Friday, June 21, 2013

STEAL OF A DEAL!

Happy Weekend everyone!  So, you will never guess what I found yesterday for just $3.00 at my favorite resale shop....



Can you guess what it is?




Take a really good look....




























Yes, you guessed it.  I found a vintage Crystal chandy for just $3.00 whole dollars.




























I know, I know...I am still in shock over my steal of a deal...deal of a lifetime find.  It does need some crystals added (which won't be too costly) and a little cleaning up, but otherwise it's in perfect condition.

I found a vintage one exactly like this online (that has it's beads and globes) for a price tag of $300.00

http://www.rubylane.com/item/641715-589/Vintage-Crystal-Chandelier-Crystal-Chains
$300 USD
Now I am not a fan of the globes and although I do have a few of these exact globes at home, I will probably not use any globes with mine.  Fortunately the globe couplings lift right off.

I hope to hang this in the dining room but it might be a while.  I will have to work on the hubs some because he has already said that he will NOT be taking the ceiling fan down.  We'll just have to see about that, won't we "wink" "wink".



























Until next time, have a FABULOUS weekend...




Tuesday, June 18, 2013

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LUNCH...

Admittedly, I am normally a hearty eater.  I'm not very picky but tend to choose comfort foods over just about anything.  Pastas, stews, casseroles, etc., etc., etc....but with summer weather in full swing now I have been gravitating toward lighter fare, like lots of salad.




Normally I DO NOT eat anything except for ranch dressing on my lettuce salads...I hate all other salad dressings except for ranch.  I don't like french, I don't like thousand Island and I never even considered something like a vinegar and oil type dressing....They are all BLECH, with a capitol B, if you know what I mean.

I live in a family of "dippers"...not only do we eat ranch on our salads but we dip just about everything you can imagine in ranch dressing...pizza, chicken nuggets...every.thing!  My fault totally.  I will take the blame for my family's addiction and unhealthy eating habits.

But something happened to me a while back.  I tried a vinegar and oil type dressing and guess what....I liked it.  That's HUGE folks....HUGE!!!  My favorite is sundried tomato vinaigrette, though I am trying a few different ones.  I also discovered that I like a little citrus in my salad.  In the past I would have never put oranges on my salad or any other fruit for that matter because, well...ranch and fruit is NOT a good combination.  However, vinegar and citrus is perfect together.  The vinaigrette makes the citrus taste that much sweeter and juicier.  REALLY!  So now I am addicted to this lighter, much healthier salad which I have been eating for lunch nearly everyday.



All you need to make this gorgeous, colorful, FLAVORFUL, healthy salad is...



Dole Classic Romaine salad mix, orange slices and vinaigrette of your choice.  I add a little bit of chopped onion too, ummm...because I like onion about as much as I like ranch dressing, if you know what I mean.  However, my kids didn't inherit my love of onions, lol!

I must say I am really enjoying the warm sunshine that summer has brought my way and I am truly, truly enjoying eating on the lighter side of lunch!



HAPPY SUMMER TO YOU!



Monday, June 10, 2013

WEEKEND PROJECTS

Weekend projects...warm weather is here and our weekend project list is never ending.  Yours too?



This is pretty much our summer to do list this year.  I am happy to say that we have been able to check a few things off over the past few weekends, however the biggies are still in the works.

Last weekend we installed a small pond and fountain in the spot where the old oak tree stood.  We had plans to remove what was left of the tree stump but that proved impossible.  We are guessing the tree was over 100 years old so the root system was massive.  The bottom line is....that thing was not coming out of the ground!!! Therefore we decided to disguise it a little by installing the pond above ground and surrounding everything with the large sandstones that used to line the driveway.




Now to some the stump probably looks like an eye sore but I think everything turned out beautiful!  I love the sound of the water.  It's so serene and peaceful and the best part, I can see and enjoy the fountain from the screened porch.  It's picture perfect....WAY better than looking at just a burned out stump and hole in the ground!  We will be adding a few fish soon and I will be adding in a few flowering plants later on too.

The next thing we checked off our list was installing our new front door.  The new glass storm door will come soon.




Now there is a story about this door that I just have to share with you.  We had been wanting a door with a beautiful window every since we moved into this house.  The old door was shot.  It was 75 years old, had cracks and fractures everywhere and was not insulated.   It didn't keep out the elements very well, but doors are EXPENSIVE and we have just not had the extra cash, if you know what I mean.  However, this door was extremely affordable.  It was FREE!!! Yes, that's right we got this gorgeous door....the exact one we had been wanting...for FREE (well almost).  You see, our new pastor is a contractor who works with Lowes to install windows and doors.  He just so happened to have this brand new door leftover from a job sitting in his garage and he said we could have it.  He also installed it for us at no charge.

Now we are not the kind of people who could ever just take a gorgeous expensive door like this for free or have it professionally installed without paying something but our pastor would take NO money.  He did however suggest that if we just had to pay something for it, that we could make a donation directly to the church and that's what we did.

It was a win, win situation.  Everyone benefited from this door.  We got the door we wanted, the pastor got rid of the door that was just taking up space in his garage and the church got some extra money to use to check a few things off their summer to do list.  Truthfully though I think we were the biggest winners of all to be blessed with that beautiful new door.

The best part....it lets in TONS of light.  Our entryway before was like the black hole but now it's so bright.  I LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!!



Now I know you are wondering if am going to be painting this door black like I did the other one.  I'm not sure about that yet, but the trim will be getting a much needed fresh coat of white soon.  Speaking of trim that's one more thing I have been working to check off our summer to do list.

All the doors, windows and base trim in the dining room now have a fresh coat of white paint..  I finished that up this past weekend...and boy, what a difference a fresh coat of paint makes.  The room looks much cleaner, newer and just plain prettier with fresh white trim.



We still have much to do this summer, but to tell you the truth....I am ready for a vacation.  All this work is wearing me out!

Maybe I'll just take a little time out to smell the roses....uh, I mean day lilies...



Well, until we meet again...have a GREAT summer and....don't work too hard!  CIAO




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