~KEEP CALM and PAINT PINK ROSES~

I'm busy in my studio filling some special orders this week so I'm going to be in and out during the next couple of days.  I'm going to try and visit some of you this evening...don't give up on me!  My list of FAVORITE BLOGS is growing by leaps and bounds!

I've been swamped with work lately (thank you, God!) and I'm loving what I do more than ever!  I continue to feel so blessed to work in a business that feeds my soul...  I believe with all of my heart that LIFE, despite the bumps and bruises we might sustain along the way, is GREAT!  

Are you living your life to it's fullest?  Working towards creating all that lives within your own heart?  Are you being the best YOU?  Nothing is better than being your authentic self.

NOTHING!

Don't forget you were created for a purpose!  You have a reason for being alive this very day!  Live your truth!  Believe in yourself! 

Tick Tock!  Tick Tock!

Time is a wastin'

I'll be back soon with an update on that French Mannequin Girl I showed you a few days ago.  I've ripped off her clothes (EEEK!!!) and her finial and stand have been repainted.  I'm seriously thinking about doing something really Romantic-Chic-French.  Maybe a muted pink with a soft glaze...maybe add some hand painted lettering, etc.!  We'll see!  I'll show you updated pictures soon!

Blessings for a lovely hump-day~

~THE TALE OF TWO WINDOWS~

~WINDOW TO BE REPLACED~

(Christmas 2010)

Today I'm going to share with you something that's been going on behind the scenes here at my La Chaumière de Briarwood...  It is something that was initially exciting, but something that has turned into a bit of a disappointment!

  ~CRICKETY OLD WINDOW~

(Original Molding Removed)

My Mr. AGPMan and I are constantly updating our 1970's home.  Not entirely because we want to, mind you.  Some of our makeover choices have included must-do repairs and updates that have been necessary to keep our pretty home in tip-top shape.  At forty-one years of age her windows are beyond old, her flooring is beyond dated, her roof was shot and in spite of the fact our girl is truly a lovely two-story house, she's needed a lot of work.

A LOT OF WORK!

 ~FABULOUS NEW WINDOW SET~

Since starting back to school last June my guy hasn't had much free time to work on the most important things on the makeover 2-do-list...  Still, a few weeks ago we ordered a new double style window for our family room from a major retailer (that will remain nameless) and so began the wait for her arrival. I've been over-the-top happy about the removal of the old metal-framed, single pane window in our family room.  The original window might have been decent when she was new, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that she is beyond worthless today!  She does little more than keep out the rain (which we haven't been getting of late!). :(

~READY FOR INSTALLATION~

(Right?)

Anyway...the new replacement window was ordered about 9 weeks ago, and sadly after waiting and waiting for nearly 3 weeks for delivery, we discovered our new window arrived with some major damage.  Probably from the shipping company, but damaged none-the-less.  So...we ordered it again.  So began another 3 week wait.  Or so we thought.  Come to find out the window wasn't reordered as expected and we were waiting for nothing.  Several more days passed before we discovered that a company employee had dropped the ball and failed to the reorder the window as expected.  Now...all this window-ordering stuff is going on while our old window is half-in and half-out (it was being removed when we discovered the new window was defective).

~DAMAGED AGAIN~

OK...so our 2nd new window set arrived last Wednesday and guess what?

Damaged again.

We can't believe it!  Booo Hoooo!

After an intense, but friendly conversation between my Mr. AGPMan and the window company, we've been given the choice to accept the window as-is (the frame is bent on one end, but the damage MIGHT be covered up with the trim/molding) or wait for a third window to be ordered and delivered...this time the wait time is six weeks!

Either way we are getting our money back.  Sounds great, but what we really wanted was just what we paid for.  

An undamaged new window!

Today a private window installer is coming to give us an estimate to install the window (my guy is OUT OF TIME TO DO THE WORK) as well as his professional opinion about the condition of the window and even if it's worth salvaging...

I'll let you know the outcome and I promise to show you new pictures once the new window is installed.  So much has changed since last Christmas when I snapped the picture at the top.  New wood flooring is on it's way (sooo excited about this!) and our chandy has been replaced with one with gorgeous prisms!  Not to mention our new French Doors and Side Windows (which came in with no trouble at all)!

Hope your week is awesome.  Today is my last day with my Miss K!  Third grade starts for her this week...can't believe it!

Blessings and love to you this day!

An ever patient with the ups and downs of remodeling~

~~~~~THOUGHTS ON A SUNDAY MORNING~~~~~ Forgive Everything

 Over the past four years of my life, especially so during the past two, I've sought to live my days in peace and harmony.  By nature, I suppose, I'm a pretty stubborn person and that sometimes leads to a lot of inner conflict.  I also have a tendency to be a score-keeper (for me that means being a non-forgiver).  Those two simple facts have contributed not only to some unhappiness, but they have also led to the making of some pretty unwise choices during my lifetime.  Incredibly, I've been spared any true catastrophic consequence.

For this I'm very thankful.

Such imperfection has also kept me on my knees.

That's a good thing.

I believe God directs my every step, so when I stumbled upon some words relating to forgiveness this past week they immediately stopped me in my tracks.  I read the passage once...and then again.  I walked away for a few minutes and came back and read the words once more...

FORGIVE EVERYTHING

"There are simply no words that adequately describe the power of forgiveness.  I will, however, offer you two words of advice:  Do it!  Until you are willing to forgive everyone for everything, you will be unable to express true and authentic gratitude for the grace and blessings of your life...  There will be a seed of misery in your mind, heart and soul that will gnaw away at you, making even the brief moments of joy you experience difficult to hold on to...

To forgive someone you believe has hurt, harmed, or violated you is, in some way, no easy feat.  However, doing so is a spiritual mandate for your healing, learning and growth...  Forgiveness transforms the blame into a blessing, the hurt into healing."

(Vanzant)

Words said better than I could ever hope to say them~  Early this morning I asked God to allow them to travel from my head to my heart.

Peace and Harmony.

Peace.

Harmony.

Love to you this beautiful Sunday...