Homeschool Homework

Sorry for my lack of posting! I have been working hard getting my homeschooling books together for next year. I will not only be schooling my 7 year old but my sweet baby boy will start school this next year, too! He's seems to have ZERO interest in school related things so I've been searching for what I think might work for us.

**Has anyone used 'Rod and Staff' for schooling? I really like what I see, but can't make up my mind.

I've changed several things around in my home. I have grown a little tired of the romantic look and have decided to add some more 'primitive and country' things back into my home (good thing I didn't throw out any of my old things). I'll have to share those things with you! I get bored with the same look, seems like I constantly change my mind. I suppose indecision is one of my negative personality flaws!

Thanks for sticking with me!

Happy Friday!

Lace

I love lace. Old lace. New lace. Dirty lace. Sparkly white lace. I really love the softness that lace can add to anything.

Just wanted to show a few pictures of where I've put lace in my home.

I think I may have a problem.

My favorite look is lace with burlap, dark stained wood or something old and rusty. I really like the contrast of the different textures.

Thanks for reading!

Happy Thursday!

My Boy's Room

It's a yucky mess here today but I hope your Wednesday is going great! My girls and I had some quiet time without the boys and it's been kind of nice. We do start missing our men folk, tho.

Although I'm not ready to share a BIG reveal I wanted to show you some things I have been working on in my son's bedroom this past month.

This was made from old keys and washers glued (E6000) to a piece of wood I got from my girl's broken dresser. Completely free! (It's above my son's closest which has yet to be painted white.)

My son picked out the 'Monster Truck' sign. Hobby Lobby 50%! The license plate is from 'My Sweetie's' current vehicle project. The number's sign I made from reclaimed backyard (backyard instead of barn....) wood and some numbers I have been collecting. Just used E6000 to glue them down. The hinge hanger you can read about here. I apologize for picture quality. This was actually the best of about 10 pictures. Hmph.



This 'thing' is probably my favorite. I lurve it! I had some leftover keys after my other key project and just went to hanging them from an embroidery hoop and jewelry wire. I then took some burlap and ticking fabric and tied it to the hoop to add a 'softer' edge. I came across the old rusty pulley at an antique store this past weekend. I can see it being taken out by a flying pillow in it's future but for now it looks lovely!

Remember this from yesterday? It's on the next wall. I'm still working on window treatments and bedding. Then we have a little painting to do. It seems like the never ending project!

I'm going for an industrial, antique rustic look. Is there such a thing? My son loves it so that's what I was hoping for!

Hope you have a great Wednesday!







If you give a 'junker' old rusty nails......

She'll ask for an old weathered piece of wood!

Happy Tuesday morning to you! Hope your having a good day thus far. I can't seem to get into the swing of things this morning so I thought I would sit and blog! It's our spring break anyway.

I just wanted to drop in and show you something I made last week. It was a completely FREE project so I was pretty excited about it. (Those are always the best kind anyway, right?)

I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing but our (new to us) house had alot of things in the yard that needed cleaning. Since we are out in the country the previous occupants had a burn pile in the BACK backyard. I guess they never got around to burning it so last week (since the weather has been so nice) my kids and I decided to go through some of the junk to see what was back there. Now ,granted, most was actual trash I did come across several pieces of weathered wood I could salvage. I also came across some bed springs you can read about here.  (I'll show you what I did with those another time.)

My trusty Dr Pepper. You know I buy the little bottles thinking I'll get less soda and it'll be better for me that way. Turns out I just drink more to make up for the difference. Huh.

Here is my wood pile. I scrubbed each down really well before use.

I'm working on my son's room and wanted an antique, industrial, worn feel. I had some rusty old nails that I had been saving until I could find the perfect piece of wood.

Here's the wood pre-wash and stained.

Here it is after:



I stained the wood a dark walnut stain. Then 'my sweetie' hammered the old rusty nails in for me. I really love the old railroad look to it. (The nails remind me of old railroad spikes.) I found the old carpenter's ruler at an antique store and bent it into a star. I really love how my little boy's room is coming together.

Just in case you need a little chuckle this morning I'll leave you with this:

My youngest likes to pretend she is a kitten, so her older sister made her a tail.

(The carpet is terrible. I know. Just keepin it real ladies. Keepin. It. Real.)

Have a great day!

Linking Up:

http://knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/2012/03/knick-of-time-tuesday-25-vintage-style_19.html

My New Wreath

Good Morning! Hope you had a great weekend! I spent my weekend working in the yard. I'm really concerned about how warm it's been this March. It seems we are having 'May' weather two months early. I'm afraid it's going to be a really long. hot. summer..

I have a new favorite. I know these have been around for a little while on blog land but I've just gotten around to making mine. I loved how it turned out so much I had to share! This is my 'coffee filter wreath'. Cheap. Easy. Lovely when completed!

(I apologize for the picture quality. Photography is not my strong point....I sure keep trying, tho!)

Supplies Needed:

Styrofoam wreath form

coffee filters

straight pins

All you do is crumple up your coffee filters then pin them to the foam until you get the wreath as fluffy and full as you like it.  I didn't realize you can actually buy brown coffee filters (I'm not a coffee drinker. I know, right?) I purchased white ones then went through the pain staking process of tea dying each filter. Yikes! Now, I know. The plain bright white ones look really good, too!

