HEY Y’ALL!

Hello! My name is Jamie and I am the designer, dreamer, photographer, fixer, finder, searcher, redeemer, and I might add, crazy person behind this blog.

Redeemed Design is a culmination of all things redeemed in my life, from myself to my designs. I love to see beauty in the unseen and ordinary things we take for granted every day. I hope to share with you my love for the redeemed and the continued joy it brings me. I feel as though my faith and how our Creator has redeemed me and made me new is my greatest inspiration.

I know you can’t hear my voice through this screen, but imagine a very southern accent. Although, I am from a small town in the panhandle of Texas (Childress), most people guess I am from Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, or really anywhere in the South. It doesn’t matter where I have lived, people ask me where I am from. I used to get annoyed by it, but I have learned to embrace it. It is a part of ME.

I LOVE TO TALK. I don’t really meet a stranger. I can pretty much talk to anyone. I definitely have the gift of gab. My husband teases me and says all I need in life is an ear and a heartbeat. Lol

I LOVE JESUS + MY FAMILY. My role as wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend is what drives me to wake up every morning and do what I love. I always come back to my faith and my family. They are my WHY!

I LOVE DESIGN. I love to decorate pretty much anything! I love spaces, colors, textures, and how they all come together. I love 2D design to 3D design. It all excites me!

I LOVE TO SHOP. Nothing excites me more than a trip to TARGET, TJ MAXX, or Homegoods with a new room design in mind. Well, I pretty much like to shop for anything but groceries. I hate going to the grocery store. I don’t know why, but I DO NOT like it.

My love for design began when I was in high school. I had always loved creative things as a child, but it wasn’t until I took art as an elective in high school my senior year that I realized I had a talent for art. It was the encouragement of my high school art teacher, that I applied for a scholarship at the college I would be attending after graduation. I received the scholarship and it “forced” me to major in art to receive the scholarship. What started as a simple…I’ll just do this for a semester to get the scholarship, turned into my calling. I graduated from Midwestern State University and received a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts majoring in Graphic Design and minoring in photography.  

My husband and I chose for me to stay at home with our children when my first daughter was born. I can honestly say that I have always dreamed and wanted to be a stay-at-home-mom. After being married just a year and a half we had our first daughter. It was when we had our maternity photos taken that my husband said, “you can totally do this.” When my daughter was 8 months old, I began my photography business as a portrait photographer.  I also did some freelance graphic designing as well. I grew my business and had a successful business in the town we were living. I had my business for 9 years.

In 2011, my husband got his first promotion and option to move with his employer. Little did I know at the time, but this would be the first of many moves for my family and I. Over the next 10 years, we would move 6 different times.  Wow, what an adventure it has been and I’m sure we are still not done moving but hoping we are in a “pause” season while our girls finish high school.  

When we made our first big move to Lubbock, Texas, 10 years ago this would be the first year both of my girls were in school. I had the full intention to continue my photography business, but it was hard to start all over in a new city. I felt a little lost and didn’t know what to do with myself without my babies at home. My husband had the idea of starting an antique booth.  He said you seem to be shopping a lot lately. What…me, shop!?!?!  Maybe you can continue to shop and do what you love and maybe we can at least break even. I thought, wow, baby, that’s such a great idea! That’s why we make such a great team. He thinks of things, I would never think of. LOL!  Well, I quickly started my first antique booth. I had a great time and some great opportunities while I lived in Lubbock.  I continued to have an antique booth in 2 more cities that I have lived in.  I found so much joy in the hunt and search for things.  I love to find old treasures and make them new. I also did a lot of painting and refurbishing of furniture.  

Throughout all the moves, I have been able to decorate all of the houses I have lived in. Our houses have been in Wichita Falls, Archer City, Lubbock, San Antonio, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas and now Houston again. Throughout our 18 years of marriage we have live in 9 different houses in 8 cities. Each new home is a new canvas.  Although I can say it hasn’t been easy, the decorating part has ALWAYS been fun. Every house has been so different. I can’t wait to share with you my journey through my homes. My redemptions and transformations have been so challenging, but also so rewarding and fulfilling. 

Through my experience of moving, I have come to realize that we are all just passing through this life. Home IS where your heart is. I know this statement sounds so cliche, but it is so true. A home is a physical place where memories are made, but ultimately it’s where your family is gathered together that you feel “at home”. Each new house becomes our temporary holding place for our hearts to grow, thrive, and give. I love putting our family’s memories on display to bring a joy and happiness every time we remember where we came from and where we are going.

My hope is for you is to gather joy, laughter, and inspiration here as I share with you my personal experiences of the redeemed!

MIRROR UPGRADE

Today I am going to share with you a little rehab I did on some mirrors I bought. I LOVE the mirror from Anthropologie called the Primose. It is so beautiful. I love how it brings an antique look to a modern space. If I could choose, I would want an actual vintage one, but come on, lets be real….it’s not gonna happen.

Well, I have had my eye on the one at Anthropologie, but I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much on a mirror. The size I needed for my space is the 5’ one and it costs $848. So, I decided to just find one at a more reasonable price.

I found one at Kirklands y’all that is so similar to the Primrose. It was $129, but the only problem was it was sold out in the gold and they only had silver. Ugh! It was such a good price, I decided to go ahead and order 2 and refinish them in gold.

