~SWEET REST FOR ANDREA~

~PEACE FOR ANDREA~

Dear Friends...

I uploaded my Makeover Post of today before receiving the news my sweet childhood friend, Andrea, had passed into the loving arms of her Lord early this morning.  I'm rejoicing my longtime friend has found peace and rest with Jesus and that her earthly body is free from the pain she had been suffering with for a long, long time.

Thank you for your prayers and for your thoughts and concerns for someone you didn't even know.  Andie was very young...too young to pass from this earth.  But...God's grace is enough and in my heart I know He will not allow what we, His children, cannot bear.

Please say a prayer (or two, or three...) for Andrea's children, her tiny grandbabies and her hubby of over 30 years.  I know within my own heart their lives have changed forever...

May the Mercy, Grace, Peace and Love of our Lord be with them today and always.

(I love you, Andie the Nut...xoxoBecky)

I love you all~

~COTTAGE DECOR RULES...and FRENCH DOORS are CHIC and FABULOUS~

 ~FRENCH DOORS GOING IN~

I am quite sure by the time we get this single project finished (installing the French Doors and NOT the actual kitchen remodel) you are going to be SICK of me yappin' about it all!  Still...I just couldn't resist sharing at least a few more photos of our new doors being set into place.  If you want to read more about what we are doing just click here and here.

What a job!  

Not for me...but for my Mr. AGPMan and our SWEET SIL!

(Who, by the way, just HAPPENED to stop by in the nick of time!  What a blessing!)  Our son, Brandon, is coming over next time to help with the side windows install!  

Young men rock...and like I said yesterday~so does my guy!

 ~MICAH IS STRONGER THAN I~

I can just see me TRYING to hold up those BIG and HEAVY doors while waiting for my Husbter to get them secured into place.

Yeah...right!

He thinks I'm SHE-RAH!

(WRONG!)

 

 ~BORING JOB~

Sweet and patient, Micah stood like this for the longest time.  Our girl married someone very similar to her father...  Micah is so kind and never complained for a second!

 ~MEASURING and LEVELING~

 My Mr. AGPMan is a stickler for doing everything right.  No shortcuts and everything needs to be perfectly straight and level.  He's amazing and has made sooo many of my dreams come true!

~DOORS IN PLACE~

The side windows had to be special ordered like I told you before.  Once they are hung in place everything will be trimmed out.  After that...the old back door will be removed!

~ORIGINAL BACK DOOR~

I'm thrilled this door is coming out because I've always hated it.  It's positioning in our family room took up a lot of wall space and I'm excited to have room for a
Christi Repasy Picture! :)

I hope you all had an awesome weekend.  I was sooo busy helping my guy I'm behind on my own stuff...didn't have much time to visit with many of you either...but I will today!

Blessings for a lovely day!

Love to you~

~KITCHEN REMODEL IS ON and BEAUTIFUL FRENCH DOORS ARE COMING SOON~

 ~WINDOW SEAT IS GONE~

We've had a busy weekend here at our La Chaumière de Briarwood!  I shared with you a couple of days ago Phase Two of our Kitchen/Breakfast Room remodel which showed the removal of our dearly loved window seat.

 ~CHANGES STILL COMING~

The sheet-rock under the windows was removed...

 

 ~WHAT A MESS~

Next came the removal of the center window making way for the new French Doors!

 ~MY AMAZING HUBSTER~

Deep in thought!  My guy does it right...always!  Never takes shortcuts...and rarely makes a mistake!

 ~OUT COMES THE WINDOW~

I am not sad to see this old and decrepit window go!!!!  It is original to our 1970 era home...it was literally falling apart!  

YIPPEEE!  Change is comin'!

 ~WORKING WELL AFTER DARK~

I've told you before my guy is a Worker-Bee.  Always has been.  Once he sinks his teeth into something he rarely lets go!  I'm excited to see the French Doors installed and will be even happier when the side windows are removed (they are ordered) and hung in place.

~OUTSIDE BRICK REMOVAL~

This is a shot of the outside of the window.  All this brick will eventually be removed.  We are having it cleaned as it will be used to wall up the original back door entry on the exterior! 

~BE STILL MY HEART~

I'm sooo glad my guy knows what he is doing!  Otherwise I'd be in a total panic!  The opening was closed for the night with plywood.  This afternoon the doors will be installed and then later this week they will be framed out.  Once the new windows arrive they will also be installed in the same way! 

Are you inspired?

Tired?

Amazed?

Me, too!  My guy ROCKS!

Love to you this beautiful Sunday...

~WHEN CHILDREN BLESS and New Easter, Too~

 ~SIMPLE ACTS of LOVE~

When my children grew up and left home, in my heart I felt as if I was waving goodbye to the very best part of my life.  I loved everything about my home and family when my babes were little and even though I've gained much pride and joy in seeing them both reach adulthood, inside I'm still lonely for their daily presence.

