A Wonderful Americana Giveaway

If you haven't seen it yet, you simply must check out this wonderful giveaway! Americana decor rates right up there with Christmas decor for me! Included in the giveaway are all handmades by Palmer Falls Primitives! Kim has a wonderful blog! I can tell that Americana is close to her heart too! I like that!



Okay, I'm telling you about her giveaway, but I really think it should come home with me.....but go on over and sign up anyway! :)

Have a great Monday!

Three's Company

Or maybe I should have called them the Three Stooges? Whatever I call them, they had a full day and lots of fun!

Joy had friends, Molly Grace and Kasey over for the day. We all swam for a couple of hours. We played Marco Polo, (and Molly Grace's version....SpongeBob Squarepants), had races, chicken fights, and anything else they could dream up!



Here's a few pictures of jumps. They were also trying to see who could make the biggest splash! I let each girl pick their favorite pose jumping in since they knew they were going to be Blog Stars! :)

This one is Kasey.



Here's Molly Grace.



And Joy.



They all had to take turns seeing if they could pick each other up on the water and get on their shoulders. It seems like Joy ended up on the shoulders most of the time!

Kasey and Joy:



Molly Grace and Joy:



And all three.....Poor Molly Grace looks a little over loaded, doesn't she?



We swam until a rainstorm blew in and ran us inside! They then found lots inside to keep them busy.

Right before the girls went home, I took one last picture of them. What a great way to spend a summer day!



I hope you're having a beautiful sunshiney Saturday! (We have thunderstorms predicted)!

Faithful Fridays

Fridays sure are coming around fast! It seems as though I have plans for posts during the week for everyday and I'm doing good to get one in at least every other day! And I thought summer would bring more leisure time! It seems as though plans pop up for me everyday! Amazing how that works when you have kids, isn't it?

I decided this week for my Faithful Friday post, I wanted to look up the exact definition of faithful. Since my 1828 Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language is my most trustworthy one, this is where I looked.

Faithful -

1) Firm in adherence to the truth and to the duties of religion.

2) Firmly adhering to duty; of true fidelity; loyal; true to allegiance.

3) Constant in the performance of duties or services; exact in attending to commands.

4) Observant of compact, treaties, contracts, vows or other engagements; true to one's word.

5) True; exact; in conformity to the letter and spirit.

6) True to the marriage covenant

7) Comformable to truth.

8. Constant; not fickle. (I love this one).

9) True; worthy of belief.

God wants us us to be faithful to Him always. He is always faithful to us. Especially after reading the definition for faithful, I want to be faithful to God in every part of my life and it's something I know I have to work at constantly.

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I also have a prayer request today. My mom has shingles right now and is quite uncomfortable. I'm sure she would appreciate your prayers that this is short lived.

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Now to leave you with a little smile on your face (hopefully), I'd like to share something I received by email this week on the lighter humorous side of God being good. Hope you enjoy it! :)



The White Lie Cake

Alice Grayson was to bake a cake for the Baptist Church Ladies' Group in Tuscaloosa , but forgot to do it until the last minute. She remembered it the morning of the bake sale and after rummaging through cabinets, found an angel food cake mix & quickly made it while drying her hair, dressing, and helping her son pack up for Scout camp.

When she took the cake from the oven, the center had dropped flat and the cake was horribly disfigured and she exclaimed, "Oh dear, there is not time to bake another cake!" This cake was important to Alice because she did so want to fit in at her new church, and in her new community of friends. So, being inventive, she looked around the house for something to build up the center of the cake. She found it in the bathroom - a roll of toilet paper. She plunked it in and then covered it with icing. Not only did the finished product look beautiful, it looked perfect. And, before she left the house to drop the cake by the church and head for work, Alice woke her daughter and gave her some money and specific instructions to be at the bake sale the moment it opened at 9:30 and to buy the cake and bring it home.
When the daughter arrived at the sale, she found the attractive, perfect cake had already been sold. Amanda grabbed her cell phone & called her mom. Alice was horrified-she was beside herself! Everyone would know! What would they think? She would be ostracized, talked about, ridiculed! All night, Alice lay awake in bed thinking about people pointing fingers at her and talking about her behind her back.

