July is over, y’all!

Crazy, I tell ya!  CRAZY!

School starts in two weeks for my boys, and their summer will be over.  They are actually somewhat excited to go back to school.  The extreme heat and humidity here in Ky this summer has been unbearable and made things a little boring around the house.

Truth be told, this little mama is ready for school to start back too.  (ifyaknowwhatimean)

So, even though July has flown by, we were able to get quite a bit finished around our home.

Our BEST DIY Project of July would have to be refinishing our antique claw foot tub.

I would like to take some credit for this project, but it was 100% completed by my man.  I was just the water girl for this project.

What have you been up to in July?

I am excited to see all of your projects!

Please remember to follow the party guidelines:

• Your project MUST be about DIY home decor or home improvement.

• Only ONE project per blogger, please.

• Your project needs to be from the month of July, 2012.

• Please enjoy visiting other great projects by other bloggers and leave some comment love. 

• Please link back to the party somewhere in your post. (Only those with a link back to the party will be considered to be featured on my blog.)

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I hope you had a great weekend!

I have a wonderful giveaway for you today. Two wonderful Beneath My Heart readers have the chance to win a candle from Goose Creek Candle Co.

I love having candles in my home. There is something so home-y about candles.  It even makes the construction zone that I have been living in this past year smell like “home.”  The joke in my house is that when the house is super messy, just light a candle to make it feel clean. 

Well, I was thrilled when I was contacted by Jordan from Goose Creek Candle Co. about reviewing and giving away their candles!  When they arrived in the mail, I immediately lit the blueberry one and put it in my kitchen.  It smelled delicious!

It is such a wonderful smelling (not overpowering) candle.

I put the large vanilla candle on my desk.

Not only do these candles smell great, but they come in a beautiful container.  I like that this style (The American Heirloom Collection) comes without labels on the jar.

I am sitting here enjoying the smell of my dark vanilla bean candle as I type this post.  It’s heavenly!

Goose Creek Candle Co. also offers other styles of candles, room sprays, and more.

Now for the giveaway!

Goose Creek Candle Co. is giving away TWO of their

39 oz. size candles from their

American Heirloom Collection.

(These candles have 215 hours of burning time and are a $46.00 value.)

To enter:

Visit Goose Creek Candle Co.’s website and pick out your favorite scent from The Heirloom Collection and let me know if a comment.

That’s it! 

More good news…

Goose Creek Candle Co. is offering a 25% off coupon code just for Beneath My Heart readers! 

Just enter the code 072612 when ordering between now and August 15, 2012 to receive this GREAT discount!

If you’d like to connect with Goose Creek Candle Company through other social media outlets, you can “like” their FaceBook page and follow them on Google Plus or Twitter.

This giveaway ends on Thursday, August 2nd at midnight EST, and I will announce the two randomly chosen winners on Friday, August 3rd.  This giveaway is only open to readers over the age of 18 and those living in the USA.  I received compensation for this post, but all opinions are 100% mine.  This is a great company that makes great products that I know you will enjoy!

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At the beginning of the month, I received a sweet email from one of my readers, Courtney.

She shared with me something on her heart.

Her Aunt and Uncle and their four children are moving to Honduras to partner with a very special organization called Worldwide Heart to Heart, Children’s Village.

This wonderful organization takes in abused, homeless, or abandoned children and raises them to be successful, educated Honduran citizens through the love of Jesus.

She was hoping that I would spread the word about this great organization and let my readers know that this would be a wonderful opportunity to show love to the children of Honduras,

I am so honored that she contacted me to share this with you.

I visited the Heart to Heart website and was so touched by all the great work they are doing.

They are working on completing a school for the children, and they also help to provide dental and medical needs.

The children are so beautiful!  I wish I could hug each and every one of them in person.

Please visit their website and take a look around.  Maybe you could help Worldwide Heart to Heart in some way, if not financially, then through your prayers.

