The Life and Times of a Hippie Momma

It must be that time of year.

2012-02-13T13:44:00.000-05:00

Last year, I made a huge list of things to do before March 1st. I've made another one this year. Maybe it is because I know spring is coming, and I will be outside more. Or maybe I've recovered from Christmas and Mary's birthday. Either way, I am ready to dig back in on the house.

First up is another round of DIY on the basement. We'll be adding some cabinets to a little alcove at the bottom of the stairs. Our house is so small, and we have very little storage space. This will help a lot. This weekend John will be doing a bit of repair work to that space, and installing the cabinets. Then I'll be on painting duty. It will also solve this issue:

Looking into the basement

When we removed the divider door to the hallway, this became our view into the basement. Previously, when the door was open, it just blocked the doorway to the basement. Now I look down there every time I walk to or from the bedrooms. I know it would look better if that paneling were painted white. So I will be painting that all white. The stairs are just boards with no backing. I'm not sure what I am going to do with them. Maybe just clean the heck out of them. I'd love to paint them, but that would mean locking the cats in the laundry room for a couple days so they could get to the litter box. So I need to think about that. I also want to paint the walls (and ceiling) above the paneling, but that won't be soon. I'm terrified of trying to reach up there. I asked my Dad how he did it at his house. He said it built a little platform and then put the ladder on it. I think he's crazy. We may possibly hire someone to do it so that I don't break my neck. So, painting that little room is project number one.

I also want to finish my gallery wall. Or at least get the frames hung up. I don't have art for all of them yet.

I discovered some fabric I was going to use to make pillow covers for the living room. I totally forgot I had it. Oops. It's spring/summer fabric, so I want to get on that.

I bought drop cloths to make curtains to cover the storage shelves in the laundry room. I need to sew those up, and find curtain rods. I think we have some spares around here somewhere. I don't really care what they look like as long as they are long enough.

I want to fix the hole in the dining room ceiling. I bought the patch for it last week.

Of course I also have to do my regular stuff too. I think I can get it all done IF we stay healthy. Plus it is a leap year, so I have an extra day.

All you need is......

2012-02-02T13:27:00.000-05:00

Before.

All you need is 1. a free piece of art from your Mom's yard sale pile (broken glass optional), 2. red spray paint, and 3. chalkboard spray paint. Oh and chalk borrowed from the kids.

After.

I got rid of the broken glass. I spray painted over the boat print which was actually a nice, heavy cardstock. I just shoved it back in the frame with the two pieces of cardboard that were behind the picture. It's not even secured.

I made this last night:

Book page wreath #2.

I never was overly satisfied with the first book page wreath I made. I needed something to hang on the dining room door since I moved the stick wreath to our bedroom. I have a good supply of vintage books right now thanks to my Dad. He bought two boxes of them at the auction he frequents. I think he paid a dollar or two per BOX and there were 12-15 books per box.

I'm starting to see a pattern here. I get a lot of free "junk" from my parents.

Stolen from Dad's yard sale pile. Didn't even give him 50 cents.

I've tried many times to pay Dad from the stuff I take from him. He buys it super cheap though, so he never wants money for it. He has a couple booths at an indoor flea market where he resells stuff. Anyway, I thought this was a good shaped frame when I stole it. I actually plan to cut the picture in two and keep the horse and buggy. That's a project for another day.

Mystery art.

I actually forgot I had the frame. It was down in my hoarding spot in the basement. John and I had talked about framing this little piece of mystery art for our gallery wall. It was warm enough to spray a paint yesterday, so I painted the frame to match the others I'll be using.

As for the mystery art, John's Grandma painted it. When her estate was settled, all of her artwork was distributed. We got several beautiful pieces. Then it came down to this sort of strange scrap pile. John and I both loved this one piece. The back is almost just as pretty, though I don't think it is a painting. It it just brush strokes in yellows, blues, and oranges. Like maybe she was cleaning her brushes or testing colors. As for the barn on the front, I'll always wonder where the other half is. Or why someone would paint something so beautiful and then cut it in half. Maybe she was unhappy with it or just doodling. Or maybe she spilled her coffee on it. We will never know, but I do love it anyway.

Unmotivated.

2012-01-30T13:54:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to find the motivation to work on a project. Any project. I did clean the basement. It had sort of exploded again. Neither one of us wants to work on the living room. Or clean out the closets. I'm ready for spring.

I did get a new light for Christmas. We've now changed out or modified every light in the house.

Hello, 1965!

The new one matches the other hallway and the girls' bathroom.

We also trimmed out the other doorway in the short hallway.

Note I painted the baseboard in anger.And slopped white paint all over the door trim.

This piece of baseboard had been missing since Sept 2010.

Much better.

When I was painting the walls, I got some paint on the (old) baseboard. I ended up just painting the entire thing to match the wall. It looked awful. I also slopped some white touch up paint on the door trim so I'd get sick of looking at it and rip it out sooner rather than later. I'm not even sure when John put the new trim up. Maybe New Year's Eve?

I guess I am working on a project, but it is slow going.

Items for my gallery wall.

I'm piling it up in the dining room as I work. I'm hoping that will keep me from putting it off for another 10 months. I've had most of the frames down in the basement since last spring. I have a few items I really want to add to the wall, but they need custom sized frames. There's a chance I'll be asking John to make them for me. How hard can it be?

I didn't get one decent picture of Mary on her birthday. We had a great party and she got several gifts that she loves. I think that six is going to be a great year for her.

Hey girl.

2012-01-18T11:40:00.004-05:00

I can check "center rug under bed" off my list. I got a new rug last weekend. The bedroom is one step closer to being done. I really want a new light fixture, but haven't found the perfect one in my price range. I was nice enough to take down the rooster picture (turns out John hated it) over the bed. I replaced it with my stick wreath (which John ran into every time he walked through the dining room). I'm so thoughtful!

Ellie started preschool. I've been cleaning, organizing, shrinking the living room curtains, and fixing them. Just the same old stuff. We aren't doing any home improvement right now. Hopefully we'll start up again soon. I really want to get the living room painted before spring as we have some major exterior projects coming up.

I'm in a hurry yet again. There's never enough time in the morning when I have the house to myself.

Keeping it real.

Time.

2011-12-23T15:36:00.007-05:00

Days, weeks, and months fly by. A year. Two years. Five.

Five years ago today, we walked into a vacant house. It was not yet ours.

Entry way - 12/23/2006

Today.

Our home is a fixer upper for sure. We basically bought it without seeing it first. I told John that if it had walls and a roof, we'd make it work. I feel like we have made amazing progress in five years.

Dining room - 12/23/2006

Today.

Most of our family members saw the house before we moved in. John's Dad and Step-Mom owned it. John's Mom and Step-Dad live right down the street. My Mom came that year for Christmas, and I brought her over to show her our next home. I think they all thought we'd lost our minds.

Master bedroom or as Mary said today "what's that?"

I said "it's our bedroom, Mary."

This one caught John off guard. Ellie's room - 12/23/2006

Ellie's room today.

The thing that gets me in that comparison is that in the before there is not a vent in the wall, but there is in the after. We had central heat and air put in before we moved.

Hallway bathroom. John said the broken curtain rod really made the room.

Improved!

The floor near the tub was rotten. We had a new subfloor put in before we moved in. John replaced the vinyl which is why the floor is mismatched. I'm going to miss the blue cabinet when we remodel some day. It was one of the first things I painted in this house.

Living room - 12/23/2006

Lovely subfloor, huh? The carpet was worse. We wouldn't even let Mary out of our arms as we walked through the house. We had everything primed with a sealing primer and have never had an issue with smells.

Living room - 12/23/2011

I'm keeping it real, people! What can I say? We live here.

And of course the main reason we moved here:

Mary (almost 11 months old) - 12/23/2006

It's hard to believe that it was before Mary's first Christmas or her first birthday. She was scared of all of her grandparents. It broke our hearts.

Mary (almost 6!!! years old) and Ellie (3.25 years old)

We moved here to be closer to our families. We moved here so Mary would know her grandparents. We moved here to live in the country with a big yard. We moved here so that Mary could go to an awesome school. Heck, we moved here so that someone could stay with Mary so I could go to the hospital to have the next baby.

It seems like it was just the other day that John's sister told us that his Dad had agreed to buy this house from the previous owner. It feels like we've blinked and five years just magically flew by.

Finally sunny!

2011-12-01T09:52:00.004-05:00

It's cold today, but it is sunny. It's been raining or snowing for days now.

FYI--there's still a hole in the ceiling where the old light used to be.

I pretend that the hole isn't there. I'm hoping to patch it sometime in 2012. Ellie even asked the other day why it is still there. Mary gets up every morning and plugs in the tree herself. I'm glad she loves the Christmas decorations as much as I do. She, Ellie, and I did the tree ourselves this year while John was outside playing with his chainsaw.

Ellie watches educational TV while I take pictures of the furniture.

In my defense, she was out of the room making some play-doh pancakes for me when I took this picture. She was making them on her grill. They were raspberry pancakes, and they were delicious!

I put my normal Christmas decorations out on the TV cabinet this year, but I didn't like them. So I took them down and looked at it for a while. Then I had one of my wonderful ideas. Ah, the ones that send John out to the freezing cold garage at 10pm to cut, glue, and nail things for me.

He used some of the left over wood from the barn door. And no project would be complete without adding some old dining room paneling to it. It's on the bottom. When the glue dried, I stained it inside and out. John even drilled a hole in the back so that I could run the cord of lights through it. I love how it turned out!

Tree number two

Once again, it was John to the rescue. I had the tree. Then I bought the pail. We had thought of about 10 ways to get it in there, but none of them seemed easy.

Pinterest to the rescue!

I showed the above to John, and he said it would work. Thank goodness we have a huge pile of wood in the yard from the storm in May. John just drilled a hole into a piece and set it in the bucket. Then we shoved the tree into the log. It actually looked pretty cool with just the pink tree shoved into the the log, but I wanted to use the bucket since I bought it specifically for the tree. It's really steady which was my main concern.

I have all my Christmas decorating done! I even started my Christmas knitting last night. I think I'm at least two weeks ahead of where I was last year.

Untitled.

2011-11-20T21:35:00.005-05:00

I'm too tired to think of a title. It's been the longest day ever.

Hallway from down by Mary's room 9/30/11

On the right is the hallway bathroom. On the left is the top of the basement stairs. The open door divides the bathrooms and bedrooms from the rest of the house when closed.

Opposite view.

So we took down that open door and the one that goes to the basement (when open, it swings into the stairwell). We had a great plan. We could sand, paint, and replace the hardware in three days. John took the doors off, and we got sick. It was a week before he even started sanding. Maybe two weeks. We got used to the hallway without the door. We never closed it, and that corner of the hallway seemed larger without it.

Then I had one of my GREAT ideas. The ones John just loves.

But first we had to do this:

Divider door still off, looking at the basement door.

New trim. Waiting to paint the walls.

Getting there! I got that long wall painted last week.

Today:

Woot!

John is taking pictures too!

I wish the color would have photographed better. It was raining as I took these. The door is painted with one thin coat of paint that matches the interior of our front door.

John worked so hard on this door. It turned out perfectly.

Going to bed early tonight.

I should.....

2011-11-18T19:11:00.002-05:00

Proofread.

Sleep more than 5 hours a night.

Not be allowed to use a hot glue gun. (Various crap has been falling off the wreath all afternoon.)

Try to blog in under 10 minutes at the end of Ellie's nap.

Don't breathe.

2011-11-18T13:34:00.003-05:00

Don't breathe.

Don't sneeze.

Don't run.

Don't jump.

Whisper.

Done!

I haven't heard anything fall off for two hours. I'm taking it as a good sign. As I was hanging it, ornaments were falling off. Then I took something to the garage, and I heard more falling off when I came back in. Nothing broke. I used more glue and tried not to breath too hard.

Probably shouldn't even look directly at it.

Last year my stick wreath hung here, and John ran into it daily. I usually stand the ironing board behind this door, but I've moved it. The door is closer to the wall. I hung the wreath up high so the girls wouldn't bump it. I took out the nail that's usually in the back of the door and replaced it with a drywall screw. The wreath is very heavy. I'd guess there are between 350 and 400 ornaments on it. I have no idea how I'll store it after Christmas. I seriously doubt the hot glue will hold up for a year in storage anyway. I'm just going to enjoy the heck out of it for however long it lasts. There's a mix of vintage/thrifted, plastic, new/clearance, and ornaments I've used on the tree in previous years. Grandma Mary gave me a huge box of her vintage ornaments to help me out, but I couldn't bring myself to use them on here.

I also hung up my yarn wreath in the entry.

I didn't want the pink tree to be the only pink thing in the room, so I made this wreath to match it. It looks sort of out of place right now. I might try to sneak a few more Christmas thing up from the basement this weekend.

Lessons learned.

2011-11-17T16:14:00.003-05:00

First lesson: Don't paint until 11pm when you have a cold. You'll wake up in the morning to find something like this:

Oops!

I was removing the outlet covers as I went instead of doing them all at once. I was going to go back for this one. Oops. It's fixed now.

Second Lesson: Even though you know it's going to take hundreds of ornaments, you can't really grasp that it will be HUNDREDS of ornaments until you dig in:

Getting there!

I stopped counting after the first hundred, but I think I'm close to 200 now. I still have to go back and fill in all the gaps with small ornaments. Maybe another 150 or so will do it. That's an 18 inch straw wreath form under there somewhere. I've only broken two ornaments so far. It weighs a lot. I have no idea how or where I am going to hang it. But it is going to be pretty!

Ornament wreath

2011-11-16T21:45:00.003-05:00

I've wanted to make an ornament wreath for three years. I actually tried to make one a couple years ago, but it looked awful. I took it apart. Last year I started buying thrifted ornaments whenever I could. I still didn't have enough. I had a few from the clearance racks too. Finally, I asked my Dad to help me get some. He got me 10 boxes for $2 (total) at an auction he frequents. Yippie!

Now I just have to find time to make the darn thing. It's going to take forever, and about a million hot glue sticks. I pulled my boxes of ornaments from the basement tonight and started sorting them. I'm hoping to start on it tomorrow during Ellie's nap.

I hope it ends up looking something like this:

Better Homes and Gardens

Or this.

Finding Home

I hope mine turns out looking that good.

