Weekend Inspiration

My weekend was chock-full of things I love. 

Time with Jason (Imani went to her Grandma's). 

A trip to Hub's Place. 

The discovery of a new to me antique shop just outside of town. 

A realtor appraisal of our home that made us smile. 

Big accomplishments with the closet office.

Reuniting with Imani Sunday.

Dinner with my friend Brittney and her husband Ben.

Seeing my parents.

I have so much blogging material I am a little overwhelmed with where to begin.  I could post pictures of the the accomplishements Jason made with the closet-office, or all of the wonderful things we found at Hub's Place or our new antique shop. 

I could post pictures of all of Imani's adventures while she stayed at my Mom's (including driving and working a backhoe), or pictures of the house we are scheduled to go look at today. 

Or I could post pictures of our newly painted front door, or the grapevines that are still sitting in a garbage can waiting for me to attempt to turn them into Pottery Barn chargers.

But ultimately, one of the things that inspired me most this weekend, was the tour of my friend Brittney's in-law's home.

Brittney was one of my closest friends in high school and she married her high school sweetheart, Ben.  They live about an hour and a half away from me, in the same town where I grew up and where my parents still live.  So it worked out well  that Imani was staying at my mom's over the same weekend Brittney invited us over for spaghetti with homeade sauce and meatballs.

We could pick Imani up on Sunday and then all go over to spend time with Brittney and Ben.  It was so nice to hang out with our kids and visit.

I've alway's been inspired by Ben's parents' home, so when Ben suggested we head over there while we were in town, I jumped at the opportunity.

Ben's parents, Cindy and Herb, have such a beautiful home that has changed many times over the course of their owning it.  They raised their five kids in the home, had a country store in it, have had a daycare in it, have built an addition on it and have built an in-law apartment in it for Herb's Mom.

Even though the house is located in town, when you walk through the doors, you are transported to the country.

Herb, a retired school teacher, and Cindy, a retired daycare provider (who is opening her daycare again), have built an incredible antique sign making business on ebay called "Country Buzzins."

They have been using recycled old wood from torn down barns and buildings for years to replicate antique signs.  You know all those old signs that hang in restaurants and bars across the country?  Cindy and Herb fill many of those orders.  They make signs for the average home decorator and the busy Martha's Vineyard shops.  They are busy cranking out signs day and night.  Each of their five kids has helped in various ways along the way, and even Herb's mother helps in making the signs.

Here's Herb busy at work in his studio:

Throughout their home, their signs add to the country decor.  They are true Do-It-Yourselfers.  Herb will come home with an old piece of furniture that someone was throwing away, or that he found for $20 and Cindy will paint it and distress it to make it look like something out of Pottery Barn.

This piece of black furniture, for example, was a $25 find of Herb's.  Cindy painted it black, distressed it with an orbital sander and then lightly applied some stain to give it an antique look.  The clock hanging above it is one of the many pieces they make through their ebay store (they also make antique games).

Those are old croquet balls in the wire vases.  Jason has now sent me on a mission to find old croquet balls so we can copy Cindy's idea.

Here is another piece Cindy distressed.

Just walking through Cindy's home inspired me with so many decorating ideas.  Check out how she turns this old drawer sideways to make it into a cool display piece.

I'm loving these old chippy doors on either side of the archway.

And this plant that she bought from Wal-Mart for $10 that fits right in on her window sill with the antiques and the glass vase full of shells.

If you get a chance, check out their shop on ebay and take a look at all of the cool signs they make.   Here is a sampling of some of their amazing work throughout their home.

I love the dice they made that sit on the bottom of this table.

Thank you, Cindy and Herb, for the home-tour and for allowing me to feature your home on my blog!
(PS -I was not paid to write this . . . I just really love their signs and their home!!)


Thank you to everyone who took my survey.  I will be leaving it up for the rest of the week, so if you haven't had the chance to take it, please do it before Friday.

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