I won a really great mailbox!!!

Oh my, even I am shocked that we lived with this mailbox for so long. It came with the house. It's on the side of the house and so we drive by it, plop it open, grab the mail, park the car in the garage and never think of it again. Egads, that is one ugly, ugly eyesore!!

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So when Architectural Mailboxes had a giveaway in conjunction with a favorite blogger, Maria Killam's  blog called Color Me Happy, I JUMPED at the chance!!! And I was rendered speechless that I won. And excited!!

When it first arrived, it looked sooooo large. It was twice the size of this old metal clunker. Mr. CJ rocked that old mailbox right out of the ground.

Woohoo, it's out of the ground!!

We laid the new post next to the old one to make sure that we had the correct height.

 Do you like the stirring stick? LOL. A fallen branch to the rescue. It worked.

And then we had to be patient and let it set up. Promise, we used a level or two to make sure it was level.

 

This is Billy, watching us from a few feet away. Always wondering what we are up to.

It's not good to name the stray kitties.

 And then.

We dug up the surrounding area, removed the grass (which I sprigged into another area), purchased and planted a dwarf yaupon, a ground cover juniper, 7 golden lantana and the bushy thing. There is already one on the other side of the driveway, so I thought it would make a cohesive look. Can't wait for these to grow up. Hoping this variety of Lantana overwinters. In the fall, I'll add some mums. Pansies for the winter. I'll also plant some bulbs come late fall.  This little area even weathered the last storm with 80+ miles per hour winds. It was meant to be!!

I love the sturdiness, the deep coating on the box,die cast aluminum accents. And the many options there are! Made making a choice really hard.

Thanks again Architectural Mailboxes and Maria Killam!

And Regan.. well displeased that we didn't spend the entire day with him!

I am so proud of this mailbox I am shouting with glee. 

We'd still be discussing models if this hadn't happened.

Thanks for your visit!!

Snow, Regan and a Flower Brick Giveaway

 

 Good morning world! Well actually, the morning wasn't this pretty. The blizzard conditions had the backyard swirling with blowing snow, it was dark, overcast and so very cold. But in the afternoon, the sun glimpsed through enough to snag a pretty shot!

Do you know what a flower brick is? I had seen them, but then I found them at an estate sale. What a great get. Three Christmas ones and two of these blue and white ones. 

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This is what a Flower Brick looks like. It's a two part container, bottom and lid. The holes in the lid are to insert flowers so that you can easily create a pretty cool flower arrangement. 

 Like this one.

When I lift the lid, you can see the stems poking through and into the water bath.. so easy to change water or snip the stems to make the arrangement last longer.

Leave a comment to win two of these charming Flower Bricks! I will place the order with Williamsburg Marketplace and have them shipped directly to your home.

Enter before March 5th. I will announce the winner the next day. 

For a second chance, be a follower. Leave a comment that you are.

 Good luck to all!
Sorry, but shipping only to continental USA.
Linking to Susan's at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday!!

Advent Calendar 2012 - a decorated tree

When do you set up your tree? Real or faux? I got tired of picking our ornaments off the floor and went back to a faux type. See all those boxes below the tree?

And if you are looking for this week's table.. just click HERE.

I store items in these Christmas boxes during the off season. But during the season..... they sit under our tree until it's time for presents. And then again after the  presents are opened. I hate to see a bare tree.

Boxes purchased at Tuesday Morning. They have so many pretty ones, it's difficult not to buy more and more and more... oh you get the picture!

I have a slight feeling that next year, we'll be having colored lights on the tree. I have gotten away with white lights two years in a row!

Our trees at my grandmother's always had real candles on the. Lit on Christmas eve under the watchful eye of the adults. However, their real trees were so much fresher than any you find on a tree lot in the south!  I'll show you how to make the clear balls next week! Promise.

 

Regan approves! He believes the bottom of the tree is his and says "Go get some pretty boxes!".

The sewing room is taking shape

Welcome to the redo of this room. I am turning it back into my studio/sewing room. It used to be an extra bedroom, but since the boychild has removed his furniture.. I got the room back!!!

Isn't this transition just lovely? Oh yeah.. so much had to be removed from the room and the hallway seemed the natural choice. Wouldn't this be a great shot for "Hoarders"?

 This is really the hardest piece to move.. I have two Horn sewing cabinets and a file cabinet under the solid core door. This piece has worked so well for about 20 years. Once I had that where I wanted it (it is getting skirted cause really who wants to look at that?), then I used blue painters tape to place the remaining pieces of furniture on the floor. I use the tape to outline the pieces and see how that will work for traffic flow and efficiency. That to me is the greatest tip of all time. I sometimes photoshop furniture into pictures to see the look, but for existing pieces you know you are using, this is just great!

Then my sweet husband went into building mode. These cube pieces came from Target. They are relatively sturdy and serve my purpose totally. My son volunteered to build shelves, but that would have taken time and I was into instant gratification. After the first 3 sets (there are nine cubes in one unit), my husband wondered if I would have enough to fill up the shelves. See the second photo.

Since there is still so much to do in here, You'll be getting snippets today. I need to order curtains, find some rods for art displays, a new desk lamp, skirt the desk, I do want my son to build a new cutting table, need to hang art work, and continue to purge excess supplies. But I do love how this looks. Oh the empty cubbies are now all filled and more fabric has been added.

I found this painter's tray at an auction for a pittance. Of course it came home with me. It's housed many things in it's time. This time around it's the keeper of some photos and lots of religious artifacts and other travel odds and ends.

I had to make room for my mom's Horn sewing cabinet. It's great for the second machine! Next to it sits an antique German thread cabinet that was a gift from my godmother. I love all the drawers and compartments for housing all those pesky little things.

 Some favorite things sit on top of the unit. I could have gotten a larger 12 cube unit, but that would have left me with no display room. I really wanted to have a spot for some pictures, my mom's doll wardrobe, and the few books that are too large for the cubes.

A few items in the cubbies themselves. This last photo is of two projects on which I'm currently not working. My son wants his Texas placemats!!

 Now just what's in those sweet "drawers" made for this cube system you ask? Well let me show you! One has antique lace on boards, one has lace each in it's own plastic bag. I had to untangle that mess from a tub! Not happening again.

 This antique German snap box holds my buttons, however all white ones are in the crystal jar!

 One holds anything in a can: 505 spray, starch, gold paint, glue, etc...  And another holds all the note cards I am going to send.

And then there are paints, inks, stickles, glitter.. ooh the mess!

So far. I'm quite pleased with the progress.

As is Regan. He thinks the desk is his new habitat! Put there just for him. He can guard me, watch the door and see outside. A heavenly perch.

He's also got to keep an eye on this little one. Yes, softy husband has started feeding this malnourished little one. If we can ever get him/her to trust us, then I think Regan might just have a playmate.

Have a blessed day!

Can You Believe - August is almost here!!!

Really, can you believe it? Me either. At the beginning of July, I was dreading the hot weather. It's not much cooler, but with August, the nights get longer AND start getting cooler! I rejoice. And that means September is not too far away. I know I'm rushing the seasons again.. so sorry, but I am NOT a fan of HOT.

Probably our patio will be enjoyable again.

That means fishing the cooler waters in September will be right around the corner.

And a trip to Santa Fe is in the works.

 

So until the weather is more agreeable, and the new show season starts, I'll be in front of the tele watching football(aka soccer), gymnastics, equestrian events, tennis, and volleyball!