I have my other Christmas wreath done. I need to get a picture. We're still working on the house too. I was right! The paint chip wasn't the same color as the existing paint. It's similar, but I like it so much better. I'm hoping to get the last bit of the project finished up this weekend, but we are going to be really busy with other things too. It finally feels like we are so close to having this entire trim project DONE!

Projects and progress

2011-11-10T13:18:00.003-05:00

I am so glad we decided to put all new trim into this house. But it hasn't been an easy project. We are down to the living room (I ignore the kitchen), and I dread doing it. We have so much stuff in here. I'll have to move it to the dining room, and then we will do the room as quickly as possible. We will not be starting until after the holidays. We've decided to get started with a sneak approach.

Standing in the living room

That is the wall that goes from the entry way. The open/missing door is to the hallway we just finished. Last Friday, I took out the baseboard from the entry to the doorway and the door trim as well. John finished up the demo by taking out the baseboard from the doorway to the corner.

Better!

John got the new trim up Saturday. By Sunday night, I had the nail holes patched, the trim primed, caulked, and painted. I want to get the other side of this little hallway done before we empty the living room. It's just two more sections of baseboard and the door from the hall to the dining room.

Looking from the dining room.

John's working on one more part of this project. I'm hoping to have it done in the next week. Here's a sneak peek:

And then there is this:

John says it is the same color as the current wall color, but he is wrong. I still don't have the paint. I'll be painting the long hallway, the short hallway, and the living room this color. I picked (and liked) the current wall color, but it looks too yellow to me next to the white trim.

And now, my thrifty find of the week.

I saw this little table on Saturday. It was $2.50. I thought that was too much to pay, and I knew that it would be marked down to $1.25 on Monday. Then I kicked myself all day Sunday for thinking that $2.50 was too much to pay. Ellie and I were waiting when the store opened back up on Monday. The table really wasn't that exciting, but it was the size and shape I needed. I considered painting it, but then decided to just cover it instead.

There's nothing like left over drop cloth and some fabric paint. I added a textile medium to the paint so it would be washable. I still need to trim some loose threads and wash out the fabric marker that's on the top. It's certainly not perfect, but isn't intended to be an heirloom.

I made up this little quilted topper for the kitchen table, but maybe I'll leave it here.

Now imagine it with a pink Christmas tree on it! I bought a three foot tall pink tree last year on clearance. The girls are going to be so excited. It is going to be their tree. I'm going to let them decorate it however they want.

I am so ready to decorate for Christmas! Just a couple more weeks.

A mug rug for Allison

2011-11-02T09:32:00.004-04:00

A mug rug is a fancy coaster. A reason to sew. A way to use up scraps. I'm not sure it serves any real purpose. But I had fun making it, and I hope my friend Allison enjoys using it.

A reminder for me.

2011-10-27T17:44:00.004-04:00

I ran across a picture the other night, and it reminded me of something.

Mary's room, January 2011

I have a hard time remembering how far we've come with the interior of our house. Most of the time I'm busy thinking about when we can start the next project. Or when we can get this or that done. I have a million ideas. I'm always thinking. There's never enough time or energy. I can never catch up.

Maybe I just need to stop and appreciate what we've done.

The same view - today

I saw the picture of Mary's blue room and couldn't believe the difference. Mary's room painted. New trim. Doors painted. The hallway has new trim. Our bedroom door (in the background) has been painted and has new hardware. And of course a million other projects that have been done since the original picture.

This weekend I'm going to go get the paint for the hallway and the living room (they will be the same color). I'm going to try to paint the hallway soon. Knowing myself, I'll probably want to start it Saturday.

Today I primed and painted Ellie's ceiling. We had some electrical work done in her room over the summer. There used to be an exhaust fan in her ceiling. No idea why. There was no overhead light. It was really annoying. We had the fan removed and installed a light. But then there was this huge patch of the ceiling that wasn't painted right. And every night (in the dark) while I was putting Ellie to sleep, I thought about the ceiling. Yup. It's true. Ellie didn't notice. John probably didn't even notice. It wasn't even that the color was too far off, but the paint that had been covered by the fan was flat and the rest of the ceiling was semi-gloss. It's fixed now, and I'll sleep better tonight.

Tomorrow I'm going to try to take the day off from mentally going over the to do list. I'll be back to it on Saturday:)

Gourds.

2011-10-24T13:04:00.005-04:00

I love making little felted gourds. I think this is my third year making them.

Fall centerpiece.

When I got mine out this year, I decided to put them in my $5 ironstone bowl for a centerpiece. I carefully arranged them by shape and color. Ellie saw them, "organized" them all, and then threw them back in the bowl. And there they are.

Kate's gourds.

John's sister Kate asked me for a set. At first I wasn't too excited about it. There's the knitting, the felting, the stuffing, knitting the tops, and assembling. The knitting is easy and fun. I don't really use a pattern anymore. I like mixing the colors and seeing them after they are felted. I like knitting the stems too because picking the right color yarn really makes the gourd. There are a couple I wish I could keep, but they are all ready to be packaged up and shipped off.

I found the paint chip for the hallway and living room! I'm hoping to get the paint this weekend, but the living room itself is going to have to wait until after the holidays.

I/we have another project in the works. It's an extension of the hallway I guess. One of my great ideas. It's more work for John, and I was surprised he agreed to it. It sort of reminds me of the time he just wanted to build some shelves for the basement, and I made him re-do every surface down there. I'm really excited about this next project. We just need to find the time to get started.

something crafty

2011-10-23T21:24:00.003-04:00

I made a little quilted table topper for our kitchen table last week. It isn't very big as we eat in the kitchen, and I don't want to take it on and off daily. I'm also not into decorating for Halloween, but I'm thinking of making a bigger one for the dining room table. I have a lot of fabric left over. I'm pretty happy with this little one though, as the log cabin square reminds me of my knitted blanket.

I'm also making another set of felted pumpkins/gourds. I wish they were for me, but they are going to John's sister Kate who lives in Spain. I have a couple other small projects to work on, and then I'm turning my attention to Christmas stuff.

Today the girls and I filled the planter boxes with new daffodil bulbs. I got 96 bulbs in each box (29 inches by 29 inches)! They are going to be beautiful in the spring!

I couldn't even find the "new post" button

2011-10-14T09:29:00.005-04:00

Hello there! I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I just felt like I had nothing to blog about. We've been busy. We've been sick. We've traveled. We've settled into the school year.

I haven't felt very crafty lately. I've been slowly plugging along on a project, and it is finally done!

baby for Ellie.

I want to keep her for myself.

For my birthday this year, John and the girls bought me the book Itty Bitty Toys by Susan Anderson. The girls each picked out a project, and they bought the yarn too. The doll was slow going. She was made in pieces and then assembled. Then I had to make the clothes. She has on knit underwear under her dress. When it came to the dress, I didn't care for the pattern in the book, so I just made it up. I love the way it came out. Ellie's happy with her too. I'll be starting on Mary's project soon.

And of course my life wouldn't be any fun without some DIY. I finally convinced John to work on the hallway. So a couple weeks ago, I was all set to rip out the old trim. I had my tools. I sat down to start the first board. It wouldn't come off!!!!! Argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There were two nails on each stud. One at the top, and one........set below the current carpet. I had to split the boards and then pull them out. The first baseboard was about 12 feet long, and I was taking it out in 16 inch segments. Good times. I finally got it all though. Then John started in on putting in the new trim. Then Mary got a huge assignment/project at school. THEN we got really sick! Fun! John had Monday off work though, and was able to finish up. Now it's up to me to paint. There are SIX doorways in the hallway. Painting the trim is so slow going. It's taking about 2.5 or 3 hours to do one coat of paint. I have it all primed now, and a half coat of paint on. I'm hoping to make more progress this weekend.

before. be gone, dark trim!

this morning.

So many doorways! Ugh. And I'm too short to do the top of them, so I have to get a step stool. I pretend it's exercise. John hasn't even started sanding the last two doors. He hates doing it, and I hate painting them. We never even use them anyway. One is to the basement which is always open so the cats can get to the litter box. The other door closes off the hallway from the other half of the house. I need to paint the walls too, but I've misplaced the paint chip. I'm going to find it soon though. I'm also going to find time to make the 2 hour round trip to Home Depot so I can get their paint plus primer.

Hopefully I'll be back to updating on a regular basis. Maybe.

a small project

2011-08-25T13:59:00.003-04:00

After wrestling the bedskirt, log cabin blanket, the roman shades, and Mary's quilt, I needed a small project. Something both physically small and quick to make.

I started last night at 10pm. I ironed/measured/cut/sewed until 11:30pm. I finished it up this morning after I took Mary to school. Ellie worked at the dining room table with me, making some sort of craft using scissors, tape, and construction paper. She cut up a bunch of my fabric scraps too. We had such a good morning.

I've wanted to make this bag for a while. It is supposed to be for a child (based on the size), but it was almost the size of my current purse. So I just made the strap longer, and I was good to go. The exterior is a piece of brown denim from Mamaw Judy's stash. I had the lining fabric in my own stash.

It isn't perfect, but I think it's cute! Of course now I want to try to make another one, this time with a zippered pocket on the inside. I'm out of interfacing though, so it will have to wait.

It was so nice to do an easy project. I already even have the ironing board and sewing machine put away. Too bad my entire fabric stash is dumped out of the craft closet and all over the entry way floor. I guess I know what I will be doing tonight.

now the bed looks right!

2011-08-24T11:08:00.003-04:00

When John made our headboard, he said it didn't look right in the room. I told him it would. I just needed time.

Last fall.

This summer.

But even with the windows painted, new blinds, and the walls painted, I was unhappy with the room. One thing stuck out like a sore thumb. Something I saved until last since I didn't really know what I was doing. Then I got busy with the log cabin blanket. Even once it was done, the room didn't look complete. Finally I got busy on the one last thing.

Gah! I love it. Looks like grown ups live here.

The bedskirt turned out exactly how I imagined. Ten dollars!! Ten! It's half of a twenty dollar painters drop cloth from the HD. And it was so easy to make. I made the gathers using dental floss and a special zig zag stitch on my machine. Then I pinned to to the fitted sheet that was over the box springs and sewed it right to the sheet.

That's it for the projects in this room. I really want to center the rug under the bed though. Which means taking everything out from under the bed, moving the bed (where? it won't come out of there with the headboard attached), and then scooting the rug over a few feet. Even John looked at me like I had two heads when I asked him to help me with it.

At least the bed finally looks right in the room!

back to school

2011-08-22T12:50:00.003-04:00

Today was the first day of kindergarten. They start off with two half days, so Mary's already home. The upper classes get to stay all day. Mary wanted to stay even though the rest of her class was going home too. Sounds like a good first day to me!

Poor Ellie, she wanted to stay this morning when I dropped Mary off. She's so tall, she nearly blends in with the pre-k kids. I was busy getting Mary all set in the classroom, and I looked over at Ellie who was chatting away and playing play-doh with some other girls. She and I came home and had a great morning together.

Now I'm going to try to actually get some housework done while they play. Oh, and babysit Bitty Baby.

Slow going bedroom progress.

2011-08-18T11:03:00.002-04:00

The other day, I walked out of our bathroom and into the bedroom. I wondered what on earth was taking me so long to finish decorating it. Then I remembered I'm sort of a one woman show. John did help a lot with the construction type things. Between painting the walls, trim, and ceilings, and finishing the log cabin blanket, it's just time consuming.

Still to do: decorate the bathroom (need art for 2 places), make and hang the roman shade (almost ready), and then make a bedskirt for our bed. And then maybe a couple more pillows. I take them all off every night and put them all on every morning, so hopefully John won't mind looking at a few more.

new pillow covers....again!

I had the second ruffled case cut, seamed, and the ruffles made. I was set to sew the back to the front. Then I sat and carefully pulled out all the stitching, and cut what was the front in half. I sewed up the two cases and the used craft paint with a fabric medium for the stripes. I'm much happier with them now. Next up, bedskirt. I hope I can do it. It will be out of drop cloths like the shams.

I'm blogging from the floor of Mary's room. Mary's cleaning. Ellie is our dog, Pickles. Pickles has a dog bed, blankets, stuffed animals, food, water, and a dog bone. She seems like a happy little dog. I've been told that I need to sit here until Mary is done cleaning. I might be here a while.

2011-08-16T13:44:00.003-04:00

If you don't know what Pinterest is, you don't want to know. It sucks time away. It inspires a thousand new projects. It makes you want to get chickens just so you have a reason to build a fancy chicken coop. Or maybe that's just me.

I found this there:

From Shades of Light $439

I think it looks like our entry way light.

Yard sale light with spray paint $5

Hmmm. I should have left that center rod brassy. Maybe I could paint it back? I probably won't though.

Then I saw people making something similar to this:

World Market print $129

I was inspired to make something like it:

For the master bathroom.

I gave up on copying it dot for dot. I just sort of made it up as I went along. I painted it onto the back of a piece of paneling from the dining room. There are a million and one uses for that stuff. I'll be sad when we run out. Of course I know where to get more - the kitchen walls.

In other news, I still only have one ruffled pillow case. I hate it. I can't bring myself to make a second one. It has turned into a cat bed. (I took the actual pillow out between cat naps.) I've already started on replacements. They should be done soon. I hope I like them.

I've been told I need to go play in the sandbox. Apparently rest time is over.

Log cabin.

2011-08-12T10:46:00.003-04:00

September 3, 2010

September 11, 2010

second batch of yarn - December 28, 2010

Almost there - July 7, 2011

Done! August 12, 2011

When I started this blanket, I had no idea when I would get it done. After I painted the bedroom, I realized I could finish it in under a year. So I knit. I knit late at night until my hands were so cramped they wouldn't move. I knit until my eyes couldn't focus. I knit every spare minute of the day. On Monday night, I ran out of yarn on the last dark green section. Tuesday morning, I was at the yarn shop buying the last three skeins I needed. In total I bought 27 skeins of yarn for this blanket (with a little of each color still left).

I think I'll start another blanket this winter, but it won't be nearly as large.

I guess now I have to finish that second pillow cover. Or nap. Too bad the kids won't let me do that.

One.

2011-08-08T15:34:00.004-04:00

Ever spend way too much time making ONE pillow cover and then not want to make the second one?

