~MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THE TEARS~

 It's been two weeks today since we said goodbye to our Miss Mollie Brown. 

Honestly...one day has run into another and if I didn't have to get up in the morning, well, I didn't.  I've lived in my pajamas for more hours than I can say and have cried more tears than I ever thought I could.

Our grief has been raw.

Unimaginable.

Unforgiving.

Those of you who have experienced loss of any kind will understand our hurting hearts.  There is no balm that can soothe or heal our brokenness and we understand that only time will help us move forward without Mollie's physical presence in our lives.

A few days after her passing we received a little box with her ashes and a pair of paper imprints of her very tiny front paws.  As I turned the cards over and over in my hands I realized that way back in 2003 she had stolen away my heart and the very essence of her will continue to live there for all my days.

I'm beyond grateful for that.

Fourteen years, seven months and seven days.  

So thankful for all those moments with our beautiful doggie...

And for God's GRACE.

His wonderful, unmerited favor has made breathing in and out possible.

Today I am going to attempt to return to the real world.  Two new things have entered into our lives and both are keeping me on my toes.

I will share more soon.

Thank you all for you blog and Facebook comments.  I'm overwhelmed by the kindness and love shown to Steve and I.  

Blessings...

Rebecca

~REST IN PEACE - SWEET MOLLIE BROWN~

 Dear Friends...

My husband, Steven and I shared the news earlier today via FB that our little Miss Mollie Brown passed away yesterday afternoon.  I'm beyond torn up over losing my furry friend and our hearts are completely broken.  I know for certain mine will never be the same.

Our girl was beyond precious and lived to be almost 15 years old.  She was truly one of my dearest friends, my constant companion and 24/7 shadow.  She saw me through many things and only asked of me to provide a warm place to lay her head and food and water for her tummy.  Gentle hugs, cuddles and kisses were optional, but she welcomed them always, but never demanded them.  She hated bath time, but loved how she felt after she was dry.  Her favorite pastime was hunting June Bugs and she could snatch them mid-air when she was younger.  Always the huntress, even when her eyesight dimmed she could scout out a Scada Bug, wings and all, and swallow it down before you could swipe it away.  She loved to give wet kisses and she would sit and politely beg for any scraps the minute you sat down to eat...

Such a little lady our baby girl was...

Last September I found a bump on her belly and it was a tumor.  In March she was was getting thin and by last Thursday was very frail and had lost down to a little over three pounds...  Her original weight was 6-7...depending on just how much people food she could convince me to pass her under the table.  

Late yesterday afternoon she passed away with both me and my Mr. AGP Man at her side.  Her little spirit is soaring high tonight and she is safe and sound.  It is my belief I will see her again...  I know I will.

Your prayers for Steve and I are greatly appreciated.  Right now we are both overcome with grief and sorrow...

Miss Mollie Brown

1-7-2003 - 8-14-2017

Love to you all...

Rebecca

~MOLLIE, OUR BELOVED YORKIE DOG~

~EARLY LAST SPRING~

Yesterday I took my little Miss Mollie, my now 14 and 7 month old Yorkie, to see her doctor as she continue to grow very, very thin.  My Mr. AGP Man and I know we must soon make the painful decision regarding her future and we are beyond broken up about it all.  Our time with her has quickly flown and we are facing the very end of our days with our beloved girl...

~AT HER SASSY BEST~

For those of you who are Pet Parents you know how difficult it is to say goodbye.  Do we continue to WAIT for nature to take it's course, especially if our pets don't APPEAR to be in pain?  Or do we opt to CHOOSE the humane approach and opt to put our babies down?

~MOLLIE AS A PUPPY~

Our girl still loves to sometimes hunt June Bugs on warm summer evenings, although walking is getting harder and harder for her and she sleeps all but maybe three or four of 24 hours each day.  She still loves to snuggle and cuddle and so we've been waiting...and waiting...and waiting...

~YEARS AGO WITH MOLLIE AND MY MISS K~

While our hearts our breaking.

~PLAYING IN MY POLYFIL~

I've asked God many times over this past year just what it is we are supposed to learn while traveling this journey...  Or maybe it is we are just supposed to enjoy the love we both give and receive this side of heaven...

