Thank-you

  I had no idea when I started blogging the treat I was in for.  I have made many friendships through blogging and I am always inspired to be more creative.  After a push from my daughter I thought this would be a neat way to share some of the projects I completed, a recipe here and there and even a bat!  I never thought I would feel connected with so many of you and create so many friendships.  As my list of followers grows, I am amazed more and more that many of you are interested in what I have to say or the projects I post. My cousin calls me "Emotia", short for emotional! She teases me because I cry easily I may or may not be crying as I type this and I'm very sentimental.  I am so happy to have a spot in blog world and to be amongst so many creative people. Thank-you for being here. You are appreciated!

Having said that, I was recently awarded the stylish blogger award by four lovely ladies Tana from Orange it Lovely, Tatum from Many Moments of Me, Rosemary from Villabarnes and Miz Helen from Miz Helen's Country Cottage.  These ladies have wonderful blogs and I'm sure they would love if you stopped by for a visit and said hello! In order to accept this award here are the rules:

Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this.
Share 7 things about yourself
Pay it forward to 15 bloggers whom you feel are deserving
Contact those bloggers and tell them about their award.

7 things about me:

1. I just recently started carrying a purse.  I thought carrying a purse would make me look too grown up.  Now I love my big purse.  It's great for stashing food into the movie theater!!

2. My daughter and I share the same middle name.

3. My husband and I love Quentin Tarrantino movies.  We even went as far to name our son after him. His middle name is Quentin!

4. My bucket list includes running a marathon and visiting Germany.

5. I HATE my feet!

6. I have four best friends who live in N.J. We have been friends since elementary school. We visit each other as often as we can. We spend hours on the phone reminiscing and laughing. They have been there for me when I needed them most. I can't imagine my life without my girls!
 
7. I love everything 80's. From movies to music, you name it and I probably love it! 



Pay it Forward to 15 GREAT Bloggers:

Uruguay Life
Before and After Lovelies
AliLilly
Blessedmom's Simple Home
Danielle is Nesting
Funky Junk @ 202
Shans Wife MeMe
Meg and Mum's
Raine and Sage
Shabby Sweet Cottage
Shell's Shabby Shack
Creekside Creations
Almost Never Clever
Emerald Cove
Modern Country Style

Thanks Ladies!

 
   Tonight's dinner was easy and quick.  This is a good basic stir fry recipe loaded with fresh vegetables. It smells wonderful while cooking.  My family loved this and it was super easy to make.

Stir Fried Shrimp, Broccoli and Carrots

1/2 pound raw shrimp, shelled and deveined 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 cup chopped fresh broccoli 
1 cup chopped fresh carrots
1/4 cup vegetable broth

In a large skillet, saute garlic in sesame oil until tender.  Add the shrimp, broccoli, carrots, salt and pepper.  Stir-fry for 5 minutes until shrimp turn pink and vegetables are crisp-tender.  Add broth. Cook 1 minute longer or until heated through.  Serve over rice

I am linking to: Prairie Story

Chair Makeover (Updated)

  I know, I know I'm supposed to be finishing up my bedroom so I can post pictures of my room.  But along the way I got side-tracked.  I purchased this chair from the thrift store back in August.  After bringing it home I gave it a couple of coats of spray paint and tore off the 3 wood pieces that were attached to the back of the chair with staples.  Lots of staples!

  I made a cushion for the seat and called it quits.  I had enough!  Who was I kidding?  I am not an upholsterer!  Then I read this post on Miss Mustard Seed's blog and I was INSPIRED.  "Keep Trying".  It's as if she was speaking directly to me!  So I gave it another try. 

  I gave it a couple more of coats of spray paint and distressed it a bit with sandpaper.  I used cardboard, a snow blanket, leftover fabric and trim to cover the chair with.

  I was really pleased with how the chair turned out, especially since this was my first time attempting to make a seat cover.

  But the chair was still looking a little bare.  I found a neat skirt suit at the thrift store and used the skirt to make a pillow for the chair!

  Much better now!  Thank-you so much Miss Mustard Seed for inspiring me to carry on with my project!


Track back: Before and After Lovelies

A Sneak Peak!

  I know, I know I'm supposed to be finishing up my bedroom so I can post pictures of my room.  But along the way I got side-tracked.  I purchased this chair from the thrift store back in August.  After bringing it home I gave it a couple of coats of spray paint and tore off the 3 wood pieces that were attached to the back of the chair with staples.  Lots of staples!

  I made a cushion for the seat and called it quits.  I had enough!  Who was I kidding?  I am not an upholsterer!  Then I read this post on Miss Mustard Seed's blog and I was INSPIRED.  "Keep Trying".  It's as if she was speaking directly to me!  So I gave it another try. 

  I really wanted to show you the chair in its entirety, but it's dark here and the pictures turned out horribly.  So if you will come back tomorrow and I'll post better pictures! ; )

Lamp Revamp Part 2

  You may remember the lamp I purchased Monday from my favorite thrift store.  I was in search of a lamp for my bedroom and I found this one at a great price.  It has a neat shape to it, which I love!

