Weekend Update

This weekend we celebrated Christmas with LauraAnn and David, and the twins (John David and Bella Ann)!   The babies are adorable and getting very close to walking!  I thought I was going to get Bella Ann walking this weekend, but she only managed to take a couple steps before falling into me.  I think the falling part at the end was her favorite part.  She will probably walk first because she seems to really love the attention she is getting for it.  John David, on the other hand is more happy to watch the monogramming machine, TV or laptop than try to walk.  Here are some random pictures from the weekend.  I only have a few, and only of John David for some reason..  First, here are a few pictures from a sewing project Kate started at 9pm on Thursday night!

She was attempting to sew three tote bags, and these are all of the straps for the bags.  You can see the project is beginning to get to her.  This is where she started to lose it.

Here she has given up, and Momma has taken over to try and help out.  I took more of an instructional approach during this project...from the couch, while watching Miracle on 34th Street...

Finally, she was able to recompose herself, and get one of the bags done!  Yay Kate!!

I found this rug for $25 at Goodwill.  I couldn't resist buying it, as I'm sure I'll need it someday.  It was in great condition!  I am picturing it on wood floors, with a vintage chest for a coffee table, in front of a fireplace!

Momma and John David in watching Daddy's laptop. 

All three of them.  He was propped up on Daddy's shoulder forever watching the laptop, and examining the pictures from the wildlife camera! 

Unfortunately, that is all the pictures I took this weekend.  LauraAnn took alot, and hopefully, I'll be able to put some more up once she gets them to us.

The Bench!! Finally

Finally I've got internet!  Here are the steps it took to go from this:

To This:

First, I picked out all my colors and fabric:

Then, I took the bench outside and primed it.  I sanded it alittle before I used a spray primer on it.  A can of primer would have worked just as well, but I already had a can of spray primer from the Chalkboard wine glasses, and the drying time is about 1/8th of the time. I can get alittle impatient with projects, so this was the best option for me!

Since it was so windy outside, I decided to take it inside for the next step.  So, I covered the dining room table and got started on the Pumpernickle Brown paint. This took 3 coats, with about an hour drying time between each coat.  The can said 4 hours between coats, but it turned out great without the waiting.   

Next, I added the decorative nail heads in Bronze.  I measured the middle of the bench and then kept breaking it half and then half again, so that the nail heads were evenly spaced. 

Here's what it looked like after the paint dried and the nailheads were in place.  That is the original fabric.

Finally, I borrowed a staple gun from Betsy's sister and was able to recover the cushion in the fabric I found for $5! 

And...tada!   

Feliz Navidad!

I have finished the bench!  But since I haven't had time to write about it, and probably won't tonight - I thought I'd tease you alittle bit with the fabric swatch, paint swatch, and decorative nail heads that I used.

And just for fun, here are a couple pictures of me and Laura in a Feliz Navidad video from elfyourself.com.  I would have had to pay to send that one, so that is why no one found it in their inbox.

Oh man! I get such a kick out of these videos!

On my To Do List for after work today is to: Go to Michaels, Hancock Fabrics, Take back pants to Gap, Go to Crate and Barrel, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Walmart.  Then when I get home from all that: Eat a hardy dinner!, wrap presents, finish christmas cards, and do laundry.

Ay ay ay!  Say alittle prayer for me! Me and Betsy witnessed a verbal/physical altercation over a parking spot at the mall yesterday...People are starting to lose it!

Weekend Update

Well, since I've been spending my evenings this week, wandering around the malls trying to get ideas for Christmas presents, and hoping to find a winter addition to my work wardrobe (with no luck so far), I haven't been getting on the computer much after work, or taking too many pictures.  But this weekend, I hope to knock out a couple more presents.  I plan to repaint Daniel's bench and pick out the fabric for the seat.  I'll also go ahead and get any other little things like decorative nailheads or whatever else the craft store inspires in me.  Since I don't have much to put in my blog right now, I thought I'd link you up to one of my favorite blogs that has a tutorial on redo-ing a bench similar to mine. (which has been riding around in the backseat of my car for over a week now) A drive thru person actually commented on it the other day.

