Susie Harris

Give away day!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:24:00 PST

What girl can resist a monogram?

I love em!

You can only imagine my excitement when my sister Missy made this for me.

It's a shoe tote.

I guess she got tired of watching me stuff all of my goodies in a plastic bag...ha!

She even made this zipper bag to match.

I'm feeling the love here.

She just opened a brand spankin' new shop.

Oh my word...her stuff is CUTE!

I'm not just saying this cause she's my sister and I love her to bits.

Nope.

It's really cute!

She takes so much pride in her work and OH. THE. DETAILS!

Nothing would make my heart smile more than if you would visit her lil shop.

She is giving one of these sweet bags away to one of you!

Just leave a comment here than hurry over and tell her Hi!

Thank you and Good luck!

xoxox Susie

Hang in there!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:22:00 PST

You have no idea how much I love you!

Sweet child of mine.

I know being 11 is not easy.

Hang in there!

And when you're asking "Why they gotta be so mean"

Just remember...

http://youtu.be/jYa1eI1hpDE

skip ad please.

I love you, MOM

DIY with Martha Stewart & Home Depot

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:54:00 PST

Remember when I shared my closet office redo here?

I had the wall finished but needed a desk.

Of course I wanted to cut cost and shop the house.

And I knew just who to turn to.

Martha Stewart!

Home Depot and I have teamed up to do some projects using their

Martha Stewart Small Project Paints. love them!

Now that I had the paint, I needed the desk.

One U.G.L.Y desk

I did a light sanding and used the Polished Silver.

Here she is after one coat.

The look I want for my office is a gumbo of styles.

A little vintage. A little cottage. A little modern.

I think the desk will take me there.

It has the look of stainless but not cold and untouchable...if that makes sence?

I added a little hardware using a polished nickel.

Perfect!

Martha and Home Depot helped me knock this project out of the park!

Now if only Martha could swing by and sew up my curtains...

That would be great! lol

xo Susie

Oh JOY!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:34:00 PST

This year I'm working on me.

I'm adjusting my attitude you could say. Well trying

Every morning brings a fresh new start!

Thank. You. Lord!

Today I Will...

that just sounds good.

Now this JOY...

It won't mean I'm always happy about everything.

What it does mean is that I will have JOY in my heart.

Joy is that sweet little HUGE gift the Lord gives us.

To me,

It's that sweet song that smells like a spring day when it's cold and rainy outside.

My JOY is the comfort in knowing that our Lord loves me!

And to think I thought I was adjusting me...ha!

What brings YOU joy?

I hope your heart is filled with it today and always.

(For more info on the sign you can visit my shop)

xo Susie

Hi

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:33:00 PST

xo Susie

Passionate

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:56:00 PST

At the tender age of 3, we enrolled Madison in dance.

It was my idea.

What Mom can resist the thought of their little girl becoming a ballerina?

Dancing lasted about 4 years.

She then tried her hand at music theatre.

Gymnastics and cheer leading.

She is currently taking voice lessons and loves it....BUT

when passion burns deep.. Yeah

Just look at that smile!

Her passion is English Riding.

No tu tu's. No stage.

Just her and a horse.

After my Daddy surprised her this summer with a private lesson.

Hooked!

So today she spent 9 hours on a horse. ouch.

She found her passion.

And made a few new friends along the way.

I'm new to English Riding, as is she, but you would never know it.

I guess when you find your place, it just fits.

Oh, I don't know how long this love affair will last...

I just know lessons are less expensive than a Thoroughbred.

And I know this little girl will sleep good tonight...lol

Have you found your passion?

This little guy is not one of mine..ha!

Although he is cute.

To be honest, I'm deathly afraid of horses.

Go figure?

xo susie

Our Get Away Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:09:00 PST

Where else can you watch 5 episodes of Pioneer Woman in a row?

At the Deer Camp of course.

My sister Missy and her husband own 65 acres in Mississippi.

