There are no pictures...I don't have the energy to find any.

Christmas is looming down. Fast.
I am beginning to wonder if I will get anything done. What I need to get done and what I want to get done are probably two different things.

Christmas cards are done. Correction. The Christmas cards are addressed but they just needs stamps.
I have not had time to go to the post office.  I know there are people that would say "why do them, why add more to your plate?"
Well it is Christmas and it is what you do. Plus I like getting Christmas cards.

The tree is up and it is pretty.  It does need a topper, a star or an Angel. Something. I will get to it soon.
Maybe. The kids (Carter) would like to see something up there, it has been mentioned a few times.

The mantle is adorned with  Nutcrackers and is in dire need of a wreath.
I have determined that it is not going to get one.

I did accomplish lots this weekend. Laundry. Many loads of laundry.
Laundry is the epitome of shoveling snow before the blizzard has ended.

Oh, and it was my husbands birthday so I was able to make dinner...and Sophia made the cake.

I cleaned the bathroom, kinda. It needed a new shower rod and after driving to two different stores to buy a true tension rod shower curtain holder that does not fall down I discovered that they do not exist. The one I brought home to replace the one I have was broken. Now I will be toting a broken shower rod in my car in hopes that I remember to return it.

I would love to get cookies made sometime before Christmas but I guess if I don't actually get them done I will save myself 10 lbs.

I was asked if I had made my Christmas list? Really? The last thing on my mind is what I want for Christmas. Right now I am way more concerned that I can figure out what to get my kids and husband and when I am actually going to get it done.
Between wrestling practice and matches, swim practice and meets, violin practice, making sure there is actually food in the house to eat, laundry...oh so much laundry. Cleaning and ridding the house of the dog fur that is exploding around me.

Why do dogs shed so much? I mean really. Why?

I did hire a housekeeper. The first time she came was great but then it has quickly deteriorated. The last time she came to the house she must have had been a REAL hurry. Not only was it a poor cleaning job but she left the the door open and Betty took that as a clear invitation to come in and eat and chew everything she could reach.
I decided to have a talk with her about the issues I was having and go over theses things on her next visit.  She canceled.

So now I am feeling guilty telling her that I don't want her to come any more. Go figure.

My husband says I need to find something that makes me happy. Less stressed.

I know.....give me more hours in the day and I will spend some time figuring out what that is. Until the I don't have time.

Kicking off the Christmas Season

This weekend has been spent at Christmas Concerts and violin performances.

Pressed khakis and ties.

Singing Silent Night and Jingle Bells.

If going to an elementary school Christmas program doesn't put you into the Christmas spirit I don't think anything will.

Asheville Christian Academy put on a beautiful production. What children are capable of doing when given the opportunity and support is just amazing.

After we finished the Christmas concert on Friday we had the violin concert on Sunday.

Little bitty guys to the big guys.

For now the tree is up.

The house is a disaster.

And I need to make Christmas cookies and send my Christmas cards.

The Day After....

 The day after Thanksgiving usually meant an oyster roast at my husband's ex-wife's home.
Yes that is weird but we will not go into it.
It is a strange conversation that needs to be saved for a few beers.
Anyhoo....we would go over to her house for a big oyster roast Friday after Thanksgiving but they have since stopped the big feast.
But I am digressing.
Oysters. YUM!
Steamed oysters with cocktail sauce and melted butter.
Oh, and beer.

Eventually you stumble across a crab.

A sweet little crab that you tell your son that he has to eat because it is super sweet and tastes like crab.

He does end up looking at you a little weird, but he eats it.

Critter in the Garage

Can you see him?
He is in there.

The dogs were going crazy.
Surprising I know.

I do believe he was way more afraid of us.
And the little bugger wouldn't sit still for me to take his picture, go figure. I mean he only had two dogs barking at him wanting to play.

When I tried to get him to go OUT of the garage with a little nudging from a paint stick he hissed at me and bared his teeth.
They have a lot of teeth.

I think he was after my Fish Window cleaner. Which by the way is AWESOME window cleaner.

He finally ran out of the garage and I do not think he will be making the same mistake anytime soon

.

How does this happen?

I have been sitting on the sofa looking at old photos on my computer and pulled up the photo file from nine years ago today.

Nine years ago Carter was 1 1/2 years old.

Nine years ago we were living in Morganton, NC.

In that time we have moved from Morganton, NC to Oxford, MI.

From Oxford, MI to Culpeper, VA.

And hopefully, finally from Culpeper, VA to Asheville, NC

In nine years my youngest son has gone from looking like this cute little monkey to this...

