If You Decorate, It Will Come!

We are just shy of one week before October and still hitting temps in the upper 90's... and if you let a car sit in the sun for any amount of time the temperature gage will say 107!!! Seriously... I am so ready for Fall and cooler temps, it is NOT funny!!!
So, with that said and because we had a horrible week of a lost loved furry family member and a random but embarrassingly hurtful face injury for me (don't ask ;( ), I decided it was time to break out some fall decorations to not only lift my spirits but maybe to also tempt Mother Nature into changing her tune!!!!
Here they are... I have a feeling more are on their way!!!

I was sorta in a gourd kinda mood... lol!!! I plan on adding a few more inspirational prints and fall quotes around the house to kick the autumn mood into high gear!!! Happy Decorating :)))

Always - Abbey

p.s.....I am linking up with this fab diy blog's link party!! Check it out

http://thecsiproject.com/2011/09/time-to-linkup-for-the-fall-projects-challenge/

Projects and Thoughts

The other day I had this whole blog worked up.. pictures uploaded and placed carefully, everything was perfect! Then with one click of the Mac pad.... DELETED, GONE, BLANK SCREEN!!!!! GaG!!!! I was so upset and defeated that I didn't open my blog as a punishment until just now!!! How silly... I thought!! I know what buttons to push, I know how to navigate around on a computer I use a bazillion times a day!!!!! Mad at myself does not sum up how I felt...!!!! I was probably also annoyed because I started to type up my 'masterpiece' thinking I had plenty of time to finish it before the boys got home from school... but of course because of my need to have everything perfect and beauti-mous, I took WAY longer than intended!!!

Such is life, right...?? You go thru your life doing things you know how to do, you think you have mastered that aspect of your world... and then ZAP something happens to slap you back into reality and God shows you that you are not the master of your life, things aren't up to you to master!!!! You are just a pawn in a much bigger play that you have no control over, and if you try to 'control' it things will eventually end up gone, or taking way longer than you ever intended!!! Lately, with all of the hustle and bustle of life, I have been humbled by the fact that no matter how much I plan, organize, or 'carefully place' the details of my life... the play out of my life or the lay out of it rather, isn't up to me!!! God doesn't show you the big picture, or even let you in on it because he knows you would try to manipulate it to no end and thus his plan for you would be overshadowed!!!

You are probably saying... seriously Abbey?!!? You got all of this from hitting the delete button?? Sheesh!!!! Ha.... I am totally a thinker like that! For me, it takes something as little as hitting the wrong computer button to remind me that no matter how hard I try, I am not in control!!! I need to let go, and let God! Worrying, planning, manipulating and controlling only leads to stress and anger!!!! So that is what I am doing!!! I know that there is a plan out there for me, but I am trying to remember that it isn't up to me to have all the answers all the time, I can't plan out my destiny to the minute... I have to give up control to get to a place of serenity and peace!!!

Ok, Ok... enough deep thoughts spurred on by computer delete buttons! :)))
Here are the pictures I was trying to share the other day....
Flowers I put on purses to sell:

More Flower Candle orders:

A Tie Wreath I made from Pinterest:

And lastly, a sign I saw while shopping with some girlfriends... 

Not the best, close up picture... but a great reminder I plan on making to put in our house soon!!!

Always - Abbey

Pinterest Inspiration

Ok... So I admit it! I am addicted to Pinterest!! It sucks me in daily, and I end up staring at it for hours on end pinning away!! I think to myself... are you really going to ever look back at these pins or better yet make any of them?!?! And then I proudly answer myself, Uh, Hell YES I AM!!! I already have :)))) I have made a couple dinners, been inspired for multiple teacher gifts, and crafts!!! And just to prove it, here is a little something I fixed up off a pin I saw. It was a Menu (Here's the blog)...but I thought chore chart!!!

I started with an old frame I found at the 50% off sale at Goodwill...

SCORED for only $1 !!! I then sponged some cream paint on it because I thought I was going to go for an antiqued white look... But,

I quickly changed my mind when I remembered I had some left over burlap from another craft... and decided to spray paint over the cream with red!

While the paint was drying in our 100 degree heat, I went in and started working on measuring the burlap for the inside. I used the back of the frame as a measuring tool (I am not a precise crafter, too ADD for exact measurements)!

Once I had a close enough match, I hot glued the cut burlap to the card board...

Then after adding the boys names, the number of chores I wanted them to work on thru the week and a cute divider to separate the boys names, this is what I had...

I plan on changing out the inside throughout the year to keep it fun.. but thought these colors fit with the start of school :) Moving on... after about 15 minutes in the Texas heat, the spray painted frame was dry! I then distressed it a bit using sand paper...

Here is the finished product, again!! I am really pleased with it, and the boys LOVE it!!!

I put little boxes under each chore, and when they complete it they get to color a box it! I am not the type of parent that can keep up with chores every day or consistently enough to make them do a certain number each day... so this works good for us because the boys know their chores by heart (Big boy can read and helps his little bro) and when they remember to do one or they are asked to help out they run to the chart to fill in a box!!! Our deal is that when all their boxes are filled in they get $2 total each. We have had our chart up almost a week and they each have about 4-5 boxes filled!! Not too shabby for Team Lewis :))

I am going to pin it on Pinterest, so pass it along and let me know if you make a version of your own!

Always - Abbey

Sick-O

As a mom, or a woman for that matter, getting sick isn't the easiest thing to pull off. We all try to joke about how much moms do during the day, and you never realize it all until you can't do it anymore or have to do it with a clouded, feverish head. I try to deny it for as long as possible, pop as many vitamins as I can and carry on. But inevitably I feel like I always come down with at least one sinus infection and one stomach bug a year... this week was my time for the sinus yuck! I joke and blame my hubby (because he had it first) but sickness is going to happen, no matter how many lysol wipes I go thru or how many times I wash my hands, my kid's hands, or the hubster's hands!! It just stinks because it takes the wind out of your sail and interrupts your flow! And as a mom "flow" is a thing of desperate need when you are trying to shuffle 2 boys around, teach classes, keep a house clean for potential showings, and feed your family desirable dinners off Pinterest :))) Ha!!! That last point isn't a necessity but it is a obsession these days... way too much fun stuff on there to not get hooked!

But I digress... yesterday I was sick and pretty much stayed home all day, laid around and tried to keep little man somewhat entertained while trying to snuggle up in my bed as much as possible! Not so easy to do with an active 4 year old... so I muddled up some energy and we hung out outside during the morning playing with nothing and everything in the garage/front flower beds! Check it out...

Matt digging around, in pjs, while I try to sit as still as possible!

Moving on to another flower bed...

Here are his finds... sick tummy berries, as we call them so we know not to eat them!

Once we got bored in the front yard, we moved into the garage! According to my husband, what I did next not only doesn't surprise him but also frustrates him... I reorganized the tubs in the garage! I know, I know... not very good behavior for someone who claims to be sick! But... it was bugging me and needed to be done!!! It also got my creative juices flowing on projects I plan on tackling next week!!

Plan on refinishing 2 chairs (one for me and one to sell), I am thinking yellows or reds, and maybe a pattern??

 Check out that lovely cushion... it now resides in the garage sale pile!

And lastly... a picture that I have had forever - it was my grandparents so I would never get rid of it... but I do plan to revamp it and use it in pieces around the house! 

 Think shabby/chic Chalkboard!!!

So, that was my day... plus a visit to the doctor's office and picking up glorious meds that have me almost at 100% today!!! Yeah...

Stay Tuned for the finished products of the above potential revamp items!!!

Always - Abbey