And the winner is...

Thanks to Random.org generator our winner is our 5th entry Gretchen Clark!  Gretchen won the Thirty-One Gifts $25 gift certificate!

Thank you to everyone that entered!!!!

First Give-Away! Thanks for the 1st 1,000 hits!

I'm celebrating 1,000 hits on the blog

with my first give-away!

Win a $25 Gift Certificate to Thirty One Gifts!

To see the catalog click on the link above.

To Win:

1.  Leave a Comment on this post with the item you love from Thirty One Gifts.

2.  Become a follower of Imperfectly Happy (if you are already a follower you can skip this step)

3.  Get a 2nd entry by posting a link to this post on your blog (leave website in your comments)

Contest will end Wednesday November 10th.  Please check the blog then to see if you're the winner!!! 

*The gift certificate may only be redeemed on www.mythirtyone.com/tiffd and will not be honored by other consultants.   

Linking this post to:
Blue Cricket Design
Someday Crafts

A Little Halloween Giggle...

She Makes Over Lamps...

I saw this idea at Homebody - where she covered a lampshade in burlap.  I thought it was adorable and filed that in my "want to try that" brain file.

When I bought the dresser for my son, the guy that was selling it asked me if I happened to need lamps.  I said, "why yes I do but I didn't bring anymore cash with me".  But when he said he had 3 lamps with shades and would give them all to me for $5 I boogied up to the store and got the cash.

So today I went and bought some burlap for $2.99 a yard and got to work.

Check out this hideous shade...

I have to wonder who went out and bought this because they just LOVED it!?!

I laid out the burlap...probably about a yard.   Then, with my trusty hot glue gun, I wrapped and glued...

Until I had this.  I trimmed the excess and glued it in.  I wish I could have made it a little tighter but for my first try at this I am pretty pleased.

Now my desk has a much needed lamp. 

(notice my marketing text book laying there waiting for me to open it)

I am going to paint the lamp too but not sure what color yet so I just dusted it off and put it on the desk.

Lamp and shade $1.67

Burlap $2.99

New-to-me lamp...$4.66

*SCORE*

I'm sharing this post on...

Backyard Eden



Dresser Done Over...The Reveal

Well if you read my earlier post then you saw my mid-way dresser over make-over.  I was worried but I think all turned out well.

Is it perfect?  NO.  Do I love it?  Well I like it a lot, but we're just going to be friends.  Does my son like it?  YES - and that is what really matters!

This was fully sanded down when I bought it yesterday (SCORE!)  I have been really wanted to try a colored stain on ANYTHING because I have a vision of staining my kitchen cabinets with a color in the future.  So I bought Minwax Indigo Blue and some staining clothes and got started.

It was a rough start (see post below).  I wasn't sure if I had made a huge mistake.  BUT  I kept going and my hands are a little smurfish....  It was over 90 here in the Valley of the Sun so it dried pretty quick.  I added some inexpensive knobs from Home Depot (silver because we are going for Cowboy's colors) and she is looking pretty spiffy.

Here it is....

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Please forgive my tilted shot...too lazy to fix it. :P



Sharing my treasure at:

Shabby Nest

Just a Girl

Domestically Speaking

The GREAT Dresser Disaster~!?!

Ok maybe not so much a disaster as a fiasco...but I need some encouragment or maybe help!

I got my 14 year old son a "new-to-us" dresser off of craigslist....

 

Solid Pine, Good Bones, Nice Grain...

So I says to myself, "self, you should stain this dresser".  But self replied, "self, the boy wants a room in the Cowboy colors" (aka blue & silver).  So me and self decide to try staining said dresser with indigo wood stain...

"We" aren't so sure about how it is going.  Kinda looks like, well, crap.  This is after working on it for about an hour.  I have to tell you all that I am not an experienced stainer.  The truth is I think I have stained one single board of wood, ever, in my entire life.  It is much more difficult than it looks.  Soooooo  I am trying to decide if I should continue with the stain and pray it will start looking better OR scrap it and get a can of paint.

THOUGHTS?  IDEAS?

HELP?!?!?!?

It's Fess-Up Friday!!!!

Fess-Up: To recognize, often reluctantly, the reality or truth of: acknowledge, admit, avow, concede, confess, grant, own (up).

Today is sort of a confessional of a Homeschool Mother...10 truths I don't always reveal. :P

10.  My kids have never participated in a spelling bee, geography bee, science fair or the like. 

9.  I do not raise goats, chickens or any other farm animals.  I'm not always sure about the house pets staying. :P

8.  I have done school days in my pajamas (sans a shower) more often than I care to think about.

7.  We school year-round so we can take longer breaks when I'm burnt out.

6.  I do not stand up and teach anything.  It's a HOMEschool so teaching lectures don't really happen.  We tend to gather around the dining room table or scatter to a quiet corner of the house.

5.  I HATE teaching handwriting...there I said it.  If my kids can sign their name in cursive I feel I've done my job.

4.  If you come over to my house without calling first I probably won't let you in...because my house looks like a tornado with a 'tude went through it (twice).

