My Happy Place: Little Mountain Unlimited Antique Mall & Cafe

Welcome to my "happy place."  When I need a quick escape, there is nothing better than wandering around an antique store looking for a new treasure.  Little Mountain Unlimited Antique Mall & Café (1528 Main Street, Little Mountain, SC) has a lot to offer. 

While I also love dusty, road side "junktique" shops, this place has music, well displayed booths, and AIR CONDITIONING!  You need at least an hour to even walk around the entire store.  I will warn you... your first visit may be overwhelming.  Sometimes I just wander around and see what jumps out at me.  Other days I have to zero in on one category.

Even if you don't live in the Chapin or Columbia area, it's the perfect rest stop for my friends traveling down I-26 from Charleston to Greenville, and vice versa.  You can stretch your legs while you shop... and have lunch.  Better yet, give me a call and I will meet you there!

One day I may just work there... or have my own booth there.  Until then, I will just shop!  Here are 5 things I can't resist:

1. Art: I have found some lovely pieces of art for our home while piddling around antique shops. 

(I also like the inexpensive paintings I have found leaning on the floor that would look fabulous in a new frame.) 

2. Books: Summer reads by Southern authors, children's books, and endless amounts of coffee table books.  I really must stop buying coffee table books, but they just call out to me!

 3. Anything blue and white: I can't get enough of it.

4. End tables, desks and other unique pieces of furniture really make a home look inviting.

5. Serving pieces: for entertaining, decorating, or even holding jewelry.

With summer approaching, I hope I will find opportunities to get by Little Mountain Unlimited, preferably without my precious children :)  Where is your favorite antique store?  I'd love to check it out!

I am in love with HGTV's Fixer Upper!

Proverbs 24:3-4 (NIV)

 

³ By wisdom a house is built,
    and through understanding it is established;
⁴ through knowledge its rooms are filled
    with rare and beautiful treasures.

When I have time to watch TV, it's usually HGTV.  My favorite show is HGTV's Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines.  Based in Waco, Texas, this husband and wife duo help clients choose the worst house in the best neighborhood... the more dilapidated, the better. 

Joanna's style is beautifully rustic, and Chip's antics will keep your husband entertained.  Together they have incredible vision for fixing up these fixer uppers.  The photos on the show's web site may just inspire your next renovation project.

Recently, a friend shared Joanna's testimony on her faith posted by The Gathering, which made me like her even more! 

If you haven't seen Fixer Upper already, check it out!  You will be hooked.

 

Dining Room Re-do

(After photo)

 

It all started with this coffee table book I bought (on clearance) with this beautiful bird on the front. 

"Natural Histories Extraordinary Birds" by Paul Sweet includes 45 ready-to-frame bird prints!  I am a bit obsessed with birds in decorating.  I decided I wanted a wall of birds in my dining room.

 

Then, I grew to loathe my dining room curtains.  They are the only window treatments in my home that I did not sew myself, and I disliked them from the day they were hung.  1) For starters, they were too short so I had to hang them right on the window frame.  2) The air vents are right below them so they blew up like tubes when the air came on.  3) The sun faded the trim from blue to white.  This was the last straw.  I lived with them for 6 years, and it was time for a change.

 

To make matters worse, the sun had faded my rug as well.  Instead of a back background, it had turned to strange shade of purple.

I used to have my wedding portrait on this wall with some pretty plates around it.  The portrait has moved to an upstairs hallway (where there are pictures of other people) and we hung the plates above the buffet.

If you need to have 12 prints framed and matted, it could cost a fortune.  Enter Hobby Lobby and their 50% off frames.  I bought 12 frames at $15 each (50% off of $29.99).  I purchased 12 ready-made mats for $3.99 each.

God bless my husband and his laser level...

 

I love the finished product!  Next, I sewed new panels and we hung them right up to the ceiling.  Much better!

 

 

 

Clearly, a new rug was in order.  I found this 8x10 sea grass rug on Overstock.com.

 

 

And that is my new and improved dining room!  I am thrilled with the results.  But I do think the table or chairs might look good in a distressed white... and the chairs could use some new fabric... but that's a project for another day. 

Interested in a cruise?