My sweet baby. He will always be my baby.

My youngest is no longer little.

This makes me sad. :(

The middle child.....

is four in this picture.

Bed time was at 7:30....a glorious 7:30.

Now we are lucky if they are in bed by 10:00. 

Correction....he just said goodnight to me and it is 10:36, something tells me he does not want me to "tuck him in"

He starts High School in the fall.

How does that happen?

Nine years ago Sophia was going into 2nd grade.

I don't think she had even lost any teeth yet.

But she still has the very blue eyes.

And reading everything in print.

She is practicing behind the wheel to get her license next spring.

And in one month she will be entering the 11th grade.

How does this happen?

My first glazing project

This poor little dresser has been sitting in my garage for about 3 months now waiting for an inspiration to smack me upside the head.

Fortunately it finally happened because my garage was getting kinda crowded.

I bought a quart of Martha Stewart glaze a couple of days ago along with two pots of brown paint and have been trying to muster up the courage to give it a try.

That along with the new sander my husband gave me for my birthday I was ready to give it a go.

I sanded the top down to the bare wood and stained it with Minwax cherry stain and then a coat of Polyacrylic.



Two coats of Duck Egg blue and then the best part....no sanding.

Now this is where I kind of winged it...

I took about 3 parts glaze to 1 part paint, mixed it really well with my paint brush.

Once it was mixed I painted it on the dresser and then with a wet wash rag wiped it off.

Pretty simple.

Easy actually. Don't know what I was so nervous about.

Here it is in all it glory.

Love the way it turned out.

Provance Chairs and Table

Have you ever found yourself running around like you are absolutely crazy, trying to get the kids picked up, fed, and then dressed for a baseball game only to find out you are 3 hours early?

Yes. three hours early.

Three hours I am sure that I can fill doing something around the house. Something really boring like dishes or cleaning a bathroom.

Not gonna do  it.

Nope.

Instead I am going to post pictures of two Duncan Phyfe chairs and small little table that I painted in Provence chalk paint by Annie Sloan.

 I left the decorative insert in the natural wood.

The material is from the thrift store at Carepartner's, a pretty linen fabric.

The little table I have had for about 8 years and I know you will be shocked (no, not really) to know just how I came about it.

I found it in the trash along the side of the road when we were living in Michigan.

Trash day in Michigan was always exciting, at least for me.

Mortifying for my children.

I would take the long way to school on trash day because there was one street that ALWAYS had great stuff.

And of course I would stop.

I mean, why not?

I don't know if it is a book stand, telephone table or a plant stand.

Or is it just a what not table?

I don't know. Do you?

Please let me know.

The chairs are from the Goodwill.

I have not been to the Will in a while.

Since I have been volunteering at Carepartner's with the estate sales I have not been hitting my usual haunts.

So there they are.

I kinda like 'em.

I have not been very diligent about updating my blog.

I have a ton of pics but I have been a slacker about it.

I think it is because I have been posting a lot to my Facebook page....Need A Latte Mom's Painted Furniture.

Like my page if you want to see most of the recent pictures.

Thanks for stopping by!

Krista

Old White and Creme De Menthe

They are done.
Finished and picked up.
They turned out pretty nice, I kinda like 'em.

They started out BLACK.

And after 2 coats of primer,
and two coats of Old White they are complete.

 There really has got to be an easier way to cover black.
If you know what it is, please share.

Along with the end tables I did a small pedestal table that I painted with Maison Blanche Creme De Menthe.  It is the exact color of Duck Egg Blue from Annie Sloan.
This is the before...kinda boring but useful.

The Creme De Menthe really looks nice.

I took a couple of different angles hoping to show the real color of the paint.

With the dark wood showing through really is pretty awesome.

I've been painting up a storm and have lots of pictures to share.

Now to just get them into the blog.

So until I do...



A little bit of Florence Chalk Paint

This is a little side table, occasional table, plant stand, ornate decorative bright and colorful whatever you want to call it if you figure it out let me know table.

PHEW!

Love painting these styles. Fun to paint and it goes pretty quick.

Instant results, instant gratification.

Bought it at auction a couple of weeks ago and of course my husband gave me the "really?" look.

It's OK, I am getting used to it.

Actually I think he is getting used to it.

Another plus on this style of table is that I can move it myself.  It does not take two of us to heft it to the basement then heft it to the store.

Here is the before....

Not bad, just boring.

And water stained.

But sturdy.

The after...

Thanks for visiting....

Krista