Stop for a moment and Swing

You know how you always hear people say they wish life would slow down for a moment,

 well for me I wish I would slow down for a moment....

long enough to sit on my swing and enjoy the simple pleasures in my life, and the gifts that I have been blessed with. You know the one's that don't have to be hot-glued, spray painted or sewn with a drop cloth.

One's that look more like throwing rocks in the lake with my kids or fishing on the dock with my husband. 

Who knows, I might even take the paddle boat out for a spin and only if I promise myself I won't decorate it while I am paddling away!
What simple pleasures will you be enjoying this long weekend?

See you Saturday for my weekly wow's.

My little fruit secret

I have something to tell you today....

Something that I have never shared with you....

Something that I think you should know.... 

Something that without a doubt will change your life, your fruits life and more specifically your banana's life.

How many have bananas that after a few short days after you buy them look similar to this?

Nothing more unsightly on the fruit plate then spotted brown, ripen bananas, especially when they are sitting near the stunning red and green apples!

How many wish that after a few days of buying your bananas , they looked more like this?

Ready for the secret? Leaving your bananas connected at the stem will ripen them faster. So as soon as you bring those bananas home from the store take them apart so they will live a bit longer on the fruit plate. FYI- I am not a professional fruit tester, nor do I want to be I just happen to see this in my local paper and decided to try it.

So, if you think that I am not totally bananas at this point, and you like bananas just as much as I do, then you will love a couple of recipes that I recently came across.

source

source

Have a great Wednesday! I am off to the store to buy me some 

ice cream to make that shake!

PS- For the record- when i tried this, it saved my bananas for at least 2 extras days ( which is a lifetime for a banana), although I did not test my own  theory, I also think it has to do with room temps- I'm just sayin!

Sharing with:

tatertots and jello
It's Overflowing

And the Oscar Goes To......

OMG!!! I can't believe it. Oh gosh, I don't have anything prepared. Okay (imagine me crying like a baby), first I would like to thank the members of the academy for this award. This is truly an honor and something I have wanted since birth, well maybe before that. To the other actors in this category, you are all so amazing!

 To my loving husband who suggested we make the ticket sign, add a 3- dimensional twist with lights rather then just basic art. I love you babe! 

To my mother who suggested I make a few toss pillows to make it a bit more comfy when she we are watching movies

To me, for being able to finish painting the room ( after I had already finished it), re- purpose the stars and paint them silver, move the other signs in from other places in the house, take down the gold tassel on the curtains and vacuum the carpet before I took the final pictures of the room.

To my gameroom, thanks for letting me take the Coca-Cola sign and put it in here

And lastly to my children who always want popcorn with extra butter during the movie and seem to spill 1/2 of it on the floor, mommy loves you now go to bed!

Now where will I keep Oscar?

You can click here for the total Media Room challenge and
 here for the tutorial on my DIY Lighted Ticket Sign.

For More of My Home Tour click here

PS- Please join my other Blogging without borders buddies  to see their final room reveals

Amy @ Buffalo Roam, Dana @ Crafted Niche, Jaime @ Crafty Scrappy Happy, Heidi @ Décor & More, Tisha @ Delectable Home, Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage, Kirby @ Kirb Appeal, Holly @ Life as a Thrifter, Cassie @ Primitive & Proper, Debbie @ ReFresh ReStyle, Jessica @ Stay At Home-ista, Karah @ the space between, and Kelly @ View Along the Way.

Sharing the Oscar with:
Between Naps on the Porch
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Savvy Southern Style
Stone Gable
One Project Closer
French Country Cottage
Jennifer Rizzo
At The Picket Fence
tatertots and jello
Beneath My Heart
The Polo House
DIY Showoff

Weekly Wow's

Happy Weekend!
Well after three weeks in school, we are finally settling into our routine around the house, which is a good thing for me and most importantly the kids. And although I do miss the kids when they are at school, it does give me a little extra time to work on some projects without the every minute interruption. 
Speaking of which, I found some great inspiration this week.
Dixie Delights shares a great tutorial for Monogrammed Canvas. A couple of steps and you have fabulous wall art!