When they finally came in, they were beautiful! Yay! I thought I would go ahead and set them up and just see if I needed to make them gold or not. Although they didn’t look bad, I thought they would just pop and look better in gold, sooooooo the project began.

I did a little research online on what to use because I didn’t want to just spray paint them. I wanted them to look like they were vintage. Of course, when you start looking, everyone has their opinion of what they like. After much stressing as to what to use, I went to Michaels and just bought it all! I bought some gold leaf paint, gold leaf sheets and Rub’nBuff.

I used the gold leaf paint first and it was hard to achieve an antique finish and it just looked solid gold. It was pretty and shiny but didn’t look antique or worn. It looked too perfect.

I was very frustrated at this point and OVER IT already. I pushed through my frustrations and decided to use the the Rub’nBuff next.

I started filling in the crevices with black so I could get the antique/worn look. I used some little sponge applicators I found at Michaels and they worked great.

TIP: WEAR GLOVES. I started off without using gloves, but it got messy really quick.

Once I got the black done, I then applied the gold. I got a piece of an old t-shirt and just squeezed a little bit onto the rag and just rubbed it on. After the first try of gold application, I was a little hesitant to apply gold again, but here goes.

Que the “AHHHHHHHH” music with confetti falling from the ceiling. It was like music to the soul. Y’all, this is the first time I have ever used this stuff and let’s just say it’s the BOMB! It was soooooo easy to use and I was able to achieve the look I wanted. The process went really fast and I was so suprised at how they turned out (despite the first mishap with gold leaf paint).

TIP: A LITTLE BIT GOES A LONG WAY! I couldn’t believe I didn’t even use a full tube of the gold on 2 mirrors.

After I got done with the mirrors, I thought..I need to go buy a case of this Rub’nBuff. It is AMAZING! I can’t wait to use it again!

Here is the before and after of the mirror.

BEFORE

AFTER

Keep redeeming!

MOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD

Y’all I couldn’t believe it. The dreaded “M” word was spoken too soon. MOVE is a four letter word in our house. I didn’t want to MOVE again! Here is how it all went down.

On July 31, 2019, I was doing all my last minute packing, family was coming into town, and we were all about to fly out the next day for a long awaited trip to Israel! We had always wanted to go and so Caleb organized it and we started planning the trip a year prior. It was finally here and we were to leave the next day. 

While running around trying to get our last things packed, Caleb calls me aside. He looks at me with those eyes I’ve seen so many time and says, “I need to talk to you for a minute”. I already knew what he was going to say even before he said it. He told me he had gotten a call that morning and he had a job offer in Houston and we had to decide if we were going to say YES by in the morning! 

Seriously, right now...I couldn’t even breathe in the moment. As tears streamed down my face, I wanted to ask why, how, when, why, why and WHY! As I gathered my composure and thoughts, I immediately left and went to Whataburger and ate some fries with gravy and cried. I cried to the fries and they got to hear all about it.

Y’all I could believe it. The dreaded “M” word was spoken too soon. MOVE is a four letter word in our house. I didn’t want to MOVE again! 

Ok, now fast forward to about 11:00 pm the same day...our Josephine from Uganda, Africa is about to go into her visa interview appointment and find out if she will get to come to the USA to start her college education. 

As I walked into my bathroom to get ready for bed, I have a stack of bible verse cards I read each day. As I flipped the card over, this is what it read…WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. My heart had hope. I went and got in bed and waited.

After about an hour of waiting, the phone starts ringing and FaceTime shows up...I see a beautiful, big smile and she said, “I GOT IT, I GOT IT!!!” She was awarded the visa!!! I started to scream. I couldn’t believe it. We met her precious face 12 years earlier (photo below) in Uganda and she finally got to come be with us and come to America (more on her story along with her sister, Juliet in a future post)! I could hardly sleep. I went from a complete low to a complete high in about 8 hours. 

The photo below is the first time we met Josephine during our first trip to Uganda.

The next day, we were off to Israel. I felt like my balloon was deflated! I wanted to be excited for the trip but I wasn’t. However in my weakness, I felt so close to him. My heart was open, my ears were listening, and my eyes were seeing. I wanted to take it all in and listen to His voice. In my sadness, he encouraged me each day with his whispers of hope! It’s all going to be okay. 

Well, my husband accepted the job in Houston, we got back from the trip 10 days later (more to come on the TRIP OF A LIFETIME) and Josephine arrived the next day.

School started for the girls a few days later. There wasn’t any time to try to transfer Josephine with her visa and all and the girls were so mad we were moving so we decided to just stay put for the semester and move in January. Those were the hardest days and months of my life. It was hard with Caleb being gone all week, the girls being so mad at me, and then Josephine was like “a fish out of water” in a new country and me trying to keep it all together.

December couldn’t come soon enough. Although I was so sad to leave the Dallas area, I was ready for us all to be together again. I don’t do well when I don’t have my second half. He is the calm to my storm!!!!! We moved in January 2020. 

*Photo below is the exact depiction of how I felt trying to live life while knowing we were moving for 6 months!

I loved my new home we bought and couldn’t wait to get my decorating hands on it. So stay tuned. There will be lots of before and afters of our new home! With quarantine and lots of times on my hands, let’s just say there were MANY projects that went down. 