This is on my living room wall above my couch. The wall hanging wood thingy (I just went completely blank on what these are called......it's been a long day people!) below the wreath I made a few weeks ago. It was a blank slate. I stained it, painted it white then distressed it with sandpaper. I love making tags and finding things to hang from it as the seasons change.

Hey, thanks for reading! Have a great Monday!

My Dungeon

I try not to complain because I LOVE our home. If there was one BIG thing I could change it would be the kitchen. The dark outdated cabinets are a downer for sure. We can paint them white but I'm terrified of all the work that would require and with our current schedule I'm not sure how we would ever get it done. For now we just live with it. I continue to look for ways to brighten up this space. I found a few ideas online. One being to remove the cabinet doors and back it with something white. Well, I've done that here:

My idea was to either use beadboard or foam (yes, white foam board/paper crafting stuff) to cover the back of the cabinet wall. I haven't gotten that far yet. It does help lighten it up a bit. Along with a small collection of my white dishes and two Mason jars filled with Spring cupcake liners. (Ignore the cord coming thru the cabinet.)

 I've also added some sweet touches here and there.

(that outlet cover will soon be replaced with something a little more 'romantic')

I would love to hear any ideas on how to lighten up your dark kitchen without painting cabinets. Even though I believe the painting of the cabinets will eventually have to happen.

Hope you have a wonderful Friday!!

Old Rusty Hinges

Amongst my finds from a few days ago these rusty old hinges were in there, too. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with these!

A little while ago I stumbled upon a blog that has now become a favorite of mine! You can check it out here.  She has the greatest ideas. You should check it out if you get the chance. You will be inspired! That is where I saw the idea for these hinged magnetic photo hangers. (I couldn't find the exact post so I'm not really sure what to name it.)

(remember our house is a work in progress! Hence the chipped paint and missing outlet cover)

An old rusty hinge threaded with jute and hung on the wall. A magnet to hold a sweet old picture of my grandfather in his sailor's uniform. I. love. it.

This one is hanging in my son's room. The Ampersand is actually just a paper stencil that I spray painted with hammered silver spray paint then stained with dark wood stain.

Have a great day!



My Spring 'Fantle'

I wanted to share my spring 'fantle' today. It's a little table in my living room that serves as my fireplace mantle. Without the fireplace.....hearth....or mantle part. Anyway, that's why I call it my 'fantle' or 'fake mantle'. This is my favorite place to change up for the seasons.

(glitter dipped tags add some sparkle)

(I LOVE decorating with numbers. This one came from an old license plate.)

(paper garland made from an old recipe book)

Most of these are thrift store or flea market purchases. Did you recognize the bed spring from yesterday? That's one of the smaller ones all dressed up. I have several more to show you!

Happy Wednesday!

Springy Goodness

I had to share a fun find from yesterday! No flea markets or antique shows. Just my own back yard! Something(s) the previous occupants left and we have yet to clean up (in the back BACK yard.)

My back yard 'junkin' finds:

*Excited Squeal* Old, rusty, chipped bed springs! I can't wait to show you how I use these! I've got a couple of ideas!

I hope you have a very blessed Tuesday!

The Swingset Project

I realize this has nothing to do with crafting or decor but it's still a project, right? 

Look at what we started with:

Please, contain your laughter. Yes, those are 'water hose' swings. That would be my redneck genius coming out. You may scoff but I'll tell you this...my three have played on those swings non-stop for over a week!

AND...

This is what we got after a little work and time!

I'm completely joking! It took several days, lots of frustration and receiving 'the stink eye' from my husband on more than one occasion(since this was my idea). We (and by 'we' I mean 'he') got through it and here's what we got:

Those sweet smiles make it all worth it!

I hope you've had a great Saturday!

New Beginnings

I want to share on this blog all things creative and old. I really enjoy making new things and sharing my ideas with others. Rusted, chipped and broken are a few of my favorite words! I love putting new things with old. Lace with metal. Rusted with sparkle. I get so much of my inspiration by all the wonderful craft and home decor blogs. (Look to the right of my blog to find my favorites). I hope to inspire you with my ideas!

Why Grace Lily Lou's? Grace is my oldest daughter's middle name. Lily is my baby's nickname and my dad has always called me Tami Lou. All us girls in one title.

A little bit of info about me:

I'm a 28 year old mother of 3. Raised in the city my heart has always been in the country. I'm a homemaker by choice and wouldn't change my 'job' for anything else! I have two little girls and one very busy little boy (ages 7,4,3). Starting this past Fall, my husband and I, decided homeschooling was something we wanted to try and I have enjoyed doing it! We live in an older home in a rural area on about an acre of land. We are surrounded by trees and quiet and we love it! Along with crafting,re-purposing and thrift store shopping I really try to live a simple quiet kind of life. My husband and I hope to one day own a large homestead (or really?) just a hobby farm would be nice, too.

Stay tuned for craft projects, decor ideas, furniture redo's, room makeovers and everything in between!

Have a great weekend!