Laundry Room Paint Update... before and after!

This room was 100% updated with Paint!

These are obviously the "after" pics... Owls and Pairs. Think it'll sell? I think it's trendy :)
Here's the ugly "before" with 70's dark cabinets. Also note that I moved the holes and chose fresh 'retro' hardware'.

(click to enlarge)
Always coming up with something new here at Kustom Kate Studios!

Now I will be anxious to put some fresh tile down... hmmm I'm thinking slate!

Comments and criticism are always welcome!

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Our Mini Road-Trip

On Saturday Mike and I decided to have an adventure together... so we went to the welcome center in Tulsa and picked up our maps and trail guides and state park guides for the summer! We decided to check out Natural Falls State Park in West Siloam OK The falls were beautiful! There was a short 20 or so min hike down into the gorge to be at the base of the falls. Then we headed back and continued on our road trip...
Since we were so close, we decided to wander around a bit in Arkansas... our most favorite state :) It really is so amazingly beautiful... We still want to retire there... or just move there someday! We ended up in Prarie Grove where we enjoyed our picnic lunch at the Prarie Grove Battle Field Park. Then we took the driving tour of the Civil War Battlefield; I read info at the stops while Mike drove.
We decided to "make a loop of the day" and came back through Talequah OK... (neither of us had seen Talequah yet)
We stopped at blockbuster on the way home and picked up "Taken" and "Valkyrie"... when they were over we crashed and slept like logs!

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Bloomin'

I like to share a couple pics through out the season showing off my greens ... a lot of which I always attempt to start with seed... whatever does not make it, I fill with plants and flowers... I try to find on sale :)

Here's the Vegetable Patch... small this year... it'll grow

Here's one of my pots

This one's probably my fav... the wave petunias were one of my seed babies

This is the first garden I started at this house... perennials obviously not from seed.. looks like it needs a little love...

I've done a lot in the front too... I'll share that later :) Most of it was spring bloomers

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Concert in the Park

On Tuesday we packed a picnic dinner and went to a free concert at the RiverWalk in Tulsa/Jenks Laura, Simeon and their new friend Julia.

Some great songs were played and sung by Kristy Nockels, her Husband and a new artist named Christian. We all discussed how thankful we are that we can still express praise to God publicly in this great nation!

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An interesting call

Okay... I don't necessarily talk about each and every job I do... however this one was different..
I got a call from a business in Okmulgee OK... about an hour or so away... They needed someone to do some seasonal painting on their windows... something I had neve done before... so I hope that the paint doesn't wash off... here are a couple pics:

Was it worth the time? I don't know, I have to think about it. It was an adventure anyways :)

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A Relaxing end to a CRAZY month!

It all started a month ago with my birthday... as I mentioned in my previous post we have some great-long-time friends come and visit for my birthday weekend and we had a lot of laughs! The next weekend Mike's sister came down with her 3 munchkins... the weather wasn't great... but we managed to have a great and silly time :) Quality time with family is always welcome here!
What's interesting about that weekend too is that it is the same weekend we were supposed to break ground.. or raise the wall for house #9 Habitat for Humanity Womenbuild Tulsa... we were blessed to have the celebrity Trisha Yearwood to come and do some building and promotional videos to kick off national Women Build Week... Anyways it was so rainy that week and we were not going to be able to build outside... so the 10 of us Lady Builders that formed a committee last fall were informed at 6pm on friday that we would be making a luncheon for her and her Hubby Garth Brooks at noon on saturday... yikes! No pressure or anything ;) Anyways I made Brownies [yes from the box] and a cheese and cracker platter. It was a great time and I was pleasantly impressed by their humility and open hearted love for Jesus. What a great day it was!
Anyways.. the next weekend I got sick... I went to the wall raising day and had fun... but needed rest! Then on tuesday Mike's parents called us with a last minute decision to come and visit the next [last] weekend. Once again we had a great visit... lots of time to hang out and chat... they brought us lots of plants and Mike's mom helped me with lots of gardening... and we went to Mayfest in Tulsa a quality visit again.
Anyways needless to say we decided to take it easy over Memorial Day we I went to the build on saturday and drank about 18 gallons of water and never peed because it was so hot! But it was great fun!
Yesterday we went to church and then just chilled! We had Mike's boss and wife for a noon BBQ today and are now winding down [I'm catching up on 4 blogposts and he's doing homework] for the week .... a relaxing end to a CRAZY month!
If you haven't yet check out http://www.hearts4hammers.blogspot.com I have been updating progress on the house! :)

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30

I haven't been up here in a while... so I thought turning 30 would be a typical thing to blog about... :)
The truth is, birthdays come and go and I don't give much thought to it. It's crazy how time flies, that just reminds me how I need to be responsible with what I have. Taking care of myself [ I NEED to work out and re-balance my diet], and using my time wisely... investing in myself and others. That's what it's all about!
Anyways our good long-time friends, Tony and Melyssa, came in for the weekend. We had lots of fun visiting and catching up! Always a ridiculous amount of laughter :) It was a great way to celebrate.
Business has been picking up... actually some-what consistent... for now! I'll take it, I am thankful.
That's pretty much it... Mike's sister Kristen is planning on coming with her 3 little ones this weekend, so I have a bit of cleaning and shopping to do. Hope the sun comes out!
We break ground on Tulsa Habitat for Humanity Women Build House #9 on Saturday... so that'll be fun and busy too! http://www.habitat-tulsa.org/lady_builders.aspx

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Oil for Auction

Okay, I have yet to sign it... and possibly add another piece of stem... [and maybe a tiny little bug on it] but this is pretty much it.
Along with donating a custom project of my decorative art services, I also offered to do an oil painting for the upcoming Habitat for Humanity auction. Proceeds from these two donations will go toward Women Build, a group I have been involved with since Fall.
I'll be curious to see how the painting does... I have never sold nor auctioned any of my oils... I tend to get too attached after hours and hours of work... this one probably only took me 12-16 hours though... so I'll keep a picture :)
Today I'll be working on the Kustom Kate display... then hopefully I will be finished with auction stuff with a couple weeks to spare... not like me to be so ahead of schedule... but the painting will probably take a couple weeks to dry.