It's like one mitten or glove or sock. I JUST made the cover. Why do I have to make another? John hates fancy pillows anyway. It wasn't fun. I didn't do a great job, though I doubt anyone would notice. It was a boring job. And took longer than I expected. Now I've got to find enough energy to make a match.

Still need to make a fourth Roman shade too (for the master bath). But I just made three. I really don't want to do that again either.

What I really want to do is knit. I'm working on my log cabin blanket until I can't see straight at night. I'm so close. I have dark green and then off white. Just two sections. Maybe six hours of knitting. I cannot believe I am going to finish this thing!

I got Mary's windows and Ellie's window painted. I'm down to just the ones in the kitchen. Hopefully this week.

The dog, errrr, poor Miss Ellie, sounds like she is sick of being the dog. Better go save her.

2011: year of the blanket

2011-07-20T13:00:00.002-04:00

First Ellie's blanket, then Mary's. Now this:

For Sarah.

Hopefully little Sarah will not be seeing this blanket for a while yet. She needs to keep cooking! But this blanket will be ready for her when she arrives.

I'm already back to my log cabin blanket. I have 6.5 sections to go! We're watching season one of Twin Peaks on Netflix streaming, so hopefully I'll get a lot of work done on it. I just don't have the motivation to paint.

Real life happens too.

2011-07-18T13:11:00.003-04:00

I was plugging along on my bedroom. Then we heard that our new niece was planning an early arrival! I didn't have a gift. I was planning to make a baby blanket, but thought I had until September. I've knitted and crocheted my little heart out this week. I got almost half way done and hated it. There was nothing to do but start over. So much for winging a baby blanket on a deadline. Now it's done and blocking. Pictures to come when it is dry. I did it in time though, as baby Sarah decided to stay put another week. We're still hoping that she stays put for at least a couple more weeks until she would be considered full term. John's step-dad has also been sick, so I've been cooking and delivering food to them. Hopefully he's on the mend. If not, my stuff can always wait.

I'm down to the details of the bedroom. It seems so slow going. I couldn't get the doorknobs on right. John had to help. He did the hinges too. The bathroom door has always stuck, so he decided (after I'd painted it) to cut off the top. Now I haven to repaint the door. On my short term to do list are: repaint the ceiling (tried to love it, but it's just too dark), make a bedskirt, and make some pillow covers for the bed.

Way before.

During.

Today.

2010.

I made a dash to Ikea Saturday for new lamps!

I shoved most of the junk in the basement.

For Mandy. John's dresser when the room is clean.

Ikea frames with thrifted botanical prints.

As far as rooms go, we are down to the big one. The living room itself isn't that big (but it is so full of junk) but there's no stopping place so both hallways will have to be done then too. I'm waiting at least another two weeks before I hit John up for working on it. (Did you read that, John??? Huh? Did you??)

Mini make over and a WIP

2011-07-07T15:39:00.004-04:00

Bed side table.

I bought this table at an antique store in Evansville a long time ago. It just had a glossy coat of polyurethane on it. I stripped that off so I could paint it.

After!

I just realized that picture is blurry. Well it was late at night when I took it.

Still need to get a knob.

I took some dark blue paint we had and mixed it with some yellow. After it dried, I sanded it down. Then I stained the top and the drawer with some dark stain. I wiped stain on over the paint too, so that the wood parts showing through would match the top and drawer.

I'm knitting until I can't see straight at night. I am so close to having my blanket done. When I'm knitting, I pretend the bedroom doors are painting themselves. Ugh. Maybe tomorrow night.

So close!

I just need to go around two more times. I'm at the top (off white) and need to do each color one more time. I'm not sure what kind of border to do yet. Or what color I am going to use.

Now, random stuff.

Woot! they are back! Best 10 bucks I ever spent (seeds).

Liatris.

Some of the coneflowers are as tall as me. The liatris is much taller than I expected. I think they are 4ft high. Maybe taller. They come up to the top of my chest.

Grow, Plummy, Grow!

Yes, our tree has a name. He's grown like mad this year. Too much really. He'll be getting a trim this fall.

Looking up at the sky.

So much to do! I need to get moving. Ellie took a long nap today (first nap in a couple weeks) so "my" evening won't start until about 9:30pm.

The four day weekend.

2011-07-05T10:46:00.004-04:00

The next time John gets a four day weekend from work, he is going to say no thank you.

Friday morning, he got up and started making the new trim. He got the doors done, and then went to go get more boards and quarter round. He continued to work. Saturday he got all the baseboards in and the quarter round too. Sunday he cut and installed the new trim for the inside of the bathroom door. Last night he got the blinds hung up for me. I know there's more. Oh, like sanding the doors down to be painted, moving the hole for the new door knobs. Endless hours of watching the kids while I filled holes, primed, painted, caulked and painted more.

This morning.

Last night while I painted, I tried to go over what was left to do. I got overwhelmed. I have one coat of primer on the doors. They need another coat of primer, and probably 3 coats of paint. Then I can put on the new hinges and knobs. THEN I can paint the bathroom. THEN I can make the bedskirt. Like the step stool as a bedside table? The actual table getting a make over. That's what I did in my spare time this weekend. Guess what I didn't do? Sleep.

Last night I went into the bathroom to get a cloth wet. I turned on the light switch and waited a minute wondering why the water wasn't coming out yet. I just couldn't figure it out. Then I remembered the faucet needs to be turned on, not the light switch. Yeah, exhausted.

If I work every night (after the kids are in bed), I can have it done in......maybe another week.

The kitchen is not cleaning itself, and I can't imagine the cats are cooking lunch for us either.

Master bedroom....before.

2011-07-01T13:17:00.002-04:00

I took this picture yesterday. I guess it isn't really a before shot as we are already working on the room.

Let's not forget the old fan that John replaced a year and a half ago.

January 2010

It already looks a million times better with the new windows and window trim.

I got one of the new Roman shades installed before we started to demo the room.

For four years, we lived with those green Roman shades that blocked half the window. John hated them as he blocked his view. These hang a lot higher, so the view is better.

Opposite side of the bed.

Junk corner. Grrr.

Master closet door on the left, master bathroom on the right.

Here's a real before of that side of the room:

That's right. The sink was in the room, and the person in bed (the room was empty when this picture was taken) could have a chat with the person on the pooper.

We had the bathroom redone before we moved in. Now the view into the bathroom is the sink.

I got new dining room curtains. Don't mind the piles of crap. Hello, Ellie!

Yesterday morning, I got started. I cleaned out half the junk before I even took any pictures. Ellie and I carried it all into the dining room. I took out all the little stuff, the black trunk, the ottoman, the bedside tables. I was feeling good. Then I just could not get the rocking chair. I got it out of the bedroom, down the hall, and needed to make one more turn into the dining room. No matter how many times I tried to flip it (almost impossible) or pivot it, it just wasn't going. I had to get John's help. He made it look so simple.

Next up was ripping out the old trim. It was going pretty well. The girls were playing in the bed. I was the voice of fake puppy and fake kitty. There was a baseboard that was stuck. (skip to the end of this paragraph if you are easily grossed out!!!) I pulled. I tugged. I used the hammer and crow bar again. I pulled really hard. It came loose, but moved so fast and with so much force.......it hit me in the.......toenail. It ripped it all the way back to the nail bed. Holy heck it hurt. I couldn't play fake puppy. I told Mary to get me a band aid. I put that sucker on and took the rest of the baseboards out. I took the band aid off and looked. It was nasty. Gah. I'll live.

Then Mary wanted me to paint so I'd keep playing puppies and kitties. I edged in the ceiling. I rolled it when John got off work. After Ellie was in bed, I cut in the wall paint. I filled the nail holes.

John started installing the new trim this morning. He has the doorways almost done. He's off getting more 1x4s and quarter round right now. I'm hoping to roll the walls tonight.

The kids are "resting" aka fighting. I thought for sure Ellie would nap today (it has been a week), but she did not.

Outside we go!

one thing off the list

2011-06-26T23:01:00.002-04:00

Woot! I made this!

I don't think I even cried once.

I even got brave and pieced the back.

On Mary's bed. She's sleeping under it right now.

Mary loves it. I think that she can actually appreciate the time and effort I put into it. One thing off the very, very long list I am currently trying to tackle.

The bedroom windows are painted. The bathroom window too. Mary's door is touched up, as are the hallway bathroom doors. This morning I got paint for the bathroom and the bedroom. I worked all day on making roman shades for the three bedroom windows. I ran out of little ring things that go on the back though, and I don't have enough cord either. If only JoAnn's were open at 11pm on a Sunday! John's going to hang the first one tomorrow night. I want to make sure I like it before I sew the little rings (40 per shade) on the back of the other two.

This week my main focus (in addition to taking Mary to/from camp every day, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc) will be clearing out as much junk as possible from the master bedroom. John has a four day weekend, so we are going to try to get as much done as possible on the bedroom. I cannot wait to paint it! I've had this paint color picked out for almost a year.

Who are these kids? Where did by babies go?

After seeing a kid potty at my Dad's, Ellie asked for one. I thought it was worth a shot as no other potty training attempts had worked. I got her one on Monday, and she loves it. By loves it, I mean she uses it! I think the last time she had a diaper on (in the day time) was Tuesday. I believe my diapering days are OVER. No more washing, drying, folding (sometimes) or putting them away (rarely). No more packing half a suitcase full of cloth diapers for every weekend trip. We still have the night time thing to work on, but it's still a huge step for Ellie. It was like magic! And she can go all by herself. She can get her pants down and back up. That took forever with Mary. I was expecting a fight with Ellie. I had made a couple previous attempts, but she just wasn't ready. This week it just clicked.

Off to bed before midnight.

miles of white

2011-06-24T11:17:00.003-04:00

White paint that is.

I made the bed just for this picture.

I started yesterday. Our bedroom has 3 windows (one is off to the right in this picture). The master bathroom has a small window too. I got them sanded down, the hardware off, taped them, and primed them yesterday/last night. It is slow going. And the windows have to stay open for a couple days. Next I break out the paint. Every job I've done recently, I quit before it was all done. In addition to these windows, I have to paint:

A final coat on both the hallway bathroom doors.
A final coat (or maybe 2) on Mary's door.
Two windows in Mary's room.
One window in Ellie's room.
Kitchen window over the sink.

Then once John puts in the new baseboards in our room there will be more to do. Why on earth did I wait until mid summer to start my summer painting? I'd love to get Ellie's ceiling painted. And the master bathroom (including the ceiling. My poor neck and shoulders!). The master bedroom is getting done. I'd love to do that ceiling too. It's a big room though.

Fighting! Darn kids. I need a referee whistle.

When in doubt, ask a five year old.

2011-06-22T14:13:00.004-04:00

Almost done!

I finished quilting Mary's blanket! It isn't perfect, but I did my best. I thought about running another set of diagonal rows the other way, but in the end it was just too much work. My original inspiration only had quilting lines going one way, and I liked the simplicity of it. I still didn't know what color to bind it off with though. I took Mary with me to pick something out. When I saw the blue in the store, it seemed too bright. I wanted a lighter blue. But Mary loved this one. It's perfect with the quilt. I am so glad she picked this fabric. It has little light blue flowers on it. I'm working to blind stitch it on. I'm about half way done. I should be able to finish it up tonight. It seems this project has taken forever! I cannot wait to wash it up and give it to her.

(and then start the next project of course!)

John worked on the house a bit while we were out of town. I have so much new trim to paint. I'll be painting the windows in our master bedroom and bathroom first. John still has wood left, so he said that we could go ahead and put in new baseboards and door trim too. Then I can paint the bedroom! I'm so excited. It feels like a long time since we've done a big house project. I have some big plans for our room. New window coverings, a new bed skirt, painting the side tables, new lamps (if/when I can find something I like). Busy, busy! I really want to get my log cabin blanket done too. I'd love to get it all done by Ellie's b-day which is when I started knitting the blanket last year.

But for now, dirty laundry is calling. Fun stuff!

Sewing room

2011-06-14T12:33:00.003-04:00

I'd love to have a sewing room. Maybe some day when the girls move out. I usually sew at the end of the dining room table which works out well. But for Mary's quilt, I needed a different set up.

I've moved the table over to the wall. I only have one side up, so there's plenty of room for the girls to play.

Ellie has found every pillow in the house. She has a pile of blankets and toys there too. And stickers. She never has enough stickers.

Mary's been coloring or making a "nest" of her own in the other corner. Then they pretend to nap! Haha.

I get to sew in 2-3 minute intervals and then get a snack, change doll clothes, get more craft supplies, change Ellie's diaper, spell something for Mary to write down, etc, etc. After an hour, I give up and go cook lunch. There's definitely more playing than sewing going on, which is fine. It is fun to all play and work together. I'll be able to work more on it at night. I worked last night until I couldn't see straight.

And the quilt? I haven't cried or thrown it in the trash. I have become an EXPERT at ripping out seams. I think I did a good job pinning to together (I used about 250-300 pins). I started quilting it in the middle, running a diagonal row from one corner to the other. It was nearly impossible to shove half the quilt all bunched/folded up through the middle of the machine. So impossible that the back of the quilt puckered up in several places. By the third time I'd done that row, it looked pretty good. I think I have six rows quilted now. I'm doing them three inches apart. It's getting easier now that I am not in the middle of the quilt. The girls and I are going out of town tomorrow, so I won't be able to work on it for a few days. When I get back and recover from our trip, I hope to finish the quilting in about 2 days. Then I'll have to do the binding. I have no idea what color to use. I went and looked at fabric on Sunday but nothing caught my eye. I don't think I want to do pink, red, or green. I want something that pops. Maybe a print? Maybe a plain turquoise blue? One of the fabrics has stripes, and it has some blue in it. Gah! I don't it to be wrong.

Rest time (Ellie has given up naps yet again and probably for good) is over. Going outside to play ball and swing.

I've been busy!

2011-06-09T23:05:00.005-04:00

I didn't mean to neglect my blog. We went away for Memorial Day weekend, and it feels like I haven't caught my breath since.

