Next Up to Bat

Even though we've been in Sylvan over two years, we've totally neglected one of the upstairs "bedrooms".  As you can see, we used it as an office/Tyler's signed football storage.  And yes, be jealous of the print-screen pillow in the second picture.  It was a present for the hubs and my first Christmas from my sweet Great Aunt Betty.

 

While we had an idea for how we'd eventually purpose this room, we were waiting for the appropriate time.  And now that the farmhouse table is complete, bring on the next project.  We're going to channel our inner Young House Love (our heroes) to tackle some board and batten in this space.  (See their process and outcome in their previous home's hallway here.)  I'm obsessed with this look and believe it'll be perfect for this room.

On a side note, today marks my first day back to work after a two month hiatus.  Say a prayer -- or two or three -- for me as I get back into my daily routine and prepare for a new school year and batch of kiddos.  T has been repeatedly playing Dashboard Confessional's tune: So long, sweet summer... here goes nothing.

Patience Pays Off

Y'all may remember this sneak peek from the beginning of April, when I thought this special project was in it's final stages...

Well, just shy of four months later, this baby is complete!  I was going to hold off on sharing it with you until I had the seating and decor complete, but it was debuted last night at Supper Club and I couldn't help but snap a few photos of this handmade gorgeousness.  Let me take you back to where it all started... 

When I graduated from Clemson and moved to my townhouse in 2007, my parents purchased this table and chairs from IKEA.  While this table has treated the hubs and me well over the last several years, it wasn't accommodating when we had our families for holidays or friends for dinner.  It could comfortably seat four; six was pushing it.  Hence, the search for reclaimed wood began last winter.  We tried a few places and didn't have much luck until we were doing an after-church drive by  and drove past our sweet friends' (Mandi + Jeff) house.  They had planned to renovate a home they purchased not too far from us but ended up tearing it down and starting over.  Boy did a light shine down when we saw a mound of disposed wood laying in their front yard, which the hubs concluded came from the roof or floor support.  Tyler got in touch with Jeff, who was actually in The Land Down Under for work, and was given the green light to take as much as we needed.    

 

Things were going quite smoothly.  It didn't take T too long to make the top, which is when I pulled out my Jump-to-Conclusions-Map and thought this Farmhouse Table would be done in no time.  Womp womp...the entire process takes much longer that I imagined.  We decided to purchase legs at Lowe's ($22.98 a piece), as well as stain and polyurethane.  Our grand total: zero dollars, thanks to a gift card.  We already had the white paint (for the legs) and tools needed at home to complete the table.  I wish I had taken step by step pics as T worked so diligently on this project but fail.    

So, voila!  Here is the completed beauty.

I'm insanely proud of my sweet hubby for making my dreams of a farmhouse table come to fruition (not even coming out of pocket at that!) and am thrilled with how it turned out.  It was definitely worth the six-month wait!

I'm planning to buy two more Henriksdal dining chairs from Ikea to replace the middle chairs (shown above).  They are only $69.00 per chair, versus Pottery Barn's side chair which is currently running for a mere $224 a piece.  I don't see a $155 difference.  Do you?

I'm also planning to find two neat armchairs for the ends, which we'll store in the corners of the dining room when not being used.  It's a work in process but has come a long way.  It's so nice to comfortably seat eight folks at dinnertime, as we experienced last night at Supper Club.  No more middle-school split: girls indoor at the dining room table, boys outdoor at the deck table.  Props to my hubby for making this happen.  Boy do I love that man!

Keeping Up with the Joneses, Lately

I must say it's been a whirlwind of a summer but one that we'll never forget.  The hubs and I wanted to take one last trip before I began getting all ready for the upcoming school year.  (Only. three. more. days.  Where did summer go?)  We used Delta & Hilton points -- ballin' on a budget -- to head on down to the southernmost point in the US, Key West.  All you Atlanta folks: This is an easy, long weekend getaway if you've been searching for a hot spot.  The two-hour flight is direct, the Key West airport is teeny-tiny, and you can be at your hotel within twenty minutes of landing.  Very stress-free, which we Joneses truly appreciated!  Hands down, the highlight of our trip was the Danger Charter Tour, which included kayaking around the mangroves, snorkeling in pristine water, and admiring the gorgeous sunset.  I highly recommend this tour if you make it down to KW - you won't regret it!  Overall, this was a very special trip just the two of us that goes down in the memory books.

 Can you guess how many nights we were there?  Hint: Look at T's shirts on the right.  True guy.

 View from our room at The Reach

Lunch at Conch Republic

 I was obsessed with the sunset.

 

Back At It

Y'all, I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last post...eeek!  Even worse, summer break is beyond half over.  I think I might cry.  This ridiculously rainy weather plus Wimbledon's fortnight have left me completely un-blog-motivated.  I must say, the hubs and I have enjoyed trips to Birmingham and Charlotte to visit sweet friends, as well as had our families in town to celebrate Father's Day.  My biggest accomplishment from the last month is completing the Peachtree Road Race to celebrate our great country's independence.
Here is a before race pic of T and me.  (Don't judge my appearance.  Early wake-up + nasty weather = big step for Liz to even make it out of bed)

Today marks an important day.  I'm turning over a new leaf and getting back on the blog wagon.  My goal is to be productive over these last twenty-two days of summer and fill y'all in as I make headway.  Today's goal you may be wondering?  Tackling the jungle which has taken over my mailbox area.  Can you say weed-mania?  Fingers (and toes) crossed the rain holds off until later.  I know asking for the rain to hold off all together is too much since we apparently seem to be living in Seattle now.  Cheers to a motivated Monday!

