15 Days of Duane: Day One

Since it is November- and it's the magic month that my sweet husband came into this world almost 26 years ago.... I've decided for his birthday to countdown the top 15 reasons of why he's the bomb.com. So in 15 days when he turns 26--- he will have no doubt how much he's loved by his (super hott, loving, smart, classy, caring) wife! Jk :)

I am so blessed beyond belief by having such a wonderful man to call my husband. And I think number one is very obvious...

He's hott.

Just kidding (kinda).

Seriously- he loves the Lord more than he loves me. His heart for God's Word and seeking His will in every situation especially when it comes to leading his family. Especially in this last decision we made to join a new church in our town. He was leaving everything he knew, everything he was accustomed to since the 8th grade- but I saw him desperately search out God's will for us- and very boldly and peacefully make a decision. He is a man of character. I love him more than life itself and I am so blessed with a spiritual leader for our home. And one day future babies.

Duane I promise to always honor and respect you as the spiritual leader of our home. Thank you for being who the Lord has called you to be for me. Thank you for your love for Jesus and striving to honor Him in everything you do.

I love you babe!

October Happenings

Happy Fall! Yayyyyyyy! I am ONE happy camper with this cool weather coming in! I LOVE IT! I've been wearing my long sleeves already- even if I am sweating by noon. Who cares! It's fall!!! There have been SO many things going on here lately! Lots of changes for our family-- but really exciting at the same time.

The biggest piece of news is that Duane and I have decided to join a new church in Chattanooga. We just felt very called and very at peace with the direction the Lord has been moving us. We know that He has big plans for us and we know that He will use us in a mighty way! We are looking forward to serving in whatever areas He leads. It's sometimes a little scary when you move away from everything you've known for awhile- but we are confident that the Lord has a purpose! There were no fights, disagreements, people, or upheavals at our old church that caused this decision-- we love that sweet church family SO SO dearly-- but it is ONLY a matter of God's timing and leading.

The second weekend of October I got to spend with my sweet Mary Kay sisters at Dazzle and Delight with our FABULOUS National Sales Director, Diana Sumpter, in Nashville. We had such an amazing time of dreaming, scheming, and fellowship with other dynamic women from all over the southeast! The Bombshells dominated in attendance and I was privileged to have my girls Emily East, Terra Keylon, Amber Mullins, and Caitlin Maddux with me. I'm telling you, I am SO blessed to have such special women like them that surround me on a daily basis. I cannot believe that my life revolves around leading such women of excellence! I love my Bombshells more than they know! And I am so proud of the obstacles they are overcoming to create the life of their dreams for them and their families. What a story we are writing!!

Here is a photo with the Bombshells and our fabulous National, Diana Sumpter!

In preparation for the weekend at Diana's, the Directors decided to bring her a gift to show appreciation for all she's done for all the preparation and hard work that went into it! So here is the end result of that project!

Wreath made with poly deco mesh ribbon from HL, fab shoe/cosmetic/crown ornaments and hanging canvas. All her new favorite "F" words! :)

Also- that weekend we had a shoe fashion show and the winner got a fun prize. SO- I had seen these shoes on Pinterest I was dying for. There were all kinds of hand glued gems and brooches covering the shoe. They were so fab--- but SO out of my price range at a whopping $575! NO WAY JOSE!

So in true Whitney fashion, I thought, "hmm...maybe I can make those."

SO away I went, gluing and gluing. It actually did not take me as long as I expected and they turned out SUPER cute. I call them my Cinderella shoes:) AND I won!

Here is the "before" shoe. Just some old silver pumps I never wore.

Here's the after result! Some cheap gems from HL, gem tac glue, and a china marker to pick up the gems. And TA-DA! Cinderella shoes!

My fun blingy earrings that were the prize!

Anyway-- I've tried to squeeze in some art stuff here and there over the past two months. I don't have tons of time to put towards it- but it's a MAJOR stress reliever for me (usually) and it's something I enjoy. So....here are a couple projects or gifts I've worked on lately:

Mrs. Debbie Tadlock asked me to paint this for her new grandbaby that will be arriving soon. She wrote the poem- I just painted! Love the words she wrote!

One of my friends, Elizabeth Mashburn is engaged and is marrying her super sweet police officer hubby. This was a gift for him and his "man cave" in their new home.

A really good friend, Haley Williams, has decided to homeschool her three precious baby girls this year. So of course she needed some scripture for her school room!

