I'm Not a Material Girl

When I was ten years old my Grammy brought me to an antique store.  She wanted to get me something special to last me years, that I would get use out of and find joy in. We found a beautiful 60 year old, at the time, vanity and bench.  Sadly, I don't think I have any pictures of it.  After I loved on it until my 31st year it was time to say goodbye.  We just couldn't fix it anymore...the poor thing was always losing it's legs and the last two years it was sitting on blocks of 2x4s. We put the vanity out of it's misery. 

Now, I know we shouldn't get attached to "things" and I'm usually really good about that- but that vanity was extra special, a wonderful gift from my Grammy.

Living the last 4ish years without a proper place to do my make-up and hair just hasn't been the same, so I started the hunt for a new vanity.  8 months later I found one on Craig's List!

I documented the process of refinishing it:

 

BEFORE

 

The day I bought it

(nothing special, right?)

 

 

Wrong!! Look at the inside of it- LOVE the pink velvet.
 I cleaned this up the best I could.

Rough sanded it

 

Top

(Bianca's all about the photo bomb)

 

"Dry" painting

(don't saturate the paint brush, just get the bristles barely wet) 

 

Top 

(and I did add a thin coat of Poly on it to protect it...from me, I'm a spiller)

 

I should have taken a pic of the hotttt mess I was using to hold my make up and jewelry but I was too excited to get it out of the bedroom;
I did take a pic of how I was storing my girlie goodies post antique vanity.

__________________________________________________________________
 

AFTER

 

And here is is done and set up!
Nate was able to save the mirror from the antique vanity. 
He took the giant & heavy wood frame off it and secured the mirror to our wall.

 

 

Inside!

(sorry about those cords on the ground...gotta plug in curling irons and such)

 

Ahh...girlie goodness is BACK! A place to put "stuff" and a place that is just "mine".  For an only child I think I share pretty well, but there are some things a girl should just get to keep to herself and have a pretty way to keep them.

 

I'm excited to start the next project which is a gem of a chair to go with this "new" vanity.  I found the chair at Goodwill, yes Goodwill, for only $6.99. 

 I will refinish it as well and recover the seat in a fun pattern.

 

 

 

 

 



Fashion. Marchesa. Best.

I do not pretend to understand the world of Fashion.  I do understand that there is a difference between Fashion and Clothing.

Thank you Project Runway for teaching me that- because REALLY no one in their right mind would wear 98% of the creations that appear on that show. 

I must share my FAVE designer of ALL TIME:

Marchesa - those ladies are BRILLIANT!

Yes, Chanel, thank you for the best pink suit of all time.

  (Jackie Kennedy rocked the $hit out of this suit!)

And yes, Burberry, a tiny whole would be in my heart if I did not have your

 brilliant plaid print embedded on it.

                           But Marchesa (Mar-kay-sa) takes the cake. Every time. The designs are feminine, classic, yet forward thinking, and simply beautiful.

 'Nuff said.

Watch this: http://www.marchesa.com/

Here's a sample of a Marchesa gown

Check out the shoes and boots too. Gorgeous!

What Read You?

Here's the scoop on The Phillips' current reading- July 2012

Nate is reading the following

 Summer reading is not a top priority for Nate- there are fish to be caught!

Therefore, IF it rains, Nate can be found reading one of these:

 

________________________________________________________________________

Christina is reading the following

Firefly Book Club

Monday Night Christian Women's Book Club

Just because I am loving this author and I need to know what happens!  This is the second book in a trilogy.  The author, Karen Kingsbury, as numerous series based on the Baxter family.  Great plots, wonderful consistency, easy read. 

 http://www.karenkingsbury.com/?url=home

My favorite place to read is on our deck.

Iced tea in hand and feet up!

(Minnesota is having ridic hotttt weather right now,

so the couch- fully reclined of course- is working fine too)

HAPPY READING!!!

Tell us what's off your book shelf and in your hand right now!

Going to the Movies- Phillips Style

The Phillips' Home has a philosophy about television and movies:

When there is real life to be lived -  turn the television off!

Simple as that.

That being said we really love movies so we do indulge ourselves movie time- the winters in Minnesota make movie nights easy to choose but in the summer it's much more rare; usually summer nights that are 106 degree heat index or rainy days. 

Movies are such a great escape from reality!

We have an issue with Hollywood however: we think writers don't have any original thoughts left.  This used to annoy us but recently we've decided to embrace it.  If we are going to spend two hours staring at that stupid box we want that time to be filled with quality cinema.

Here is a short list of some our fave classics

      

   

     

  

A few notes on these movies:

I'm CONVINCED That Touch of Mink is the original Pretty Woman.

White Christmas is my favorite movie of ALL TIME/ALL GENRES.

I have mad love for Ocean's Eleven-- all of them: the original with the Rat Pack, then Ocean's 11,12 and 13 with George Clooney, Brad Pitt and crew. Mad.Love.

I never thought I would enjoy Alfred Hitchcock so much but his movies are quite brilliant.

I could list every Audrey Hepburn movie ever made. She was amazing.

Same with James Dean, he wasn't just a pretty face- that man had serious talent.

What are your favorite "oldies"???

Coming soon: a list of our fave "Guy" movies, "Chick Flicks" and date movies.

Choosing Joy.

For the last two-ish years I've been working VERY hard at Choosing Joy. The concept is simple: Life can be hard, but you get one shot at it so don't live it being negative and ungrateful.


