Reuphostering and FirePlace Screen

A friend of mine downsized and gifted to me a chair of hers I'd long admired. I gave it a fresh coat of paint, distressed it a bit and then recovered it.

I wanted to go toile but some were too faded, some to crisp, others too biegey. Then I turned the corner at Hancock Fabrics and found a piece of embroidered fabric in sage and fell in love with it....I've heard all greens go together. Hopefully, I'm safe as the living rooms are all green.



There is a lot of embroidery that doesn't show through on that photo and I fell in love with all of it! It changes colors with the different light of day and night.

Here's how it turned out:


I always loved the ornate details and the curvy legs and arm area.


This is the Upper part trimmed in a slightly deeper shade of sage:


I think we will enjoy it for a long time.


This morning the neighbors were having a garage sale and Hubs and I went for a look.

There was a beautiful stained glass fireplace screen and I walked right to it. $20 was the price tag. Hmm... Then the owner came up and said, 'you can have it for ten, it is broken on the back'. She bent it forward and the glass backing had a couple of cracks in it. Then she said: 'You can have it for $5'. Hubs pulled out his billfold and handed her the cash, loaded it up and off we went.

It is light during the day and darker at night.

I am going to put packing tape across the glass cracks on the back as the front had survived the fall quite well.

It will be nice for the summer and for $5. Can't be it, woulda paid that for paint to paint those shutters I'd planned on decorating with a trail of hand painted roses.

I still might do those shutters, but they will go in the loft window instead.

We'll see.

Have a lovely Sunday,
Melissa

Pear Blossons are a sure sign of a Freeze!

Last week out running errands I made note of the Pear Blossoms. Followed by sunny days, then a surprise snow-ing. Just yesterday I noticed a big glorious burst of blossoms all showy and promising of Spring covered our neighbor's tree. After the snow fall earlier this week I thought we were out of the woods concerning a freeze.

Well, did I tell you I talked to my Mom again?

Yep, she said more snow.

HOW does she know these things?? Does she have a different weather guy? Weather.com, The Weather Channel, MSN weather. ALL got it wrong.

I think we should elect my Mom for National Weather Guy. She could pull it off and clean up a whole lot of silliness and waste like she did as an executive. Yep, I knew early on to pay attention to that woman or find a good place to hide.

Long story short.



It snowed today...just like she said it would.



How funny is that?

She called, told me to be careful going out of town this weekend because black ice will still be on the roads. Weather guy, MSN, Weather.com all say high of 68* on Sunday. Guess what I'll be watching for on those roads?

Until then, I'm having Vanilla Chai Tea, with a little cream. YUM!

It Snowed!

It caught my son's attention first as he walked by the front door on his way upstairs. "It's snowing" he said. Mom had said we would get snow. One thing about my mom, it can be 108* and if she says it's gonna snow you need to get out the rock salt and mittens, so I wasn't surprised, though we toggled between the air conditioner and open windows the last week or two.


It does snow here...yes, Mr. Pizza delivery guy in Maryland it Does TOO snow in Texas!
The biggest snow I remember, short of the ice storm in 1980, was February 14th, 2004. It snowed all day! Not like the usual 20 minutes of snow that melts by the time you find the camera.


Which reminds me how pretty the house across the street looked that year with those huge flakes blowing across it!



This perfect little cottage has been on the market for a year at a price WELL above what it should have been. It has been a lonely house and sat empty with few showings.



Thankfully, the owners have brought the house down to market value and now it's generating interest! It was shown several times over the weekend and three times today. I am guessing there will be a contract by the end of the week. *clapping hands*

I saw an older couple view it earlier today. It is about 1800 sq ft. and would be great for a single couple.

Isn't this a nice entry? Love the niche!


To the left of the entry is a nice Family room and the dining room is to the right.



Then later this afternoon there was a family viewing it. The family was exiting the property as yet another Realtor was bringing a client to see the home.

This is the second bath, perfect for sharing with the dual lavs.



A couple new fixtures, couple new lighting bars and towel racks and it will be beautiful.

I don't know there isn't a photo of the Master Bath. The rooms are nice sized and it has a covered patio that is shielded from the hot afternoon sun.

We are hoping this sweet home will have a new family for Spring!

I hope you enjoyed the home tour. Have a blessed week and remember...Forgiving is the way to Joy and Peace.

Melissa

Heard if from a Friend

Last November I visited my friend Dee. You would have to know her, there isn't anything she can't cook, NOTHING! If you want Neapolitans, she has them ready when you get there, if you want the bestest pie crust on the planet, she will not only make you pies but show you how to cut up the butter perfectly with knives.

