A Cinderella Story

Welcome visitors from Miss Mustard Seed! I sure need y'alls help today! Keep reading and see where I need your input!!

I introduced you all to this "lovely" lady last week:

and I issued a challenge to guess the name.

Only 3 of you took me up on it. Nana Diana guessed Veronica. Nope, sorry Nana D.

Robin went with "Swan." Nice try and a good guess but still nope!

The winner was Andrea with Cinderella!

Complete disclosure makes me tell you all that I know Andrea IRL. We actually go to church together, but she has never laid eyes on the future Cinderella, nor did I talk to her about her. She is just super smart and figured out my clues! (Happily Ever After, the shoes??)

Anyway, due to a REALLY bad storm last night resulting in much of the town being without power and no school for anyone (even the university) I was able to get started acting as Cinderella's fairy godmother.

Because she is in such bad shape, I decided to prime her and opt out of the "distressed" look.

The primer is done and I think Cinderella resembles more of herself in her "mouse dress."

You know, better but really not all that great.

Actually, she looks more like Cinderella in the mouse dress AFTER the step-sisters got hold of her.

You know, better but in pieces all over the floor.

"Cindy" is going to have to stay in her primer/mouse dress for a little bit longer, because I'm just not sure what color dress to make her.

White seems the obvious choice, but I want to think about some other options too.

Ya'll have any ideas?

Nana D? Robin? Andrea? Anyone else?

I linked up with Miss Mustard Seed and her Furniture Friday and hopefully some of the talent there can give me some ideas.

(I did have an interesting thought from a reader to try a bold blue-I'm considering it, just a little skeered!!)

As soon as I work some magic of my own, I'll show you her happily ever after!
By the way, Andrea, I'm getting together some goodies for you. If you have any preferences of colors let me know!!

The Sun Will Come Out...Tuesday? And a Giveaway!

First if you are all about a giveaway go read this post and leave me a comment with your guess of my newest dresser's name!

Now, onto the latest Toile news...

You all know I am a teacher. Well, my poor kids don't stand a chance.

For example, Little Man really has no concept of time. The words "today," "tomorrow," and "yesterday" allude him.

If you ask him "What is the day after this day called?" He will say "Tuesday?"

Now, everyday he sits at the "Morning Meeting" in his class and they go over this concept. But because I know that he is easily distracted I don't really think he has paid attention during this apparently crucial concept. I also know that his nonverbal, visual skills are much stronger than his verbal skills so I came up with something to may help him "see" the concept a little better:

I just used a scrap piece of chalkboard contact paper and wrote (in my liquid chalk markers) the days of the week (actually one of the other kids wrote the days) I bought some chipboard rectangles from Hobby Lobby for like $1 and mod podged some scrapbook paper, added another piece of chalkboard contact paper and wrote the words "today," "tomorrow" and "yesterday" on them.

Every day Little Man has to physically move the magnets to the appropriate day and then say "Today is ______," "yesterday was _________," and "tomorrow will be ________."

In a week or so I will start the morning with only one magnet left in the place it was the previous day and he will have to figure out what day it is and where the magnets go. If you are feeling sorry for my kids you should. Keep reading...

One night at dinner I asked Little Man if it was stinky having a mom at your school. (I teach at their school).

He simply said "yeah."

I couldn't leave well enough alone. I had to probe deeper.

I said "Is that because I am on you all the time?"

Little Man replied, "Like stink on a monkey."

Let the "feeling sorry for" feelings commence.

Impatiently Working Towards Happily Ever After

I'm impatient.

I'm quite sure I have revealed that before though.

Because of that fact, this little diamond in the rough is kind of making me cranky.

Before you read any further you probably also know that I personify a lot of my furniture. Meaning that I name them.

Scarlett? Bluebell?? Well in true psycho-decorator fashion I already have name for this little beast. But I'm not going to tell you yet.

In fact, I am going to make it a competition. Read on... She has lots of issues. Chipped veneer. Moldy drawers. Missing details.

But I see so much potential! Plus she was $15.

