YAPPING CAT STUDIO

A New Beginning

***Written last week, to post for the end of the year!  Hoping you all have a great and safe New Year!  Hugs!  -c

Most of us, (myself included), like to think of Spring as a new beginning.  Eggs and nests.  The time where the frozen ground warms up and all things become possible. 

But I also like to think of the first of January as a new beginning.  A fresh slate if you will.  A new egg. A New Beginning.

And today, on a grey, dreary, wet, winter's day, I set off around the house, camera in hand, to take some snaps of some of the little vignettes I had freshened before the holidays. 

I fancy myself a good photographer.  Actually, I think the Shingles Med's were telling me I am a good photographer.  LOL. I think allot more practice is needed, as well as a sunnier day. 

As I snapped away, here and there, I began thinking of New Year's, my goals, my aspirations, yes, even my resolutions. I didn't make any resolutions at the end of 2009 and it felt very "freeing".

And yet, I'm pretty happy with some of the things that I've accomplished this year.  One of them being a significant weight lose.  Another, two successful Paper Cowgirl Retreats.  Another year of wedded bliss with Sweet Hub.  And lest you think that I've succeeded at all I've endeavored, well....no.  I have not.

 

My friend Linda had this message on her FB page this morning, and I thought it was perfect for thoughts of new beginnings,  "Mistakes don't define you.  They don't dictate where you are heading, they only remind you of where you have been". 

I have made my share of mistakes this year.  There were some things I left undone, some things I could not repair, some things I could not accomplish.  But I'm glad that those mistakes don't define me.  I'm glad that they can only remind me of where I've been.  And that they can point me in the right direction for this new year. Hopefully, to new beginnings.

Here's wishing you the Happiest and Safest of New Year's!  And lets toast to New Beginnings in 2011! 

-c

Before and After Rooster Lamp Re-Do

Thank you all so much for your well wishes.  I am on the mend, thanks to medication and massage therapy.  I appreciated all of your kind words, very much.  You all are the best!

This is actually a project I finished just before the Holidays.  I was sprucing up and tweaking here and there. 

I LOVE before and after's.  And they can be of anything.  Home Decor, People, anything.  I always find them inspiring.  They give me the nudge to say, "you could do this".   So I thought you might like to see my Before and After.

So, here is my Rooster Lamp Before and After.

Before:

(Click on pics to make em bigger).  OK.  You get the idea here.  Dated shade, maroon red rooster.  And while I absolutely still love this little lamp, it was just not working for me anymore. 

AFTER:

TA DA!  Paint and a new shade to the rescue!  Paint is like magic to me!  It is the easiest, most inexpensive way to change something.

I stupidly did not take any "along the way" pics of the transformation.  But it is so easy to do.  After removing the shade,  I primered the base with a gray spray (taping off the end of the cord so it would not get paint on it, as well as the area where the bulb is screwed in). 

Then, using an old wash rag, I gently smeared on a cream colored base.  Once that was dry, I softly added some black accents here and there to mimic the look of concrete.  

Once the base was dry, I added a new cream colored shade, and VIOLA!  Now its the look I want. 

Here's to your Before and Afters! 

-c

While the Merry Bells keep ringing...

Happy Holidays to you!  But here at the Studio, no Decking the Halls.  No Fa La Laaa!  No Merry making here.  Ever since Thanksgiving, I've just had a feeling of being totally over-whelmed, and I'm not really sure why. 

Add to that a fall, which produced a pulled Thoracic muscle AND finding out that I have Shingles, well, now its a very Medicated Christmas for me!  LOL.

Not to worry, we have had some nice moments, as Sweet Hub took me out for a wonderful dinner for Christmas at a lovely, French Bistro last week (before Shingles).  And the dinner that my coworkers and I shared was equally lovely. 

Back up to speed in January, but until then, here's wishing you and yours a very, blessed and Merry Christmas and and the safest of New Years!

-c