Keep redeeming!

GLOBE COLLECTION

When I first saw a globe collection displayed in a magazine, it grabbed all of my attention and I had all the heart eye emoji’s you can fathom. I FELL IN LOVE. I was so inspired by the collection of the turquoise, colorful design of the world in so many sizes and variations.  

I have always loved collections. I think they are so interesting. Since I was a young child, I have always had this deep desire to collect something “cool”, but never could find the right thing. When I was 8, my sister started a rock collection, so I started a leaf collection…didn’t turn out so great.  In college, I decided I was going to collect frogs because my favorite color is green and frogs are green (duh).  

It was great idea, I thought, until everyone I knew started buying me everything you could think of with a frog on it. I was tired of my collection before it really even got started.  

Then one day… I saw this photo in a magazine and I was instantly mesmerized by the globes. Originally, I wanted to start the collection for my husband because he likes globes and I thought it would be fun to do for him. So his interest inspired me and now it’s really my collection instead of his (sorry baby). We have traveled to a few different places across the world and it is a constant reminder of all the different things out there beyond our walls. 

I started my collection about eight years ago. I went to an estate sale of someone who collected globes. I bought my first four globes that day. I then, over the course of 8 years, buy them when I see them at estate sales, antique markets, and thrift stores. I am always on the look-out for a new globe that I don’t already have. I never like to pay too much for them. Over the years, if I now find one I don’t have and it is especially unique I might be more inclined to pay a little more than I used to.  

The photo below is almost all of my globe collection. They wouldn’t all fit on one shelf, so there are a few that aren’t pictured below. I have approximatley 35 globes.

I think my initial attraction to the globes is their vibrant color. My favorite color is green and turquoise. You will find turquoise in pretty much every room in my house. I LOVE IT! It seems that everything I pick out, if there is a turquoise option, you can pretty much guarantee I will choose that color. All that being said, most of my globes are more turquoise in nature instead of blue. I have found that most of the globes dating to the 1960’s and before tend to be more turquoise in color. A lot of the ones past this date are more blue. 

Here is a portion of my globe collection. I have so many that’s its hard to have them all in one place without it being too overwhelming. I hope you enjoy the bright colors and happiness they bring to me when you look at them.

Here are a couple of different ways I have styled my globes. The photo above is from my current home in McKinney, Texas. The photos below are from my home in Atlanta, GA.

Keep redeeming!

BIBLE COLLECTION

Most of everything I see comes from inspiration from something else I have seen. I see something I love and then I like to make my own version or interpretation of it.  

When we moved to San Antonio, I went into my first Restoration Hardware store. I loved all of the “old” mixed with the “new”. Their showrooms are so beautiful. I tend to like A LOT more color in my designs, but I still love their clean, fresh, monochromatic style.  

When going through my first Restoration Hardware showroom, I saw three different sized cloches across a loooonnnggg table with books stacked inside of them. The books had all the covers torn off and were all white, but I loved it. I love the idea. I love collections and this was a new take on a classic collection.  

You can pretty much put anything under a cloche and it looks preserved, special, and oh so beautiful. My first purchase was the cloche from Restoration Hardware. Then I realized it was just the beginning of the finished product of my vision.  

For the next three years, I started collecting little books to make my stack or heart of my new piece I was creating. Most of the little books I found were pocket Bibles. I mostly found them at estate sales. 

I started collecting the small books and Bibles when I saw them and little did I know that it would take such a long time to collect enough to fit inside and fill the cloche. From one house to the other, my Bible (and small book) collection always finds a special home where I can see it often. These Bibles, hymnals, and religious books are one of my favorite collections I own. I love to think about the prayers that have been prayed over them. What was going on in our world when they were used? If only they could talk, what stories would they tell?

Keep redeeming!

ADVENTURE BABY SHOWER

Today I want to share with you a baby shower design I did for my best friend. The other hostesses and I decided on “Lachie’s Adventure Begins” as the shower theme. One of the other hostess was in charge of the invitations. Once she sent me the design, I was all set with the color scheme.

Y’all, I just love to decorate and design parties. It’s so much fun to me. I knew I wanted to try this balloon arch I had seen at another baby shower. I feel like balloons are an inexpensive solution to fill a space and they look amazing! I had never done one of these before so my daughter and I read a few Pinterest suggestions and we just went with it. 

It did take awhile to blow up all the balloons by hand but as long as you have time, it’s not too bad once you get a rhythm. We also got some balloon inflators. We got 2 of them at Walmart and they are cheap but effective. I suggest getting one if you take the plunge and design your own balloon arch. Your lungs will thank you!

Next, I started to gather all of the details. I found pretty much everything that was new at Hobby Lobby, TJ MAXX, or Home Goods. I found some cute bamboo plates at Home Goods, all the napkins came from Hobby Lobby. I also used some round boxes to stack and created layers on the table. I also bought some map scrapbook paper and folded them into paper airplanes. I then hung them from the chandelier. All of the old suitcases and globes were vintage and ones I had around my home.

I created the lettering for all the chalk art on the chalkboard signs. My friend is from here in the USA and her husband is from Australia. When we decided to go with a “worldly” theme, we thought it would be fun to include foods from all over the world. The other hostesses did awesome on all the food. It was fun to try some different foods from all over the world. Each food had a sign with the name and then a flag with where the food originated from. I can’t take credit for this. This was another hostess’s idea.

