Let the music play..............

After losing my mother last year I was unable to play music, I pulled music off my blog.......could not play in car........even hearing music on TV movies made me sad.  This was very big for me as I was raised on music playing all the time, so no matter what genre I tried to listen to it reminded me of my parents.  Just a month after my Mother passed another woman very dear to me, my sister-in-law was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer.  After Surgery, Chemo and a ten month battle my sister-in-law went to be with the lord last week. This is a person I spent many many a vacation/fishing trip/Holiday our guys would fish we would sometimes fish but mostly visit, shop, camp, swim, laugh, cry for 17 years, alot of sharing of ups and downs we had over the years. I did not mention her name as she was very very private about her life and illness.  She was way way to young to leave this earth but God has greater Plans than I.

  I woke up this morning no longer wanting to avoid music.  It is like avoiding color, avoiding taste, life cannot be fully enjoyed without using all five of our senses and we cannot avoid the  pain or sadness of a loss, the sooner it is addressed the easier is to recover.  As the special women above showed me life can be short. Do not spend too much time being sad  I got the feeling of something telling me don't do it a whole nother year.  You have to live to have stories to tell when you get in heaven!  Live your life and never forget these awesome people but grieving for a long time will not help anyone.


This morning,  I added back my original blog banner that my mother helped me pick out, no longer being sad that she named my business "Shantygirl"  we were trying to find something to reflect my love for Shabby Chic but not to copy RA so my mom said "Shanty" after  the shanty irish towns that my ancestors lived in, (I had just been researching my ancestry)  My Daughter said "Girl"  we put it together and got shantygirl. The Banner reflected yellow roses for Texas, ole rusty truck that I grew up riding in.......jeans and casual tank wich is how I dress when not wearing sundress and flip flops, and a me holding bag and apron wich is what I was sewing a bunch of at the time. I am now 47 and the character is ageless. so to be fair....I got a little fatter the last two years...The pic on my sidebar is two years old and is close to what my face/hair looks like just a little more plump round the middle, no singing no dancing no laughing equals more crying more eating more stressing.....this year I promise more blogging  about The bar method exercising, pilates and my beloved treadmill!  And I will sing and dance around my studio as I paint and sew!!  I will see the light.

My focus two years ago was to sell on etsy I still have an etsy but am more focused now on my retail location.  I had changed blog over the last two years trying to be this trying to be that........maybe readers liked this better or that better etc, maybe a more professional look, not a cartoon character..........but now  I am going to just be me.....goofiness and all...Added back a playlist that I can also sing and sew to while in my sunroom/studio and I am ready to catch up with all my work.  I have also made a promise to myself not to stay so busy with furniture and business that I don't take the time out to enjoy.  I started the antique booths last year to fill the void of my mother being gone and it did keep my mind off of things but I got so busy that I now feel the need to experience life with my family more.  So if you see a couple things in the floor this week.......I'll get around to bringing more things in I promise just not going to beat myself up over it!

I have many email requests for Union Jack throws and with all that happened last week and going out of town to be with my family I had to halt.  I will begin again this afternoon after my daughters awards program, I will answer all emails and do appreciate all the interest it is just going to take some time to get caught up!!

Thanks for understanding/listening to my rambling????! 


Proof the Unions are in the works in the sunroom!

I will be emailing posting pics and sewing Jacks!  Promise.
Sherry

Dream Catchers, Union Jacks, Friends and Annie Sloan!

What a week! I had started making Union Jacks for my house and had a few request,  got some dream catchers from Tausha at Simply Me.......Sent Union Jack to Rachel Shabbyfrenchforme for housewarming, she sent me an awesome gift... Painted table Cutting board, got some blooms on my rose bush, painted furniture for sunroom/new Shantygirl Studio........

Union Jack I made for Tausha Simplyme  You can purchase beautiful dreamcatchers from her just go to her blog and shoot her an email!!

I know I drool over her home each time she posts!!  You will be amazed by her blog!  I have been a follower for sometime such a sweet talented girl!

So I had to have dreamcatchers......

 Blue one for me and Purple for my daughter Abby

Abby was so excited to have one of Tausha's creations and hers has a beautiful butterfly with her name on it!!

I also have a new blogging buddy Rachel over at the awesome blog....
Shabbyfrenchforme.......

I have been inspired by her  decor, writing and music on her blog for sometime now and am honored that Rachel's new home sports one of my Union Jacks!

And Sweet Rachel sent me a gift this week. Now it is so awesome to have friends you have not met in other states that you have common interest.  It really makes blogging  fun!

 I got a beautiful Pillowcase, cute old key that fits my armoire I just painted!  Tags, beautiful ribbon, millinery flower, magazine and a really large linen filled lavender pillow that has made my house smell wonderful!!  Rachel is so darn sweet!

So being happy and inspired by friends.....and now that I have a camera where you can actually see my house I completed another project my island cutting board was dark wood
Now Sports Annie Sloans  Greek Blue, this was a new color for me and I then painted Armoir in sunroom/studio I loved it so much!!  (Still debating on painting cabinets white.........or still trying to talk hubby into it......)

I also took a yard sale table and sanded top finished with a walnut stain and satin poly. Painted legs white and distressed took four chairs painted using Annie Sloan  one in Emille, one in Paloma, one in Henrietta and one in Scandinavian pink......I will take more pictures after room is complete!

