A Little of This, A Little of That

Late last night I was sitting at our computer. Our ugly bulletin board caught my eye and decided it needed a change. I decided to work on it right then because I knew I wouldn't be heading to bed for a couple more hours anyway. This is what it looked like before:

Well, it actually started like this:

It started out painted a bright yellow. This past school year I needed something to hang my school info sheets on, so I pulled it out of the closet. I didn't really want to put a big yellow board in a room that is decorated in deep jewel tones, so I quickly covered it with a pillowcase and hung it on the wall. And that's the way it stayed for quite a few months. It really started to bug me last night so I decided it was time to do something with it. I dug out all the paint I had in deep red colors and mixed them together. I painted the cork with the red color then painted the frame in black. I finished it today by finding a cute flower silhouette on the internet and making part of a stencil out of it. I hand painted in the parts that I didn't want to cut out for the stencil. This is the result:

This looks so much better hanging on our wall than it did before!

I also did a little shopping today. I needed a nice bowl to put a salad in this weekend so I decided to head downtown and look through the antique shops. I've never been in an antique shop before today. I used to think antiques were completely pointless. But, I walked past these at an antique booth at arts in the park a couple weekends ago and wanted them for the top of my cupboards.
Sorry about the quality of the picture. I didn't feel like hauling a chair out to the kitchen and climbing onto it to take a picture. Anyway, they are cute little milk bottles. I don't know why they caught my attention, but they did. I just couldn't decide whether or not to buy them, so I decided to look around the booths while I thought it out. I found so many cute antique kitchen items! Many reminded me of pieces that my grandmothers used to use. Well, I walked off without buying the bottles. I told Dave "I'll think about longer because we can always stop back on our way out of the park." We then went to the food booths to find some treats. Dave went off to make his selection while I saved our seats at a picnic table. He came back a few minutes later with no food, but had a sack in his hands. He handed it to me, and in it were the two milk bottles. I was really excited! And now I am hooked on antiques. I guess I really am my father's daughter :o)

So, I visited 2 of the 3 antique shops here in town. I found this bowl at one store and thought it'd be perfect for my salad.
The bowl is on the second shelf from the top. I like it's shape and that it has a story. Now, I have no idea what that story is but I'm sure it has been well used. I also visited a second hand store while downtown and found this beautiful piece:

Yes, I know it is pretty hideous. It's painted a country blue and has little movable pots filled with dried flowers that are falling apart on the shelf inside. I can't wait to work on this and will show it to you when I'm finished.

We are off to Yankton this weekend for my sister-in-law's wedding reception. Hope everyone has a fun weekend!

I'm still here...

Just a quick recap of the last few days..
Saturday
I met my mom in Sioux Falls and we did some shopping. She found a few new things for her dining room and I bought a candle holder. David and I hung out at home Saturday night. We ordered a pizza and played Scrabble. We also watched Dan In Real Life. The movie was ok. Probably wouldn't watch it again though.

Sunday
We were pretty lazy on Sunday. We watched The Bucket List and some random shows on TV. That was about it for the day.

Monday & Tuesday
I haven't done much the past couple days. I am getting extremely bored and am soooo ready for school to start. I'm sure once I'm back at school I'll be ready for a break again.

So, that's about it. Nothing too exciting.

My 100

I've seen 100 lists on other blogger's sites so I thought I'd give one a try too.

1. I love stormy weather (summer, not winter).
2. I like rearranging our furniture.
3. I love having a clean apartment, but don’t love cleaning it.
4. I put lots of crushed up Keebler Club crackers on my salads.
5. I have never lived outside of South Dakota, and doubt I ever will.
6. I love my friends and wish I were better at keeping in touch with them.

7. I hate to exercise, but like how I feel after I have.
8. I’m afraid of spiders, mice, snakes, and most big bugs.
9. I wish we had a house so I could have vegetable and flower gardens.
10. I want to learn how to can (but lack the storage for it now anyway).
11. I love to give gifts.
12. I have blue eyes.
13. I like getting my nails done, but always feel goofy when wearing nail polish.
14. I like to plan parties.

15. I love Ritter Sport chocolate bars.
16. I like to go to plays.

17. I used to think I wanted 5 kids, now I think 1 or 2 would be plenty.
18. I love to go shopping for home decor.
19. I’ve never been very comfortable with myself, but am getting better.
20. I would love to be a stay-at-home mom some day.
21. I love scrapbooking supplies, but haven’t scrapbooked for a couple years.
22. I not a morning person or a night owl.
23. Fall is my favorite season, spring is my second favorite.
24. I really hate winter.

25. I hate being cold and I really hate being hot & sticky.
26. I love everything about Christmas.
27. I rarely wear make-up but feel much better when I do.
28. I think I would really enjoy photography.
29. If I could get another degree, I think I would go for interior design or graphic design.
30. My favorite holidays are: Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving, and 4th of July.
31. Minty gum cures many of my minor stomach aches.
32. I like how Tide original scent makes my clothes smell.
33. I really like candles and always have a supply on hand.
34. When I was younger I used to laugh so hard I’d pee my pants.
35. Sometimes now when I laugh really hard I have to run to the bathroom so I don’t pee my pants.
36. I feel like I change based on who I am around; not something I am proud of.

37. I have to make lists if I am shopping for more than 3 things, otherwise I will forget something.
38. I like to do crafty projects.