Every year we go t0 Ft. Wayne for Memorial Day weekend. There's always a big party at John's Grandma's house on that Saturday. Then we spend the night at a hotel and drive home Sunday. The weather wasn't the best this year (chilly and rainy), but the girls had fun so it was worth the trip. We got home Sunday and goofed off a while. Then John started to clear the storm damage up. I decided to help. I would pull the limbs back to John, and he'd burn them. The girls helped/played/ate snacks. It was crazy. I'd grab what I could and pull them 50? feet. It felt good. I'd turn around and the pile was still so HUGE. It seemed impossible. I'd get more. And more. I must have made 100 trips. That was just the apple tree and the cherry tree we lost. Mary and Ellie would pick up small sticks. Finally the girls and I went in and ate dinner. John kept working. That night, we hurt. My arms hurt, my legs were on fire. My feet hurt. Everything. We both had sunburns too. Monday we started again after lunch. The girls weren't as happy to play by themselves, so I didn't do as much. John put in another 6 or 8 hours. I'd help when I could. We got the ash tree cleaned up. Then John took Tuesday off work and went to it again. Mary was at school, and Ellie and I were doing our thing. I'd look out, and John looked exhausted. It broke my heart to see him so worn out. It was hotter than heck, and he'd been at it for 3 days. I could barely move from being so sore and tired. I couldn't imagine how he felt. We got it all cleaned up though. John still has to split the wood, but it's all piled up along the edge of the yard.

I hit the US 40 yard sale a couple times this year. First the girls and I went. Then I went alone last Saturday. I didn't find much this year. I took 40 towards Dayton. I planned to go look for some bamboo shades for our living room windows when I was done yard saling. I went to Target with no luck. Then I was off to Home Depot. I got to the isle and saw the blinds. And then I saw this:

I took this cell phone pic and emailed it to Mom right after I put them in my cart.

Was $36, now $6.80????? I looked at the tag about ten times, then took a picture. Then I stuck the blinds in the cart and rushed to check out (after emailing Mom) just in case it was a mistake. Four blinds for the living room for less than the cost of one! Woot! John hung them right up for me when I got home. Pictures to come soon--maybe when we paint or maybe if I ever even clean the room!

By Sunday night, I was getting the itch to craft. The problem though is that my crafts seem to be getting more and more difficult. Ellie's blanket nearly killed me. My new project? A twin size quilt for Mary's bed. I was so intimidated by it that I didn't want to start.

Here's what I had as of this afternoon. The pattern is called a coin quilt. The coins are the little squares of fabric. They form a huge line, then are bordered by a plain (white) strip on either side. The quilt has 175 coins each cut 4.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches tall. There are seven coin strips. Tonight I finished sewing all thirteen strips together. I still need to do the two outside white strips, and then put a white strip across the top and the bottom. When I got everything sewed and pressed tonight and turned it over, I couldn't believe I made it with my own hands. I cannot wait to see it done. I still have a long way to go (making the back, basting it together, quilting it and binding it).

I told myself I would go to bed early tonight. I went to bed at 12:30am last night (this morning!?!?!) so I guess if I went to bed now it would be slightly earlier than that. I'm so tired I can't type or even remember if I had anything else to say.

Goodnight.

What a week.

2011-05-27T15:54:00.004-04:00

I think that's all I can say. What a week. On Saturday, I was happily taking pics for my blog.

Ellie's new blanket on her bed.

Quilted table topper.

On Sunday, John and I had four hours to ourselves! We weeded and mulched some of our flower gardens. Monday after work, John mowed the entire yard. It started to storm.

Trees crashed down. The power went out for 21 hours. We were fine. The house was fine. Yesterday John and his Dad started cutting up the mess. And what a mess it is.

The apple tree is still standing. I hope it lives.

The dayliles we worked to weed and mulch.

Back side of the apple tree.

One of the debris piles. Maybe 3-4 high in places.

More of the garden we worked on Sunday.

I just realized that while some hostas are still standing, there are some that are just GONE. Right between the wood in the foreground and the smashed daylilies. There was a row of hostas there.

Ellie on one of the logs.

These little guys made it!

Ellie on another pile. Plenty of firewood this year!

One more look back at my garden. I keep telling myself it will be back next year.

The wind hit that side of the yard just right I guess. The rest of the yard is fine. We lost small limbs, but nothing major.

These hostas made it pretty well. The meter housing did not.

The power line pulled so hard before it broke that the meter box (not the meter) got damaged. The roof got torn up where the line goes into the house. Nothing major. We already are dealing with the insurance company.

And so, my week. A lot of clean up work for John, but we got lucky. We are safe. Nothing fell on the house.

Hopefully I'll be back with some crafty posts in the near future.

Thank goodness for crafy friends!

2011-05-21T10:34:00.002-04:00

Last fall, my good friend Karen decided it was time to clean out her fabric stash. She sent me some stuff she thought I could use. I saw one huge piece (original price tag still on it), and it screamed "blanket" to me.

I have no idea why I didn't get right to work on it (or why I didn't iron it for this picture). Maybe I was busy. Maybe I remembered the half done, falling apart, not even close to square baby blanket I tried to make 2 years ago.

But my craft closet was overflowing, so I decided to start on it. Seemed easy enough. It's just three pieces of fabric on the front, and 4 on the back (more on that later). It has quilt batting inside. I laid it out on the dining room floor and pinned it together with 200 quilting safety pins. Then I noticed the backing was just too darn small. I took all the pins out. I added another piece of fabric to the back. I pinned again.

Next up, drawing out the grid for the yarn ties. Left to right was easy since they are on the stripes. I'd get a line or two marked and realize I was going sort of diagonally instead of straight. I was crawling around on top if it, cursing. Tried again. I'd try to square it up to the previous lines. I'd get half way down a row at 4 inch intervals, and then the next square spot would be 3.5 inches. Ugh. I was almost ready to throw in the towel.

Then, magic. Magic in the name of Grandma Mary. She came over last week, and we were talking. She was telling me about every blanket she's ever made. There's a quilt in her guest bedroom that I love. She was telling me she was just going to lightly quilt it, but then looked down and realized she was on the wrong row. Instead of taking it out, she just did more work to hide her mistake. I think she said she was going to quilt ever other seam, but got off a row. So she ended up doing twice as much work. And then she said, "once your blanket is laying on the bed, you'll forget in a week that some of your ties are a quarter inch off. And no one else will even notice in the first place."

I got back to work. Marking it. Stitching and knotting the yarn. Making bias tape. Machine sewing the bias tape to the front, and then hand stitching it to the back. It isn't perfect, but I was happy. I washed it. Half the knots didn't hold up so well. Last night I was crawling around on the floor yet again to fix those. Then I tossed it in the dryer and went to bed (which explains the wrinkles).

It's for Ellie. Fabric from my dear friend Karen. Made by me on my Mamaw Judy's sewing machine. She was there with me in spirit. Sage advice from Grandma Mary gave me the push I needed to finish it. I hope Ellie sleeps well under it for many nights to come.

On a break

2011-05-13T17:01:00.002-04:00

The hard drive on my computer is full. I can't download pics from my camera.

Well, it was full. We tried to delete some stuff, and now it won't even start up.

John pointed out that the middle pinwheel on my runner was backwards. Then I noticed two more were too.

The thing I am currently making has brought me to tears and kept me up way too late. And is breaking my back.

So with that, I am on a blogging break. I'll be back.

Fresh from the dryer

2011-05-05T15:58:00.004-04:00

How long until I can put up the Christmas trees?

That's right. TREES. Woot!

The print fabric for the pinwheels is from the line "12 Days of Christmas" by Kate Spain. I used the same fabric for the circle garland I made last December. The plain fabric is Kona cotton, and is an off white color called bone. The fabric for the binding was left over from my tree skirt last year. I don't have the name of it.

Now I'm without a project. I could go back to my log cabin, or pull out more sewing. I've been thinking about sewing a lot lately. I could work on some around the house project too I guess. Or sleep? There's an idea.

The girls have finished their after school snack. Back to work.

Pinwheels and Ellie's bed

2011-04-29T13:10:00.003-04:00

Last December, I bought these fabrics to make a Christmas table runner. I knew there was no way I'd get to it last year. I figured if I started now, I wouldn't be in the Christmas rush to get it done this year. I have the blocks done. I need to add a little strip of plain fabric between each block, then a border on the sides and ends. I'll free motion quilt it. I am not sure what kind of fabric to use for the binding. It might have to sit for a while after I get it quilted.

Ellie's bed is done and back in her room. I tried to wait for a sunny day to get a picture, but then gave up on there ever being one. Or course today is sunny, but I already have this picture. I spray painted it Krylon's Sun Yellow.

Paint job number one from last winter.

It looks better to me. Probably not worth the effort I put into it though. Gah. It would look better if the walls weren't yellow. But Ellie loves her yellow room. I'm done messing with it for now.

John's given me a list of miscellaneous jobs we need to get done around the house, then we can move onto remodeling the next room!

I never said "After"

2011-04-26T10:50:00.003-04:00

Dining room last summer.

And I am certainly not saying it now! But, I could say something like "closer" or "another item off the list" or something else that gives me an out so I can change things up later.

This picture hides the hole that's still there from the old fixture.

This one doesn't.

Why on earth wasn't the old electrical box centered in the room? When the old chandelier was there, the person sitting on that side of the table would hit their head when sitting down or getting up. We took it out and put in a cheap flush mount fixture the summer we moved in.

Sick of this picture yet? Last June.

Old chandelier.

I really wanted to get a picture from this angle again, but the table that's in that corner is full of junk, plus it's raining AGAIN today. I took a picture but it was super dark. If the sun EVER comes out again, I'll take one.

It feels like a real dining room now!

The do-over.

2011-04-22T13:00:00.002-04:00

Primed. Again.

The moment I moved Ellie's bed into her room (in December), I didn't like the color. But I had talked up the new bed, new room thing so much that I just had to go with it. When I looked at the paint for the bed next to the paint chip for the wall, the bed color seemed a lot brighter. It was paint I already had, so I was happy not to have to buy more paint. Once I moved the bed in there though, it was almost the same color as the walls. It was not what I had envisioned at all.

This week, John has been gone. I had the perfect opportunity to paint it. Ellie and I have been sleeping in Mary's room with her. I moved Ellie's box springs and mattress in there just on the floor. I moved the frame out into the garage on Monday. And there it sat. The only time I had to work on it was after the girls were asleep. I just didn't have the energy. So when Ellie was with John's Mom this morning, I finally got started.

Pictures of the updated color when I get it back into her room. I hope I like it!

Cat (and clean bedroom) optional.

2011-04-20T21:02:00.003-04:00

Sometimes, I wish I could have fancy pictures for my blog. But let's face it, I don't have time or the energy. I really wanted to get some current pictures of my log cabin blanket. I managed to get the bed cleared off. It was piled with junk as John is out of town, and I sleep in Ellie's bed most of the time.

"What does a cat have to do to get some sleep around here!?!"

Maybe I would have made more of an effort to get a better picture if it hadn't been so cloudy. Most of the ones I took came out super dark. I tried to take a sweet picture of Momma Cat and she just looked like a ball of fur.

So, knitting. Yeah. I am going to finish this blanket in under a year. I started it in late August or early September. It now measures about four feet square. I was hoping that one more time around (all eight colors) would finish it, but now I see that I'll need to go around two more times. Holy cow. This last section nearly killed me. I think there's about 240-250 stitches per row. Twenty rows per section if you count the cast on and the bind off. So somewhere near4,800 stitches in just the off white section I just did.

I left it on the bed all day. I'm getting ready to take a break from it anyway. I loved walking by and seeing it.

"Thanks for the new blanket, now go away."

Fancy pictures to come on a sunny day when this bad boy is complete. Maybe we'll even have the bedroom remodeled and cleaned up by then.

A brown and yellow spring

2011-04-07T13:26:00.004-04:00

I am ready for some leaves on the trees and some green grass too! I think this is the longest spring ever. About three weeks ago, it got really warm. Then it got super cold. Somehow my new daffodils survived.

I'm really excited about this area pictured above. In the middle is an old stump. It was the tree that knocked our power out (for 91 hours) in September 2008. John split all the wood but left it right there in a pile. All of the bark, twigs, and leaves sort of composted in place and now the dirt is excellent there. On Sunday I planted 2 rose of sharon bushes on the back side. I put in some stargazer lilies. This is where Mary had her zinnias last year, so we'll plant more there this year too.

I'm going to plant a row of giant sunflowers next to this part of the fence. The fence is basically our property line. The grassy part on the other side belongs to John's Dad. It was all weeds and thorny bushes until last spring when John decided to clean it out. It looks so much better now. John mows it now to keep the weeds from coming back. The first picture in this post is right out of shot here, up and to the left. The driveway turns and that's where the stump is.

Both the planter boxes by the garage are planted in daffodils. They just started blooming. Once they are done, I'll plant all the bulbs (150) in the yard somewhere. Then I'll buy more bulbs this fall for the planter boxes next spring. My dream is to have ten thousand daffodils in our yard. They multiply quickly, right? We've put in about 500 since we've lived here. Some single bulbs have already turned into 5-6 bulbs which could be dug up and divided.

Here's a close up. I really need to go outside when the garage door isn't open and take a picture. My car is in the garage, and if I take a picture of both planter boxes my license plate will show. I'm too lazy to edit it out. Maybe more daffodils will bloom in the next few days, and I'll remember.

See? It's brown out there. Maybe the grass is green and the weeds are brown? Or the weeds are green and the grass is brown?

The above area is this weekend's project. This area is the poppy garden. There used to be a dead tree there, but John cut it down and put in a new maple tree for me. I planted the hyacinths. There's a few daffodils in there too. Maybe I'll put more in someday. There are these little yellow wildflowers too that are just starting to bloom. John's going to dig up the "back" of this area, and we'll go over to our trusty tree line and get some daylilies. Maybe we'll move some other stuff too. I bought some perennial daisy seeds yesterday, but they won't bloom until next year. They will be in there too.

This fancy little guy came in a package of boring ol' yellow daffodils. Guess he didn't get the memo to be yellow, so I took his picture.

Ikea here I come!

2011-03-31T15:46:00.002-04:00

I'm making a trip to Ikea on Saturday. It's pretty far away so I don't go often. Or at least I tell myself it is far away. I read about people who travel 4-6 hours or more to get to one. The nearest one is only about an hour and 20 minutes from here.

I want to get a couple of items for the bathroom, and then it will be done! So much for a quick and easy update. It does look much better though. I'm not sure what the next house project will be. Hopefully it will warm up and stay warm so we can work outside.

If I go missing, I've moved into Ikea and am eating meatballs and dark chocolate.

Random picture because I don't like blog posts without pictures!

I didn't want to clean today.