They call it the "little house in the big woods"

Last night I spent 2 1/2 hrs in this deer stand.

(I think it needed a little paint inside and some heat would have been nice) Ha!

This was my view!

Heidi and I didn't see a thing.

That's OK though.

We didn't bring a gun, just our camera.

After my walk back, I was served Homemade chicken soup. YUM!

I won't tell you how many pieces I had...nope.

I mean...could you pass up 6 pieces of layered heaven?

We then watched the Saints :( and Miss America.

Woke to this..

Maddy and her friend Emily searched for phone service...ha!

After breakfast we took a little ride through the woods.

I think Heidi likes it about as much as I do!

Their property is next to a National Forest.

No worries about pesky neighbors ;)

Brett and Missy shared with us some of their big plans ahead.

This frame is soon to become a guest cottage.

Yay me!

This will be the front porch view.

I think Heidi likes it too!

I can't tell you how much I needed to get away.

Nothing like nature to calm your soul.

Thanks Missy and Brett!

xoxo Susie

Decorating with white

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:08:00 PST

Have you ever thought a stack of dishes could be so pretty?

My friend Heather Bullard has that special knack.

You know, the knack for turning ordinary into Extraordinary!

Country Living shares Heather's love for decorating with white along with 5 other bloggers.

I was so humbled to be one of them.

You can see my kitchen here.

Country Living overflows with awesome ideas for using white.

It's pretty powerful.

This foyer below...

Now that's what I'm talking about.

And just to show you my dream kitchen...

Ain't she a beauty?

I love how her rustic charm seeps through without feeling too barn a fied.

Country Living Magazine is one of my all time favorites.

Each and every month I receive a stack of free magazines.

How?

I love coke.

Coke products reward people like you and I.

All you have to do is save the points.

I shared how easy it is here last year.

There are so many great ones to pick from.

Enjoy!

xo Susie

Ya know what?

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:47:00 PST

Funny how 3 little words can spark your interest like no other.

You know what?

I remember being a kid and being asked this question.

Oh, it didn't matter what.

What mattered is that they cared enough to share ;)

So today is one of those ..Ya know what? days

I have been having fabric pinned to a rod for over a week now.

No time to sew. Yep.

Ya know before Christmas I was so busy, I sold the sign right off my wall? Yep.

Now I need another.. ha!

Ya know I got new carpet the other day? Yep.

Daring anyone to walk on it...ha!

just kiddin'

Kinda ;)

Ya know my mantel still looks like this? Yep.

And ya know what?

It's OK with me.

Ya know I changed my arrangement out? Yep.

Took out the Christmas balls and added hearts.

Ground breaking I know...ha!

They are pretty cute though.

They were gifted to me by the very first blogger that landed on my site.

She no longer blogs.

Miss you Sherri wherever you are.

Ya know where I store some of my junk?

In this lil hallway. Yep.

You know what?

I really appreciate that you take the time to visit me.

Thank you!

xo Susie

A closet makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:17:00 PST

I knew I would never be able to hold out...ha!

At least I can show y'all the top half.

It's what I have finished so far.

Lets step back in time shall we.

Nothing like ripping out closet shelves only to leave holes.

The size of NEVADA! ouch

Marc shared his concern on this matter and I fixed it.

Nothing a little wallpaper wont cover.

This is the neatest paper ever!

I then finished it off with a little trim.

I knew I didn't want many shelves.

Why?

Because they collect clutter and I always fall victim. every time

So limiting my shelves ...limits my clutter.

Maybe I can be passed up by hoarders this season. fingers crossed

I found these neat brackets at Lowes.

2 for under 10 ;)

Now here's where the fun enters the stage.

Cue the family pictures that have been stored forever.

I wanted to surround myself with family.

At first I started to update the photo's then changed my mind.

It's like going down memory lane every day.

Now no Southern girls office is complete without a monogram.

