Twin Sweater Into Sweater Pillow

Hi Friends,

I have a funny story. 

At least, I hope you think it's a funny story. 

My son got me a vintage sweater for Christmas.

I tried it on and it was too big. 

I didn't want to hurt my son's feelings and I didn't want him to feel bad that I would think, he thought I was bigger than I am. 
Kind of like "My mom is this size." 
Bill always gets me teeny tiny tee shirts.
I think it is so sweet that he still thinks I'm that size. 
Bless his poor heart that I am not still that size.
#over50 #momjeans #don'twearmomjeans #babyboomersaging 

I decided to make a sweater pillow out of it but I didn't want him to read about the sweater being made into a pillow on this blog. 

So the other day I sent him a text. 

"The sweater you gave me could fit two moms at once which would work if I were a conjoined twin." 

"Do you care if I make it into something?" 

He said, " Haha, yeah of course. I didn't even look at the size." :)
Whew. He doesn't think I'm that size. 

This was not easy and it doesn't look perfect by any means.
I don't have the correct needles for sewing knit fabric.

But I think it's cute and it reminds me of him.

I think I'm going to make something else out of the sleeves - maybe a sweater pumpkin.
I hope you are having a great week.
Katie 
Linking with,
From My Front Porch to Yours 
French Country Cottage 
Between Naps on the Porch 
A Stroll Thru Life  
Savvy Southern Style

Update Fixtures With Spray Paint

I went a little crazy with spray paint when I first started blogging. 

I was afraid at first that others would be able to tell that stuff was sprayed but I had to get rid of all the bright, blingy 90s brass.

It was like a walk down memory lane once I started thinking about all the updates we made with spray paint.

Light fixtures have a lot of impact once they are painted. 

It is a great way to update a dated brass fixture.

I've painted ceiling fans.

 I waited until Bill was out of town, covered everything in plastic and went for it. 

I recommend spraying a little bit and then running out of the room for fresh air. 
This was so worth it. I've completely forgotten what it looked like before.

We did some of the outlets covers and switch plates.





The faucets in two of our bathrooms got sprayed before they were replaced. 

Spray painting this faucet because of its porcelain handles was more successful than the master bath without the porcelain handles. 

Eventually the handles on the master started to chip.
I simply gave them another coat but I wanted to eliminate the problem by putting on the porcelain handles that came with all the faucets. 
Bill threw them away. 
The lesson here? 
Never put your husband in charge of extra handles! 
#itoldyouso
He was sure we would never need them.

This was a very low cost redo using only paint but in the end we had black mold lurking behind our tub and shower so it all had to go. 
That being said, I would recommend spray painting faucets particularly if they have porcelain handles. 
See our updated master bathroom.

Door knobs?
I'd do it again except for high traffic doors like the pantry or trash closet. 

We have 28 doors. I'm sure a few mental calculations and you can get close to how much it cost to replace all the door knobs in this house. We did eventually replace them all. 
We did it in stages so it wasn't too horribly painful unless you can't remember how much it cost and you ask your husband. Then the pain he felt at spending all that money becomes your pain.

Don't forget the hinges.

The little pulls and knobs on some of my furniture pieces got a coat.

A very dated and yellowing thermostat cover received a dusting of paint.

This update had my brother thinking I had lost my mind!
Haha.

I even spray painted the refrigerator magnets. 

Yes, I did.

Let's recap: light fixtures, ceiling fans, switch plates, outlet covers, faucets, door knobs, hinges, knobs and pulls, thermostat covers and refrigerator magnets.

I had a good love affair with
 Rust-O-leum, Oil Rubbed Bronze. 
Like all good things, it had to end. 

I fell in love with white.
Katie 
Linking with,
Between Naps on the Porch 
A Stroll Thru Life 
The Scoop #155  
Savvy Southern Style   
Share a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson  
From My Front Porch to Yours 
Feathered Nest Friday

The Wrong Name?

I'd come to the conclusion a long time ago that I should have named this blog something else. 

I love to look at blogs with names like 

Shabby, chippy, white, chic, cottage, French, farmhouse on the seashore. 

I can see that the name draws like minded souls.

 But,

I like the name of my blog.

I realize that it sounds like a food blog and I hate blogging about food. 

I believe that life is better sprinkled with pretty things - 

joy, laughter, family, faith just to name a few. 

If you read this post you will see why I named it what I did.  

My mother sprinkled her life with 

cakes from a cake mix in which she would let me lick the beaters. 

I cannot make a cake without licking the beaters. 
CANNOT!

(Yes, I know, Salmonella)

She sprinkled it with huge braided wool rugs for the floors of our turn of the century home.

