Paint Your Wagon!

I had been on the look-out for some cute little piece of junk that I could plant flowers in and add a little bit of charm to my yard. At a recent yard sale, I came across this old, bang-up wagon. It had been haphazardly painted blue and black, had a bit of rust on the inside, a large wrap of electrical tape on the handle, which I assume was holding it together, and lots of dirt. Still, it once had cuteness to it and I was sure that I could do something with it to bring it back to life. Besides, for $3, how could I go wrong? Here is the before picture:

Not exactly charming, right? No problem. I took "her" home, cleaned her up a bit, then got put my paints. I sprayed the body and hubcaps pink, my favorite soft color, and the wheels, frame and handle black. I love the way that the shiny black brought the wheels back to life! After the paint had dried and cured for a few days (this humidity kept it sticky for longer than I anticipated) she was ready for planting. I chose pink begonias, burgundy sweet potato vine, a white salvia and some tall purple flowers who's name I can't recall (I really should keep a gardening diary or at least hang onto those little plastic name tags). I had left the electrical tape in place, for fear of what I would find underneath it, but covered it up by winding wide pink ribbon over it and tying the ends in a sweet bow underneath the handle. I placed my newly completed project out front and when my grandson, Jamison, got home, he declared, "Ohhhh! It's so cute!". Mission accomplished! Here are the after pictures:

I love to put little angels peeking out from the plants

Thank you for stopping by. Hugs and Love, ~Leena~

Two Smiles For The Price Of One!

If you follow my FaceBook page, you saw me complaining the other day about having to go to Wal Mart. I have nothing against the store, I just didn't really want to go. It's always hot, crowded and loud. Oh well, off I went and since I didn't have much to get, it wasn't long before I was headed for the check-out line. Walking ahead of me were two sisters. When one sister commented on how expensive everything was these days, the other replied, "Hello? Where have you been?". The first sister commented that she had no idea how their mom did it with all of them. She then said something that almost stopped me in my tracks, "I really should call and thank her for everything she did for us when we were growing up. I really don't know how she did it!". I was so touched, it made me smile. I can't imagine what my reaction to a phone call like that would be. I might faint! I sure hope that she did call her mother. The thought made me smile.

On the way home, I was passing an apartment complex when I spotted a bunch of junk sitting outside a dumpster in the parking lot. What caught my eye were some chair legs sticking up from behind a couch. I did a quick turn-around at the next parking lot and headed back to check it out. There, I found a nice dining room chair! I gave it the wiggle test and it was sturdy. I turned it over to check how the chair seat was attached - easy, a few screws and the seat would pop out for me to recover. The wood was in good shape and will take paint well. So, I snatched it up and placed it in the back of my car. I drive a small SUV and can usually take just about anything I find. You'd be surprised at what I've crammed in there. Not that this chair took up much space. So now, the chair is sitting in my office, waiting for the humidity to die down a little bit so the paint will adhere better and won't take so long to cure. I have a beautiful piece of fabric I'd like to recover the seat with and the perfect paint color to go with it - I can't wait! Finding junk always makes me smile!

So, I guess you never know where or when a smile will grace your day. I hope you get many of them, however they arrive! Hugs, ~Leena~

Today's Smile - Kids Say The Sweetest Things

My little, just turned 4 years old grandson Jamison, came up to me the other day and said the sweetest thing. Out of the blue, he said, "Meemaw, you're in my heart". I was so touched! I told him that he was in my heart too and then he said, "You make my heart happy!" to which I replied, "You make my heart very happy". This continued back and forth for a little while with "very, very happy, very, very, VERY happy" and so on, until we both just stood there, giggling and hugging each other. After a bit, he scurried off to continue playing with his toys. God I Love That Kid!! He is the sweetest little one and fills each day with joy. I am truly blessed!

Hope you have a heart happy day and thank you for being here! Hugs, ~Leena~

Got Love? Pass it around. It will always come back to you!

Rockin' Robins!

