8 Foot Makeover

My son in law is something special. He takes very good care of one of our most cherished treasures, my daughter. He honored us when he married her.  He also takes care of 2 of my 3 grand babies. He most of the time is quiet unless it’s Cowboy season or really any football game. He doesn’t ever ask us for much of anything but the occasional help with a home project. We love him very much. When he text...

A Hot Minute

It’s been a hot minute sense I blogged. I’ll be the first to admit I’m overwhelmed with all this Blue Happy growth. The intense level on some days keep me like OMG I don’t know where to start with the To Do list. I’ve got custom orders piled on top of all those creative ideas of mine. At the same time I got news that brought back bad memories from the past. One of the stores BoHo Buffalo in Waco...

Big Blue Happy Day

There are those days and weeks that seem to drag on. Those times you feel like life is ready to kick you at every turn. Been having a few of those times here lately. Sunday I did a trip to Waco all by myself. Greg stayed home to take care of some really important stuff “FOOTBALL”. I enjoyed my alone time with my thoughts and a few healthy snacks. I turned up my running track, danced and sang all the...

Honesty From Blue Happy Living

I’m feeling a little buried over here with all this growth we are experiencing. I’m not complaining at all just overwhelmed in a good way. The steady fast pace of retirement has kept me from missing teaching as much. I do often think of my kiddo’s and miss them often. The fast pace of this new creative direction has me thinking of all kinds of new ideas but, it’s no secret I do not like winter. This beautiful Monday has...

Simple Makeovers

I’m called all the time and ask “do you want this I need it gone:. Most of the time I know the people but sometimes it someone that got my name from a friend of a friend. How ever they got my name I’m happy to help them out. Most of the time it’s just a simple makeover and other times it’s a complete redesign to restore it. I have dug in the worst house just hours before the bull...

My Journey Moves On

You have no idea how many times I have typed and retyped this blog.  This blog was set to post on Friday October 25th but my emotions wouldn’t let me hit publish.  I felt like it needed to be more, more information, more emotion and more than what it was.  Last week I turned a page in my journey. I was released by Dr A from my very last skin surgery.  I kinda left his office feeling like okay now...

1, 2, 3 Makeovers

This blog is loaded! I’ve been turning out projects like a mad artist. I love when a vision comes to life and that same project finds a new home as quick as it leaves my studio. Project 1 I sent out a teaser last week about a 9 1/2 foot table I was working on. This project was a beast. The family I got it from used it on their patio and it was covered but still the weather got...

Blue Happy Travels & New Challenge

I’ve been on the road the past few days. I stepped into a new Challenge in celebration of October. The month of October is very special to me. It is the month that I took a stand and began to corrected the damage I had done with my food addiction for years.  New year and new challenges are ahead of me for sure.  I’ve told only a few people about this new challenge and now I’ll share it with you....

Saying Goodbye

Seems like 2019 is stacking up to be a page turner. First big page turned was me leaving teaching and now the closing of Doc Holliday’s. Today is the last day of business for Doc’s. I haven’t said much about this because to be honest it hurts. I loved this little store and all it gave to me. The friendships are abundant from the past 4 years. Yes I started my Blue Happy Journey at Doc’s 4 years ago this...

Slap On The Color

With the farm house crave these days it’s easy to get in a white rut. Don’t get me wrong I love the white and I love me some farm house. My artist soul craves the color. I had this crazy idea and I decided to make it happen. What you see in this blog might make you think I’ve lost it. I gathered a few pieces I had in storage and off I went to my studio to make this...

Heart Felt Makeover

Leaving my teaching gig back in May was so hard. Most days I go about Blue Happy business and try not to think about it. I loved those kids so much, still do, always will. I will always and forever hold a special place in my heart for that little school in the grove of trees. Most drive by it every day and don’t even know it’s there. When I left I told them I needed to go away for...

Failure Isn’t Really Failure

Sometimes you create something that just doesn’t work. Over the past four years I’ve had a few of those. When that happens I have to do one of two things recreate or move on. I’m not one for moving on and giving up on a piece. So many times I’ve recreated a piece over and over until Ta-Da I reach success. I’ve had this small table for a while now. It has made it’s rounds to a few of my...

Cover Up Makeover

I do lots of makeovers every week. I’m on the lookout for that next piece that tickles the fancy of my creative soul. Some are simple no repairs with little more to do than paint. Others need a week in the shop to get it back to where it needs to be so I can paint it. Then there are those creative pieces you make from this and that. Sometimes I find a piece that grabs my creative heart and...

