A Look Back

Rhoda over at Southern Hospitality is having a soiree! What? You don't know Rhoda? What rock have you been hiding under? Rhoda is fabulous. She reminds me of Paula Deen, but instead of cooking up delicious food, she cooks up scrumptious decor. Rhoda's party is an opportunity for us to look back at the projects we completed in 2008. Before and after. There's just one teensy little problem...I don't have before pics for most of my projects. I wasn't in full blogging mindset yet, people! I'll do better in 2009...promise. Hopefully, Rhoda won't mind if I crash the before and after party with just my afters!

I'll start with the couple of projects I do have befores for. First up is the ornament topiary that was featured on Kimba's Favorite Things roundup post following the Open House. I am still blushing! So flattering to be recognized by the Kimba...you know from A Soft Place To Land...go there at once. But hurry back for my other projects!

This junk...

...became this. (Ugh, this pic is dark...see the pic over at Kimba's)

This next project was for Beanie's nursery. I found this lovely lady on Good Friday at the flea market. It was a good Friday indeed! I was on a mission to find a dresser/changing table and this sweetie fit the bill perfectly. She's long and deep. Perfect for all that changing table paraphenalia...you mama's know what I'm sayin'. There was just one issue...she was blue. And since Beanie was missing some, um, equipment that would have called for a blue dresser, I set to work on the makeover...

I liked her sexy legs!

Here she is, all fresh and white and nursery-ish! See her? There...behind the little people. (I tried to take a pic tonight without the munchkins, but the lighting is terrible and you can't see how fresh she really looks. So this not-at-all-recent one will have to do.)

Here's a look at her pretty glass knobs. (See the crap-o lighting.)

And here are those gorgeous gams...

Staying in the nursery, here is a peek at the window "mistreatment" in there. Ala the Nester, I found two complementary fabrics and some kicky trim to tie it together, busted out the glue gun (that's right), and whipped up some deliciousness while watching an episode of Real Housewives of New York (I'm hanging my head in shame).

In the nursery we have a monogrammed lamp shade. I love having a lamp in the nursery, so we don't have to use the overhead lighting. If I could, I would only use lamps! I found a lamp that wasn't being used and went to work. I'll try to tap out a tutorial on this project in the coming weeks.

Big sister got a mono-shade too!

Again in the nursery...wow, it's so true that babies really take over your world! I wanted something over the crib that was a little different. I got a large letter from JoAnn's and duplicated the dust ruffle stripe on it. This was a tedious and time consuming project because of the size of the stripes. But it really turned out so great and I think it makes the room.

Truthfully, the nursery, in and of itself, is a 2008 completed project. Before it became a nursery, it was being used for overflow storage and Ansley's large toys. When we got pregnant (we meaning me) and determined that we (we meaning I) didn't want to give up the guestroom, this room became the nursery by default. I don't have before pics because...well, frankly it was scary. The walls were plain-jane, cream. No offense to anyone named Jane. There was a mess of junk scattered all around. I don't need photos of things like that lurking around to remind me of darker days! So I chose a color (that is pretty scary when it's going on the wall) and we painted. Then my sweet husband and my sweet FIL put up the beadboard and chair rail (that's not really a chair rail). The result is pretty dramatic, but that's what I was going for.

I created personalized plaques for the girls' doors as well. This is a pic of Ansley's but Ellie has one that is almost identical...well, except for the letter, of course!

Well, I think that about does it. I hope to complete so many more projects in 2009. I feel fulfilled and productive when I am creating things. I hope that you will make it a point to create a beautiful life for yourself and your family in the coming year!

Until we meet again~