Several years ago, a pair of robins took to building a nest on top of the spot light that hangs above our basement door. I tried to let them know that this was not a good spot, by repeatedly removing their nesting attempts each time they would rebuild. They were relentless, however, and once I saw that they had put so much hard work into making a home for their soon to arrive family members, I didn't have the heart to take it down. I just hoped that they would be safe up there and that our dogs (we had 3 at the time) would not find any babies roaming around the yard. Baby bird time always makes me so nervous!

We always get two sets of chicks each year. I'm not sure if the mother lays two sets of eggs or if one group leaves and another takes over, but with each new resident, the nest is added on to. It keeps getting taller and taller and soon there won't be enough clearance between it and the deck above for anybody to get in or out!

Robin's nest. You can sort of see the divisions where different families have added to it

These little birds are very protective of their eggs and hatchlings, so each time we go outside, the adults sit on the fence and fuss at us. "Cheep, chirp, bip bip bip!" I have no idea what they are saying but I'm sure it would be censored. We try not to stay out too long as we really don't want to disturb them, however, every once in a while I'll tell a particularly naggy one, "I told you it wasn't a good place to raise babies but you wouldn't listen!"

The other day, I walked outside and noticed that, what were small babies just a few days prior, were sitting up in the nest looking like they were about ready to leave it! I decided to take their picture, as they were posing so nicely. Bad idea. Bad, bad idea. As soon as I raised my camera up towards the nest, the babies let out a shriek and took off! They weren't very good at flying, so they sort of air wobbled towards the ground. Meanwhile, I was looking to see where Sullivan, my dog was, so that he wouldn't notice the babies. At that moment, the entire Robin Mafia came after me! There were robins on the fence, in the trees, swooping at my head, flying back and forth, and all of them were cussing and fussing up a storm! I have no idea where the babies went: most likely, they bopped through a small hole in the fence and were in the next yard, heading towards the woods. Needless to say, I decided that it was time for Sullivan and me to go inside. I felt really badly for having caused such a ruckus, but I had no idea those little guys would take off like that. Must've scared them pretty good too, as one doodied on my hand!

I was just out a little while ago and I saw my little feathered friends, flying much better than last week, and being fed by their mother. An adult did hop up on the fence and give me the evil eye, but I didn't pay attention. With the babies gone, the yard is up for grabs once again!

Today's Smile

Wear a Cheesy Grin........


It looks good on you!
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by! ~Leena~

Thrifty Temptations

I was out thrifting today, searching for more project inspiration, when something extraordinary happened. As I wheeled my cart of found objects around the shop, there he was, looking so elegant, so dapper. He was the semi-rugged type, not too harsh, but definitely manly, with big, dark eyes. Oh, those eyes, how they taunted me, seeming to follow me everywhere! I tried to look away, but I was caught in his spell and found myself gazing at him once more. Everything in my entire being told me to stay away, but despite my silent objections, I slowly walked closer, then closer still, until I was standing right in front of him! I cautiously looked up, fearing that if I dared to gaze into his eyes, I'd be lost forever, but again, I was drawn like a moth to a flame, and I slowly raised my head until our eyes met. A smile came across his face as he spoke. "Bonjour Madam" he said, with a French accent. A French accent! Handsome, dark, mysterious eyes, a snappy dresser and now this? A FRENCH ACCENT? How was I to resist his charms now? Fearing all was lost, I quickly gathered my composure, bid him a fond afternoon and slipped into another aisle. "What has come over me?", I queried, "Did that just happen?". However, before I could ponder the situation too much, the feeling of being watched overtook me and, as once before, I was compelled to approach the stranger. "What is it you want from me? I shrieked. "Why must you torment me so?" He then asked the question. I mean, THE question! "May I come back to your place, Ma Cher?" Shocked and gasping, my mind raced with a million thoughts. "I'm a happily married woman! How could I even consider such a thing? Jim is going to think I'm crazy if I show up with him. What would the neighbors think?" Ultimately, I just couldn't resist him any more. I lifted him up, shoved him under my arm and said, "Let's go home before I spend any more money!"

Here he is!



Isn't he just the cutest thing?

