convinced me to keep trying and thank God he did...I can't even imagine my life without him. We've both changed and grown so much over the years and we continue to do so, but we're together and we're happy. We truly are living our happily ever after :)

Happy anniversary honey and here's to many many more!

Here are the gorgeous flowers he brought home to me today...he hand picked them all at the flower shop...he knows I love lillies <3
I took pictures from different angles to try and get them all in :)

I hope to get some more scrapbooking done this week so be sure you come back soon!

Rhonda

Back to Scrapping!

It looks like my scrapbook mojo has really and truly returned to me and I couldn't be happier!

Here are a few photos of my latest finished layout :)

This layout took me almost 2 days to finish...There is a lot more detail here than what may be apparent.
I punched all the flowers and greenery, added Ranger's Liquid pearls and Tim Holtz Stickles for some bling.
 I actually freehanded the clouds (don't scrutinize those too much lol) and ran them through the texture Boutique to add the embossed hearts and then used some Colorbox chalk ink to highlight.

 Used liquid pearls again with a piece of transparency to mimic the pearl heart bling I have--I didn't want to use it so I copied it the best I could.

I used Martha Steward fringe scissors for the faux grass

For the fence, I used my Expression and cut one that I found online and then I used an iridescent embossing powder on it...I did 2 layers. It's hard to see how pretty it is in the pictures but I LOVE the fence...it's my favorite part of the whole layout I think! I also used dimensional foam tape to give it the raised look which is also a little difficult to see from the photos.

The title is also cut with the Expression...I used my Sure Cuts A Lot software and the fonts
"Brody" and "Ariel Black". I had seen a similar title in a wood veneer for sale at Scrapbook.com and again I just did my best to emulate it.

There are also some miscellaneous stickers and chipboard embellishments as well as some ribbon and embroidery floss.

Be sure and let me know what you think and check back soon!
Have a great day!

Rhonda

Crabby Neighbor

 Does everyone have that one neighbor who is a nit picky grouch or is that just me?
Honestly, the gentleman who lives across the road from us is always looking for something to fuss at the kids about.

I had a long post I was going to post but the more I typed the more I realized that he really is just a lonely old man. He's not the type to encourage friendliness---he turns his head when we happen to meet on the road or even at the end of our driveways pulling in or out. He lives alone and rarely has visitors. He has a dog that he takes to town with him and he has a horse he seems to care for.

So for now we will just stay on our own side of the road and allow him his privacy.
Sorry this post turned out to be kind of boring lol...I'll try to do better next time ;)

Be sure you check back soon!

Rhonda