The next day, Alice promised herself she would try not to think about the cake and would attend the fancy luncheon/bridal shower at the home of a fellow church member and try to have a good time. She did not really want to attend because the hostess was a snob who more than once had looked down her nose at the fact that Alice was a single parent and not from the founding families of Tuscaloosa, but having already RSVP'd , she couldn't think of a believable excuse to stay home. The meal was elegant, the company was definitely upper crust old south and to Alice's horror, the cake in question was presented for dessert!

Alice felt the blood drain from her body when she saw the cake! She started out of her chair to tell the hostess all about it, but before she could get to her feet, the Mayor's wife said, "what a beautiful cake!" Alice, still stunned, sat back in her chair when she heard the hostess (who was a prominent church member) say, "Thank you, I baked it myself."

Alice smiled and thought to herself, "God is good."

If you'd like to share something you're thankful for, something God's done or doing in your life, a prayer request, or just anything about your daily Christian walk, we'd love to read it! Go to Joy's blog and grab the Faithful Fridays with Joy button and leave her a comment letting her know you participated, so we can all check it out!

Have a great Friday!

Americana & a Little Crafting Too

Okay, I know it's ALWAYS decorated prim Americana, but I really never tire of it! It's my fireplace and entire living room. I do want to make some changes in here, however. I'd like to add a picture of George and Abe near my Declaration of Independence that I hung. (Sorry no pictures of that until I actually get George and Abe there). So although I'll be tweaking with things on the mantel and entire living room from time to time, I have no plans of changing it from prim Americana. I love my Americana! I just loved the house featured in the last Country Sampler issue (Cheryl's home, I believe). Loved it!



I did stick this little quilted flag (another GW find that I had tucked away) in the crock on my crates beside the fireplace too. Again, I haven't tea dyed the flag. I still don't know how I feel about it...it's really hard to resist though! :)



I would love to add some Americana type gameboards somewhere either in my living room or on the staircase wall in the foyer.

Speaking of the foyer, this is the decor on the staircase landing. You've seen it before, and the only thing that's probably changed is what's on the floor. I'm forever moving things there around!



My kitchen table has been covered for the last two days with crafting stuff! It kind of makes it hard to eat. We have to push things around, or eat in the dining room. It would be nice to have a crafting room downstairs. I find that I just won't haul everything upstairs to work on it (where I have a table), so it ends up here at my kitchen table, where I can be near everyone else!

I spray painted this candle holder black. I forget what type of candle holder it's called. Someone help me out here! It used to be brass. I have plans for some rose hips to go in the little tray part and a grubby candle. It will probably go in my bathroom (on my new prim cabinet that Jason built me)...Yay! :)



It seems like I'm always painting frames that I find at GW. My kids' friends are used to seeing frames being painted on my kitchen table! Joy's friend, Molly Grace, asked her why her mom was always painting frames! Now, she always comments on them! :)



I have several wooden spoons from GW also, so I was playing around here. One of them I stained and the other has a mixture of black paint and stain.



Does anyone else actually use their kitchen table or do you all have nice little craft rooms where you work? One of these days, I might, but for now, this will have to do!

I love this pantry sign that Becca made me awhile back! I kept passing by and thinking I might add a little stain to it to tone down the off white a little. I did and I love the look even more, especially against the red door. I don't even think Jason has noticed it yet! :)



Oh, and yesterday I picked up this at Gordman's on their clearance rack. I don't know yet where it will go, but for $3, I couldn't pass it up!



I love to pop in there and browse their clearance section. It looks like they're fading out alot of their primitive decor! Sigh! I love buying handmades for the most part, but I can't always afford to buy that way, and so shopping Gordman's clearance section has helped me add to my prim decor!

