cot'tage
( kot'ij ), n. 1. A small family dwelling ; a hut ; a cot . Cottage is now applied to any modest country or suburban dwelling . 2.A shed used for temporary shelter for man or beast. One of several detached houses forming a hotel , a city or country house of one story though sometimes with attic rooms. 3. A very peaceful ,relaxing , home or cabin filled with cozy, comfortable ,carefree, time worn, vintage furniture and accessories . 4. A place to rest and rejuvenate.



August 18, 2010

Ive been busy !








Morning Glories,

Dear Lord,
I will rejoice in this day that you have made ,and I will be glad in it ! I ask you for peaceful blessings to be poured out on all my sweet friends today ! Thank you ! Amen
Well ..I have been very busy ..since I have been feeling so much better..and I seem to have abounding amounts of energy ! I am so blessed ! And I have to Thank God ...He is making all this possible in my life ! 7 months ago I was suffering horribly with Rheumatoid Arthritis and UC and on horrible medications ! A month ago I prayed for healing and to stop smoking and for energy and restored health ! And so far stopped smoking and my joints have been feeling better and better and my stomach has been good and I have tons of energy ! All I know is God is so amazing and I am just so grateful for His doing this in me !
With that said ! I am so excited to share some more of my latest projects with you ..where do I begin ..hmmmmm??..... well I picked up a really neat wooden headboard at a yard sale it looks like its from the 50's possibly ..well Im gonna take it and put wainscoting inside the front part and paint it all white ..distress it a little ..I have to say thank you to the very nice 2 ladies at that sale who gave me such a great deal on the headboard !! I hope they will be proud of what I transform it into ..Im very excited about this headboard ..it's my first one ..with hopefully many more to come !...Also I finished a wicker basket and put the vintage lace all around it ..and some dryed hydrangeas in it ..it turned out really nice ..I also cleaned up the 3 crystal lamps so they sparkle ..and I stopped at CTS and picked up a whole cart full of sweet floral lampshades,very cottage style, and Im going to use them for all the lamps Im redoing ..I used one for the transformed kerosene lamp I repainted ..It looks really adorable with it ! Im almost done with the beach chair and Im going to be sewing some pillows with all this awesome material I picked up at some yard sales last Friday ..I finished one of my peg racks and also a clock ..and Ive got so much more to do ! Ive also decided to take an area in my basement and paint it and fix it up for a workshop area ..Im so strewn all around my house ..inside and out ..and it's getting to me now ..I want this all in one place to work in ! So this will be nice downstairs ..but ,now ..ive got yet another project ..lol !!
Well enjoy some of the before and after pics ..and keep in mind...down the road ..these items will all be for sale ..so if there is anything you see now your interested in ..feel free to email me !
Have a creative and peaceful day !
Blessings&Peace,
Tracy

August 11, 2010

I actually finished a project !






















Morning Glories,

Dear Lord, I thank you for your precious word to start my day ...this warm cup of coffee in my hand ..and for this beautiful day ! May we always remember where this overflow comes from ...You ! Amen
Well , it's not too much , but at least it is a finished project ! It started out just an old wood frame that I rescued out of the garbage ..lol.. When I saw it laying there ..I already knew the possibilities... and then I found a picture in a magazine that I fell in love with ..the saying in the pic I used in my blog because it just captures exactly what I feel in my heart ..about this type of work ! And the picture says it all to me ..comfy, cozy, peaceful ,places ..so even though this isnt some huge masterpiece ..I know .. it really is just fitting that it is the first completed rescued project !
I did manage to get a bunch of things ready to paint yesterday as well ...all taped up and ready, but the air quality was really bad here yesterday ..and with all my lung issues ..I just did not feel comfortable being outside ..and especially spray painting ? ..I have a heavy duty respirator mask ..but Im still just a little nerveous yet using spray paint ..If the air is good today and not humid at all I may try and paint a couple pieces ! I really want to sand the table that Im going to put the florida map in and post cards ..but still a little afraid to sand yet too ? I can always sew the new sling seat for the antique beach chair ...this should be pretty easy ?
I am posting the pics of my Hot Pepper Jelly too ..Im so proud of my first batch ! And Im going to make another batch next week when more Jalapenos come in ..cause I gave all mine away already ! Oh well thats the fun of making it !! Im also going to post a pic of my silly sunflower ...it's hysterical ...it is growing like crazy ..its up above the cable and telephone wires now ..and yet it has small heads all over the top of it ? It is the strangest sunflower I have ever grown ..and Im worried about it blowing into those wires .. also this gives the squirrels a perfect way to get to the heads and chomp them off ..lol ? All the other sunflowers seem ok !
Its been a strange summer for flowers this year for sure anyways ! Too hot !
Well Im ready to go and find some work to do ! Enjoy your day and I pray you also find peace in your day today!
Blessings & Peace,
Tracy

August 10, 2010

Hot Pepper Jelly ..Yum !












