Renovation reality!!!!

Everyone is hard at work renovating this old farm house.

I didn't get pics of everyone that is helping - I was busy too. :)

Most walls have been stripped back to the studs.

Some are in good condition.

Even the teenagers are helping with this one.

Some walls are in not so good condition.  The studs in this wall

downstairs are so damaged they look more like cardboard.

Obviously baby girl is wondering what she had done

and will it ever be over.

The best news is that all the hardwood floors are in

excellent condition although the house will need

to be leveled in spots by a professional.

The walls have been stripped down to the studs.

Now what do we do?

I don't see the light - Where is the light?

Baby's Breath or Lavendar

I never knew that Baby's breath could be so beautiful.

Here are the pictures that have inspired us for the upcoming wedding flowers.

On the other hand, I have always had a fondness for lavender and these pictures

only increased that fondness.

Can you see this church

with this decorating the entry.

Add a wedding to my list of things to do

WE ARE VERY EXCITED !!!!
My baby girl is getting married in February 2011.

She and Nic have been dating since she was a senior in High School and

he was in college - 5 1/2 years.  He finally popped the question when we were

on vacation this past June.  Now comes the planning on top of the farm house that my other
baby girl and her family are getting
.

I have to say that Etsy is the place to shop for anything wedding.

We got the above save the dates from Etsy.  Her shop is called "Sunshine and Ravioli".

We ordered this bird cage veil from Etsy.

The wedding cake topper is from Etsy also.
"Amadalebel" has a lot of fabulous cake toppers.

This is the Grooms Cake Topper and I got it off Ebay from fins-n-horns.

We have booked the church, the reception venue, the band, caterer,

florist, and photographer.  We found the perfect dress.

Still looking for cake and I don't know

what else.  It is going to be fabulous.

A Bereaved Mothers Prayer

My life is upside down God. The order of the world is out of place and I can’t do anything to right it again. Oh Lord you know the pain in my heart at all times and only you know why my child has died. How can it be that he is gone? The child I cared for with such concern in every illness, the one I held close to my heart and promised to take care of for a lifetime is not here for me to care for anymore. It hurts deeply that I wasn’t able to protect this child I loved with my whole being from a death that seems so unfair.


Let me feel calm. Let me breathe deeply. Be with me in this kind of deep and transformative pain. I now carry this darkness with me on my back and in my heart always. It is my burden and my companion.

Lord there is not a single minute of my life when this loss is not etched so keenly into my brain and heart, whether it is in the middle of a busy day or in those choking moments of grief in the solitary dark of night. Let me be grateful for every minute we had together. Let me treasure those memories and find joy in them.

Teach me Lord. Tell me what you want me to do with this. What am I supposed to learn from this kind of pain? What are you calling me to do?

Open my battered heart and lead me to comfort and peace. Only you can give me the peace I need. Let me feel your presence in my life.

Cedars Plantation - Kitchen before

So here is the kitchen at Cedars in all its glory. 

There is a lot of work to be done and this is the scariest part of the

entire house in my opinion.

The ovens and range will definitely be replaced.

Sherri wants concrete counter tops.

Lots of work to do.

Will have to find a new place for the fridge and remove

the door.

The pantry will be torn down - there is a windown inside it so it will

bring in more light.

Cedars Plantation ~ Oak Ridge, Louisiana

My daughter and son-in-law are about to buy this old farmhouse that is listed on the Nationial Registry for Historical Places.  It was built in the 1840's and is said to be the oldest homestead in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana.  The place has been vacant for almost 2 years, since it's owner passed away.  Her only surviving heir has reluctantly decided that she has to sell the home and wants to sell it to them, because she feels that they are the ones that could love and cherish this house and bring it back to life.  These are just a few of the many pics that we have taken of this place and quite frankly, I just don't know what to do.  This homeplace is beautiful.  The trees and farmland are an outdoor dream (son-in-law) and the wide wood plank floors with the original doors and fixtures are my daughters dream. 

There is peeling wallpaper everywhere. 

The lady that last lived in this house loved her "pretty little things".  She has put shelves in almost every window and these shelves are full of bottles and pretties.  The daughter showed us TONS of old arrow heads and other very interesting artifacts that have been found on the property.    Ms Jane obviously collected rocks too.

The floors appear to be solid and beautiful.

The roof will be replaced first thing.  They have already measured and priced the materials to put a metal roof up there in an effort to make it look as close to the original tin roof as possible.

This front porch is a dream.

I can imagine sitting out there on a summer evening, shelling peas or butterbeans like

we did when I was a child.

The original shutters are in a shed in back of the old house and they will be added back to the house as soon as the insulating is done. 

What would you do?  Has anyone out there ever taken on such a project?  We know that it will take many years to finish but also know that they are young and once the place is just "liveable", they will conquer one project at a time. 

I will show you this place room by room and will also show the renovation when it begins.  It should be fun and if anyone wants to come over and play, you are more than welcome.  Let me know your thoughts.

My space in Canton

I made a few crosses.

and I had tons of shabby chic furniture

and lots of really cool accessories BUT

I sold maybe 7 items the entire weekend.

It was apparently not meant to be and I have now come to the

conclusion that this is not what God wants me to do with my time.

This was my last trip to Canton as a vendor.  It makes me very sad but...

I will have to concentrate more on my "big girl" job and less on my dream.

I will spend more time fluffing my booth space and making it the best it can be.

Headed to Canton Texas

We are loading up the camper and trailer and headed over to Canton, Texas to try it one more time.  We are going to be in front of the Civic Center - between Rows 43A and Antique Alley. 

I will have lots of shabby chic furniture, lots of nests and birds and bottles and signs and pillows and ....  Well you get the idea right?

I hope we see you there.

Weekend projects

Hail Mary Full of Grace

Take the road less traveled

I had found some old books and one had a letter in it with a proposal.

I attached the proposal to the front of the bottle and embellished it and voila !

I did forget the most important rule and that was to scan the letter and NEVER use the original.

:(