We ordered the cookies from a local cookie company called “The Flying Cookie.” They turned out amazing. We gave her the theme, which shapes we wanted, and the colors. She crushed it and they were so good. Most importantly though... they looked soooo cute. They were a nice detail. I displayed them in an old colored pencil box that I had. 

Another hostess had the idea of a scrapbook. She had all the supplies to create a page. Each guest was to write their favorite place they had traveled to. It was such a cute idea and what a sweet treasure Lachlan will have. How fun to go and read it later in his life of the things people wrote to him even before he was born. Love it!  

Next time you plan a shower, don’t wait ’til the last minute. Gather things you see a little bit at a time. Also, once you buy the glassware, cake plates, and serving platters, you can use them time and time again. The initial investment can be overwhelming the first time, but it will pay off over the years.

I hope you are inspired for your next party planning adventure! Just remember, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to pull off a super cute party or shower! Think creatively!

I’ve included a photo (below) of my bestie and I at the shower. Awe!

Keep redeeming!

LETTER JACKET FROM DAYS PAST

Do you remember your letter jacket from high school or maybe you wore your boyfriend’s letter jacket? Oh, those were the good ole’ days, weren’t they?!?! I love how even today the teens still have letter jackets.  

They are a classic trend and a piece of high school that has actually stayed in American high schools today. So many things have changed from when I went to school and now that my girls are in school. However, when I went to my first high school pep rally this year for my daughter’s Freshman year, I was pleased to see that the teens are still wearing those classic letter jackets. I love it!

The letter jacket I’m sharing with you today is my husband’s Grandfather’s letter jacket from college. He played basketball at a college in Oklahoma called Bacone College. I was surprised to find that it is still there today.  

My last name is Deerinwater, which is of Cherokee decent. My husband’s Grandfather was 1/2 Cherokee and his father (my husband’s Great Grandfather) was full blood Cherokee Indian. Pretty cool!  

The first time I met Caleb, my husband, he told me his last name and I didn’t believe him. It wasn’t till he showed me his driver’s license that I finally believed him. Anyway, pretty cool last name that always strikes people’s interest on where it originated from.

A couple of years ago we were at my in-laws house and Caleb saw this letter jacket hanging in the closet where we were staying. He asked his Dad about it and Caleb thought it was so cool.  

We casually talked that day how it would be cool to frame it and put it in our game room. So secretly we talked about it later that I would love to surprise Caleb and have the jacket framed. They loved the idea and loved that it wouldn’t be just sitting in a closet collecting dust. They were very gracious to let us have it. My in-laws sent me the jacket, pictures of his Grandfather in the jacket and the certificate from his college. I went and had the jacket framed.  

When I took it in, I noticed on the inside of the jacket, his name was embroidered. So instead of a plaque on the bottom center, I had them take the name out of the jacket and place it as the center piece plaque at the bottom. It turned out beautifully!

I surprised Caleb with the gift for Christmas. He actually cried when I gave it to him. WHAT?!?! He said it was the best gift he had ever gotten. SCORE! My husband is a very practical person and he only likes gifts he can use…like clothes…boring! I am always looking for something different to give him. He is a hard person to surprise.  

Anyway, he loved it, needless to say. It now hangs in our game/pool room as the center piece of our collage wall.  More on the rest of the pieces in a later post.  

Keep redeeming!

PRESERVING MY FAMILY PHOTOS

So...back in my past life I was a photographer. No seriously, I was a professional photographer for about 9 years, so I guess it’s no surprise; I LOVE PHOTOS! I have ALWAYS loved photos. Even as a young child I loved photos. 

My Dad had a “real” camera (as I would call it) and was always taking pictures of us at all of our special events. I think he is the one that introduced me to the camera and my love for photography. 

Back in the day, before digital cameras came around, we used  film. Instead of taking 1,000 photos at an event, we had to get the job done in 24 or 36. Lol! I will have to say, it was like Christmas morning when your film would be developed and your pictures were finally ready for pickup at Walmart!!!!! 

Oh how exciting it was to see what you captured. Most of the time, you maybe had 5 good pics out of 24. It was fun though. I kinda miss those days. Our kids today will never know the anticipation of waiting a week to look at the photos.

Now that you know I love photos, I love old photos as well as new ones! My Grandmother had so many old family photos and heirlooms. She loved to preserve and frame all of her families portraits, old and new. She had a den that was totally covered wall to wall with family portraits. I always loved it as a child. 

I would ask her about a photo and then she would take me around the room and explain who the family members were and what year the photo was taken. On the back of every 8x10 frame was written with every detail she knew of the photo. I treasure these so much today. What a gift she has passed on. Many generations to come will have the memories and details of our ancestors. 

When my Grandmother passed, my sisters and I split up all of the photos. I have also gathered some from my in-laws and Dad’s family as well. I love for the photos to look old and none of them had frames from the original time period. 

Any time I’m out at an antique store or an estate sale, I will buy an old frame or matte if I like it. I then have some old frames as well as new ones I find to use when ready to frame my old photos. Some of my old family photos were such odd sizes or maybe they are extra special to me so I take those to have them framed professionally. Here are a few of the photos I have preserved and have around my home. 