Sun shining day, rockin' it out at my job day, getting along great with husband day, I didn't do anything to piss off my mom day, looking cute day= easy to be Joyful.

Minnesota winter snow storm day, can't do anything right at work day, just not clicking with husband day, my mom yelled at me day, the silver (fine, gray) roots are really showing day= NOT as easy to be Joyful.


joy·ful

adjective

1. full of joy, as a person or one's heart; glad; delighted.

2. showing or expressing joy, as looks, actions, or speech.

3. causing or bringing joy, as an event, a sight, or news; delightful: the joyful announcement of their marriage.

(thank you dictionary.com)

I would add:

4. the joy of the grace and love of God; the joy in one's heart comes from God.

Also in the last two years I've annoyed people with my "Choosing Joy".

Fine.

But I'm not sorry. I usually post something about Joy when I'm struggling the most.
Must.Reframe.
(reframe= stop. think. evaluate situation. is it really as bad as I thought? put it in perspective. be self aware. be grateful. adjust attitude.)

The more I remind myself that when things are ugly or inconvenient or uncomfortable that I need to Choose Joy in the situation. It is up to ME to make the best of EVERYTHING in my life while leaning on and being grateful to God for giving me the ups and downs that I experience therefore I will learn from them and perhaps share the wisdom gained with others.

So. I do it - my Facebook status will be "Choose Joy! It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood"

(Mr. Rogers flashbacks occasionally occur in my head)

Or it'll say "Missing my Gram Millie today, but I will Choose Joy as I know she is in heaven and I'm grateful to have known her"
...or they could be less serious "Choosing Joy that although my yard is full of dandelions at least I have a yard!"

Cheesy? Perhaps. Does it work? Absolutely.  Just a few seconds to stop and think about my attitude and I reframe.

--sometimes reframing also includes pouring a Diet Coke into a full, frosty glass of ice...meh, I never said I was perfect.

Bible verses:

Psalm 118:24 - "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Proverbs 17:22 - "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." 

John 16:22 - "So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.".

2 Corinthians 7:4- "I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy."

Not into God? (well, call me- I can introduce you to Him)--- There is still a place for Joy in your life. Just live a few days reminding yourself to Choose Joy when things seem to be going south...I predict your heart will feel better and your mood improved. 

It's NOT often easy, but it makes life so much easier/better/positive and really affects the people around you when you Choose Joy!

Book Club. A Must.

For years- YEARS- I didn't read for pleasure.  Don't get me wrong, I loved a good magazine or I'd read articles online about politics or the news, but reading a book for the pure love of it was NOT HAPPENING. No interest. Fast forward 10ish years and I am now in TWO book clubs. And I have serious love for them. I am blessed to be married to a man that not only totally gets me but he also gets that women need women time and he supports me taking time to spend with other chicks.

Here is a peek into my psyche- the reasons I Love & Need my book clubs:

1. I have WONDERFUL friends. Book club is a great excuse to get together
2. Test new recipes
3. Moscato on a week night
4. Every few months I get to be the hostess (which I adore! there are definitely ladies that are "better" at it, but I LOVE hosting!)
5. Oh! Then there is the books-- I read FOR PLEASURE now which has forced me to sit down and relax. I had no idea that I sucked at relaxing. Sure, once or twice a month I'd scrapbook and that was good (post later on this AMAZING-ness), but reading is something that can be done daily to just chill.  And I would much rather read than stare at the stupid box that is the television.
6. The "extra" of the night- getting updates on each other's lives: kids, parents, jobs, travels, struggles and victories.
7. I work from home. I heart my job. Muchly. But being at home all day where I now have full conversions with my Doberman has proven that I needed something to GET ME OUT OF THE HOUSE on a regular basis. Hence the TWO book clubs.
8. Two book clubs:
     - "Monday Night Women's Christian Book Club" consists of some lovely ladies that I know from church. We usually choose books written by Christian authors and/or have Christian themes. We meet every six weeks.
     -"Firefly Book Club" consists of this beautiful mix of some of my favorite women EVER. Family (Lisa T, Danielle & Lise not pictured), friends from high school and college (Kristine & Crystal, Lisa M not pictured), a neighbor (Amanda), a crafty friend (Katie) and a new friend (Gail). We meet once a month.

My Firefly Book Club

Celebrating our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY in June 2012!!!

I hope that I know these women forever.

Book Clubs= Good. Need them for sanity and brain & heart health.

My Goodreads link:

In my next life...JuNkiN'

If I believed in next lives (which I don't- Heaven is my goal, for the record) I would spend my next life as a designer.  As in Interior and Exterior Designer...shopping for treasures and remaking/repurposing/reloving them for people's homes and businesses.

I would do EXACTLY what these ladies do: http://junkgypsyblog.com/ and http://www.gypsyville.com/

And I want to talk like them.  They say precious things like "Ya'll" and "Golly!"  It's so sweet I get a toothache when I listen to them.  I want these ladies to adopt me and teach me everything they know.  AND I'd also get to live in Texas, which is on my bucket list.

Ya'll know what!? I don't need to dream about this...I can totally do this! Why not?  I can still keep my day job.  Aren't dreams what weekends are for?  ...well, dreams and everything else that needs to get crammed into two short little days that didn't get accomplished the other five days of the week.

So- raise your glass to dreams! I hope you are doing something about making yours come true!