It is so inspiring to see people like Oscar and Amy, the National Directors of Worldwide Heart to Heart, who give their lives to the service of others.

These words of Amy touched me so deeply…

“I am reminded of how our Heavenly Father gets things done. It is not about buildings, homes, schools, clinics or churches, because one day all of these will fade away. It is Him building His dwelling place within us and doing what only He can do in us. It is Him saving, restoring and rebuilding what cannot be done with human hands. He does not build dollar to dollar or brick to brick. Our Father builds Heart to Heart.”

So, so true.

Thank you, Courtney, for sharing this wonderful organization with me.

May God bless the workers and the children of Heart to Heart for many, many years!

Have a blessed weekend!

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Wow!  Is it really Friday already?!

Time is flying, y’all. 

This time next week, Cy and I will be traveling down the World’s Longest Yard Sale in our sweet GMC ride…

We are soooo looking forward to this adventure and sharing it with you.

Now for my favorite pins from Pinterest this week…

I really love this entry way!  Isn’t the lantern beautiful?

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I like the contrast of the dark shades with the white walls and windows in this pic.

And that little island is so cute.

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I do not like the lighting in the next picture, but I LOVE that island!  I would love one like that in my kitchen.

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Beautiful fireplace…

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Pretty chandelier in this bathroom.  And check out the pebble flooring!

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I would love to have some wicker chairs sitting around my kitchen table…

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And this little cozy spot would be my “blogging nook.”  What a great use of space!

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I love how they painted the backside of this door red.  Great statement!

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Wanna teach this to my kids and hang this in our home…

Etsy Shop

And because I am so ready for the next season…

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Are you ready for fall?!

With the heat and humidity we’ve been having, I sure am!

Have a great weekend!

If you would like to follow me on Pinterest, click on the button below.

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Today is a special day!

Today represents the day that my sweet man and I were married 15 years ago. 

So today, I wanted to share with you 15 Reasons Why I Love This Man!

1.  He is my safe place.

2.  He is crazy-funny and makes me laugh.

3.  He has the hardest work ethic of anyone I know.

4.  He’s the kind of man I want my boys to grow up to be like.

5.  He strives to honor God with his life.

6.  He makes the best Rice Krispy Treats EVER!

7.  He believes in me (and this crazy blog).

8.  He has honored and kept the vows he made to me 15 years ago on our wedding day.

9.  He loves food as much as I do.

10.  He supports my dreams.

11.  He loves spending time with his family more than

anything else.

12.  I am always proud to be with him.

13.  He is a man of integrity.

14.  He is steady and consistent (not emotional and moody like me.)

15.  He is everything I ever dreamed of in a husband!

Happy 15th Anniversary, Cy! 

I love you forever and always!

If you would like to read about our love story, just click on the links below.

My Love Story – Part 1

My Love Story  – Part 2

My Love Story  – Part 3

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Happy Hump Day!

I hope you are having a wonderful week!

Just wanted to pop in quickly and share the progress we’ve made in our living room.

First of all, all of the flooring has been laid!  Woo to the hoo!

We decided not to finish sanding and staining the floor until we finish the drywall and putting the treads on the steps.

Here is a progression of pictures to show you how this space has transformed.

Our living room a few months ago…

We tore the wall down so we could see our new staircase.

We still had doors to the bathroom and our bedroom that needed to be gone.

Then we removed the pine flooring and replaced it with utility grade oak.

Last week, we closed up the other doorway.

We still needed to drywall around the stairs.

Looking better!

Both doorways are gone!

We will be adding columns to both sides of this entry way and molding above on the ceiling.

Something sort of like this…

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This is what the space looks like as of this morning!

Now Cy needs to finish the drywall and the trim work.  And then he will finish the stairs.  And then he will sand and stain the floor!

Yep!  We still have a lot of work to do, but we are getting there!

We will be doing something very exciting to our bathroom this weekend!

Can you guess what it is by looking at this picture?

