I feel energized. Sitting in my chair, feeling focused and happy. There is nothing like a plan to make me feel better. The sun the last couple of days hasn't hurt.
And, in a burst of energy, I revamped the blog today. Inertia rules in my world, especially when it comes to technology. I loved the blog header made for me by a friend, but I needed to update, sweep up the cobwebs, freshen it up, and remove some of the old elements.
I am pleased with it -- and more pleased that I actually got it done myself. I looked at Etsy for some digital help, but am as yet unwilling to drop 100 bucks on this little baby. I am not in this for readers, or fame, or ad revenue -- after almost 8 years, it still really is just the place where I sweep out my brain, organize my thoughts, and process the stuff of life.
Let me know what you think of the new look. Drop me a note, send me a challenge, let me know what's up with you.
2013 is looking pretty good. At 42, I have a healthy fear of the unknown, but I've learned all we can do is live today and do the best we can. I think that is best summed up by Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption: "Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'."
Busy livin'. Messy, imperfect, chaotic, blessed, love-filled ... I've got it all, and I look forward to sharing it with you this year.
Mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend. Scrapbooker, family historian, reader, cook, photographer. Volunteer. Political junkie. Springsteen fan. Loves deeply, strives daily to be a cheerful, kind and generous person. Fails regularly. Snarky, judgy and more than a little blunt. Some people don't appreciate my style. If you're one of them, that's ok. Get your own blog.
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
Monday, September 26, 2011
Shiny, shiny
As we've cleaned out the storage unit (4 days left) the lamp came out and I was eager to have Rob hang it back up. Until I started thinking about all the vintage chandeliers I've seen redone with spray paint. And I thought about it, and I ran the idea by a friend who likes vintage crap, and I decided to take the plunge, and I purchased "Ocean Breeze Blue" high gloss spray paint.
Rob fixed some broken pieces, I hit them with multiple coats of the paint, and he installed a new cord and bulb housing (the originals from the 40s left a lot to be desired), and he hung it up yesterday.
Monday, April 04, 2011
Infinite possibilities
This house has seen many incarnations since we've owned it. It's been 14 years this week. Currently the upstairs (with the cute sloped ceilings) is my scrapbooking/craft/computer/genealogy room and the "master" bedroom. I use the quotes because in this day and age it doesn't feel like a master without a bathroom, which we do not have. But I digress.
The main floor is where our middle and youngest sons sleep. Spring break was last week and I worked like a dervish to get cleaning/organizing and painting done. Our poor stereotype (often neglected, fades into the background because he is so mellow) of a middle son, Evan, had been waiting patiently for months to get his room painted and personalized.
Monday I painted, with his help. It was a lot of work, and I think at 41 I may have decided painting is a job to be hired out from now on. Maybe.
Evan loves cars and motorcycles and the Indianapolis Colts. Not necessarily in that order. (The Colts move up during football season and move down the rest of the year. Sorry, Peyton.)
The big empty space above Evan's bed is for the 24 x 24 inch canvas we procured over the weekend. It will feature a large Harley-Davidson bar & shield logo and some motorcycle pictures. Soon.
This is Spencer's room.
And Garrett's. Clearly I should have used the flash. Sorry. The loft bed and desk are from Walmart. He wanted a bed from IKEA but it was too tall for the ceilings in the basement. This was the only option we could find that fit. We hope to get a chair in the next few months that will fit where the blue chair is (far left in the shadows) and will fold out into a twin-size bed for guests.
This is my grandma's breakfront. I had to look it up, but it's called a breakfront because the center of the case is set out from the sides. This is curved glass and I was a basket case transporting and unpacking it. Can't imagine having to replace the glass. Yikes. Many of the items in the breakfront were given to me by my grandma over the last 10 years or so. I love having it in the room, but I think it will be quite some time before I stop referring to it as "Sally's furniture."
And I did use the flash here, but it's cloudy and the light is funny so it still looks dim. This is the table and chairs, again from my grandma. I remember sitting here for dozens of holiday and everyday meals with my grandparents and parents. I find myself stopping and staring at it as I move through the house -- it throws me off every time I see it.
I think we are set now, for a few years. (I suspect until Garrett graduates, anyway. (What a freaky thing to type ... it's only 4 years away.)
Our family has grown and changed over the years and the house has managed to shiftshape and morph along with us. It's a pretty amazing house with endless variations. :)
The main floor is where our middle and youngest sons sleep. Spring break was last week and I worked like a dervish to get cleaning/organizing and painting done. Our poor stereotype (often neglected, fades into the background because he is so mellow) of a middle son, Evan, had been waiting patiently for months to get his room painted and personalized.
Monday I painted, with his help. It was a lot of work, and I think at 41 I may have decided painting is a job to be hired out from now on. Maybe.
Evan loves cars and motorcycles and the Indianapolis Colts. Not necessarily in that order. (The Colts move up during football season and move down the rest of the year. Sorry, Peyton.)
The big empty space above Evan's bed is for the 24 x 24 inch canvas we procured over the weekend. It will feature a large Harley-Davidson bar & shield logo and some motorcycle pictures. Soon.
This is Spencer's room.
And Garrett's. Clearly I should have used the flash. Sorry. The loft bed and desk are from Walmart. He wanted a bed from IKEA but it was too tall for the ceilings in the basement. This was the only option we could find that fit. We hope to get a chair in the next few months that will fit where the blue chair is (far left in the shadows) and will fold out into a twin-size bed for guests.
