~DECORATING WITH JOY~

 ~DRESSED IN GLITTER and LACE~

(Almost Done)

Oh golly...it's 11AM here in the state of Oklahoma and boy am I already behind!  I have lots of studio work to finish up today and since I stayed up late working on our Christmas decorations I can assure you this ol' body of mine is draggin'!  Since I don't drink coffee (I'm hearing you all GASP!) and I'm trying desperately to break my addiction to Caffeine (via Diet Coke) my only consistent vice is spiced tea.

 ~SWEET COCOA TIN~

And...since I've taken to buying the kind with the good stuff taken out (again that would be caffeine) I'm struggling a bit this morning to stay focused...

~DAINTY SACHET STOCKINGS~

And so...I'll be in my little studio today working on lots of fun things and trying to catch up.  Truthfully, my neatly kept fabric stash kinda-sorta looks like it threw-up all over the place.  I'm thinking about having my girl come over to help me clean it up.  She's an organizer extraordinaire (probably comes from working in the lingerie dept at Dillard's during High School) and no doubt she'll whip it back into shape in no time.

(AdrieGirl...if you are reading this your Momma needs to be rescued!  Hurry...get over here! XOXO)

~PRETTY VINTAGE LACES~

(Old Buttons and Ribbons, too!)

Today marks the third anniversary of my Gramma's passing and I'm thinking that might have something to do with my melancholy mood.  An amazingly gifted woman, she taught me most of what I know today about sewing.  Forever in her debt, I'll always be grateful she allowed me to sew play on her old brown Kenmore Sewing Machine when I was a little girl.

"Love and miss you so very much, Grams. xo Becky"

 

Mom, Linda (Sister), Adrienne (daughter), Gramma, Me

(Happy Times in 2006)

~Mine and Gramma's Hands~

1916-2009

Hope your day is wonderful.  December is almost here!  Time for the JOY to begin!

Love to you...

~AND THE CHRISTMAS TREE GOES UP~

~ALL PAINTED UP~

(frosted white and totally yummy)

Yesterday evening my Mr. AGPMan and I packed up our fall decor and returned it to it's hiding place safe within our attic.  And, there the two boxes will stay until we haul them back down next year.  I feel like 2011 has blown by us in a flash, do you?

"Like a commet blazing 'cross the eastern sky, gone too soon...".

 ~WIREY and BRANCHY~

(just love the texture)

Christmas bins are currently stacked up all over my downstairs and just like I've down for all my married life (and then some!) I'm about to begin another season of holiday decorating.

I love CHRISTmas and all it represents.

New life.

Growing Peace.

Constant Hope.

Fresh Promise.

I'm thinking the year has gone especially fast for us because as you may remember last May my guy returned to school.

Here's a quick update for you:

 ~STUDYING TAKES HOURS~

Of the three accelerated semesters my hubbs had on the horizon he just finished the first one.  That means he's one-third of the way through the process of getting his degree in computer science.  It's been grueling.  The study time has been challenging to work through, more-so for him than for me.  Don't get me wrong...I absolutely hate the fact 'his time' is no longer 'my time' (just keeping it real here!).  I terribly miss the fun times we've always had as they've been replaced with hours and hours apart.  But, knowing he's working towards completing some unfinished business is making it MORE than a worthwhile experience.  I'm more proud of him than I can say.  Sooo proud.  School is always tough...but when you have a full-time job, life responsibilities, a wife, family and home maintenance chores, etc., the balancing act can be a bit difficult.  Anyway...like I said~one semester down and two to go.  Next year at this time we'll be planning his graduation and boy am I excited about that!

Oh...and his grade for Semester One?

A BIG FAT "A"!!!
(nothing less for my guy I can assure you!)

And so...we are pressing on and excited about the

Season of Light!

The Tree at the top is exactly where I'm at in the decorating process.  A couple of days ago I showed you how I painted my new Christmas Tree from SAM'S CLUB.  If you missed that post you can find it HERE.  Currently our new girl is standing proudly in the corner of our formal dining room just waiting to be dressed.  More soon!

Now...as if my day isn't convoluted enough (much to do!) this is the security word I got earlier this morning...  

