Guest Bedroom Make Over

I have taken an extended blog leave for the past few weeks.  Okay, month or so. It was much needed!  But just because I haven't blogged doesn't mean there has been nothing to catch you up on. Oh contra-ire.  I have LOTS to backtrack on and lots coming in the next few weeks that will be blog worthy!  And I cannot wait to share everything with you.  Seriously!

Though I've had an extended leave, and I know you're probably mad at me because of it {yeah right--today was the first time someone ASKED me about the blog--Hey Mrs. Anita!--I don't think y'all have missed me that much}, I think I can make up for it today!

I'm happy to say that the Guest Bedroom which I've affectionately called the URSR {Unfinished Refinished Spare Room} for awhile on the blog IS FINISHED! Yes, you read right! FINISHED!

Well...almost finished. I still want to make curtains for in there but just haven't had money to do it. Unfortunately for the URSR {which I guess technically should be called the FRSR--finished refinished spare room} is priority number 6 on the curtain list.  I just started priority number one three weeks ago.  It's completed and hopefully will be featured on the blog soon. So now I'm on to priority two. So priority six has a lot of paychecks between now and it.

For that reason, I wanted to share our new guest bedroom with y'all {sans curtains}.

 Don't you just love it!?  Now, I just want to refresh everyone's memory of what we started with

Essentially nothing.  This is a terrible picture of this bedding.  It really is pretty bedding from Target that was a bed in the bag set that was like originally $99.  However, my friend and I found it on sale for $20. 2 big euro shams, 2 shams, 2 decorative pillows, comforter, and bedskirt.  FOR $20!!!!  There are four other pillows on the bed that I spent a little more for, but still.  So the first order of business was to list this bed set on Craigslist.  We listed it for $50 and a woman bought it within two weeks, and she paid the full $50!  I also listed the lamp shades on Craigslist for $20 which is exactly what I paid for them.  It took a little longer, but a woman bought those within a month. Did I mention that I love Craigslist?  Armed with a little spending money, I started slowly but surely reinventing this room.

Now, I don't claim to be an interior designer by any means, but I LOVE this room.  So if you hate it, just keep your opinions to yourself!  I sometimes wish this was our room...seriously!  I've told David on multiple occasions that we're moving in here!

Let's start with the bedding.  Thank you Target for the most fabulous blue and white theme. When I saw it, I fell in love with it, and knew it was perfect for our room.  I first spotted the blue and white knotted pillows in a Target ad in Southern Living in January.  And I had to have the bedding so bad that I started trying to buy it before they ran out. It was actually when they were first getting it in.  Anyway, I went to three Targets total in one day. Yep, three.

Moving to the bed.  If you'll remember awhile back, I redid this cutie pie. Here's  a picture of it before what it looks like now.  We found it off Craigslist for $30. It just needed a little TLC.

Then we can move on to what is atop the headboard.  Yes, it's a mantle and you can put things up there.  A little pop of color, some old books and mason jar, a candleholder that I made from scratch, a print from my friend Barbara, and of course an owl.  The piece above the bed, I got at a consignment shop and didn't have to do anything to it.  It was all mine as is for $18. Score.

Next up is the desk.  I have had this desk since I was a little girl.  It has a matching dresser too.  Since I officially moved out of my parents house in Brandon, and my Dad took over the closet in my bedroom {another story for another day}, my Mom decided to redo my room.  Our fabulous interior designer wanted to get rid of the desk, but my Mom and I, knowing how much the set cost and not wanting to get rid of it, asked if I wanted it.  That way, one day the set could be reconnected should David and I ever need it.  Seeing as I had a perfect spot for it, I claimed it.  FREE piece of furniture alert! Now, I have never been good at making vignettes, but I have to say, I think this desk turned out pretty good.  I used mostly stuff we had, AND hit up the Hobby Lobby 80% off sale at the end of the summer in Jackson, MS, Germantown, TN, Collierville, TN, and Tupelo, MS.  Not kidding.

Please note the photo of my brother and I as little kids, the handmade lace owl that my brother brought me back from Europe {he knows his sis well}, and the Little Things Studio art.

