Elephant (peanut) Birthday Party

I have been away because I have been busy with a new job but I'm back and ready to blog about my empty nest.

I wanted to post about my first grandbaby Livvey's birthday party. It had an elephant theme because her parents were celebrating a peanut (that is what they called her until they found out they were having a girl).

Here is the entry table with the favors, but her Mommy added pictures through out her first year.

Here is the Cake table.

 Mommy used a paper runner from Crimson and Clover. It comes in a roll and she uses it and throws it away and rolls out more. See my Blog on this Crimson and Clover.

Close up of the cake by Melinda Biggers in Cordele. She also did the wedding cake. Livvey's initials on top.

The cookies. If you live in south Georgia, you know boiled peanuts is a staple. It is not shown here but the white bowl will soon be filled with boiled peanuts.

This is Livvey's smash cake.

She also had popcorn which was a hit as well.

Birthday Chalk Board saying!

Refreshment table. These are blue Mason jars that are now available at ACE Hardware.

She's starting on her cake!

Happy 1st Birthday Livvey!

Reclaiming the Workshop

We have not finished the workshop. We started 2 years ago but still have more things to do. The shop seems to be one area that we have dumped things for years. But I have a vision and we will get there. We really love being in the workshop during the fall. We have put a TV in there and being college football freaks, this is our favorite place to be during football season. We are also purging and organizing as we go. We stopped last year and decided to work on the garage. We had the estate sale and cleaned out the garage and now we are going back to the shop. They both go hand in hand. There are things that we use (gardening, painting, tools) that go in one place or the other. So working on both is slow but so worth it. Since college football is starting back up, we will be heading back into the workshop.

Today a friend told me that her husband and she are starting to work on her husband's workshop and wanted some ideas. So I decided to post some pictures we have taken as we started to work on ours.

 This is the before picture of the right room. The workshop has 2 rooms and we have only finished the right room. It was a mixture of garden tools, Christmas decorations, painting supplies, plumbing supplies, etc. You get the picture. It had cheap paneled walls and a drop down ceiling. All were bowing and falling apart. This workshop was built about 25 years ago.

The ceiling was insulated with 6 inch Styrofoam. We removed the ceiling and the walls and got down to the studs. I will say I was knee deep in dead varmits and rat poop. Not a good place to be in. But we all feel this way from time to time. (LOL)

Here is the cleaned up picture.

 

Then we walled it in with OSB from Home Depot. I spackled it and painted it light gray.

 

 We're still working. I painted the concrete floor a darker gray and bought Husky Storage which looks great, is durable and lockable.

 

Then I painted the trim white, installed a frig and TV for the games.

 

And what man cave can be without Farrah!

Happy Reclaiming!

Baby Shower

As an empty nester, I get to see not only my daughters grow up, but also their friends. Many have married and now are have babies. Here is a recent baby shower we hosted for Michelle. I am so proud of my daughters and their friends. They know how to host a party.

Caitlin's (the baby) monogram on cupcakes.

Baby book. The invitation is placed in the frame and greets the guests.

Food table.

The food. Oreo balls in pink icing. Swirls. Cup cakes. Cheese sticks. Ice cream bar. Water and Pink Lemonade.

Drinks in mason jars with pretty striped straws. (These are the same jars we used at Genie's wedding. We just keep using them.)

Chalk board.

Tiny Fingers, Tiny Toes.
Little Itty Bitty Bows.
Dresses, Ribbons, And Hair to Curl.
We're Tickled Pink
She's Having A Girl.

Close up of the cup cakes.

We're still waiting on the baby should be any time now. Livvey will get a new playmate. BTW this is at Genie's house.

Reclaiming the Spice Cabinet

My spice cabinet was soooo bad, I will not post a before picture. You know, we all have one.

Having an empty nest also means grandchildren and baby food jars. I found that Beechnut Baby Food was cheaper than the others. I saved the jars believing I could find something to do with them. I recycle everything in my house and always try to think of another way to reuse things.

I am so proud of my spice cabinet now that I am including a picture. Now Thomas can find what he needs while he's cooking. (I am not the cook in the house!)

I put them on lazy Susan's and alphabetized them. I love it!

Here is a before and after. I love the G, it gives it the Graves touch!

I used Avery 22814 Labels that I found at my local Wal-Mart.

Then I went to Avery's web site and used one their templates and my ink jet printer.

I painted the lids with Rustoleum Titanium that I found at my local Home Depot.

Happy Reclaiming!

My Mother's Memories in my Sewing Area

As I am cleaning out my sewing area and reorganizing, I wanted to decorate my sewing area. I found my mother's first sewing basket and wooden thread spools while going through her things before the estate sale.

I love sitting at my sewing machine and looking at her sewing items. It feels like she is right here with me!

Happy Reclaiming!

Reclaiming Furniture Workshop

I will be doing a furniture painting workshop for the Crisp Area Arts Alliance this fall. We are planning a Saturday class. I still do not have a definite date but Miriam and I are working out the details. I will be posting pictures for inspiration.

I just wanted to give anyone who is interested some notice. This is will give you some time to locate a piece. I recommend any thing that is solid wood. Unless it is has real wood veneer on solid wood. I have done this piece and it came out great.

Look in your attic, your mother's or grandmother's house. Go to estate or yard sales. Go to Brady's and Bush's here in Cordele. I have found some great pieces there.

You will be responsible to bring and remove your piece on the day of the workshop so I would like for you to bring a small manageable piece such as end tables, small chests, etc. I will be teaching you everything you will need to know to go home and do bigger pieces.

Here is a changing table that Genie found for Livvey's room. It is a large chest but this is probably the biggest piece that we can accomplish in a day.

We found this "Ethan Allen" piece (yes it really was Ethan Allen) at a flea market in Douglas GA. The downtown there has several markets side by side that are also a great source for shopping for pieces.

If you want to change knobs, please let me know ahead of time. I will need you to do a few things before the class.

I will also try to do a piece during the workshop as well.

I am sooooo stinking excited!!!

Happy Reclaiming!

Not Just Your Mothers Bedside Table!

When repurposing the guest bedroom into the grandchildren nursery, I wanted a bedside table. I looked at mirrored furniture but it wasn't quite right. I saw my mother's bedside table and got an idea. You can view the nursery at Nursery.

I painted it with silver paint. It gave me the look with out the $500 price for only $12.

Here's a close up.

I used these paints.

You can find these at Home Depot. For $5.48 each.

I painted the furniture in Polished Silver and the hardware in Thundercloud. The Precious Moments firgurine is a gift from my parents: Adoption, because I was adopted. I love it and so appropriate for the nursery. I found the frame and the lamp at TJMaxx.

I saved $488. More money for retirement!

Happy Reclaiming!