Getting crafty

We really haven't had to do too many room overhauls in the new house, though we did tackle the dining room about a month ago. After completing that transition I started looking for a sideboard but couldn't find one I liked. Then I came across a blog where someone stenciled the top of a chest and I really liked the combination of the modern pattern with the traditional piece of furniture. I bought a "craft sized" stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils (http://www.cuttingedgestencils.com/) in the Rabat pattern. There were so many to choose from I had a heard time deciding. I've never stenciled anything before so I watched the tutorials provided on their website and then braved myself today for the project. I didn't do anything special to prepare the old table we have had in the basement. I figured it was distressed enough to not need sanding, plus I wanted the dark finish to not be marred where the stencil wouldn't cover it. I'll admit I wasn't really sure how to place the stencil the first time...go to the edge and then have to fill in at the end or just put the pattern all the way to the end of the table? I went with the latter, but now I think I was supposed to fill in at the end. The only other snafu I encountered was realizing that I needed to wait for the paint to dry before placing the stencil again, since you have to overlap the stencil in order to continue the pattern. The website said you don't need to wait, which might be true on walls, but since wood doesn't absorb the paint, it is necessary to let the first print dry. Here's the during:

Here's the finished table. I still need to put a clear poly on top to protect it and then find some accessories, but for less than $30, I was able to turn a too-scratched-up-to-use table into a really unique sideboard!

I'm thinking that I'd like to use a wall-sized stencil from Cutting Edge to paint an accent wall in our master bedroom. A tad more intimidating, though!

Dance Pictures

Ella did a great job today and we are ready to head to her first competition in March!

Dance Mom

Tomorrow is Ella's preview show for the dance company's kick off to competition season. This is my first experience with travel anything, and while I know all travel-moms have their stigmas, I am a little worried about this "dance mom" thing now that Ella is in this group. I was telling my mom about some of the "new to me" concepts, such as purchasing specific make-up and company jackets when she asked if I ever watched the show "Dance Moms" on Lifetime. So, Ella and I watched several episodes on the laptop that very night and have been hooked on the new season ever since. Thank goodness the company Ella is dancing with is NOT like this one, but I bet we'll run into a few of these proud mamas while we are at various out of town competitions this year. Could be interestig...might provide good blog stories!

Confusion

Does anyone else sometimes want something so very much, even knowing how very impractical that might be? I'm talking major life-changing, here. Not like, "maybe we'll go to a new place to eat tonight" or even, "hey, let's sell our house and move our entire lives"...that decision was easy. So then you give yourself mini-deadlines to decide if you are crazy or not...wait it out. In the two years I've been doing that this has become even more unrealistic, yet I can't shake it. If only things were as black and white as Keeton's world. Today he said to me, "Mom, I've got good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?" I told him bad. He had to move his clip down today, which means he got in trouble at school. But before I could even think of a consequence, he told me he earned an "I Care Award" for being honest with the teacher that he was talking, which resulted in the clip being moved down. Now tell me, how do I discipline for this? He gets in trouble, but then gets rewarded for admitting to it. I went with the two cancelling each other out in the end.

2012. Time.

I am getting a little friendly pressure (thanks to Papa B.) to write an update! And, believe me, I had many intentions to do so over the last two weeks while we were all off school. I actually had all sorts of ideas, but ultimately, it never happened. Everyone went back to school/work today and a very nice, restful two weeks came to an end. I have to say that I was really sad to see it go so quickly--I got to be just a mommy for most of my time off and I loved it. 2011 was a rough year for us as we've adjusted to many life changes, most of which revolved around me and work and my additional schooling. I have certainly had many moments of guilt about that and while I love what I do, it takes a lot of patience from Jeff and a lot of understanding from the kids to make me successful at it. I can't go to all their soccer games, and Jeff (and Papa) is the "dance mom" and homework guy. I worry so much that I am not such a good mom, in return. Anyway, the reason I say all this is because for 2012 we made a family "bucket list". All of those items involve us just being a good family and spending quality time together. In fact, my word for this year is TIME, in the family sense. We kicked off last Sunday with our first item. Every Sunday we will eat a "fun" meal on our good china (which I had NEVER used until Sunday), simply to remind us not to take life too seriously. I mean, pizza, and 8 & 5 year olds, and fine china--can't take that seriously, right? So here's to 2012. Time.