~OUR FUNNY GIRL~

We aren't sure.

Anyway...your prayers are so appreciated as we decide...and ponder and pray.

~MY FAVORITE PICTURE EVER TAKEN~

I've so enjoyed sharing the antics of our girl with you all over the past eight or so years...  Saying goodbye...or so long for now...or see you again one day is, well, you know...

Blessings~

Rebecca

~CHALK PAINTED UPHOLSTERED CHAIR REVEAL~

Our day started off bright and early with two big trucks and a trailer parked outside our home...they hold our new furnace and A/C unit.  After three days of HOT HUMID TEMPS we are ready to feel cool again!

If you don't follow me on Facebook then you didn't see the reveal picture of the Chalk-Pained Upholstered-Chair reveal.  Here it is!  I still need to do a final sanding of the entire piece AND add the wax coating...  But~seeing this one finished to this stage was very exciting for me.

I will tell you this about the process...IT WAS WORK!  After the 4th coat I thought...WOW...this is grueling work and very time consuming.  At that point I wasn't sure painting the thing was going to work or IF it was possible to cover up the black and white Savoy-style print!  By the time the 5th coat went on I knew it was truly looking fab!

I added a tattered edge to the bottom and I will be adding one more coat of paint to that.  Because it is ruched up it has taken a big longer for it to dry.  Sometime tomorrow I will finish it up and start on Chair #2.  

I purchased these neat looking "feet" to add to the chairs as the original front legs were covered up with the flounce and looked too skinny/thin once they were exposed.  They will be stained and waxed.

So there you have it.  Will share photos again with the other chair is finished.  I wish I could snap my fingers and have it done

Have a wonderful day...I'm soooo looking forward to sleeping tonight with our new A/C system cooling everything down.  The Oklahoma humidity has been a killer.

Blessings~

Rebecca

~THOUGHTS ON A SUNDAY MORNING...Painting Our Upholstered Chairs~

CHAIR TO BE PAINTED

Our trusty A/C Unit bit the dust this weekend and even though it's never a good time to shuck out hard-earned money on something so expensive...we knew this day was coming.  My Mr. AGP Man was in the Air/Heat biz many years ago and knows the business very well...  He has babied the A/C along for a long, long time.  Yesterday we bid her good-bye and a brand new (hopefully more efficient!) until will soon take her place.  We've opted to have our very, very old furnace replaced as well (in 2020 it would have been 50 years old!).  While we wait for installation it's going to be insufferable around here.  We'll be sleeping at our daughter's because last night we were absolutely miserable...

AFTER ABOUT ONE COAT

Anyway...before all this happened with the A/C I had long before decided to take the plunge and CHALK PAINT my living room chairs (upholstered).  Yeah...I know!  SCARY!  I've had the chairs for 13 years and they were still in beautiful condition.  No rips, tears, sags, etc.  But...I had grown tired (very tired!) of the Savoy-style black and white print and had tossed about having them reupholstered for at least a couple of years.  The chairs are fabulous and except for the flounce (skirt) I still really love them.  So...after a ton of research and gobs of reading, I jumped right in!

I have two matching chairs and opted to do one at a time.  I had my guy haul them inside and put paint cloths down (I used old, but clean, moving blankets) to protect my floors.  Doing one at a time will better help me determine the final cost and just how much paint each chair needed to be completely done.

AFTER ABOUT THREE COATS

Here are some photos of where I am after three coats.  I'm certain they will need FIVE COATS of watered down chalk paint before they are ready to be lightly sanded and waxed.  My plan is to add a vintage French image to the top-back area.  Nothing big or floral...maybe an old ad or something like that.  We'll see.

 ORIGINAL SKIRT REMOVED

This is what the one chair I'm working on looks like after three coats.  Some places are still showing the Savoy print (flip side of cushion has yet to be done) and I suspect the chair will take at least another full day to dry before I can apply coat #4.

Opting to have the chair recovered ($400 quote on each one PLUS the fabric cost of $200 for each one!) made me sick.  I'd rather purchase new chairs.  So, opting to try the chalk paint was sort of a no-brainer for me!  I'll be out the cost of the paint if I absolutely hate the outcome...I figure it will take 1 1/2 quarts to do one chair.  About $50-$60.  