Doors Close Windows Open

Doors Close and Windows open is a term we have all heard many times in our lives. Life is funny that way and this seems to always play out when we least expect it. When I started this blog 4 years ago it was only a blog and express myself through art and to tell my restored life journey. I never expected to open a small business followed by adding a total of 5 stores. I love the concept of...

A Journey’s End

For years I felt like I was running in so many different direction. I never really felt like I finished anything. I always seemed so overwhelmed with life. My house was always disorganized, my marriage seemed frazzled, my head would spin with okay what next. I would try to focus on something but very soon my focus would be onto something else because I couldn’t find peace with anything. I would spend most every night crying myself to sleep in...

Believing and Faith

When both my grandmothers passed away I really didn’t inherit anything. I was given a few things from around their home’s. I was fine with that because I’m not one for material things. Both lived very simple lives and never really had more than they needed so there wasn’t loads of money to pass around. I loved them both so very much. They gave me wise advice that I’ve carried for years. When I struggled in life they both told...

Making Changes Part 1

I’m forever changing things up. Moving things around and making what seems to be a better way of living. Recently I’m bored with my own living space and it’s time to change things up. This is how I go about making those changes so that it all works. First I let Greg know about my plans. I get the look and the ok whatever. That lets me know he is willing to put up with my idea or at least...

Sometimes Things Happen

A week ago I had this great blog all ready to post. Just needed to finish up taking pictures and ready it for my IT person (my sweet Heather) to make it happen. I was so very proud of this piece and all the creativity that I put in it. It was finished up on a Friday morning so I delivered it to Doc Holliday’s late in the day. Tagged it and went about my weekend. I had the blog...

I Wanna Be Home Feeling

Change is something we all either hate or love. I’m not one for change or at least change that makes a difference in my routine or life. Change can be good and amazing if your life is in a rut. People talk to me all the time about how they are in a rut with their home. Some say I just don’t know where to start. I want my family room to be special and a place we love to...

It’s All New At Doc Holliday’s

Let me be honest I so tired I can’t hardly keep my eyes open. It’s a good tired because I’m following my passion. I’ve worked extremely hard this week to prepare all new items for Doc’s, prepare for the opening at Rustic Warehouse and fill my stores in Waco. I think I’ll make it. Today I restored the Blue Happy booth at Doc’s there are so many beautiful things for your patio, porch or inside your home. Oh the color...

Today I Start A New Journey

Well here I sat on this first day as a retired teacher. Oh what shall I do? There is so much to do I’m spinning. I loved teaching, I loved those kids and I love knowing I got to do what I loved for so many years. God is so good and lead me in a direction that I can continue to do art. Art makes me happy and fills my soul. I love to recreate things and restore things...

Come Party Girls Night Out!

It’s gonna be a good time this Thursday evening at Doc Holliday’s Emporium. We are gonna have a great time. Charla the manager has set up a girls night out.  Come out and spend some time strolling through the store.  We have 2 floors of venders that have stocked up their booths with all kinds of goodies.  If vintage is what your after we have that with many of the venders. Two of my favorites are  Love and Rust and...

I’ve Done This Before It Was Different This Time

This weekend was a full one. Not much time for anything extra, only those things that were on the calendar. My final art show as the Wylie Prep art teacher happened on Saturday morning . Let me back up, the prep for the show started on Wednesday. It takes 3 days to gather all the art, judge it, number it, all 653 piece and hang and set the show late into Friday night. As always for more than 25 year...

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The Trash No More Makeover

I was worried this might be the piece that got me. My friend Mina sent me a text and said “this is on the curb in my neighborhood”. I drove by and knew I could save it so in the Blue Happy truck it went. Once I got it home the story started to change. The hardware was broken and trashed. All but one drawer was stuck closed. This must have been why they got rid of it. You could...

My Cup Runneth Over

Lately I’ve been feeling all kinds of emotions. Highs and lows, ups and downs all with tears and laughter. I can’t believe that I’m a little over a month from the end of my teaching career. There are moments of unsureness and moments of excitement. I know this is all in God’s time and without a doubt I know I’m on the right path of my journey. The future is full as is my past full of so many memories....

The Smallest Things Make A Difference

Today was high-five your teacher at school. I’ll be honest not my favorite day because of my issues with germs. My art kids know me well and know that an elbow bump is so much better for me. I love that our school takes the time to honor our hardworking teachers and celebrate us. We were served breakfast all day and I’ve heard lunch in on Wednesday followed by snack day on Friday. It really is the smallest things that...

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You Just Never Know

Most of the time when I buy in the Rusty By Design Auction I don’t go preview the items. I have shopped their auction house for many years, pretty much from the opening. I have never been disappointed at all. Now, I have left the auction house on pick up day and though OMG I can’t believe I got that piece for such a great price. If you are looking for a perfect piece that you don’t have to do...