3.  I don't keep a record of grades until high school.  My kids have to do the work over and over and over until they get it right so it would look like they had straight A's.  I have also never taken attendence. :P

2.  I avoid talking about socialization because it makes me want to strangle people.  I know it isn't very Christian or "pc" to say, but that's the truth.  I can't believe people still ask me about that.

1.  I AM NOT PATIENT, OR A SAINT...ASK MY KIDS.  Some days I think I'm 1/2 way to a padded room...somedays I want to be there. :P

A true likeness of me...well it should have red hair.



So there you have it.  I feel purged.  So what are you ready to confess today????

McDonalds & Weight Watchers Wednesday!

Today I am writing from our local McDonalds playland.  The three younger chicks and I like to come here sometimes to do school so baby chick can play.  It is usually pretty quiet and Tabitha will have one or two other kids to play with; also leaving her older siblings alone to do their school work.

But today...today there must be some sort of early release (from a preschool insane asylum) because it is deafening in here.  There is a good chance that this place has reached its capacity!

All sorts of animal, alien and flat out crazy noises are steaming out from the slide and plastic crawl spaces.  Tabitha, who is usually very social (and more aggressive) has come out more than a 1/2 dozen times to report touching, pushing and the occasional, "no one will play with me". 

What are they putting in this food?  If I didn't know better I would bet that a packet of sugar had been added to every bite of food that touched their lips.

I have decided the only fair and just thing to do is to add a pair of ear plugs and a Xanax to every Happy Meal...for Mommy.  ;)

I am going to need a nap.

I am happy to announce

I am down 1.5 lbs this week! 

 Yahooooooo.

Happy Dance!

Now that the weather is cooling off I have got to get my hiney out and start walking! 



I haven't fallen off the planet!

I can't believe I have ignored my baby blog for more than 2 weeks!  But I assure you I am still here and still blogging!

I have been, and still am, eyeball deep in my last two classes at WGU.  I am currently working on my marketing project; this involves inventing a product and creating a 3 year marketing plan for it.  YIKES!  Then I have to complete a research paper and power point presentation for my Business Research and Writing class.  When those are completed I will have finished 42 credits this term and 83 since January.  I am hoping one more term and then graduating in the July 2011 ceremony.

It has finally started to cool off a bit here in Arizona so I hope to get back out to the garage on work on my projects.  Right now I think my 13 year old daughter has given up any hope of seeing her "new to her" dresser out of the garage.  But we did get a bonus freebie!  The man that gave us the dresser off craigslist called me a couple days later and offered us a matching nightstand...for FREE!  With hope and prayer I will complete these projects before Thanksgiving!!!!

I did create a little something, not sure it is much to brag about but I like it.  I have seen a couple of blogs with canning jars made into soap dispensers.  I loved the idea but didn't have any canning jars.  I did however have an emptly pickle jar! :P  I didn't take a picture of the before but this is the type of jar I used...

I washed it and removed the label.  Then I drilled a whole in the top before spray painting it black.  I used a left over pump from another soap dispender and cut it to fit the jar.

AND VIOLA....

I added some dish soap and it is now sitting proudly by my kitchen sink.   Sure it isn't as cute as the canning jar (which I will eventually buy and make) but it looks a lot better than the generic plastic bottle.  :)

I have 102 things to do today so back to cleaning, newsletter writing, homework, homeschooling and maybe even a shower!!!

This post is featured on:





A little about me...

I thought I would share a little about me, for those who are reading out their in the blog world...

My husband and I have been married for 15 years.  Here we are on our wedding day in 1995. :)

ahhhhhh

We have 5 children.  Troy brought 2 with him, we have adopted 2 and we have 1 biological child.  Here is a picture I shot of the kids in 2008.  Aren't they beautiful?



We also have 3 furry members of the family...

Kipper

Kow - she's the crazy one. :P

And last, but not least, Bruzer.

He is a 10 year old Ragdoll who weighs nearly 20 lbs.



New Projects

I love Freecyle

and Craigslist.

Today's free finds:

Freecycle - Wood Curtain Rods

Please excuse messy garage picture.  I picked these awesome solid wood curtain rods this morning.  I am hoping to use them in my family room.  I am not sure if I should paint them or not.

Freebie from Craigslist:

Bottom Dresser

Top Hutch

I picked this dresser up, site unseen, from Craigslist today.  How could I turn down a free dresser, less than 3 miles away!  I was thinking I was picking up something for my boy's room until I saw it.  Now my plan is to sand it and paint it white for my 13 year daughter's room.  I am thinking of making the mirror area into a chalk board.

I bought an orbital sander and a circular saw today at Harbor Freight - so excited.

I will post pics when these are completed!!!

Friday Funny!

Funny thing happened at the Navy Recruiting Office...

This is one of those stories you hear about but it never actually happens to you...but this time it did.