So while we were waiting for the pecan pie she made for dinner to finish cooking, I browsed through her pantry. I asked first. Along with the Barley Green and vitamins, parchment paper and foil I found the Tapenade. Tapenade is chopped up olives in a yummy dressing that is spread on Panini sandwiches. Yum, didn't know you could buy it, thought you had to make it, made the mental note. Thought it would be good on an Omlette. So I went to the fridge where she pulled out some Stir Fry for our dinner. It was amazing!

Like I said, she can make her cell phone empty the dishwasher and she can cook like a chef, so I wanted to know the secret to this Stir Fry. And wouldn't you know, it came in bottles! Basically she shreds chicken, throws in veggies and tops it all with sauce...naturally I had to have some of those bottles.



Since that visit we have Stir Fry 3-4 times a month. I chop up left over chicken, add sliced zucchini, broccoli and peppers, onions. About 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of my wok skillet and let all that simmer with a generous helping of these two bottles. Sometimes I add Soy sauce and Dee uses a concentrated sauce without so much sodium. Stir Fry is so flexible and yummy, you can mix and match to taste.


The Szechuan is hot, but fabulous and the Classic is just to die for! It's a great way to get your veggies and SO easy to clean up. I used left over Bird's Eye Stir Fry frozen veggies from Sam's Club and some frozen broccoli and added zucchini and squash and mushrooms. It made a fast Saturday lunch. You can make rice to go with it.



Well, it's time for lunch here! Then off to polish the Princess Palace.

Hugs to all of you,
Melissa

Girls Day Out

Photos of the wonderful shops my dear forever friend and I visited are locked in my cell phone. Yes, I know, I should have read the book or carried my camera...WHY didn't I carry my camera?


With or without a camera we had a wonderful day in McKinney, Texas!
We went here first, It's called Design Collection, located on the North East side of the square.
Beauty was everywhere in this shop, a little bit of something for everyone. My dear friend located the perfect cell phone carrier for me and I got some fabulous lotion! It's lavender and mint scented...yum!


She picked up an earthy toned sage pillar candle, it smelled HEAVENLY!

We moved to the other side of the square to a shop that was brimming with one piece of eye candy after another. I managed to escape with my debit card unused but my friend located the sweetest little birds and a nest.

After the birds were safely tucked in a sweet pink bag we toward the quilt shop we passed a beautiful Hearts topiary that was 10 feet tall and had the most amazing cyclamen growing around the base.

While admiring the cyclamen the sparkles from the window display at SHARLA'S caught our eye.

There were shelf liners promising a tea rose sent and rose petal soaps that had me nose to glass when the door flew open and we were lead inside by a sweet angelic pied piper.

Inside there were wonderful smells and bottles but we were captivated by the sparkly things. What we came out of there with were purse hangers.

Glitzy, shimmering, delightful, butterfly encrusted purse holders. We got a matching set that has a burgundy ground (not red like the photo) and they wrapped them in the sweetest burgundy organza bags to carry the purse hangers in our purse without them getting scratched. We LOVE them!

We made it to the quilt store and then headed off to our favorite restaurant for lunch where we had Tortilla soup, guacamole salad, and a hot chocolate éclair.

AND, I got to bring home all the shopping bags! She volunteered, what could I say?

And the next day....

Godfriend,


Thanks for your sweet comment! I could hear you say each word...made me smile. You are such an encourager.

You had asked when he came down with the flu and I couldn't remember exactly. Rereading 'As Monday's Go' reminded me.
Hubs came home shivering like a fearful chihuahua that following Wednesday night. Flu got him.

Then, a few days later, Son #1 the tummy version a couple more days Son Two had only the head/chest part...a viral cold or some such, the faux doc said.

January was a wash, we finally celebrated Hubs' B-Day with the Grands Feb 2.


Hugs,
Melissa

As Monday's Go...

...yesterday was a text book case!

Hubby took my son's car to work. I took a quiet moment to catch up on some blog reading when the phone rang. Hubby was stalled on the road. I grab son and phone and insurance and coffee and hit the road. Hubs calls, he got it started and it's now parked in the lot. Call tow truck, he'll see me later. So I got to thinking...this is the perfect time for the car to need work being next Monday my son will be returning to the University.

I have a very good outlook. All things work together for the good and I could definitely see that, so I puttered along, I didn't even know it only had one bar on the phone. So, we pull up to the car. Son gets his stuff out, I call the insurance to confirm towing, yep, got that. Then I notice the bar and my older son called, where's breakfast? (hello, it's 12:30pm!) Ok, that wiped out the phone.

So we are back on the road and the low fuel light comes on. No biggie, all is well, got home, plugged in phone, borrowed other son's phone, called repair shop, called tow truck and gave the address to a distracted dispatcher. That's Norizon not Verizon, they are on the same road of mega-chain office concrete and glass....so please take this address. And, when do I need to be back at the car? Leave key under mat and that's it? Cool!