2011-03-28T12:50:00.002-04:00

So I spent the morning taking random pictures.

An apple?

I've been working on the ledge shelves in the bathroom. I spray painted the frames a while back when we had a nice afternoon. I thought it would be fun to get some mat boards for the art. Well, they were $2 or $3 each. Dang. I'm not paying $3 for a matting to go into a thrifty frame holding a scribble. So I coughed up the money for a mat board cutter. I didn't even know they existed. I'm certainly not an expert on using it yet, but I can do a pretty good job. Now I can wait until the huge sheets of mat board go one sale at Hobby Lobby and cut several (10? 15?) in custom sizes. The cutter was $30 and the mat board goes on sale for (I think) $4.

DIY ledge shelves

John made me these shelves. They are three feet long. He made the same thing for my Mom for Christmas. Hers are four feet long, and she painted them white. Idea/plans here: Ana White Ten Dollar Ledges. Her site used to be called Knock Off Wood, and it is where we also got the plans for our headboard.

Remember the bird print from my Indy thrifting trip?

It was in the cheapest plastic frame EVER. It just peeled off the picture in one big piece. The front was real glass though, so I kept it.

I spray painted a gold frame I already had, cut the matting, and put the birds in. It's an odd sized frame though. I'm not entirely pleased with it.

It's a big improvement from when I bought it though, huh? I'll keep my eye out for a different frame for it.

I'm feeling pretty good about the stuff I bought in Indy. I've used the Easter eggs, the man's shirt, the thrifty frames and the one from Target. Oh, and the wreath.

Coffee filter wreath.

And the mirror for Ellie's room that I bought at Target that day.

It was the perfect size and shape.

I can't believe I paid full price for this and painted it.

I think the mirror was twenty bucks. Considering she has a free dresser and lamps, I figured it was okay to spend so much.

Busy me! I realized last night that my bedtime is no longer 10:30pm. I usually stay up until 11:30pm or midnight. It's catching up with me though. I've got to start going to bed earlier. Right after I finished my next couple projects. That sounds like a plan to me.

from my thrifty shopping list

2011-03-27T22:56:00.004-04:00

A wooden bowl. We looked everywhere. I finally found one I liked, so we started looking for a wooden candlestick. Apparently there are none to be found in Indianapolis. So I kept looking locally. Finally I found one for a quarter.

"How YOU doin'?"

I think the wooden bowl was a quarter as well. It said 50 cents on the price tag but it was a green tag, which was the sale color of the week. So I am pretty sure it was only 25 cents. My lucky day!

After.

Now I don't know if you'd find such a thing in a retail store, but if you did it would be more than 50 cents.

I have no idea why I made this.

Maybe I made it to hold fake nests? I need to knit a bigger one. This nest goes in another bowl. I could also see it with Christmas ornaments. Full of acorns or buckeyes? The possibilities are endless.

Inspiration here.

Bathroom is nearly done. I have the walls, ceiling, and trim done. New shelves are hung up. New artwork on the way from Etsy. John took the doors down and sanded them today. He redid the doorknob holes and added the trim pieces to match the other doors we've done. Now just 2 coats of primer and 3 coats of paint and I'll be done with them. Why it takes so much paint I have no idea. We sand the doors down, but that old sort of fake wood (I think it's real wood, maybe just poor quality? it's super dry? who knows?) just does not want to be painted. I'll get them whipped into shape though. And soon. Because next Saturday, I'm Ikea bound. Woot!

More pre-vacation projects

2011-03-23T13:23:00.002-04:00

The ol' "before March 1st" list really was super long. I just ran out of time to take pictures and/or blog about them.

Shirt turned pillow cover.

I bought this shirt on my thrifting trip in February. It was on sale for 37 cents plus tax. I have no idea why I didn't look for more shirts! Maybe next time. I thought I'd seen an online tutorial, but I couldn't find it when it was time to sew. So I just cut the front and the back apart, then measured and cut the fabric the correct size. Sewed around the outside and it was done. So easy and quick!

Bitty Baby needed a wardrobe change between pictures.

Ellie's looking tired in that picture, huh? Yeah, she fell asleep right after lunch today. I hope she's not getting sick again!

The little pillow got recovered too. I just used some of my drop cloth fabric from either the curtains or the table runner. I can now whip up a pillow cover with piping without looking at the instructions. It's easier than it looks. I took down the big window/door thing over the table and put the floral painting back up. I love that painting. John bought it for me a long, long time ago.

So now my entry is ready for spring! It has been so nice here. Tomorrow it will go back to being cold.

I'm making progress on the bathroom. I'm done priming the walls, trim, and ceiling. I have one coat of paint on the walls. It still seems like there is a lot to do. Second coat of paint on the walls, two coats of paint on the ceiling and the trim. Removing the old caulk from the tub area and re-caulking it. I haven't even started on the doors. Maybe this weekend. John has to take them down, sand them, and then reconfigure the holes for the new knobs. The knobs I chose (for the entire house) said they will fit into almost any existing door. But not ours! Thank goodness John is handy with woodworking and figured out a way to drill/move the hole out a bit without destroying the doors. I love DIY! Nothing is as easy as it seems.

I do love fixing up our house. It makes it ours. It makes it home. When we walked into the kitchen Saturday night after a long day of travel, the first thing I saw was the entry. It was almost like I'd forgotten we'd remodeled it. It felt like "oh! yeah! home! This house I love and am making ours for our family! Yippie!" Or maybe I was just momentarily insane from the 4 hours in the plane followed by and hour and a half in the car.

Back home again and it's spring!

2011-03-21T12:53:00.004-04:00

We've been on vacation. We went skiing in Utah. Now I'm back, I'm refreshed (that is, refreshed as a person can be after waking up at 4am every morning on vacation due to being 2 time zones away from home), and I'm ready to go again.

Simple spring centerpiece.

I think I did everything on my "to do by March 1st" list before we left. I actually lost the list itself. I do know that on it was to clean up this HUGE ironstone bowl, to cover these jumbo sized Easter eggs, and to add stripes to my drop cloth table runner. The bowl was so dirty when I found it that I almost didn't recognize it as ironstone. It was a not so thrifty find at five dollars, but it was too cool to pass up. It's so big that it will not fit into my kitchen sink. The eggs are from the Dollar Tree. I covered them in pages from an old DT book that I'd used for the wreath last fall. I still have book pages to spare. The runner was already made, and I just painted the stripes on with craft paint and textile medium. It should be machine washable.

Ellie saying "cheese!" and wondering why I keep snapping pictures of the centerpiece.

About a week before vacation I got my next round of ideas. Ledge shelves (done and waiting to be hung) with spray painted thrift store frames containing the girls' artwork (almost done). They are going in the girls' bathroom. But then I was giving them a bath one night, and thought that I should really paint the walls before I hang the shelves. The tub needs re-caulked too. A while back I'd decided to just leave the bathroom as is for this round of remodeling. But soon all the other trim (except the kitchen) will be white, and the bathroom will stick out like a sore thumb. So I am just going to paint the existing woodwork to match the new stuff we've been installing. I'm painting the walls (and ceiling) with a neutral off white color. I got the supplies this morning, and will be ready to prime tonight. It won't be a huge change, but it will make me happy as I sit in there and give the girls their baths. It will also solve the problem we created when we installed the new light in there last winter.

Bathroom before new windows.

It doesn't show up very will in the picture, but there's a ring of lighter colored paint right around the light. Some day will be be gutting this bathroom, but I think the white woodwork and some fresh paint and decorations will keep me from finding out if that wall in the middle of the room really is load bearing or not.

DIY cheap artwork

2011-03-01T13:36:00.004-05:00

I am ready for spring! So ready. About three weeks ago, I made a huge list of things I wanted to do around the house. Sewing, decorating, etc. On the top I wrote "MARCH 1st." I am crazy. I think I have less than a third of it done. I have lost my mind. Maybe I should add "2012" on it and pretend I was giving myself a year instead of three weeks.

Last fall, I saw a painting on the web (with tutorial here). I loved it. Knew I had to have it. A couple weeks ago, I bought three boards and had John cut them down. I spent about $6 on all three. I had the paint and stain. It was an easy project, and I am really pleased with it. The tutorial itself was inspired by a $2,000 piece of artwork from Anthropolgie . If you look at my tree, it's very similar. I simply took my time and copied it. I was actually surprised I could do it.

I have Mary's curtains done! I have them up on one window. I measured about 5 times, but didn't get the rod level. So John's going to fix that for me tonight and hang the other one too. Pictures to come.

Ellie is napping. I should be doing something. I wish I was smart enough to nap too.

Book slings and butterflies

2011-02-25T22:24:00.003-05:00

I am making slow but steady progress on Mary's room. I'm down to the details, which makes JUST painting the room seem like easy work.

Her old book sling fabric wasn't going to work with her pink walls. Plus it was four feet long and had started to sag a bit in the middle.

I still liked the idea though, so we put up two new ones (plus reused the old hardware) and made them all 32 inches long.

One night in the middle of the night, I finally had an idea of what to do with them. I got them all made, but the middle one didn't hang right. Plus, I'd just put an "m" on it, and Mary didn't care for it. I fixed the seam that wasn't right and started over on the letters. I hand stitched them on as I knew I could do a better job that way. I bought the butterflies for probably less than a dollar for all three. I'd had them for almost a year and a half! I'd painted them white, but didn't like them. I think I did them with craft paint first, then tried spray painting them too. This time I did them with craft paint again. I tried to glaze them and.....the craft paint came off! Ugh. I swear I spent 4 or 6 hours painting, ruining, scrubbing all the paint off, and then painting them again. The joys of crafting.

Now for the curtains. I have them cut and hemmed. I just need to sew in the linings and do the tops. Before I could hem them, I needed to move the rods up and out a bit. I got the holes measured and drilled. I got the brackets on the walls. I grabbed the rod. It was too freaking short!!! Am I the only one that has this many dang problems with projects? They were rods I bought in 2000 and moved from our old house. I ran out today and got new ones. Hopefully there won't be any more bumps, and I can get her curtains done this weekend.

Mary has a loose tooth. She told me this morning her tooth hurt. I looked at it and saw it was loose. I told her, and she was so excited. The look on her face was priceless. She was so proud of herself. I, on the other hand, am heartbroken. It makes her seem so grown up. I'll probably bawl my eyes out when it actually comes out. She's my baby! She cannot be losing her first tooth. Didn't it just come in the other day??

Look at those rolls people!!!! Oh and her (barely there) first tooth.

It's supposed to be 50 degrees on Sunday. I see spray painting in my future.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-23T13:43:00.002-05:00

Thrifty finds - Indianapolis style

2011-02-21T10:30:00.003-05:00

I had such a good time on Saturday. It was a great day off work for sure. I didn't get the find of a lifetime, but that's okay. We also hit Target as there isn't one here.

I put it all out on the dining room table before stashing it away. I found a wooden bowl, frames, a man's shirt (which was technically on my list, but I forgot about it). I did not find tables or lamps. Oh well. Next time maybe.

The Easter eggs are from Dollar Tree and are for a project. The pumpkins are in the "to be spray painted pile" already. I loved the vintage cardinal print, but it needs a different frame. Or I'll spray paint that frame too. Pretty butterfly frame from Target. Wreath form from DT. Glass jar for Mary. Mom bought me the painting with the gold frame. She had it already and gave it to me Saturday. I'm thinking spray paint there too. Oh, and a random little Christmas tree that I absolutely love.

Various frames for a project. The one with the little poem in it says "How to be a Mean Mother" and is hilarious. I'm saving it for sure. The crazy bright shirt is for me. We didn't look at clothes, but it caught my eye as I walked by it.

I bought one more thing. It's a mirror for Ellie's room. I got it at Target and paid full price. Shocking, I know! I'll get a picture of it once I hang it up.

I have a million projects started and/or to do. And yet all I want to do in my free time is to knit my log cabin blanket. It finally feels like I am making progress on it.

Shopping list

2011-02-17T21:13:00.002-05:00

I'm going on an adventure with my Mom on Saturday. She's scoped out several thrift stores in Indy, and we plan to hit them all. Or at least as many as we can before we get sick of looking at junk.

I thought it would be fun to make a shopping list.

1. Bedside tables for our bedroom. We have tables there now, but I'd love to find a matched pair. I have measurements so I am looking for something fairly specific.

2. wooden bowl for a project.

3. art--cheap, vintage. I'd love to find some old paint by numbers.

4. mirror for Ellie's room.

5. frames. Thinking of starting a gallery wall with pics of the girls.

6. lamp (s) for Mary's room. I'd love to find a matching pair. One for her dresser and one for her desk. Something funky that I can spray paint hot pink.

Of course I can't find it all, and I wouldn't pay much more than a buck or two for most of the items besides the bedside tables. It will be fun to see what I can find though. I'll report back when I return!

The fabric for Mary's curtains has shipped. I have a couple of really good coupons to Jo-Ann's so I am going to line them with black out fabric. Mary and I are planning to have a little shopping trip there (just the two of us) on Sunday. She's taking her own money and is very excited.

Now, I knit!

Three little birds

2011-02-14T12:22:00.002-05:00

These sweet little birds on on their way to my friend Lizz for her daughter's bedroom. I'm not sure if they are more for Lizz or if they will be actual toys:). This project was so fun! I love making little things like these. My kids never seem to appreciate them though, so I don't make them very often.

We are so very close to having Mary's room done. I still have the paint the darn door at least one more time. There just wasn't time this weekend. We (John) got the doorknob on, the closet doors back up, the headboard attached to the bed frame, hung up some new book slings I made (pics soon, one is in the do over pile already), and got Mary's ribbon board back up.

I used some of the fabric from her nursery curtains (from our old house) and some red ribbon. It was pink with white ribbon before, but wouldn't have matched the walls.

We are so close to having this room done! I found the perfect fabric on Etsy for some new curtains. The lady is currently out of it, so I am waiting. She should get it this week. Hopefully next week I'll have it and can make them up. I still need to find a couple lamps and pull a few more small details together. It looks like a new room already just with the change of paint though.

Ellie is sick today. I think she just has a cold. We are snuggled up on the couch watching cartoons. She's already taken one nap, and I think she's headed towards another. Maybe I'll take one too.

Pink and red

2011-02-08T16:38:00.003-05:00

When I was a little girl, my Mom told me that pink and red didn't match. I was crushed. I disagreed, but I was 6 and she was the grown up. I still thought it looked FABULOUS. I wanted to wear pink and red together every day.