David and I recently went on a Royal Caribbean cruise to celebrate our birthdays, wedding anniversary, and it might as well have been a "baby moon" since baby #3 is on the way!  We were looking for a last minute, easy trip.  I wouldn't say that cruising is our most favorite way to travel (we usually like to go places for a whole week), but the RC "buy one get one 1/2 off" deal can't be beat.  Cruising is definitely a fun way to travel and you get to visit several tropical locations to see where you might want to return.

We flew to Puerto Rico and cruised from there.  We did this years ago on another trek that included St. Lucia, St. Thomas, Antigua, and Barbados.  This trip included St. Thomas, St. Kitt's, Aruba, and Curacao.  We sailed on the Adventure of the Seas, which is a very nice ship though not as large as the new Quantum Class fleet of boats.  Still, it has everything you need... pools, spa, rock wall, even ice skating.  If you are a real foodie, you might not be satisfied with cruise food in general.  But this pregnant girl had plenty to choose from, and I think RC has some of the best.  There are several options each night at dinner, including the lobster tails I devoured one night.

Some of the new Quantum Class ships boast Broadway shows like "Chicago" and "Mama Mia."  Adventure of the Seas doesn't have that, but we enjoyed comedy, variety, music or ice skating performances each night. 

We definitely talked about what our girls would enjoy on the ship... kids club activities, water slide, Caribbean music and dancing, etc. and we plan to bring them along one day.  But as I told my husband, it wouldn't have been nearly as relaxing if they had been with us, and I never would have finished my book :)  Plus, it's wonderful to have time alone with your spouse!  God bless our parents and sisters for babysitting! 

Ok, enough commentary.  More tips can be found below.  Onto the port cities...

1. Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

This was the only island on the trip we had been to before.  We love an island tour and chose Godfrey Tours. We hopped on an open air, safari bus and they took us to the main shopping area for an hour, then to the highest point on the island for gorgeous views and a "world famous" banana daiquiri.  Next, we went to a beautiful botanical garden. 

Then, we had a choice of being dropped off at one of two beaches: Megan's Bay or Coki Beach.  Megan's Bay is a little bigger, but Coki beach has more water sports.  We went to Coki last time and chose it again.  David was able to go SCUBA diving from the shore right when we walked up without a reservation!  He didn't even have his dive certification card with him, and they were able to look it up. 

I got a chair, ordered a grilled fish sandwich, enjoyed the sunshine and read my book.  So, we were both in paradise.  Coral World is adjacent to the property and has aquariums, sea animal encounters, and SNUBA, which looks hilarious :)

2. Basseterre, St. Kitts

On St. Kitts, David with Poinciana Tours took us to the gardens of Wingfield Estate where we saw this amazing 400 year old tree overlooking the ocean. 

Next, we went on a moderate hike through the rainforest and were lucky enough to see a monkey up in the trees.  Our tour guide knew every plant and tree by name and had a cure for every ailment by "making a tea."  I told him he should sell tea at the end of his tour!  His house is located at the entrance of the estate, so the rainforest was his childhood playground.  It was lush and quiet, except for the occasional zip liner zooming by overhead!  Afterwards he served a punch and homemade banana and raisin breads made by his wife.  Next, he dropped us off at a gorgeous beach on the Southeast peninsula, South Friars Bay.

St. Kitts is not commercially developed and you will not find all of the Sandals, Beaches, etc. that some islands have.  The Marriott looked nice and included a spa, casino and golf course.  You can see Nevis from St. Kitts, and they have a Four Seasons resort.  This might be worth a return trip...

3. Oranjestad, Aruba

We didn't have anything booked, but when we walked off of the ship there were these pink school busses all lined up ready to take people on island tours for $20.  Sounded good to us!  Aruba is a really dry island... there are cactuses everywhere and our guide said they have never had a hurricane.  Quite different from the lush greenery and rainforests on other tropical islands we have visited. 

We climbed to the top of the Casibari Rock Formation and could see a spectacular view of the island.  Next, we went to the lighthouse by La Trattoria Italian Restaurant.  Again, stunning views.  Several on the tour asked to be dropped off at Palm Beach by all of the hotels and restaurants.  This looked like a prime area for Spring Breakers.  We chose the more secluded Eagle Beach instead.  We grabbed a delicious lunch from a food truck right on the beach. 