Haley's sister, Hannah-- another one of my besties-- saw this on Pinterest and decided she needed it for her apartment. Totally fits her!

Remember that hand painted wallpaper picture for my National office on a previous post? Yeah. I decided I didn't like it. Call me crazy (literally) but I painted over it. Believe me-- I was yelling at myself as I was doing it. BUT I will admit- the end result is much much better for the room. Painted it a matte gray color that is in my kitchen- and did a subtle swirl design in the same color with a high gloss finish. Turned out great!

Some fun painted pumpkins for my front door! (Those gems look familiar on the black one? Leftovers from my shoes!)

Fun front door cross.

Also-- a blog post would not be complete without a picture of my precious nephew. This just made my day yesterday:

I mean-- he thinks he IS Buzz Lightyear!

He's about to turn three on Nov. 26 and I can't believe it!

So other than a wedding I planned, coordinated, and directed on Oct. 14 (blog post coming soon)-- that's pretty much our October.

We are excited about all the new wonderful things happening in our lives and excited about what's to come in the holiday season! Just remember-- no matter what happens, no matter what curveballs come your way, no matter how many hard decisions you have to make, even in times you don't know where to turn-- join our family in praying-- "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You"

2 Chronicles 20:12

Happy Fall!

Here's to a Fresh Start!!

Hey everyone!

This past weekend- Duane and I had the privilege of spending a long weekend with the family down in Mississippi. Mom and Dad are preparing for a big transition by moving from our home of 12 years in Pontotoc to Tupelo (about 25 minutes away) so that they can both be closer to the incredible jobs that the Lord has blessed them with. It is such a relief for me to watch them ridding away old burdens and relationships that once really bogged them down. It has definitely been a long two year journey of transition, heartache, depression, shock, prayer, and ultimately peace in the new path the Lord is bringing to my parents. I am excited to see them start fresh, but also a little sad to see them leave the house that I have called home for a long time. A lot of memories in that sweet little house on Main Street-- but also, most recently, a lot of hard times associated with bad memories. SO-- the Lord has so graciously placed my dad in an UNBELIEVABLE position at American Family Radio where he is the TOP DOG over the entire radio network with a ministry more on a national level. And my mom, at the last minute of the summer, was offered a position at an elementary school in Tupelo-- when teachers were not getting jobs period. Only God. So it is only a natural move for them to buy a house in Tupelo when they have no ties to Pontotoc any longer. So this weekend was probably one of the last times I will stay in that house-- which really wasn't even as sad as I thought it would be.

So-- we started packing by taking everything off the walls and wrapping all the decorative stuff in newspaper and bubble wrap. It was weird to see bare walls-- but it was fun to find things that you had even forgotten existed like pictures, old handmade t-shirts from high school, and memorable items saved from grandparents and family members that have already gone on to be with Jesus. Plus- my sister and I are obsessed with helping my mom CLEAN OUT-- we are PURGING big time which is painful for her at first but trust us mom, it's for your own good :)

We loved getting to spend time with everyone there (Mom, Dad, Amber, Matt, Wil Franklin, Me and Duane) for the first time in awhile. Wil Franklin is HILARIOUS these days and so freakin smart I can't even describe it. I mean- he's TWO and can already speak clearly in very intelligent full sentences, spell words, say the alphabet, pick out letters, sing complete songs, do sign language....I mean the kid's a genius. So we had a great time "playin." Uncle D (Duane) brought his gas powered remote control car (that goes like 45 mph) and WF LOVED it. He would laugh that deep belly laugh when Duane would zip it past him as fast as it would go. He would yell, "Uncle Deeee! Do a "wheelwie!" (wheelie). It was great. Then, Duane and I bought him a giraffe named Geoffrey that "talked" and WF got a kick out of it too. Especially when Duane would do his famous sound effects of Geoffrey sneezing and getting punched in the face. Super cute! Here is a video of WF and Duane bonding with "Geoffrey!" I LOVE hearing that deep belly laugh! Hysterical!