Surely for that price I can afford to invest some sweat equity. I started by trying to glue the veneer back on. Epic fail. So I just started chipping it off where it was lose.

I am hoping that paint will cover a multitude of sins. Next step was cleaning it. I started by cleaning it with TSP. Then I pulled the drawers out--YUCK!!!

I'm not a germ-a-phobe but man they were kind of disgusting. I broke out the bleach and cleaned the drawers and the innerds of the dresser. But as I was grossing out, gagging and bleaching the fire out of my hands

(all while wearing heels-no joke. I staying in my church clothes while I did this)

I saw what drew me to dear ____________(ha! you thought I would slip and reveal the name) in the first place.

I'm a sucker for some cute shoes and she is wearing some cute shoes. Now, for the competition part.

Comment me what you think I am naming this dresser (1 guess per person).

I am putting together a little treat bag for the correct response. I don't have it together yet, but I am thinking about a painted dishtowel, a spring button design, and maybe a few other goodies. If more than one person gets it right, I will put your names in a hat and draw the winner.

I'll leave this little contest open until Sunday at 9pm and announce the winner Monday morning.

Let the guessing begin!

Spring Break and a New "Toy"

You should all be happy to know that I survived spring break.

It went much better than winter break (which was not at all planned, but rather a snow storm-or two-that caused school to be cancelled for a week).

I was reading P Dub and she was talking about a new app that I thought I would check out. Cause if P Dub is talking about it, it must be pretty cool.

That app is called "instagram" and it is just fun.

You basically take pictures, put you can add all kinds of neat effects to them.

My favorite is the "early bird." It kind of looks like an old fashioned picture that has faded some.

I really like it cause it makes me look like a better photographer. You all have seen my pics, you know I kind of stink at the lighting and the angles and such.

Anyway, here is my spring break in instagram pictures:

Much of the time was spent answering the question "Can I have a snack?"

Sometimes I was the one asking the question. Refer back to the link above for my comments over my eating habits over breaks.

Painting

Preparing to paint (but I think I used the wrong swatch when I had it mixed--blimey!)

Spray painting, spray painting and more spray painting.

Yes, I have used ALL those cans in the picture!

Attending class. I may not be teaching this week, but I still had to go to class.

I am working on my masters in guidance and counseling. After the class pictured above, I only have 2 more to go! (However, I would really like to get a school psychologist license (degree? I'm not really sure what to call it-- all I know is that it requires many more classes.)

A trip to Paducah with 4 girls. Stops included Chuck E. Cheese, the mall and the local park. It was a good trip.

The kids were great!

The 2 youngest chicks in the "Hurricane Simulator"

While painting a fireplace (hmmmm, another fireplace? Curious anyone?)

I saw this brick and I just couldn't paint over it. Impressed anyone? (Elise?)

Especially after my whole I'm not a lover of wood post.

I put this in there to keep it real.

I hadn't planned on painting the hearth and despite the drops of paint, I still may not paint it. Cause I live on the edge like that-the edge of insanity, that is.

Laundry.

Cause this app even makes laundry look kind of cool.

In case you were wondering these are hubby's shirts. It will be one of the last times his shirts are folded like this cause he leaves for the State Police Academy in a month or so and his shirts have to be rolled in like 6 inch rolls or something insane like that.

Cause apparently it is important for the people who protect your safety to be able to fold their clothes into ridiculously small ways. Finally no spring break, or weekend or any small break in between is complete without attending an auction. I scored a dresser with some really cool details for $15.

Now, don't get too jealous, it is in pretty rough shape. But man it is so neat. I can't wait to show it to you! Isn't that app fun? I think I may make a weekly adventure out of it, because I know you all are dying to see what I do all week long!

Plus it gives me an excuse to take weird pictures and it gives me another way to touch base with you guys! Come back, I have some auction finds to share, my bedroom to reveal and talk about what we are going to do while

hubby is at "the academy where you learn to fold your clothes."

Quick B & A

I have a booth space-did I ever tell you guys that?