She sprinkled it with gallons of stripper as she stripped white, chippy paint from our door jams and doors.

She must have sprinkled it with humor because she was married to my father with his dry wit.

She sprinkled it with cheap or free birthday parties. 

We had the best birthday parties at home. 

No Chuck E. Cheese needed for us.

She sprinkled it with collectables galore and antiques in abundance.

She sprinkled it with trips to my grandparent's house.

She sprinkled it with faith. 

We rarely missed a Sunday in church. 

I alluded to the fact that I really don't like January. 

For years I suffered from seasonal depression. 

Not the type where I wouldn't or couldn't get out of bed. 

It was more the blues or melancholia type. 

I was just so sad and couldn't really put a finger on why. 

Finally after years of suffering I figured it out.

I was sad because those were the final months in my mom's life. 
She died in February about 45 years ago.
Once I figured it out, I was able to counteract it more successfully.
I was able to rely on the faith she instilled in me.

I don't think it matters how old you are when you lose your mother. 

It is horribly difficult. 

I kicked the idea around that I needed to change the name of my blog. 

I won't.

I may not have hoards of chippy, shabby, on the beach, farmhouse, French followers but I have faithful followers that seem to get me. 

Thanks for coming along on my rambles.

Katie

Linking with,
Between Naps on the Porch 
A Stroll Thru Life   
The Scoop #155  
Savvy Southern Style 
From My Front Porch to Yours 
Share a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson 
Feathered Nest Friday

Are You Watching?

The new season of Fixer Upper started last week. 

I'm happy to report that the show is just a wonderful and entertaining as season 1. 

I was a trifle afraid that advertisers and HGTV would try to change the show and change Chip and Joanna.  

That hasn't happened and I'm pleased. 

Where as it seemed like Joanna was staging the house with items from her own home last season.
 This season it appears that she is staging it with new furniture. I hope that doesn't mean that furniture transformations aren't still in the works because she does thrift shop makeovers so well.
Please follow my Magnolia Home/Fixer Upper Pinterest board here.

I'm also watching season 6 of Rehab Addict.
There is a Pinterest Board for Nicole Curtis here. 
I liked the first part of season 5 but didn't care for the Lebron James project quite as much. It wasn't her usual style. I understand that she had to create it with new materials but it is more fun when she is repurposing old stuff.

Downton Abbey. 

I wasn't sure I would watch but I loved the first episode. 
I haven't seen more than that, so no spoilers please.
Since it's only on once a year, I'm trying to savor it. 
That is what I'm watching. How about you?
Katie  

Bye Bye Popcorn - Hello Warm White

It's crazy to me that a ceiling full of popcorn can be reduced to a small garbage sack. 

 "Bye bye popcorn. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

This one was a doozy! 
I got a wild hair the first day of Christmas break.
I wanted to take a nap in my room over the break and not have to see our horrible ceiling.
I didn't want to have to imagine what pictures could be made out of the random popcorn shapes. 

Yes. I used to do that. It was like looking at clouds or something. 
I'm pretty sure I saw a lamb up there. Oh and an angel.

I asked Bill to get the ginormous ladder out for me and told him what I was going to do. 
He said, "What? Because we need that added stress right now?"
I said, "Oh, because you could feel the added stress last Monday when I painted the garden room?"
Bill said, "You painted the garden room?"
Me, "Yes. Could you feel the stress all the way over in Dallas?"
No - he could not and he won't for the popcorn either.
:)
All this while we were sitting in the newly painted garden room. 

There was a day - bless his heart - that my projects did add stress to his life. 
But that isn't the case anymore thanks to this blog.

Change is a weekly thing and he doesn't even really notice it anymore. 

I have been rejuvenated in my popcorn removal because I'm not painting the ceiling at the same time.

This saves time and stress. 
You know what?
The ceiling looks fine after a few touch ups.

It turns out that the original ceiling color is the same color as the outside trim paint. 
There were a few places where the mud fell off with the popcorn and nail heads were exposed. 
I had to putz a little paint on those but it looks fantastic.

I couldn't wait to see my free chandelier without the popcorn ceiling. It will be wonderful being able to get photos of the room and not have to avoid the popcorn.

The laundry room is done too since there was no school for two weeks.

 I'm glad I put off the master until I had more practice.  

It wasn't nearly as hard to do as I thought it would be.

Look one more time at the difference between what it looks like with popcorn and with it removed. It looks so dirty.

Thanks for stopping by. You know how much I appreciate your visits.

Katie

Linking with,

Between Naps on the Porch  

A Stroll Thru Life 

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia  

The Scoop # 154 

Savvy Southern Style   

Share Your Cup   

French Country Cottage