Even if it's only a closet

Want one?

You can find them at Southern Proper monograms.

Mine is the 18" for 48.00

Tell them Susie Harris sent ya!

They have no idea who I am...ha! really

But they are a sweet company and I'm 100% happy!

pass it on

And I just thought I would not junk it all up...right.

Hence...one shelf ...remember?

More family pictures.

So here's just a sneak peek of my new office/workroom.

And you know what?

I would rip it all down in a New York second...

If Kaylee moved back.

hint hint Kay.

So did you have a great weekend?

xo Susie

The Mac Daddy!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:40:00 PST

I have been asked several times to paint a larger version of this sign.

I have wimped out every time.

Fear of postage kept me fenced in.

I also didn't want to confuse everyone out there.

I jumped the fence!

I painted a larger one just to get an idea of pricing.

The original is 24" x 24" (shown on the left)

The larger is 36" x 36" (shown on the right) HUGE!

If you are interested, I would be happy to give you a quote on the mac daddy.

You can email me at susanh@eatel.net

This weekend I plan on working on my office/closet nook.

Now if I can drag my husband away from all of the football games...yeah.

Hope y'all have a great weekend!

xo Susie

A New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:53:00 PST

It's a New Year!

A time for new beginnings and fresh starts.

Thank you Lord for new beginnings.

This year I'm getting out of my safe zone.

Decorating and colors that is.

Here are a just a few things I will add to my office/workspace.

Yes, I'm already hyperventilating just looking at the colors. Ha!

Speaking of colors, I have teamed up with Martha and Home Depot.

I have a new playground of paint!

I can't wait to share some fun new projects soon.

Here is just a smidge of what I'm working on now.

My closet.

My very small workspace closet.

The one where my husband held his breath while I ripped the doors off and yanked the shelves out of.

He's a good man.

Just held his breath.

I won't lie. I did too.

I have to make this one good.

Nothing like making my Man proud ;)

(Insert Tim the Tool man grunts).

But before I go and tackle this new year..

Laundry waits for no man!

Do you have some special projects for the New Year?

xo Susie

Four Years Today!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:39:00 PST

Today marks my 4th year blogging!

Yikes!

I just can't believe it has been 4 awesome years.

It's so much fun to look back and reflect.

The photo above was one of my latest projects.

You can read more about my DIY Headboard here.

My DIY Faux Roman Shades.

These were so much fun to make!

Now the molding DIY...not so much fun.

But oh so worth it!

This was by far the hardest project of the year but one of the most rewarding.

Maddy's room is always a fun place to decorate.

She is always so willing ;)

Her DIY pillows are still one of my favorites.

Not to mention her Trumeau Mirror.

You can make one of these in just hours for very little moola!

DIY here.

What a difference a storage bed can make!

Maddy's room is very limited for space and using this DIY bed made a world of a difference.

Now if I could just keep those baskets junk free...ha!

Ever wanted a bench for the foot of your bed?

Here is our very easy DIY!

With a yard of fabric you can change the look in just minutes.

I think this was one of those "make your hunny happy" DIY's

I didn't want a fan...He did!

Lets just say this was our win win DIY for the year ;)

Yes...you can paint a ceiling fan.

So what were the top two signs of the year?

If you guessed the "Every little thing" sign....

You are correct!

Pinterest had a big helping hand. Thank you Pinterest!

My favorite sign and second most popular...

All you need is love

Love is all you need.

A big thank you to Sara from August Fields!

She has inspired me in so many ways.

Oh I wish I could list each and every one of you.

It's you and your sweet emails, comments and tweets that bless my heart.

I look forward to this New Year sharing some fresh DIY projects and signs.

So here's to another year of blogging!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

xoxox Susie

Dear Susie

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:11:00 PST

Dear Sweet Susie,

This moment you feel on Christmas morning with your new baby doll...

Oh just wait!

Three babies will bless your heart and nothing will ever top it!