Some blogging friends have asked about my bathroom. It's coming along! Kindra is making me a couple of goodies for it and I'm adding some finds and makeovers. Jason added a toilet paper holder to the side of the vanity cabinet. I really promise to show it to you soon! Be patient with me as I put all the finishing touches on!

Okay...here's one more little sneak peek. It's the shower curtain. I really really love the pattern of my kitchen curtains, so this was the winner for my bathroom...it's Park Design's Cinnamon.




Well that's about it around here for today! I hope you all stay cool, and have a great Wednesday! :) I'm stopping by GW today so wish me luck!

~ Tammy ~

Super Saturday VBS

Instead of a week long VBS, we had a one day, Super Saturday VBS. It was a Veggie Tales The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything theme focused on being a hero for God. Registration was at 9:30 a.m. kicking off with the opening at 10:00 a.m. and the fun went on all day until 3:00 p.m. (But even after that the kids still played on the water slide....we didn't get home until 5:00 p.m.)!

The scripture for the day was Phillipians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. . Lori did a wonderful job on putting this together. Thanks, Lori!

As the kids came in that morning, they had their picture taken as a pirate. Here's Joy's:



I sure thought I took a picture of the stage set....a huge pirate ship and dock. It was very elaborate! There was alot of work put into that (not by me), but by the Commodore of the ship, the VBS director....(Lori)......here's the Commodore:



I thought she might be related to Jack Sparrow!

Here's a couple of her annoying pirates aboard the ship that gave her a hard time during the day, especially on board the ship:

Bones and Bumpo:



Bones (Matthew):



Bumpo (That's our son, Colt):



The Commodore and Bumpo:



And here's a picture of Colt with his girlfriend, Amber. She brought her little brother and sister for the day.



The kids were divided into crews and led by shipmates throughout the day after the initial bible story time to various areas including Rockmonster Lab (Science experiments with a Biblical object lesson), crafts, movie/snack intervals (watching The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything), recreational time (giant water slide) and a lunch of hotdogs and chips.

I helped out in the snack department (I had an easy job)....and I think those kids ate all day long, but it was so hot that they really were hungry and thirsty all day.

The kids had a blast on the water slide. Take a look....Joy and friends!

This picture shows just how big the slide really was!



Here's Sarah:



Molly Grace:



Kasey:



Bones (Matthew):



And Joy:



And no, I didn't get on the slide! Although, it did look fun, by the end of the day when some of the workers got on it, I had a headache and I didn't dare get on there and get bounced around like I watched them do all day! :) However, the Commodore did! However, I was forewarned NOT to put those pictures on here! lol!

At the end of the day, the kids brought home lots of memories, a treasure chest of goodies, their crafts (a message bottle with a message scripture with a compass ring on top), their pirate picture, and a certificate.

We were exhausted when we got home. Joy and I both fell asleep and slept for nearly two hours!

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Father's Day was a great day too. After church, we went to Fazolis (the place the men picked to eat).....Jason, Colt, Joy, and me along with my mom and dad and Jason's dad. As usual, when Colt is along, he entertained the whole crew at the table....free entertainment! :) Gifts were exchanged and it was just a good family day! We even fit in a some swimming toward the end of the day (after a little Sunday afternoon nap). I also had a little time to check out all the Father's Day posts! It looks like there's alot of blessed people out there with great dads!

I hope you all have a great week! Thanks for stopping by! :)

Daddy's Day

When you're grown up, you appreciate your daddy even more. I'm thankful for the daddy I have. He's always been there for our family....always working hard to provide for his family.

When I was a baby, they tell me he was the only one that could get me to sleep at night...he had a certain rocking method. As a little girl, I liked to put on his boots and walk in them or stand on his feet while he walked or danced around with me. When I started playing the piano, he "suffered through" all that beginners practice, but loved it when I played Fur Elise...and he still talks about loving that song. When I was a teenager, he wasn't real easy on boys that came around. But when the one did come around that was "the one", it was important to me that I had my daddy's blessing...and I did.