Perhaps my favorite part of the desk vignette though is my Encyclopedia art. Basically, my parents had a set they were throwing away. Back in the day, before internet, my parents had a set for our research projects.  Somehow a few got lost, and my Dad was throwing them out. I begged them for them.  Since some of the Encyclopedias have letters like N-O and S-Si on them, we were limited with what we could spell.  I asked my Scrabble loving husband to come up with something with the 14 or so books he had to choose from. This is what he came up with.  Love it!

Now, I have probably neglected the blog more than usually partly because of this thing called Pinterest that Mrs. Ellen introduced me to {hey Mrs. Ellen!}  If you have a few hours to spare, you should definitely look at that website.  Who knows, maybe my stuff will be pinned on there one day!  Hey, a girl can dream can't she?

So one project that I found on Pinterest is Crochet Hoop Art.  Since we needed an inexpensive wall project that could draw some of the fabrics together, here's what I came up with.

The funniest part is that when some of our friends came to stay with us, she said, "Ooh!  Is that Pinterest?!"  Haha!  I did admit that it was. No use in trying to pass it off as my own idea.  I am, after all, telling the entire World Wide Web.

My second Pinterest project can be found next.  I fully intend to do a tutorial on these two projects one day.  We'll see when that actually gets posted.  I wanted a place to display some friend and family photos.  I've tried so hard to follow the rule about not putting personal photos all over your living room.  There is ONE in our living room and a bunch in our room.  But if you notice, the vignette on the desk really doesn't have many personal photos on it.  I mean, you wouldn't have known that black and white photo was my brother and I except for the fact that I told you!  Anyway, since this room is our guest room, I figure most of these people will have no problem seeing themselves in the decor.

One spot is missing because it's reserved for the McIntoshes.  Since they came for the Memphis game, I do have the picture. I just haven't printed it out and put it up yet.  Soon though!

Here's a few more photos from the room.  You may recognize some of the projects as previous things I did.

Little Things Studio art again. This time above the closet.

I hope you love our spare bedroom!  It's a guest bedroom so we hope that means you'll come stay with us!  We love visitors.  And even if we aren't in town, you're welcome to come stay anyway.  Just ask some of our friends that have already had to do that!

Some of these tutorials are still to come while some have already been posted. I'll try to remember to update the links as new blog post go up.

Headboard Makeover
$3.99 Wall Shelf Project
Crochet Hoops Art
Photo Frame Art
Candle Holder

Go ahead and Pin me on Pinterest! :)  Haha. Kidding, but if you don't know what Pinterest is, you should click the link. Pretty much my favorite thing ever now!

Let me know what you think of our room!  Also, there might be a special prize if you can tell me how many OWLS are in our new guest bedroom.  Just comment on the bottom of this post.  And no, I don't know what the prize is yet.  I'll pick one out of the people that get it right.  I pointed two out already.  Comment on this post with your answer! :)

Friday Fun Finds {8/26/11}

I've taken a week long break from the blog which is exceptionally NOT like me. But get excited because I'm back! For now at least. Until the next time I decide I need a break.

Stay tuned though because I have a bunch of fun projects that I've made this summer and not put on the blog.

However, today is Friday Fun Finds.  And in honor of Maroon Friday, I've been meaning to tell you about the latest and greatest blog I've found.

Are you ready for this?  I can promise that you aren't!

My blog has been in existence for over a year now.  I would say "our" blog, but my husband refuses to write blog posts.  And it's a shame because they would be really funny and great to read!  But in his defense, his friends aren't the ones reading the blog.  It's my friends reading the blog!

Anyway, my parents and David & I were all in Starkville two weekends ago.  David's sister was going through rush {which loyal blog followers know} so we chose to spend the weekend in our favorite place.  I haven't seen my parents in FOREVER so they decided to join the party as well!  No seriously, it had been like 2 months.

While enjoying our day on Saturday, my Mom announced that she wanted a blog.  I could not believe what I was hearing and was all to eager to set a blog up for her.  When asked what she wanted to write about, she said, I want to write about all of the good things that go on at Mississippi State and their alumni.

The whole weekend, we brainstormed names and eventually came up with "For Whom the Cowbell Clangs," a take off of the book "For Whom the Bell Tolls."