You won't always be this messy.

In fact you will wash your hands way too much and become a germ freak!

No matter how hard to try and resist...

You will always have a dog.

Food...let's just say you will always be passionate. Ha!

Those babies that never seem to fill up, never do.

They just get bigger!

Don't fight your Grandma when she wants to dress you alike.

In years to come, you will still dress up matching your sister.

This time it's funny!

Your Mom and Dad.

Never blame yourself for their divorce.

Don't do it.

Never say it won't happen to you.

It will.

Your Daddy.

He will always be your Hero.

Oh...and your next door neighbor.

That little brother that always seems to find his way to your room.

Let him stay just a little bit longer.

One day you will miss hearing his voice.

Your older sister..

You know the one that always gets to wear the cool clothes,

Has the good hair and pretty skin.

That one.

She will be your best friend.

Trust me on this one!

And don't cry when your fellow cheerleaders play a prank on you at the Pep Rally.

It was really funny!

That blue eye shadow and big hair...Yeah

It's not really as cute as you think it is.

It does top your mullet 3 years ago though.

On your graduation night...

Tell your Momma how much you love her.

It's not easy raising 3 kids on your own.

She needs to hear that.

It's OK that you don't have a boy friend right now.

The world does not end when you fail Math.

Pay close attention in English!!!

You should really reconsider dropping cheer leading your senior year.

You just might regret it.

That teacher that you are crushing on...he's a creeper!

And Susie..

You will be OK.

Enjoy the ride!

Cajun Night Before Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:53:00 PST

This morning we headed out to River Road.

We had beignets and coco at our favorite lil shop.

Houmas House is featured above.

It's one of the plantation homes along the River Road

Ohhh soo yummy!

Oh the excitement...ha!

Below is a shot of the little coffee house.

Next door they have the sweetest little shops.

Inside one of them had two of my favorite books.

I can remember reading this one to my baby dolls...

In a Cajun accent of course ;)

This books just plain makes me laugh.

It's so true here.

Another shot of Houmas House all decorated for the Christmas season.

Beautiful!

One of our traditions here is the bonfires on the levee.

The levee is this dirt wall to hold back the Mississippi when it spills over.

The bonfires are built to light the bayou for Papa Noel.

This way he can see to deliver all the goodies ;)

Most of the bonfires are built in the traditional fashion but some sport neat themes.

A little cabin like this one above was built in memory of a lost loved one.

It looks like it may rain tonight so many were preparing theirs with diesel and paper.

This one was built to replicate an air boat.

A 4x4 truck here.

They don't look all that big but trust me...

some of these are many stories high!

It never gets old riding down the road to a view like this.

Oh the anticipation of tonight!

As soon as the sun sets the signal is given and all the bonfires are lit.

The homes on the opposite side of the road were already lined with families.

Gumbo pots over burners were getting a head start.

And finally...

This stop always make my Christmas Eve drive complete.

Below is the Manresa House of Retreat.

It was once a school that my Grandpa attended.

HUGE!

Every year they set out the manger and it is just perfect.

They are all life size and it just takes my breath away.

Do y'all have Christmas Eve traditions?

xo Susie

New kids on the block!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:33:00 PST

Allow me to introduce the new kids on the block.

My kids ranging in age from 21 to 11 seem to like em!

Maybe it's because they swivel ;)

All three kids put them to the spin test. lol

I love their aged sleekness and butcher block style seat.

They remind Kaylee of a mad scientist lab chair.

You would know her major is in Biology....so fitting ..Hahaha

I also love the fact that they don't have a back to them.

This opens the space a lot believe it or not.

So where did these beauties come from?

It was my birthday on the 17th so I went shopping!

World Market style~

You can find them on line here

I did a little looking around and comparing.

Here is Restoration Hardware's version below.

Their stools run about 255.00 each.

You can find them here

Below you will find Remodelista's duo.

They are a modest 175.00 each found here.