 Now I have a well needed spot to sew as after my blogging buddies above posted Union Jack pics I have had 21 request to date.....I want to thank everyone who has contacted me about getting one I  will be getting all those out as soon as possible, and emailing everyone back over the next few days to let you know a timeframe... New requests are welcome (you can email me) but I must let you know it will be a few weeks out as I have a "shantygirl" antique booth and paint for that, am sewing all previous request and am painting my house!!  Union Jacks will be 100 plus 11 Shipping in the US. I will be posting them on my Etsy as completed payment can go through Etsy/paypal.

I am excited to paint this room, hang chandelier, Make my star of sticks, show off my carousel horse all after the Jacks!!

Oh and look what hubby brought home

 Yes a potbelly Wood burning stove.......will be perfect for my "Prairie living room....pics coming soon!"  Please excuse furniture pile that I am also working on.......just need to keep painting......

And I did make sure to stop and smell the roses

 I looked far and wide for lavender rose bush all sold out for the season.......look what mother nature gave me.....my pink rose bush sprouted a lavender rose...........on the same stem as the pink one.....just had to share!!

Have a wonderful Week Ya'll!!

Sherry

Shabby/Prairie and a Flatbed Truck panel........

I love My Shabby Chic and I love my Prairie, I am completely totally influenced by Rachel and Fifi and now that I have stayed at the Prairie I am completely redoing alot  of things in my home to reflect a combination of these styles.

I craigslisted my newer table and wine hutch after I found a Early Amercican Solid Maple made in American California Maple shop......I just have to share......70 for table and chairs  (table can be made into a small circle, add one or two inserts and it is an oblong, it can make a small square by putting one insert and lowering side leaves, two inserts a larger square, and put in all leaves and raise all leaves and this baby is a large oblong so versataille I am enjoying the square, but I am sure will play and play with the options!!.....60 for matching china cabinet......lalalala   ok so maple is not the coolest finish on the block so I used my French Canvas color on hutch, chairs and table legs  proceeded to paint wall with same French Canvas........ and my friend and I were out shopping for more chalkpaint and found the perfect piece for behind the table.  The things I had were just a little too elegant. I tried mirrors, pictures.......this was exactly what I needed

I love having something simplistic, rustic but yet feminine with the hanging of a vintage white apron and some lavender

I had to have something with a cow in this room. I lived on a farm as a child and my hubby and I were dating when we saw Pure Country with George Strait.   I was married in cowgirl boots and dad walked me down the isle to "I Cross my Heart"  Redneck maybe us yes!  So.....I had a  wood sign ingraved with the cow,  Melvin and Sherry Hicks and our song I cross my heart.  I then put Rachels Ashwells Sacred heart on my Flatbed Panel piece!

  Just randomly had to show my french Petrole enamelware This was used turn of the century for household appliances that required Petroleum for the first engines used in the  home!

Just another shot of my flatbed panel

 I am loving my new (new to me that is, they are 60 plus years old and in better condition than the 5 year new things I got rid of.....)

 I do have several very old chandeliers to be hung around the house electrician is coming when I finish painting.  The chandy's we found in an ole 1870 Farmhouse......they were "Free" to whoever would get the junk out of the house before they could tear it down.........more on that later.

 After finding the petrole can I realized I now have a thing for French enamelware but I am only looking for things in the blue and white pattern/artwork that is on my can... I have since found a water pitcher, tray, sinkware set and tea kettle, If anyone see's a piece or is selling a piece please email me! If anyone knows the particular name of the artwork or pattern I would love to know more about the pieces!

I found a beautiful hand embroidery and crocheted table cloth that had several stains, I dyed it purple and got out my mix matched Shabby chic style dinnerware!!

 With the leaves down on sides I love how I can make the armed chairs lounge chairs with my union Jack and faith pillows I got from Shabby Chic

Thanks for looking now that I have my big girl camera, I am inspired to finish house projects...
Like the other wall in the kitchen.....

 Then down the hall.......

 Making some more Union Jacks!

Have a very wonderful week, Mine will be filled with some custom furniture painting for a couple of clients, I am also painting things for a Dear Friends nursery, she had twins!!! and as requested I am going to be making more of the union jacks........post and emails to come soon

Have a Wonderful Week Ya'll!!

Sherry

Uptown Country Home Dallas, chalkpaint and a flatbed panel......

About once a month I need to make the trip to get some chalk paint. I love using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and Milk Paint for my furniture, I was making the trip to Mckinney close to an hour to get my paint and LadyButterbug who sells it started stocking in a store in Dallas called Uptown Country Home.

My Friend Barb and I go to get paint, buy antiques and then we eat Shrimp and Grits at Half Shells, I was able to meet my son Cole on one of my trips as well. It turns into an event to get paint but an event that I love!  I wanted to share pictures of my the store and on this trip I got a chippy salvaged piece that I thought was old fencing with hooks on it to hang behind my table in kitchen.....I will hang lavender and aprons from it,  looking for a simple prairie feel!

.I was not sure if hubby would like something so primitive when I got home he said you know what that is don't you????  I said fence.....he said no it is the sidepanel for an ole flatbed pickup.........ok,   I said that just upped the cool factor one hundred percent.....I am in the process of taking of the newer hooks that were put on the piece and attaching antique wire hooks that my wonderful friend Barb gave me to use...(she is the one that saw this piece in the corner when I had passed it by.....) Thanks Barb!!
Hanging from the flatbed panel is the new laundry bag I bought on last trip from the shop!

Here are Pics of Uptown Country Home in Highland Village Dallas, if you are ever in the area, this and lunch at Half Shells is a must!1

Barb got this Wolf 1940's Mannequin and named her DeDe Electra!  She is caged I did not get a good shot of her tattered caged beauty

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's day Weekend, My mom is up in heaven and I miss her so.  Cherish your mothers for as long as you can.

Sherry