I miss their voices.  Their endless (and often loud) chatter.  Their angst.  Their simple (?) demands and certainly their laughter.  I miss cooking and baking their favorite foods and...

well...

just feeling needed, I guess.

What I didn't realize during their first early years away from home was that a lovely change was taking place within their own heart's and lives.  As the two of them sought out and found their own true loves my Mr. AGPMan and I began to see things come to pass than any mother and father would surely be blessed by.

  ~A SWEET NOTE FROM ADRIENNE~

This morning the doorbell rang and when I opened the door a pretty bowl of fresh flowers were immediately placed within my hands.  I wasn't expecting anything.  I mean, it's not a 'special day' and so I had no idea who the bouquet was from.  Imagine my surprise when I read the loving card you see above.  The flowers were from my precious, beautiful girl.  No doubt a recent conversation reminded her that I will never get use to her being gone.

Not ever.

Despite the fact my life is blessed and constantly filled with love, laughter, excitement and a whirlwind of activity, my heart will forever long for the days when the tiny hands of my children were held tightly (and safely) within mine.

For Valentine's Day my talented and incredibly gifted son, Brandon, sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers...  Now~this may not seem like a big deal to some mothers, but for this "over-protective-sometimes-makes-her-son-nuts-Momma" I was filled with joy.  My father told me once that when a son has 'proper raising' he will be around when all others have left...  Not sure I feel comfortable taking any of the credit for the man he is today, but I'm blessed by his tender offerings of love just the same.

Life is good...and I'm so thankful to God for two amazing kids.

 

 ~LAST YEAR'S BUNNY~

Now...if you've followed my blog (or even more-so, my work) you know I love bunnies!  Every year I seek out new, fresh styles for cottage makeovers and I was thrilled to snag the three sweet ones you see below (before the new paint job).  The last couple of years it's been 'slim-pickins' so I was over-the-moon-happy to even find these.  This week they will be completely transformed using pinks, creams and whites and will include hand painted roses!  Look for them to be offered in a few days on my website! 

~TRANSFORMATION COMING~

I'm back in my studio working today and busy as ever.  Hope you are having an awesome Saturday...

Love to you...

~SWEET EASTER PILLOWS and Other Cottage Finds~

 ~CROSS STITCHED BUNNY PILLOW~

Did you know that Easter Sunday can fall on 35 possible dates between March 22nd and April 25th?  It last fell on March 22nd in the year 1818, and will not do so again until 2285. It landed on March 23 in 2008 (way too early for me!), but will not do so again until 2160. Easter last fell on the latest possible date on April 25th in 1943.  But, this year it will fall just one day before that, April 24th, 2011.

 ~SWEET IMAGE PILLOWS, too!~

When Easter Sunday comes too early in the year the ground in Oklahoma is still mostly brown from our frosty winter weather.  Green grass is a must for this Cali native and so I'm extra excited that it falls late in April this year.  Who can have an Easter Egg Hunt when the earth feels like dry, cracked hay under your feet?

~PRETTY WEBSITE OFFERINGS~

I started early with my Easter Website Offerings this year and I've loved having more time to design and plan new things!  The Pillows you see above will be available later today with more planned for early next week!  The Altered Art Easter Cards, Hang Tags and sweet Tea Bags are already available with new styles coming up in time for Easter gift giving!

 ~MY FAVORITE CARD EVER!~

~MATCHING HAG TAGS, Too!~

 ~GOTTA LOVE THOSE BUNNIES!~

I hope you'll find time to enter my Giveaway that is currently running for some of my Easter Pretties.  You can find more information HERE or you can find a link at the top of this page on the left!

~EASTER GIVEAWAY~
Enter Today!

I hope you are having a great day!  I'm over the moon excited about our French Door being installed in our breakfast room this weekend.  We are praying it doesn't rain so everything will run smooth!  Thanks for all your sweet comments yesterday!  Choosing to remove the window seat was tough...but we are loving the extra space!