Morning Glories,
Dear Lord , I ask you to be with the lonely today, send them a friend to keep them company today..special delivery...from You ..and if no one can show up ..then make Your own presence known to their heart to keep them company !
Well, I did my very first batch of homemade Hot Pepper Jelly !! I grew Jalapenos and had quite the abundance of them ..I had to do something with all those peppers ..lol ! Well it was quite the experience ..I made sure though that I did some research first about making jelly ..and got the recipie from my friend Tracy, she got it from the internet ...I read the reviews first and everyone seemed to love it , and they give hints about it ..I love reviews , they always help ! I used only Jalapenos I did throw in a couple sweet bananna peppers only because I had extra ..but all the rest is Jalapenos and I added a tsp of hot pepper flakes ..for a little more bite..it turned out good ..I may make the next batch with 2 tsp hot pepper flakes added ..for a little more heat ..but man was it delicious !! I took out a brick of cream cheese ,put out some crackers and the jelly ..and oh we munched on this all day !! Im gonna do another batch ..cause I already gave away all I made !
My Paul took all day yesterday and cleaned all the dust in my house ..what a gem he is ! He is trying to help clean all the dust ..to try and help me with my breathing problems ?? We are going to look into getting an air purifyer as well for the house ..something keeps making my airways close up ..but what ? we do not know yet ! Im seeing a lung specialist on Sept 15th ..hopefully he will help us figure this all out ! Im happy to report I have not touched a cigarette since July 31st ..and I just really dont even care at all ! The thought of them actually sickens me now ! When you cant breathe and your airways are closed off and you just want air so bad in your lungs ..I just cant ever imagine now filling my lungs with smoke filled air now...This is soooo God's doing ! He is truely making sure I do not ever want to touch one again !! Im appreciative for this !! It is a true blessing !
So what's on the agenda for today for me ?....hmmmm I think I will do some painting.. I have quite a few things to paint ..Im just a little afraid of the fumes right now ..so Im going to use a heavy duty air mask to be safe ! This just sounds funny to me lol Im not used to this lung thing yet ..lol :) I will post pics later on what I painted today ! Also Im thinking of sewing a different type of shell bag for kids , one they can tie around thier waist or something ..and I also was thinking of sewing some aprons too ! well the ideas are flowing and I need to get working on something today !! Thanks for checking in ..and dont forget to leave your comments and ideas for a peacful life !!
Blessings & Peace,
Tracy

August 08, 2010

Im feeling much better and ready to go go go !!











Morning Glories ,

May God smile down on your sweet faces today and everyday,and may you feel His warmth in your heart just by seeing His beautiful world ! Amen

Finally ..Im feeling better ! Im so happy ! And Im ready to get back to my work ! Im very excited ,and I pray there will be no more interuptions ! LOL ! Although I must say ..that this whole ordeal with this lung infection thing and my airways closing up ..this was truely a blessing in my life ..I have stopped smoking cigarettes..and I do not ever want to ever smoke again ...and this is exactly what I had prayed for on July 23rd I asked the Lord to take it from me forever and remove the desire and cravings ..forever ..well He made sure of it !! I will never want one again !! I praise God for His answered prayers in my life !
Today was quite the adventure ..Paul and I decided to take a ride to the old barn that had fallen down ,the owners already told us we could take any of the barn wood we wanted , well on the way we stumbled upon a huge pile of trash ..there was so much stuff in this pile ..but only one thing stuck out to me immediately ..this antique slingback beach chair ..soooo cool !! Ive got some neat ideas for this ..a coat of white paint and some pretty floral canvas for a new sling seat..I also picked up a box I noticed some pretty lace hanging out ..I opened it up and the whole box was filled with vintage crocheted lace ..I can use this for some really pretty pillows ..inside was also a little baby outfit a crocheted hat and a cute little jacket ..there were vintage postcards also in there and a baby announcements from the 1940's ..Im glad I rescued this little item ..this was someones precious baby outfit ..Im gonna frame it in glass ..I just think it's special for some reason ! Also I grabbed an Art Deco wooden magazine stand of some sort ..it was really interesting ..I'll see what I can do with that piece ..not really sure ..but its in perfect condition anyways ? We finally made it to the barn ..and got some barn wood ..Paul also got the barn door its a cross buck door and it's dutch ! I dont know what we are going to do with the door ? but I have big plans for the barn wood !! Thats another day though ..I dont want to get ahead of myself !! Ive got quite a bit to keep me busy for a little while now and since Im feeling much better..I need to get something finished now !! :)















August 05, 2010

Thanks for all the prayers !

Morning Glories,

Dear Lord , Thank you so much for all the wonderful friends who are concerned and praying for me ! I am blessed with beautiful friends ! I ask that you Bless their hearts with your peace ! In Jesus Name , Amen

Well here I am a few days later ,Im still alive ..lol ... but Ive been through hell and back !! I cant even believe whats happened to me in one week ? I am totally stunned !!! and my world has been turned upside down and topsy turvy !! Somehow (after the Bronchitis sickness) my lungs I guess kinda reacted to the bacteria in my lungs...its because I have Auto Immune Diseases ..like RA & UC .. so the lungs reacted to the foriegn bacteria in my airways and completely got inflamed ..just like my joints do ...only...when your lungs get inflamed ..guess what .... ah...you cant breathe ... so needless to say ..Ive been in 2 different ER's and had 5 different breathing treatments .. been to Drs 3 times ..Pulmonary Function tests .... and now Im on about 8 new meds 2 breathers ! Ive also decided to NEVER EVER smoke again ! It was a pretty easy decision when you cant even breathe ..I know now how precious air in my lungs are now ! I wish I didnt have to find out the hard way but I did..and I quit ! And this too is another difficult thing to deal with during all this ..but I am willfully going to do it no matter how hard this all is ! I am relying very HARD on my Lord Jesus right now for every bit of this ..insane crazy surprise event thats jumped violently into my life and totally disrupted it and all my plans ! ..But thats why I am writing today ..to say ..I am NOT giving up on my dreams !! I will get through every bit of this crazy sickness ..Im gonna fight with ALL I have in me ..which is Jesus !! My Rock and my Fortress ! With Him I will go through this and I am still in peace and joy even during the most difficult times of all this ..because I know that Jesus is carrying me through it all ! His ways I dont always understand ..but His Arms are always carrying me !
So I will be coming back and still doing my projects ..it's going to be a little slow til Im feeling better but I will continue my dreams ! So please keep checking back I promise I will have some completed projects done in a couple weeks !! And thanks again to all who are praying for me ! I really feel them !
Blessings & Peace,
Tracy