This is my grandma's breakfront. I had to look it up, but it's called a breakfront because the center of the case is set out from the sides. This is curved glass and I was a basket case transporting and unpacking it. Can't imagine having to replace the glass. Yikes. Many of the items in the breakfront were given to me by my grandma over the last 10 years or so. I love having it in the room, but I think it will be quite some time before I stop referring to it as "Sally's furniture."
And I did use the flash here, but it's cloudy and the light is funny so it still looks dim. This is the table and chairs, again from my grandma. I remember sitting here for dozens of holiday and everyday meals with my grandparents and parents. I find myself stopping and staring at it as I move through the house -- it throws me off every time I see it.
I think we are set now, for a few years. (I suspect until Garrett graduates, anyway. (What a freaky thing to type ... it's only 4 years away.)
Our family has grown and changed over the years and the house has managed to shiftshape and morph along with us. It's a pretty amazing house with endless variations. :)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Spring cleaning
I LOVE spring. The crisp scent in the air, the mud, the deceptively sunny days that are surprisingly cold when you step outside.
I made it through this winter, and it is somehow more and less of a surprise than I expected. I wasn't on any medications this year. When my doctor suggested I taper off last fall, I was terrified and told him no. Mere weeks later I discovered that I was suffering from side effects and he changed my medicine and I went crazy. Okay, perhaps that is a little harsh. But the new med, it made me sick. It made me feel like I was wildly careening from sane to batshit crazy and back again in seconds. And, frankly, the withdrawal from that drug was worse than the drug. So bad, in fact, I told the doc I was ready to go it alone.
And it was fine. I felt the normal ups and downs of winter, although I suspect they are more intense than most people. Still, I was ok.
Now it's spring, and I am feeling the sunshine. My mojo is back -- at least until the next cloudy day. I am cleaning, organizing, purging -- eliminating all that excess stuff from my life. The church rummage sale is in 3 weeks and I hope to bring an entire van load. Or two.
Tomorrow Evan and I will paint his bedroom, and Tuesday all 3 boys and I will hit the storage unit to clean things out, find some of our treasures, and begin emptying it, because by the end of June I want to be done paying that ridiculous $100 a month.
What went today? About 4 dozen 3.5 inch floppy disks. A box of photos to be mailed to my aunt. Another box, this time of scrapbooking supplies, to go to a charity I love. About 50 textbooks (Goodwill takes them and nothing goes to waste so if they don't sell them they are recycled). Several cardboard boxes. Rob cleaned up his work room, purging who knows what. It feels good.
This week, I will find stuff in storage -- shoes I have missed, art from the living and dining rooms, kitchen towels I stuck in storage to free up a drawer but that I need now, the magnet boards we bought the boys to keep their ever-growing collection of travel souvenirs, sheet sets that will immediately go the the rummage pile, an antique settee that I miss and want back in my living room -- but only the stuff I love and need comes back.
I am still in mourning for my grandma and her stuff. Things are not the way she would have wanted them. But they are the way she chose for them to be. I learned a lesson in this. Avoiding difficult decisions does not mean that the decision points won't someday arrive; it just means that someone else makes the decisions.
I decide. Difficult or not, I am the decider. It's started -- I just have to carry it through.
I made it through this winter, and it is somehow more and less of a surprise than I expected. I wasn't on any medications this year. When my doctor suggested I taper off last fall, I was terrified and told him no. Mere weeks later I discovered that I was suffering from side effects and he changed my medicine and I went crazy. Okay, perhaps that is a little harsh. But the new med, it made me sick. It made me feel like I was wildly careening from sane to batshit crazy and back again in seconds. And, frankly, the withdrawal from that drug was worse than the drug. So bad, in fact, I told the doc I was ready to go it alone.
And it was fine. I felt the normal ups and downs of winter, although I suspect they are more intense than most people. Still, I was ok.
Now it's spring, and I am feeling the sunshine. My mojo is back -- at least until the next cloudy day. I am cleaning, organizing, purging -- eliminating all that excess stuff from my life. The church rummage sale is in 3 weeks and I hope to bring an entire van load. Or two.
Tomorrow Evan and I will paint his bedroom, and Tuesday all 3 boys and I will hit the storage unit to clean things out, find some of our treasures, and begin emptying it, because by the end of June I want to be done paying that ridiculous $100 a month.
What went today? About 4 dozen 3.5 inch floppy disks. A box of photos to be mailed to my aunt. Another box, this time of scrapbooking supplies, to go to a charity I love. About 50 textbooks (Goodwill takes them and nothing goes to waste so if they don't sell them they are recycled). Several cardboard boxes. Rob cleaned up his work room, purging who knows what. It feels good.
This week, I will find stuff in storage -- shoes I have missed, art from the living and dining rooms, kitchen towels I stuck in storage to free up a drawer but that I need now, the magnet boards we bought the boys to keep their ever-growing collection of travel souvenirs, sheet sets that will immediately go the the rummage pile, an antique settee that I miss and want back in my living room -- but only the stuff I love and need comes back.
I am still in mourning for my grandma and her stuff. Things are not the way she would have wanted them. But they are the way she chose for them to be. I learned a lesson in this. Avoiding difficult decisions does not mean that the decision points won't someday arrive; it just means that someone else makes the decisions.
I decide. Difficult or not, I am the decider. It's started -- I just have to carry it through.
Monday, March 21, 2011
What's really important
She would lift me up just high enough to reach the tiny wooden ball and remind me to pull gently. The sun streamed through the glass front door and the room, with its white carpet and furniture, glowed. I grasped the little golden ball and as the string came out of the box I held my breath.
-----------------------------------------------------
A week ago I traveled to my grandmother's home. She is in a nursing home now with no prospect of leaving. Her cognitive function is limited, her mental illness so bad she is on antipsychotic drugs, her physical health failing, too.
