projects: Inspiration

I've been inspired-AND that means lots of work for my husband.

I really LOVE Jane Lockheart on HGTV. And this was my first bedroom inspiration. I LOVE the color on the wall-

Benjamin Moore Puritan Gray.

I had it mixed at Home Depot this weekend making the gallon just over $15 rather than the $40 at ACE.

And this was my second inspiration - found at ALL THINGS THRIFTY.

LOVE the yellow on the furniture.

Hopefully this will all come together this weekend and you can see what I've been working on!

foster: Introductions

We'd like to introduce you to Grace and Garrison (aka G and Lil G). In March of 2009 these two were our first placement. They went home to their loving parent August 13, 2009. Last week Gracie turned 9 and next week Gar Gar will be 3. I can hardly believe how time flies!

Gracie is so thoughtful and mature for her age. She acts like a little adult and has superb social awareness. I know that she will impact many people throughout her life and will be able to do so many things because of the wonderful gifts she has to share.

Garrison is all boy. He is obsessed with motorcycles. Even as a 20 months all he could talk about was Motorcycles Fas(t). He lights up a room with his ready smile and is eager to entertain a crowd.

(of course I don't have a picture of his smile-ugh)

We sure LOVE our G and Lil G!

All pictures posted with permision of Mom H.

foster: G and Lil G update

May is an incredibly hard month for me. I'm so glad I have little rays of sunshine (G and Lil G) born in May! They are such amazing kids and I really do admire their Mom H.

We sent G and Lil G birthday cards early this week. I was so surprised Thursday to get a call from Mom H thanking us for the cards and inviting us to Lunch Saturday afternoon. I'm so impressed with the challenges Mom H overcame and the success she has found.

G and Lil G sound so happy and healthy-living the childhood I hoped for them. It was so nice to talk to them I didn't even mind missing the last 15 minutes of BONES. We're sooo EXCITED to see them!

foster: The Easy Way?

I remember the first couple of Sundays we brought the girls to church we had SEVERAL people tell us "congratulations" and "it looks like you took the easy way." I'm assuming they thought we adopted. We kinda laughed and said "yeah the easy way-UNTIL we give them back" Someone please tell me what is easy about adoption? And if adoption isn't what they meant, someone please tell me what is so "easy" about fostering - twins? It really makes me think about school age kids. Nobody ever said things THAT STUPID when we had G and Lil G. BUTTTTT I know it's best to keep our options open....

foster: Countdown

For those of you wondering what's going on with foster care and our family-WE'RE ON HOLD. And holding stinks. We are 59 days through the twins 90 day trial home placement. 1 more month and and we can be active on the list again. In the mean time we've done some respite (over-night baby sitting for other foster families). It was great to see Little Boy and Little Girl for 3 days last month. Although we were happy when they went back to their foster (soon to be forever) family. We're taking a 6 year old and 8 year old tomorrow night and a 2 year old and 4 year old next weekend for 3 nights. That's the update! 31 days until we can have another placement.

Oh and the caseworker did help me find the addresses I needed. It took just 3 business days.

craft: Lamp Revamp

First I have to apologize for our bad photos. All we have are camera phones. Jason thinks I've gone a little crazy with the aqua paint I used on this mirror.

I wanted to establish the color in our room by repeating it 3 times. So I started with my hand me down lamp. Thinking I had a picture of the lamp I foolishly painted it without a before picture. Here's the after!



I'm still not sure I love it. BUT I AM in love with the Rustoleum Extra Cover spray paint . I was able to do both projects and still have paint left over.

foster: Pictures for the Mail

Today I'm getting pictures ready to send to the twins' parents. I can't believe they've been gone for almost 2 months! I'll be slaving away labeling the 30 decent pictures we decided to send to each parent. Any guess on how long it will take the caseworker to get me addresses?

craft: Adding Fabric to Mats

I wanted to add some of the color from my mirror through out the room. I've done this in several ways but today I'm only sharing my picture frames! I had 1/8 of a yard of cute fabric cut right before or right after G and Lil G came to stay with us. It's been floating around for a long while. Should I use it for this project or that project.... I decided to add it to 2 of my favorite pictures.

Our wedding photo.

My Mom's graduation picture. Isn't she BEAUTIFUL!

I love that the fabric sets these pictures apart form all of the other pictures we have in our front room-yes we have a lot!

craft: Painting A Mirror

I had this old mirror hanging out in the basement for the last 6 months. It's got this really bad plastic frame and I almost go rid of it. I'm so glad I didn't!

I taped it off using blue painter's tape and gave it a really good sand with fine grit sand paper.

Then I added a black garbage bag to protect the glass. (why I had to choose the largest bag in the house I don't know!)

Next I added a bright aqua blue to the frame.

After 2 coats and an hour of dry time I covered the frame with brown glaze.
I wiped the glaze off with damp paper towels. My glaze was super old and way thick which made wiping it down HARD. In the end it's a little more rustic then I was going for. I'm not sure I love it. I'm usually more of a gray blue and navy blue girl what do you think?

Should I start over with another color?

project: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Yesterday I had a much needed long talk with my mom. Afterwards I actually got something done. I did 4 loads of current dirty laundry and folded 5 loads of clean clothes abandoned on the basement couch during our Little Boy and Little Girl days. Now my living room looks like this




Lisa did say "the good, the bad, and the UGLY!"