Fab Finds

Last week was a big one in the Jones' household between the hubs' birthday and our anniversary.  As I mentioned here, I was able to squeeze in some bargain shopping despite the celebrations and my absence from SioS.

Fab Find One: Ceramic Garden Stool 
I had been on the hunt for one of these babies for quite some time but hadn't found one at a reasonable price.  One afternoon I was perusing Marshall's (for no purpose at all, I might add) and came across this beauty.

I loved the detailing and it was only $69.99.  Most of the garden stools I'd had my eye on were $100+.  Since my birthday is approaching, I decided to go ahead and pull the trigger.  Happy Birthday to me!  Right now it's on the "blank end" of the loveseat and will surely come in handy for holding items.  Cough, cough...glasses and dinner plates since T and I too often get comfy and eat on the sofa.  

Fab Find Two: Rustic Birdcage Tealight Holder 
Last Monday mom and I headed to The Avenues of West Cobb.  I had to get my hands on Dan Brown's new read, Inferno, since that was one of the only items T mentioned wanting for his birthday.  (Aren't men the hardest to shop for?!)  I stayed on track and went straight to Barnes & Noble; however, as I was walking out a cute, new store caught my eye: Altar'd State.  Of course Mom had to twist my arm to head in...not.  This gem had just opened the Saturday before, and I was immediately smitten with their clothing, jewelry, and home decor.  I have been collecting small trinkets for Sylvan and was drawn to this Rustic Birdcage Tealight Holder, for the affordable price of $12.50.  Whoop whoop!

She's now sitting pretty on the mantel between the mercury glasses stands and the miniature lantern.  As I continue acquiring trinket must-haves, she may find a new home.  For now, it's perfect, adding a gentle pop of color.

Fab Find Three: Watercolor Painting of Sylvan
Katy had tipped me off about a steal of a deal she got on Etsy, a painting of her sweet dog, Emma.  (You can read more on that here.)  While we were discussing getting paintings of our houses, a light went off.  A watercolor painting of Sylvan would be the perfect anniversary gift for Tyler.  I contacted Lisa to get pricing and timing info. An 11x14 was only $50, plus $10 shipping (from the land down under!)...can't beat it.  Below is a picture of the painting.  The hubs and I are thrilled with the way it turned out.  Don't you love when your expectations are exceeded?  I highly recommend the amazing Lisa May Williams and trust I'll be using her again in the future.

I haven't had time to find the perfect frame, but it's on my to-do list for the week.

On another note, I scored both Marshalls/TJMaxx/HomeGoods and Pottery Barn gift cards as part of my anniversary presents.  Boy, does T know the way to my heart!  I'll be sure to keep y'all posted on how these are spent!  Here's to happy shopping!

Happy Anny!

It's hard to believe it's been three years since I married the man of my dreams.  It seems like yesterday Mom, Daddy, Dana and I were sitting outside at The Mills House enjoying trying to eat breakfast before we headed to the church to say our "I do's".  Our first dance was to "Then" by Brad Paisley, and the lyrics carry on so true.  Tyler continues to amaze me and my love for him grows deeper and deeper.  Three of the many qualities that drew me to Tyler (besides his incredible handsomeness, duh) were his faith, determination, and ability to put me at ease no matter the situation.  These last three years have brought me an incredible amount of happiness.  Tyler and I are blessed beyond measure and look forward to what the next years will bring!

Below are a few of my favorite pictures as Mr. and Mrs. from that very special day in 2010.

 

I love you, Tyler!

Long Time, No Talk

I know, I know...I've been MIA.  Womp womp.  My apologies.  I thought once summer break hit, I'd be able to fully dedicate my time to the blog.  Clearly I was overly optimistic.  I didn't take into account the travelling Tyler and I would be doing, let alone the odds and ends that needed to be tackled at Sylvan.  I'm embarrassed to say they had gone by the wayside while I was working.  I did manage to squeeze in a bit of shopping time and seek out a few sweet deals.  More to come.  This week is a busy one as we have two big celebrations, but I promise to get back into the swing of blogging.

I want to take the time to wish my hunky hubby a wonderful birthday!  I'm so blessed God brought you into this world twenty-nine years ago.  You have been my rock and my best friend, and I truly don't know where I'd be without you.  I love you so much, Tyler!

Charleston Wedding Weekend 2013: 1 of 2

Well, hello, Monday.  My you have come so soon.  I'm back to the grind after a fabulous wedding weekend in Charleston.  The weather cooperated, the wedding venue and decor was gorgeous, and the food delicious.  Getting to spend the weekend with some of our closest friends took the cake though.  I didn't want to be the crazy camera lady so only have a few pictures to share from the wedding.  I'll try to do a better job at next weekend's nuptials.  Location?  Charleston.  We're goin' back, baby!  Only five days (last week of school at that) stand between me and the coast.  Hope y'all settle nicely back into the work week!

Daniel Island Club

 

Hydrangeas are my favorite.

Loved this idea!  Personalized drink stirrers.

My other half

 

Signing the matting on the framed map - another fabulous, unique idea!