This is how it gets done in Texas

   I have been told us Texans brag a lot. I say if you are good, there is no bragging, you simply got it going on. Point in case, my friend Krista and her husband Shawn. This two got the most amazing talent for finding the most amazing stuff. Not only they find it, they literally give it away. Krista had been working for weeks preparing for this mini show, not mini because they didn't have stuff, mini because they didn't have a large amount of people coming, mostly the folks that supported their antique shop. They are perfectionists, they meticulously pick their wares and because of those facts they achieve a lot of success in a very short amount of time. Then you add to that the fact that they are the best friends in life, they are kind and love taking care of people. They make you feel like they have been your friends for ages and this is not forced, it just comes from their heart. So for the three people that read my blog, I give you yumminess, straight from the heart of Texas.

We will do it again tomorrow. I believe we will put together something like this for my open house in a couple of months. I will keep you posted. Blessings, Marta.

I'm so thankfull!

Have you ever feel the deepest sense of joy and peace? Two days ago as my husband mowed the yard in our new place I decided to walk around since I have not tour the entire property. The last acre was left wild and during the spring it changed to many different colors of the native wild flowers. Right now is all dry and the shaded parts have remain with a lot of green. You can see the valley behind us, just acre after acre of pure, untouched beauty. The house we are fixing is not my dream style house. I always wanted an older home with lots of architectural details. This house was not the deal maker, it was the land, all those trees that made us fall in love. I know I will be able to make the home a beautiful place. I'm dreaming of gardens, especially one. It is going to be Cookie's garden. My only son passed away many years ago. We decided to have him cremated since I wanted to be able to keep his aches and lay them down someday in the place we will retire. I think this is the place. I have chosen an oak tree, close to the house. I know that he is in Heaven waiting for me, in the meantime I want to do this for me. I don't think it is going to brake my heart  laying his aches in the ground and I don't need this garden to remember him, I do that every day. I want to celebrate his life and all it brought to us. It is going to be a celebration garden, because God is good and we have hope in life as well as in death.

   Going back to the feeling of complete well being I experience, as I looked at the valley I asked God what I have done to deserve this place. I feel so blessed, more than I can possibly deserve. I feel the favor of God and for that I'm so GRATEFUL. I'm not a tree hugger but I felt the urge to touch as many trees as I could that day and blessed them, to look up and thank God from the bottom of my heart. I understood why the Word says that nature sings of His glory. So bear with me, I believe you are going to see many tree photos in my blog from now on. I will continue to post photos of the progress. Blessings, Marta.

Can you say UGLY?

       Ok, I told you the house needed some tweaking, Ok I take that back, it needs big time tweaking. Point in case, the bathroom. I don't know but this is butt ugly. The mauve tile, the gold fixtures, arg.

                                                        Same wall a day later.Most improved

Ok my friends, how do I explain this immense monstrosity. I'm without words and that almost never happen. 

Same walls today. Progress.

Ok, mauve formica, no way. Tired oak cabinets, no way, brown choppy laminate floors, no way. One good thing, stainless steel appliances and we get to keep the refrigerator, great. The plan: dark granite counter tops, travertine backsplash, 50/50 sink, goose neck faucet.  Cream painted and glazed cabinets, delish. Gingerbread moulding in the kitchen opening, beautiful hand-painted kitchen saying.

Before, the after is work in progress.

The entry way yesterday

The entry way today. Love, love, love.

My screen porch. Possibly the place where many hours will be spend.

My shop far away. Our dream. Thank you God.

We are signing our life away today

    I think that is exactly the way my husband feels. Today we are supposed to close on the little ranch. It was cancelled 3 times last week due to the mortgage company not doing their job.  I have an estimate in the improvements we liked to do before moving in. First estimate is 42,000. I almost fainted when I heard. We do not have that kind of money so I think we will be tearing carpet and taking paneling down. They wanted 900.00 for disposing of the trash. I'm going to pay 900.00 to myself. The amount of stuff I can buy with 900.00, it is not going to happen. I wish there was no burn ban. I will be burning a lot of stuff, heck, I might turn into a little arsonist. I didn't want to go the sub-contractor way, we may have to ended up doing just that.
    Once I get the key today I will go in and take pictures of the house and shop as it stands today. I miss calculate and choose the wrong profession. I should have been a handy girl, concrete, tile, granite install and all that stuff. It is where the money is. I have decorate homes and have never made that kind of money, actually I stop doing it out of sheer frustration. I will finish this post tonight, hopefully with good news. Later, Marta.

