Thoughts on Christmas

While driving home today, I came to a conclusion:  Baby Hughes is not going to leave the Christmas tree alone this year.  How am I certain of this fact?  I don't know, it may have something to do with him constantly trying to grab knives out of the dishwasher while I am unloading or loading it.  Or, maybe the fact that he has a routine each time one of us uses the downstairs bathroom: beat on the door and then try to squeeze through the door while we are leaving to grab something out of the cabinet. Or maybe it is because he cries when we leave an area in the store that has Christmas lights. Or, maybe I have acquired that 6th Mommy Sense.  Whatever it may be, I know he will not leave it alone.  I had already decided earlier that we would only have paper snowflakes and lights  on the tree.

 So, after calling Mr. Hughes to see if he minded terribly if we didn't do a big, real tree this year (I think his exact words "do I mind not having to lug  a large tree in the house? No") I decided to do a tabletop tree this year.  Did I mention that there is a table that I want to refinish just for this purpose?  Did that have anything to do with the decision?  Probably.  And, that is why I am feeling a little guilty.  I almost feel like a bad Mommy for taking away a large, glowing, shedding, tree.

But, I am going to go over the top on the other unreachable decorations... think the store that Buddy the ELF decorates.  I love, love, love paper snowflakes, so I will be making quite a few more of those.  And, we are planning on getting a live tree that we can plant in our yard later.   And, I will do a big tree again when Baby Hughes gets old enough not to bother it and decorate it.

I thought I would leave you with a few photos of tabletop trees... Martha did not disappoint!  Here is an entire article on the subject.

Martha Stewart 

Martha Stewart

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens

The last two photos are from one of my favorite places, Scarlett Scales Antiques.  If you are in the Franklin, Tn area you have to go here.  If you can't make it, visit her blog.

I am still putting off decorating until after Thanksgiving, especially now that I have a table to refinish!

Studio... progress, rethinking and the table

I am about painted out!  I have been painting furniture all week with the intention of having the studio completed (almost, at least) by this weekend.  Apparently, I forgot to run this by Baby Hughes who has not been feeling well and now has an ear infection.  He has decided that only Mommy can make him happy.  He is on my lap as I write this while Mr. Hughes is out picking up his prescription and a copy of the December issue of Vanity Fair... but that is entirely another topic *wink* (Let's just say that Mr. Hughes is a wonderful, understanding man!)  Even with all of that going on, I have managed to paint everything that I needed for the studio... the chairs need one more coat.  And, I wanted to show you the table that is going to be in there... it takes up the almost whole room.

Now I am sure that some of you are groaning inside and thinking, why oh why is she painting that?  It is okay... I was thinking the same as I was painting the primer.  This table, although lovely, has seen better days.  There are chunks out of it and scratches and I really didn't want to get into refinishing it to its former glory.  It is just what we needed though.... a big enough table to spread out our projects .. especially Mr. Hughes... he has a little problem with paper.

And, I had to rethink the cane chair once I put the table in there.  It fit but there would have only been room for one chair and since I convinced Mr. Hughes to give up his office and move into the library, I didn't think it would be fair to hijack the whole room. (giant run on sentence... I am kind of proud!)  Anyway, I am using a few chairs that I brought in from outside.

I had painted them creamy white and covered the seats with coffee sacks.  They didn't like the humidity, so I had alot of veneer to take off... they are a fine example of shabby!!

I still hope to get this all finished this weekend... at least the big projects.

Oh, and if you happened to click on the link up there and are thinking I am terrible person for painting the table AND sending my husband to pick up that magazine... I just want to let you know that Mr. Hughes himself has a very large crush on Patricia Heaton and Zooey Deschanel.

What I Have Been Up To

 I have been pretty busy lately.  I have been trying to get our studio finished before Thanksgiving.  We just aren't able to do projects downstairs with busy Baby Hughes anymore.  And, I just can't bring myself to decorating for Christmas when our house is in shambles.  We have many, many projects that just need to be completed.  This week I painted the entire room and I am currently working on painting the furniture and making window treatments.  And, I am usually pretty bad about taking before photos, so I decided to show you the raw materials that are going to become the bones of  our studio.