39. I drink too much pop.
40. I love Taste of Home cooking magazine.
41. I love most all home/women’s magazines.
42. I love wrapping presents.
43. I usually start getting the Christmas itch in mid-July. (I have it now!)
44. I like to stay home and watch movies.
45. I’m a homebody.
46. I’m really shy until I get to know a person well.
47. I’m a very sensory orientated person.
48. I can only burn/use Scentsy scents or candles that correspond with the season.
49. I can only use body wash & lotion that corresponds with the season.
50. I like to listen to country music in the summer, but not other times of the year.
51. I love the little crunchy things (garlic?) in the oil at Johnny Carinos.
52. I really like baking, and am starting to get into cooking more.
53. I like to read, but don’t do it often enough.
54. Sometimes I wish I could go back to high school for just one day.
55. I used to put makeup on my brother when we were little (poor guy!).
56. I often sprain my ankles.
57. The thought of flying scares me.
58. I wish I was a good dancer.
59. I am somewhat clumsy.
60. I would like to design and build furniture.
61. I like to think about traveling, but the thought of actually doing it scares me.
62. I worry too much.
63. I used to despise the color pink, now it's one of my top choices.

64. I don’t really enjoy concerts.
65. I hate taking baths. Maybe if I had a big, jetted tub and a tv/fireplace to watch it’d be different, but until then..no thanks.
66. I love salads at The Outback – their ranch is the best!
67. I rarely wear socks in the summer and have a hard time getting used to the feel of them in the fall.
68. I would like to take a cake decorating class.
69. I get scared easily.
70. I think I’m going to be a horrible pregnant woman.
71. I wish I could paint our walls because I’m really tired of white walls.
72. I always have the TV on for background noise.
73. I get nauseous if I stay up too late.
74. I dislike planning every day meals
75. I love when school supplies come out in the stores the end of summer.
76. I wish I had my own washer and dryer.
77. I wish our grocery store delivered.
78. I love decorating for holidays.
79. I hate sleeping in hotel beds.
80. I really hate hotel pillows.
81. The thought of everyone’s germs and “stuff” floating around in hot tubs is mostly what prevents me from getting in them.
82. I’m starting to feel that way about pools.
83. I love going to paint your own pottery places.
84. Starbuck’s peppermint hot chocolate is my favorite winter drink.
85. I really like pretty stationary, but rarely write letters.
86. I really miss my laptop.
87. Wearing perfume makes me feel “put together”.
88. I love Christmas music.
89. I love when my husband gets me flowers.
90. It bothers me when people wear brown shoes and have a black purse, and vice versa.
91. I don’t like to venture into new places alone.
92. I like to look in people’s windows when driving around at night (to look at how they decorate, not to be creepy).
93. I am on Facebook way too much!
94. I would really like to go to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade sometime.
95. I’ve already started my Christmas shopping!
96. I usually carry at least 2 tubes of chapstick with me during the winter months.
97. I don’t mind doing laundry; I just hate putting it away.
98. I’m starting to get into antique kitchen items (I used to think antiques were pointless).
99. I often let out one big hiccup. I have no idea why this is, and it’s embarrassing at times.
100.When my students make me pictures, I always hang them on my fridge.

My Hometown

I spent the past few days at my mom's house in Woonsocket helping her paint her dining room. As I was painting the ceiling of her breakfast nook (I don't know why the ceiling is painted), I was beginning to wonder why I volunteered myself to paint. But, we finished it faster than we thought we would so we spent the next day shopping for some new accessories for the room. I'll post some before and after pictures once the room is completely finished. Now that the painting is done, she's decided (with my prompting) to redecorate the kitchen as well so that will be our next room to tackle.

When I was younger I couldn't wait to leave Woonsocket, now I think it wouldn't be so bad to move back once David and I are ready to start a family. I'm 99.8% sure we won't but the thought is nice. I'm not sure how I would deal with not being able to run down to Walmart when I needed something, or not being able to order a pizza on a night when I don't feel like cooking. I guess I was able to deal with that for the first 18 years of my life, but I think I'm a little spoiled now. It might actually be a good way to save some money!

Although it lacks a lot of "luxuries", it does have it's charms. There's a cute little lake located in town that features a built-in swimming pool. It also has a small island and two swans that make their home there. Notice the male swan staring the camera down, he wasn't too happy to have me there. He began to hiss and I decided it was time to leave.

Do you live in your hometown?

Do you ever wish you could move back to your hometown?

Hmm..

Am I surprised that my last entry was in February? Not at all. I've never been very good at journaling. But, I would really like to get this blog thing going as a way to keep in touch with friends and family.

So what exactly have I been up to since my last post?

Here's a recap:

1. I got married! It was a wonderful day! Unfortunately SD experienced a late April blizzard the day before the wedding leaving some areas with over a foot of snow. Ironic since the weather was why we chose a late April date. This made travel difficult but we managed. The wedding day itself was absolutely wonderful!! I really couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.

2. I left my position as a TA. David and I were planning to make a move this summer, but after much stress and talking, we decided to remain where we are for a bit longer. Luckily for me, my supervisor at the school offered me my contract back. So, I am heading back to the social skills room for another year!

3. Do to the decision to stay, I have been able to enjoy my summer off. I have gotten lots of organizing done (but still have a lot left!).

4. We bought a new camera and I have been trying to figure out all the buttons! It's been really fun and something that I am looking forward to learning more about.

5. I've been keeping busy with craft projects. I've even convinced David to get a sewing machine for Christmas this year! This is quite an accomplishement since he has witnessed my "tantrums" while using my mom's machine.

6. I decided that I need to get back on here and get this thing going!