Now, I will admit I thought about Natalie Holloway a lot on this excursion.  I mean, who doesn't hear Aruba and think about that tragedy?  But our tour guide mentioned that the crime rate on the island is very low, and when I thought about it that incident involved two tourists.  Something terrible like that could happen anywhere in the world.  I feel certain, though, that it has affected their tourism and people's general perception of the island.  But it didn't really look like they were still hurting from it judging by the commercial development everywhere.

4. Willemstad, Curacao

This was our favorite stop on the trip.  This island was not as secluded as St. Kitt's nor as commercialized as Aruba.  In addition to tourism, Curacao has a diverse economy including oil refining, financial services and international trade.  It boasts one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean.  Like Aruba, the island has low rainfall and is covered in rocks and cactus.  Still, the island was beautiful and we may consider a return trip.

David booked a SCUBA diving trip with SCUBACao.  Our guide was a young guy from Belgium, who was quite interesting.  He picked us up in his truck at the cruise terminal, along with another couple from Indiana. 

We went to Playa PortoMari beach, which was beautiful.  Shore dives are not David's favorite, but he said this was by far the best shore dive he has ever done.  And I, again, was able to get a chair ($3 - the cheapest so far!) and enjoy the beach and swimming area.  I could get used to this :)

 

Lunch was on a hilltop overlooking the countryside at Blenchi, a former plantation turned boutique hotel.  The meal was as delicious as the views.  Sadly, we stayed for so long that we had to cut our island tour short to return to the ship.

 

We had one more day at sea to enjoy all the ship had to offer then it was time to head home to our girls and our responsibilities.  Until next time!

Some tips:
- David never likes to book excursions through the ship.  He just researches online beforehand and refers to Trip Advisor for recommendations and reviews. 
- Bring an empty, large water bottle.  You can fill it up on the boat each morning before you depart on excursions.
- Bring your own hair dryer.  I left mine at home to save the luggage room and was dissatisfied with the one in the room... you can only access it through the drawer.  It has a short cord and you have to hold down the button the whole time to make it work.
- They have two "formal" nights at dinner.  I couldn't find this on the web site or our itinerary, so I figured they didn't do it anymore.  A sundress is fine if that's all you've got, but if you have a dazzling number in your closet you never get to wear, bring it.
- You don't need to pack beach towels.  They let you check them out as you exit the ship on port days.  You turn them back in at the same spot.  You are only charged if you don't bring them back.
- Every beach that we went to had restrooms, restaurants, and chairs to rent (some for a few dollars, one place for $20).

I hope you found this helpful!  Let me know what cruise tips and recommendations you have!

Patio Progress

Does the cold weather have you dreaming of spring?  I can't wait to relax on our new patio when it's warmer!  Here's an update on our under-deck patio renovation...

1. Bar: Want to build your own custom bar?  Here's how we did it.  David was inspired by a picture he saw online of a basement bar with a finished wood slab top. 

We ordered a black walnut slab from Keim Lumber online for $275 + $150 shipping.  We wanted it to be wide enough to fit a dinner plate, and long enough to run the length of the couch.  We found one that is 91" long, 18" wide and 1.75" thick.  This baby weighs a ton.  It came unfinished, and David put a couple of layers of polyurethane on it.

Next, he took it to Hayes Aluminum in Chapin, S.C., to make the base.  We picked a stain color called Oil Rubbed Bronze by Arrow Hawk Coatings and a few weeks later the bar was ready.  I think it turned out great!

2. Stools: First comes the bar, then comes the bar stools.  David found these distressed stools at Southeastern Salvage Home Emporium on Garner's Ferry Road in Columbia.  These stools are super sturdy and perfectly rustic. 

3. Art: What is an outdoor living area without some art by Columbia's own Chicken Man?  Not much, I tell you :)  For Christmas, I surprised my husband with three pieces of original artwork by Ernest Lee.  I think they add the right amount of color and whimsy to the space.

4. Coffee table: David built this coffee table and I painted and sanded it around the edges (and other random spots) to give it that distressed look.  You can easily do this yourself.  No need to buy anything fancy for outdoor entertaining.

5. Accessories:

I bought a mirror at a craft store to complete the wreath I scored at an antique store.

I found this birdhouse on the clearance aisle of Hobby Lobby and painted turquoise over the cherry pattern.

 

 

A neighbor gave me the "Live Love Lake" art for Christmas.  Perfect!  I think I need to spray paint the metal tray, but what color??

A large iron piece fills this space and highlights the brick.