~FLABI or FLABBY~

(doesn't matter to me HOW you spell it!)

Do I need to tell you that seeing that word was MORE than depressing?  I've kept off all but TWO of the forty pounds I lost earlier this year, but man, it's been hard to stay focused with so much food around!!!!  Anyway, that word was NOT what I wanted to read the Monday after Thanksgiving!

Exercise Bike HERE I COME!

OK peeps...hope your Monday is fabulous!  I'm back in my studio working on painted pretties.  The decorating will have to wait until this evening...  I owe, I owe, so off to paint (and sew) I go...

Love to you...

~~~~THOUGHTS ON A SUNDAY MORNING~~~~ GIFTmas?

I didn't brave Black Friday.  It's just not for me I'm afraid.  Since I'm a planner by nature (and by choice) I try and think ahead what my Christmas gifts will be for any given year.  It's just not in me to stand in line for hours upon hours and face the often unruly crowds just for a bargain.  Not sitting in judgment over you who love it or do it, like I said, it's just not for me.

One of my good friends did venture out into the mayhem that included both a visit to Target and Best Buy (and several other stores, too!).  She snagged herself a fabulous deal on a huge flat-screen TV and some other electronic gifts as well.  I was excited as I listened to her good-deal stories as she always shops with joy and purpose.  Then she began to share with me something truly unbelievable...  Apparently the two shoppers standing directly in front of my longtime friend got into an argument and a fight broke out.  The police were called and they both went to jail.

Are you kidding me?

The fight was over a Magnavox TV and the man (who was 50 plus) said the woman (who was 70 plus) was purposefully shoving the box (that was in her cart) into his back.

My friend added..."Rebecca, there was noticeable screaming and yelling over sold-out merchandise and people laying across boxes of STUFF so no one else would 'get it'.  Grown men and women cutting in line, shoving carts into other shoppers and children crying and waling because they were sleep deprived...  Ugly words, terrible attitudes and mad-as-hornet shoppers were everywhere..."

Are you kidding me (again!)?  Seriously!?

What has become of us?

I was so happy I stayed home.

There is absolutely nothing on this planet worth me losing my dignity or self respect over.

Nothing.

  As I thought about the thousands of people fighting for the best deals, clamoring to find the 'perfect' gift at the lowest price possible I couldn't help but think how many of them were missing out on the most treasured gift of all.  God's Son, Jesus Christ.  His Love.  His Peace.  His Grace.  It is, after-all, His Birthday we are suppose to be celebrating.

I thought is was called CHRISTmas!

Maybe people are getting confused and think it's called GIFTmas!?

This morning I read a short devotional that shared some of the wisdom of Mother Theresa of Calcutta.  She, of course, chose to spend many, many years serving some of the poorest, most wretched people on earth.  Every day she was surrounded by the sick, the hungry, miserable and afflicted.  And, even though she owned no property and possessed not a smidgen of worldly wealth, she always wore a smile.  She held true joy within her heart as she humbly shared the love of God with people who needed it so desperately.

Long after I read the story of this amazing woman one of her quotes kept returning to my mind...

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.  Be the living expression of God's kindness:  kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile..."

~~*~~

Blessings as you shop and gift with JOY...

Love to you~

~~~HOW TO PAINT YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE~~~ Winter White Wonderland

~ALL FROSTED UP~

A couple weeks ago I shared with you our saga of hunting down a new Christmas Tree to replace the one that bit the dust last year.  You can read all about it here in case you missed it!

I told you in that Post I was planning on PAINTING my Christmas Tree and indeed I have done just that!  I promised to show you what I did and how I did it and so today is the big day!  Somehow in the midst of dodging the Oklahoma wind and rain my Mr. AGPMan and I managed to get our new Christmas Tree coated in winter white.  We are absolutely loving her and hope you will be inspired to do something similar with your own favorite Tree.

  ~TYPICAL DARK GREEN PINE TREE~

As I shared with you before we snagged our new Christmas Tree at SAM'S CLUB for about $129.  Not a GREAT price, just an OK price.  I got tired of looking for one and even though the one we found was WAY TOO GREEN I knew it would be just fine once it was transformed!

