Somebunny on Vacation

Hello again Chumps! How've you been? Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I've been in Vegas, baby! 
My girls and I got to tag along on one of Ken's business trips out west.  We spent a week in Vegas and another week in L.A. and San Diego. I felt like I was living somebody else's life....this chump was livin' large!  We loved it all!

You just know that I am going to bore you with all the family vacation photos, but that's for another day.

I did think of you all and was able to snap some 'design related' shots of some of the hotels where we stayed - modern and beautiful and now I want to re-do my whole house all fresh and artsy like that, but again... that's a post for another day.

Today, I want to introduce you to "Somebunny". 
This is my precious niece Danika. The story of "Somebunny" started with her.

Almost every Friday during the school year, I get to pick up Dani at noon from school and spend the afternoon with her.  We have made so many great memories this year, that when school ended a few weeks ago, we both cried.  She's heading to all day kindergarten next year and our "D-days" will be no more.  During the winter, we often would hit the Zeeland McDonald's for a kid's happy meal and a chance to play in the 'germ gym'. On this particular day, she found the special prize to be a heart covered bunny with floppy ears.  This was somewhat of a disappointment to "D" because she is a true tomboy rebel and this toy was a bit too prissy and girl-y. Nevertheless, she realized that auntie thought it was cute, so she played along and acted grateful.

Knowing just how fond (?) of Somebunny she was, I started sending her text messages and pictures of Somebunny in various places doing a variety of activities.

This has been going on for several months now, much to her dismay.  :)

Somebunny crying because he missed her.

Somebunny reading our favorite book, "Blue Kangaroo".

Somebunny giggling because somebody sent him flowers.

Somebunny cheering up Brecken when she was home with the flu.

Somebunny getting ready for our trip to Florida to spend a week with Dani at Spring Break.

Somebunny enjoying a special birthday celebration with Dani's sister Kaia at our house for a sleep-over.

You get the idea. Well......all this to say...guess who insisted on accompanying us out west??  You guessed it....

Somebunny!
Here's our two week vacation from Somebunny's perspective:

(Text messages to my  three sisters' phones during our 2 week trip).
Somebunny is getting ready for a three hour flight to Vegas!

Somebunny's a little scared to fly.

Somebunny made his mouth raw with lots of sugared gum on the flight.(Somebunny is starting to sound a lot like somebunny else I know). :)

Somebunny was anxious to do some gambling in the hotel lounge.

Somebunny was impressed with the pool at the Flamingo Hotel.

Somebunny thought he'd try his hand at the 'claw'.

Somebunny really liked meeting some other bunnies on the Vegas strip.

Somebunny got used to lots of desert driving in the hot, hot sun.

Somebunny got to see the Hoover Dam!

And the Grand Canyon!

Somebunny also got to go to Hollywood and scout out famous people!

(Somebunny wanted a picture at the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre-where all the celebrity handprints are).

Can you guess where Somebunny is in this next picture below?

Here's a clue:

(Somebunny's friend was a little obsessed with the OJ Simpson trial back in 1994. I'm not naming names but she insisted on checking out Nicole Brown's Simpson's condo in Brentwood-twice!).

Somebunny felt a little out of his league in the ritzy hotels he got to stay in. (Can I get a 'woot woot' for Priceline)!!

Somebunny gearing up for the five hour drive from San Diego back to Vegas and the red-eye flight home to Michigan.

Somebunny got to witness amazing sunsets on the coast in Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Newport Beach, and San Diego. Somebunny felt really grateful.

Thanks for putting up with my immature and childish antics.  In all seriousness, I was blessed to experience the trip of a lifetime.  For a crusty chump who doesn't get out much, I loved every minute of it.
Now...deep breath in, long exhale out and back to work tomorrow. Who am I kidding? I love what I do. Because of all of you -it's not work.
Thanks to all the chumps who were patient with me while I was gone and put your projects on hold. Thanks to my three sisters and DC who put up with all my "Somebunny" texts. Somebunny sure must've missed you lots to touch base with you that much.
See you chumps back here soon.
. 

Comments...

Perfectly Shabby at "Not So Shabby"

Alright Chumps...I know I promised you one more post on the beauty (?) of Oak, but instead I'll be shameless and self-promoting and highlight some of the things I've been working on for my booth at Not So Shabby.

The rustic boards with hooks in the pictures above and below are made from an old weathered porch swing that I've dragged with me our last three moves. We've worked around it in the garage/workshop for a few months now and Ken was about to roast marshmellows over it at our first summer campfire, but I sweet- talked him into repurposing the boards into a peachy and beachy looking towel holder and I think it was worth salvaging after all.

I actually haven't had any time to hit many garage sales lately, but here are a few gems that we found last weekend and that I got around to painting a few days later.

I also had some fun working on recovering this grungy old lampshade last week. A friend and former neighbor who owns our wonderful local coffee shop, Zeeland's very own "Mainstreet Beanery" requested that I replace the old burlap looking shade with a burlap coffee sack.  How fitting for a coffee shop owner!
What a fun conversation piece in her living room now!  No time for a tutorial, but here's the steps involved.

Until next time Chumps.  Peace out.

Comments...

Okey Dokey...more Oak-y.

Here's another room that started out with beautiful custom oak trim.  If you have oak trim in your house and you're starting to get a complex about it, I apologize if I'm doggin' it.  It's not me...it's my peeps. They're over it. Some of 'em at least anyway, and those that know me, know that there's nothing I won't take a paintbrush to.

This project, however, I left up to the true professionals. Even if it is my bestest pal, DC's sunroom. I spend far too much time in this room to look at any spills, drips or mistakes that I've caused.  After a quick "Room for Change" consult, she hired a painter to freshen up the trim with primer and a soft white paint.  I matched the new color to her kitchen cabinets that we had painted shortly after she moved in.  (Archived Blog).

For the walls, I picked a new paint color that wasn't quite as deep as the gold that was also there when she moved in -and that we lived with because we thought it worked with the oak.  She wasn't replacing furniture so I knew we couldn't stray from the cottage feel that she still wanted in there.

Here's a refresher of her painted kitchen, which was also originally oak.

Before Pics of the sunroom:

Here's the after:

One more before:

One more After:

Subtle, but fresh, wouldn'tch say?

Can you pick out some "Room for Change" gems in the photo?

*The floor lamp I bought at an estate sale and recovered the shade for her birthday.

*The green upholstered side chair was her first purchase from my booth at "Not So Shabby" two years ago when it first opened.

*The middle accent/coffee table was a garage sale find that I painted and restained- purchased from this past year's tag sale in November.

*The stain in the middle of the rug under the table was from my spill last New Year's Eve...

(Only kidding..we got that one out). No, that wasn't me, DC! :)

I promise.

Okey dokey Chumps, no more oak-y.

Except for one more next time. Then I'm done.

Comments...