So I bid my ole painted chairs farewell. sniff sniff

xo susie

Aka..crazy paint lady!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:38:00 PST

I'll claim it.

"The crazy paint lady"

Just two days ago my kitchen was not this pretty grey you see above.

My afters are starting to look like my befores before my afters...lol

Two days ago~

It was white with a blue ceiling.

Cons... Our white molding did not pop.

Pros...My painted signs did.

So I got Madison off to school and started with my blue ceiling first.

I went back with your basic ceiling white.

Then I noticed that it was too much white!

So I conquered the wall next...

Eleven straight hours of painting and two advils later..

My molding pops!

My plates shine..

My camera blurred..ha!

Am I happy?

Why yes ;)

I'm almost where I started off.

If you look at my befores and afters..

My befores are starting to look like my afters..

Confused?

Crazy paint lady.

It's ok..

I claim it ;)

xoxox Susie~

Special orders

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:48:00 PST

I'm sure by the lack of DIY's around here, you know what I have been up to.

If you are not a 3lb dog that needs walking,

A kid needing feeding,

Clothes needing cleaning.

Or wood needing painting..you're outta luck!

I'm trying to stay on top of things but I think I'm losing ground.

Time is running out.

Christmas is a coming!

So I'm thinking positive and feeling blessed to have so many orders.

Yep...Looking up :)

It's our choice to "be happy"

I thought this special order sign was too cute.

Its new home will soon be in a Principal's office.

hehe.

This one was interesting??

I love all of the neat stories behind each sign.

Thank you for sharing them with me.

I'm guessing orange is all the rage in signage.

The story behind this sign brought back my childhood bedtime.

This year has been such a blessing!

Thank you for allowing me to play a small role in it.

I'm still painting and praying the post office doesn't let us down.

"with fingers crossed"

As far as Wednesday goes....

I'm taking my girls to the movies.

I'm eating a large bag of popcorn

And maybe...a bag of candy :)

Hope you take some time out for fun too!

xoxox Susie

Exposed & A Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:27:00 PST

Do you blog and tell?

I didn't for the longest till I was found out.

Oh, my sister knew and a handful of others but that was it.

It just feels weird you know.

Having strangers know what you cooked for supper and your dog needing shots..

no biggie

But friends and family.....just weird.

Most locals don't have a clue that I paint something other than my walls.

(every other month lol)

Like what do you say when someone tells you they read your blog?

1). Thank you.

2).Please excuse my grammar..ha..no really.

3).My condolences.

4). Oh..that ole thing?

5). A blog is....

Once they find out the panic sets in!

Will they drop by and see unfinished signs in cobwebbed corners?

Will they notice that I have not dusted in a month?

Will they come expecting to see this?

Only to discover this!

That's why I don't blog and tell...ha!

Do you?

And the winner of the Kirkland's mirror is...

Clydia from "Three Mango Seeds"

Yay Clydia

Email me please.

Thanks to all of you who joined in!

xoxox Susie

Kirland's Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:49:00 PST

What's not to love about this mirror!

It's the Golden Rosette on sale for 49.99

Kirkland's is having a huge mirror sale. HUGE!

They were so sweet to let me pick this one out for myself ;)

It came in the mail yesterday and went directly on my wall.

They were also sweet enough to share a $50.00 gift card with one of my readers.

I don't know about you but a $50.00 gift card from Kirkland's sure would come in handy.

All you have do is leave a comment here.

You can visit their site here and check out their mirror collection.

To view their official sweepstakes rules you can click here.

Good luck!

Christmas Home Tour 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:01:00 PST

Welcome to my home!

I'm so glad that you stopped by for Jennifer Rizzo's Christmas tour of homes.

A special welcome to all of you coming from Holly Mathis' stop #6

This year was a no fuss ~ no buy Christmas.

Just the way I like it :)

To change things up, I just moved things around this year.

