WOW!  August is over, and September is here!

I have to say that I am soooooo excited!  I love September, and I love fall.

Even though Mom passed away this month three years ago, I treasure the precious memories I had with her during this sweet season.  Mom had a way of making fall so special.  Her chili and vegetable soup were my favorites!

I know you guys have been up to a TON of stuff this past month!

My favorite project by far was White Washing the brick wall in our bathroom.

I am THRILLED with the results!

If you want to learn how to White Wash a brick wall, just click on the picture below.

Now I would love to see your BEST DIY 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 August, 2012.

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

• Please link back to the my 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 have had a GREAT week!

Mine was super fast, and I am looking forward to a fun weekend.  I get to spend time with my ladies Sunday School class tonight, and I get to celebrate the very first birthday of this precious baby boy on Sunday…

My Great Nephew, Colt!

Isn’t he adorable?!  Man, I love baby boys!

Here are a few of my favorite pins from Pinterest this week!

Enjoy!

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OH GOOD GRAVY!  Would you look at this!

Pumpkin Pie Fudge with Salted Dark Chocolate Ganache

What a GREAT way to end this post!

Reminder:

Linky Party goes live tonight at 9:00pm!

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Hey sweet friends!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the sweet comments and love you showed me on yesterday’s post.  My heart was blessed to overflowing, and again I am reminded of why I love blogging so much!  It’s because of YOU!!!

This past weekend, we took a trip down to the Ky Opry in Draffenville again.  Jonathan was performing in the Friday and Saturday night shows.  I LOVE going down there and seeing all our “Opry friends” again.

This time, my dad and Janet went with us.  We had such a great time!

I was excited to hear Jonathan sing this time because he was singing three new songs.

This first song is called, When You Say Nothing at All, by Keith Whitley.

He also sang Mountain Music by Alabama.

Because we live so far away, he only got to practice this song once with the band. There is a small “mess up” in the middle, but I think he still sounded great!

Also, my favorite 13 year old fiddle player, Carson McKee, stars in this video.  She is an AMAZING fiddle player!  I mean A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!

My dad and Janet were in awe of her.  We called her last week and told her Jonathan was singing Mountain Music.  She learned her part in one week.  Love that girl!

Carson’s parents have become dear friends to Cy and I.  Their family is one of the main reasons we love visiting the Ky Opry.  I know we will be lifelong friends!

Jonathan sang one more song, which was my favorite, but it hasn’t been uploaded to youtube yet.

I will try to share it with you this weekend. 

He also sang How Great Thou Art, but I have shared that with you before on my blog.  If you want to see his performance of it, just click HERE.

I hope you have a blessed day!

I’ll be back tomorrow with my favorite PINS of the week, and my Best DIY Projects of August linky party goes live tomorrow night!

See you then!

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Hello, sweet friends!

I hope you are having a great week so far!

I’ve been super busy, but so far so good.

You may have noticed a lot of posts going up this week about bloggers truncating their feeds. 

What the heck is “truncating”, you ask?

Well, if you subscribe to a blog via a reader, a truncated feed only shows a snippet of the post.  You have to click on “continue reading” to read the post in it’s entirety on the actual blog’s web page.

I HATE truncated feeds!  If a blogger truncates her feed, I usually unsubscribe from her.

However, starting with my next post, I will be truncating my feeds.

Why?  Because it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Over the past year of blogging, things in blog world have changed.  Sites called “Scraper” sites are popping up everywhere.  They steal bloggers’ posts, word for word, and post it on their own sites. 

They use our posts, that we worked hard to create, to turn around and make money off of them.

THAT’S JUST NOT RIGHT!

I read a post from Susan, at Between Naps on the Porch, who gives the best explanation of how terribly WRONG these scraper sites are.  I hope you take the time to read her post.  Just click on the link below:

Stop Scrapers from Stealing Your Content

I know it is not a popular decision.  I know my readers who subscribe to my blog via a reader won’t like my decision.  I know I may lose followers.  I know I might get some mean emails.

But it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Jonathan is in middle school now, and I am constantly trying to encourage him to do what is RIGHT even if it is NOT the popular thing to do. 

I am gonna take my own advice.

I hope and pray that you keep following me.

And I sure hope that my blog content is worth that extra click you will have to make.

If you decide to unsubscribe.  I understand.  I will miss you.

But I have to do what is RIGHT.

I have one follower that I know will keep reading.

My sweet blog friend, Gina, from San Antonia, Texas emailed me today to say…

This reader will stick with you!  Don’t worry, just protect yourself in what ever way  it takes.  I believe most people WILL understand and follow you and the others.  We don’t like these creeps taking credit for your work either.  We want you to keep blogging and if this is what it takes, then we’ll follow.  Especially when blogger after blogger has to write a post and explain why there is a change….they will follow.

Gina

 

How sweet is that?!

I just want to hug her!

And to all of my wonderful readers, I truly hope you understand.

xoxo

Traci

You can hear about other blogger’s decisions to truncate their feeds

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here

and

here. 