I picked up her dining room furniture, pieces that had been promised to me when I was a child. A thousand times, she told me the story of my uncle accidentally etching a map of the Hawaiian islands into the table top. It was funny then -- I suspect it was NOT funny at the time it happened. Now it is a story I tell my children as they trace their fingers over the shapes and the names of the islands. HAWAII, LANAI ... etching themselves into my children`s memories as they are etched in mine.
Things were important to my grandma. She said people were more important to her, but I disagree. Her home was filled with lovely things -- and many times if she liked something she bought it in every color or style. I never saw her give one thing away or donate anything to charity -- people who shop at Goodwill could not possibly care for her items properly. When I would tell her the things she no longer used could be useful to someone else she became angry.
She and my grandpa moved far away from their home of 40 years after a devastating flood. She moved EVERYTHING. The junk drawer. Hundreds of tubes of lipstick, some 40 years old. Clothes that were old, out of style, outgrown, damaged.
And now, her worst nightmare -- HER things, being pawed through by people, trying to clean things out. Vultures. I was one of them. It was awful.
I have a beautiful dining room set now, some lovely pieces of glassware and thousands of family photos. I have thrown away twice as many as I kept -- all those lovely landscapes on vacations? Don't bother, they will only be tossed away by the next generation. I have a few precious items that remind me of her, of my grandpa, of their lake cabin and their homes.
It has inspired me to clean things out. Why do I have all these books? They are just something for someone else to go through later. I donated 350 or more last week to our church book sale.
My genealogy is a puzzle. What to do with it in the event none of my sons want to continue the research? I need to find a place that will welcome the information and make it accessible to other family historians.
The photos. Oh, the photos. How I LOVE them. They are a touchstone, a key to the past, a glimpse of people long gone. But they lived. They breathed. They loved, they laughed, they cried. And they are part of me. Many things will go away to find homes elsewhere. The photos, well, I will try to organize them. Label them. Assemble them into a puzzle that others can understand.
-------------------------------------------------------
I pulled the string one last time before I left the house, and the theme from Dr. Zhivago played. The string slowly wound into the music box plaque, and the little shiny ball made its slow journey back to its home. I wanted to take it with me, but it could not be the same in another house.
------------------------------------------------------
When I die, I want those who love me to keep things that make them smile. Things that have happy memories connected to them. Things they love. If my dining room set, so recently deposited here, fails to match in their houses, or if they hate it, or happy memories are absent from it, I want them to let it go. Keep what you want, sell or donate the rest. It is just stuff.
I love my stuff. I have made no secret here that I love stuff. Shiny things, sparkly things, craft supplies, photos ... but there are no words for me to express how I feel about my husband and children, about my parents, my brother, my extended family, my friends. If I love you, you know it. And stuff, no matter how cool or beautiful, is no replacement for the people who are my life.
If you are reading this, you are one of those people. And believe me, I am grateful for you, more than words could ever say.
-----------------------------------------------------
A week ago I traveled to my grandmother's home. She is in a nursing home now with no prospect of leaving. Her cognitive function is limited, her mental illness so bad she is on antipsychotic drugs, her physical health failing, too.
I picked up her dining room furniture, pieces that had been promised to me when I was a child. A thousand times, she told me the story of my uncle accidentally etching a map of the Hawaiian islands into the table top. It was funny then -- I suspect it was NOT funny at the time it happened. Now it is a story I tell my children as they trace their fingers over the shapes and the names of the islands. HAWAII, LANAI ... etching themselves into my children`s memories as they are etched in mine.
Things were important to my grandma. She said people were more important to her, but I disagree. Her home was filled with lovely things -- and many times if she liked something she bought it in every color or style. I never saw her give one thing away or donate anything to charity -- people who shop at Goodwill could not possibly care for her items properly. When I would tell her the things she no longer used could be useful to someone else she became angry.
She and my grandpa moved far away from their home of 40 years after a devastating flood. She moved EVERYTHING. The junk drawer. Hundreds of tubes of lipstick, some 40 years old. Clothes that were old, out of style, outgrown, damaged.
And now, her worst nightmare -- HER things, being pawed through by people, trying to clean things out. Vultures. I was one of them. It was awful.
I have a beautiful dining room set now, some lovely pieces of glassware and thousands of family photos. I have thrown away twice as many as I kept -- all those lovely landscapes on vacations? Don't bother, they will only be tossed away by the next generation. I have a few precious items that remind me of her, of my grandpa, of their lake cabin and their homes.
It has inspired me to clean things out. Why do I have all these books? They are just something for someone else to go through later. I donated 350 or more last week to our church book sale.
My genealogy is a puzzle. What to do with it in the event none of my sons want to continue the research? I need to find a place that will welcome the information and make it accessible to other family historians.
The photos. Oh, the photos. How I LOVE them. They are a touchstone, a key to the past, a glimpse of people long gone. But they lived. They breathed. They loved, they laughed, they cried. And they are part of me. Many things will go away to find homes elsewhere. The photos, well, I will try to organize them. Label them. Assemble them into a puzzle that others can understand.
-------------------------------------------------------
I pulled the string one last time before I left the house, and the theme from Dr. Zhivago played. The string slowly wound into the music box plaque, and the little shiny ball made its slow journey back to its home. I wanted to take it with me, but it could not be the same in another house.
------------------------------------------------------
When I die, I want those who love me to keep things that make them smile. Things that have happy memories connected to them. Things they love. If my dining room set, so recently deposited here, fails to match in their houses, or if they hate it, or happy memories are absent from it, I want them to let it go. Keep what you want, sell or donate the rest. It is just stuff.