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Good Stuff...

If I hear just one more time
That I should try and be more open-minded
I think I just might scream
The world says this is all there is
Yet I believe the One who says there's life after this
Now tell me how much more open can my mind be?
-MERCY ME
"One Trick Pony"

I was rockin to this song while working earlier this week...
Love the words of that verse

[I tried to embed the video but You Tube has Gotten Tricky... it's called "Jesus Would've Been a Biker - One Trick Pony - Mercy Me" Check it out if you have 3 min 46 sec ]
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2 New Pieces and a Road Trip

Here are a couple more of these "contemporary" pieces I have been posting. I am starting to generate more and more ideas... we'll se how this goes... Either I will find a place to display and sell them, or I will have a closet full of paintings. :)

These are for sale anytime and would also make great gifts :) E-Mail or comment if you need size info.
Last week I drove down to Killeen Tx to help my bud (since pre-school) Sheri and her husband Steve freshen up a few things before putting their house on the market. Here's a picture of the most luxurious welcome-center I have ever seen.... Only in Texas!

Of course I had to stop... my love for maps forces me to stop and get a free map every time I enter a new state :) I really do love maps... my other bud Katie used to buy me an atlas every year for my birthday!
While there... we worked our tails off. We re-painted the master bedroom and moved furniture, applied a metallic stripe to dress-up the entry way, touched-up ceiling and trim in whole house, did lots of weeding and planting outside, went shopping for house stuff.. managed to swing by the GAP... and ate a lot because we were burning up all the calories :) I also painted her neighbor's family room, and fireplace.... I was sore!

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Past week and next...

This past week went by pretty quickly...
It started off monday... with visiting angels. I was with the client from 9-5 cooking cleaning and going to the doctor. A long but easy going day!
Tuesday and wednesday I was doing some running around and made some samples for a friend's place of business. If you get time take a peak http://www.elegancebydesigntulsa.blogspot.com/ ! I'll be there tomorrow installing some decorative panels :)
Thursday through Saturday I, along with a handful of Women Builders, was at Habitat for Humanity painting and helping to finish a new office built for one of our Habitat employees!
(I added a bit of Kustom Kate Flare)
Here's a pic, but for more info, visit http://www.hearts4hammers.blogspot.com/

Tormorrow I need to head back and finish up a bit of trim painting, and then to Elegance by Design to install painted panels.
My plan is to head to Kileen Texas on Tuesday morning to help my bud Sheri and her Husband prepare their house to put on the market... Good news! She booked a job for me at her neighbor's house too!

Road trip! Looking forward to the drive... lot's of music and some Coke Classic!



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A Trip to Illinois...

I know it's been like a hundred years since I posted... well, a couple weeks anyway. Time just flies by...
Anyways Mike and I made a trip home weekend before last... When our Niece Sydney tried out and got a part for "Sound of Music" with Christian Youth Theatre, I told her that I would come and see. Mike also expressed a desire (which I was totally up for too) to Join CREW for winter retreat... How great they both fell on the same weekend! Everything worked out great!
I left for Chicago a day and a half ahead of Mike, my friend Melyssa came and picked me up from the airport. We went for lunch and then by her house to check out all their latest home improvement projects. It was great to catch up and spend some time together... we had lots of laughs as usual... and Cresston her adorable 2-yr old too!
Then I was off to Holly's! We had LOTS of work to do! We painted her Kitchen a sort of subdued green-apple color, then added some accents... It looked awesome! Meanwhile Chris put up picture frame molding below the chair rail in the bathroom so we could tackle that room next! If she E-mail's me pics, I'll post!
Friday we hustled up to finish the bathroom, then I had to shower and me and Marie went to pick up Mike at the airport. The 3 of us went for pizza at Nicks in Chrystal Lake... our favorite! Then off to the Play! The production was amazing and I welled up with tears of pride for Syd... she did great!
Saturday morning we woke at my mom's and headed out to Stone Church for a weekend of laughs, fun, praise and growth with Crew. The trip this year was a bit easier than last... it wasn't snowing and we could actually see in front of us!

Some of the more serious moments (team building) at Winter Retreat 2009

I am always amazed by this group of young adults, there is no pretense. Everyone loves and accecpts eachother for who they are. It's rare to see such a wide range (7-12 grade) get along so well. It really is a family, a loving family! Pastor Erik and (Pastor :) ) Bethany do an amazing job leading and directing this group.
We are greatful to take part and experience all of you. I trust these kids and kids like them to be the next generation of leaders!
When we got back, we finished off the weekend with a visit with the Stenglein family at Kristen's in Oak Park! Pretty amazing trip!


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