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Girlfriends, here is the honest truth…

I have been so stinkin’ busy working on my bathroom, that I haven’t had much time to post.

The other night, I spent a couple hours tiling our shower.  I LOVED doing it.  There is something so therapeutic about it.

Cy finished grouting the tile.

I will give the details about all the supplies we used in a later post. 

Cy also finished putting up the crown molding in the bathroom.  I filled in the nail holes and painted it. 

He’s also framed up the doorways, and they look sooooooo good!

I did one more thing that I am absolutely head over heals, crazy excited, smack-your-granny-happy about!

Here’s a clue!

It is one of the most favorite things I have done since blogging.  No lie!

I cannot wait to show you the whole thing in all its raging beauty!

But for now, I gots-ta-go!

I’ve got more painting to do.

I hope you are having a GREAT day!!!!

xoxo

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It would bless my heart, and I pray it would bless yours, if you would read the post my sister wrote on her blog today.

It’s about my mom, my son, and unanswered prayers.

Click the link below to read it and hear my boy sing.

When Healing Doesn’t Come

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It’s F-R-I-D-A-Y!!!

Here are my favorite pins of the week from Pinterest!

Enjoy!

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Have a blessed weekend!!!

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Hey friends!

I hope you are having a wonderful week.

Guess where we are headed to this weekend?

The Kentucky Opry!  Woo to the hoo!

Jonathan will be singing 3 songs in the Stars of Tomorrow show on Friday night, and he will be singing again on Saturday night for the Division Winners Show.

I cannot wait to see all my Ky Opry buddies again.  If you are anywhere near the Draffenville, Ky area, I would love for you to come hear my boy sing.  (And meet you, of course!

Today, I wanted to share with you some awesome deals on some of my favorite home décor products from Willow House.

I’ve share with you before that one of my best friends in the world, Lori, sells Willow House products.  Every now and then, I like to feature WH products on my blog to help Lori’s business out.

(This is NOT a sponsored post.  I am not sharing these deals with you to receive anything in return.  I just love helping out my sweet friend!  She has opened a party in my name for any orders placed from my readers, but I didn’t want her to.  I really would love for Lori to get the credit for any sales, so do not put my name in as “host”.    Thank you!)

Anyway, my favorite items from WH are from their Cinnabar Collection.  I have used these dishes a TON!!!

You can find them on the shelves of my kitchen…

See those beautiful red dishes?  Most of them are from Willow House.

So here is the customer special right now:

Translate:  If you buy one regular priced item of $40 or more from their catalog, you can get any of the customer specials at half off!

Here are some of my favorite customer specials…

These tidbits are my absolute favorite!

Another one of my favorites is this Verde Berry Bowl.

A couple of items that I do NOT have but are on sale, and I love are the entertaining bucket and tray…

And the Athena Crackle Vase!  Both are half off if you spend $40 or more on a regular priced item.

Here is another item that I have, and adore…the Willow Welcome Basket!

It has a little chalkboard tag to write on.  Isn’t it cute?  I also love the Must Have Mini Markers, and at $12.50, I might be buying them!

And here are a ton of other items included in the customer specials…

These make great deals for Christmas or teacher gifts!  Agree?!

AND, if you need would rather buy jewelry than home décor, then you may want to check out their Nifty Fifty sale.

Yes, Willow House sells jewelry!

I haven’t had the chance to buy any yet, but I’ve seen some of it on Lori, and it is beautiful!

Basically, if you buy one item, you get the other one for 50% off!  Again, great deal for holiday shopping.   (Yes, it is not too early to think of Christmas shopping.)

When prompted for a host, just enter “Nifty Fifty” to get the special discount.

Now head on over there and check out the great deals!

Lori Barkley
WILLOW HOUSE Senior Design Consultant
Email: [email protected]
Website: loribark.willowhouse.com

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I am so excited to share with you some of the highlights from my Best DIY Projects of July linky party!

Click on each picture to visit each amazing blog

and check out their project!

Shark Pallet Art by Kim from Sand and Sisal.

Striped Entry Way Reveal by Ashley from Dirt Stains and Paint

A Secret Garden (you must see to believe) by Stacy from Not Just a Housewife.

Decorative Tile Wall Art by Shelley from The House of Smiths.

Dresser Makeover by Deidre from Simply Simplisticated

How to Give Brass and Aged Patina by Carrie from Hooked on Decorating.

Decorate with State Maps by Amanda at My Heart’s Desire

DIY Upholstered Headboard by Anneke from This, That, & Life

A  Colorful Outdoor Space by Jana from Transformations from the Heart

$30 Fake it until you can Make it Butcher Block Kitchen Island

by Amanda from Red Barn Candle Company.

Thanks to everyone who linked up!

To see even more great projects, click on the button below…

I’ll see you on August 31st for the “Best DIY Projects of August” linky party!

Have a blessed day!

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