You all know I love auctions and shopping. But there is only so much room in my house.

Plus I love redoing furniture and accessories with paint and paper. By having a booth space it gives me the opportunity to craft to my heart's content and then possibly sell it and make some money.

Now I must be honest, by Dave Ramsey's definition my booth space is just a hobby (i.e. I don't make any money on it). But some months are better than others and it is just fun to redo stuff.

Anyway, here are two little somethings that I whipped out over my spring break.

First up, gold glamour girls:

I taped off the picture portion: Then spray painted a super girly pink: I also decided to tone down the pink with some glaze-plus I wanted to age it a little more like the pictures (or whatever you would call those things). The picture on the left is sans glaze, the one on the right is glazed. Once again before: And the after: Here is the other before and after (it is a little quicker because I don't have as many pictures!)

I had some old pictures in my booth and I thought I would just paint the frames to freshen them up. I thought they were black and white, but there was a light coloring on them and I couldn't decide what color to paint the frames. Plus I didn't really like the pictures anyway. When I took them out to paint the frames it hit me to whip out the frosted glass spray paint. Remember that? No? Well, go read this and this. I threw the pictures away before I could take a picture (that sounded kind of strange) but maybe you get the idea:

I used my Cricut and cut out the letters "home" and then a bird and branch (shocked aren't you). I used contact paper to cut the stencils then stuck them on the glass.

I shook up the spray paint and then went to town (not literally. I always said I never want to live in a place where I have to use the phrase "go to town". Maybe that's just a southern phrase and you guys have no clue what I'm talking about)

ANYWAY... before I digress any farther here is the after:

And a few more shots because it is cute:

This may be one of those things that I will kind of hope won't sell!!

Comment Confessional

I started a post on my personal stance on comments then I remembered "Mamarazzi" and her Friday confessional. I had a super good time the last time I participated so I decided to enter the booth and confess my little heart out this week:

So here goes:

I confess that I have in the past left comments on "the big blogs" in hopes that maybe they will visit mine and fall in like with me and my ideas. I confess that I am getting over my hopes for 15 minutes of fame and looking more for entertainment and ideas in blogville. I don't join every linky party because frankly I don't have the time or the energy to author posts and take pictures just so someone will come visit me. Image from Home Grooming

I confess that I look through my "dashboard" pretty much everyday at all the blogs I follow. However, if the picture or the super short description doesn't catch my eye I don't bother to go read to whole thing. Image borrowed

I confess that I am a woman a VERY FEW WORDS. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I am not a woman who participates in idle chit chat. Now, I can listen like nobody's business, but I don't go on and on about a multitude of topics. I confess that I only comment on about 8% of the posts I read in a given day. Now, that can vary if I am reading on my phone or on the computer (for basic reasons of the ease of typing). Some blogs I read daily-I'm talking never miss a new post-but I have NEVER commented on them.

I confess that if you get a comment from me it is 99% of the time way more than a "nice job." When I comment on something it really struck a chord with me.

I confess that that last "I confess" sounds like I think I am the Dalai Lama or something. But seriously, if you hear from me on your blog I am totally sincere in whatever I say. And the comment is usually pretty long.

I confess that my attitude on commenting was solidified when I thought about the relationshop between bloggers. When we, as bloggers, write a post it is like having a conversation with someone. If we were having a conversation face-to-face about your latest project I would come up with something more genuine to say than "nice job." I decided that commenting is like a conversation. So, for a woman a few words, I chose where I comment and the things I say very carefully.

I confess that just because I haven't commented on your blog does not mean I am not inspired by you or something you have said or done. I find inspiration daily and am grateful for each of you and the gifts you bring to the cyber-table. Thank you for taking the time and energy to share your life and the things that are important to you. Thank you Mamarazzi for hosting this fun party. I know I don't join in every week, but for me (let's all say it together-a woman of few words) it is hard to say so much every week! Image from yoga and yogurt

All the posters without a link were created by me from the website

www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk.

I'm done now, well one more poster because I can!