I'll also be out lots of labor.

LOTS OF LABOR.

The process is slow and slower.  But, I'd rather be out TIME vs. $$$$.

I'll share more pics later this week of how the chair came out!  OK?

Here's what I did!

I first cleaned the chair by giving it a thorough vacuum and then sprayed the entire thing with a good mist of water

Next I started with the paint.  I did NOT water it down.  I opted instead to dip my chalk brush (a must have!) into the paint and then the BRUSH TIP into a bowl of water.  The paint went on great and the first coat soaked right in.  That's what you want it to do.  You want the paint to penetrate the fabric vs. sitting on top of it. Lots of thin coats vs. thick ones!

I waited 24 hours between coats to give the paint a chance to dry.  The second coat covered a lot more of the Savoy print and the third even more.  Not all the coats are even so by the time I apply the fifth one I'm hoping I'll be done and the chair will be reading for a light sanding, wax and image transfer.

I used LOWE'S Valspar Chalky Paint in the colorway of Kid Glove only because I was too lazy to drive 15 miles away to buy Annie Sloan.  Kid Glove is a white color and I like it.  I've used it once before on a project and had good results (not a chair, but a dresser). It is $29, but it is three ounces short of a full quart.  So far I've used one container for the three coats!  I did a test run on a scrap of the Savoy fabric and I knew ahead of time it was going to take at least five coats.  Keep in my mind my chairs are good sized chairs.  Yours might take more or less.

I can't wait to show you the final reveal.  Hoping to have the one chair finished later this week.

~*~

Today I'm thanking God for two good hands, a good strong back, healing neck AND a house that right now feels super hot on the inside.  I'm trying my best to live my best life and be positive and grateful in all things.  I'm very aware some people do not have houses or even chairs to paint.

God is good.  

ALL THE TIME.

Blessings...

Rebecca

THOUGHTS ON A SUNDAY MORNING....Life is Good. God is Great!

WHAT?  Almost two weeks since I last posted?  I can't believe it...  I've been crazy-busy as usual, but everything is good.

Very good.

My thoughts today are simple.

I'm completely overwhelmed with gratefulness for all that has been given to me and for the gift of wellness I have received.  I really have no words to share, except to say I believe in healing and I believe in prayer. 

God is great and greatly to be praised.

Blessings...

Rebecca

~THOUGHTS ON A SUNDAY MORNING...More Thankful Than Ever

My Mr. AGP Man and I had a wonderful day on Saturday.  Once a month we plan on a major garage sale, thrift store or estate sale jaunt around the Oklahoma City area and Saturday was such a day.  We got up early, forced down a bowl of shredded wheat (or a scrambled egg or two), made sure our Little-Miss-Mollie is safe and sound for a few hours and then we headed out the door.  We don't really have any specific route in which we travel.  Most times we wing it.  Just chase the TAG SALE SIGNS scattered along the way.  During the hot summer months they seem to be everywhere and I love that.

On this particular day our four-hour excursion away from our La Chaumière de Briarwood felt like a mini retreat in a way. We visited some sweet tag sales and lunched at a small diner before running into two longtime friends.  We chatted for a little bit, laughing how the years had flown by since we'd last seen one another.  I love old friends...the kind where you can just pick up a conversation that was left idle years before and continue on...

We wandered around one of the largest antique shoppes, but we each left with only a free donut in our hands.  Still fun.  Before heading home we stopped over at one of our gazillion thrift stores (Good Will) and found an amazing antique (Victorian Era) linen and lace skirt (petticoat) at for only $2.00.  It had originally been priced at $3.99, but all red tag items were half off making the already incredible find full of even more awesomeness!

I know my Mr. AGP Man must grow tired of hearing me squeal with delight when I discover a new, wonderful something-or-other.   But he never lets on.  I love that about him.  He's gentle, always kind and my biggest fan follower devotee.

We returned a few hours later with our SUV full of potential treasures.  I say POTENTIAL because I'm really never sure how something is going to turn out.  But I have faith in the process and learned a long time ago that in order to fill my creative heart to the brim and overflowing I must allow my finds to speak to me.  Sometimes the visions inside my head take longer to bloom than I would like for them to...but again...it's the practice I've grown accustomed to.

