Charm School Saturday

I love my charm bracelet! I started it about twenty years ago. It has charms from all over the world. Where I've been, where my friends have been. Some of the charms reflect my hobbies, interests and that of my family members too.

I started my charm bracelet when my mom gave me my grandmother's charm bracelet. So it has her touch to it to... I really do love it. I love the way it sounds and the weight of it.

This little bracelet was an accidental find. I purchased a jewelry box at a garage sale several years ago. When I opened it, it had several lovely pieces in it. This was one of them. I went back and asked the lady if she still wanted it and she said no... It was her mothers' and they didn't care to have it any more... Oh.... (akward moment)... okay thanks!

I think that it is probably pretty old... maybe from the fifties... The charms are very sweet and actually have moving parts.

The wheels on the train actually spin, there is a tiny little pocket knife that the blade folds out, the doctors bag opens, the tire pump works, the steno pad has several silver pages, The little step ladder says "step up to my heart".

Both of the articles below are interesting and shed light on why and when we decided they were must- have items.

Treasured Charms - The History of Charm Bracelets

History on a Wrist "Charmed Bracelets"

NOW FOR THE FUN PART!

Would you like to join my charm school? If you have a charm bracelet and want to show it off, leave me a comment on this post (along with your url from your post) and I will create a list on this post. Then we can all see your charms! : )


If you want to invite others to the party then you can use this image and link back to this post. Just click on the Title of this post, above, and copy the web address into your browser window.

Look at all the Pretty Charms!

Jill ~ At Home In the Country
Cindy ~ My Romantic Home
CeeKay ~ Thinkin' of Home
Kathi ~ Bittersweet Country
Deborah ~ Pictures,P0ts and Pens
Debi ~ Whats Cook'n In Junk
Maria ~ The Best Things in Life are Cheap
Joanne ~ The Simple Wife
Chris ~ Cats On My Quilts
Pearl ~ Pearl's Sentimental Journey

NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY PART!


Anyone who leaves a comment between Saturday the 30th and Monday the 2nd (Labor Day) will be entered in a drawing to win this charming gift. 4 Spring Green Placemats with scalloped edges, 4 April Cornell napkins in the Mums pattern and a cream bone china dessert dish.


So good luck and I can't wait to see all of your charms!

Quick Reminder!

Tomorrow is Charm School Saturday! It's a game! It's a give-away! It's a game with a give-away! Stop by tomorrow and see!

The Master Bedroom ....FINISHED!

Okay... It's never really finished! My poor Hubs is finally getting a grip on this fact of life. Sorry, Big G! But for now, I would say that it is finished. Of course I would love to have the old nasty 90's vertical blinds replaced with PRETTY CLEAN WHITE PLANTATION SHUTTERS.... And also I am not a decorator or a particularly wealthy person. I work a more than full time job and time is always on short supply. Our home is lived in well. I am always grateful that I have the opportunity to do what I do get to do. So all that to say that our bedroom is the bane of my decorating existence. It is a hodge-podge and left over room. I have tried to incorporate a male and female look .... but some days it just looks dark. So you may not like it. And that's okay.... I will figure it out at some point.

So! On with the tour!

Big G's side... Those little pictures are from both of our family holidays when we were little. Like when he was five and I was five.... They are cute! To the right we have our "Library/ reading corner" ...


That's the new rug ... loved it... don't know how well it goes... but I like it. That chair will eventually be reupholstered in this fabric...

Her side.... I love this little angel. My Great uncle made if for his sister (my grandmother) many years ago. I found the larger oval frame already painted and shabbied in a matching color...

This wall is kinda cool ... The little white dress was my dad's dedication dress. It was stained pretty bad so I tea stained it. The keys are actually skeleton keys the that my Hubs grandfather gave him. I got the print at the Phoenix Art Museum when the Monet exhibit was in Phoenix.

This is our Master Bath....

NO! That isn't alcohol in the bottles (silly) ... It's mouthwash.... We both prefer different brands...

The End

We Installed Legato Carpet Tiles in Our Master Bedroom Last Weekend

We re-carpeted our bedroom last weekend. Actually Hubs did most of the work. I helped some.
We used carpet tiles. I know what your thinking....but before you turn up your nose and say "eeeewwwwoooo" take a look ... I have to say they are much better than they used to be. No longer do they look and feel like indoor/outdoor carpeting. We decided that they would be a good option since we have 3 precious kitties that inevitably have accidents. If they stain the carpet you just pull it up and replace it. Easy Peasey! And I have to say that so far we have done 3 bedrooms and it is very clean. It doesn't seem to hold dust the way regular carpeting does.


I won't tell you that it is exceptionally easy to install. It wasn't. Hubs' hands were swollen for a week after. Just from all the cutting.

This is the before shot of the old carpeting.... sorry, not a great picture. But you can kind of tell
that it was stained... I had shampooed it so much that the carpet was actually getting stains from the padding... it was really pretty gross. I was excused from helping further after having an asthma attack when we ripped out the old stuff. (wheeeeeezzz, cough, cough, hack, hack

Here is a picture of some of the tiles done. We originally got this idea from HGTV. It was a show that helped people get things around the house done.... you know all those projects that your afraid to start.... the show was called Don't Sweat It.

Now that the whole room is done ... I have to say that it is a vast improvement. I would say that this is NOT an easy project and NOT for beginners. And we figured that we really didn't actually save any money by using this option. Unless you count the labor. However, the upside is the fact that spot and stains are easily removed... So I guess you can look at it like the savings are long term...


This is what the finished product looks like... I will do another post later this week of our room with everything moved back in. It looks pretty good.




If your interested in learning more about Carpet Tiles you can go to Home Depot. They have a sample board but be prepared .... They seriously tried to talk us out of the carpet tiles. The name of the company is Millikin and they are called Carpet Tiles by Legato.

One of my "things" that I get excited about....

As I have already shared with you ... I love Christmas. I can't deny it nor do I want to. It is always in the back of my mind and I am always trying to think of all the different aspects, entertaining, decorating, gifts, and just all the different ways to bring out all of the meaning of the holiday.



One of the things that I collect every year is the White House Christmas Ornament. I watch all of July and then when they FINALLY announce the availability I order it! Well, my new one for this year arrived a couple of weeks ago and I thought that I would share it with you!




Each one is centered on a specific President's Administration and contains a brief history of the family holiday and how they spent it. What they did that made Christmas in the White House personal.How they entertained and how they decorated. For such a pretty and collectable ornament, they really aren't that expensive. Plus, the proceeds go to the preservation and renovation of our White House. Now! It just doesn't get more patriotic than that!


This is a brief description from the White House Historical Association Website

“We shall have an old-fashioned Christmas Tree for the grandchildren upstairs, and I shall be their Santa Claus myself.” President Benjamin Harrison

The 2008 White House Christmas ornament honors the administration of President Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901), the twenty-third president of the United States. Serving one term from 1889 to 1893, Harrison was a centennial president inaugurated 100 years after George Washington. Inspired by the Harrison family’s Victorian Christmas tree, this 24 karat gold finished ornament interprets the first recorded tree to decorate the White House. The tree, laden with baubles and garland, is a canvas for all sorts of treats and toys. Beneath the tree are the presents the Harrison grandchildren received: a toy train and a wooden sled await Benjamin, Mary’s rosy-cheeked doll sits on a tricycle, and nearby is Marthena’s much wished for dollhouse. A three-foot-high Santa Claus completes the season’s spectacle.

I can't wait to do a post about my White House Christmas Tree! Let's see... how will I arrange that... photograph it... what will I say.... so much to think about...
Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming!

I'm a WINNER!

Nikki at The Scarlett Rose Garden has given me my very first Major Award!

Justine at Justine's Froggy Bloggy

Check out the cute award I've been given

I have to tell you that I am sooo thrilled! I have so much to say, I'm speechless!! Now, I know that some of you ladies get these just about every other day. But not me... So I am so very happy to receive it! Thank you Nikki! By the by. Nikki has a wonderful whimsical blog about vintage everything! Not just antiques but her whole style. She also creates beautiful costumes. This girl is talented! She and her husband are re-doing a precious Victorian home and Nikki shares all about it!

So here we go.....

THE SMILE AWARD~ here are the rules:

1. The recipient must link back to the awards creator . Check

2. You must post these rules if you receive the award. Check

3. You must choose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself. Check

4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award (see below.) Check

5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient. Check

6. You must create a post sharing your win with others. Check

7. You must thank your giver. Check



Characteristics for the Smile Award:

1. Must display a cheerful attitude. (not necessarily at all times--we are all human). Check

2. Must love one another. Check

3. Must make mistakes. Check

4. Must learn from others. Check Double Check

5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world. Check

6. Must love life. Check

7. Must love kids. Check

These ladies all have beautiful blogs. I am so inspired by so many different blogs and it is really hard to pick. So this is who I narrowed it down to:

Her Shabbiness at The Shabby Bungalow
Her Shabbiness lives in a lovely little Bungalow that her family has owned for years. She shares mystery vintage items that she has uncovered. A very lovely blog!

Kelly at The Rose Vine Cottage
Kelly's blog is full of the most pretty feminine pictures! Everytime I visit I feel like I should have my cup of tea. Her's is a pretty, happy blog.

Becca at Of Blue Birds and Roses
Becca has been blogging for a long time! Her blog is also very pretty and I love to see her pretty items that she collects.

Myrna at More Than Heirlooms
Myrna is an artist that creates beautiful pieces and shares well written snippits of life. The one about her dad really got me!

Jannet at Jannet's Country Cottage
Jannet is a lovely talented lady who crochets sweets! They are very cute and calorie free. You can order them or just admire her lovely pictures on her pretty blog.

So that's it in a nut shell! I am on the hunt for the prize for the give-away. Is there anything that any one thinks would be a great prize? I'm thinking that it should be a "rose vignette" HHHHMMM .....

Announcing Charm School Saturday!

Make sure you check back on the 30th! I am going to be hosting a virtual Charm School! It will be a fun time of sharing and YES! I will be doing a give away. Everyone who participates in my Charm School on Saturday the 30th of August will be entered in a drawing for a lovely gift. No. I haven't figured out what I will be giving away yet. But I'll let you know. And I promise it will be worth playing and participating. This is my first party and give away. So I hope you come!


This little guy has nothing to do with the give away. He's just Charming!