Whenever we have another warm and sunny day perhaps I will be motivated to paint the second half of the sectional.  Eventually, I will post the finished project.  Bring on spring time!!!

Howling good fun at the Great Wolf Lodge

 

My family recently stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, N.C. for the first time.  Everyone said it would be amazing, and they were right!  If you are like us and have put this off, here is some helpful info for when you finally decide to schedule your visit:  

 

1. The Room  

 

We stayed in the Wolf Den Suite, which included a bunk bed and a separate TV.  My girls thought this was so cool.  We even allowed the 2-year-old, who still sleeps in a crib, to sleep on the bottom bunk and she did just fine.  There was extra counter space, which was nice, a small fridge and microwave.  Also, there was a couch and small table and chairs.  After taxes and fees, the room was $300... Kinda pricey BUT you get two-day water park passes for the whole family!  We actually funded this trip with Christmas money given to the girls by their Granddaddy instead of buying more STUFF.  They LOVED him for it :)

 

2. The Waterpark

 

 

 

The waterpark included four huge waterslides, a wave pool, kiddie pool, splash playground with two slides and another pool that had basketball goals and lily pads kids could jump across.  My seven-year old was able to ride everything, but the two-year old had plenty of options to keep her entertained as well.  She loved the slides in the kiddie pool and the spraying wave runners.  Also, the playground had two slides she could ride, but be prepared... you cannot ride this with them.  They must go solo.  She wanted to do it, but when I sat her down she freaked out.  So... I pushed her.  Off she went, screaming the whole way down.  I went down the other slide and met her at the bottom.  What did she say to the mean Mommy who pushed her?  "Can we do it again?"  And so we did again, and again, and again. 

 

I put the puddle jumper on her in the wave pool but she didn't even need it in the kiddie pool (18 inches deep) or the playground.  When you need a break, just grab some chairs by the wave pool and have some ice cream.  My older daughter made a friend and loved having some freedom to run around.  We always go to the Carowinds waterpark but with this being a resort pool, it felt really safe and well contained.  We had 4 hours of water fun on day one, and maybe 5 hours on day two (with a break in between) and that was plenty for us.

 

Also, we brought our own towels for the first day, but used theirs on the second.  They are small and kind of rough, but they were dry.  They provide life jackets if you need them.

 

3. The Clothes

 

Attire here is comfy CASUAL.  Kids can literally be seen throughout the hotel in their bathing suits or pj's.  It is so nice.  I thought we needed cute outfits for dinner, but what I really wanted was some yoga pants!  The pool area is warm, so even in the winter people are wearing summer cover-ups, etc.  But when you walk back into the hotel, it's pretty chilly so have a jacket handy.

 

4. The Food

 

Before our trip, I heard that the food wasn't that great and that it would be pricey, but it was just fine for us.  There are a ton of restaurants near the lodge if you wish to venture out, but we were so comfy and cozy we didn't have the desire to go out to the cold car.  After 8 p.m. story time in the lobby (the girls were already clean and in their pj's!), we picked up a pizza (to-go only) by the pool and took it up to our room.  It was delicious!  And the girls loved stayed up a little late, having dinner in our awesome Wolf Den and watching TV.  We had Dunkin Donuts for breakfast (also in the hotel) and lunch by the pool (chicken fingers, salad and a burger).  And there were a ton of sweet options (ice cream, fudge, cookies, etc.)  I mean for a 24-hour stay, what more do you need? 

 

5. The Extras

 

 

But wait, there's more?  Yes, there is plenty more than you can do at the Great Wolf Lodge, but we were so busy enjoying the water park we didn't have time!  For additional money, there is a spa, bowling alley, and scavenger-hunt games like MagiQuest.  I could definitely see how older kids would love running around the hotel doing this with their friends, but we put it off for another time.  We did spend a couple of hours in the arcade, however.  I bought a $10 card and the girls played everything their little hearts desired.

 

Let's Call it a Wrap

 

 

We asked a Great Wolf Lodge employee when she thought the best time to go was, and she said the beginning of the week.  Also, she said if there is such a thing as "slow season" it would be after school starts back in August or after Labor Day in September.  We were there Thursday-Friday and it was definitely crowded but the wait times for the big slides were still really short (5-10 minutes or less).  I have a feeling we will be returning again and again.  Want to see more?  My husband just happened to put together a You Tube video of our visit.  Check it out!