poor sock monkey...

 The natives, are definitely restless around here......

Good thing school will be starting again soon!

I think sock monkey secretly likes it :)

she actually completes a project!

Alrighty then! It's been a long time since I've posted a project so try not to faint!

This is my step stool project - I've wanted to do it for a long time now.

Very simple and very cheerful when it's finished - a perfect winter project!

 Take a basic step stool that you've had for years and years and could use a lift.

 Get a Mouse to sand it for you. This will cost $5 if he does a really good job.

But it's worth it, because if you're like me, you'd rather have the flu than sand.

 Wipe all the wood dust off and spray paint the stool, starting with the bottom.

Cover the wood evenly, and spray 2 or 3 coats in a ventilated area.

(or so to speak... depending on how much you *love* the smell of spray paint)

Dry thoroughly between coats, and try not to spray your cement like I did...

 Choose the paper you're going to use - as you know, the possibilities are endless!

Trim the paper as needed, and then go to town with the Mod Podge!

Paint a generous layer on the wood, carefully line up the paper, and press it down.

Working from the inside out, press all air holes out from underneath the paper.

(this is the step I hate the most - I always end up with air holes no matter what)

Cover the paper with another generous coat of Mod Podge, keeping it even.

 Wait for all coats to dry before painting additional coats of Mod Podge.

You may also spray a protective coat of acrylic over the top when dry.

It will give the stool top extra protection, particularly if it will get wet.

LOOK HOW CUTE IT TURNED OUT! SO CHEERFUL :)

If you have any questions or comments let me know!

If you'd like to see some more of my projects, you can click below:

LOOK mirror redo #1

LOOK mirror redo #2

magnet board tutorial

patchwork tray makeover

my big 'ol vat

tray chic

fun with scraps

wild child calendars

wild child valentine notecard sets

the Red Bed

window quilt project

chick magnets

listin' it

 'Nuff said. Now on to organizing the new year!

As always, you'll find more great lists on Aimee's site!

:)

honeysuckle

Keeping my readers abreast on the most crucial newsworthy events,

I am pleased to announce that Pantone's "Color of the Year" for 2011

is the vibrant, cheerful *HONEYSUCKLE*

I will miss last year's gorgeous turquoise, but I think this is a capitol choice.

(especially since I thought of it myself months ago, but hey no biggie)

Go ahead and visit the ---------> Pantone site to read up on their FAB new color!

It's an interesting article about why they chose this lovely pink, and more photos. 

Have a magnificent, *HONEYSUCKLE* year!

snow! that's right - I said SNOW!

 I interrupt my usual Monday morning twaddle-filled post to bring fun news!

--------------> WE GOT SNOW! <--------------- 

It's true! Snow right here in stupid southern California!

It's been super cold here lately - LOVE IT - and rainy on and off.

This afternoon the conditions were just right, and *POOF* it started snowing!

We were all so excited, we ran outside in our bare feet! LOL!

 It started out falling fairly slow, and of course was too wet to stick...

 But then it started coming down harder and faster

 "HELP! WE'RE FREEZING!"

 Ever the mischief maker, Daniel starts making and throwing snowballs!

 The wheels are turning in the Mouse's head. He's got an idea.

He's on a mission which began when he made this massive "snowball"

 Now the snow is finally starting to stick. This is outside my bedroom window

 Matthew's "snowball" has evolved into this monstrosity!

You get a star on your forehead if you can guess which one is the snowman!

Angel has to check it out just a little more...

she's squinting her eyes to keep out the snow :)

 How CUTE is that Mouse with his finished snowman! 

Luna was not ready for her close-up :/

Awww :)

It's all fun and games.......... 

Until Davy chucks a snowball and breaks a window! :-0

!@#$%^&*!@#$%^&*!

Oh Davy, Davy, Davy...... how YOU of you! LOL! :D

~

 HUGE, beautiful snowflakes started coming down hard,

and the snow eventually stuck and turned everything white!

It's forecasted to continue through the night, but I guess we'll see...

It hasn't snowed here for 22 years - I'd be delighted for it to stay a bit! 

new year's day and the poo garden

Happy New Year 2011!

This is going to be my motto for the year!

I painted this for my niece Kaylee (best. niece. ever.) for Christmas -

it's her favorite saying, and it's so, SO her! I adore that girl!

And without her even knowing it, she has taught me a lot of things.

Especially when it comes to participating in life, being brave,

working really hard, and keeping a positive attitude while enduring.

I hope she knows how much I love her and how proud of her I am.

~

I always have the best blog posts in my head.

Some of my greatest moments are while I'm picking up the poo garden.

My prose waxes profound as I cautiously step amidst the mine field,

picking up revolting, putrid, disgusting, half-digested... waste.

(I just picked it up 4 days ago - I obviously own 2 small poo factories)

I just wish by the time I get back inside, scrub and de-traumatize myself,

I were able to remember what a genius I am and type all my thoughts out

before my waxing becomes waning and the light bulb dims.

Such were my thoughts this morning, on New Year's Day 2011.

As my first act of the new year became picking up the poo garden.

Inspiring!

Though decidedly, things could only get better from here on out.
Happy New Year Friends!
~
EEEK! I almost forgot! 
Grab 10 more minutes to watch the best annual fireworks celebration EVER!

hanging out

 Is this the most uber cool rainbow of records or WHAT! YES, IT IS!

We've just been hanging out over here at the Walkerville household,

and last night we decided to cruise down to Amoeba Records in Hollywood.

It was a B-LAST!!! That place is huge, amazing, and fascinating!

It has everything you could think of - you could get lost in there for days!

To give you a vague idea of how incredibly massive it is,

this pic is of the main room - which has 3 more areas attached to it

AND an upstairs! I took this pic from the landing on the stairs.

We were all there to look for vinyl albums, and we all scored!

We found records from Boz Skaggs to the Tallest Man on Earth!

Okay, I admit it: I want a Beatles lamp. In kind of a bad way.

 The guys wearing their In-N-Out shirts that Daniel got for them :)

 We didn't open our Christmas stockings until Monday evening!

I guess that's one genius way to s-t-r-e-t-c-h Christmas out a little longer!

I'm glad we got the Mouse in a few pics before he left for a friend's house

with his motorcycle in tow... He's feeling better and was driving us all nutsy. 

As usual, I just pray he comes home in one piece :/

Ah, my Luna girl :) She loves to watch outside more than anything!

We were out working in the front yard and Luna was supervising.

We were boxing back up all the inside Christmas decorations,

except for my jolly snowmen in the entry way...

We left the lights up outside too, and my porch still looks Christmassy -

I just wasn't quite ready to let go of everything yet!

* another subliminal message - this time with 2 of the chip clips Riley gave me for my birthday!

Aren't they so adorable? I love that girl :)