Last Minute

No, not packing for the trip

(Although I am doing that)

last minute - fluffing the nest

at the Vintage Nest

It's hard leaving my nest for a month

and one last project

For the home nest

 

found this old frame at a recent 

estate sale for $5.00

 It was pretty beat up and missing

some of it's texture

 I cleaned it up

and gave it a good coat

of Annie Sloan dark wax

It's still very shabby,

but I love it!!

Every Little Birdie says

 Next Post from Jolly Ole England!!

Bucket List

 Do you have a bucket list?

Come this September I'll be able to check off
Number One on my bucket list!!


A Trip back to England!

and the tiny village of Wareham

The Quay -Wareham

Where my mom grew up, 

Where she met my Dad,

Where I lived for a while at the age of 18

The Lord Nelson Pub, Wareham, Dorset, England

This was my Granddad's Pub, 
where one day a handsome soldier dropped in for 
a pint of beer, met a very pretty English girl, 
and the rest, as they say is history

G.I. from Texas + English girl = Me!!

Two families were united but also divided
by a very large pond

But the distance hasn't stopped us 
from visiting each other over the years.

I have fond memories from the trips
I took as a very small child,
but my love affair with England
began at the age of 18  
when I truly fell in love 
with this land and my English family

 

And a few years later 
when I married  hubby we traveled again

to England so he could meet my family and
experience the beauty of this small country,

but sadly we haven't been back since that trip
(It's been 39 years)

Last year we had visits from all three 

of my English cousins and their wives 

and the decision was made.....

2014 is our year to visit them!

We will be spending the entire month

of September in England.

I promise to post blogs from my cousin's

computer to keep you updated on our

travels and our time with my family

(and while I'm there I'll be checking off a few more things on my
bucket list, but that's for another blog)

Every Little Birdie says

We will be visiting Port Isaac, Cornwall,

 Cherrio for now

Song Sheet + Glue Gun = ?

You know the feeling.....

It's evening time, there is nothing

worth watching on TV............

It's August in Texas,

too hot to go outside..........

You're bored!

So you go to your crafting closet

and take a look around

You find some old sheet music

You get out your trusty glue gun

and things begin to happen!!

 You roll, glue, roll, glue, roll, glue................

And finally you have a completed project!

A pretty paper wreath

 

So next time you're bored

just go to your crafting closet,

and stare into the abyss of

supplies and materials

......and when the inspiration hits you,

go for it!  

  Every Little Birdie says-

Re-furbish/Re-cycle/Re-design

re·fur·bish

verb

verb: refurbish; 3rd person present: refurbishes; past tense: refurbished; past participle: refurbished;  present participle: refurbishing

renovate and redecorate.

synonyms:

renovate, recondition, rehabilitate, revamp, overhaul, restore, renew, redevelop, rebuild, reconstruct;

 Here are a few of my recent 
refurbished pieces:

An old wooden chair that needed

a make over

An old coffee pot in need of restoration

I painted the chair with a mix of grey and white paint and added white stenciling 

to the back and seat of the chair

My hubby worked with several cleaners

to restore a shine to this old coffee pot

(and received major points too!)

I also used the same technique

on an old $5.00 "thrift store" chair

You can just call me the "AFTER" girl

because I ALWAYS forget the before pictures

Oh well, believe me they look 

way better refurbished!!

Every Little Birdie says

Birdie's motto:  Re-furbish, Re-cycle, Re-design

Beach Time

We've had tons of fun with our

grandson over the last two weeks!

 Before we took him home

 there was one more thing

left on our agenda........

THE BEACH

Yesterday we headed over to Port Lavaca

for an early dinner

We enjoyed a delicious seafood meal
at the Shellfish Restaurant in Port Lavaca

Next stop..... Magnolia Beach!

Trace skipping shells

writing a note to his mom in the sand

What a great kid!!

Trace & Nana

I'm so very proud of him

Every Little Birdie says

A Grand Time

Our grandson is staying at our nest
for a couple of weeks

He is such a great kid and we
are delighted to have him!!

Last week he spent some time
working on the Easley Ranch

a little hard work never hurt anyone,
but all work and no play makes for a dull boy, So.......
 
We've also been swimming, gone out to eat,
had a few driving lessons (he's getting
ready to turn 16!), and just hung
out together having fun!!

Trace & Papa at the Hotel Blessing

Trace at the Victoria Educational Gardens

Nana @ the gardens

....and while having all this fun
I even found time for a little crafting

I Love to turn old aluminum kitchen
ware into something pretty!!

Every Little Birdie says

The Victoria Gardens

 We are off to the beach tonight for more fun!!

Transformations

Remember my curbside

purchase

It went through a 

transformation

I painted it Annie Sloan Linen Grey

and then dry brushed it

with my homemade white

chalk paint

I also crafted some of the old bottles

I bought "junking" my way

to Dallas recently

The bottles went to my booth

BUT, the candelabra I'm keeping!!!! 

Every Little Birdie says

 I love junk!!