Daddy is Pop to the grandkids and he's a good one too. They all have nicknames given to them by him (and so do my brother and me). He is a little bit of a push-over though when it comes to the grandkids.

As you know, my mom and dad live next door, so I'm blessed to have my parents close by. There's hardly a day that goes by that daddy doesn't stop by our house to bring in the mail and/or to say hi.

My daddy is the best and I'm blessed to have him! Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

I love you!
~ Tammy ~

Yesterday's Goodwill Find!

After my mom's Dr. appointment yesterday, we stopped in Goodwill. I found a few more frames for stitcheries, but I found something that really surprised me.



A bedspread...It says Colonial Traditions (which confirmed why I liked it so) on the tag and it was just the size to use on either our bed or the guest bed. I put it on my bed just to take the picture so you could see it all spread out. Remember you can click on the pictures to see them up closer.



I don't know which bedroom will get a makeover first, but I could just envision it on either bed with a coverlet lying at the foot of the bed, and long homespun pillow shams at the top.



It is in mint condition. I mean there's not a pull, run, spot, or anything. It looks like it was never used. Even the cashier at Goodwill commented on what a lucky find it was and about the excellent condition of it.

Does anyone know anything about this design or pattern? It is hard to see in the pictures, but it has a big medallion in the middle. Along the border are flowers that sort of remind me of penny rug shaped flowers and tree shapes. Whatever it is, I'm excited that I happened to stroll through the linen section and spot it and for only $8.99!



So don't you think it's fair to tell Jason that it's time for a bedroom makeover? :) I'll tell him you said so! (I better not push my luck too much after the recent bathroom redo...that I'm still decorating by the way).

Have a great Thursday everyone! :)

Center of Attention

It was time for a new summery centerpiece for my kitchen table. Of course, it had to have an Americana flavor to it. I started looking around my house to see what I could come up with for free first. Actually, just about every part of it was free. The only thing new to this arrangement was the faux geraniums that I bought at Michael's at 40% off.



I used an old picnic basket. I don't know if you remember the wooden bucket I got at a flea market that had the fruit painted on it....but it is sitting inside the picnic basket holding the geraniums. I never got around to making it over, so I figured it would work as is for this little arrangement. I thought about tea dying the little American flag, but I'm just not sure I can actually stain the American flag! lol! (I might change my mind on this, but for now, I can't seem to do it). The Americana angel used to hang in my foyer. And the barn red homespun is actually a curtain (valance) folded and tucked in.



So that's my simple summery Americana centerpiece. I just love waking up in the morning and walking into my kitchen and seeing this every morning! I can never get enough Americana, so this always makes me smile!

Our Weekend Getaway

In spite of the weather, we were able to get away for our weekend with friends! The weather got a little scary here right before we left. I'm so sorry that Joy scared so many of you with the post on her blog! Can you tell how she feels about storms? Jason had gotten our computers for us, as we sat in the bathroom waiting it out. He was going in and out, checking on the weather. To answer someone's question, no, we don't have a basement. As a matter of fact, basements aren't very popular in homes in this area. I do wish we had a storm room though. If we ever build a home again, it will have a storm room built into it. Some friends of ours did that, and that's very nice to have! Anyway, we're fine. There was lots of water standing in our yard when we returned, and stuff blown everywhere. The pool was pretty yucky with leaves and debris, and some of my daddy's garden doesn't look so well, but our homes were fine and we we're fine. Thanks for the concern!

Now, I thought I'd tell you a little bit about our weekend! We drove down in the rain all the way and didn't get there until late, so we didn't do much of anything but talk and visit when we arrived. Betty always has brownies made (Jason and Joy's favorite) and has plenty of Diet Dew for me! :)

Betty is my friend that stitches all the time! Remember all those stitcheries she did and brought to me? I framed three of the stitcheries that she did and took them back to her. Here they are all painted and framed:



This one is for her sister!