Another way I like to display old family heirlooms is with a shadow box or a cloche. I love the story each piece tells and every time I see it I am reminded of where I came from and how each person is knit into my family’s story. 

So next time your grandmother or any family member passes down a family heirloom, keep it, preserve it and display it! A stack of photos in a drawer is great, but aren’t they so much more lovely in a  frame or on display to enjoy! 

Always remember, these things take time to gather. I have a list of things I’m looking for and some crazy idea I have every time I go into an antique store. The hunt is so much fun and even more rewarding when you finally find what you’re looking for. Be patient and enjoy the journey. Your family will thank you.

Keep redeeming!

SID DICKENS COLLECTION

My next collection I want to share with y’all is my Sid Dickens block collection. They are created by an artist by the name of Sid Dickens from Canada. Each season/year he comes out with new designs. Some designs have been available since he started and others are special editions and others get retired. 

Once a block is retired, it raises in value. Honestly, I don’t really care about the value and couldn’t tell you which ones of mine are retired or are worth more than others. I just love them. They are priceless to me. They are always a conversation piece. 

I first saw a collection of Sid Dickens blocks on display at a gift store in Fredericksburg. The first time I saw them that day, I could have stared at that wall for hours. It was so intriguing to me. When we left that day, I told my husband I wanted to start collecting the blocks. 

Fast forward about 6 months to Christmas time. As I opened one of my last gifts, it was my first Sid Dickens block! My husband picked it out for me all on his own and I was so surprised. On the back, each block has a title with the meaning in poem-like wording. The artwork image on the front not only speaks, but the writings/descriptions on the back give it even more life.

I LOVE SENTIMENTAL GIFTS. I am more interested in the thought behind the gift more than the actual gift. One of my favorite gifts my husband has ever gotten me (besides the blocks of course) is a list of the 30 reasons why he loves me on my 30th birthday. He sent me on a scavenger hunt and each place had an envelope and inside it had a reason why he loved me and a clue to where the next reason. It was so special to me and I love to reread them every so often. My love language is words of affirmation, so it explains why I love thoughtful words so much.

Each block he has given to me correlated with whatever special occasion/holiday in which it was given. I think I have picked out maybe 5 out of the 28. Other than those I picked, he’s picked out the rest. It’s always a surprise to see what he chooses. He has done very well, knows me well, and what I would like. The photo below is my full current collection.

My favorite thing about these blocks is the eclectic nature to them. I love how they are all so different yet look so perfect when put together. Every season of our life is unique in its own way, we have mountains and valleys, times of pause and time of movement; yet, when all the chapters of our life are woven together, they make a beautiful story. What’s your story?

Keep redeeming!

SCHOOL HOUSE STYLE

I once saw a type of design style as “schoolhouse”. I had never really heard that before, but I was instantly connected to it. Anytime I am at an antique store/mall, I often get asked if I’m a teacher. When you put things that I like and that I’m drawn to all together, it seems they are all related to school in one way or another. This next vignette is in my main entry hallway and I would describe it as my “school house” vignette.  

I have always loved card catalogs, lawyer cabinets, hardware cabinets, etc.  I see them often at antique stores, but they are always out of my budget. I never want to pay what the dealer is asking for them. Not that they aren’t worth it, I’m just not willing to pay that much.  

When living in San Antonio, I went to this auction house weekly for treasures. I had a booth at the time and so I was constantly on the lookout for new items to buy and sell. Ok…little rabbit trail here…if you like antiques, estate sales, bargains, the hunt…GO TO AN AUCTION!  

Let me tell you real quick about my first action experience. Y’all it is so much fun and kinda exhilarating. It is such an adrenaline rush. This was my experience. You can go and look and see what will be on the auction block during the day of the auction and then the auction starts at 7p.m.  

I would write down the items I liked and my max amount I wanted to pay and then I take my list, get my popcorn and coke, and get ready for showtime. When my item would come up, you get your card ready with your bid number on it. You register before the auction starts with your name, payment information, and then they assign you a number. They then give you a card with your number on it. This is what you raise when you want to bid on something. It is so nerve-wracking, but so fun.  

I saw this card catalog cabinet one afternoon. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to be there that night because my husband was out of town on business and I needed to stay home with my girls. Y’all, I wanted this so bad and if I was ever going to be able to actually afford one of these cabinets, this was my chance.  

I set what my top bid would be and made a promise to myself I would absolutely not go over. If you weren’t able to be there in person, they allowed phone bids. I called in, and it was finally time for the cabinet. I was in a bidding war between a couple of other people and as the price kept rising, I was thinking I wasn’t going to get it.  

The price got to my max bid and I made my final bid and I heard silence, followed by… going once, going twice, SOLD! I couldn’t believe it! I got it! It is my favorite piece of furniture that I own. I absolutely love it! 

David Bust

My David statue was a gift from my sister many years ago. She found it at a thrift store (yes, thrifting runs in my family) and bought it for me.  It’s moved around with us for 15 years and always finds a new spot in our home. She has even tried a couple of times to take it back. LOL - I think she secretly regrets giving it to me since he’s so handsome!

