50 letters update!

Well, 50 letters down. It was easy #1-30 and #31-50 were tougher. I had to think outside the box and make sure to choose people who have influenced my life. 

Most were people I interact with each day. Family, friends, former coworkers. Some were people from my past I haven't seen in years. Some I am a little nervous to send out as they don't even know I admire them from afar. Kinda creepy, I thought. 

Now, I find myself thinking of people who deserve a letter all the time.  I hope it will motivate me to write more often. Even little notes to deserving waiters or helpful cashiers at the store....

I even burned up a pen (black) during my letters! And of course, the second pen (red)  I wrote with was much more comfortable.... I discover this on letter #47! :)

I saved them all to drop into the mailbox at the same time.  What a fun rush! They slide right down and I'm excited to know they will bless someone when they go to get the mail.  

 

Loved this project.  Made me feel vulnerable. Honest. Grateful for these wonderful people in my life.  Blessed. 

50!!

Well. I said I was back. Apparently, that wasn't the case.

I've just felt a blank. I've been busy. And needed to make some goals. 

So here are 2 I'd like to share with you. 

50.
 When I think of my 2 goals, I think of Sally O'Malley shouting "I'm 50! And I can kick! Stretch! And KICK!"

* 50 miles in July. Following honeyholden's idea- getting in 50 miles in July. Mostly walking. I've been a little discouraged because in February, I was up and running, literally, every morning. Then I just stopped. And I can't get running again. But I got a new stroller and it has made getting out MUCH easier. To be honest, I don't feel this is as strenuous of a workout as I'd like. But (1) I am pushing a 70 pound stroller and (2) this is Texas in July. Enough said.

Making it better are these shoes and these shorts.

Nike Tempo running shorts

* 50 letters. I'm writing letters to influential people in my life. Nothing special- a little note on a paper explaining my project and envelopes decorated by the chicks. Markers, watercolors. It's been fun and
challenging. Some are obvious- family members and best friends. Former teachers. A few are going to people who I don't really know but have inspired me or that I admire. I'm nervous to mail a few of them out! I think I'm going to save them and mail them all at once. I've done 19 so far. 

So there's a little update on the ole blog front. This post has taken FOREVER (hours!!!)

because I'm trying to get used to doing it on the iPad and finding the photos and linking up. Urg. We'll see if it gets easier!! 

project lately: painted lace kids table

hi!

we recently acquired a hand-me-down white table and i made it my own.  paint.  that's what i do.

not a step by step tutorial with pics, because frankly, this project was a let's do this, ok, hmm, let's do this... and use what we have.  and i was lazy.  what's new.

i wanted a chevron table but thought if i didn't get it perfect, i would go bonkers looking at it everyday.  and i might put this little lady in the playroom when it starts to get yucky.  but i definitely DIDN'T want to keep a white table in the kitchen for the chicks to eat on.  especially nutella waffles.  gross. this disguises messes much better. 

basically i:
*  used painter's tape to tape a rectangle off the top,leaving a space around the edge. i wanted to have a matching leg/top border.  press hard on that painters tape so paint doesn't seep under.
*  painted the legs and the edge of the table top (space 1) a coral color i had in the paint cabinet.  it's persimmon red by martha stewart.
*  using that tape, make your lace rectangle (space 3). i used rolls of some vintage lace about 3 inches wide.  i was searching for a regular, rectangle shaped piece of lace, which would have been easier, but couldn't find any.  i used spray adhesive to fill in this whole space, using 5 strips of lace.  you can see the strips in the finished piece.  it annoyed me at first, but oh, well. in the paint cabinet was a can of spray paint, i think the color was called champagne canyon.  just some krylon left over from a project... i sprayed it all over that space, taking care to stay inside the tape.
* let it dry overnight.
* this is where it's confusing to explain. i pulled the tape off.  then i used new tape to cover the edge of the lace and also cover the coral border.  i covered space 1 and space 3 with tape and it created space 2. (whoa, i don't think that makes sense AT ALL?!?!?)  it's just basically exactly where the tape was before- but you need to put down tape to keep your lines straight and keep your colors separate.  i painted that a tan acrylic paint i had.  

anyway.  voila.  funky new look, and somewhat neutral color palette. better than it was. 
and horrible instructions.  sorry.  i'm writing this after a 5 hour playdate with a 4 year old, 3 year old, 2 year old and 1 year old.  fun but, you know. 

  ugh.  next on the list, chair update.  those are looking pretty darn grubby!