When Mary told me she wanted a red bed in her new pink room, I was excited! My dream had come true. Pink and red, together as they should be.

I'm still painting the trim. I'm just not in the mood. Mary moved back in yesterday. What I really, really want to do is move on to the next project, but we can't until this is done. I guess that means I'll paint more tomorrow. I'm still working on the chalkboard doors too.

Another snowy day.

2011-02-07T12:30:00.002-05:00

I should be working in Mary's room. When she gets home from school, I am going to let her put all of her displaced stuff back in there. I still have a lot to do, but I can work around her again at this point.

It is not a good day for taking pictures. It's a sad, dark, cloudy day. But this before and after is worth a not so great picture.

Basement before we bought the house.

That's the room of the basement that we redid. It had this strange, fake, half wall way back when. John ripped it down soon after we moved here. He's since used most of the plywood for various projects. The 4x4s have been outside. He did use a couple of them to make a post/holder for the hose. But the other ones were free for the taking.

Reduce, recycle, and reuse! It saves the earth and can save you some pennies too.

Progress!

2011-02-06T14:32:00.003-05:00

I have to tell myself I am getting there. I have to just keep going. Mary has asked for her room back. Hopefully tomorrow. I am currently waiting for the caulk on the trim to dry. I can paint it tonight. Then the baseboards and door trim will have two coats of paint on it. I can pull up the painters tape from the floor. We can put her stuff back. I will still need to put another coat of paint the window trim, but I can work around her stuff. I didn't get to the windows last night so they are off sequence with everything else. It took me an hour and a half last night to do the baseboards and door trim. Maybe I am slow. Or maybe it is the fact that I refuse to use painters tape on the walls and therefore must be super careful. Either way, it is simply time consuming. My hope tonight is to start about 8pm and do all the trim including the windows. That will probably take me almost two and a half hours. I am already exhausted. But the end is in sight!

John and I have signed up for Netflix again. On the nights that we have been watching movies I have been knitting.

Jar cozies. Why? Because I have scrap yarn and these babies are mindless knitting. I keep seeing online projects where people are cutting up cable knit sweaters and covering vases or jars with them. I have no sweaters to cut up, so I just knit them instead.

I guess I should clean or something while I am waiting on this caulk to dry.

Pink hates me too!

2011-02-05T21:03:00.002-05:00

Red's first cousin pink hates me too! Isn't that funny? I feared from the moment I bought the pink paint that the it just wouldn't cover the old blue paint. This morning I got up and put the second coat of pink on the walls. I edged and rolled. It took me about 3 hours. I thought I was done. I went back to look at it. And I could see blue. Ugh. Then I hoped I was imagining it. I sent John back to look. He too thought the blue was showing through the pink. So instead of painting the trim this afternoon, I was back in there with the pink paint again.

I got part of the trim painted after dinner. John took the door off this afternoon, so now I can't work in there after the kids are asleep. He got the door to the room and the closet doors sanded down. I've primed and put one coat of chalkboard paint on the closet doors.

We're getting there. I think we're only a day or so behind.

blogging so I don't go insane (snow day #3)

2011-02-03T12:48:00.004-05:00

School is closed for the third day in a row. We got an email that they are hoping it will open tomorrow.

The sun is shining today. Everything is dripping and melting. Some of the trees have ice on them, but others don't. I guess it blew off? It's quite strange. Even though it snowed almost all day yesterday there is hardly any snow. Today I went outside for the first time in 3 days. I stepped out and realized I was on top of ice. The entire yard is hard as a rock. Under the snow it is as slick as an ice rink. I jumped up and down. The ice broke. It was 2 inches thick. I bought a huge piece in for the girls. They tried to eat it.

Yesterday I decided I needed some new art work for the entry table.

I gave Ellie red paint, white paint, and a piece of paper. I grabbed a good ol' 50 cent frame from my thrift store stash. I gave Mary some white paint and the frame. Tada! Some Valentine art.

I made this runner on Monday night. I'm usually not a red person, but I thought it would be cute for Valentine's Day.

On Tuesday night while the power was flickering, I rushed to make a new cover with the roosters. I wanted something red for the chair, but nothing with hearts. The other pillow is a wool sweater that I bought at a yard sale last summer.

Working on Mary's room too. I got all the trim primed and the walls cut in with primer. I'll roll the walls once John's off work. Then I hope to cut in the pink wall paint tonight after the girls are in bed. I wonder if I am brave enough to try to roll the walls tomorrow while Mary's at school, and I have Ellie with me. It's easier to work if they are both here and can entertain each other by fighting, er, I mean playing like angels together.

Oh! I hear it "she TOUCHED me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Wednesday....a snow day....

2011-02-02T14:37:00.004-05:00

I'd thought we could trim out and paint Mary's room by Sunday night. I did not account for the ice storm that came through here last night! John ended up not working on Mary's room as we were trying to get prepared for the storm and likely power outage.

The power went out at 11pm last night. By 9am this morning, John was out in the garage with his miter saw cutting quarter round. He got as much done as he could, but then needed the router to finish the last 2 pieces. I got busy filling holes in the trim. The power came on right after I started. We ate lunch, John went to work, and I finished filling the holes.

I am not sure if we are behind on our schedule. I think we are doing okay. I should be able to sand down the wood filler later this afternoon. The mud I used on the walls needs 24 hours. If I have the energy, I might try to prime all the trim and cut in the walls tonight after the girls are in bed. Then I could roll the primer tomorrow.

It's going to be close. I still think I can get it all done if the power stays on. It's currently snowing and blowing.

I've been busy sewing and knitting too. Pictures to come!

Saturday/before/here we go again.

2011-01-29T10:06:00.004-05:00

We're working around Mary's stuff for as long as we (er, JOHN) can. Today's task is to trim out the windows. In the above picture the old trim is off the windows and laying on the floor. John's out in the garage cutting the new trim.

Here's the other side of the room. I'm going to paint the closet doors with chalkboard paint just like I did in Ellie's room. I have the pink paint for the walls, but it is going to be a few days before I can paint. John's patching a huge hole in the wall where the old intercom used to be. It will take several coats of mud and the dry time between coats is 24 hours. John also has to make the new baseboards, install them, and put in the quarter round. Then, I paint. And paint. Pink walls with white trim. I think it's going to look super cool with her red desk and her new red headboard.

Mary's sick. Poor thing. We are taking it easy today (well, everyone but John!). If no one else gets sick, and we stay on schedule, I am hoping to have this room painted and put back together (less the doors) next Sunday night. If we accomplish this, it will be our quickest turn around yet in this house. (We did the same thing to most of the rooms in our old house too.)

my morning.

2011-01-27T10:55:00.003-05:00

"Mommy, can I play chalk?"

"Yes, Ellie."

"Can I play chalk?"

"yes"

"MOM!!!!! Can I play CHALK!?!?!?"

"Yes you may?"

"Can I PLAY CHALK??"

"Ellie, are you wanting me to specifically say 'Yes, you may play CHALK.'"

"Yes, Mom."

"Okay, Ellie, yes, you may play chalk."

"Can I play it?"

"Yes."

"Can I play it RIGHT NOW?"

"No, Ellie, you may not."

"Okay, Mom. Can we play blocks?"

And repeat.

I don't know if I should laugh or cry.

(almost) Five

2011-01-23T20:01:00.003-05:00

How does this:

Mary--3 days old.

Turn into this:

Mary--two days before her 5th birthday

in just 5 years?

Mary is one of those kids that has gotten easier over time. She was a difficult baby. She was a crazy, emotional toddler. I think that 5 is going to be her best year yet. She loves school. She loves reading and writing. Meltdowns are few and farther between. She can make many of her own decisions and likes having the freedom to do so.

Mary and John had a little jam session after her party today. She can't really play yet, but she can strum the guitar and loved playing along with John. She knows the words to the songs he plays for her. So she "played" along and sang her heart out. She seems very interested in playing, so we will are going to look into lessons. She's always been very musical. Maybe she'll be a rock star some day.

I hate red and red hates me.

2011-01-22T16:48:00.003-05:00

Remember the red candle stick that broke when I tried to spray paint it?

Mary asked that I paint her desk red. I sanded. I repaired. I got two coats of primer on it. I got 2 coats of red paint on it. I was feeling good! Then I told John I just wanted to go downstairs quickly to see if it needed a third coat. I go down there.....oh, what's that in that box? looks like a drawer? but to what? It was the last desk drawer. I'd taken it upstairs one night to glue down some loose veneer. I'd forgotten all about it. So there it was, not primed or painted. I was so mad. I was hoping to have the entire thing done, but instead I needed to apply 2 coats of primer and 2-3 coats of paint to it. Ugh. I got it done and put two coats of poly on EVERYTHING. I counted the drawers about 5 times to make sure I had them all.

Before:

After (impossible to get a good picture of the actual color. It's more red and less bright pink in real life):

Louise doesn't seem happy with flash photography.

Mary got right to work.

I was sitting on the floor putting the hardware back on the drawers when John brought the desk upstairs. The first thing I saw? A place I didn't paint! Argh! Red does hate me! How on earth did I miss the same spot 3 times??? It's on the left side, down at the bottom. Right under the bottom drawer, on the top of the leg. It looks like a glare from the flash, but it is not.

Thank goodness for touch up paint and for a four year old who is just happy to have a desk of her own.

I love the way the original hardware looks against the red paint. The desk looks pretty funky in her blue room, but that is about to change. Weather permitting, I am going to go buy paint for her room on Wednesday. We're replacing all the trim in her room and painting the doors too. I am so unmotivated to work on this project. I'm already a room ahead in my mind, but what's new?

Tomorrow: Mary's fifth birthday party. Seems like we just had her second birthday. I really, really cannot believe my baby will be five this week.

Five dollar light fixture

2011-01-19T12:28:00.004-05:00

Last fall I looked at the big box home improvement stores for a lantern type hanging light for the entry way. I found a few that would have worked. They were $30 or $40. None of them were exactly what I wanted. I wanted something super simple and fairly small.

There's nothing like standing out on the porch with no shoes on taking pictures!

I found this five dollar fixture at a yard sale. I was so excited when I saw it! I almost jumped for joy. It was originally twelve dollars. Woot! A little black paint and I was happy. John got it hung up last night (he claims he forgot we had it, I figured he was worried it would burn the house down). I need to take the globe off and paint the inside of the brass with black paint. That should be tricky.

I took this picture with the camera up over my head because I was too lazy to get a chair.

I am really happy with it. I really should go through our OLD pictures to see if I have a picture of the original fixture. John took some pictures before we bought the house, but I am not sure if he got every room. We took it down the summer we moved in and replaced it with a cheap flush mount light just so we'd be able to see in there.

One more thing off the to do list!

Repurposed art.

2011-01-18T16:58:00.003-05:00

Remember this thrifty purchase? I only bought it for the frame. I didn't even look at the picture to be honest. It was a 50 cent frame which was a great price, and the shape was good for what I needed. When I got home, I thought the art was sort of pretty. My Mom saw it when she was here last summer and seemed to like it too. So I (of course!) saved it.

I found another 50 cent frame at the same independent thrift store a while back. I really loved the shape.

I gave it to Mom on Saturday. I still like the art, but it just isn't my style. It will look better at her house.

Mary's desk is either done or is getting a third coat of paint tonight. She saw it last night and is happy. I'm glad I let her pick the color. I'm still hoping to have it done by her birthday.

Is it Friday yet?

2011-01-13T15:27:00.003-05:00

This week is over! Well, at least school is. There's a teacher work today tomorrow, and the school is closed Monday too. Tomorrow we are heading out to see my side of the family for the weekend.

I got my runner washed and dried. It didn't fall apart! I think maybe I am getting the hang of sewing. The first runner I made last summer had a seam come loose and fray out in the washer the first time I washed it.

This was Mary's second week of full day school. She's adjusting well. I thought she would be a grump in the late afternoons, but she has been fine. I think that 5 is going to be a really good year for her. Her birthday is in 12 days.

Above is her new desk. I got it (I think??) in December. Mom, the girls and I went thrifting together. I thought it was funny how Mom didn't even bat an eye when I bought it. I remembered when she thought I was crazy when she saw the TV stand before I painted it. She's caught the thrifting bug too now. I think it's funny. She thought I was crazy when I bought my brass turned black lamp too. Now she refuses to pay full price for anything. I've taught her well.

When I saw the desk, I thought I'd paint it white. Then I realized a white desk for a child probably isn't a good idea. The night I started working on it, I thought maybe I'd paint it light green. I think we still have some left over paint from painting Mary's walls in her old room. I thought the light green would look great with the existing hardware (and match her rug). I was excited. I came upstairs to get Mary's opinion, and she cried. So much for green. It isn't my desk so I'm painting it the color she wants. I'm really hoping to have it done by her birthday. I think I should unless something goes really wrong.

sewing

2011-01-10T12:42:00.003-05:00

I thought for sure I'd finish this table runner last night, but I did not.

I have the about half the hand sewing of the binding done. It's maybe another hour or so of work.

I'm using left over fabric from my Christmas tree skirt, though I don't plan on this being my Christmas runner this year. I'll probably use it in the summer.

I think I'm addicted to quilting. This was my first real attempt at anything other than simple stripes. The entire runner is 48 inches long (4 stars). It's not perfect by any means, but I love doing it.

Afternoons

2011-01-05T13:59:00.004-05:00

I wondered what Ellie and I would do on these winter afternoons while Mary is at school. I had thought Ellie would be napping, but she quit napping about 6 weeks ago.

My awesome sewing machine I inherited from Mamaw Judy.

Turns out she plays by herself! Huh. All I have to do is supply the voice of her animals and friends. She says "what's wrong, cow/puppy/baby?" and I reply that they are hungry/sick/tired/need a kiss. She feeds them M&Ms. I wonder if she is my child as I never want to share my candy!

Blurry Ellie and her friends.

And then I get stuff done. Yesterday we played puppy while I worked in the kitchen. Puppy needed a doghouse and a nest and food and a drink. And blankets of course! Today I sewed.

I made these quilted coasters for Mom using left over fabric from her table runner. I'm pretending that I've gotten a jump start on my Christmas 2011 sewing. But I plan on giving these to her this month and will probably give her something else for Christmas.