I love my stuff. I have made no secret here that I love stuff. Shiny things, sparkly things, craft supplies, photos ... but there are no words for me to express how I feel about my husband and children, about my parents, my brother, my extended family, my friends. If I love you, you know it. And stuff, no matter how cool or beautiful, is no replacement for the people who are my life.
If you are reading this, you are one of those people. And believe me, I am grateful for you, more than words could ever say.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Deep Thoughts
Okay, really, I don't have any. Nothing to ponder or to make you think. Maybe just a quick recap of the last month:
*my folks and my brother (along with his girlfriend and their 4 kids) were here for Christmas. It was the first time in 13 years that we'd all been together. A long gap that was mostly inspired by his ex-wife, who, in addition to being an absolute pig at home, would trash my house every time she came. She was a human tornado without the benefit of the rainbow at the end. At any rate, she is gone, and I enjoyed having everyone here (mostly LOL). I am ME, after all.
*Evan's big Christmas gift this year was plane tickets for him and me to go to Indianapolis to see the fabulous Teresa and her son Mike. She is truly an incredible and generous host. We went because Evan (inspired by Teresa and Mike) has become quite a Colts football fan, and Teresa has season tickets. January 2 saw the 4 of us at Lucas Oil Stadium, wearing Colts jerseys (even me!) and cheering Peyton Manning and the guys to victory. The stadium is awesome and we had a lot of fun.
*In a week (a WEEK!) my baby will turn 9. How did that happen?
*In just over a month I will celebrate my 15th wedding anniversary with my amazing husband. He has frequent flier miles and I am itching to get away with him for a couple of days, I just need to find someone who can take my kids. Cross your fingers!
*My job is going well. I love the flexibility and the fact that I can log in from home whenever I want. I got the laptop a few weeks ago and it is so convenient. I often log in for an hour or so at night to get through email, and I am doing a fair amount of reading about Time Banking in general and learning a lot.
*Minnesota has a Democrat in the Governor's office for the first time in 20 years. Mark Dayton was my candidate all along, and I am very pleased he was elected.
*The great bedroom remodel of 2010 is almost complete. We got the room painted Wednesday the 22 and furniture moved in the 23rd. We still need to get new carpet, add trim and closet doors, and put the closet organizer in, but it is a room, it is warm, and it is functional. Garrett is pretty chuffed.
*I am still reading Anna Karenina. It isn't boring, but it requires some concentration. And a cheat sheet delineating names and relationships. I need to finish it, though, because I just added several books to my library request list: Room, An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination, My Reading Life and Port Mortuary.
How delicious -- to start off the new year with books by 2 of my most favorite authors, Pat Conroy and Patricia Cornwell. I will let you know what I think.
*my folks and my brother (along with his girlfriend and their 4 kids) were here for Christmas. It was the first time in 13 years that we'd all been together. A long gap that was mostly inspired by his ex-wife, who, in addition to being an absolute pig at home, would trash my house every time she came. She was a human tornado without the benefit of the rainbow at the end. At any rate, she is gone, and I enjoyed having everyone here (mostly LOL). I am ME, after all.
*Evan's big Christmas gift this year was plane tickets for him and me to go to Indianapolis to see the fabulous Teresa and her son Mike. She is truly an incredible and generous host. We went because Evan (inspired by Teresa and Mike) has become quite a Colts football fan, and Teresa has season tickets. January 2 saw the 4 of us at Lucas Oil Stadium, wearing Colts jerseys (even me!) and cheering Peyton Manning and the guys to victory. The stadium is awesome and we had a lot of fun.
*In a week (a WEEK!) my baby will turn 9. How did that happen?
*In just over a month I will celebrate my 15th wedding anniversary with my amazing husband. He has frequent flier miles and I am itching to get away with him for a couple of days, I just need to find someone who can take my kids. Cross your fingers!
*My job is going well. I love the flexibility and the fact that I can log in from home whenever I want. I got the laptop a few weeks ago and it is so convenient. I often log in for an hour or so at night to get through email, and I am doing a fair amount of reading about Time Banking in general and learning a lot.
*Minnesota has a Democrat in the Governor's office for the first time in 20 years. Mark Dayton was my candidate all along, and I am very pleased he was elected.
*The great bedroom remodel of 2010 is almost complete. We got the room painted Wednesday the 22 and furniture moved in the 23rd. We still need to get new carpet, add trim and closet doors, and put the closet organizer in, but it is a room, it is warm, and it is functional. Garrett is pretty chuffed.
*I am still reading Anna Karenina. It isn't boring, but it requires some concentration. And a cheat sheet delineating names and relationships. I need to finish it, though, because I just added several books to my library request list: Room, An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination, My Reading Life and Port Mortuary.
How delicious -- to start off the new year with books by 2 of my most favorite authors, Pat Conroy and Patricia Cornwell. I will let you know what I think.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
I have a LOT of books
I know Nate Berkus wants me to make my bookshelves look more interesting by adding photos, memorabilia, and other items that personalize my space. However, Nate has NO IDEA how many books I own. It was a huge effort but we (and by we I mean my darling husband) put together the bookshelf.
I had emptied one of the smaller bookshelves and dusted earlier in the day. After the shelf was assembled I emptied the other, removed the protective dust covering off the books (What? It IS protective. Really.) and got down to business.
I honestly thought I would have a ton of extra space in the new shelf. Oops. Turns out when you have NO MORE ROOM on the 2 small shelves, even one gigantic shelf is not enough. Witness: NOT a Nate Berkus approved bookshelf. (Note to self: Dude! The cord, man. It is heinous!)
And I know the cranberry lamp is an errr .... bold choice. But it was from my grandma and I love it and I just tell anyone who asks that the pink is an accent color.