Ok, it is ours. I'm so excited, scared, stressed, hopeful, etc, etc, etc. I guess it is normal to feel this way. This little place is going to be our retirement place as far as we know. The Killeen and Fort hood area happened to be one of the areas that have been less affected by the bad economy. My business had not suffer and my husband have been with the same company for 15 years. Even though is a contract job every time the contract comes up for bids the new company retain the work force in place. We are VERY blessed. So enough blah...Photos for you all. Remember to looked at it with  visionary eyes.

                                                                       THA SHOP

                                                                    1,2oo sf of steel

I felt in love with the little porch and the french door and windows. I have a vision.

I'm losing a lot of sf but this is all mine.

                The gate and little fencing got to go. They try to keep the horses away from this area.

I see flowers and bushes and lots of work.

                                  I see all my garden junk in the porch. Landscape around and voile!

I'm not sure we are going to keep all the wire fencing, we are not going to have animals, hum, maybe the biggest dog I can find, a great dane will be wonderful.

This is going to be my husband's shop. It used to be a small stable, we will expand the concrete all the way to the side making it about 700 sf.

I think we count so many oaks in the acreage and I'm loving it. My friend realtor got me a tree person. That is a face that you stick to the tree. I think I will buy some more.

                      This is a big oak. I always wonder how long they have been around.
                  Chickies, this all for today. Tomorrow I will give you a tour of the house. I will be interviewing contractors and getting more estimates. Blessings, Marta.

Oh My...

Pink Girls, this will probably be my last post for a while. We are supposed to close on the property we bought on Monday. Supposed is the ultimate word. Can you believe the mortgage company cancel us 3 times, last time been Friday as we pull into their driveway? Someone really needs to be fire. Both the seller and us have done everything on our end. Our patience have been tested, I'm very patient though. In the meantime me  a friend  manage to packed everything but clothes, kitchen pots and dishes.  Last week I blog about my little girls, today I introduce you to my ladies. I love the fact that they look so french. I like the way they position their hands.

Some find their faces spooky, to me they are sweet.

Maybe not this one. She looks a little bit like a stuck up.

She is sweet too.

Look at her dress.

                              I packed them away as soon as I finished taking the pictures. It will be a          
                                                                     while before I see them again.

Ok, this is it. I must rest my back, I,m dead. Thanks to Ms Beverly @ How Sweet The Sound for a fab party. Go and visit the other pink girls. Blessings, Marta.

I love dolls!

 

Do you know this girls? They are called storybook dolls. Some are made of bisque and some are made of hard plastic. I have some teenagers, girls and babies. What make me start collecting them was a box I found at a rummage sale. It had rain the night before and the dolls were in a plastic shoe box full of water. Some of the dresses got die stains from the color fabrics and I could not salvage them. I wash and iron every dress and that is how my quest started. This days I have paid up to 35$ for a rare one and I look for cream or pink dresses to match the decor in my princess room.

                                                      This one is my southern belle

           She is so sweet in person. All she needs is her mom to comb her hair and put a pretty bow in it.

 The composition girl with the big blue eyes  and the big head was not cheap but I could not                        leave her.

Look at this beauty.  She is showing too much skin with her sheer underwear. She is hard plastic and her hair is so pretty. I paid 1.00 for her.

Last, I do not like new dolls, unless they "speak to me". This one last doll have my heart. She is a doll with a great message.

See her face, how could you not love her! Wait till you see and you will love her even more.

She could have her choice between the raggedy doll or this one. I'm with her.

The little raggedy ann is missing a leg but she chose her. That is exactly how I feel about  my friends, about everything. My things are not of great value, just to me. I do not always now the story but I like to imagine one. I feel like a caretaker, like I must protect, restore and honor the history. I see beauty in things that most will not, my friends growing up were the ones that other people made fun of. Nobody will take the time to know them, they missed so much beauty. I was never bullied but I was questioned about my choice of friends. There was nothing wrong with them, people just could not get pass the flaws , the clothes, where they live, what they drive, etc. As an adult I have to constantly remind myself of what is important. You start to make a little bit more money, you become somewhat successful, you meet and socialize with different people and if you don't stay grounded you start to loose sight of what is of great value. I aspire to mix with humble people. I want to look at their souls and not at what designer are they wearing. I do not want to compete, I want to share my blessings. Life is too short, live it well. Blessings, Marta.

PD: Go and visit the other Pink Saturday girls. You can find a list @Ms Beverly's blog HOW SWEET THE SOUND.