Saturday, July 30, 2011

It's What Fun Is!


The kids and I (minus Kesh 'cause she had to work) just spent a fun-filled day at our local amusement park, Lagoon, yesterday.  I took the two youngest with me while the two older boys went off to ride the "big kid rides."  I texted my husband while there that the look on the two little one's faces was priceless!  Huge, ear-to-ear grins!  Running from ride to ride!  Going back to the same rides over and over!  Jaggyr was so excited that he got to ride on his very first roller coaster ever!  The yells of excitement when we were on a ride scared me because I thought he was afraid. . . nope!  Just uber excited!  It was a long day and we had an absolute blast! 

Jaggyr has already started school and Ella starts this week so summer is coming to a close.  My older three don't start until the end of August, though.  We have had so much fun, but I am ready to get back to painting and DIY.  School always brings some sense of structure back to our lives that I am craving right about now.  Along with the start of school also comes sports, practices, games, fund raising, etc.  But I am ready for it. 

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Mini Vacation

I have been MIA a little bit lately.  I actually had a weekend off last week and decided to take the kids to our cabin.  My parents and my youngest sister and her 2 boys also came.  We decided on Saturday that we were going to take a little road trip to Bryce Canyon National Park.  I haven't been there for many, many years and my kids have actually never been there.  It is so ironic that people travel from all over the world to see the National Parks in Utah and my kids (oldest 17 years old) are just now seeing Bryce.  Better late than never, I always say!  Here are some fabulous pics of our adventure:

Here is their first look at the towers of Bryce.



While on the shuttle bus, the driver said Ebenezer Bryce
said something to the effect of this being a lousy place
to find a cow.  Kazen thought that was funny.


I believe Jaggyr is a bit dumbfounded.


Absolutely gorgeous scenery!

If you click on the below pic to enlarge it you can
actually see people walking on the trail below.
Now that's a hike!

Trevin and Kazen were the only two that were
willing to pose for pics.




This picture was taken at Bryce Point.  This lookout means
something special to me as my grandparents were
actually married on this exact spot.  My grandma grew
up in Tropic, the little tiny town you can
see down in the valley below.  My grandpa grew up in Hurricane,
but both of them were working at Bryce one summer when
they met and fell in love.  Because this was where they
met, they decided to get married here.  My grandpa has since passed away, but
I think about him often.  I have such fond memories of my
grandparents from my childhood.  It was a special feeling
to actually stand where their wedding took place.



Here is Mammy and 4 of her 11 grandkids.
If you haven't already noticed, Dax hates
posing for pictures.  I just have one thing to say to him,
WAAAAAA!



As we were walking back to the shuttle stop, there were
a whole bunch of tourists stopped at the base of this tree,
looking up and taking pictures.  I followed suit and
this beautiful bird was waiting for his close up.


Here are Ella and her little cousin, Brody.


If you have never been to Bryce, you really should make the time to go visit this magnificent place. 



Bryce Canyon is a small national park in southwestern Utah. Named after the Mormon Pioneer Ebenezer Bryce, Bryce Canyon became a national park in 1928.
Bryce is famous for its worldly unique geology, consisting of a series of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah. The erosional force of frost-wedging and the dissolving power of rainwater have shaped the colorful limestone rock of the Claron Formation into bizarre shapes including slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called "hoodoos." Tinted with colors too numerous and subtle to name, these whimsically arranged rocks create a wondrous landscape of mazes, offering some of the most exciting and memorable walks and hikes imaginable.
Ponderosa pines, high elevation meadows, and fir-spruce forests border the rim of the plateau and abound with wildlife. This area boasts some of the world's best air quality, offering panoramic views of three states and approaching 200 miles of visibility. This, coupled with the lack of nearby large light sources, creates unparalleled opportunities for stargazing.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Bella's Market

We made it through!  Bella's Vintage Market was held this past Saturday and boy am I sunburned!  I thought I was under the E-Z Up the entire show, but apparently not as I am quite sunburned.  It was sure fun to meet all the great vendors and customers.  I even got to meet a follower of my blog, Diane.  It was so nice to put a face with your name!  Great meeting you, Diane!  Here are some pics of our booth at the show.




My beautiful daughtter modeling:




I had 2 teenage boys helping load and unload the trailer, as well as assisting customers to their cars with their merchandise  I can't believe I don't have a pic of the 2 handsome boys.  Hopefully this show will just continue to gain momentum and be the place to be!
 

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Solid Oak Aged Mantle

I took my 2 daughters with me to some thrift stores in the next county over last week.  I was, of course, searching for treasures.  We went to our local Habitat for Humanity Restore and found something awesome!

What could this be?  This item contains various mouldings, including dental.


It is a mantle!  Not just any old mantle, though!  This baby is 7-1/2 feet long!  Holy crap!
When I bought it, it was painted a glossy white paint (multiple coats).  I knew exactly what I wanted to do to it, and that included painting it.


Normally when you re-paint a piece of furniture, you have to sand, strip or prime to get the old finish off before you can even think about starting to paint.  Not the case when you use Caromal Colours textured basecoat.  Look, it even comes in gallons now!  This paint bonds to nearly anything, A-N-D you get right to the fun stuff without delay!

I painted this Peppercorn directly over the old white finish.


The picture below is after I had sanded.  The right side of the mantle is pre-wax, the left after applying Liberon Walnut wax.  The difference is unmistakable!  Pre-wax has a very chalky look to it, and after wax really sets the color and makes the Peppercorn pop!  Applying the wax really is simple, brush on, buff out with a clean cloth.  Not only does the wax seal the paint, it makes the color outstanding!


Just look at the finished product in the pictures below:


I never knew I loved dental moulding so much, but I DO!


I needed to take a picture of the mantle somewhere that you could grasp how truly large it is (and Jaggyr just couldn't help himself. . . he wanted to be in the pic)!  This thing is huge and heavy!  Did I mention it is Solid Oak?!  Well, it is!

Afterthought:  See the pumpkin growing on the right side of the sidewalk?  That was where a pumpkin sat after Halloween last year and the seeds took root.




This beautiful piece will be with me at the Bella's Vintage Flea Market this Saturday at Wheeler Farm from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Please come and join us!  I would love to see you there!


(Don't forget to enter to win some of this amazing paint!  Check out my giveaway post for rules on entering).

Friday, July 1, 2011

Are You Ready For A Vintage Flea Market?!

I am!  I am going to be a vendor at Bella's Vintage Market at Wheeler Historic Farm on July 9th, 2011!  The atmosphere is going to be spectacular!  The other vendors are vintage and chic!  The only thing that would make it better is if you were there too!  I can't wait, but can't believe that it is only a week away.



 Here is the official invite from Bella's Vintage Market:






 
*If you come buy something from my booth, A Little Chic, I will discount your purchase $3 just to cover the cost of admission!




 
 
Tell all your friends and family because you won't want to miss this!
 

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