I wonder all the time how I plan on doing several of the things that I have on my list daily that I just have to get done. I also wonder why does my list seem to grow instead of getting smaller? Well this weekend seemed hotter than ever but really it wasn't and of course painting furniture in a garage in 110 degree weather isn't a good idea no matter who you are. But of course that didn't stop me for doing just that.

I had picked up these to bookshelves from a garage sale last weekend and I had really regretted getting them until I bought paint on Friday. I mean they only cost $10 for both of them, which was an amazing deal since I needed something to hold my scrapbooking supplies and start to work on getting the office set up. And when I pulled up to this garage sale I looked at them but immediately knew that I didn't like or want them. But the lady having the sale really needed to get rid of her stuff because she wasn't able to load them in her moving truck. And of course like so many families here she was moving to the midwest. But I said no, although she really was making the deal sweet because I was getting a lamp, a picture with a bamboo looking frame (which is why I was looking at the frame because it matches the tropical retreat theme of our bedroom), a lamp and these two bookshelves. I kept saying no I don't want or need them, but when she said $10 for both of them, I had to get them. And I even paid the full price she stated for the other things because you can't beat $10 for 2 bookshelves even if I planned to use them in the garage.

But then I was looking in my hallway and decided that I couldn't take it any more, my scrapbooking stuff needed to get out of the entrance hallway. I hate that all my craft stuff was in the office in the sun so I moved it to the hall. And that was supposed to be until the curtains/blinds got put up. Well that was done three weeks ago and nothing had changed because I really had no furniture to use to put stuff in.

So here are the shelves/cabinets now...I hate that once again I didn't get a before photo of them. I love them! I mean really love them! I almost love them enough to put them in our family/great room but I think that I would have to convince the hubby of that.

I still have much more to do to get them where I feel like that are amazing. And also while out garage sale-ing, I got a table (which I am going to use as my desk) and a L shaped desk. Well the L shaped desk is now going to stay in the garage so that I can use if for my own garage sales an painting projects. But my plans are to paint the table this week too. Well the 2 tables/desk I got for $32 which is a lot to be honest but I got a couple of other things too that I can use in the office.

And then I got a call from someone who I had contacted from craigslist for a desk and she said that they had also moved and that I could go to their house and pick up the desk that I was going to get this weekend for free! That was such a blessing. I mean I could have paid the $20 for the desk but getting it free was really nice. I think that sometimes when you are nice and do things for others you get blessing for no reason. I am not saying that God provides you with material things for going good works but it's nice when people are nice for no reason.

I wish that I could share in great detail what I am talking about but I often think that it if you share some things that God tell you to do to bless others it might seem like you are bragging. And so I don't want to do that at all.

But on another note, my oldest has decided to run for student council. I am wondering if he will have too much on his plate this year. I mean it is his first year of highschool and all his classes are AP classes and he wants to do basketball, student council and football. Not to mention several other things that he has going on. I don't want him to be a slacker or anything, but I hate that his school only allows for 1 elective. And that to me makes no sense whatsoever. Kids need more things that are fun in school but I guess.

I have plans on getting more painting done (cabinets, table and desk) and get the painting on the wall of the office so that I can take a photo of the area. Well I am off to bed... Goodnight and have I hope you all have a great night/day! Smiles, Tracy

I am so excited to share on my blog this week, I have so much that I want to share and I have decided that I "need" to post more often because otherwise my post seem to get really long. Well I still haven't really scrapbooked but I have painted some wall paintings for my kids bathroom and I am also working on a frame for our wall calendar. I know I know. The other one that I had was not that old at all and that is ok, especially since the frame was purchased at a thrift store and I can recover it at any time to use it for another project but I will get photos of the one that I got from a garage sale for 68cents.

And here is a photo of the family(great) room and the kitchen now. I am only showing them again because I wanted to show that I picked up 3 very large Copenhagen wall paintings from a garage sale that I stumbled across. I could barely get them in the van cause I had just left Lowes and had 4 blinds in the car for the rooms.

My mom asked me what the green thing for. I have to say its my "buffet" (an old dresser) and it isn't green at all. I don't know if it is the lighting or something but it is a very dark teal. And it is use for extra storage. When we moved in I realized just how small the island was in the room and decided that sitting at it really wouldn't work for our family but putting the "buffet" right next to it would work great for additional storage. Right now I have tools, birthday/party celebration/wrapping paper, newspapers (for paint projects), silverware, and place settings in there. It is perfect. I just hate that the real island isn't the same height and width because it would cover the back (which isn't painted). But I am looking for a solution to that issue and if there isn't one then I will most likely move it to the main hallway and get another something that will be the right width and height so that it looks as though they go together. And of course I will paint it the same color, or will I?

Well there is much more to be done in the rooms. Like removing the old love seat, and selling it this week at our first garage sale,hanging the curtains for the patio door and the wood blinds for the back window today or tomorrow. I want to paint this weekend also but I don't think that I like the paint now that I already bought. So I am still debating on that. I haven't even tested the color because I am sure that it isn't the color that I want. Plus I might wait until we have the leather sectional delivered and the built in wall unit done before I paint. I am going to rethink the paint, I think that I was just so sick of neutral colors that I picked a color that I really didn't love. So I am thinking maybe terracotta color would work better than a bloody red color.

Well I plan on posting more photos of my progress next week. I just have tons of stuff that I am working on since the kids are now in school and the unpacking is almost done, now its time to really get it together. Especially cause my hubby has been going nuts, he wants people to come over to see the house all the time and I have been hoping to have some time to really get things together before that all starts.

But I have a question for you all, can you tell me if you think that contemporary and traditional can be combined to look well together? I am just wondering because I have so many things that are traditional like the wall unit, a sofa table (not pictured its in the office right now) and the wall hangings are all modern/contemporary to me. They aren't my style at all but when I saw them they were perfect, for my spaces. They allow Vele's style and my style to merge. I am just wondering what it will all look like once its put together?