Dear Personal Shopper - Continued....

I recently wrote about these lovely beauties HERE

and how someone was ever so kind to drop them off at GW, 

where I, in turn, brought them home

for the low, low, low price of $4.79 each.

While their siblings were still in stores for $29.99.  

I'm still patiently waiting for my Personal Shopper  to deliver this Pottery Barn sectional

 to my local G.W., 

so I can transfer it to my backyard.  

Until then,

I've decided to work on some other details of 

"Operation Pool Patio Re-Fresh"

Let me being with lighting.

Last fall I was making changes to my master bathroom 

and entertaining thoughts of adding a candle chandelier above my bathtub.  

I shared this idea with my friend

 and 

"Super G.W. Scout", 

Susie.

While visiting relatives in another city, she stopped in the local G.W.

and sent me this picture of a chandelier for a mere $3.50.

I accepted the offer and it traveled with her family back home where I took possession.  

After removing all the electrical parts,

I introduced her to my spray painting station and painted her white. 

I then moved her into my 

"projects I intend to complete someday"

holding closet, 

where she waited to be adorned with crystals and find new life above my tub.

That never happened,

I even had the crystals.

I should be embarrassed, but I'm not. 

I'm working it out though,

it's required a 12 step program,

it's taken 6 months,

but I've worked it out.

I re-sprayed her

oil rubbed bronze and gave her a new life. 

She now has a new life under the gazebo,

as an outdoor candle chandelier.

Ambiance and style for under $10.00,

and one less project waiting for completion,

you can say I'm very happy about that.

Dearest Personal Shopper,

I like to thank you for your recent drop off of the 

Pottery Barn Lantern and candle combo. 

 I purchased them at the discounted price of $3.00.

 I'm one step closer to completing 

"Operation Pool Patio Re-Fresh"

Not only do you pay attention to detail,

 but you are a giver.

Signed,

a joyful recipient of your generosity,

Popcorn.  

Visit 

Room to Inspire,

and meet some 

Amazingly Inspired Bloggers.

Simply Spring

Before I bust out my plastic eggs and fake grass for Easter, 

I'm going to share with you 

a very simple spring piece I put together for our kitchen table.

I saw this little 5 inch pot at G.W. (Goodwill),

and thought it was cute had some potential.

That fake grass was calling my name, 

I'll admit it.

3 pots for $.99 each.

I thought back to this cute little bunny ($2.50) covered in 

fake grass, fake moss, whatever you call it, 

that I feasted my eyes upon at a recent visit to 

Pier 1.

A perfect match for my new found astroturf pots.

Pier 1 rabbits,

welcome to your new home.

.

Cute.

Simple.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, 

I got some plastic eggs and grass calling my name.

Check out some Frugal Project Ideas here:

Lemony Fresh Possibilities

Our 2 lemon trees have given us a bumper crop of plump and delicious lemons this spring.

I picked a basketful yesterday and the trees are still dripping in yellow.

My peeps love lemonade,

 so I juiced a few and made yet another batch,

 just for them.

That's takes care of six,

now what can I do with the other 200 or so?

A lemon cake is one possibility.

Country Living

I know some ladies who would love to have one of these in their hand,

A Lemon Drop Martini.

Lemon Drop Martini

I could always us them for some tablescape decor.

Don't be surprised to find this wreath on my front door when you stop to visit.

Lemon Annie

If you're thinking of stopping by for a visit,

just something you should know,

all visitors leave with a goody bag filled with lemons.

Maybe this will sway your decision to visit.

Key Art -

My Mom is visiting from Colorado.

Every Spring she comes to visit and brings me little momentos from home.

Last year,

she brought me this apron

 she sewed some 50 years ago.

It now hangs in my kitchen.

This year,

in her bag of goodies,

 she brought 3 skeleton keys.

My dad built the home

 60 years ago and these are the keys from the original doors.

Now what to do with these keys?

Yesterday,

Pottery Barn sent me an email with this image.

Pottery Barn

I see I'm going to need more than 3 keys

 if I'm going to go with this display.

Restoration Hardware

sells this Key Art for a mere

$199

Who's key is that anyway?

No history there,

just a key,

but I like the concept.

So,

here's what I did.

I purchased a frame from G.W. (Goodwill)

for $3.99,

factor in the coupon and it was

$3.29.

The matte is raised off the rectanglular opening,

perfect for a display.