Isn't this a great piece from Leisure Living? I just love the green that was used and the wood top.

How about these clever DIY Solar Lights from Love Pomegranate House.  So cute, so easy! Just think you can have light on the outside patio tonight!

Since fall is right around the corner and it's not too early to start thinking about decorating, I thought you would love to see these charming Decoupage Pumkins from Confessions of a Plate Addict.  Check out the tutorial!

Hope you have a great weekend , and with all of the unsettling weather conditions out there with Issac, I hope everyone stays safe. 

Butterflies and the Butterfly Bush

Have you ever wondered why the butterflies like the Butterfly bush so much? 

Do you think it's because of the beautiful white, pink or purple blooms that the bush produces all summer?

Maybe the massive amount of blooms that sprout out all over the bush and make excellent cut flowers like I used here . No worries though, the butterflies don't mind since there is plenty more.

 Or do you think it's because the bush, although a perennial in most regions, is a fast grower and virtually maintenance free?

Perhaps it's because the bush emits a special honey fragrance that attracts butterflies like some mystical spell?

Maybe they can't get enough of the sweet nectar from the flowers?

I don't know the real reason, but if I were a butterfly these are some pretty good reasons to stick fly around! 

Have a great weekend. 

See you back here tomorrow for My Weekly Wow's.

Closet Door turned Learning Board

There is a revolution making it's way around my house. 
Really. 
Not kidding. 
It's called the Chalkboard Revolution. Have you heard of it?
Initially it got started here with this board that I made on the wall in  my game room

Next, it surfaced in my kitchen on some re purposed trays hanging on the wall 

 Now, I can tell my son to go to his room and sound out his vowels on his closet door

And then when he is finished, I will have him create random words from the letters in his name.

A little chalkboard paint with stenciled letters and vowels on the raised panels of his closet, creates an instant learning environment with plenty of space to practice

with little pails hung close that I picked up in the $1.00 bins at target for chalk and erasers

 And I need to remember to reinforce this

Who knew the chalkboard revolution could be a learning experience and decorative too. 

Where to next?

Has the chalkboard revolution hit your home?

PS- Next week I will show you his Star Wars Themed Bedroom and how I decorated it without sending my budget into the Universe.

Sharing with:
Tatertots and Jello
At The Picket Fence
French Country Cottage
DIY Showoff
Under The Table And Dreaming
Alderberry Hill
Todays Creative Blog

DIY Stone Steps

As I mentioned here, my husband and I accidentally became non-certified, "not" professional masons. We enjoy a good DIY challenge and laying stone happens to be one of them. 

This particular project was unfinished steps in our backyard and was hanging around a little too long on the honey-do list for me. Unfortunately one 100 degree weekend not long ago, my husband had enough of my harassment   requests to get the steps completed and decided we were getting them done.

We used stone that we had laying around from our pond project to create some steps that take you into the play area in our backyard. We purchased several pallets of stone at a local yard that happened to be going out of business and paid significantly less then we would have at a home improvement store, or having someone come do the job for us.

My husband and I developed our mason groove early on. He would load up the stone and concrete bags in the tractor, build the forms and be in charge of mixing the concrete. Works for me!

I on the other hand, would be in charge of pouring the concrete, positioning the stones and cleaning up the joint lines, sweeping etc. Works for him!

Despite the excessive heat, numerous water breaks, and the constant complaining from yours truly-  " I am too hot" " I can't possibly do anymore" and my favorite  " Honey, I got sweat in my eyes and I can't see", we were able to complete both sets of steps.

This is truly a Mason Marriage made in Heaven!

PS- without this concrete mixer that we purchased years ago, we would have a hard time considering projects like this. One of the best purchases we ever made for mixing up the concrete.

Sharing:
Between Naps on the Porch
Savvy Southern Style
Tatertots and Jello