The blog is called Young House Love, and it is a young family that posts about upgrading/remodeling their house on a budget through Do It Yourself projects.  Click Here to check it out!

Also, tonight is my work Holiday Party!  Should be lots of fun and an excuse to get semi dressed up.  The dress is "Holiday Casual"  and I'm alittle afraid that my casual might be alittle more casual than the bigwigs I work with, so I've been asking around, and it turns out it is a good thing I did.  Looks like Holiday Casual translates to the same thing we wear everyday at the office...I'm going to try and add alittle red and sparkly though!

UGA experienced quite a brutal loss this weekend to LSU in the SEC Championship.  We had hope the first half, and even went to halftime with the lead.  This didn't last long after the 2nd half kicked off.  LSU intercepted the ball right away, and I think everyone knew that was it.  They came out ready to go!  And that's what they did.  With a final score of 42-10, there was no need for a rematch. 

Jen's dad dropped us off at the Blue Lot which was designated UGA tailgate zone, and we met up with a lot of her sister's friends.  From right to left above, that's Jen, Me, and Joanne (one of her sister's friends).

This guy above in the middle is kind of a Bulldog legend!  He is at every game, and he always paints his head!  From right to left, Me, Jen, crazy fan, Katie, Taylor (Jen's sister).

The tailgate right next to us was nice enough to let me check out their food selection and take away a ham sandwich and some potatoes!  Instant friends at tailgates are the best!

After the game, we took the MARTA to meet Jen's dad in midtown where my car was parked.  Overall a good day!  I don't think many UGA fan's actually believed in their heart of hearts that we would win, so it was almost cruel to give us hope in the first half and then completely fall apart in the second!

A few random side notes:

*Last night, I finally met up with the craigslist lady, who sold me Daniel's bench.  It is in the back of my car right now.  So, now all I have to do is sand, prime, paint, and recover! 

*I just paid for the 6 month extension on my Marketing Research Certificate class.  It was only $50, and I just couldn't admit that I paid for it and didn't do it.  Plus, I want it on my resume! 

*I didn't get the Hire Heroes job, so that's a bummer.  However, I am constantly on the look-out.  In fact, tonight when I get home, I'll be taking a 2.5 hour Aptitude/Personality test for one of the jobs I've applied for.  Good lord - that's almost as long as the SAT!  At least they'll know how smart and likeable I am! ha

*update: you spell it peruse! i feel so much better knowing that!

Who's that coming down the track? All decked out in red and black.

...why it's Lizzie, with a free ticket to the SEC Championship game!

I know Georgia's chances of winning this football game rank among pigs flying or hell freezing over, but wouldn't it be exciting if we did!  There isn't much more exciting than an amped up crowd of football fans!

Here's where I'll be on Saturday:

 I've never been to the Georgia Dome before...this should be fun!  I'm especially excited about the roof!  I won't be freezing my tail off at this game! No need to stuff hand warmers in every pocket.
It's okay to be alittle jealous...



Jewelry Party!!

Today is the jewelry party!  I set everything up last night, so that this evening when I get home all I'll have to do is some last minute cleaning.  I think I'll stage the place alittle with a nice fire going, cookies in the oven, and a candle that smells like a christmas tree!

I might also lose the umbrella that's propped up behind the table...

Check it out!  My homemade displays are staying strong!  To make those, I bought frames from Goodwill and spray painted them the perfect Stella & Dot blue, and then just put a simple fabric where the picture would go! 

As you can see, I've acquired alittle bit more jewelry since the first show.  However, I could always use some more.  Laura and I need to have one combined, SUPER jewelry party.  Together we have most of the collection!  Not really, but we've got alot!

Wish me luck!  I've just decided I'm going to have my car and student loan paid off in three years.  Yikes! - that's alot of jewelry! Okay - I'm off to buy a lottery ticket!