These DIY snowballs were so much fun to make!

I love how our Christmas decor feels at home here.

I'm sorta weird about having clashing bright colors even at Christmas...

I know..weird huh

One of my favorite pieces ever is this nativity.

My sister Missy's son gave this to me a few years ago.

Thank you Blaise!

It reminds me of what Christmas is really all about.

His birth.

I'm still loving my DIY stockings from last year too!

I'm learning it's ok to keep it simple.

In fact, I think it's my new motto.

My Dad's wooden horse that I'm pony sittin' (thanks Dad)

My vintage ruler collection surrounded in Christmas greenery.

Oh...another favorite here.

Our snow village just brings out the kid in me!

I added a new piece every year but had to stop for lack of space.

Maybe I can start adding people and cars instead ;)

For the kitchen...simple wreaths.

Oh...and the smell of yummy candles always burning :)

So that wraps up my portion of Jen's hoilday tour...

BUT WAIT!

Oh there's more...

Next stop...Sara from Sadie Olive!

Enjoy the rest of the tour and Merry Christmas!

Breaking News!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:27:00 PST

Y'all might remember the post where I shared about Maddy's Chandie...

And I surprised everyone when I told you it was made out of ???

Well.. I have another HUGE surprise.

It's on clearence at Home Depot for 29.00!!!

Our Home Depot had three left.

I guess I should have picked them up and ran...lol.

I paid 100.00 for ours..I know.

Good luck!

xoxox Susie

Free Template Labels

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:51:00 PST

One can never have enough monograms

I always say ;)

I love to gift wrap!

One of my first jobs in high school was a gift wrapper at the Hallmark store.

I miss those fun days!

Now for the labels..

Monograms!

You can find the free Label Template here

Compliments of Martha Stewart :)

Free child labor..

Compliments of Madison Grace :)

I used wired ribbon from Hobby Lobby.

Free Boxwood from the yard..priceless!

One year I wrote codes instead of names.

This way it prevented them from playing with their presents.

;)

Funny thing was, the codes were their birth order.

#1, #2, #3.

And to think they never figured it out HA!

Have you started your holiday traditions yet?

To be honest, my house looks like a herd of reindeer live here.

Do reindeer live in herds?

Yep, that bad.

Just keeping it real~

xoxo Susie

The Two Minute Arrangement

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:25:00 PST

Like many of us, time is our most precious gift.

I find myself repeating...

I will not stress..I will not stress...ha!

So if you are like me and need a fast arrangement.

Here you go!

One tall container.

A few talk silk flowers.

Live paperwhites are my fav but I just hate the smell..ick!

So I'm using silk tulips from Hobby Lobby.

Did you know Epsom salt makes the best snow?

Place your stems and add the epsom salt..

Added a few glass balls.

Perfect!

This can go straight thru the winter :)

The "snow" was 2.99 from Kmart.

You can find it in the pharmacy.

On to the next craft...gotta go ;)

xoxox Susie

New Floors

noreply@blogger.com (Susie from Bienvenue) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:41:00 PST

I guess it's beginning to be a tradition around here.

It ain't Christmas till I remodel a room during the holiday rush.

A normal person would wait but who's normal in this house..lol.

This is going to be my work room/office.

I will be painting in here so I didn't want to spend a lot in flooring.

Something easy to install and easy to clean.

Allure!

You can find Allure at Home Depot.

I LOVE this flooring.

So easy to install and it really looks great!

This is not a sponsored post, although I wish it were ;)

So Allure...if you are reading this, I love you!

I would welcome your products in my home any day...hint hint..ha ha~

This picture may seem like I'm taking it easy ...

I was just taking a short break... ;)

We hope to finish it after church so I can get back to painting.

Not to mention I need to start decorating for Christmas.

YIKES!

I'm joining Jennifer Rizzo's Holiday House walk.

Dec. 5~9

Looks like this girl better get busy!

xoxo Susie~