On Sunday afternoon I found myself leaning on the French-style door jamb my Mr. AGP Man installed several years ago, gazing out into his workshop (like I've done for man moons now), watching my guy move with ease inside the walls of his own personal work-haven. My heartstrings are tugged, I shake my head and only the single word, thankfulness, comes to mind.

And love.

I'm blessed to have a committed partner who has never left my side.  He's also my dearest friend.  The bonus is he loves to go junkin' with his wifey and that makes my heart sing.

Blessings~

Rebecca

~PERHAPS THIS IS THE MOMENT...~

The heat of the summer sun is blistering our aging deck and it's on days like this that I find myself longing for early spring mornings when I could take a quick, brisk walk around my neighborhood will Mollie (Yorkie-Dog).  Those cooler days came and went so fast!!!  Didn't they?  I escape the heat by enjoying my studio time and preparing for the busyness that comes as the holidays approach.

I learned a long time ago when you are in the business of creating and selling you have to work wisely and plan early!  If you don't you never catch up AND don't enjoy those very special days...

I snapped a few more pictures of my AGP Studio.  I actually had these closet doors in our guest room~but we turned that room into our office when my Mr. AGP Man changed jobs and no longer needed a large home-based office.  I love how they look in here!  Another pair of matching closet doors are to the left of the photos and I'll show them next time!

This precious old photo is of me, my sister, Faith and my brother, Bill.  I love how my tongue is sticking out!  I found it about a year ago in some old papers that belonged to my father and it hadn't been seen in almost 40 years...  I just had to include it with some of the framed vintage pictures that I love...

The vintage looking ceiling tile (at the top!) was refurbished a couple of weeks ago.  My longtime friend, Karen, gave me the piece (she's always giving me wonderful treasures!) and after painting it I added the scripture found in the book of Esther.  I need to be reminded sometimes that I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing with my life.

 I've had these photo storage boxes for a long, long time and I planned on painting them many moons ago.  I finally got around to it last week...  They were different colors and patterns and I wanted them to match.

I'm weird like that!

Each one is different!  My favorite is the one with the vintage shoe on the top!  I used this exact altered art image sometime back on a note card!

 Here's another one.  I love it, too!

I'll be back soon to share a bit more.  You can always visit me on FB...I'm there, too!  

Blessings~

Rebecca

~I JUST LOVE MY HAPPY LIFE...with a Wee Bit of CHAOS!~

Well...what do they say about having the best-laid-plans?  OMGOSH!  Everyday I think I'm going to get back here and type out a few lines and then my crazy-busy life takes ovahhhh and things take a nose dive.

I love chaos.

Don't you?

Yeah...me either!

Anyway...our Fourth of July was GREAT and I love being around my kids.  They've grown up to be the most amazing [[ADULT]] human beings.  I'm such a happy momma!

I've been working on my studio and trying to purge and reorganize my stash of fabulous finds.  My Mr AGP Man has done his magic once again and has worked tirelessly refurbishing some of the things I USED to love.  I promise to share pictures soon of where I create.  So much has changed even though I smile when I look back on old pictures of my workplace.

Finished this sweet vintage lace pillow for a longtime customer.  I still, and always will, love working with vintage and tattered laces and old millinery finds.  Gives me so much joy to work with my hands nearly pain free.  I'm sooo grateful.  Can't begin to tell you how much.

Now...here's something that will surely convince you that my life here in Middle-America isn't perfect!

At 3:30 today I left my La Chaumière de Briarwood bound for the eye doctor.  My new glasses are NOT working right so I need an adjustment (or whatever!).  I get into my SUV on this nearly 100 degree day and it won't start.  SERIOUSLY?  Soo....I sit there for a second trying to get the thing to turn over before realizing I had just walked through water and the sprinkler wasn't on.  Our sewer-check-valve had spilled my washing machine water all over the front yard.  I get out of the car, go back inside, call the hubbs and BEG ask him to come home early.  He's says OK (yipeee!) and 30 minutes later he walks in the door.  I'm at my computer when I hear this "What's wrong with the air conditioner?"  (As IF I would know!)  I respond with a "Umm...Hi Baber...don't know!  What's it NOT doing?  I just now noticed it was kinda gettin' hot in here!"  Hubbs then goes outside and realizes the A/C isn't working.  WHAT?  (Thankfully he was in the business many, many years ago and knows the trade.)  So...the man of my dreams (sickening, I know!) proceeds to change out the capacitor (we always have one on hand because it's gone out before!) while still in his dress shirt...whizzes me off to the eye doctor just before they close at 5pm then we hurry back home so he can check out the water problemo and jump my SUV!