Silhouettes

Oh how I love silhouettes. They are black and white which makes me love them even more. They are timeless. The ones pictured are of my girls and I. The girls’ silhouettes were my souvenir when we went to Disney World when they were just 6 and 8.  

The large silhouette is of me my senior year in high school. The moms did silhouettes of all the athletes for our athletic banquet. I didn’t even realize I had this until unpacking and finding it during one of our moves.  

North America Map

I found the map at an antique store named Alley Cat in Wichita Falls. It was such a great price at $50 and the perfect colors. It is a vintage school classroom map with canvas backing.

Little Window

The little arched window was found at Scott’s Antique Market when I lived in Atlanta, Georgia. I thought it was so unique how it was so little and arched. I thought at $85 it was a little pricey, but it was unique enough that I was willing to pay a little more for the uniqueness of it. It was so cute; I just had to have it. 

Letter Boards & Signs

As for the signs…I made the “LIVE YOUR WILD DREAMS” sign. The chalkboard sign was a find in an antique mall in Monroe, Georgia and I created the chalk art on the sign. It comes from the song “Oceans”, my anthem for my journey through all of my moves in the last 8 years. My felt letter board was a gift from my husband a couple of years ago for Christmas. He bought it on Etsy. I just love the vintage, yet modern look of these boards.  Classic.  

Old Books

Last but not least…there are 3 books displayed. The first is an old Bible I found at an estate sale and the next one is a medical book from the early 1900’s that was my great, great Grandfather’s. He was a doctor who was born on February 14 on Valentine’s Day and was named…Dr. Valentine Norris. It was one of his medical books. My Grandmother gave it to me years ago. The last book is a thrift store find.

Most of the pieces in this vingette have been found and redeemed. There are a few new things, but a majority of it is vintage. I hope this inspires you to not just think new, shiny things are beautiful. Look beyond the new and look to the old or worn. They tell a story and you get to continue their story.

Keep redeeming!

MAPQUEST

With my love for globes, I have also acquired a love for old maps. These can be so much harder to find than a globe. The minute I walk into an antique store or thrift store, I can always spot that beautiful turquoise map from a mile away. I currently have 2 hanging wall maps, one of the United States and one of Africa. 

Since, we have traveled to Uganda several times and we have such a connection to Africa, I have been looking for a good, old African map for YEARS! I finally found it about 6 months ago at an antique store. Score! Isn’t she beautiful?!?! 

Every time I see vintage or antique items around my home that I have acquired over the years, I always love to be reminded of where I found it and redeemed it. Some of the items come with a back story and some don’t. I just love to think of all of the stories they could tell. Where has this map been? Was it used in school or somewhere else? I don’t know, it just intrigues me to think of such things. To take this new treasure and weave it into my decor is so fun and inspiring to me. 

I have learned a few things about my acquired treasures. I try to use them and transform them shortly after or right when I buy them or sometimes I never get inspired to use or transform them again. Sometimes it will set in a closet or garage for a few months until I think of the perfect place and idea of how to display it. However, I wouldn’t recommend this. Lol!

It used to aggravate me so much when I would call my husband or send him a photo of the most absolute gorgeous treasure I had found (and would possibly never find again) and his first response was ALWAYS, “Where are you going to put it?” Seriously, is that the best response you can give me? It is a very valid question, but come on, that’s not important at the moment. I just want it and want him to “bless” my purchase.  In the beginning of my marriage I hated it, but now I really try to ask myself that question when I find a new treasure. “Do I have a place for this?” If I can’t think of a place to display it or use it, I try (sometimes I don’t succeed at this) to leave it be.

All of that being said, I have to say that I didn’t really have a place for my map when I purchased it, but after another purchase (my antique watchmaker’s desk) and a little rearranging, it now has it’s new home in our home office. 

My other map that I have is our United States map that was found while I was living in Atlanta, GA. I was in Archer City visiting family and I was shopping at Alley Cat Vintage Mercantile in Wichita Falls. I saw this map hanging while shopping around. I am always afraid to look at the price tag because what if it costs more than I am willing to spend. I looked on the back of the map at the price tag and it was $50. What? Yes, I’ll take this please! I couldn’t get it to the check out soon enough. I was so excited. It was so beautiful, in great shape, and the colors were beautiful!

The photos above are where it hangs in our entry hallway. I just love this map. I not only loves maps for their beautiful colors, but it is a constant reminder of how small we are in this big world. There is a world out there to see and explore with all kinds of people, cultures, and beautiful scenery of God’s precious creations. Don’t let one of his greatest gifts to us go unseen.

Keep redeeming!

GUEST BEDROOM MAKEOVER

One of my favorite rooms in our home is one of our spare bedrooms. It has black, white, and a rainbow of colors. All my favorites things! The bedroom design started with these two fabulous antique twin beds and our precious Albanian “bonus” daughters as my inspiration.

Last Christmas, our girls from Kosovo were coming to stay with us over their Christmas break and I wanted to surprise them by decorating the guest room they would be staying in. Let me tell you a quick back story on our Kosovo girls.

While living in Atlanta, Georgia we were blessed with some of our “bonus” daughters. The church we were attending was asking for host families for a one month exchange program for teenagers from Kosovo. Caleb immediately turned to me and said that is right by Bosnia where I was deployed when I was in the Army. Let’s do it!!!! 

