Topaz One Year

Topaz was one year old yesterday! Oh how she has grown! Journal Entry: You wanted her for your very own, You thought it could not be,Rolly Polly blue eyed pup captured my heart. She was the key. Home you would be. Cradled in your arm our talk of how you'd haul her in your truck every where you'd go. A bull she would be. Black leather spiked collar she'd wear. Tucked under your arm by your side she would sleep. So short a time you'd have your very own pup. Yesterday she was a year old. She is my last thread to you. I promise I'll always care for her for you. Love & Miss You My Son

The Barn Hollow had a wonderful giveaway and I was lucky to win this sweet Primitive Grunged Bunny. I received it before Easter and the bunny made it's self at home in the homestead kitchen on my stove board. Be sure and visit The Barn Hollow. You can click on the giveaway bunny photo in my right side bar to get there. After there be sure and visit The Barn Hollow ETSY shop. I am so excited to give this sweet wonderful smelling bunny a home in my kitchen. Easter may be past but the bunny is staying for the spring season. I exchanged the carrot for a strawberry today. Thank you Kim. Blessings Til Next Time! Lara

Around 5:15 A.M. today I woke to the sound of the phone ringing. As I woke the fear hit. No one calls this early unless something is wrong. I made my way to The kitchen feeling sicker with each step as my heart was racing. School was cancelled but my mind was questioning why. I turned the porch light on and got my answer quickly. I had no idea snow was coming our way but here it was once again. All was covered in a blanket of white. I opened the window and door to take these pictures. After sending a quick email off I snuggled back under the quilts. After having the ceiling fan blades painted and the fireplace basket painted I gave some thought to lightening up some other items. Now I think that looks much better. I am still into my drab colors but just wanted more touches of white here and there. As for the blog changes I mentioned I have decided to keep the cabin in my header. So I was worried over nothing after all. It is quite beautiful and just a dream. Blessings Til Next Time! Lara

I showed you this bead board wall paper hubby & I picked up at Lowes a few weeks back. We gave it a try & we are happy with the out come. This is the before with our way outdated mauve wallpaper that clashed with our dishes. Hung and waiting for the wall paper glue to completely dry before painting the ever so white paper to my drab prim taste. Painted & our dishes all put back in. I only had one thought that may change. The ceiling was left white inside the cabinet but I am wondering weather it should be painted brown to. So what do you think? Something I wrote from my heart of my son in my journal I'll share with you. He loved the outdoors and the woods. I miss seeing him watching from the tree. Mirrored you and I, Not so much the image, But the understanding, Unconditional love not questioned, Standing ground, Never to turn face, Times recalled, Challenges but overcome, Never judged or grudged, Always a new day dawned, Demise fell, Unfair and cruel, Your day never dawned again, Fallen house of cards, Gone the rays of hope, Only to be left with rage and anguish, Let it sink in and think , One of four blessed treasures be ye stolen. Blessings Til Next Time! Lara

Blog Changes Coming

It was brought to my attention that I have been misleading readers of my blog. I will be making some changes to my blog header in the near future so as not to be misleading any longer. The cabin I used for my header photo is not my home. The cabin I came across on a drive and call it my dream home. I do not go by my given name. I go by Lara as my friends call me. I do not refer to my children by their given names but their nick names. I assure you that my posts I have shared are not fiction. I apologize for not making it more clear to you all. Blessings Til Next Time! Lara

