Happy Thanksgiving 2011 Everyone!

I'm sure that like everyone else today we are getting ready for the big FEAST tomorrow. So I thought I'd share with you some pictures my husband took of me today making our pecan pie. My mom is making the pumpkin pies but since I've recently learned how to make homemade pies I just had to put my newly learned skills to good use and plus...what's a good ole southern feast without pecan pie?

 Here I am placing the leaves out of leftover dough to make a pretty decorative edge. I think if your gonna put that much love and attention into something then you should try to make it pretty too. Plus it was fun!

Pie is all done....ohhh what I wouldn't give to be able to go ahead and slice into this about right now. The house is smelling so good. I have to say thanks to Suzie again for not only teaching me to make pies but also for the recipe. This was her mothers pecan pie recipe and I just pray that I have done them both proud in making it. I hope that everyone has a very blessed Thanksgiving this year. I know that there are so many things that I'm so grateful and blessed for in my life and one of  those is you all for continuing to come back and visit my blog to see what all this little hillbilly has been up to. May God Bless each and every one of you.

Chunky Mini Album Completed....

Happy Thanksgiving Eve everyone! I thought that while I was taking a break from cooking that I'd share with you the completed mini album that I had shown a sneak peak of waaaay back in September. I finally finished it and it's on it's way to Oklahoma right now to rest in the hands of my dear sweet sis Suzie. This album was so much fun. I just hate that it took me so long to get it done for her..

 I had picked up some ribbon belts at the thrift store back about a year ago and then picked up some more about a month ago just so that I could use them on these little albums. I was so thrilled to get to use it as my closure and as you can see...this mini shouldn't really be called a mini because it's soooo fat! uhhh scratch that...because it's so chunky..that sounds so much better especially at this time of year huh?

 When I was making this album I knew that it was going to be really "chunky" but had in mind that instead of laying flat somewhere that it could sit up just like it is in the pictures and you could get a better view of the front cover.

 I used white sticky back felt and sprayed it with some glimmer mist and let it dry good over night while the backing was still attached so that the binding would match my scrapbook paper I picked out for the front and back covers...the felt holds really well and is flexible. I saw Laura at Following the Paper Trail use sticky back canvas but couldn't find any in my area but found that the sticky back felt worked just fine, is inkable or mistable and I think it kind of gives it another layer of texture that otherwise would of been ho hum. It kind of gives you something you can pet while looking at the album.

If I can remember correctly the binding side is about 4" thick! It's kind of like me...about as broad as it is tall. Hence is another reason I don't like to say it's fat.....just extra extra chunky!
I don't have a clue as to what show I saw Laura doing this binding method using the sticky back canvas and I'm sorry about that. But you can click on her link over on the right hand side of my page and scroll through her blog and find it. I'm sure that you'll come up with loads of other great ideas as well because she's great and so creative. Enjoy Suzie...I hope that you get as much pleasure out of looking at it as I did making this for you.

Shabby Chic Bedroom Makeover....

 Hi all...well what started out as my hubby and I KNOWING that we needed a new mattress set turned into me redoing the entire bedroom. Now although I had planned on doing this soon anyway, I really hadn't planned on doing it as soon as my husband and I went to buy a new mattress. See what happened was we didn't want a conventional inner spring mattress, we had done our research and had decided on an air bed. So since you can't use a regular headboard and footboard with an adjustable air bed we decided we would just make our own. So with my husbands carpenter skills and my ideas this is what we came up with. Then of course I just couldn't bare to paint that pretty new headboard and not paint the walls as well and then of course I couldn't paint the walls and not just go ahead and paint all the trim and doors as well since I was going to have to do that anyway eventually. And thus, the bedroom makeover began. I would give anything if I could find pictures of my bedroom before but I was so wrapped up in what exactly I wanted to do that I didn't stop to take any pictures of what the bedroom looked like before. But our trim was dark stain just like it was in the living room so that in itself is a lot of work. But in the end it has all been so worth it and we love it now. Even though I still have things to do AFTER the holidays such as painting all the furniture white and redoing my stack of suitcases. But that HAS to wait...seriously!

 Here is a better view of our headboard. We used the beadboard paneling for the center section and some gorgeous corbels that Suzie and Don had brought me back last summer. This headboard just worked out so perfectly for us and we were both so pleased with ourselves that we keep stopping and admiring it.

 See what I mean about the dark furniture? Now don't you think that painting it white and putting new knobs on will be a welcomed change? I look forward to getting that done in the new year.

Here is the stack of suitcases that I'll be redoing in the new year as well...I already have ideas for these as well. I have my husband so excited that he even said that he's gonna spring for new carpet in the bedrooms this spring as well! WOW! I should of redone the bedroom a long time ago because I've always hated these dark carpets.
Have a good night everyone....I'll be dreaming of sugarplums shortly in our new room.