My 17 year old son, TJ, has been considering the military on and off for the last couple of years.  Well he finally decided to take a leap and talk to a recruiter.

So Monday he makes the appointment and today I drive him out there.  On the way he complains of a stomach ache but says he is fine.  Like most mothers I suggested he try to poop, as that is the cure for all that ails you right?  However when we pulled into the parking lot he said he was feeling a little nauseous.  I asked if he was ok, he said yeah.  So I prayed for him and we walked on in...

TJ sat down with the recruiter and they went over a few points.  We were in one large room so I was only a few feet away watching and listening...  He looked as if he was mad or thinking really hard for about 10 minutes.  Then he asked the recruiter if there was a bathroom in the office.  Just as he stood up...

HE BARFED ALL OVER

THE DESK & FLOOR!!!!

The other recruiters were scrambling to get TJ over a trash can while I am apologizing.  He continued to vomit as I was helping clean up.  Now right here is why I won't be getting mother of the year anytime soon...

I began to giggle, snort and giggle then full out laugh.  Yes, I laughed as I was cleaning my son's yak up, while he continued to yak in the Navy recruiting office. 

Well after the barfing ceased TJ cleaned himself up and proceeded to take the practice military entrance exam.  BTW he scored very high on it and they still want him to join the Navy! 

So that was the first part of the day; what lies in store is anyone's guess!  ;P

It's Weight Watcher Wednesday!

Weigh In - down 1.5 lbs (can I get a WOO WOO?)

I can't say I stayed on program the whole week but my "try not to be a pig" concept did help.  I realize how important it is to track and move.  When I am tracking everything I eat better and when I move I lose more weight.  Seems like a DUH Tiff right?  Well I didn't get this way because I do the right thing when it comes to this stuff so bare with my revelations.  :P

OK now for a yummy product review!!!

If you like cereal or if you like a sweet treat without a lot of points, I can recommend the Special K Chocolately Delight Cereal.  Not too sweet, so it doesn't really taste like a dessert, but sweet enough (w/chocolate pieces) to stop a craving in its track!  I bought mine this week with The Grocery Game list and got them for 99 cents a box!

One cup of this Special K was only 2 WW points - so a great breakfast or snack!  

I am participating in Night Owl Crafting's "hoo are you?"

 

1.  If you could add one room to our house, what would it be?

I would add a huge craft/multi-purpose room.

 

2. How many pillows do you sleep with at night?

Three, sometimes 4.

 

3. What is the best costume you've ever worn for Halloween?

Well this is actually the costume I wore for my 80's b-day party, but it was awesome (like totally awesome).

 

 

4. If you could erase one item off the face of the earth, what would it be?

Cancer - I've lost so many loved ones to cancer; it wouldn't be missed.

 

5. Where do you do your best thinking?

Probably in bed or the shower.

Garage Sale S*C*O*R*E!

My 13 year old daughter actually got up early enough to go garage sale hunting with me.  So this was a double good day for the mom!

Check out what I got for $9 today!

 That is 21...21solid wood (mostly maple) spindles.  There are several styles and I have all kinds of ideas for these beauties!  Those, in total, were $7 - that's right 33 cents a piece!  At the 2nd garage sale I picked up 12 brand new Ikea frames for $2 - 4 5x7 and 8 4x6 (score!). 

Not pictured is the nice pair of jean shorts I got the 13 year old son that when I got home had $5 in the pocket!  Normally I would return the $5 but I have zero idea how to get back to that garage sale as I sort of stumbled onto that one.

Test and Bottles and Fabric..Oh My!

<-- This book has been the means of torturing me every morning for the last 6 weeks or so but that will soon be coming to an end!  I passed my Economics exam today earning myself 4 more credits and I have one last paper to write for the other econ class and then I am FOREVER done with economics!!!!  I am so thankful for my school Western Governor's University for making it possible for a busy mom to get her degree.  :)  Yeah WGU!


Today I found 2 awesome bottles at Goodwill and one screamed, "cover me with jute"!  Ok it didn't really but I have seen several of these twine covered bottles on the net and when I found a 50 cent bottle I thought I would give it a try.

So I grabed my Jute, hot glue gun and my cheap goodwill treasure and got to work...

Can I tell you this took a lot longer than I imagined and the glue gun got me good a couple of times.  But I made progress none the less...

My youngest, Tabitha, decided to join the crafty corner in the kitchen and make her monkey mask...she is hard at work here; you can tell this by the fact that she is sitting still.

Here is the final product next to my other 50 cent bottle from Goodwill (isn't it cute?).

I'm not sure if this is the greatest project I have ever accomplished but I like it.  I think it will be really cute with a couple of daisies in it.

After my Goodwill trip today I hit the fabric store.  I was looking for some inspiration fabric for our family room.  I believe I found it!!!!

I wish it looked as yummy on screen as it does in real life.  Here it looks like black and teal but it is really a chocolate brown and a light blue (sorta tealish).  I am going to make a couple of throw pillows  out of it and if I still love it I will go back for more! :)