Updated Paint Samples

We could not find the wood sheen gel stain and I was not really satisfied with the look the water base wood sheen gave to the paint colors. After researching I found another gel stain to try. On our trip to pick it up I passed the shelf of paint samples. There was a color that stood out. I am so glad we got it because it and the stain are the color and look I really was going for. I have thoughts for some of the other sample colors. So which would you pick for my kitchen cabinets? I picked the first one on the left. Crazy as it might sound I would like to remove this wall to open up the master bedroom into the small game room. If it happens it will be a bedroom sitting room combined with my piano sewing room. The archway into the game room will need a double door. I am hoping for glass panes in the top and solid wood at the bottom. The glass will allow the light to flow from the game room window into the kitchen. With the extra light and the painted cupboards the homestead kitchen will be bright. The game room part will become the bed room sitting area with the piano and finally a area for my sewing table and cabinet. The rest of the master bed room will be the same other than color changes. So you see where my minds heading with those other paint samples. The wall will have to be checked to determine if it is a load bearing wall or not. I sure hope its not so the wall will go. If it is then not so easy and might not be removed. When I told Hubby what my thoughts were he said are you crazy? No I'm not crazy I just would like to have a large bed room with all the extras. Time passes but the loss of my son is as if it was today. The girl who was dating my son when he was killed contacted me twice this month. I contacted her after her second contact. She said she still has no memory and wishes she could remember. She mentioned she has asked others what happened but no one will tell her. I have felt all along she and her X who is now her boyfriend should be told by those who spent time with them the day and night of the crash what they know in hopes of jogging there memories. I asked her more than once to be sure I understood correct. She said she wanted to know and had a right to know. I stressed how hard it was to here these things in the hours and days after my sons death after I personally spoke to those involved. I explained I could only tell her what I was told weather it be truth or not and what I read in the police report. I told her it might be hard and hurtful to hear. She still wanted to know. It ended with her saying there was one thing mentioned she remembered (her X threatened to jump off the bridge when she wouldn't take him back) if she remembered anything she would let me know and hoped we could talk again that she liked talking to me and it was easier to talk to me and thanked me for talking to her. She said she feels like the accident was because of her and she is sorry for everything. I am trying to digest all this. These are some lime cookies I made for Sam. Green is still his favorite color. Some treats for Hubby. Yes I have been spoiling Topaz with pancakes topped with butter syrup and whip cream right along with Sam and I for supper. Blessings Til Next Time! Lara

Paint Samples

These were my painted wood samples using paint color Guord EB274 Eddie Bauer Home Valspar sample purchased at Lowes. One base coat of black to one sample and the other one base coat of brown allowed to dry. Each sample was coated with color gourd two coats. A light rubbing of heavy grit sandpaper around edges and scuffed here and there. Each sample was rubbed with a soft cloth soaked with Minwax Wood Sheen rubbing oil stain & finish until the desired color was reached. Rockie took me to Lowes for more wood sheen and paint samples last week. They told us they no longer sold the wood sheen oil based. We found water based wood sheen at walmart. Using the same sample paint as before but in colors Pear Eddied Bauer EB14-3 & Churchhill Hotel Navajo White. Sanded and rubbed with oil based or water based Wood Sheen. I liked sample D best but we need to find the oil base wood sheen. Picked up a roll of Allen Roth Paintable bead board wall paper at Lowes to use inside the open cabinets. Now to make the color decisions final have the wall paper put up and supplies gathered and someone to do the work. Reapinted a few small items for some change after Rockie removed them for me and later put them back up. Basket Before Basket After This next idea I got from Homespun Happenings Blog. Thanks Tammy. This gave our fans a fresh new look. I have been following Tammy's kitchen makeover. I'm sure you all would like it to. For now the paint samples and small projects has been all I have been able to get done. Each day continues to be a struggle for me. Sleep comes uneasily when it dose come I have been having nightmares and waking to my own screams. The nightmares started last Feb. and continued off and on til my sons death and have now returned over the past three weeks. There are some other situations adding to my stress or I should really say someone. Some days I need to shut the world away and just escape to my bedroom to rest or just sleep. Laken is working & Sam is still in public school. The school part is a little up in the air right now. Sam has been having problems since returning to public school. I was asked to make a decision soon as to continue with public school or return to school at home by the school guidance counselor. His grades have went real low from high in 2 subjects and going low in 2 other subjects. Thanks for keeping my family and I lifted in prayer. Blessings Til Next Time! Lara This was a project Lucas and I had started but never finished. I got it out of the shop thinking I could find a way to use it in the kitchen makeover. I have an idea already.