almost there......

A sneak peek... brought these two pieces home today!! 

Big reveal next week... have a few more things coming!!

Hugs!! xxoox! 

pondering....

This vintage sideboard buffet!!!  For the dining area!! 

BUT.... I really loved this for all my crystal and silver!! 

Thoughts???

Progress.. Dining room make over

Thinking it all through and taking time to put everything black in place.

I hung this vintage mirror in the dining room yesterday.... (click on photo to see detail of the mirror)

More to come...
Valarie

Still here....

Getting ready for our committee meeting tomorrow .....

Don't you love the jute bags? I made the tags. Simple tags stamped with distress ink, used a cross stamp dipped in brown ink, tied with twine, message on the back of the tag.

Hugs.. back soon!!
Valarie

I'm in love.....

With my new dining room table and chairs... Thank you to my son in law Billy for assembling!  Ok.. now I am ready to put my room back together!

A BLANK CANVAS!! 

Here is the before! PAINT accessories? NEW WINDOW TREATMENT? Recover vintage chairs (on right). Thoughts??

Happy Friday!!
Valarie  

it's here...

Table and chairs... now all I have to do is ask LOML to assemble.  Love the color.. Love the design.. more to come....  Happy day!
Valarie

You are invited to.....

PLEASE RSVP AND SADDLE UP FOR A GOOD OLE' ROUND UP!! 

See you there!! 

Where do I begin to thank??

For all of you that follow this crazy blog of mine, you know I LOVE SKY RANCH AND the COWBOYS & COWBOYS SKY RANCH GALA. If you read my blog, you know my passion for SKY RANCH.

You also know that non profit events are just that! NOT FOR PROFIT. When asked to chair I began calling everyone I knew and I didn't know for donations, in-kind sponsorships etc... to make this event a "WOW"

You answered the call.... THANK YOU!!! 

Laurie Anna thank you!! You truly saved us for the decor!! Where do I begin to thank you?

Daphne Nicole - Thank you for your generous donation of the vintage chic western bag! 

Lynda Cade Jewlery- Thank you!!  Beautiful jewlery!

Print Right - Vicki, you are an angel, all the collateral, all the shipping, our invitations look fabulous!

Gruene Mansion - Cecil, thank you!!

Munzeheimer Manor Bed & Breakfast - Bob & Sherry -- Thank you!!

The other of you who read my blog and gave so generously and wanted to remain anonymous..   Thank you!

To find out more about the event click here.

Much love!
Valarie

busy week-end!

We celebrated LOML's birthday - it was a awesome week-end! Riverdance exceeded my expectations!! We had a fabulous dinner Friday night at Rockfish Grill.
Wesley took him to breakfast Sunday morning at LOML's his favorite place. IHOP!
Thank you all for the birthday love to LOML.  You all are fabulous!!

Now...  the update on the dining room- here is where we today!

Before: Color was 'Sands of Time' by Sherwin Williams, painted Sept 2002, when I moved in

We LOML worked on the new dining room makeover!! Almost done with the painting!!

I was trying to keep the BIRTHDAY LOVE going!!

Almost finished... This color is Ralph Lauren Natural Canvas. It covers like a dream, I painted my kitchen this color in 2009, when I did a small color make-over.. click here for before and after pictures.  
Have a great Monday!
Valarie  

Someone VERY special is celebrating a birthday!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOML!! I have a week end of small surprises planned... shhhhhh... 
Making his favorite Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting,  dinner tomorrow night at Rockfish Grill, then we are going to a performance of Riverdance, then Sunday morning .. breakfast at his favorite place!! 


Please help me wish LOML A VERY SPECIAL CELEBRATION WEEK-END!  

Meet LOML (the love of my Life!)  

Very patient and kind! 

Always smiling and making me laugh!! 

 Happy #51 LOML! 
XXOOXX!! 234E! 
Valarie 

You voted....

REMEMBER WHEN I ASK FOR YOUR VOTE?? 
I went from this.... 

TO CLEANING OUT THE HUTCH AND PUTTING EVERYTHING IN PILES!!  I SOLD THE PIE SAFE & DISHES too!!

