French Provincial End Table Makeover

 

I picked up this french provincial end table last week.  It was in great shape and I loved everything about it....except the color. 

 

 

 

 

Please excuse my trusty green table drop cloth.  You will most likely notice that it appears in all of my furniture painting posts.

I usually use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint on my furniture makeovers but I had some CeCe Caldwell Chalk & Clay paint sample pots so I thought I'd give them a whirl.  I chose Dover White to for the base coat.  As you can see in the picture, the first coat went on a little thin.  Although, I did notice that once it dried, it appeared to cover well.

I applied 2 coats of Dover White.  I mixed up a wash with Pittsburgh Gray and I think it turned out quite pretty......

But it was too light for my taste.  In attempts to darken it up a bit, I applied a coat of clear and dark wax to the body and this is what I got. 



The Dreaded To-Do List

Do you like to-do lists? 

I, for one, have always loved to-do lists.  Creating the list, adding bullets, organizing it until it was just perfect and, not to mention, the ultimate satisfaction of marking things off made me oh so happy! 

Somehow, within the happenings of LIFE, my to-do list making skills began to lack.  I mean lack so much so that they became nonexistent!! I have somehow convinced myself that I did not need a to-do list.  After all, I do not have the time sit down and write out a list of things that I need to do.  And then this bright idea kicked in....*Just keep a mental list of what you need to do and where you & each family member need to be at any given point*. 
Well, I'm sure you can guess how that has worked out!!!  My mind was not able to shut off and I never completed or remembered all that I needed to.

With all of the changes going on around here, I have decided that my way of thinking and accomplishing tasks needed to change too.  So, I am using my blog to keep myself accountable!

I have taken some time to sit down with a notebook.  I divided up several pages and labeled each section with a room or space in my house. I took a visual tour of each area and jotted down every little thing that I could think of doing for that specific area.  Even if it was something that I "wished" we could do to the space, it went into the notebook.  This has allowed me to empty my mind and really focus on one thing at a time.

With all of that being said, I have chosen a few things that I would like to accomplish for the month of September.

Now this is NOT a list of items that must be completed by September 30th or else!  It is simply a guideline for me to follow.  If something comes up that needs my attention and it is not on the list, it is perfectly fine to complete that task. (See... I am convincing myself as I type.  This is going to be a win-win situation for me and my slight OCD.)  I have a feeling that this list will require changes and tweaking as I go. 

Alright, who's in with me? 
Do you have things on your to-do list that you need to complete too? 
Let's make September a month to remember!

I'm off to organize something......

Fall is in the air...or is it?

Well, September is here and we are already beginning the 3rd day.  I don't know about you but I am ready for fall and everything that comes with it.  Here in Texas our days are H.O.T. and humid so a little cooler weather would be a nice change.

I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend with friends and family.  We were able to spend some time at the lake and it was a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of city life.  My hubby started back to work last week, my son will start Pre-K next week and I am adjusting (quite well might I add) to my new role as a SAHM so, this past weekend together was a time for us to reconnect and unwind....and that's exactly what we did!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we were packing up our belongings, my son informed us that he is "NEVER" coming come and he's going to live there.  I figured he would be ready to come home since he went up 3 days before we did but I guess not and who can blame him really?  It's a little boy's paradise.  So, needless to say, he is staying a few extra days with his grandparents.  What a lucky kid!

Now it's back to reality and I have a few ideas up my sleeve but more on that later. 

Thanks for stopping by and leave a comment telling me how you enjoyed your Labor Day.  Also, if you haven't "liked" my Facebook page or are not following me on Pinterest, I would love for you to join me!
 
Blessings,

 

Note to Self: Clean Those Brushes!

While perusing the Internet one day, I came across an article stressing the importance of cleaning make-up brushes on a weekly basis.  I thought to myself, "mine are not that bad"!  Though, I could not remember the last time I had actually cleaned them. 

 

So, I took a look at my set of make-up brushes and was astounded!!!  WOW!  How did I let them get like this?!?!?  I believe it's mostly due to the fact that I am lazy half asleep in the wee hours of the morning when my make-up is applied.

Here is my collection in all of it's glory.

And if you need to see those gross handles up close...here ya go!

This poor little brush is the one that I use to apply a flesh color eyeshadow only.

My blush/bronzer brush.....

My powder foundation brush...

This was going to be a job in itself so I gathered my trusty Shaklee Basic H cleaner (this stuff is gentle yet super effective) and regular household vinegar.

In a shallow container, I mixed a splash of vinegar, a few drops of Basic H and some hot water.  I'm not big on measuring if you can't tell by now!

Here is that poor eyeshadow brush again.  The original color of the brush is the orange hue way down at the bottom towards the base.  Oh and just look at that water back there..gross!!! 

Note: I emptied and refilled my container several times throughout the process. 

I swished it around in the mixture like I did with all of the other brushes but for some reason this brush gave me a fit.  Can you see how the eyeshadow turned into an ooey-gooey paste?

With a few drops of Basic H in my hand, I rubbed the brush on my palm and almost instantly the paste liquefied.

Oh my word!!!  It looked like it was brand new again!

After I finished with all of my brushes, I placed them on a clean towel to dry.

*Do NOT use the brushes until they are completely dry...
believe me on this one!  Unless you are trying to achieve the "I let my 4 year old use my face as a paint canvas" look.*

Alright, so once they were all dry, I was amazed at how "clean" my brushes were. 

 

 

 

Can you see the sparkles in the bristles?

I can not forget to show you these shiny handles.....

Clean, disinfected and good as new!

 

If you are interested in learning more about the fabulous Shaklee Basic H organic cleaner or purchasing some for yourself, visit my shop at: http://lifeonasleepylane.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=00015 

And while you are there, check out all of the items available from this amazing company.

 

Here's to creating health and happiness within your home and family! 



 

 

Not Your Boring Spaghetti Dinner

My family loves pasta but we get tired of the same old plain spaghetti.

In attempt to end the boredom, I have concocted a recipe that

keeps 'em coming back for more! 

 

Begin with the following ingredients:

                           - mushrooms                  - jar of spaghetti sauce         

- spaghetti noodles         -french bread

      - block of cream cheese (I used neufchatel cheese)

- 1 can of italian style diced tomatoes

- 1lb of grounded beef or turkey

 

Preheat oven according to the directions on the bread.

We love Pillsbury's Simply Rustic French Bread.

Begin boiling water for your noodles.

 



Saute the tomatoes in a small skillet.

 



Melt in the block of cream cheese.

Once oven is preheated, begin cooking your bread.

 



 

Brown the meat in a large skillet and drain the excess grease.

Stir cream cheese & tomato mixture until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

 



 

Combine the meat and cream cheese sauce in the large skillet.

Add in the entire jar of spaghetti sauce.

 



 

Stir sauce until mixture is creamy and ingedients are incorporated.

Add noodles to the boiling water.

 

Heat some olive oil in a small skillet and saute your chopped

mushrooms until they are soft and heated.

 



 

Add cooked mushrooms to the sauce and stir one last time.

 

 

Look at this delicious loaf of hot french bread......

 

Serve over noodles with a side salad and a slice of bread and you have yourself a delicious meal that will become a family favorite.

 

 

**The photos show that I used italian seasoned ground turkey in this

recipe.  However, I did not like the taste because I felt like the

seasoning overpowered the other ingredients.  In the future,

I will stick to plain ground turkey or lean beef.**