I've put the log cabin blanket away. I'm sick of it once again. I plan on doing some more sewing, and I'm also knitting some fingerless mittens for my SIL whose birthday is in a couple weeks.

I'm getting ready to transform Mary's desk too. Just as soon as I put all the Christmas stuff away. John got it all carried downstairs for me, but I need to get it back on the storage shelves.

This week is flying by. It's almost time to go get Mary from school.

Ellie's room.

2011-01-04T13:16:00.004-05:00

Welcome to Ellie's room!

View from the door.

Chalkboard painted closet doors.

Artwork over her bed. I'd had these prints almost 10 years and never used them.

Cheap cork board that I spray painted fancied up a bit.

Ellie's been living in her room for a couple weeks now. There are still a couple minor things to finish up, but today was a good day to get pictures while she played in her bed. I don't have true before pictures. This room was Mary's room when we moved here, but the room is so small we ended up giving her the bigger bedroom. My plan was to keep this room as the guest room while the girls shared the other bedroom. But then Mary was so possessive of her stuff that it just seemed easier to give Ellie this room. So, this room was light green with wood toned trim. John replaced all the trim and added quarter round. I painted the door white too (like the ones in the entry and dining room) but didn't get a picture of it. We put the closet doors back up after I painted them with chalkboard paint. The doors are too short for some odd reason, so John added a piece of trim above them. I still need to paint that white, and then when the weather is warmer I want to use chalkboard spray paint on the track that holds the doors. I need to find a bigger rug too.

Overall, I am happy with how her room turned out. It needs a few more little things to look lived in though. Ellie doesn't seem to notice, so I am not in a hurry.

Next up, Mary's room. I'm hoping start after her birthday party (in just 3 weeks!!) and be done before we go skiing in March.

I'm working like mad on my log cabin blanket. It's so slow going.

2010

2010-12-31T20:59:00.003-05:00

I think that 2010 was the best year of my life.

First of all, I think that 2010 was the happiest of my married life. Not that other years weren't good ones, but it seems that John and I have truly found our stride. In February, we had a wonderful Valentine's Day. Not because of anything great, but the mood and the gifts were perfect. We sat on the couch after the kids were in bed and ate chocolates. We usually don't celebrate Valentine's Day so maybe that is why it was special. We also celebrated our 10th anniversary in October.

In April, we finally got the crazy, long ordeal with our Evansville house behind us. It felt like a ton of bricks had lifted off of us. And with closure on that, we were able to start renovating this house. We said from day one that we would fix this house up, and it gives me so much pleasure to finally make this house our home.

In May, my baby graduated preschool! Mary also learned to ski this year. We finally ended our long, long, long nursing relationship of 4 years, 3 months, and 30 days. I never thought we'd last that long. I truly feel like I did what was best for her in letting her nurse for so long. And then, after a great summer, Mary started school. She's grown up so much after only one semester. She can read and write. I am so proud of her, even if we do butt heads most of the time.

In August, I had probably the happiest birthday I've had in many, many years. I was able to see my entire family in one weekend. The girls and I stayed out at Grandma Mary's farm one night, and then spend Saturday night at my Mom's. I got to see my entire family that weekend - Grandma Mary, Dad, Mom, Papaw Clyde and my brother Matthew. Papaw Clyde had received that Hoosier Homestead award and hosted about 150 people at his farm. His/our family has owned the farm for 100 years. It was a busy weekend, tiring, hot, but wonderful. I had my family and my girls. I fell asleep that Saturday night thinking about how blessed I was to have so many people who love me.

This fall Ellie finally found her voice.....and hasn't stopped talking since. She lives up to her nickname of Firecracker day in and day out. She's trouble. She has a light in her eyes that I hope is always there. She now has her own room with her big girl bed. She isn't a baby anymore. She's two going on seven. She begs every day to go to school with Mary. She loves Mary, but tries to beat Mary up at least 319 times a day. She is absolutely exhausting, but she's such a joy.

This fall I was also able to heal some very old, very deep wounds in the relationship with my Dad. I am grateful for a second chance with him. The girls absolutely love him too. I am glad they will be able to have a good relationship with him in the years going forward.

This year has opened my eyes to how truly blessed I am. I'm able to stay home with my kids. I have a wonderful husband who loves me. I have a family and friends that support me. I have everything I need. A home in the country to raise our girls. Good health. Peace in my heart. Life is so very good.

And I truly believe the best is yet to come.

Round two

2010-12-28T18:20:00.003-05:00

Remember my original batch of yarn for my log cabin blanket?

I've dedicated my knitting time in January to working on my blanket again. I started on it over the weekend and ran out of yarn last night.

See my needle down there in the bottom right corner? I was trying to bind off that strip so I could turn and start another dark red strip. I came so close! But there was no way I could finish the row or go on since I was out of white. I still have a little bit left of the other seven colors.

So today I bought eight more skeins of yarn. I'm thinking that one way or the other, I will be done with the blanket when I run out again.

And just like that.....

2010-12-21T20:43:00.004-05:00

Ellie can say "Mary."

Ellie loves Mary. The first word she consistently said was "me" which meant Mary. It was clear she was not talking about herself. Once she could call herself something, she called herself "my." I loved it. I think that a lot of toddlers call themselves me. Mary did. But Ellie already needed the word "me" for Mary.

I've noticed lately she's started saying "I" instead of "my" when talking about herself. It made me sort of sad. The end of her baby talk in some ways. Now she says it almost all of the time. Good-bye "my." You made for some great sentences.

Then late last week, Ellie and I were playing. She found a pair of dolls. One is the mom and the other is a toddler. She asked me what their names were.

"Who this name?"
"Mommy."
"Oh, who this?"
"Mary."
"Why this Mary?'
"You little stinker, you can say Mary!"
"Why this Mary?"
"Ellie, what's your sister's name?"
"Me Wizabeth"
"And what's this doll's name?"
"Mary"
"And aren't those the same name?"

blank stare from Ellie.

I asked her later, and she told me that her sister was indeed Mary.

Today, she said Mary probably 9 times out of 10. It freaked Mary out. She kept thinking I was talking to her. It freaked me out too!

Overall, Ellie's still pretty hard to understand. But two of my favorite words of hers are gone.

My baby is growing up.

Tomorrow her mattress and box springs will arrive, and she will sleep in her own room for the first time in her life.

Deep breaths. She's still my baby.

Ellie's room is almost ready!

2010-12-17T10:34:00.004-05:00

This poor bookshelf. It just can't find a home. First it was in the entry way, then the spare room. But Ellie doesn't need it. So we moved it to the master bedroom. The girls think that moving it is a great game! I let them take all the books out, and then they carry them to the new spot for me.

I got the curtains up. Now I need to take them down, iron them and attach the hemming tape that came with them.

I couldn't paint the window itself. It will have to wait for spring when I can leave it open for more than 30 seconds. I got the dresser upstairs. I got the changing table moved back in. I'm hoping we can get a mattress this weekend. We are planning on getting it home in John's truck, and it is currently full of snow.

Still left to do: get all the junk of the the closet (including that big dresser which has Ellie's clothes in it) and hang the closet doors. Paint the back of the door to the room and hang it. Then I'll give both sides of it a final coat of paint. After that, Ellie can move in. I still need to get some art or something, and a bigger rug. Oh, and make a bed skirt as I cannot find one locally.

working, working, working

2010-12-13T20:59:00.003-05:00

Who remodels in December? My friend Sarah is remodeling her kitchen DIY style this month. I am sure there are others too. Ellie just needs her own room NOW. Mainly so I have somewhere to send her for time out!

working with my girls

This picture shows how I get stuff done. I was trying to paint around a million toys and two kids. They were playing baby dolls/animals, crafting, reading, and eating. I bought a box of 10 (small) Christmas cookies, and let them have as many as they wanted. I'm still finding crumbs on the floor. I managed to get all the trim and the walls cut in with primer and then rolled the walls all in one afternoon. I think that was last Thursday. That night I was able to cut in the yellow paint. Over the weekend I got the walls done. Today I got the first coat of white paint on the trim and got it all caulked. I still need to give it another coat. I have the closet doors painted. I have the door to the room primed with one coat of primer. I need to give it another coat of primer and then two coats of paint. I'm doing it down in the basement on saw horses so I can only do one side at a time. I'm hoping to put the furniture in on Saturday!

I've been knitting too!

I have another scarf type thing done too. I need to find a button for it, and block it. Hopefully I'll remember to take a picture.

I have all my shopping done! I am making the girls main gifts. I need to get started on them as soon as I finish Ellie's room.

What on earth will I do in January? Oh, wait! Mary's new twenty dollar desk needs painted as does her five dollar headboard. Not to mention that I secretly wish we could get her room redone by her b-day. I think John would kill me if I suggested it to him though.

I've got to get my knitting done!

2010-12-03T11:00:00.003-05:00

I am just not in the mood to knit. Ugh. I am going to regret this when I'm up all night on Christmas Eve.

I've been too busy looking at my dining room. I love it. When I imagined it with the dark paneling down, I imagined it with the tree up.

View from my desk this morning.

I loaded the tree up this year! I didn't put a lot on it last year as I didn't know if Ellie would bother it. This year I don't care. If it fall, it falls. I'm going to enjoy it and hope it's still standing on New Year's Day when I take it down.

I sewed this circle garland the other night instead of knitting. It's doubled up across the curtain rod, then goes down both sides of the curtains. I love it. Mary did some writing and reading while I cut it out. Ellie colored pictures and played with her babies. It was so much fun to sit at the table and all of us have something to do. We played, we chatted, and we snacked. Ellie picked up all the scraps of fabric and put them in the trash can. I think she thought it was a game. Every time I see that garland, I'll have an awesome memory of a wonderful afternoon with my girls.

If no one is sick this weekend, we are working on Ellie's room. Last weekend Mary, Ellie, and John were sick (again? still?). I'm hoping to finish up Ellie's dresser and bookshelf AGAIN this weekend, and I'm hoping that John can get most of the trim installed. We have the old stuff ripped out. Then it will be my turn to paint the trim, walls, and doors. We hope to have it done by Christmas. Huh. Maybe I really should get to that knitting.

But wait! I just have to remember the before picture of the dining room one more time. I wish I had one with the tree up, but I don't think I do.

It doesn't even look like the same room. I am so proud of the hard work we put into it.

Completed table runner and my centerpiece

2010-12-01T13:29:00.003-05:00

I gave Mom her table runner on Saturday. She loved it! I did too. I was sorry to see it go, even though it was too short for my dining room table, and too long for the kitchen table.

I think I am addicted to quilting. I wanted to make myself a new runner, but I am out of time. Oh well, there's always next year. I should make it right after Christmas just so I am not time crunched next year.

Plus, I've been busy making my awesome centerpiece.

Here's how I did it:
Find 2 matching candle sticks from the thrift store. Take them out to the garage on a night that's maybe just a bit too cold to spray paint. Get a coat or two of paint on. Flip the first one over carefully and paint under side. Flip the second, paint it and.............BREAK IT!!!!!! Son of a ^#%! (I was trying to flip it over quickly as the paint was tacky and I didn't want to touch it too much.) Next glue the pieces back together. Laugh. Remember Grandmother who broke everything and glued it back together. Laugh some more.

The break is under the pine cones. It was just two medium pieces that came off. I think it's pretty, break and all.

At 1a.m....when I can't sleep.....

2010-11-24T10:53:00.004-05:00

So last night I fell asleep while putting Ellie to bed. I woke up from my nap at 9:45ish. And I was wide awake. I knitted. I cleaned. I knitted more. I surfed. I hated myself a bit. Then at 12:45am, I thought I heard Ellie waking to nurse. So I went to bed. Turns out she wasn't awake. But I still was. Grrr. I started thinking about Christmas decorations. I've done the same centerpiece in the dining room for years now. I need a change and for cheap as usual.

Did I mention a while back that I found a second candle holder that matched one I'd purchased months ago at Salvation Army? And there's no way the second one was there for months. I would have seen it. I'd painted the first one black when I got it. I've been using it in the living room. I am going to paint them both red and use them in my centerpiece. These things are what make me happy at 1a.m. when I can't sleep. This morning I bought two hurricanes at Dollar Tree. Here's what I have so far:

I actually like the idea of them white, but the white one is all scratched up and the white itself is sort of a peachy white. Not my style. So, fingers crossed, it will be warm enough in the garage tomorrow to paint them red. Left candle holder: 50 cents, right one 25 cents. Hurricanes were a dollar each. The candles are from my fall centerpiece. I had the tray. I'll add some ornaments in with the pine cones. And maybe add something to the hurricanes.

After I saw this in my head, all red and cheery, I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

(almost) finished tree skirt

2010-11-23T16:25:00.003-05:00

Just before the sun started going down (you know--at 4:30pm. errrr) I snapped a couple pictures of my tree skirt.

The binding has little white dots on it which are a bit hard to see in the pictures. I am so glad I didn't go with solid red as planned. None of the plain reds in the store looked good, so I went with this. The back is a slightly marbled blue. I love it. The pattern called for fabric ties, but I found them too fussy to make. I am going to get some wide red ribbon and sew it on instead.

It certainly isn't perfect, but for my second ever free motion quilting project, I am happy with it.

The tree goes up Thursday night!

I'm in full on Christmas mode

2010-11-19T18:48:00.002-05:00

Mom's runner is done! I'm pretty proud of it. Picture to come after she gets it next Saturday. I'm making a couple other little gifts for her too.

John's Mom's gift is almost half way done. I need to get back to it soon. Mary told me today she wants a scarf for Christmas. So I guess I need to squeeze that in too. And the girls main gifts too. I am feeling the crunch for sure.

Of course, then I go and start a project for me!

This is my tree skirt. The red panel goes towards the front. It will be free motion quilted and trimmed out in red bias tape. I've been dreaming of making this skirt since I saw it in late June/early July! It is going to look awesome in the blue dining room. I am so ready to put the tree up.

I thought I was done with Ellie's furniture, but the "lint free" cloth I used for the poly coat wasn't lint free at all. The dresser and the bookshelf look awful. I'll be sanding them down, repainting, and then getting a better cloth to apply the darn poly. They are going to have to wait a couple weeks. John did get all the supplies to work on her room. So we just need to find time to work on it.

I have a feeling I am going to fall asleep with Ellie tonight in her toddler bed at 8:30pm.