Then we also got to go visit my Grandaddy Rob in the Veteran's Home in Oxford. He's 92 years old and definitely the love of my life. He's my only living grandparent and he is the most Godly, wise, funny, loving, hardworking man living on this planet. It is very hard to see him sick and living in a home-- but it is always sweet to get to love on him. He was in GREAT spirits when we visited him and he knew who we were-- which was a huge plus. Wil Franklin and "Gandaddee Wob" always get along great and they kept cracking each other up. It was a very sweet visit with our whole family there. Here is a sweet picture we got during the visit:

After we visited with Grandaddy- we headed over to Chili's to meet up with our cousins Emily, Caleb, Micah, Katie, and Jordan. So much fun to get to hang out with that crew! Emily and Caleb have just found out they are expecting- which is SO fun!! Micah and Katie are both wrapping up school. And Jordan has just come back from working at a camp in New Mexico for the Summer! She is looking into several full time camp opportunites all across the country- which is sad to see her so far away- but I'm so THRILLED to see what the Lord is going to do through her ministry wherever He places her!

I have to post this picture that Emily uploaded to FB today....so sweet....Baby East due April 14!

Me and Amber also went to see "The Help" while we were in town- while the boys saw "Apollo 18." The Help was a great movie and such a tear jerker- but it was good to spend some quality time with the sister just like old times. Miss her terribly!

Overall we had a great weekend! Got to see the "new house" in Tupelo, get them started packing, and get set up for a GREAT NEW START! God is good and He ALWAYS provides! Thankful for His mercies, His blessings, and His provision for my family.

I'll be headed back down in a couple of weeks whenever they close on the new house to help them officially move and have my last official stay in the white house on Main Street.

I will not be sad- I will not feel sorry for us-- I will trust that God is in control and that He is also the God of new beginnings! Praise Him!

"But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave..." Mark 6:11

Accents

This was really fun! I saw "vlog" on a blog of a friend from college. I have no idea how to "link up" but it's from Ashley at ourhappilyeverafters.blogspot.com. Anywho-- I JUST hooked up our webcam and figured out how to use it....so needless to say it's 10:30 on a Friday night and I'm in my PJs with crazy hair and no makeup-- but I was DYING to try this thing out. Even though I kinda felt a little ridiculous talking to my computer....

But this is my "Accents" vlog where I read several words and answer some questions to record how I say things. I'm pretty sure my mouth movement doesn't match up with my sound. Which is annoying...don't know how to fix that. AND I'm such a liar when I say I don't sound southern.....HOLY COW just record yourself and then play it back if you're in denial about your accent....

I would love for someone else to post this and let me hear yours! But for now enjoy crazy hair! :)

Goodbye August..

Well-- August is officially over and I can't say that I'm too sad. I love moving into my FAVORITE time of year! Fall! Oh fall...how I love you! Time for Mississippi State football, pumpkins, scarves, boots, pretty leaves, bonfires, and the holidays! I LOVE IT!

Can you tell I'm obsessed???!!!

Here are some inspiration pictures I have for this fall season:

Pumpkin Cake...yes please!

Must make this for my door!

Need this on my table!!

Oh my goodness obsessed!

Great fall party table display!

MAROON WHITE FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!!!!

Glamorous Pumpkins!

Um..YES!

Candy corn cheesecake......!!!

Tulle "pumpkin" door hanger! Love!

Thumb tacks!

Tall boots...leather jacket

Tights and boots with a dress. love.

Scarf...long sleeves.

LAYERS! love it!

So needless to say....I'm EXCITED!!!!!!! And considering I love cold weather much more than I do hot...this is THE best :)

And I can't end a "Fall" post without spending a little extra time rooting for my Dawgs! Seeing as how tomorrow brings Game 1 at Memphis-- I am literally beside myself about this season. My husband has already pinky promised me that we will make a couple games this season-- so I'm holding him to it! I've been blasting "It's Going Down" and "Grindin For My State" all day today in preparation for the game. So ready to see the boys and Dan the Man in action! MAROON WHITE!

I hope everyone had a wonderful August-- good ending to a good month. Bring on the FALL!!



Wave of Craftiness

Hey Everyone!!

Duane and I have had a totally fun couple of months of summer! But one of my goals for June and July was to get my house TOGETHER!! When we hit our 2 year anniversary mark (it has flown!!) on June 20-- it hit me that I had also been living in my home for nearly 2 years and NOT ONE ROOM WAS FINISHED! Now that was depressing. We've had a LOT of huge life transitions this past year-- so I'll blame it on that....but I decided NO MORE EXCUSES. I have had several moments of feeling like my world was in chaos over the last couple of months and I attribute a lot of that to not having a comfortable, relaxing place to come home to and rest. Everytime I stepped in the door, my first thoughts were, "Oh my stars we have so much to do."

