Thanksgiving Dinner

I know that Thanksgiving is over and everybody is excited to move on to Christmas, but I just had to post this. I was able to travel to Utah to visit my parents for Thanksgiving. I know that I have mentioned before that my mom collects every thing under the sun. Well, I walked into her living room, and on top of one of her display cases she had this "Thanksgiving Dinner" assembled with parts and pieces of her various collections. It just really cracked me up!

Some Little Snippets.....

........of the 'Pink Pumpkin' baby shower that I threw for two of my close friends on Saturday.

The Piano

I apologize that I have been the absentee blogger this week. I am hosting a double baby shower for two of my dearest friends on Saturday, and I wanted to get the house ready. You know those lists that you formulate over time of things that you want to get done, but just don't seem to get around to until you have that little push? Well, this was that little push. This week I have

shampooed the carpets

painted the stairwell (With the hubby's help. It goes up to our second story and has one of those ridiculous two story high open areas. I was just so sure he was going to fall off of the ladder. Thankfully, he didn't.)

cleaned like crazy

made party favors

used dry erasers to remove my daughters artwork from the walls

etc, etc, etc,... I am exhausted

In the midst of all of this my hubby refinished our piano, so this week 'Favorite Spots Friday' is being pre-empted by my utter excitement for my new FAVORITE piece of furniture Friday.

We purchased this piano from a friend when she was moving. We payed $100- for it. We knew it was a big fixer upper, but I had a vision that I could not shake. (I am really glad that my man humors me so, because he does such beautiful work.)

It started out not the prettiest color with lots of worn spots and muck on it, and a broken, really homely book stand. He sanded the tar out of it, and it took him forever! (The cute man worked his cute hiney off.)

Then he used 3 coats of stain on it, and two coats of clear semi-gloss.

All the while I got to go shopping. I know, it sounds so unfair and decadent, but I was a woman on a mission so it really was work. ;) I knew exactly what I wanted for the book stand,...I just had to find it. Finally (do you hear the angels singing?), there it was. The art pieces were a little dinged up, so I got them on major clearance.

The right width for a book stand required me to buy two. :) Then we finished it off with a couple of knobs that I had saved for a special occasion.

I JUST LOVE IT!! I have been staring at it for a few hours now. THANK YOU LOVEY!!! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!! OH, another surface to decorate.........GLEE!!

More Thanksgiving Decor...

On a Budget!!! Inspired by my big sis and by yet another wonderful Thanksgiving song over at the Graphics Fairy,...I came up with this. The other day Wendy posted some really cute Autumn decor blocks decoupaged by a friend and given to her as a gift. When I happened upon another sheet of Thanksgiving music, I thought I would try to do something similar to her blocks.

I found an old piece of wood in our scrap, and sanded it a bit. Printed the image from the Graphics Fairy. Painted the wood black and roughed it up a bit with sand paper. Then I decoupaged the image onto the wood, and when it dried I applied a coat of clear satin finish polyurethane. Last off I glued the ribbon around it and finished it off with a bow. I am sure that the whole project cost me less then $2-,and I really like the outcome.

My youngest son brought this turkey home from school last year and I set it aside in my projects box knowing that I would want to frame it and display it for the next holiday season. I bought a frame at the dollar store and painted it white. I used scrap-book paper that I already had, and...Voila!! Cute Thanksgiving decoration for $1-. Many of the crafts that children bring home from school can serve as really cute decor if framed or displayed just right. Then they have that extra sentimental bonus to boot! :)

Favorite Spots Friday and an Award

Old books...........inspired my my friend Protege, who recently told the compelling story of a favorite book from her childhood.

Ever since reading her post the other day my eyes have been drawn again and again up to this little spot in our home office. When my husband designed and built our office, he made me built in bookshelves. Just above my desk he left some open shelves and wall papered them with hand made paper he found at a local design store. (I know, he spoils me!) I wanted to put something special on the open shelves to be seen. I have been collecting very old books over the years. They are beautiful,...they speak to me. Their tattered bindings and browned, aged paper tells a story beyond what is written in their pages. Today's favorite spot is this little top shelf in the corner of the office that holds some of my oldest treasures.

My two favorites out of the collection are this old photo album that was a gift from a dear friend, and an old L.D.S. Hymn book. The photo album is on it's last legs. The binding has fallen off and it is missing a clasp. The pages are worn and ripped, and it is just beautiful.

It probably belongs in a museum. There are even some old photos in it. I truly wish I knew who they belonged to. What a priceless piece of some body's family history.The Hymn book is dear to me because it is of my same faith. It was published in 1840, it is missing pages, and I would no more toss it out then a family heirloom or a precious gem.The pages are soo yellowed with age and I think that just adds to its ambiance.I think that antique books can make some of the best accent decor in a home.

An Award from Julie!!! Thankyou Julie!!!

I am supposed to list six things that I love and then pass the award on to some others. This is going to be a frivolous list of guilty pleasures. ( Just let it be a given that I love my family, my religion, and my country.)

1. I LOVE "Greys Anatomy", a little too much.

2. I Love, Love, Love hot fudge sundaes. (especially after midnight)

3. Beautiful images, and to surround my self with art and lovely home decor.

4. Going out to dinner, especially with my husband.

5. The feel of clean sheets.

6. Diet Coke!!! :):):)

I Tag Meg, Ms. Tee, and Valarie.