I drove back to Hubby's work, son put key under mat, double checked the car wasn't locked, grabbed umbrella under the seat, we are good. Pulling out of office park. Back on road, blood pressure normal.

The Tow Guy called to say he was at Verizon and couldn't find the car. Ok, he'd misunderstood the Dispatcher...and he can now see the address AND the car. Great, I say, let me know if you need anything else. Only an hour and half to take care of all that...so far so good! Pulled into driveway, noticed electric meter spinning, moaned at the thought of running the air conditioner in January. Yep, muggy, upper 70s, AC on. Ugh!

Freshened up, got lunch, chatted with sons and laughed and enjoyed having them both home for Christmas break. They rolled around on the ground for a while like 9 year olds playing Brazilian Jujitzu. Lots of name calling, poking fun and brotherly love.

Younger son wants to get his phone while we are running up and down the road, since he lost his over Christmas.

Ok, called to check on the car first. What car,we don't have it. WHAT? Its been 3 hours! Not to worry, he'll check with the Tow Guys and call me right back. After half an hour with no call I decide proactive is better than reactive and since my blood pressure is already elevated, I call the Tow Guys. And held and held and held. Breathing deeply, maintaining sanity and calm. After they checked back with me the 4th time to tell me to keep holding I suggested they just call me when they find my car. I was still smiling. I knew they wouldn't want the thing.

2 hours later the car repair guy called. Seems Tow Guys had taken it to another car repair place, not to worry, he'd call me when they brought it back. 1 hour after that, Tow-Guy calls and says boss wanted him to call and see what I wanted. WHAT! Do you know I have Hot Flashes? At least he wasn't chewing chips in my ear though I did have the impression a crack would show should he bend over and truthfully, I was thankful to have missed that by being on the phone with him rather than in person. "Nothing, thank you...I'm sure it's all fine now." I really wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry, scream or laugh.

On to the phone. Drove to the Meg-Mall Spread. Pretty little brunette let me know that 2 of the phones were still under contract even though the other two phones weren't. And it would be 5 months before I could get new phones, for free. AND, I couldn't be the one to make a decision because the contract is in Hubs name.

I felt Horror Woman wanting to sneak out and 'correct' the situation, to set the young woman straight and demand my free phone! I smiled and said: Let me talk to my husband, since it IS his phone account and I might choose to pay for a MUCH more expensive phone than what he would like me to pay for. My son gave me that look. You know that look. Ok, I'll just see how much that Pink Razor is...$49 with a new 2 year contract. Ok, truthfully, I am thinking a bit of Chocolate will bring clarity and quieten Horror Woman.

Sonic or Starbucks? I ask Son when we are back in the car...he is already silent which means I didn't do 'it' right. Sonic...ok...get T-Mobile on the line while I pull in and you can order me a chocolate cherry limeade.

It's Monday. And, dusk is claiming the day. Horror Woman has agreed to be nice since chocolate is on the way and after explaining to the CS rep TWICE that all I need is a phone for my kid because school starts on Monday I am asked by said T-Mobile CS sweetie if I have had a nice weekend so far. Now how do you answer a question like that?

"Well, it seems to have ended a bit soon. I think I'll just hook up with who ever has the best deal on a new phone and pay out my last 5 months here at T-Mobile so I can get a phone for my son before Monday." Oh, ok, apparently I need a Contract Specialist. I've decided to smile so good chemicals will flow, after all, chocolate has arrived and Son is looking at me as if to say, PLEASE don't mess this up for me! I need good chemicals.

And I just don't want the lecture that will happen all the way home if I cut the call short and decide to take a bubble bath and table the this phone thing till tomorrow! He learned from his mother his long winded 'let me help you understand how things work' approach to child rearing (or mother rearing in this case). And I have a DEEP and abiding need to just get throughthiswholething!!!

Perky Adorable is now on the phone to help me. "I just want this to be EASY, that's all, EASY, I have one lost car that will break my tiny savings account getting repaired should it be found, a kid who will lecture me all the way home if I mess this up and I ONLY want to get a phone!...No TWO phones, it's MY turn!" "...and what kind of phone would you like Melissa??" "I want that pink razor!"

Perky Adorable says: "Excellent choice! and what does your son want?" Me: "Well that flip phone thing like his last one." Her: "in Red or Brown?" Me: "He said Red, please" Her: "Great! and he will need a new Sim card too, got that" Me: silent...I'm getting my razor? Her again: "That will be $1.65 due to tax, sorry about that." Me: Smiling for real, neener-neener, Hubs said I'd have to wait on that razor...lol! "Thanks!"

It's 9 pm, I still haven't heard from the repair place, I'm not calling to see if the car got there, enough is enough for this Monday. I wheel in to pick up Hubs. "How was my day? You want the long or the short version?" "Short? Ok, they'll call about the car later, Son's phone is in the mail and you have chicken teriyaki for dinner." :)