The lemonade one will go in her kitchen. I love the cheery yellows of this!



But I guess this rooster had to be my favorite. Betty's kitchen is done in roosters, so it will look good in there. Of course, I'm partial to the reds in it too! The red frame matches her red cupboard in her kitchen.



I need to get to Goodwill and try to find more frames!

Saturday, the guys took Joy trout fishing, but she came home a little disappointed. There were so many canoers (partying canoers unfortunately), that the fish weren't biting. The place was just too busy. My daddy did catch one fish. She still was able to do a little "playing" in the river though.



Meanwhile, the ladies went shopping. The junk store really was a true junk store, and unfortunately, they were closed. There was a sign on the door saying they were gone to a graduation and wouldn't be back for a week.



Look at the name of this place. We thought it was unusual....and funny!



We did go in some other shops. The only thing I bought was this prim sheep.



I thought this picture of Mama and Betty in the big chair was cute and they gave me permission to show it....look at these two shopping chics!



That evening, we went back into town for dinner. We went to the same place we went last time. The food is really good. On the weekends, they have a band playing country music in the parking lot. Everyone brings their chairs and sits out and listens to the band. They have a place cleared for dancing. There were really only two different couples that really danced.



Notice Joy sitting there up front listening to the music. Well I knew that wouldn't last long.



Before too long, she was moving a little to the music. I remarked that if she ever got up the nerve, she'd be out there. Then the next thing I knew, Betty said, "There she goes...she's out there!"



And she did. She got out there and danced! I have no idea where she gets this because I don't like to do anything in front of a crowd that I don't have to. I guess it's from Jason. He's much more outgoing in front of a crowd than me. I have to get to know you first! :) Anyway, she had a great time and those people were just smiling as they watched! I guess she took to heart what I've always told her, "Dance like no one is watching!" :)

I wasn't able to get on the computer while we were there because Betty's computer was hit with a virus and going a little crazy. She has really missed her computer, but I just got word that her computer whiz nephew, Paul, helped her out and her computer is well now! So now she's telling me it's time to change my blog! :)

Saturday evening, the girls watched the movie, "Dreamer". I love that movie. I had seen it before and remembered liking it the first time. I think Dakota Fanning is just a little darling, and I've always loved Kurt Russell too. Our guys sat out on the porch, shooting the breeze, and enjoying the cooler evening weather (without mosquitoes).

Take a look at the "fur babies" there this weekend.

This is Taffy....Richard and Betty's baby. She's a bad to the bone Yorkie! She might look girly, but she's as tough as they come! She's now 9 years old and lived through many adventures!





This is Stinker....my mom and dad's baby. She's almost 8 years old. She has the sweetest disposition, especially for a chihuahua. She is quite spoiled!



And this is the newest member to Richard and Betty's family. She's the outdoor baby. Her name is Molly. We have no idea what kind of dog she is, although I think she has some German Shepherd in her. They went to Walmart shopping one day, and came home with Molly. Some people were giving dogs away in the parking lot! Molly and Joy got along really well this weekend!



Sunday was pretty much spent low key, around the house, because it had been raining. We headed on home later that afternoon. There had been more storms while we were gone and there was lots of water in the yard. My dad killed a snake. Snakes really seem to be bad here this year. Anyone else having lots of snakes in your area? Yuck! I don't like any kind of a snake! Jason found one lying across the motor of his truck this morning too and we think it might be a copperhead! I'm really paranoid now!

Oh, and today my dad dropped by and brought in our mail and my room spray came in that I ordered from Beth! She was so generous! She included an extra one. I ordered a cinnamon stick one and she also sent me a peach scent! I'm loving it! My house smells so good right now! Thank you, Beth! That was so sweet of you!



And that, my friends, is what we've been up to! I hope you all had a great weekend too, and that you have a wonderful week ahead and that you're safe in all the storms! :)

~ Tammy ~