Made In India Restored In The USA

So I have this friend who gave me this little cabinet. It was in excellent shape so I didn’t have to do any repairs. It was perfect in size, shape and height. I knew I wanted to work on this piece as soon as she gave it to me. It challenged my creative soul because it was so far from farmhouse style. As I examined the piece I noticed a sticker on the bottom that said “Made In India”. Things...

Refreshed and New

My blog is all about restoring things. I believe there isn’t anything that can’t be restored if the right effort is put into it. Restoring myself and my health at points has proven to be a challenge. I’m a believer and my faith, prayer and trust in God will always carry me through anything. I believe even the bad and not so pretty moments in your life always have a lesson to teach. Over the past week my faith and...

In A Rut and Spinning My Wheels

We get in a rut as to what things are and can be. I’ve never been one to think that there is only one purpose to what we have or one purpose to people. Reinventing things is one of the joys of this creative world of mine. Six and a half years ago I decided to reinvent myself. I started with a simple plan to get healthy and before I knew it God showed me a plan that was completely...

What A Fell Of A Day

I’m on the look out for great pieces to redo all of the time. I can’t let a weekend go by that I don’t estate sale. Nor does a trash day go by without me trolling local neighborhoods for great piece that people toss out. Almost every weekend Rusty By Design Auction has a sale going on. I’m a regular at the auction. Their items are quality and the team of people working at the auction is amazing. In between...

Change Is Good

You know those weekends when you have time to clean your home or at least a room. It feels so good you just wanna sit there and stare at it. I love that feeling I get when this happens. I mean I clean my house but the days of doing a deep clean to where it looks all fresh and new are far between. With Monday off I had time to completely clean out my vanity in my bathroom. It...

Showing My Underwear

One of the hardest parts of my restored life journey to get healthy has been the clothing. You love when your clothing gets loose. If feels so good to put on that pair of jeans that was once so tight it made marks on your skin but now its big. It was easy to drag out buying new clothing you kinda liked wearing things that showed off your progress. The one thing I couldn’t get away with letting things sag...

Giving Up

There are days I just wanna pull the cover over my head and say I’m out you people carry on without me. Wouldn’t that be great if we could really just say “peace out” and walk away. Not the responsible thing to do or is it the reality of life. On those days I just put a smile on my face and roll with the punches of the day. Giving up isn’t really in my souls zipper. I might have...

BHL

Blue Happy New Year

If I’m honest and I always try to be with my blog readers my year-end was not so Blue Happy. I spent the better part of NYE frustrated and put out. New years day played out the same way. I was frustrated over words that have been spoken to me and about me over the past few weeks. I let others impose their thoughts of me and how I handle my life-like a dagger in my heart. I’m many things...

Gathering From The Heart

I’ve been ask why I call my restored dining table sets “Gathering Tables” well this is why. The season of gathering is upon us. We fill our days with shopping, wrapping, attending events as the days melt away. Then comes the day we stop and gather to celebrate Christmas. In my home we celebrate the birth of Christ. We gather on Christmas eve and Christmas morning. On Christmas Eve we open our home to those that don’t have a family...

Blue Happy Is Lost

Well I’ve been MIA for about a week and a half. I feel like someone dropped me off in a forrest and drove away without any information or direction. I’m not one for staying down to long but this mess has got me in a tail spin. Here is what has happened. On Friday December the 7th I opened up my computer to blog and my world was turned upside down. When you write a blog and open your life...

Hard Week, Broken But Still Grateful

On Friday I went to school with my voice sounding like I was a chain smoker. It wasn’t sore nor did I feel bad in any way other than just tired. That tired things seems to be a common thing for me as I over work myself keeping up. By Saturday I wasn’t feeling well at all so I though I’ll jump ahead of whatever this is and go to Carenow. I did, no to Flu, no to a common...

Welcome Back To Blue Happy Living

It’s been a hot minute since I sat down to write a blog. I don’t need to tell you how 2020 has played out over here. I’m sure you have your own stories to tell, your own moments of quarantine OMGs, and we all know that life has been changed forever by all of this craziness. I laughed at the phrase that was on repeat on social media and TV commercials “we’re all in this together”. Ain’t nobody sharing toilet...

It’s Time For A Change

On my 50th birthday, my daughter gave me this blog as my gift. She set it all up, taught me a few things, and off we went with the Blue Happy Living Blog. A year ago, when I was about to retire, I thought I was going to have so much more time to blog. I had no idea what was actually in the pipeline for me or this little blog. So let’s talk about that and get a little...