Still and all, I like it. I can see the books now. It was so much fun reshelving them, looking at the dust jackets, remembering the stories, thinking I need to re read this one or that one. They are my friends, and it makes me happy to display them in a manner befitting them. Now I just need a dozen or so more of them.
(I know I would have more book space were it not for the bins on the bottom row. But I have a husband who saves his woodworking magazines and needs a place to store them AND an obsessive need to keep a million papers in little files without the necessary obsessive need to actually file.)
And I only had 2 glasses of wine last night but I was a little giddy when I posted. Forgive me. The recipe for the Red Velvet cake is here. Deeeeelish.
I had emptied one of the smaller bookshelves and dusted earlier in the day. After the shelf was assembled I emptied the other, removed the protective dust covering off the books (What? It IS protective. Really.) and got down to business.
I honestly thought I would have a ton of extra space in the new shelf. Oops. Turns out when you have NO MORE ROOM on the 2 small shelves, even one gigantic shelf is not enough. Witness: NOT a Nate Berkus approved bookshelf. (Note to self: Dude! The cord, man. It is heinous!)
And I know the cranberry lamp is an errr .... bold choice. But it was from my grandma and I love it and I just tell anyone who asks that the pink is an accent color.
Still and all, I like it. I can see the books now. It was so much fun reshelving them, looking at the dust jackets, remembering the stories, thinking I need to re read this one or that one. They are my friends, and it makes me happy to display them in a manner befitting them. Now I just need a dozen or so more of them.
(I know I would have more book space were it not for the bins on the bottom row. But I have a husband who saves his woodworking magazines and needs a place to store them AND an obsessive need to keep a million papers in little files without the necessary obsessive need to actually file.)
And I only had 2 glasses of wine last night but I was a little giddy when I posted. Forgive me. The recipe for the Red Velvet cake is here. Deeeeelish.
Updates
I hadn't mentioned it but before Christmas Pippa, for some unknown reason, peed on my comforter. While it was on the bed.
It's a very good thing I am cold blooded and have tons of blankets, as they saved my mattress.
I have a super-capacity washer and I've found that if you pour a cup of white vinegar into the washer it eradicates the odor, but I (in a moment of shameful wastefulness) threw the comforter away. It was not in good shape -- the dog lying on it had not done its appearance any favors, and her nails caught on the threads and pulled them. In short, it looked tacky. But I hadn't wanted to replace it and have the dog all over it again, ruining it.
So the pee incident set my resolve. The dog no longer sleeps on my bed. Ever. She is not allowed up there. It is MY space. (Well, Rob's and mine.) She has a little bed and blanket and she is just fine down there at night.
And a comforter that I'd been looking at since Christmas fortuitously went on sale last week and I snapped it up.
It's sort of taupe. Tan with a distinct gray undertone. The paisley is ivory with aqua and lavender accents. I wasn't at all sure it would work with the warm brown of my headboard, but I am quite pleased with it.
Tonight we build the new bookcase.
It's a very good thing I am cold blooded and have tons of blankets, as they saved my mattress.
I have a super-capacity washer and I've found that if you pour a cup of white vinegar into the washer it eradicates the odor, but I (in a moment of shameful wastefulness) threw the comforter away. It was not in good shape -- the dog lying on it had not done its appearance any favors, and her nails caught on the threads and pulled them. In short, it looked tacky. But I hadn't wanted to replace it and have the dog all over it again, ruining it.
So the pee incident set my resolve. The dog no longer sleeps on my bed. Ever. She is not allowed up there. It is MY space. (Well, Rob's and mine.) She has a little bed and blanket and she is just fine down there at night.
And a comforter that I'd been looking at since Christmas fortuitously went on sale last week and I snapped it up.
It's sort of taupe. Tan with a distinct gray undertone. The paisley is ivory with aqua and lavender accents. I wasn't at all sure it would work with the warm brown of my headboard, but I am quite pleased with it.
Tonight we build the new bookcase.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
You can take the girl outta the church ...
I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday. They were having a frame sale and I am tired of having a beautiful watercolor of our old California neighborhood hiding in my scrap room. I want it displayed.
I will show the finished product Tuesday or Wednesday -- I think it will be nice. And a custom frame job for a 16x20 for $34 is a GREAT deal.
For those who don't know about Hobby Lobby, it is a craft store that also sells furniture, home decor, and a million little knick-knacky dust collectors. I love this store.
It is a Christian corporation, so stores are closed on Sundays. And their muzak is a mix of pop and hymns.
As I was looking through the mats, I found myself mouthing the words to "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." When I realized what I was doing, I stopped for a second. But I have to admit that I got a sense of comfort from the song -- and I was a little self-satisfied that I still knew the words. It's been a LONG time since I heard it.
Funny how those things stick with you and, even when you have deliberately chosen another path, come back to you.
I will show the finished product Tuesday or Wednesday -- I think it will be nice. And a custom frame job for a 16x20 for $34 is a GREAT deal.
For those who don't know about Hobby Lobby, it is a craft store that also sells furniture, home decor, and a million little knick-knacky dust collectors. I love this store.
It is a Christian corporation, so stores are closed on Sundays. And their muzak is a mix of pop and hymns.
As I was looking through the mats, I found myself mouthing the words to "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." When I realized what I was doing, I stopped for a second. But I have to admit that I got a sense of comfort from the song -- and I was a little self-satisfied that I still knew the words. It's been a LONG time since I heard it.