We decided we would host a girl and we ended up with 3 girls...Sara, Aurora and Ujeza. We had the best time over the 1 month they stayed with us. In such a short amount of time we tried to show all we could of America. After the month was over, we were all in tears when it was time for them to leave and go back to Kosovo. They are forever a part of our family and we love them dearly. We still keep in touch with them and they keep us updated on their busy college lives.

After we did the one month exchange, we were asked if we wanted to do more of a long term exchange for the girls that were going to college here in the states on a four year program. We said YES! We then got 2 more girls added to our family, Flaka and Agreta. We had the time of our lives with them. They instantly fit right into our family. Caleb was way outnumbered! It was him against all of us females!!!

The day I found out we were moving back to Texas was bittersweet. I was so happy to be finally moving back to Texas closer to family, BUT we were going to have to leave our precious Albanian girls behind in Atlanta. Y’all that was one of the hardest goodbyes. It was absolutely terrible. We cried a lot that night!

Since we moved, they live with another host family and they are finishing their degrees. They still come and visit when they are not in school or back home in Kosovo. We also make trips to Atlanta to see them since they are so busy with school. 

With my “bonus” daughters in mind, I created our guest room. They were my inspiration! They were coming for Christmas and I wanted the room to be perfect for them. 

I had some silhouettes photos of them we did while in Atlanta one night when we were bored when the electricity was out one stormy night. I cut the silhouette out using my Silhouette Cameo. I then got the oval frames at Walmart. 

The ball garland came from the dollar bins at Target, while some of the pictures and bedding also came from Target. 

The antique twin beds were a purchase I made in Monroe, Georgia at one of my favorite antique stores. I have always wanted a room with 2 twin beds. Don’t ask me why...I just love 2 twin beds in a room. Maybe it’s because I shared a room with my sister my entire childhood. 

When I bought the beds they were so dirty and had stains on them. They had been in storage for many years and when you hit the fabric, a huge dust cloud would come out of them. I had originally thought I would reupholster them because they were dirty.

When I was going to redo the bedroom for the girls, I wanted to use the beds but I knew I didn’t have time to get them reupholstered. My sister said, “Just clean them up!” I really didn’t even think of that to be honest. I thought they were too dirty to even get them clean enough to use. So I decided to just do it! I knew I had to really clean them good or the person that slept in the bed might have their lungs clogged with dust before they woke up the next morning.

It was a chore, but I cleaned them with a solution I found and then vacuumed them a million times till I couldn’t get anymore dirt out. They turned out beautiful! I was happy that most of the stains on them all came out.

The photo below is the before. You can see all the black on the footboard. I really didn’t think it would come clean but it did!

The flat file stores all of our family’s artwork, crafting paper, and art paper supplies. It usually ends up in a closet or garage because it’s soooo big and hard to fit appropriately in a room. 

Well in this house, I didn’t have a place for it. It didn’t fit in any closet and I really didn’t want it in the garage long term as I was afraid the temperature fluctuations would affect the artwork. So, it’s now the centerpiece for the guest room. 

The lamps and book set came from HomeGoods, while the David statue came from an estate sale. 

If you have ever entertained the thought about hosting an exchange student, do it! Y’all I was so nervous at first. I really was scared to think of having my girls with two teenage girls...would it be good or bad or awesome or absolutely terrible!?! All those hormones in one place can be scary. 

I laugh now, because it was nothing but a blessing. It was nothing short of awesome! Why was I ever scared?!?! God put us in their lives and them in our lives. I’m so glad our paths crossed with all five of these girls and they will forever be a part of this momma’s heart. 

I hope you enjoy my guest room, which was designed with my Albanian daughters in mind....Flaka, Agreta, Ujeza, Sara, and Aurora! All of my Albanian daughters always have a home here in America. Our door is always open. We love you girls so much! 

As for the redeemed twin beds, I am so happy with how they turned out. All of the other perfect details were so fun and make me smile every time I enter the room. I am going with the thoughts of the sign hanging in the room - CHOOSE TO SHINE!

Keep redeeming!

Photo below by Emily Loving Photography

SCIENCE BEAKERS

So...I love “school” stuff. I don’t know why! I’m not a teacher, but I love all things that go in classrooms...globes, maps, clipboards, rulers, chalkboards, etc. I really could go on forever. Do you ever wonder what draws us to something? Why do I like these things? What is it in these things that captures my attention? 

While shopping at McKinney Trade Days, I found some treasures. Well I call them treasures. You know they always say “One man’s trash, is another man’s treasure!”

Ok, so you know how I love school stuff, well that includes beakers from science class! Once again, I don’t know why, I just think they are cool. I love the odd shape, the tick-like measurement lines on the side. Oooh…all of it!

I have seen these around and they are always so expensive. While just Junkin’ around looking for my next treasure, I spotted these beakers. I asked the price and he said $45 for all! Yes! SOLD! 

I couldn’t wait to get them home and clean them up. They were in perfect condition, so all I really did was wash them out with some soapy water and then let them dry! 

Next I found some cute greenery stems. The stems are pictured below are called Bells of Ireland and I used them at my wedding. I just love the shape of them. When I saw them at a local shop, I had to have them. When I got my beakers all cleaned up, I knew exactly what to put in them. Y’all, I love them!