This is a vintage set of cubbies... maybe a it is a vintage post box.  It has lots of little spots to help us organize our supplies.  See the letters?  And it is grey!

This pile of sheets will become the window treatments.

This lovely brassy chandelier is going to replace the light in the room.

I found this little vintage trash can in our garage today... it will be painted.

Mr. Hughes picked up this cane chair for $15 and then he ripped out the old fabric and foam.  I have big plans for it!

Then there are these metal and glass bookshelves.  It was too hard and time consuming to strip them down to the bare metal, so I am painting these as well.

I also have a beautiful table that is also going to be where we do our projects.  I would have taken  a photo of it, but I couldn't exactly get to it.... if you could see our garage (which you won't) you would understand.

Well, with any luck, I will have some finished projects to show at the end of this week.  Wish me luck!

Want this?

I bet you do!  I do too!  So, all you have to do is go visit Susan aka Peanut Petunia.  Become a follower... trust me... you want to do this!  This girl has style and she is pretty hilarious too!  I so wish I lived near her so we could be besties!

Lovin' Life', Lovin' You

Does anyone love Elizabethtown as much as we do? (me and Mr. Hughes that is!)  Especially Chuck and Cindy... aren't they great?  Seriously, go watch the movie if you haven't already.  That is where "lovin' life, lovin' you" came from.  So, I have been feeling a little guilty for not participating in the last award I received.  I told the truth... it is hard just picking a few and I feel guilty if I leave someone I truly enjoy reading out.  But, isn't the idea just to show some love, both for the person giving and the people receiving?  I then I remember how I feel when someone gives me one... special  So, in the spirit of that feeling (and Chuck and Cindy,) I am going to participate. 

The rules are as follows:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.

5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.

6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.

7. Leave a comment on each.

Okay, so here goes:

Thank you sweet, sweet Rachel from a little bit vintage.  She is truly one of my bloggy friends!  Her little girl's room is so darling and I may have to literally steal her painted trunk!

So, here are 7 things about me that you may not know:

• I am an orthodontist's assistant for my real job. My dream job is to be a boutique owner and a stay at home mommy.  Or a marine biologist... whichever comes first.
• I am a bit a a germaphobe... more so after having a child.  Working in a dental environment doesn't help.
  
• I knew I loved my husband within 2 weeks of knowing him.  And, I know the feeling was mutual.  We are very well matched and to this day I have never made a better choice than giving him my number in a bar and then biting the bullet and sending him a text message first.
• I know that there is nothing I will ever do that is more important than being a mother.  I just hope I don't screw him up too badly!
• I can't get my shower clean!  Really, it can't be done!  Curses on the walk in shower glass door combo with the non-slip stuff that constantly looks dirty.
• I am really good at making choices, however, I never like to choose food or movies.  And, when I do choose, Mr. Hughes will ineveitably say," Oh, that is a chick place to eat" or "That is a girl movie."  Do you see my reluctance?
  
• I am a terrible singer.  Awful. But, I do it anyway. I think me singing "Oh Holy Night" may have been what made our dog go deaf.   

and here are the blogs that have intrigued me, entertained me or inspired me recently:

My Little Happy Place partly for her fabulous chairs that she recently got back from the reupholsterer and partly because of her post today.

Little Byrd Vintage has beautiful photos and lots of lovelies in her etsy shop, both vintage and handmade.

Coco's Cuckoo World for her entertainment value and because my beloved doggie's name was Kokoa.  Check out this post... I am still laughing!

Funky Junk Interiors because her blog is great and because she helped me with html code in this post.

Lulu & Co because I know she has to be as sweet as appears.  And, because she is chasing her dream!

French Larkspur have you seen her beautiful blog?  And, her shop?  You need to!!

The Brocantess her blog is fairly new, but her photos knock my socks off!

and because I am a rule breaker... here are a few more!

Fiona and Twig another girl chasing the dream.

Three Men and a Lady for making grey and yellow look so good.

Vintage Modern Girl is a fellow etsier and I like her style!

Flower Patch Farmgirl... this girl is fun!  

Chester and Donkey check out why her blog is named so.

So there it is...my 7+ blogs that I love today.  That doesn't mean I don't love Peanut Petunia any less or any of the others that I didn't mention...just go show these ladies so love!