I’m so excited, bye bye computer problems!

Do to many many computer problems over the last couple of months I have pretty been MIA.  Our computer had several viruses and just before Christmas(of course) it got really bad.  Then our monitor died.   Since we do most of our Christmas shopping online this just would not do.  So $72.90 for the computer guys to get rid of the viruses and $100 dollars for a new monitor later…….we still could not import pictures!!!!

Then a couple of days ago I was cleaning out our  entry closet that we hardly use and …….. I always tell my kids it is so good to clean because you find things that you didn’t even know that you owned.  Well I found the box that our camera came in and in it was a usb cord that you can hook to the computer to down load pictures.  As I said you find things you didn’t even know that you had!  We had never used the cord before we just stuck the SD card into the computer.
This really made my day!!  I was just giddy with excitement.  So now I can POST.    Who wants to read a blog with know pictures?  Not Me!
That brings me to my latest project.  I have wanted something different to put above my large antique cabinet that we have in the living room.  We use this to  hold some of the kids toys.


Here is how it looked before Christmas before I got the garland up.  I hated it!
Well last week I was at the Salvation Army and found this.

Isn’t it just perfect?  Well not exactly yet.

First I Modge Podged white tissue paper over the insects.  I then painted the whole basket in grey acrylic paint.  I had tried to just paint over the insects but that didn’t work.  They had a little relief to them and they were shiny.

This is after the first coat.

I then went over the whole thing with white paint.  No I did not bother to paint the bottom or the inside.  This is a very high cabinet and I am very lazy and impatient.  If I ever decide to lower it I will cross that bridge when  I come to it.

I then used my favorite color and stenciled our wedding anniversary on each of the “plates”.  The “8” is how it looked after I got done.  This was much to bright and new looking for my taste.  So I was going to go over the whole “plate” with watered down brown paint ( I had glaze on had but it was buried in the basement and well you know, lazy and impatient).  This is how it looked on the five when I got done.  That was a little to distressed.  So on the number “2” I just brushed the number and then wiped it off.  Ahhh much better.  Then I lightly added the brown and wiped it off on the rest of the basket.

Here is how it looked before wiping. 
Then here it is all done.

I rubbed kinda hard on the numbers so that they would have a worn look.

Much much better!  Now I don’t know if I like the ribbon!  What do you think?

I'm linking to:

"Sunday Favorites" at Happy to Design

Happy New Year!!

Source: The Graphics Fairy
I am so excited for this new year to begin.  We had many blessings in 2010 and I’m looking to make 2011 even better with the gifts that God has given me.
Some of my goals for the new year are:

1. set up a better menu plan.
2. declutter
3. reorganize home idea notebook
4. finish the living room redo
5. reestablish weekly schedule
6. put away $50. a week into savings
7. set up better budget
8. pay down debit!!!!!
9. be more intentional
10. blog more often.

I have many more but this is what I would like to start with.  The living room redo and decluttering are going hand in hand right now.  That is also where I have started with the home idea notebook.   I am very excited about this.  This will be the first time that we have done this from top to bottom, on a very strict budget of course.  Speaking of the living room redo……..I was a very lucky winner of a $50 gift card to Pier 1 from  Nesting Place.  I went on line and found a coupon for $10 off a purchase of $50. or more.  My mom an d I went shopping and I found the new curtains for my redo!




This picture so does not do them justice!!  They are so beautiful.  The blue looks slightly lighter in person.  This is also my color palette and one of my husbands few requests.  He wanted curtains with red in them.  Just a side note but notice how I did not take him shopping with me!  Just saying.
Back to the curtains.  Well they were $39.95 each panel(why anybody would only want one is beyond me)but I needed two.  So that would have been 79.90 but with my gift card and coupon I paid only 19.90!!!!!  Not that you couldn’t have done the math but is looks so cool going down like that.  Thanks Nester!
Also some very exciting news for me.  I have reached 50 51 followers!!  I can barely even believe it. You are all so wonderful and I always look so forward to your comments. Look for a giveaway to come very soon.  I have been gathering things that I thought that you might like.   Thank You so very much for all that you do.
May all of you have a blessed new year!!

Linking to http://www.thenester.com/2011/01/2011-home-goals.html Nesting Place