Funny how those things stick with you and, even when you have deliberately chosen another path, come back to you.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Mixer Cover Extraordinaire
Isn't it fab? I love it. I was so tired of the dust and grime (read: Asian beetles and Boxelder bugs) in my mixing bowl and having to wash it before and after I used it I finally broke down and ordered this cover. You can't tell in the photo but there is lovely piping on it and a deep front pocket that could hold cookbooks, recipes, or a spatula or two. (Actually, if you click on the photo it enlarges enough to see the detail.) It is beautifully made and was worth every penny. (Under $30!!) Plus it looks mah-velous on my new baking cabinet.I ordered it from this ebay store. Karen has given me permission to link her here; she does custom covers (I ordered my fabric separately and had it shipped to her) and also has some already made mixer and sewing machine covers in her store. This lady is so friendly and accommodating, and while I *do* sew, she is a far more talented seamstress than I. Next I'm going to have her do a cover for my sewing machine. If I can convince her, she may do a slipcover for the chair at my scrapbooking/sewing table, too.
If you are looking for a gift for someone or just a little useful treat for yourself I guarantee you will be satisfied with any purchase from her.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
More organization
Rob just put up this lovely ladder shelf for me. It is behind the door, literally the only place in the room that had space. LOL I don't have a lot of rubber stamps but I wanted to get them and some of the foam ones out of the drawer they were in to make room for my clear acrylic stamps.
The shelf is made of wood Rob had lying around in the basement work room -- 2x2's, 2x4's (ripped in half) and some little trim pieces. I sanded it, primed and painted using the black that I had for the kitchen redo in 1997 (remember the holstein cow spots on the soffit?).
It is looking great, has some room to add stuff to, and all I have to do is putty the screw holes and paint over them. Nice.
I think I will do a 360 degree photo montage of this room sometime. It is completely fab and I am so lucky it is mine!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Good news all around
I got a call from the friend that I said I've been failing of late. Bless her, she was so understanding and said it was ok, she knew I had been struggling with depression and that I have a lot on my plate with the kids, etc. Well, yes, but it's not an excuse. Whatever, she is okay and we are okay and for that I am grateful.
And I found some fabric on ebay that I love -- it will go nicely in the kitchen and I have found a lovely woman to *gasp* sew a cover for my Kitchen Aid mixer for me. I know, I know, I could do it, but it's not that much more to have her do it and she really does a beautiful job. Plus I have decided that I want to sew a cover for my sewing machine and today I found the cutest idea for covers for ladder back chairs and I may have to make those for my dining chairs for Christmas. The auction was 1 minute from ending and I got outbid. Normally I would just let the item go, but tonight I was feisty and I decided that someone would not be allowed to come in and take MY fabric. LOL Thank goodness for high-speed internet.
My folks have returned from a long weekend in Vegas. My mom is celebrating a birthday in a few weeks and she wanted to do it in style -- with Jimmy Buffett. So she and my dad, some of their friends, and my dad's little brother and his wife all met in Sin City. Mom and Dad had front row seats at the concert and had a ball, and I guess everyone had a pretty good time.
I am glad they'll be home tomorrow night (they're staying at some friends' tonight) because I miss talking to her. We talk almost every day and I am sort of lost without her. LOL
And I found some fabric on ebay that I love -- it will go nicely in the kitchen and I have found a lovely woman to *gasp* sew a cover for my Kitchen Aid mixer for me. I know, I know, I could do it, but it's not that much more to have her do it and she really does a beautiful job. Plus I have decided that I want to sew a cover for my sewing machine and today I found the cutest idea for covers for ladder back chairs and I may have to make those for my dining chairs for Christmas. The auction was 1 minute from ending and I got outbid. Normally I would just let the item go, but tonight I was feisty and I decided that someone would not be allowed to come in and take MY fabric. LOL Thank goodness for high-speed internet.
My folks have returned from a long weekend in Vegas. My mom is celebrating a birthday in a few weeks and she wanted to do it in style -- with Jimmy Buffett. So she and my dad, some of their friends, and my dad's little brother and his wife all met in Sin City. Mom and Dad had front row seats at the concert and had a ball, and I guess everyone had a pretty good time.
I am glad they'll be home tomorrow night (they're staying at some friends' tonight) because I miss talking to her. We talk almost every day and I am sort of lost without her. LOL
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
At last .....
Here's the dresser/baking cabinet this morning. The wood top has been sanded and it is ready for the new top.
And now, it is done. It has been 5 weeks since I ordered the doggone thing. They told me it would be done in 3-4 weeks. Yesterday I threw a tantrum and here it is. Isn't it gorgeous? I am so happy.
Take your time; appreciate it from all angles. I certainly did.
The color is Absolute Green. I was afraid it wouldn't look right in the kitchen; and we all know if we have too long to second-guess ourselves it is not a good thing, right? But it is perfect. I love it ...
and here is my favorite shot of all. That white rectangle on top is what I've been using since I was married (almost 12 years) to roll out pie crusts and pastry.
I am definitely moving up in the world.
And now, it is done. It has been 5 weeks since I ordered the doggone thing. They told me it would be done in 3-4 weeks. Yesterday I threw a tantrum and here it is. Isn't it gorgeous? I am so happy.
Take your time; appreciate it from all angles. I certainly did.
The color is Absolute Green. I was afraid it wouldn't look right in the kitchen; and we all know if we have too long to second-guess ourselves it is not a good thing, right? But it is perfect. I love it ...
and here is my favorite shot of all. That white rectangle on top is what I've been using since I was married (almost 12 years) to roll out pie crusts and pastry.
I am definitely moving up in the world.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
More list
I know, you're sick of lists. But I am getting so much done with my lists!