Love to you...

~~~~~~OUT WITH THE OLD STUFF~~~~~~~ Kitchen Remodel Begins

 ~WINDOW SEAT~

Built in 1992

In 1992 my Mr. AGPMan and I purchased our La Chaumière de Briarwood.  Back then our children were ten and seven and I was (for the most part) a stay-at-home Momma.  With only one income supporting us many of the things my hubby and longed to do with our home were put on hold.

~BREAKFAST ROOM~

One of the very first things we opted to do was to build a window seat under the bay windows in our breakfast room.  Back then the table and chairs were bumped up close to the windows giving the entire room an unbalanced look and feel.  The window seat provided extra seating (especially at Christmas) and also gave the entire room some sweet ambiance and charm.

 ~TIME TO GO~

Over the years the cushions and pillows changed drastically with my decor.  I removed the latest ones (soft cream twill with ruched sides and tiny ruffles in place of cording) a few days ago as we prepared to removed the window seat I've truly grown to love over the years....

~FRESH CHANGES~

Honestly...a big part of my heart is sad to see her go.  I remembered when my hubby built it (I have a picture somewhere I'm trying to find!) and how thrilled I was with how she turned out...

But...things and needs change.

~FRENCH DOORS COMING SOON~

As we've planned the remodel of our truly humble kitchen (we are talking a tiny galley kitchen here!) we've opted to remove the window seat that has served us well over the years and in her place install gorgeous French Doors with stationary side windows.

~ORIGINAL WALL PAINT~

(Gasp!)

The original backdoor in the photo below (which is just off our den) is being walled up and the new back entry will be where the windows are now.

 ~BACKDOOR IS GOING~

This is going to give us lots more space for meandering around the breakfast room table as we prepare the actual remodel for our kitchen.  Look at the photo above...we only had two small tile-wide spaces in which to walk.  Pretty window seat...but the room was cramped and we grew tired of it!  Hardwood floors (where you currently see tile) will eventually be installed (caching!) throughout the entire den, breakfast area and kitchen. 

 ~CLOSE-UP of SPACE~

One of the biggest challenges for my hubby (and the kind of stuff that makes him nuts!) are things like the vent you see above.  It has to be moved and that means the cutting out of concrete, etc.  Can't have a vent in front of a door!

~BREAKFAST ROOM~

I'm going to miss the pretty plantation shutters, but I'm truly excited about the new doors and windows.  The original windows are in desperate need of being replaced anyway and so the new French Doors fit nicely into our budget!

I'll be showing you more once the fresh changes are made.  In the meantime I'll try and hunt down the original pictures of the window seat being installed almost 20 years ago...  They are absolutely precious as my guy looks so very young.  They also remind me of how happy I was about buying the home I still deeply love.

Hope your day is awesome!

Love to you...

~~~~~~A NEW SEASON of BLESSINGS~~~~~~ Vintage and Antique Laces

 ~SPRING CREATIONS UNDERWAY~

In Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain, the winter has lingered longer and harder than those I can remember of late.  Despite her beauty and red earth landscape I fully admit I'm ready for some visual changes to come to our State.  I need to see some color and I eagerly await the arrival of our first spring blooms.  I'm ready to open wide the front door of my La Chaumière de Briarwood and breathe in fresh new life and the blessings that always seem to follow the sometimes cold, dark nights.

 ~ANTIQUE LACE SLEEVE and BUTTONS~

I spent part of the weekend doing some amazing estate and tag sale shopping!  I visited at least eight different indoor sales and they were all wonderful in one way or another.  "Springtime Junking" is my favorite time to slum around.  Like me, people are tired of being cooped-up and aren't afraid in the slightest to zig-zag their way around our city in hopes of uncovering the latest, greatest find.

~VINTAGE LACES at their FINEST~

I came home with some fabulous things and I'll be showing them to you soon! 

~DAINTY TRIMS and EDGINGS~

Today I'm excited to share with you the blessings of a sweet Website/Blogger friend by the name of Nancy.  A few weeks ago I received a delightful phone call from a lady who makes her home in the north west.

 

 ~VINTAGE LACES...SIGH.....~

  ~THANK YOU, NANCY!  YOU HAVE BLESSED ME~

After chatting with Nancy for about thirty minutes she shared with me that she was clearing out lots of fabulous things inside her humble abode and wondered if I was interested in the piles and piles of vintage laces she'd collected over many years.

 ~TINY BUTTONS on a EDWARDIAN CUFF~

I've always love old laces and dainty edgings and can't help but wonder about the story, the history, the very existence of even the tiniest of trims that were created long before I was even born.  My home is filled with many turn of the century lace finds and I love dreaming about their humble beginnings...

 ~ENDLESS YARDS of EDGING~

~SIMPLY GORGEOUS~

It's sooo tempting for me to 'jar-up' each and every tiny lace scrap that comes my way, never giving a moment's thought about creating something new with all the beautiful aging finds...  Truth be told I do keep a lot!  But...a very big part of me just can't stand the idea of not giving new life to the intricate trims that have been sadly passed over for more than just a few decades... 

 

 ~TINY BRAID STITCHED ONTO THE LACE CUFF~

~A LOVELY VINTAGE COLLAR~

~FILET LACE-BOBBIN-MACHINE-CROCHET~

I'm busy this week in my studio and will be uploading new Springtime pretties to my A Gathering Place Website.  I'll peek in and out this week and try to say a quick "hello" to those of you who visit!

In the meantime...DON'T FORGET ABOUT MY LATEST GIVEAWAY!  It's easy to enter your name in the drawing, too!  Someone is going to win some fabulous Easter Goodies and it might just be YOU!

Click Here or visit the link at the top left corner of my Bloggie!

Blessings to you for a lovely "almost spring day'...