I set up a cute maroon blog layout and Mom got to work.  So far she's only posted twice, but she is in desperate need of new followers.  And trust me, you want to make sure you follow her before football season begins because I can guarantee you that her football blog stories will be funnier than Boo Mama's.

If you want to read about all things Mississippi State, head over to my Mama's blog at:

http://forwhomthecowbellclangs.blogspot.com/

And don't forget that it's Maroon Friday all over the world!  Wear your maroon!  Football season is less than a week away! WOO HOO!

Tomorrow...

Just because today is Thursday....

And it's raining...

And sometimes we just have bad days...

"Waiting For Tomorrow"

Maybe tomorrow I'll start over
Maybe tomorrow I will finally change my ways
Said the same things yesterday
Don't know why I'm so afraid
To let you in
To let you win
To let you have all of me

Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better

Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow

Maybe today I'll start believing
That you're mercy is really
As real as you say it is
It doesn't matter who I used to be
It only matters that I've been set free
You rescued me you're changing me
Jesus take everything

Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better

Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow

Oh, I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me
And I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me

Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better

Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow

I'm gonna grab the hand that's reachin down
And I'm not gonna wait until tomorrow
Oh, tomorrow

Tasty Tuesday {Hawiian Porkchops}

I don't like Porkchops.  I'm not a big fan of the pig.  I DO eat sausage, bacon, and bar-b-q, but I'm not a pork tenderloin/porkchop girl.  But, David's mom gave us some awesome pork chops around Christmas to stock our freezer.  They were Omaha Steak brand.  So I knew I needed something that would make them taste good!  

When we got married, my mom challenged me to try a new recipe every week, which I haven't really done because I don't like straying from what I know how to cook.  I've mentioned this before, but when I was in the 8th or 9th grade, I typed all of my mom's recipes on the computer, printed them out, and stuck them in clear protective sheets and put them in a three ring binder.  I didn't know it then, but I really was making myself a present!  When I moved out of the Chi O house in 2008 and needed to be able to cook, my mom and I drove to Office Depot and pulled every sheet out, one by one, and made copies.  Unfortunately, while my mom's "bible" of recipes survived, the original hard drive they were on did not.  So for like an hour, we pulled recipes out, copied, put back in.  It. Was. A. Pain.  But SOOO worth it.  I now have my own recipe binder of all of my mom's recipes.  I. Love. It.  Of course, she says it makes it really hard to have a "staple" to cook when we come home because odds are, I've cooked it for David recently!  She actually calls to see what I've cooked lately before she sees us so she can plan her menus accordingly!  I love having and knowing how to cook all of my mom's recipes.  I literally can think about how I've watched her do something, and do it.  

That is the reason I am not ecstatic about trying new recipes.  What if they are bad?

Well, in January, I decided it was time to find a new recipe for porkchops.  Both to satisfy my Mom and to utilize the free {amazing} cut of meat we had been given.  So I broke out the Southern Generations cookbook from the Starkville Junior Auxiliary.  I found a Hawaiian Porkchop recipe that looked good and simple. Plus, I had a lot of the ingredients in my pantry.  It was SO good!  I wanted to share the recipe with y'all then, but I had forgotten to take pictures--mainly because I didn't know if it would be good.  David and I both agreed that whenever porkchops were on sale, I could make this recipe.  

Well, porkchops were on sale last week.  So I made this wonderful recipe and took photos.  I hope y'all enjoy it as much as we do! 

First of all, make sure you remember to go grab your camera to take photos.  I am so bad at this!  

Throw four porkchops in a pan.  I used boneless.  Brown them on both sides until the outside edges aren't pink anymore.  I didn't have to drain mine.  I guess because I was using a good piece of meat?

While those are browning, start the sauce that they will cook in.  First you'll need one can of beef broth.  Pour it in a medium size bowl and continue.

Next, add 1/4 cup of ketchup.  I love ketchup. Yum.

Add in a tablespoon of white vinegar. 

Open a can of pineapple chunks. The recipe calls for pineapple tidbits, but I used what was in my pantry.  Pineapple is pineapple.  Don't forget how wonderful it is when Google Blogs rotates photos so they are the wrong way.