Picked out my paint color tonight .... Painting this week-end!
More to come!
Valarie 

Blue cottage snow...

We are covered in a blanket of snow!! 

knock out rose bush covered in snow 

My beautiful Crape Myrtle

LOML AND I are home snuggled in... having a late breakfast and enjoying the beauty of the white fluffy snow!!
hugs, Valarie 

let it snow.... let it snow!!

WESLEY,JONATHAN, LOML 

Son Jonathan proud of his "HAWG" flag!! 

Wesley & Jonathan 

Wesley about to throw the big one!! 

oh, how i love the snow... 

everything is covered.... 

the blue cottage in her dress of snow.. 

Thank you for stopping by!! Enjoy your snow day!!
Valarie  

what is your vote?

*** EDITED TO ADD**** If you know me at all and follow my blog you know by now if I have a thought of something and mention it once, then I am on the track to execute that thought!  I think it is a good thing I can make a decision on a dime.. however LOML thinks I may leap a bit quick on things!! 

This afternoon I thought what the heck throw it all on Craig's List and see what happens! If it is meant to be then it's meant to be!! Posted on Craigs list @ 1: 42 and @ 2:36 Lyn emailed me for measurements and was coming my way today!! SOLD!! 

Lyn, Thank you... Enjoy!! What a sweetheart of a gal! Check her out here!! Pop over and introduce yourself!!  ((the other cool thing is..  I told her about cowboysandcowboys.com and she is going to donate a silent auction item!!))  Thank you!! Thank you!!  

Empty spaces.... New beginnings.... More to come!!  

 *************************************************

I am thinking of giving up the white, red, now black wicker table and hutch!! I mean really I have had this wicker since my daughter was 6 months old!! (1981) It is truly time for a make-over.... So I was thinking about throwing all of this on Craig's List ...... 

for this ....... found this on Overstock.com... you know I would never pay full price for anything!

I haven't made any changes in years because nothing has caught my eye.. but today.... this did!!
Thoughts???
Valarie

Friday night Fun!!

Aggie game & Apple Pie!!

I saved you a piece!! Click here for the recipe!! 

Happy Week-end!!
Valarie

enjoying the blue cottage..

Much love to you all today!
Valarie

something you should know...

I have an addiction to gravy boats!! This past weekend went junkin' in Oak Cliff found a few more!

They are chipped and have been well loved... Notice the handle.. 

love the pattern... love how it has aged.. 

My little shelf of happy! If you follow my blog you all know that my Grandmother was simply the best.. She always had plenty of gravy boats, plenty of dishes & plenty of love in her kitchen! 
I will also share that my step dad had a saying when we were all in the kitchen "If it ain't fried or dipped in gravy we ain't having it!"  Maybe that is why I am partial to gravy boats!! Just sayin' !
Hope you enjoy the simple pleasures of life... such as gravy!! 
Hugs.. Valarie 

NEW PAINT..NEW YEAR.. NEW BEGINNINGS....

Why is this first thing I want to do every January is PAINT!! Guessing new beginnings, new look, fresh start to 2011!!  I have going through paint color after paint color trying to land on the perfect color for my dining room and living area.  I painted my kitchen last and I still love it... Painted it Ralph Lauren Canvas Natural. I thought about bright white!! Now that would be a huge change!!
Thoughts??
Happy Monday!
Valarie

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Let me introduce you to Sherry & Bob!  They are the owner of this fabulous Bed & Breakfast in Mineola, Texas! 

The beautiful Munzesheimer Bed & Breakfast.. a place we have called home the last 2 New Year's Eve!!  

We stayed in the Conductor Cottage this year.. fabulous room, tons of train memorabilia!  Quaint & Romantic room with a claw foot tub and a fabulous shower!! Plenty of seating room to relax, read, or journal your thoughts in the keepsake books that Sherry shares in each room!  

Sherry had arranged for all the guests to attend dinner at "Taste of Italy".  We had a blast sharing stories of 2010 and looking forward to 2011! 

Thank  you Sherry & Bob!! See you next year!! 

xxoox! 

Valarie