All Things Beautiful | A Thankfully Imperfect Woman

Oct 24

A Grease Monkey, Family Heirlooms, and Barb Kellogg Photography

The Grease Monkey is me…yes I shop at the St Louis County Mall (aka the dump) and yes, I grab greasy treasures! I have a little too much fun cleaning up these treasures…thank you Dawn dish soap, or as my husband puts it “If it’s good enough to clean ducks, it’s good enough for this”. (Obviously referring to the oil spills, the affected waterfowl, and the Dawn dish soap commercials.) I had GREAT fun cleaning up the pulley!

And yes, my husband thinks I’m nuts. Oh ye of little faith…but then he sees the finished product and says “Well, that’s cool!” 🙂

In the featured LOVE picture, the first two items were dump (oops Mall) finds. The V is a folding tape measure that was Tim’s Grandpa’s. And the two clamps I picked up at my friend’s garage sale…I needed an E…what can I say?

And here’s a collage of the rest of the wall! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! Read more

Oct 23

Antlers, Leaves, and Wreaths = FALL

I LOVE FALL!

For anyone who’s seen my house this is no big surprise. Deep green with red and pumpkin colored trim? Yes, please. Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year. Bring on the sweaters…the pants…oooohhhhh – the scarves! And then there’s the decorating! I had so much fun doing my fall decorating this year…ok, it was done 3 weeks ago, but I’ve been kind of busy!

There’s outside decorating:

A Tiger for Elena

Little Miss Elena loves tigers.

Not just any tigers, she loves the tiger at the zoo…and I think the tiger loves her.

We all went to the zoo on her last birthday so she could introduce us to her friend, and while we were there Elena stood on a ledge to point out her tiger, who was pacing back and forth. One moment he was pacing, and the next he’d reared up with his front paws on the glass to literally look at her eye to eye.

I’m not sure if he was thinking ‘lunch’ or not, but I quickly told her he was saying “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” The poor little peanut turned her wary look into a big smile and off we all went to see the next animal…and her love of tigers remains!

I decided a week ago to get rid of an old dresser I’d been hanging onto. I mentioned it to Elena’s Mom, Jen, and she said she didn’t have one for Elena yet and maybe it was time.

Well…I couldn’t just sell her the plain old dresser, not for our little Miss Elena. I had hoped at one point to paint a beautiful flower on the front and then sell it, but had decided to just get rid of it…needless to say…the idea came back to me. I asked Jen what animal I could paint on the dresser for Elena and she immediately said a tiger. I should have known.

A few days later little missy appeared in her favorite t-shirt adorned with what else, but her favorite animal. So I convinced her it was dirty (it actually was), so I could borrow it.

Here is my weekend project, done with lots of love, for a sweet little girl who loves tigers…

(This is where my oldest daughter would say “Ta-daaaaaa!”)

Elena got to see her new dresser yesterday and her smile said it all.

Patty O

ps…this is absolutely one of my favorite things to do…so if you know of anyone who wants an extra splash on their decor, whether it be for a child’s piece of furniture or an adult’s, just give me a call!

Sep 27

4 Comments

Just Hanging Off the Grape Arbor

Yeah…don’t mind me…

It was just another day in my so-called sane life. Actually it was last week. Read more

Sep 16

3 Comments

The Red Fred Project…Join Me

Have you heard of this project yet?

If you’re like me, you haven’t. It was just introduced to me by my good friend Karen, who knows the creator.

I don’t think there’s much I need to say beyond…please, please take a moment to click on the link and watch the video, then read what this project is all about. You may want to grab a kleenex…

The Red Fred Project: 50 Books by 50 Critically ill Children

My heart is filled with love for this project, from the beginning of working with a critically ill young person and their family, to the end result of the book and book sales, which The Red Fred Project gives to the family to help with their medical costs. This truly is an incredible project. It’s not just about life or death…it’s about giving a child who is chronically ill a chance to be creative, a feeling of purpose, about leaving a legacy and an incredible memory for that child’s family to cherish.

Loving & empowering children, and helping families in need. This is what life is about.

I’m going to send in a donation…do you want to join me?

They need $75,000 by Sunday, October 13th to move this project forward – so please – donate soon! If they are short of their goal, by a penny, none of the funding happens for the project — no one’s donation goes through. Even now, the people who have pledged will not see their money leave their account UNLESS The Red Fred Project hits its goal in October. Give now, give generously, give what you can…every little bit helps!

And then share their link on your facebook page, twitter account, and every other account you’re on…copy it and hand it out at work, church, the dog park, the laundromat, local restaurants, on the bus, in the subway, to your mother, to your brother, to your sister, to your mother’s brother’s sister-in-law…just share it with everyone!

Patty O