Everything is White

This weekend proved to me that I do love white!  

The hood over the stove has been an eye sore to me for years.  After my sweetie buying me white spray paint for a Christmas present, I decided today was a good day to put it to good use.  The sun was shining and it was warm...perfect for painting outside.

This is the before.  Stainless...I hated it!  It has never went with anything in this kitchen, even when the cabinets weren't painted.  

The after...now isn't that much better?

It looks so much brighter and cleaner, not to mention, it flows right in with the cabinet above it.

I used a high heat enamel.  I have painted hoods before, so I knew that painting this one would work great.  As long as you use the right paint, it will stand the test of time.  Much cheaper than buying a new one.

And you may have noticed...I painted the cabinets a bright white.  They were an antique white before.  Everything looks so much better!

The bright white definitely fits my taste!

I added the corner pieces to the sink opening where the skirt is.  They came from an old mirror.  I love them more than the other two I had there.

I am thrilled with how the kitchen looks now....and that that hood is no longer stainless!

Onto other news, look at how beautiful my sweet daughters are!

I decided with all of the snow we had, it would be the perfect time to take their pictures.  

They turned out absolutely beautiful, don't you think?!

Now, I think I will relax and enjoy what little bit of the weekend that is left.  I hope all of you are well and that your new week about to begin, is a blessed one!

That Beautiful Thing Called SNOW

We were hit with a snow storm, but thankfully we were prepared.  If you all do not know me by now, let me fill you in on how much I adore snow.  Growing up in a small town, we had lot's of snow during the winters.  Bundling up to go out sleigh riding, warming yourself by the fire, drinking hot chocolate, getting snowed in and reading books when the electricity was off, spending quality family time together, having sleep overs...the list can go on and on.  And as I grew and married, I loved snow just as much. After having our daughters,  I can see that I've instilled my love for snow into them.  To me, snow is magical.  Especially at night as the snowflakes come down in all sorts of sizes and shapes.  Those sparkly ones were especially pretty.  But the hush the snow does to make everything quiet...now that's what I really love!

I was so excited to see the snow coming down when I woke up and opened the door.  

I felt like a child on Christmas morning!

It really was coming down and the weathermen were predicting a lot of it!  

So, I asked my sweetie if he'd take a walk with me to capture some pretty photos to remember it all by.  Of course he said yes...he loves snow as much as I do.  

I really love where we live.  We have no close neighbors, so it makes for wonderful privacy.

Nestled in at the bottom of a mountain, it is such a cozy place even though we have such a big yard.

My best friend and my sweetheart....how I love him so!

Louis is an inside cat, sheltered from the cold.  His reaction to the white stuff falling from the sky was priceless.  I love this cat!

We decided to have a bonfire while the girls enjoyed the snow as they did when they were little.  I was inside cooking dinner as I captured these next few shots.

Sleigh riding, sitting by the fire and playing with Gabe, our old timer,  was definitely a great way to spend a snowy day.  I felt like my girls were little once again.  Sweet memories were made...and still are.

What we woke up to the next day was amazing...and the snow was still coming down!

I'm so glad I left up the Christmas decorations...they look so pretty with all of this beautiful snow.

Everything looks so pretty!

Well, maybe not, lol!  Being pretty while shoveling isn't a priority for me. The cars were completely covered!  We still have so much to shovel.  

The sun came out on the third day and the snow had finally stopped.  The total accumulation was 16 inches!  

(Imagine my hands slapping my cheeks as my mouth dropped to the ground)  

We haven't had any winters like this for years. And I love it!

The creek is all frozen, but oh so pretty!  I remember  skating on frozen creeks when I was little...I don't think I'll try that now.

The glistening of the snow looks like little tiny diamonds.  God truly made this world beautiful didn't He?!

I love the shadows that shine through onto the snow.  It definitely makes on feel special.

And the trees...I love the trees all covered in snow.  It is just absolutely beautiful!

I hope all of you have been blessed and if you were hit with this storm like we were, I hope you all made it through with flying colors.  Have a blessed week and tell God how much you love HIM. 