I took it apart and headed to my spray painting station.

I painted the frame and the paper matte black.

What did I have to lose?

I cut a small piece of burlap to fit in the insert.

I glued the burlap and the keys with small dabs of hot glue,

put the frame back together and my art is now valued at 

$4.00

Popcorn Key Art

My new keys are going to have a new home on this wall.

Keys from my childhood home.

That's worth more than $4.00,

isnt' it?

These ladies are having some wonderful

party's,

check them out!

Personal Shopper

My swimming pool patio is in desperate need of some sprucing up.

I'm immediatly commencing, 

"Operation

Pool Area Re-fresh."

These outdoor pillows from

Pier One

are part of the decor plan.

What drew me to them was the bright, golden yellow embroidered flowers

against the red/orange background

and look at the dots,

dots are where it's at.

These pillows will be perfect for the patio chairs.

Speaking of perfect, the price was not so bad either.

$4.79 each
at G.W.
(Goodwill)

The pillows were in perfect,

never been used condition.

It looked like someone purchased 

them from Pier One the day before,

decided they didn't like them,

then dropped them off at G.W.

The only reason I'm making this assumption

 is because the day after purchasing them,

I happen to drop in a Pier One store,

and there they were on display for 

$29.00 each.

I couldn't resist taking a picture after thoroughly inspecting the pillow,

 just to make sure they were exactly like mine.

I'd recognize those dots anywhere.

To continue with "Operation Pool Patio Re-Fresh"

I'm going to need a couple more items and I have  one more thing to say.

Pottery Barn

Dear Personal Shopper,

Please purchase the above items,

platform sectional, 

umbrella, 

gigantic lantern,

deliver them to my G.W. 

where I'll be waiting to transfer them into my possession, 

all at a discounted cost.

Thank you.

Now get on over to 

Coastal Charm,

say hey to Linda,

and see all of the thrifty finds,

and tell her Popcorn sent ya.

Click HERE:

Better After

Every day when I sit down at my computer,

I pull up my Favorite Blog List and

 the blog,

Better After, 

happens to be numero uno on my list.

I'm a "Before" and "After" photo junkie,

and this site is where I get my fix.

From bathrooms to kitchens,

lighting to chairs,

before and after photos are king.

Speaking of chairs,

their latest post titled,

Chair-a-palooza,

features one of my little projects,

along with some other chair makeovers

and even a turquoise chair.  

I love a palooza!

Stop on by

Better After,

plan on staying awhile, 

stalkers are welcome,

but it's always nice to leave a little note,

 and tell them 

"Popcorn" sent you.

The Kitchen Facelift Continues...

The facelift started with the kitchen cabinets

 and it has snowballed to the entire great room.

My next step to rejuvination, 

for my house,

 that is, 

was to re-cover the cornices.

There are 3 windows and a huge sliding door along one side of the room.

The room is 50 feet long and the windows are evenly spaced across the wall.

Here are two of the windows.

Notice the plaid.  

How could you not notice the plaid, right?

Get a closer look.

I even have matching toss pillows,

if you must know.

After a couple of months of deliberating,

I found the perfect fabric and purchased 6 yards.

My husband did his part by removing the cornices 

and I did my part by calling in reinforcements,

The Cuban (Ana)

and her lovely assistant

Guadalupe.

The ladies got straight to work.

They work together like a well oiled machine, 

so as not to disturb their flow,

I stepped aside.

It's the least I could do.

With the intensity of an Olympic Sharp Shooter, The Cuban is meticulous and does not allow for any errors.  

If every dot and every line are not in perfect alignment,

words are mumbled in Spanish,

 and she starts over again. 

She chastized Guadalupe and I for talking,

telling us to "be quiet"

because she couldn't concentrate.

She is hard core.

Somebody needs to tell her she isn't in the Olympics anymore, 

but it is not going to be me. 

 I'll take that abuse for the sake of my decor.

Sacrifices.

When the cornices were complete,

my husband stepped in again for installation,

but not without Ana by his side,

supervising his every move.

The window treatments are still not complete.

Because the room is long,

I have custom ordered panels for each window.

I'm hoping this will help the space acheive a cozier feel.

And besides,

I'm not finished with 

Cuba Libre (Free Cuba) Designs yet.

Maybe I'll just rename my blog, 

Ana Served Daily.

Before:

After: