Just a journal entry with no rhyme or reason....just my thoughts of today.

I love this time of year. Seriously, a New Year, it's like a bunch of Mondays! I love to reflect on the memories of last year. I LOVE to plan a new year! It's like starting over. What do you want to do with your life? What did you want to do last year that you did or did not do? It's not too late, people! Quit worrying about what might have been. Do it today! Or tomorrow! Or next week! Just don't wait too long. I don't like to give myself goals I can't complete. I have a hard time starting projects unless I have someone to push me....or fund the project!

I do love to decorate. My style has been a little uncommon for a while. It's finally THE thing to do. Texture, natural color, lots of hard pieces and very masculine for some. We built our "dream home" back in 2007 and it was all heart pine flooring, beams as posts with old paint still on it, a brick wall as the focal point in the main rooms. I used an old concrete trough for a sink in the powder room and lots of granite. There was tongue and groove breadboard 3/4 up the walls in the back foyer and keeping room, where we had a stone fireplace with a salvaged beam as the fireplace. You can pretty much see those pieces in a lot of homes now. I love it still. I hope it continues for a long time. All of our crown molding was pine wood stained dark.

We live at Hansel and Gretel now. It's exactly the same. Rock fireplace, heart pine flooring, beams as mantels, and beautiful wood all over the house. This house was built in 1964. Well, the original part of the house all with reclaimed and salvaged architectural pieces. It was a two story with spiral staircase in the middle. A built in bed for the master suite and one more bedroom for the 2 kids. Downstairs was the den, kitchen, bath and laundry room. I need to ask, but I think it was about 1200 square feet. They came by today. The man that built this house and his kids. I was so giddy. I couldn't wait to meet them. They brought pictures and a camera. Everyone had their phones out to video the stories from Pappy. I think I love him. He can do anything. He kept asking if I had questions. I couldn't think of one. The stories were flowing like faucets. I couldn't keep up! There's the part about Pappy building the original part of the house all by himself....literally, or the stones for the fireplace that came from a speak easy on old 280. How about Momma....she like to throw things out the door. The tv they had? had to be small enough for her to pick up and throw. Seriously, they said that....and she did! There was a M-I-L door. Didn't know this, but it's a door without a place to step outside....so, you would kinda fall if you tried to go out! She just threw things out this door! The door is still here and we have a deck to walk out on...thank goodness!! OH, the wallpaper! I really wish I could see it behind all the paint. Roosters, big roosters were on the walls in the kitchen! How fantastic is that? Baby girl took lots and lots of photos. Middle sis had lots of stories....there's one about a snake and I'm trying to forget that one! Big brother had lots of stories and kept asking if he was telling it right...I think he embellishes a little. $50 an acre or $500 an acre.....that's close, right?

It was a perfect day. They were so glad to be here and I was just as glad. Connor even said he liked the house more knowing all the stories. I can't wait to see the photos and the videos of stories. We might cook up something good out of this magical house. I hope so! I didn't take one picture or write down one thing...I was afraid I would miss it...and now, I'm teary.

Now you know why I'm rambling :) Thanks for reading...if you made it this far!

One Little Word 2013 - ENJOY

I know it's so sad when Christmas is over. We prepare for it in our homes, with our kids, in the classroom, and thinking about what to buy each person is pretty stressful! Not to mention all that money that is spent! It's over. 

Today is the day after. I have a fire going with all the wrapping paper and am trying to put away all of our treasures! We are a very blessed family. My husband and I both come from "broken homes". It's amazing how when you embrace your life, it is wonderful! It has been a very long time since I've thought of my life being from a "broken home". We celebrate holidays for weeks. Seriously, it's awesome! We have created new traditions and I love being with everyone! We don't hang out at home. We aren't the hosts for Christmas dinner. That is a good thing, right? We left our house yesterday at 9:30am and got home at 9:30pm last night. We got to see two sides of the family. Connor's Dad's family and my Dad's family. A lot of people, a lot of presents, a LOT of food! I didn't take many pictures and I was sad at the time. Now, I know that without the camera in front of my face, I got to ENJOY every moment. 

