Terrific Under Ten Tuesdays

For the last couple weeks I’ve been crafting away in my garage. I’m loving every minute of it, except for the waiting for paint to dry bit. It takes time to do these things, but they’re also bringing me joy!

I have a love for old windows. LOVE. The bad thing is I don’t exactly know what I’m going to do with one when I get it. I may have a slight idea, but nothing that will make me want to just go outside and start working on it. This can be a good thing and also a bad thing. Good because then I don’t just jump into some project and end up hating it later. Bad because they can take up a lot of space, and when you have a slightly larger than two car garage, space is valuable.

About a year ago we had a friend that was moving, and had these two rather large windows. When I asked her if I could have them, she said she didn’t care, but the look I got from Joel was Priceless! I had NO idea what I’d do with them. Fast forward a year and I’ve come across Kindra’s blog and had an epiphany. Why not make it a mirror!

I was on the hunt for Mirror Spray Paint. I found it on Amazon, but it was a little pricy. Come in $30.00 credit I got when I signed up for their credit card (two years ago! Totally forgot I had it!).  I also got a great deal on Groupon (great site for daily deals!) for Vinyl wall lettering $30.00 worth for $15.00 and I had a $10.00 coupon just for signing up!

I started by scraping off the old paint on the existing window and sanding it down. I then applied two coats of black paint that has been sitting in my garage waiting on my dining room chairs to give it some love. I then sanded it down again to give it a more aged look. After bringing it in the house though I realized that I’d have liked it a bit better if I’d sanded a little more. (oh well right!) I then covered it with a coat of high gloss polyurethane that we had left over from our hard wood floor redo (which you can somewhat see in the picture). I still have to ad a way to hang this mirror/window, but my dad gave me a cute chain that will look nice along the top.

Total Cost for this project:
Window : Free
Mirror Spray Paint : Free
Vinyl Lettering : $3.83 ($5.00 + $6.50 for shipping, divided by 3 (purchased 3 decals total!))
Black Paint : Already in my garage waiting for my dining room chairs
Polyurethane : Free (leftover from our hardwood floor redo!)

What we’ve been up to

It’s been crazy in this house. Just when I think our lives have slowed down enough for me to blog again, we’re never in the house. It’s been beautiful outside. (Well, other than the little cold snap we had for 5 days where it didn’t know if it wanted to snow or rain.) Today is another beautiful day outside except for the fact that it’s only 40, and the wind is blowing like crazy.

All school year we’ve been lucky enough to get away from being sick. NOTHING all school year. Until last Thursday. Kaitlynn started with it, and MacKenzie came down with it yesterday. It’s the kind of bug that last about 4 days, and Dahrran and I are on day one today. Day one makes you feel bad, but not bad enough you can’t move. Day two is bad enough you don’t do anything. :( I’m really dreading tomorrow. Because Day 3 is puking. So tomorrow I’ll feel crappy enough to not want to move with a puking MacKenzie! (Maybe by putting it here it won’t actually happen!!!!!)

My grandma has been in the hospital since last Wednesday. She isn’t doing well. This is the grandma that we’re super close to. The ones my kids know well, and only live less than a mile from our house. I was taking it rough at first but I think I’m doing okay now. I know there comes a time, but I’m not ready.

Other than that we’re not doing much. Adding to our cow herd on a weekly basis, though that’s about to slow down with only one left to calve. I’ve got plenty of pictures, and if I’m feeling up to it maybe I’ll get our cattle blog updated today. :S We’ll see!

Hanging out on the farm

With the weather getting nicer the kids and I have been going along with Joel to do chores more often. We also have had our share of haybale climbing and tractor rides. Can I just say that I love spring? Or more the impending of it.

posted from Bloggeroid

Get your craft on!

Let’s just say I have a bit of craft envy going on. You see there are these blogs that I love to read. I dream. I dream of the one day making my house look as wonderful as theirs are.

You see there is just one problem. I’m not creative. Seriously not a creative bone in my body. (okay so I can sew, but really these ladies I’m about to showcase have tallent, serious tallent!)

One of the projects I actually have the nerve to try is this one, from Kindra. Except I’m using a large window that was given to me. I was so excited to find the Mirror Spray paint on Amazon so I could have it shipped instead of driving to Lincoln just for a can of paint. I’m sure I could’ve found it cheaper, but oh well. Not dragging everyone out was totally worth it for me!

Oh so cute!!!!!

I cannot say that I have anything in the works for this next example, but I would LOVE if I did. It’s so cute, and I wish someone would just make one for me! Shelley is so talented, and I LOVE her work!

(click on the picture for full directions!)

Another thing I’d love to do  is this makeover of my laundry room. Although it’s in the  basement, so it probably wouldn’t look as cute! :( Maybe our next house….a girl can dream right? If we did, I would totally do this project by Sausha, she has a way with furniture.

I TOTALLY want this for my laundry!

Show me your projects! I love all things that are a little bit not so “modern.”

Wow, it’s been awhile

Yes it’s true we’re still alive here in the Cast household.  We’ve been super busy with well, nothing really. Just life I guess.

For the last 6 months I’ve been working 3 part time jobs simultaneously. My house has gone to the wolves, and it was a fend for yourself kind of household. Within the last month I was recently let go from one of the jobs I love due to lack of funds. It didn’t really hit me how bad the economy is until then. But it’s been a blessing in disguise. I’ve had more time to work on the relationships that mean the most to me.

Since December Joel and I have been having a hard time being husband and wife. We even separated for a while to figure out who we each wanted to be, and to be sure that we still wanted to be with each other. Most people wouldn’t put this on their blog, but I feel why not. It happens all the time.

Thankfully we’re back on track to working things out, and back together. I wouldn’t recommend separation to everyone, but if you’re at your final straw why not try it for a while. It will either make you realize how much you truly NEED the other person in your life, or will just reiterate the facts that you’re better off apart. We’ve both done a lot of growing, and Joel has found his faith again through all of this.

So back to  blogging I’m a coming! Be ready, I’m going to be a better blogger…..you know now that I have a little more “free” time on my hands! :)

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Since I didn’t get any Christmas cards mailed out this year I thought I’d go ahead and post the pictures that I would’ve used had we actually mailed them. Christmas kind of snuck up on me, and I didn’t really get a chance to get much of anything done. I didn’t put up my tree until the week before, and it probably won’t come down for a while. I just don’t have the time! :( Anywho, on with the pictures!

Here are the kids with their Teachers. The AWESOME ladies who take care of them during the day. I couldn’t ask for better teachers. Dahrran had MacKenzie’s teacher in Kindergarten, and so we were overjoyed when we found out M was getting her! Kaitlynn’s teacher is new this year, but it such a sweet lady. Dahrran’s current teacher is super nice as well!



And then there is this one….This is MacKenzie’s “boyfriend” L. She talked him into wearing his suit, (even after his mom couldn’t!!) so they could dance and look cute together! She’s quite the charmer that’s for sure!! On another note, L’s mom made the girls dresses!

 

Oh, and I wasn’t exactly thrilled with M’s hair either!!! But that was before I found this website! Check it out if you have a little girl!

Aww shoot….

Might as well call me Betty Crocker. 
Guess what we made today?

Sugar cookies! :) Just in time for Christmas.

 

And just to prove I’m no Martha Stewart……I give you the “mess”



And that my friends is CLEAN!

*If you look hard enough in the first picture you’ll see the sinks of dishes as well as the stove that is fully full of crap!! Not to mention the other crap that is all over my counters! :) *

Have a Merry Christmas!