After my hubster removed it from the box he spred all the branches out and made sure the lights were all working.

~ALL LIT UP/BEFORE PAINTING~

While he was doing that I mixed up a special concoction of spray paint, Rebecca Style.  No aerosol paint here...nope!  Two reasons for this...first, it's too cold to paint with spray paint right now and second, even with a mask I can't handle the fumes (caring more and more about my health these days!).

 ~MASTER'S TOUCH~

I mixed two parts water with one part Master's Touch Titanium White Acrylic Paint in a spray bottle like the one you see below.

~CHEAP SPRAY BOTTLE~

After screwing the sprayer back together I covered the top with a paper towel (to avoid spills and leaking) and shook it up really well!

~SPRAY AWAY~

Put on some old clothes, shoes and plastic gloves and make sure you cover anything you don't want over-spray to reach.  Begin spraying your tree, occasionally shaking your sprayer as your go.  There is no latex in the paint so your sprayer shouldn't clog.  But, if it does just take it apart and rinse the end and spout off.  Keep going until you have your Tree frosted and painted as much as you desire.  

I had to fill my sprayer up twice for a 7 ft. slimline tree!  The paint was about $3.99 and the sprayer was $1.99.  Absolutely the cheapest way to flock a Tree and NO flaking off!!!!

~LOOKS LIKE SNOW~

After your Tree has dried you might want to go back and recoat the tips again.  I did this and LOVE how it came out!

~AFTER THE FIRST COAT~

(Looks Like a REAL Tree!)

This is how our Tree looked after the first coating!  As I said I went back and recoated a few select branches for a bit more white.  Unlike spray-on flocking (which is worthless and a big mess in my little opinion) the paint stays put on the Tree.  You paint right over the lights and wires and everything!  Your lights still light up just fine.  I actually like it even more with flecks of paint on the bulbs!

My guy secured our Tree while she was drying because I was afraid she'd blow over as it's been really windy here in our state.  It took about 2 hours for her to dry before we were able to move her back inside!

Now...once I have our new girl dressed to the nines I'll show you again how she looks!  Gone is that bright, bright GREEN and in it's place stands a Tree that looks like it was coated in freshly fallen snow!

I told you it was EASY!  A bit messy, but if you're careful and use drop cloths you'll be just fine!

Hope your Saturday was wonderful!

Love to you...

~LOVELY THANKSGIVING 2011~

 ~OUR TABLE FOR 2011~

Thanksgiving is over for 2011 and my family and I had the most wonderful time celebrating God's Bounty again this year.  I hope the time you spent those you love was meaningful for you as well.  

The picture above is how our table looked yesterday.  Simple whites and decor this year.  I loved the easy 'lift from the table' centerpiece and very well may use it again next Thanksgiving!  I didn't make anything special~just used the Basket created earlier in the season that set on our coffee table.  

~COOKING WITH MY Mr.AGPMan~

One thing I did different this year was I used a separate Roaster for cooking our Turkey.  Too many things needed to be in the oven while our turkey was roasting and I loved being able to set the temp dial and forget about it.  We bought the Roaster earlier in the month at SAM's for about $40.  The picture above is of my guy and I de-boning the Turkey and plating it up!  Tasted fabulous!

~SWEET MISS K~

Here is what my Miss K looked like yesterday!  She is growing up so fast!  I love her sweet smile and her happy eyes...  They are a tiny peek into her beautiful soul...

I hope your day was lovely.  I'll be taking off the next several days to ready our home for the Christmas Holiday.  I'll be putting up our Trees and working on some pretty decor.  I promise to snap pics of my painted Tree and how I created it this year.  Watch for that post early in the week.

Blessings as we begin the Season of LIGHT.

