The New Year!

I love clocks!

 I thought a New Year's Eve post featuring some of my 

beloved,

 quirky 
and sometimes broken clocks

 was fitting.  

 

To be honest with you,
New Year's Day is one of my least favorite holidays. 

For years I felt a little uncertain about the next year to come.
  

If it had been a good year, I felt a little nervous about the trials of the next one. 

  
 If it was a bad year, I was relieved that the current one was over. 

  
 I don't really think that's the way it works.

 

  
I doubt God is up in heaven deciding which years will be bad and which will be good. 

Life is full of trials and joys 
that aren't respectful of the calendar. 

He knows what things to allow in my life 
and 
what things to protect me from.
(Like nearly getting hit by a train)
(another story/another post.)

It took me a long time not to fear the future
but 
 I still need reminders now and then.

The thing I was sure would happen...never did.

And the things that happened weren't as bad as I thought...

or

 I knew the Lord was right there with me. 

"For  I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11 N.I.V.

Happy New Year!

I hope that all my friends and family have a blessed start to 2013.

Katie

New White Sheers in Master

 Several rooms have gotten a fresh coat of paint in the last year.
The outside is getting one as well.
But...
I still have so much to do. The entryway and stairwell haven't been painted in over 10 years and 
I won't really have the time to paint anything until next summer.

In the meantime my room is looking particularly dingy.
The walls are Antique White by ColorPlace.
Walmart's brand of paint. 
I used to hear that ColorPlace was made by Sherwin Williams, but I don't know if that is true anymore.

I don't know if the walls have yellowed over the years or if I am just over this color.

 I feel like I  need to change it up. 

I redid the bedding this past spring.

I tweaked it a little for winter by removing the green pillow cases and the pastel needlepoint pillows.
I went with all white instead. 

I found some sheer curtain panels for $14.99 a pair at Tuesday Morning. 
They replaced the tan ones I had in here. 

I thought about raising the rods to accommodate the extra length of these curtains but decided to keep them "as is" because of the silly eyebrow window. 

  I like how they puddle.

I'm pretty pleased with the result. 
The room looks lighter and brighter.

 I white washed this antique mirror frame and placed some dried hydrangeas on an old shelf.
We have had the shelf for ages but  we haven't used it since way before Chris moved out.
I painted it white a few months ago but it just went back out into the garage until I tried it here.

I  bought some hydrangeas off of e-bay because I just had no luck drying them. 
Most of them were blue, but there were also some gorgeous purple ones in the box.
They were quite reasonable. 
They were  $16.00 for about 18 flowers and that included the shipping.
:)
That is way less than I spent trying to dry them.


  I love how the sheers blow with the ceiling fan.

The ceiling fan runs for about 9 months a year in Texas.
Although, we are finally having a bit of winter weather.

I pulled out the pine tree wool blanket in case we get chilly.

Before:

After: 

Katie  
Linking with,   
French Country Cottage   
Debbie Doos  

Christmas Day 2012

We had a wonderful Christmas.

December was so weird this year that it really didn't feel much like Christmas. 
It was in the 70's for days on end and even in the 80's some days. 

Thunder woke me up sometime early in the morning Christmas morning.
Which was fine because we have had such a warm, dry fall.
I can only remember two rainfalls for the past several months. 

It seemed so weird to hear thunder in December.
It was one of those gully washer types of rains.

The guys had our traditional Christmas brunch of mini sausages and sweet rolls.

 Rebekah and  I had oatmeal. :)

We opened our presents.

I think we were all happy with our gifts.
Our oldest screen printed sweatshirts for all of us.

At around noon the rain turned into snow.

They were huge, fat flakes at first.

We only got about 2 1/2 inches, but this is only the third white Christmas for my kids and maybe the 5th for Bill.
It is so rare in Texas that we were a little in awe.
We had a white Christmas only 3 years ago.
It really didn't seem possible to have another. 


We stood at the window

watching it fall

watching the birds

enjoying a winter wonderland.

  I love, love Christmas lights under the snow.

 So pretty! 

It was a fun, magical and relaxing day.
I hope that you had a blessed day as well.
Sprinkled with a white Christmas,
Kate

Linking with,
Savvy Southern Style  
The Brambleberry Cottage   

Happy Holidays

It is finally here. 

December just seemed to fly by this year. 

 I lightened up the frame to my little chalkboard  with some primer one morning before school. 
My trusty can of primer is always there for me. 
I thought the white went a little better with the gray walls.

I asked my daughter to put a message on the board for the holidays.

 I know she is on Pinterest, but I don't know if she has seen all the chalkboard art.
She could have been inspired by all the winter pins out there.
Either way, 
she captured exactly what I wanted.

I wish you a wonderful time of fellowship and family as you celebrate the 
Lord's birth on this holy day.

Merry Christmas 
and 
Happy Holidays,
Katie