-copy recipes onto index cards and place in album
-create document with photos for my grandma to use as inventory/valuation and to determine who wants and/or gets what
-finish door jambs on main floor
-stain trim in basement
-make a slipcover for scrapbook chair
-sort and organize photos
-sort and organize family history stuff
-sew bathrobes for kids
-sew table skirts for scrap room
-pick and print photos for Christmas border
-finish sweatshirt for Nancy
-clean out spare bedroom so it can be used
-stain hot tub
-make a new dust cover for sewing machine
-stain arbor
-get chain link fence installed across back yard (will wait for spring to do the side of the yard)
-make Christmas ornaments
-paint hallway
-finish surf painting for kids' room
-finish bedroom curtains
-work on decorating idea book
Off to Evan's classroom for Poetry & Punch.
*updated 12/28/07
-copy recipes onto index cards and place in album
-create document with photos for my grandma to use as inventory/valuation and to determine who wants and/or gets what
-finish door jambs on main floor
-stain trim in basement
-make a slipcover for scrapbook chair
-sort and organize photos
-sort and organize family history stuff
-sew bathrobes for kids
-sew table skirts for scrap room
-pick and print photos for Christmas border
-finish sweatshirt for Nancy
-clean out spare bedroom so it can be used
-stain hot tub
-make a new dust cover for sewing machine
-stain arbor
-get chain link fence installed across back yard (will wait for spring to do the side of the yard)
-make Christmas ornaments
-paint hallway
-finish surf painting for kids' room
-finish bedroom curtains
-work on decorating idea book
Off to Evan's classroom for Poetry & Punch.
*updated 12/28/07
Monday, October 15, 2007
Yessss ....
More progress on the list. Got my mom's sweatshirt done and into the mail. Honestly, it was the buttonholes that were holding me back. I am afraid of buttonholes. Most of my sewing consists of straight seams. This is deliberate on my part; I don't venture too far into realms I am unfamiliar with in the sewing world.
Anyway, the buttonholes are done. Are they beautiful? Not so much. Functional? Possibly. But DONE they are. And really, my mom is highly unlikely to button the thing. She lives life in a perpetual state of "power surge." (Sorry, mom.)
Here is the sweatshirt just before it got put in the box. It really is pretty, I think. And my sis-in-law Nancy's is well on its way. I am just waiting for a border from the sewing store for the stained glass pattern. Next week, I think.
And I got the finials for the boys' curtain rod DONE. Evan sanded them this afternoon for me and I painted them tonight while catching up on Grey's Anatomy on abc.com. Can I just say that that is AWESOME? I watched all of this season's episodes and am caught up. Since we are out of town for MEA weekend I am unlikely to catch this week's episode but this was so convenient I may never watch it on TV again.
Here are the finials:
And I started a Yahoo group that will morph into a real live book group at some point. I think it will be a slow start, but I am being patient, because good things are worth waiting for and this group will be fab if we can get it together. With jobs and husbands and kids and volunteering and life in general it won't be fast, but with the women I've invited it will be interesting. That is a very good thing.
Last thing: my darling husband has been driving around in cars that sort of have had the "this will work for now" theme. Tonight he bought his dream car. He has wanted one since they came out and he is now the proud owner of a PT Cruiser. It's a 2002 but in beautiful shape and it has all the bells and whistles. He is so excited, and I am excited for him. The color is Taupe Frost Metallic. Very classy.
So ... life rolls merrily along, and it is good. Very good.
Anyway, the buttonholes are done. Are they beautiful? Not so much. Functional? Possibly. But DONE they are. And really, my mom is highly unlikely to button the thing. She lives life in a perpetual state of "power surge." (Sorry, mom.)
Here is the sweatshirt just before it got put in the box. It really is pretty, I think. And my sis-in-law Nancy's is well on its way. I am just waiting for a border from the sewing store for the stained glass pattern. Next week, I think.
And I got the finials for the boys' curtain rod DONE. Evan sanded them this afternoon for me and I painted them tonight while catching up on Grey's Anatomy on abc.com. Can I just say that that is AWESOME? I watched all of this season's episodes and am caught up. Since we are out of town for MEA weekend I am unlikely to catch this week's episode but this was so convenient I may never watch it on TV again.
Here are the finials:
And I started a Yahoo group that will morph into a real live book group at some point. I think it will be a slow start, but I am being patient, because good things are worth waiting for and this group will be fab if we can get it together. With jobs and husbands and kids and volunteering and life in general it won't be fast, but with the women I've invited it will be interesting. That is a very good thing.
Last thing: my darling husband has been driving around in cars that sort of have had the "this will work for now" theme. Tonight he bought his dream car. He has wanted one since they came out and he is now the proud owner of a PT Cruiser. It's a 2002 but in beautiful shape and it has all the bells and whistles. He is so excited, and I am excited for him. The color is Taupe Frost Metallic. Very classy.
So ... life rolls merrily along, and it is good. Very good.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Entertaining
I LOVE having people over. Last night we had a blast, drinking this really wonderful Sauvignon Blanc that was all citrus-y and full of the bright grapefruit flavor that just danced in your mouth. We listened to Springsteen, talked about a performance of King Lear that my friend Tracy saw (starring Ian McKellan, no less) and much to my surprise, I beat Tracy at bowling on the Wii.
The kids played, the food was good, Tracy's fall dessert was rich and perfect for the kind of day it was yesterday -- clear blue skies, crisp temperatures, and a hint of a breeze. It definitely felt like fall.