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Have a blessed day!

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I am beyond thrilled to tell you about one of the most amazing opportunities that I have been given since starting my blog 3 1/2 years ago!

Next week, August 1st-5th, Cy and I will be traveling the country side along the World’s Longest Yard Sale route in a brand new GMC with OnStar.

We will be joining 4 other bloggers as we travel from Michigan to Alabama along the World’s Largest Yard Sale in our beautiful GMC Yukons with OnStar.

Brooke, from All Things Thrifty

Lindsey, from Better After

Donna, from Funky Junk Interiors

Brittany, from Pretty Handy Girl

Our journey will begin on August 1st in Detroit, Michigan.  For the next 3 days, we will travel down the World’s Longest Yard Sale in our GMC Yukon’s shopping for goodies.  (See!  I told you this was the coolest blog opportunity EVER!)

Cy and I are celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary this week!  So what a great trip for us to share together.  We are so, so excited!

On August 5th our journey will end in Birmingham, Alabama where all the treasures we bought on our trip will be donated to Habitat for Humanity to help decorate a home for a family in need.

We will be there to see a special family receive their new home!

How awesome is that?!!!

I hope you will join us each day for lots of road trippin’ fun!

Will any of you be going to the

World’s Longest Yard Sale?

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Hey Friends!

I hope you had a great weekend.  We had a wonderful time down at the Ky Opry again, and I will share some pics with you soon.  However, my heart has been burdened for and praying for those families who lost loved ones in the shooting in Aurora, Colorado this past week.  Please keep them in your prayers.

I had a great time looking through all of your Best DIY Projects from the month of July!

Here are some of my favorites…

 Upholstered (no sew) Headboard Bench that Gail at My Repurposed Life made!

$15 Yard Sale Find turned into a Beautiful Entry Table by Baeza Blog.

Beautiful Farmhouse Kitchen Makeover by Laura from The Ironstone Nest

Beautiful Craft Room Art (Inspired by Pottery Barn) by Lori from Mudpie Studio

Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl created this really cool

3-in-1 Patio Table Centerpiece.

A gorgeous Flea Market Dresser Makeover from Christina, The Frugal Homemaker.

Becky’s, from Organizing Made Fun, beautiful Office Makeover Reveal.

Fabulous Dining Room Makeover by Jessica from Four Generations One Roof.

Thanks to everyone who linked up to my party!

The winner of the $100 Gift Certificate

to Leen the Graphics Queen online store is…….

Nidhi

Congratulations!!

I will be contacting you by email.

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Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope you have had a wonderful week. 

Here are a few of my favorite Pins from Pinterest that I wanted to share with you today.

I love this drift wood mirror, and I would love to try and make one of my own.  Isn’t that wallpaper (or paint treatment) cool and unique?!

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This pin caught my eye because of that beautiful chandelier.  I love the bead detail.  I also love the color scheme.

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Here is a bed that is similar to my black four poster bed.  This pin made me wonder if I could turn my bed into a similar look?

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Did I already share the pin below before?  I’m too lazy to look back at all my previous Friday posts to see if I did.   Oh well, it’s worthy of a second view if I did!  Love the color those beautiful flowers add to the table.

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This pin makes me wish our stairs were finished.  Cy has been putting up the drywall in our staircase this week, so we are making progress.

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Love the painted wood floors in this pin.  What a cozy corner.  Even the smallest of spaces can make a big statement!

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Ooh, la, la…   I can’t help but think of a romantic getaway when I see this pin.

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Isn’t this lime green door great with the grey exterior of this home?  What a fun statement!

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I love everything about this pin…the wicker furniture, lantern lighting, spring colors, and beautiful rug!

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This last pin says it all!

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Let’s go, y’all!  Have a GREAT DAY!!!

If you want to follow me on Pinterest, click on the button below.

If you are not on Pinterest yet and would like an invitation, just leave me your email address in the comment section.

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