We are blessed that we have so many moments. I want that to be a part of my 2013. I want to ENJOY this wonderful life I have been given every single day. I want to be with the ones I love and ENJOY our moments together. I have lots of plans for 2013. Not really resolutions, just plans. I have had so much fun with my blog and lucy lockets. I hope to grow both of them this year. But, I will try to slow down enough to ENJOY all of it. That does NOT mean I will not take photos. I will have my camera with me always and document our lives. Do you have one little word for 2013? Read a little more about it on Ali's blog and let me know if you are going to participate! 

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and will plan a beautiful 2013. 

Merry Christmas from Lucy Lockets

I want to thank all of you for the support of my Lucy Lockets. I have had so much fun in the past few months making necklaces and bracelets for my friends and family! You do not know how much it means to me that you like something that I made and want to wear it in public!! 

I have lots of plans for 2013 to try and grow this hobby into something a little more. 

Thanks for all your love and support! 

Merry Christmas!!

DIY Food Labels for a Party

I love to be crafty! I made these several years ago for my Annual Ornament Party. I had the buffet set up in the middle of the kitchen. My friends are very informal, but I thought this would be a cute addition to the table.

I went to the office supply store and picked up some extra large clips. I got home and went through my stash of paper. It's a large stash, but I knew exactly what I would use. October Afternoon. They have some of the best papers! This christmas line, Very Merry,  had so much personality! I loved the peppermints all over this one paper...I have a thing for circles!

I picked one sheet. It's two sided, so I used both patterns. Sorry the picture is pixelated, I pulled it from their site. You can check out the other papers that go with this line and the newest releases at October Afternoon.

I cut the paper to fit the width of the clips. Next, I just held the paper up to measure the length. It just wraps around the bottom of the clip. On my last Talk of Alabama appearance, I showed these little cuties! You may remember seeing them!

Voila! You have a place card or food label! 

You can add tags to write the name of your dish on....or the person, if you are using for a place card. I used these tags and embellished them with some flowers and twine I had in my studio.

Christmas Mantel at Hansel and Gretel

I always have so much fun decorating my house for Christmas. Since we have moved, I have been chomping at the bit wanting to get all of my decorations from the storage units. It really stinks to not have my Christmas closet anymore! Shelves to the ceiling held all of my rubber maids! I also kept 3 trees in there! Only one was out of the box and standing. Now, I have to drive a few miles down the road and load up the car and a trailer and then make another trip to get it all to Hansel and Gretel! I really didn't mind this year since it was a new house and I could re-do everything! I had lots of fun over Thanksgiving weekend when my fellas were off in the woods hunting. I had the house all to myself and got so much done!

I have this HUGE fireplace. It's like chateau-in-the-mountains-huge! I can literally stand inside! I didn't really have an idea of what would make it onto this monstrosity. The area from the mantel to the top is not very big. It's just really wide. As I was opening all the boxes on the porch, I found my Penny McAllister collection. This stuff is gorgeous, y'all! I absolutely love it. It's all handmade and since she passed away a few years ago, my pieces have become even more special to me.

The window painted like a santa belt and believe spelled out is courtesy of my talented sister, Natalie! She made this for me several years ago and it's one of my favorite pieces!

A close up of a few Penny McAllister pieces and my favorite wood Christmas Tree!

There is a smaller den off the kitchen at Hansel and Gretel. We use this room a lot. It's where homework gets done and dinner gets eaten! I wanted some real garland for this mantel, but haven't found any. Maybe someone has extra and they want to share? Or maybe, I could actually go and buy some. hahahahaha, I'm still in my pj's and it's 2:15!

This mantel has a few things on it from my first decorating attempt. That window...it's one of my favorite pieces, the clock, the 4 and the small foundry pattern were all there before. I added John Connor's first kill. It was hanging over the mantel last year with a Santa hat! Oh, that shed was there before, too. I just moved it over to allow for those fun trees to have a spot! 

The two frames are from one of my favorite frame makers, Leah. That santa is part of my collection that is in another room. I needed a space filler and he fit the bill! I picked up those two small reindeer in Tennessee at Marshall's. I am loving reindeer this season!

I'm linking this Christmas mantel to: