Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a bittersweet day for me. 

I lost my Mother when I was just 10 years old. 

Having my own children saved that day for me. 

The Graphics Fairy

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a mom.

I loved playing with my baby dolls growing up.

The Graphics Fairy

I am sure that love for babies came from watching my mom with my two little brothers. 

Get Free Image Here.

She was very nurturing. She was also an amazing crafts woman. She loved antiques and gardening.

 She made huge braided rugs, needle point pillows and cushions. For Christmas she knit our stockings. My parents refinished every door in our turn of the century home.
I get my love of home improvement and 

 my love of old things from both of them.

Her life was too short and she left behind a legacy of sorrow for my brothers and I. We have worked to overcome missing her, but that in part has made us who we are.

The Graphics Fairy

Most of the time I am okay. But not really on Mother's Day. Is it just me or does anyone else who has lost their mother tear up in church because of all the moms reunited with their children?
I've noticed others wiping tears from their eyes, so I don't think it's just me. 

Like I said, my children are a balm to my soul on Mother's Day.
I look at them and know that my mom would have cherished the living daylights out of them, just like I do.

They are a fulfillment of a longing I have always had for children. I am so proud of them and I love the three of them to pieces.

I thought I would be so sad to see them grow up and that I would miss the years they were living at home. Instead there is a feeling of completion. I will never be done being their mom but I am content knowing that they have their lives to live and that they can now be who God created them to be.


The little old ladies all told me it would go by so fast. I didn't believe them but they were right. 

It seems like yesterday that they were this size. 

(You can't tell they are related at all!)


One thing I don't recommend is sorting through their old children's book and their baby clothes on Mother's Day Weekend.
My word! 
I hope you all have a blessed Mother's Day. 
I know for those of you who long for children this day is tough one as well.
My thoughts go out to all of you who join me in finding 
Mother's Day bittersweet.
Sprinkled with memories,
Katie   

  

    

It's In The Details

I hope that you are having a lovely week.

I have been spending the last few weeks paying attention to details.

Since I embarked on my ORB paloosa. 
I finally, finally got knobs and pulls for my cabinets.
We have lived in the house for almost 19 years and it is shameful that I have never added knobs. To be fair the knob selections at the time were ugly!! 

Here.

But I am sure that in all that time there would have been something I liked. I would have thought it was something my husband would have insisted upon because he will make me spend money when I am being cheap. But... it turns out that he thinks they are something to get caught on while working in the kitchen.???
Can you visualize an infomercial like I can?
"Are you always getting caught on your cabinet knobs? Well now there is...."
 We both think this is funny now. I almost had to be doused with water to stop laughing. It was just some random thought that must have popped into his head. I am usually the one coming up with random thoughts. It was nice it was him for a change.
I had know idea that he had a knob phobia. 


He let me get the knobs. I spent a few weeks (yes, sad it took weeks.) picking out three different types for various functions around the room. I like a variation to 
add interest. 

 Knobs for most of the cabinets. I got these at Target. They were $14.98 for 10. 

 Pulls for the drawers. 

They were a beast to hang. Get them here.

I got this other kind of pull for interest. Get them here.

I love Kilim Beige by Sherwin Williams.

The island got these. I hope Mr. Bill doesn't get caught on them!

I love how they came out.
To de-orange the cabinets a little, I "aged" them with black oil based paint.
I brushed it on in the crevasses and corners and then wiped it off while
 it was still wet.
I think it tones down the orange a bit.
We got a bid for painting the cabinets $1800.00.
We have been doing repairs to the trim outside
and fixed the hole in the ceiling.
Both of these blew our wad, so no painted cabinets for now.


I got all of these knobs and pulls for about $100.00. It makes opening the cabinets so much easier. Imagine that.
I don't know what took so long. Do you ever do that? Live with something for a ridiculously long time? Blogging has helped me evaluate some of 
my "living with" tendencies. 
Sprinkled with knobs and pulls,
Katie
Linking with,
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/2012/05/feathered-nest-friday_10.html

Copy Cat Coffee Table

My husband saw this coffee table in a magazine.

It is made from crates and an old door.

He didn't really need the magazine storage, (the focus of the article,) but he did need somewhere to prop his feet. 

We got the old door from Old Home Supply in Fort Worth. 

But we couldn't find vintage crates that were all the same size.

Here.
He could have used something like this but he wanted a rougher look. 
I thought Mr. Bill had given up the idea, but instead he had a different plan.
He decided to build the "crates" himself and turn them into a coffee table.
Here is the breakdown of the coffee table.
It has the reproduction door top. 
Made from cedar crates and castors. 

The top is pine. He ended up not using the door. He wanted a more finished look.

The crates are cedar.

The top and three crates rest on a plywood base.

Finally, they all sit on working casters he spray painted black. We couldn't find vintage castors at a price we wanted to pay. He got these at  Northern Tool and Equipment.

Here.

$3.99 each.

It is wonderful.

I love that he built this himself and customized it to fit in our decor. I think the kids all need one of these for their homes someday!  

Each of the three crates has a divider inside. The placement of the     dividers are off center so there is varying depths so that they can be used for books or magazines. 

Crates, castors and a faux door. Wonderful storage and place to prop his feet.

 The materials for this came in at about $200.00.
I think that is a great deal. 
I couldn't find anything quite like this when I searched google.
Bill used two finishes to get the top and the crates to match.
He used shellac. It is a little old fashioned but it made 
the wood just glow.
They had to match the existing T.V. stand. 

I love the accessories.

 Mr. Bill's dad made the wooden star paper weight. Now you can see where he gets his talent. 

 This hinge is reportedly from the family property in Virginia. 

Love it with the leather. 

So what do you think of Mr. Bill's creation. 
This table is the 3rd one we have tried. 
The first one was this $15.00 garage sale find. 

Ironically it is made from an old barn door. 
It was too high for our couch and a little too rustic. Now it is in the guest house at my brother and sister-in-law's lake house.
Her decorating is adorable. Very rustic and refined;Texas chic.


The second was this church sale find that our daughter 
took to her apartment.

I was sad to see this one go, it was very good wood and had a 60's vibe. It was the perfect height for propping feet. 
The 3rd time is the charm! 

Do you love it too?
I hope you do.
Sprinkled with cedar and pine,
Katie
Linking with,
My 1929 Charmer, Sunday's Best LInky Par-Tay 
& Newbie Party @ Debbiedoos 
& Sat Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors 
& Furniture Friday @ Decorating Insanity
&Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
& Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
&Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage 
&Magazine Copy Challenge at Debbie Doos 
&Furniture Feature Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed