~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