  I knew I would spray paint it, so I narrowed it down to two colors. Silver or White.

  After a few coats of Metallic spray paint, I wasn't in love with my first choice.

  So back to Home Depot I went to pick up a can in a different color.

  While I was out I stopped by TJ Maxx to search for a shade.  I was excited when I spotted this baby on clearance!  Woo-Hoo!

  The shade was fine as-is, but I can't seem to leave well enough alone  so I purchased some fabric on sale at Joann's and recovered the shade using Alissa's method.

  And I LOVE it. I love it so much that I decided to keep in downstairs in my dining room where I can stare at it all day!  I did test it out in my bedroom, but I think it looks way better downstairs.

The original lamp was missing finial, so I purchased one from Home Depot and just spray painted it white.  I really love the pattern in the fabric.  I bought 3 yards, so I could also use it to make pillows for my bedroom.

Evening view

    I was cracking up on the inside when my husband said to me, "I guess you'll just have to go back to the thrift store Monday and look for a lamp for our bedroom".  HaHa...but of course!!!!

Thrift Store Finds Part 3

  Mondays are my favorite day of the week to shop for a few reasons.  My favorite stores are usually less crowded on Monday versus shopping on the weekends.  My kids are back in school, which means I have all morning and most of the afternoon to shop in peace.  I can take my time and browse the aisles without my listening to my children whine about how long I'm taking.  But most of all, all items are 1/2 off at my favorite thrift store.  I have a hard time containing my excitement as I walk in the store. Oh the possibilities...

  This week I didn't come home with much, but I'm very pleased with my purchases.    

  I've been searching for a lamp for my bedroom.  I found this beauty for 1/2 off of $9.99!  It's really heavy.  I'm assuming that means it's of good quality!  I plan to spray paint it silver or white and add a lampshade in the future.

Don't Disturb This Groove

  In the past I've had a few people ask me how I came up with the title of my blog.  "Don't Disturb This Groove" was a popular song by the group, The System in the late 80's.  I chose this song title as a loving tribute to my mother and uncle.  My mom loved this song.  She would channel her inner diva whenever this song would come on the radio!  It was so much fun to see her sing, dance and act silly to her favorite song!  Sadly, my beautiful mother passed away September 6th, 1997.  It was a very difficult time for my family.  I think of my dear mother everyday. 

My mom and Me circa 1995

Me with my Uncle Shawn circa 2003

  My mom was 1 of 13 children.  She was very close to all of her sisters and brothers, but she shared a unique bond with my Uncle Shawn.  They were only a year apart and they both had a love for music.  In the 80's, my uncle recorded an album; my mom was so happy for her brother.  One day my mom and I were in the mall and as we walked past the gym we heard one of my uncle's songs playing over the speakers. My mom turned around and headed straight for the gym. She couldn't believe her ears, they were playing her brother's song!  She was so proud of him!  My dear Uncle Shawn passed away January 25th, 2009.

  The lead singer of The System reminds me a lot of my uncle.  I chose "Don't Disturb This Groove" as a title to remember them both.

Close your eyes and let the music put you in the groove... 

 

Snow Day

  We got about 7 inches of snow Sunday evening, which is pretty rare for Georgia.  Unfortunately a lot of the major highways are closed due to icy road conditions, leaving a lot of people stranded.  Schools are closed and my kids have been home since Monday.  They couldn't be happier and I love watching them enjoy the snow.

I baked s'mores in the oven using Nutella and marshmallow fluff for them to enjoy after they were done playing.

My dogs are really enjoying the snow too.  It's been fun watching them play!

What's the weather like in your neck of the woods?

I am linking to:

New Bedding

  After a long search I found and ordered new bedding for my room.  I'm really excited to see how everything will come together.  It was a little hard for my husband and I to agree on bedding.  He usually doesn't question my decisions when it comes to decorating our house.  So, I comprised and ordered something we both would enjoy. 

Picture Courtesy of Bedding Style

What do you think?  Is it too dark?  Who makes most of the design choices in your home?

Master Bedroom Crown Molding

My husband and I  recently paid to have crown molding installed in our bedroom.  The corner pieces were a little expensive, but I love the finished look.

 
I would love to show you the entire room, but I am searching for new bedding so the room is not complete.  We have a Cal King bed so my search for new bedding has been quite difficult. Stay tuned though, I hope to have the finished room pics posted soon!

Caramel Frappuccino

  I love Starbucks, but I don't enjoy their prices.  I'm addicted to their Frappucinos, but I'm spending way too much to satisfy my cravings.  So I found a way to make my own.  This recipe is delicious and easy!  The great thing about making a Frappuccino at home is that you can control the ingredients.  Tweak to your liking!

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup cold coffee

* 3 tablespoons sugar

* 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk (you can substitute this for whole milk or half and half)

* 2 cups ice

* 3 tablespoons caramel sundae syrup

* whipped cream

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients into electric blender.

2. Blend drink until ice is crushed and drink is smooth.

3. Serve with whipped cream and caramel syrup.