Love to you...

~~~~~~~SWEET HOLIDAY CONFECTIONS~~~~~~~ A Chocolate Candy Recipe From Me to You

~HOLIDAY BALLS~

In two days my La Chaumière de Briarwood is going to be filled with great food and ALMOST every person I love most in the world (except for my ailing father).  I'm more excited than I can say about gathering together with friends and family celebrating once again the goodness of God and his gracious bounty.  I am amazed at the blessings God the Father has bestowed upon my little family and I am truly in awe of His love for us.

~SIMPLE TO MAKE~

Now...I'm a planner.  I am!  I love coming up with new twists for our traditional Thanksgiving meal and the entire process from shopping for the food to actually preparing the dinner...

~CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES~

This year I remembered a sweet treat my Momma-In-Love use to make for my Mr. AGPMan when he was growing up.  I have no idea where the recipe originated from I can only tell you she fashioned these candy confections for years and years and years.  I've changed up the original recipe just a tad to make it more to my family's liking, but it still has much of the same flavor as those my hubby gobbled down as a young boy.

~GROUND CHOCOLATE COOKIES~

 ~COOKIES AND CREAM TOPPER~

~FROM OUR COLLEGE RECIPE BOOK~

I typed out the original recipe you see above and noted the changes made to the one I use today.  I hope you'll try it out!  ENJOY!

~~*~~

Blessings as you celebrate and give thanks with a grateful heart.

Love to you...

~~~~THOUGHTS ON A SUNDAY MORNING~~~~ This Is My Father's World

~AS THANKSGIVING DRAWS NEAR~

Thanksgiving Day is only a few days away and this week, more than any in recent memory, I find I'm more thankful than ever for God's goodness and blessings.  His faithfulness to me, His steady allegiance and affection for me, His loyal friendship and never ending love reminds me every single day, no matter what I'm facing in this world, I am never alone.

 ~LIVING WITH THANKFULNESS~

Yesterday my beloved daughter, Adrienne, and her hunk of a hubby, Micah, came over and helped my Mr. AGPMan and I rake up bags and bags and BAGS of fallen leaves.  Because our home sits just over the crest of a tiny hill we seem to get not only our leaves, but EVERYONE ELSE'S LEAVES, too!  For nineteen years we've scooped and shoveled, raked, mulched, blown and sucked up leaves.  It's exhausting work...and there have been lots and lots and lots a few days when I've griped and complained about the trees on our property and the absolute mess they make in Fall.  Leaves, broken twigs, acorns, seeds and tiny pods cover the ground and there are times when cleaning everything up is more than overwhelming.  I've also been known to say a few things about the lack of leaf-raking I see taking place in our neighborhood...

Hmmm.....

~LOTS OF COLOR~

After spending most of the afternoon and evening hours working in just the front yard my girl said something to me that changed the condition of my heart...

"Momma (she still calls me that!)...do you remember when I was eight and we first found this house?  You wanted a home of your own so much and talked about finding just the right one every single day.  It was your constant prayer....4 beds, 3 baths, 2 living, 2 dining, double car garage and a big yard for Brandon and I to play in!  I remember driving down the street the day we first laid eyes on our La Chaumière de Briarwood.  It was late Spring and the earth was full of color.  You gasped when you saw the house and said...

'Stop!  This is the house!!!  This is the house!  It's two story and it's has tons of trees!!!  I love the TREES!
I LOVE THE TREES!' "

Sometimes, when things become common and everyday, we need a gentle reminder of the past goodness of God and his amazing faithfulness to us to answer every prayer...

This afternoon we are raking the backyard...

"This is my Father's world, 
and to my listening ears 
all nature sings, and round me rings 
the music of the spheres.  
This is my Father's world:  
I rest me in the thought 
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; 
his hand the wonders wrought." 

(Chisolm) 