Sometimes Spring Happens

Even though I absolutely adore Winter, I love for our home to have a Spring-y feel inside all throughout the year.  Spring is my next favorite season because of the flowers...I love flowers!  Mammaw had a green thumb and could make anything grow.  I stayed away from plants for many years...why, I just do not know.  

However, inside, I still love faux greenery and florals.  

I finally made a shopping trip to Home Goods the other day and found a lovely floral arrangement.

The roses look so real!  I had an old silver plated tray that I painted many years ago.  Paired with everything, I think it turned out to be a lovely setting for the coffee table.

House guests always think these miniature pink roses are real.  Found these at Home Goods too many moons ago.   The only downfall to silk flowers are that they do not have that beautiful aroma of real ones.  There is nothing like the smell of a freshly bloomed peony!  Oh, I can't wait for the flowers to start blooming this year!

Baby's breath is another that I love.  The simplicity of it attracts me.  The delicate, tiny white flowers with the green are a  fresh and lively addition to any bloom.

Little touches of greenery and flowers are scattered throughout our home.  Some were cheap while others were pricey.   

While shopping,  I showed some interest in a piece and Hannah informed me that I could make it.  I told her that sometimes I just want to buy it instead of making it.  I do have my lazy days. 

Take this boxwood wreath...I could have made one, but instead, I opted to just buy one when I found out it was under $25 at Home Goods.   

The sun has been shining in all of it's glory this week...don't let it fool you because it is super cold outside!

But that's alright,  it's spring in our home and a nice 73 degrees.  What more could I ask for today because I am so very blessed to have my little family, a full belly and alive!  Sometimes spring happens...in a home and in a soul.  Give thanks today for what you've been blessed with and tell God you love Him.  

Something New

It seems that after Christmas is over and all of the decorations are stored away, things seem a little bare to me.  Like things are missing. I talked myself right out of going shopping for some new pieces today.

It started with the mantle.  Usually I keep candles on wine goblets but I was wanting something different.  I'm still not happy, but it's a start.  I can see it with all white...maybe I will go shopping after all.

I love faux flowers...if they are done right.  I like a cohesive look and thankfully I had some flowers that all went well with each other.  After taking down the pine, something green was needed.  So my talent for making floral arrangements came in handy.  (insert sarcasm)  I will definitely be on the look out for something new!

I did however buy this lovely little rose and the mirror the other day.  I think it's perfect on the table.

The wispy-ness  is what I am wanting...not so uniform.  Paired with a delicate tea pot, it sure does make a sweet setting.

Everything is simple enough and doesn't stop the eye as it travels across the room.  The sunlight sure does make a difference though.  Everything was so bright and cheerful.

Having an arrangement that looks the same on both sides is crucial for this island.  Most store bought floral arrangements are one sided. If real flowers would stand the test of time...I'd much rather have them.  I've found that making your own is way cheaper than buying pre made.  But sometimes, I bite the bullet when I see something I fall in love with.

I had a boxwood wreath in storage, so I thought it would look nice on this mirror since things looked so bare.  Kinda happy with it!

And last but not least, my sweet sleeping hubby.  I happened to be walking by putting away decorations and this is what I see.  He looks so sweet.  (tee hee hee)  He's gonna kill me for putting this on here!

But I just thought he looked so adorable and wanted to share with the world, wink wink.

We are coming up on our 25th anniversary, so we decided to renew our vows in the Spring.  I bought a dress that I have plans on re-doing the other day and it hit me...this is really going to happen!  25 YEARS!!!  We've been together for a total of 28 and a half...so this is a big deal and a happy one.  I'm so excited to do a wedding since my girls won't be getting married anytime soon!  Not many stay together anymore.  So be prepared to see lot's of photos come spring time!  He told me last night that we need to have a honey moon afterwards....I think he's having fun with this thing too.  God has truly blessed the both of us!

May your New Year be blessed and as always, it's a pleasure to share my life with all of you...thank you!