Today, though, I am glad to be sitting here in my scrap room (the desk and scrap shelf are CLEAN, by the way). My kids are watching TV and working on a craft project. I was up last night from 2 to 5 with insomnia so I stayed home while everyone else went to church and caught up on my sleep. I am still in my jammies (flannel pants and shirt, light blue, with Grumpy and Dopey all over them). Rob left for the hardware store at 11. It is almost 1 and no sign of him. LOL I think he is procrastinating on the homework. Poor guy hasn't had any time to just relax in forever. There is a stock pot on the stove, simmering a chicken carcass, a host of vegetables, and a lot of spices. In a bit I will strain it all and we'll have soup one night this week.
Yeah, I do love to spend time with friends in my home. But today, it is clean, it is quiet, and I am simply enjoying being in a cozy, comfortable house while the rain falls outside and the world moves one step closer to winter.
The kids played, the food was good, Tracy's fall dessert was rich and perfect for the kind of day it was yesterday -- clear blue skies, crisp temperatures, and a hint of a breeze. It definitely felt like fall.
Today, though, I am glad to be sitting here in my scrap room (the desk and scrap shelf are CLEAN, by the way). My kids are watching TV and working on a craft project. I was up last night from 2 to 5 with insomnia so I stayed home while everyone else went to church and caught up on my sleep. I am still in my jammies (flannel pants and shirt, light blue, with Grumpy and Dopey all over them). Rob left for the hardware store at 11. It is almost 1 and no sign of him. LOL I think he is procrastinating on the homework. Poor guy hasn't had any time to just relax in forever. There is a stock pot on the stove, simmering a chicken carcass, a host of vegetables, and a lot of spices. In a bit I will strain it all and we'll have soup one night this week.
Yeah, I do love to spend time with friends in my home. But today, it is clean, it is quiet, and I am simply enjoying being in a cozy, comfortable house while the rain falls outside and the world moves one step closer to winter.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Cool stuff
1. Rummage sale stuff is out of my spare bedroom and is now someone else's treasure (or problem, whichever... LOL)
2. Magnetic paint (all 6 coats) is on the back of my scrap storage shelf and I freehand painted some designs and words on it. There is still room if you have a word suggestion for me. I really am happy with this, too. Very whimsical.
3. This project, which I found in Family Fun magazine, has been in the works since June. I had it hanging up but the location was giving me some trouble. To explain, I have a wood cornice above my washer and dryer. There is a dowel about the diameter of a closet rod inside, and a fabric panel hangs down to give the room some color, visual interest, and to hide all the icky pipes and stuff back there. The project hung fine, but the letters were all jumble-y and tipped so you couldn't see them well. Inspiration struck in church today -- self-adhesive pin backs! So the pin backs are stuck to the clothespins and then pinned to the curtain to hold them in place and keep them upright. Ta-daaaaaa! You can find directions to the project here.
Rob is working on the crown molding and dinner is in the oven, so all in all it has been a most productive weekend. *Insert giant grinning smiley here.*
2. Magnetic paint (all 6 coats) is on the back of my scrap storage shelf and I freehand painted some designs and words on it. There is still room if you have a word suggestion for me. I really am happy with this, too. Very whimsical.
3. This project, which I found in Family Fun magazine, has been in the works since June. I had it hanging up but the location was giving me some trouble. To explain, I have a wood cornice above my washer and dryer. There is a dowel about the diameter of a closet rod inside, and a fabric panel hangs down to give the room some color, visual interest, and to hide all the icky pipes and stuff back there. The project hung fine, but the letters were all jumble-y and tipped so you couldn't see them well. Inspiration struck in church today -- self-adhesive pin backs! So the pin backs are stuck to the clothespins and then pinned to the curtain to hold them in place and keep them upright. Ta-daaaaaa! You can find directions to the project here.
Rob is working on the crown molding and dinner is in the oven, so all in all it has been a most productive weekend. *Insert giant grinning smiley here.*
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Sneak Peek
Here is a (very dark) photo of my chaotic messy kitchen and a shot of the dresser with the stain on it. I am most pleased with the way it looks so far. Full pictures soon -- cross your fingers that the Silestone top arrives sooner than expected. I would really like to have it done.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Still working
The dresser is primed now. Looks ... uh, okay. I am sincerely hoping the paint will be an improvement. We had houseguests last night and had a great birthday dinner for Rob -- tri-tip, Caprese salad, oven roasted potatoes and German Chocolate cake. Soooo glad that the mega cake-making thing is done for another year. Those cakes are delicious, but fussy, and they use a million and one measuring containers and mixing vessels.
Today I volunteered at the Book Fair where the volunteer who trained me in somehow made me feel as though I was either a 4 year old or a complete moron. What a freakin' bitch. Turns out I handled the job well and lo and behold I ran the credit cards correctly, remembered the stickers for books donated to teachers' classrooms, and managed to make sure the cash drawer was attended at ALL TIMES because of course I would never have thought that necessary without the 5 minute diatribe on the necessity of supervising it CAREFULLY. Argh.
Home for a few blissful hours to do my own stuff -- I would like to be in the scrap room but the dresser called, and now the laundry is beckoning. And it is 4:00 and I just heard the bus pull up, so my quiet time is over for now.
Today I volunteered at the Book Fair where the volunteer who trained me in somehow made me feel as though I was either a 4 year old or a complete moron. What a freakin' bitch. Turns out I handled the job well and lo and behold I ran the credit cards correctly, remembered the stickers for books donated to teachers' classrooms, and managed to make sure the cash drawer was attended at ALL TIMES because of course I would never have thought that necessary without the 5 minute diatribe on the necessity of supervising it CAREFULLY. Argh.
Home for a few blissful hours to do my own stuff -- I would like to be in the scrap room but the dresser called, and now the laundry is beckoning. And it is 4:00 and I just heard the bus pull up, so my quiet time is over for now.
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