So I'll start at the beginning. Duane bought our home a couple of months after we started dating. It was a foreclosure- so he got a great deal for the size of home we got! So that was a blessing, but the downfall was that it was a di.sas.ter. There was so much to be done. So I helped with a little here and there as a girlfriend and then a fiance-- but let's just say it was the ultimate bachelor pad. So as a newlywed couple we made a LOT of changes. Completely ripped out the bathroom to the floorboards, literally pulled all the walls of the kitchen and put up new, painted every room over all the old panelling, new flooring, new appliances, etc. So I sound like a complaining brat when I say I hated coming home to an undone house- when we really HAD done a ton of improvements. But being a lover of all things design-- it was not what I wanted. Duane knew I had big plans but not a lot of time, and not wanting to spend a lot of money. SO-- this summer we have made huge strides in finishing a couple of things and putting some "Blomberg" touches on our little project. :) We still have a LONG way to go and I plan on doing a "home tour" post once I get it somewhere close to where I want it. But here are a couple fun projects I've tackled over the summer.

(Also I've recently become obsessed with Pinterest.....thanks to my darling sister....so for my fellow pinterest users-- some of these projects may look familiar since a lot of inspiration comes from that fabulous little app!)

I needed a curtain for my one kitchen window. So I got the fabulous idea from Hobby Lobby to hot glue ribbon to a curtain rod and use for a make-shift curtain! I love how it turned out as it added a splash of color to the black cabinets and silver backsplash!

Here's another angle with them tied back!

Duane and I painted stripes on my back kitchen wall because it was GINORMOUS and I had no idea how to fill it. So I painted this big fork and spoon to give it some personality. Not completely sure I'm 100% in love with them yet. But they work for now!

Here's a great idea I got from pinterest. Bought some half off frames from Hobby Lobby, some 30% off fabric from HL, and some 25 cent silver from a thrift store-- painted them and glued the silver on the fabric. Took me about 20 minutes and cost about $20 for all 4! Don't have them hanging yet, but love them for my kitchen.

This is my FAVORITE project so far!! I LOVE this piece in my living room. It's our "new" coffee table made out of pallets. We got the left over pallets from a friend, bought a little paint-- and there ya go-- shabby chic coffee table! Love it!

All three of these pieces were glass that had tucked in a closet and never used. Grabbed some flat white spray paint and gave them a faux porcelain look. Love it on the pallets.

Another angle. I'm obsessed. More fun with pallets in this room to come :)

Last but not least....my office. I am going to be a National Sales Director with my company. I am so thrilled to be setting big goals and moving up the career path. But I have been working cramped in our little guest bedroom feeling like the walls are caving in on me. SO-- if I'm going to be a national...I needed a National office. So this is JUST the first of really fun pictures of my office. A whole post coming soon about my office. Hand painted wallpaper wall...

This is a fun gift I made for a friend. All the flowers are made out of fabric or tulle (sp?). It was fun to think of new designs for each flower!

Also a gift made for a friend. It's a jewelry holder with chicken wire for earrings and knobs on the bottom to hang necklaces. (missing one knob because it wasn't quite finished yet. and of course I didn't get a picture of the finished product!)

Next are a couple of fun pictures of things my sister and I created to decorate my mom's brand new First Grade classroom. She made a big transition to a new school this year so we wanted her to have the cutest room in the whole school. These projects are the result of about three 12 hour days making sure our mom ruled the school :)

Crayon wreath for the door

The kid's faces will go in the middle of each flower. Mrs. Wilson's First Grade Flower Garden Board

Computer area, listening area, and library

Her podium

Flowers made from rulers and felt

SHHHH! Don't BUG us we're reading! We hand made all these bugs! (My favorite is the big one flying in the middle!)

Ruler decorated lamp

Cork boards made out of fabric and canvas

This is just the start of my new found love of design, crafts, and DIY projects. My goal for my home is to thrift and absolutely spend bottom dollar on these rooms. I won't pay full price for anything when I can try it myself! Can't wait to keep improving and can't wait to get these rooms knocked out!

Thanks for letting me record this fun process! Can't wait to share my office post!

Love, Whit

SO frustrated.

I am SO frustrated with Blogger and trying to get my old blog to sign in with the right email address and blah blah blah......

So this is a test! Trying to get it all worked out! :)