The beakers were such a bargain and they fit with my style so great! Well at least I think so! Yay! Science beakers for the win. 

They are pictured here in their current home on top of one of my cabinets in my dining room. I just realized in this photo, I don’t have the candles in my candelabra. Ugh! Well you get the gist of it. Just imagine them…whatever color you wish!

Next time you see something that catches your eye, know that you are drawn to it for a reason. Embrace your own style!

Keep redeeming!

UMBRELLA PLANTER + STAND

When we moved into our house in San Antonio, the home owners left their umbrella stand at our pool. It went from house to house and it still works great and has withstood the Texas wind and weather. 

I have bought numerous umbrella stands to always be disappointed. I finally got fed up with wasting my money. One of the umbrella stands I had was awesome, but I needed another one. So, I finally got smart and decided to just try to make another one like the other one I had inherited. 

First I bought a large pot. I went everywhere looking for an inexpensive pot. Y’all they are so expensive! I finally ended up at Walmart and Walmart for the win once again. Why didn’t I just go there first? I then went to Lowe’s and bought two bags of the Quickcrete and some PVC pipe.

TIP: I took the bottom of my umbrella pole with me to make sure I got the right size PVC and that the pole fit inside the PVC pipe. It should fit just right without much wiggle room. 

I first put the PVC in the bottom of the pot to measure where I needed to cut it off. I cut mine off with a saw at about 5 inches above the top of the pot. 

Next my daughter held the pole in place and pressed it down towards the bottom so concrete wouldn’t come up inside the PVC pipe.

I then put the dry mix in the pot. I added the appropriate amount of water needed per the directions. I then mixed it around with a long pole. Be sure to keep your PVC pipe straight or your umbrella will be crooked. When it started to set we let go of pole and let it sit overnight. 

The next morning, I drilled a hole in the PVC pipe to secure the umbrella pole to the PVC. With living in Texas the wind can get crazy and it has lifted my umbrella out of the stand on several occurrences so I decided I needed a way to add a little extra bracing if you will. After I drilled the hole, I bought these “things” to secure the umbrella to the stand. I really don’t even know what they are, but they work!!!  

I drilled a couple of holes on each side of the pot for the plants to have a drain. We then added some potting soil over the concrete and we planted our beautiful plants and flowers in the top.

Last but not least...we added our umbrella. Wa-lah! 

I hope you enjoy my umbrella stand that is sturdy and looks pretty too. You will not regret doing this project. It is super easy for anyone to do! 

Keep redeeming!

REDEEMED PATIO

Patio season is comin’ y’all! I can’t tell you how excited I am to share with you my redeemed patio. It was looking something terrible lately. 

We bought our last set of patio furniture at Tuesday Morning when we lived in Atlanta about 3 1/2 years ago. It has held up great, but this winter it finally said it was too tired to keep going. The fabric was ripping and it looked terrible. 

I DID NOT want to spend a bunch of money on new patio furniture. Why is it so dang expensive? Ugh! My husband said, “can we not just get new cushions?!?” Well, yes we can if we can find the right size. 

I was already dreading trying to find the right size cushions. I feel like these companies make these sets with weird sizes so you can never find cushions to replace the worn out ones and you just end up buying a whole new set because it seems impossible. In a lot of brands, it’s just as expensive to replace the cushions as it is to buy a whole new set...which is still expensive. 

Anyway, I went into Walmart to get a new pot for my new plant and I came out with 3 carts full of cushions, pillows, and chairs. Y’all know how much a I love black and white stripes. When I saw the black and white stripes when I entered the patio department of Walmart, I died inside! I wanted it all and I wanted it now! Ok, not really, but kinda. 

We bought all the cushions my Walmart had and then 6 Walmarts later we got enough to transform my patio! When I have my mind set on something, there is no turning back. I was going to gather enough cushions if I had to drive all over the Metroplex to get them. Luckily I didn’t have to drive far at all!

So, who would of thought that Walmart had all the cute things I needed to redo my entire patio.

After finding all of the cushions for my loveseats and chairs at Walmart, by the next week my lounge chairs near the pool started to tear and rip. Ugh! I knew these would have to be replaced eventually, but I didn’t know they were going to die so soon after I finished the other side of the patio.

I have bought several sets of outdoor cushions at World Market over the years and to my surprise they came through again with my new lounge chairs and cushions. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the black and white striped cushions! The wood loungers were also so beautiful and just the look I was going for. It was at the end of the season when I spotted them, so I could only get 2 cushions. I had to drive to another location an hour away to get the third, but it was totally worth it. Yay! I hope to enjoy many summer days and nights under these lights and skies. Hope you enjoy all the stripes as much as I do! 

Although our back yard doesn’t have a lot a grass and all of the houses are packed in next to each other, one thing I love about our house in McKinney is the way the sun sets over the pool each night. All the photos below are all just snapshots with my phone from different sunsets out by our pool. I never knew how much I took sunsets for granted until I lived in Georgia. The trees were absolutely beautiful but from where we lived, you never saw the sunset. Sometimes it takes losing something to appreciate it. Thank you God for the opportunity to see these beautiful sunsets every night.

Keep redeeming!

All photos above in this post are taken by www.emilylovingphoto.com