 ~~*~~ 

Blessings for a lovely day spent in His presence~

Love to you...

~~~~~~~~PLANNING THANKSGIVING~~~~~~~~ and Some Cleaning and Scrubbing

~ROSY APPLE PIE~

(A Sweet Treat from Last Year)

Thanksgiving is only a few days away...can you believe it?

Last year my family and I had such a wonderful time celebrating Turkey Day and truthfully I'm hoping this year's gathering is equally as wonderful!  A friend from our college days drove out to spend a few days with us in 2010 and it was exciting to see him again after 30 plus years.  We eagerly extended "Mr. D" (as we've come to call him) an open invitation to join our family for the holidays anytime he felt he could make the long drive from Arizona.  Well...we found out last night our old friend will be with us again this year for Thanksgiving!

~MISS K and her UNCLE D~

(Friends for Life)

So now...can you imagine what I'm doing????

Having guests for dinner is one thing...but having a guest who is SLEEPING AT YOUR HOME is another! :)  That means along with the studio work and the packing and shipping of product I'm TRYING to clean my home.  I've decided to take one room a day and clean it from top to bottom.  I've never been so thankful I'm a closet-clean-freak in all my life.  Except for my studio (which is an absolute disaster!) I don't have too terribly much to do and that makes me soooo happy! 

I'll be in and out over the next couple of days!  I hope you are enjoying the planning and the shopping and all the other things that go along with celebrating Thanksgiving...

~~*~~

On another note...

This morning I heard on the news Oklahoma State University's Head Volleyball Coach, Kurt Budke and his assistant, Miranda Serna, were killed in a plane crash early today...  Losing people we love is never easy but less than a week before Thanksgiving I'm sure makes this loss more than heartbreaking for their families.

I'm sure your prayers are appreciated!

~~*~~

Thanking God today for this amazing life and for His mercies and goodness...

Praising God from whom all blessings flow...

Love to you...

~~~~~OH THE THINGS YOU CAN FIND~~~~~ Vintage Style Mercury Glass Ornaments

 

 ~GORGEOUS MERCURY ORNAMENTS~

For over twenty-five years I've been more than a casual shopper at our local TJ Maxx.

I'm a self-admitted stalker of the place.

I am.

 ~ALL IS CALM - ALL IS BRIGHT~

The store is one of my all-time-favorite places to shop and her sister-store, Marshall's, is second on the list.

 ~TWENTY GLASS BEAUTIES~

Tomorrow a new Marshall's will be swinging her doors open wide here in Oklahoma City and I'm going to be one of the first in line to celebrate the spectacular grand opening.  I'm hoping to come away with most of my Christmas shopping done.  I plan early because I love entertaining during the holidays and not having to worry about gift-buying...

~HEARTS - STARS - PINE-CONES~

I'll also be picking up my Mr. AGPMan's birthday gift if possible.  His big day isn't until January, but trust me when I say there is NOTHING on the shelves worthy of buying right after the first of the year...

(Not unless you want stale holiday candy or brown socks...)

~FA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LAH~

Now...a couple of weeks ago I was in TJ Maxx oohing and awing the afternoon away.  Truthfully I'm not totally CRAZEEEEE about their Christmas merchandise this year, but that's another story...it's all that lime-green stuff I can't handle!  Anyway, I looked around for a bit when I spied some shiny little baubles towards the back of one of the shelves.

 ~SUCH A YUMMEEE DEAL~

Out from their hiding place I grabbed a handful of bright silvery-looking thingies and was immediately mesmerized by what I saw.  Twenty old-world-style 'mercury glass ornaments' tied together on a red velvet ribbon for $6.99.  I couldn't believe it!

 ~TINY - PETITE and SO SWEET~

Think I was fortunate enough to find more than one string?

Nah...

Bummer, too!

 (Gee...sometimes I feel so ungrateful!  One is never enough!  Why am I NEVAHHH HAPPEEE?!)

 ~PINK RIBBON ACCENT~

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these vintage looking gems!  I may add them to the top of my most special Christmas packages this year or tie them onto the candy jars we gift to our neighbors...not sure!  I may end up keeping every single one and using them to decorate one of our mini trees.

One thing for sure is this...I know I'll be keeping at least one of the hearts for a special project I have in mind for a dear friend!  My Adrie-Girl (daughter, Adrienne) loves to make jewelry (I in fact, do not!) and I'm going to bug her politely ask her to help me create something fabulous for my friend who never fails to bless others...

Hope your Hump-Day is fab.  I'm back in the studio today working on more painted pretties and soft goods.  You all completely wiped me out yesterday (thank-you, merci, danke, gràçie, xièxie, terima kasih, grazie, gracias, etc.) so I'm back to the grind worktable to produce more!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE what I get to do with my life!

God is good.

All the time.

Blessings for an awesome day!

Love to you...