Memorial Day and a reclaimed wood headboard

If you read my blog regularly, you know that my husband has been in Panama for a 4 month deployment. He flies Blackhawk helicopters for the army and they're down there on a humanitarian aid project. He is supporting troops who are building schools and providing remote villages with medical treatment. He is the most selfless person I've ever met and he honestly loves this country. I am so incredibly blessed to have him in my life near or far.

These pictures were taken by an incredibly talented pilot my husband flies with, Tyler Fricke. They were chasing each other around Panama in the first picture and in this next picture, they are sling loading a hummer. I know his job may look like every little boys dream but he still spends a ton of time away from us :)

I didn't think he'd be able to come home at all during the 4 months. But he called me a week ago and told me they were letting him come home for my brothers wedding. I was ECSTATIC. I hadn't seen him in three months. Three months is a long time when you have a husband as fantastically good looking as mine.

When he was home I took full advantage of him. Not like that you perves. Actually, yes, like that. But also helping me build and clean and pack (our house is supposed to close next week) and everything in between. But I wanted to show you the awesome headboard he helped me build before I fall off of the blogging planet from moving.

It cost about $75 to build. I had to buy a sheet of plywood,  two 2x3's, and the reclaimed beadboard from a friend. We busted it out in about 3 hours. We make a pretty good team if I say so myself.

I didn't do a single thing to the paint on the beadboard except wipe the chicken crap and dirt off it. It was already this beautiful white and turquoise color. It's even stained with age. Everyone keeps saying chevron is "sooooo last year" but I'm still totally digging it. 

I sprayed it with polyurethane to seal it and keep it from chipping more and called it a day. It is B-E-A-uuutiful. Thanks again for helping me lover, wherever you are. See you in a month. And happy memorial day. I miss your guts. 

Grain sack stripe inspired hutch

I picked up a hutch at the decordeals sale a while ago. I've had this vision of painting stripes onto the back of a hutch for a while and found the perfect one to try it out on there. If you follow me on instagram, you have already seen the before and after.

If not, you really should. I've been super lazy about blogging since my husband left and post fun stuff there now.

I bought the baskets from a the Big Heap up in Cave Creek. They fit inside these holes perfectly. It was almost one of those gates opening, angels singing moments. 

The color is called Gray Tabby and I sealed it with minwax's provincial stain. I measured and taped off the stripes onto the back with blue painters tape. Then after some heavy distressing, I applied a thick coat of stain. I'm in love.

And my all my white dishes look phenomenal on it. In fact, it inspired me to do a bit of painting in my rental before we list it again. B-E-A utiful. I really love this dark gray color.

Pardon my slightly askew photos and lighting. My computer has NO photo editing software on it. In fact, I can barely write an e-mail right now before wanting to shoot a hole right through the screen with my 9mm. I'm not so patiently waiting for the hubby to return with my trusty laptop he took to Panama. He can have this windows 8 hunk of junk.

Over and out.