LOL! Had you going for a while, didn't I? The woman at the store said he was supposed to have a chalk board in his hands (which would explain the rather large holes in each) and she was sure she'd seen it come in, so she would check and I'm to give her a call tomorrow. Meanwhile, I took a red and white cloth napkin, folded it and shoved it (ever so gently) into each hand hole. For now, it's working and if the missing chalk board isn't found, I'll come up with something else. I seriously did walk away from him, glance back across the aisles and return to take him. Not sure what the attraction is, but he just had to be mine! Too silly!

Here he is in his new home, the corner behind my kitchen sink

Enjoy your day, no matter what "mystery" awaits! Hugs and Smoochies, ~Leena~

GRAND OPENING! Pink Cherub Moon Etsy Shop!!

YIPPIE AND YEEHAW! I have finally opened my online store at http://www.etsy.com/shop/PinkCherubMoon?ref=si_shop

After I received my business license, I spent a few months researching - small business practices, other shops, Websites for Dummies (still haven't gotten very far with that one), the latest in home decor and furnishings, what people wanted - anything that I thought would assist me in a successful business launch. I've yet to figure it all out and there are some technical things that are giving me a headache (while I do know my way around a computer pretty well, I'm no IT Guru), mainly making a banner for my shop so it doesn't look so nakey, but I am ready to roll!! I have tons and I do mean tons (you should see my workshop) of more items to list and work on, so if you're interested and I sure hope that you will be, please stop by often and see what's new. If there's anything special you are hunting for or that I can assist you with, please do not hesitate to contact me. I love making new friends too, so tell your friends and they'll tell their friends and so on and so on (I think that was an old shampoo commercial LOL). I'll be testing the waters and diving in head-first as I go along and learn more (suggestions are always welcome) and am just tickled PINK to be realizing a dream I've held in my heart for so many years!

I now have two Face Book pages - my regular one under Leena Milligan-Lanteigne and a new business one under PinkCherubMoon. I'm hoping that I can jump between the two and keep up with everybody, so feel free to LIKE my new page and your comments and chit chat, which honestly, REALLY MAKE MY DAY, will show up on both!

A BIG, HUGE, GINORMOUS THANK YOU to all who have believed in me and given their encouragement and support. Y'all are the best!

Hope to see you soon. Hugs and Smoochies, ~Leena~

Happy Birthday, America!

Hi! I hope that everybody had a wonderful Independence Day! We decided to turn the festivities into a two-night affair, celebrating both on the 3rd and 4th of July. In our area, it's an all-day, town-wide affair, with a parade in the morning, then a festival at the park with live music and food vendors, followed by a plethora of pyrotechnics, er, a really BIG fireworks show after dark. We love all of this celebration and join right in, only we also like to have our own fireworks display at home. That isn't really possible since the show doesn't allow for getting home until around 10:30. Aha! This year, my smart and charming husband Jim came up with a solution. All of our neighbors were away so we had the entire pipe stem (a shared driveway of sorts) to ourselves! As soon as darkness arrived, which, by the way, was not soon enough for Jamison who had fireworks on the brain all day, we took our arsenal and chairs outside to the middle of the drive and Jim began lighting the fuses. Ohhhhhhh! Ahhhhhh! We were having a great time and the little one's reactions were priceless, as you can see in the photo.

A few minutes later, we were joined by about 10 kids from the neighborhood. It seemed that their show was over, so they came to watch ours. This added to the fun as there were so many silly comments and behaviors. Then, one of their fathers came over with what looked like a metal pipe. He said it was a mortar and lit it. There was a big BOOM followed by a huge WHOOSH as sparks flew into the air, then another, smaller BANG as the sky ignited in a beautiful, dazzling design. It was awesome! He let off a couple more of those and Jim continued with some great fountains in gorgeous colors, then the kids all chased each other around with those little popping things that you throw on the ground. Everybody had a great time.

On the 4th, we headed over to a nearby field where the town's show could be seen. We spread out our blanket and watched a spectacular performance. Upon arriving back home, we let off a few more little fountains before eating some yummy strawberry shortcake and calling it a night. All in all, a fun-filled salute to America!