Now, the recipe calls for 1/2 a cup, but I always wind up putting more than that in there.  I love pineapple!  I put approximately 1 cup in this recipe. Maybe 1/2 a cup is appropriate for pineapple tidbits.

I also usually slip in a little bit of the juice just for good measure.  Even though it's not listed in the recipe.

Next, dump in 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Hopefully your brown sugar didn't look like mine. It tasted fine, but it was all stuck together.  Even the box is beaten up.  We're not very nice to our pantry items at my house.  The August heat must have gotten to it.  If this happens to you, measure as close to a tablespoon as possible. 

 The last thing that needs to be prepared are the green bell peppers.  You'll need approximately 1/4 cup of these. 

Wash your pepper, and cut it up into pieces.  You want to make sure you remove the seeds from the inside of the bell pepper before doing the next step.  Slice up the bell pepper.

Then throw it in your nifty chopper that is super quick. I've mentioned it on here before, but I love mine! 

Easy as one, two, three!

Add that to all of the sauce you've prepared.

Then pour it into you skillet with your porkchops.

Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes.  You just leave it and forget about it!

After 45 minutes, take a tablespoon of cornstarch and mix with 2 tablespoons of water.  Stir it up REALLY good!

Then pour it in your porkchop/sauce mixture.  The cornstarch will act as a thickener and make it yummy!

And now my computer is being silly and won't upload the final picture!  Maybe it will tomorrow!  The recipe says to serve this dish with rice, but I hate rice so I chose to serve it with wild rice.  And it is SO good with the sauce!

Hope y'all enjoy it as much as this non-porkchop lover loves it!

Hawaiian Porkchops

4 Porkchops (approx 1 lb)
1 can beef broth
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water


Brown and drain porkchops in a skillet.  Add all ingredients to pan except cornstarch and water.  Simmer covered for 45 minutes.  Stir cornstarch into water and add to sauce to thicken.  Serve with rice.

I Miss College--Part Two

Today, I spent the day here....

Yes, my sister-in-law pledged Kappa Delta, and I couldn't be more excited for her!  She had a phenomenal rush experience, and she's elated!

I guess I'm going to have to start liking teddy bears, green and white, and white roses. 

I do feel like I should point something out.  Make no mistake, our future children will wear owls.  Yes, boy or girl, they will wear owls.  Their aunt can buy them teddy bears, and I won't forbid it.  Their nursery will be done in owls.  Their aunt can come visit, but she will not brainwash them into Kappa Delta.  Of this I am certain.

I'm only halfway kidding.  And by saying that on the blog, I probably just jinxed our future children to be ALL boys.  Would now be a good time to point out the my brother dates a Kappa Delta as well?

Anyway, for those of you who aren't Greek, have never been Greek, and care nothing about being Greek, this post will mean nothing to you.  And for that, I would apologize, except Greek Life meant so much to me that I won't.

So of course, being back on the row made me miss college again.  If you haven't read I Miss College--Part One {that is titled Friday Fun Finds {8/12/11}}, you should click on the link and read it.  I truly miss college.

But more than anything in the world, I miss this place...



Aka, my absolute favorite place in the world. 

The memories started on this day seven years ago, and I was so blessed by God's incredible plan for my life.  Little did I know then the journey He had in store for me with Chi Omega and the friendships that would abound within her walls!

On pref night of our recruitment. These pictures aren't embarrassing at all!  Haha. But they were a sweet and special time!

. 

Then came bid day!  Sessums 324 was covered with two little wise owls perched on our door.  This of course was before the explosion of owls in retail!

I'm sure that you have seen some of these photos if you've been around the blog awhile. I would have to tell my freshman self how important it is to take as many photos as your memory card can stand.  Because I took 5.  Yes, FIVE.  Not six, but five.  There is one that is missing and it is a copy of a photo that is in my scrapbook.  It's of my friend Katherine Wiley and I.  Knowing that the photo exists is applicable to this post.

This day, while super awkward to be surrounded by 200 people that I didn't know, would have to go down as one of the best days of my life.  I look back on the FIVE photos that I took, and every single lady in yellow has grown to mean so much to me.