Exciting life we have, isn't it?  All this in 1.75 hours.  WHEW! 

Promise to be back soon with something!!  And hopefully with less drama and more pictures!  :)

Blessings...

Rebecca

LONGING FOR MORE THAN A NORMAL DAY? READ THIS!

Ever find yourself going through your day and wanting, wishing for something super fabulous to happen that would change your

everyday-regular-old-life

(that is way-too-ordinary)

into something wonderful?

We've all had those moments when we've longed for something more than just a NORMAL DAY. It's probably why the tag-line "Calgone...take me away!" has hung around for so many years...

Well, a short time ago a sweet friend sent me the most amazing snippet of a poem~one that really set my heart to wondering.  I had to let the words sink in for a few days as it so perfectly explains the very thing I was wanting last year when I was out-of-sorts from the accident we were involved in.

 

Here's the shortest version:

I wanted the return of a simple, regular old day...a normal day.

A "pain free" day.

A "productive" day.

or

 "I think I feel-like-eating-food today" day or "I'm going to read a-good-book today" day!

I wanted a "I'm going to plant-flowers-in-my-garden" day...

Maybe a

"my kids are getting on my nerves" day

or

even a day when I felt harried, pressured or was running late.

I would have even taken a "I'm feeling FAT and UGLY today" day!

Anything that would have fallen under the category of "NoRmAL" I would have welcomed back into my life.

Here is the most common version:

You know what I'm talking about!

I know you do!

The kind of day we've all taken for granted so many, many times in our lives.

That is...until we lose them.

Here's the original version:

 

I actually discovered the "poem" was originally part of a two paragraph essay written by Mary Jean Irion back in the 1960's. 

It sure is something to think about, isn't it?

Just an everyday, hectic, crazy, lovely, busy, beautiful, memorable and simple 

NORMAL DAY!

I hope your enjoy yours!

Blessings...

Rebecca

VINTAGE LINEN FINDS and NEW CARDS IN THE MAKING

Like so many of you who adore antique linens, I have such a deep love for them as well.  You know, the great vintage stuff...beautiful old laces and the kind of handwork you rarely see duplicated these days.  I think one of the reasons the original VICTORIA MAGAZINE was so popular is because the photos were breathtaking and so often they showcased the beautiful old cotton and linen finds that were once difficult to hunt down.  As we know all that changed when online shopping took hold and sites like eBay came to town.  

But...if you look hard and stay diligent when on the tag-sale-circuit every once in awhile you stumble upon some incredible pieces! 

Last weekend my Mr. AGP Man and I hit the local roads again and had such a wonderful time spending time doing some of the things we've always loved doing.  I look forward to the weekends when we are able share, laugh and chat about the things going on in our lives.  I found this early 1900 pillow cover at a estate sale north of my town.  It has beautiful drawn work and gorgeous tucks throughout the entire cover.  At a different sale a few miles away I purchased a pair of old cotton shams with beautiful embroidery across the front accented with pretty lace-trimmed scallops.  After a gentle wash I pressed them with a quick spritz of water, filled each one with feather inserts and placed them on our bed.  

Simple BEAUTY!  Just can't let them go!

 

 I've also been working on some new Note Cards for my local Booth inside Serendipity Market here in Edmond, OK.   Here's a peek at a couple...

I recently found this a lovely old photo (below) taken close to a century ago...

Most likely everyone in the picture has passed on by now.  I wonder how their lives turned out?  Hmmm...  I love that the children are all holding American Flags and that one is waving in the background as well...  I'm excited about using it in the near future!  Not sure of the caption yet~  But it will be sweet!

Hope your day is fabulous.

Blessings...

Rebecca