I would have no way of knowing it at the time, but every relationship from that first "official" day at the Chi Omega house, God would take, mold, and use for a specific part of my life.  It is obvious to me looking back that He intended to bless  me with a friend who possessed a characteristic that I did not.

I look at these girls in YELLOW, and...

They all got me through some tough times.
They all made me laugh when things weren't going well.
They all played practical jokes with me.
They knocked five times on the wall to signal we were going to bed. {inside joke}
They had RENT movie marathons during final exams with me.
They cried with me.
They stayed up late with me talking about boys.
They stayed up late with me crying about boys.
They stayed up late with me laughing about boys.
They walked with me through a broken heart, and I shared in a few of theirs.
They were the first people to call my bluff on not liking David.
They were the first people I called when David and I got engaged.

They were ALL bridesmaids in my wedding. 

And I met them all on this day.  Don't get me wrong, I met a few more throughout the years in college.  I met a few more of my bridesmaids in the week after Bid Day {and I have photos to prove it}.  But I never could have known at that time just exactly WHAT these girls {who wandered into my FIVE bid day photos} would mean to me.

I guess that's why I'm struggling so much with wanting to do it all over again in my sister in law's place.  I wish at Bid Day 2004 I had taken note of the back of my tshirt.  It read...

"You can have diamonds, and you can have men. But Chi O's my dear are a girls best friend."

Because if I had paid attention to what I was wearing instead of just the Greek letters on the front, I would have realized that I was surrounded by the people that would stand with me throughout a lifetime. 

I have no idea how God brought these girls and gave them to me.  Maybe it was through meeting all of these girls in the RED shirts.  All I know is that He had chosen them for me before I was even created in my Mother's womb.

"Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be."  --Psalm 139:16

God knew exactly how rush was going to turn out before I even was formed.  That's one crazy detailed God. And for that, I am thankful.

God picked them out.  Me being at the Chi Omega was no mistake. Me meeting these girls was no accident.  He ordained the entire thing.

"Chi Omega friendship is worth more than gold,

Its not had for the asking, no place is it sold.

You can't find it in a book or on a shelf...

You just have to be a Chi Omega yourself!"

And the same can be held true for my sister in law, Danielle and her new sorority.  God ordained her steps in August of 2011 just as He was faithful to do for me in August of 2004. God of faithfulness and details.  And I could list so many more characteristics!

So as I stood outside of the place that Danielle will call home for four years, I was flooded with these emotions.  Not only was I jealous of her, I found myself standing back on the curb, taking photos, and wondering....Who will she play practical jokes with, and which ones will help dry tears when they inevitably come over serious and mundane events in college?  Who will be the ones to swing on the front porch with her?  Which of the girls in the photos above will be seen in wedding photos and albums for years to come? 

Who will be her Bethany Shipp?  Her Megan Fly?  Her Anna Tadlock?  And her sweet Katherine Wiley?

Because, I feel certain that I met them today--that I took some photos with them in them.  I could see my friends faces in theirs.  Seven years ago. Man.

And so with that, I choose to lose my August blues, live in the present, and remember that I HAVE my Bethany Shipp, my Megan Fly, my Anna Tadlock, and my sweet Katherine Wiley.  I have MANY more from my Chi Omega house as well that I could name and tell stories about.  In fact, I'll join a few of them for a bachelorette party this coming weekend.  I choose to trust that the faithful, detailed God I serve will be just as faithful and detailed in the coming seven years as He has been in the past seven years.  He knows the plan He's orchestrating far better than I.  I choose to trust that while we may live miles and miles apart, nothing can separate us from each other!  And this fall, when I see sorority girls with Greek stickers at football games and letter t-shirts on campus, or when my sis in law comes home proudly displaying her all sorority t-shirt wardrobe, it will bring a smile to my face, and I'll be thankful for the present while remembering sweet memories of precious friends.  I'll be thankful that we're not at the end.  Those four years were simply the beginning of a lifelong of friendships.  We'll even welcome our first new addition to the group in February {woo hoo for our new little hootie hoo #1 for Kat}.  The August blues have officially ended.

How elated am I for Danielle?  Words cannot describe!

Alright girls, who's planning the reunion this year?  I vote for the beach!

I nominate you Meg Fly! Seven years later, and we still find ourselves on the row!