Elllie's bed and dresser

2010-11-09T22:09:00.002-05:00

I took this picture tonight after dark with the drop light turned on down in the basement. The dresser was free from Grandma. I didn't even take a before picture. It was wood with some sad veneer. I tried to fix (glued down and then filled in with wood putty) the veneer the best I could before I painted. What can I say? It was free. It will work. Don't kids destroy furniture anyway? (I loved to sit on my dresser when I was a kid. It had a huge sag in it where I sat. I am sure my parents were mad about it.) I need to touch up the bed and dresser just a bit. Those spindles are impossible to paint. I thought I had it all, but then saw a place I missed so I am sure there are more. Then I will give both pieces a coat of poly to protect them a bit.

I transformed two free (to me) lamps from Grandma Mary. They came out very nice for yard sale lamps. I like them. They have a vintage feel. Pics to come!

I'm working on revamping a GW bookshelf for Ellie's room too. It was white when I bought it. I painted it black back then (maybe 2004? 03?). It had glass doors on it, but I took them off and painted it to match the dresser. I lined the shelves with scrapbook paper. I can't decide if I like it or not. The paper is a bit lumpy. I might take it out and just paint the inside yellow. Or white. I need to sleep on it.

I have the quilt top done for Mom's Christmas table runner. I probably won't work on that again until next week.

I am sure there are other things. And more to come. John's building me a little storage unit for some of the girls' toys. Mom called me tonight from SA to say she'd found a cute headboard for Mary. I was unsure about buying it without seeing it first, but it was FIVE dollars. I told her to buy it. If I hate it, I'll donate it back to the SA here and call it a five dollar donation.

Sick

2010-11-05T09:53:00.002-04:00

I think the subject pretty much says it all. All four of us have colds. We are miserable. Actually I feel a little better today. I'm hoping we are on the upswing. I'm hoping we might be able to get some things done this weekend.

I did manage to start my Christmas knitting last Saturday. I'm about a quarter done with the first gift. I ordered, received, and cut the fabric for a table runner that I am making for Mom. I'm hoping to have it done by Thanksgiving so I can give it to her early. That way she'll be able to use it this season. It's going to be red and white which are her Christmas colors this year.

I've primed Ellie's bed and dresser. The bed was in worse shape than I thought, but still a great deal for ten dollars. The paint was chipped in many places, and I spent a long time sanding it down before I primed. I'm hoping to paint the dresser tonight. It will be gray. The walls will be yellow with white trim. I'm heavily leaning towards yellow for the bed. I want to get the dresser painted first and then think about it some more. All I know is that I want her room done SOON. At least enough for her to move in. She's getting too big for her toddler bed. Well maybe not too big, but she's a floppy sleeper. She needs more room than she has in her toddler bed.

That makes it sound like I've done a lot this week. But I feel like I am moving in slow motion.

Holy thrifty find!

2010-10-30T12:58:00.005-04:00

It was one of those finds where you look around the store to see if you are on candid camera or something. I took the tag right off and RAN to the check out.

Headboard, footboard and rails.

$10!!!!!

Ten dollars. Ten! This bed is pretty much why I check Salvation Army twice a week. It will go in Ellie's new room. She's still in her crib converted to a toddler bed so she needs a regular bed soon. I plan on just putting a piece of thick plywood over the rails then the mattress (which I did not and would not buy second hand) over that so she's not too far off the ground.

Ten buck, people!

I was going to go white. But her walls will be soft yellow. Now I'm thinking bright yellow. If she hates it, I can always paint it again, right?

Fall table runner

2010-10-29T10:44:00.003-04:00

One more thing off the to do list!

Why I save things/junk.

2010-10-26T15:26:00.003-04:00

Our dining room, after the previous owner moved out.

I had a hard time even finding this picture. I first looked in my 2007 pictures. Then I realized we'd taken these in December 2006. John's parents bought this house from the lady who had lived here for 30 years. We bought it from them in June 2007. John's Step-Mom had the carpet pulled out the day THEY closed on the house. It was that bad. Ugh. John tore out the baseboard heater and the corner "cabinet" before we moved in so that the carpet could be replaced. Notice the "cabinet" doesn't have a back to it.

"Can you scoot over, Ellie?"
"This okay, Mommy?"
"Sure."

We saved all the parts to the cabinet to use a scrap wood. This door has been sitting in the shed for 3.5 years! I am so glad we saved it. (Currently kicking myself for trashing the chandelier even though a couple of globes were broken. I so could have replaced them and spray painted the darn thing!)

I decided to use the door finally. How funny that it is the first thing our guests will see. I also got a new lamp (need to hide the cord!), centered the table, and got the doorknob installed. Still need to put up the new light fixture.

The lamp was $12 at Big Lots of all places. It is mercury glass and super cool looking. The wreath is a Dollar Tree novel that the girls and I tore apart and stained with coffee to make the paper look old. Apparently there was a similar wreath (not for sale I don't think) in a Pottery Barn catalog a while back.

I think this room is my favorite in the house now.

Next up: Ellie's room. I have paint chips for the walls and her dresser. I have curtains and a little cork board that I fancied up with fabric and ribbon. Kicking her out of our room is bittersweet, but the poor thing doesn't even have a room of her own. It's currently the junk room.

My friend Karen says I need to get to Christmas crafting, but I'm ignoring her and doing more house stuff!

Slow, slow going.

2010-10-22T16:45:00.002-04:00

My log cabin blanket is roughly 29 inches by 31 inches. Each strip now takes about 2 hours to pick up the stitches, knit 18 rows and bind off. I am a slow knitter. I'm hoping to get 2 more strips of each color done before I run out of yarn.

Ellie's hat is done and already being worn:). Some people tell me she doesn't look like a baby anymore. Hmmm. She's still MY baby. A very, very independent one.

Mary loves her hat. I think that I'll make them new ones every year until they don't want them from me anymore. I need to find Mary's from last year and save it for her. (Poor Ellie didn't get one last year. Sorry, Ellie!)

I started....2?.....3? more projects and now realize I need to start my Christmas knitting/sewing too. I wish I could shut my brain off sometimes.

I sewed!

2010-10-21T16:46:00.002-04:00

John's gone on business this week. Instead of working on any of my 500 projects that I have going, I just started a new one.

I made the cording myself. It was my first time making any, and I was surprised that it was so easy.

I feel that the entry needs several pops of color since the walls are white.

I bought supplies for yet another new project. Maybe I'll work on it tonight. And maybe my log cabin blanket will knit itself. I can always dream.

Entry way: before and close enough to after

2010-10-14T10:00:00.003-04:00

Close enough for pictures that is.

Old view from the front door.

From the kitchen.

Looking into the kitchen.

I love this little corner.

Here's my oh dear, what have I done moment.

So John was out of town for a week, and this is what I got to look at for several days. I was doubting my vision to put up new wood trim over the paneling. I told myself that even if I hated the paneling after it was painted, I wouldn't tell John. That I would live with it for at least 20 years before I made him rip out all the trim he had bought, cut, routed, and installed. Well, thank goodness I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

View from the front door now.

(I need a new lamp, so I just borrowed the dinning room centerpiece. And I really wish I'd centered the painting and table.)

Still need to install my new light fixture.

Loving my green front door with a new doorknob.

This is my view down the hallway as I blog.

So that's.....new ceiling trim installed, new baseboards and quarter round, new door trim. New plywood floor (gave up on saving the old one) painted with floor and porch paint then polyurethane applied over the paint, doors sanded down, trim added, painted, hinges painted and new knobs installed. Walls and trim all painted in a white semi-gloss. Front door painted in a green semi-gloss. New rug from Ikea. I had the table and the painting in another room. I wonder if I forgot anything? I think that's all we've done so far. I still need to paint the backs of the closet doors. The knob isn't installed on the chalkboard door as the trim around the chalkboard doesn't leave enough space for the new knob. John will have to fix that. The "new" light needs to be installed. It's an awesome $5 yard sale find.

Now, I sleep.....well, tonight.

Knits

2010-10-07T10:39:00.003-04:00

Who needs sleep?

Mary's 2010 hat, in progress. Started Tuesday night and will finish it tonight.

Longies for Ellie! She'll probably potty train next week as there is no way they will fit without a diaper under them. That would be my luck. Look at those LONG legs! She's in a 3T in pants now just so they are long enough. (Current stats 27 pounds, 36.5 inches tall!!!! Two years, one month old)

Another pair I made in late September. Just now got them lanolized and blocked.

Next, Ellie's hat. Then, back to the blanket. Then?? More longies? Maybe. I hate to make them if she really is going to potty train soon. Mary woke up and was basically potty trained in a day when she was 27.5 months old. I assume I won't get off that easy this time around.

Entry way floor is drying. The dry time on the poly was 24 hours at 77 degrees. It's been between 67 and 70 degrees in here all week, so it is drying slowly. I'm hoping it will be dry Friday. John's almost done working on the doors for me. Then I need to paint them.

Back to work!

October to do

2010-10-03T14:18:00.003-04:00

Working on the entry way is so slow going. But we are getting there. I hope to be done by....hmmm. Maybe another week? I really hope so. Then I plan on doing several small projects so I can feel like I've actually done something this fall. We've been working on the entry way for a month already. I hate long projects. I like instant results.

1. Finish knitting Ellie's cabled longies.
2. Knit hat for Mary.
3. Knit hat for Ellie.
4. Sew fall table runner for dining room.
5. work on shelf area over my desk. New shelves? Paint?? Hide intercom??

See?? I took the cabinet doors down the day we moved in. But those little round side shelves are all hanging by a thread I'm thinking of of taking them off and running 2 or 3 shelves across there. But the intercom is in the way. I don't want to take it out and patch the wall. Too much work. I'm thinking of making shelves out of a 1x12 that I already have. Then painting them and just those two cabinets. To the right of this is the refrigerator, and two cabinets over it. I'd leave those brown. There's no way I'm painting all the kitchen cabinets, but I think if I just paint over the desk it will look okay. Plus if I don't remove/patch the intercom, I can do this for free. And have more space for my books.

Alright. Where was I?

6. Paint Ellie's dresser. (Ellie's moving to her own room soon!)
7. Plant the 300-ish daffodil bulbs I bought/saved this year. Most are going into my planter boxes by the garage. The girls and I got 150 or so planted this morning.

Stay tuned!

The two dollar mirror

2010-10-02T09:30:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago, I was on my way to Lowes for supplies for the entry way. John had asked his Mom to watch the girls for us so that he could work on his part of the entry way while I was out shopping. I had two hours. On the drive in to town, I called my Mom to see if she still needed more mirrors. I had been looking here and there, but hadn't had any luck. I also had a price point. For a dollar fifty, it would have to be a pretty cool mirror. I'd given her previous ones that cost--free, fifty cents, and I think a dollar. Two dollars was really more than I had planned to spend. So after Lowes, I had maybe 20 minutes to spare. I quickly went over to the little independent store I love. I'll be honest. It is sort of creepy inside, and it is in a bad neighborhood. I saw a mirror on the wall and it was two dollars. I almost didn't give it a second look. But I am so glad I did.

Look! It's our garage ceiling! The paint was still wet on it tonight, and I am giving it to Mom tomorrow. It was plain wood before. I had to do a little repair work on it, and we had to replace the back. Tonight while the mirror was out, I weighed it. Just the mirror (without the frame) weighs just over 8 pounds. The back is stamped "Lenior Mirror Company February 1928." I am slightly sad that I am giving it away. I know Mom will love it though, and I also know that she will give it back to me if/when she's done with it.

I left the price tag on it for her:)

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I'm not dead.

2010-09-29T16:33:00.003-04:00

I am not dead. I am busy. And tired. I sort of forgot about my blog.

I've been knitting pants for Ellie. And I have hat yarn. And scarf yarn. And I worked on my log cabin blanket some more.

I've been decorating for fall too. I've never decorated for fall before, so I'm mainly using what I have.

My sad little mantel, if you can even call it that. I think that's a tiny camel on the fireplace there. Oh well. No time to pick up when you are busy hot gluing fake leaves onto a wreath form. I switched out my Fiesta to some fall-ish colors and bought some cute little gourds from a local pumpkin farm.

I put some stuff out in the dining room too.

See the top book? I think it's from the 1940s. It says pregnant women shouldn't gain over 14 pounds. It also had tons of....interesting....info about nursing a newborn. About how they should only have sugar water for the first day or so in order for the mother to rest up and until her milk started to come in. And the pumpkin art? I did that.

Then I made this wreath. I'd seen something similar online. We have tons of sticks in our yard. But somehow it seemed much smaller when I made it out in the garage. Oh well, I do like it despite its size and it was free. I can always compost it later.

I haven't given up on the entry way. It's just slow going. I'm holding out on pics until it is completely done. But let's just say that it is to the point in the project where last night I had a beer in one hand and a paint brush in the other...............

New bed!

2010-09-15T11:03:00.004-04:00

I love it! John said it was nice, but didn't really match the room. Silly John. He did say it looked good with the quilt (which was the idea). I love that quilt and the walls will eventually be almost the color of the little brown pillow in the front. The trim will all get replace with more substantial trim and will be white. It's on the to do list for sure. Maybe.....next summer? I want to do Mary's room first, then Ellie's (so I can kick her out of our room. Her bed is still in our room), then ours. John said last night that we could have the girls' rooms done in the next 6 months. He regretted saying it as soon as it came out of his mouth. I'm holding him to it though.

The bed came out just as I had imagined it. John even custom fit it to the size of the wall for me. Yippie! I am so glad that I have a husband that puts up with me:)

(And, for the record, the bed NEVER looks like this. It is usually unmade. There's a thing that goes on my side to keep Ellie from falling off the bed....it's sort of like a pool noodle that goes under the sheets. I never have the sham pillows on the bed. And the other two pillows go on the rocking chair that's in our room. I just wanted to see it fancy one time though.)

various stuff

2010-09-11T13:13:00.002-04:00

I'm in this crazy busy phase. I have a million projects going at once. I guess it's better than sitting around doing nothing? It also keeps me from going completely insane after refereeing the girls all afternoon.

Here's the ironstone platter all cleaned up. I love it. I painted a 50 cent thrift store brassy basket, put some dollar store candles and some fifty percent off berries in it. I had the pine cones which are just from the yard. I think it turned into a nice fall centerpiece. I'm thinking I might cut the handles off the basket though.

I've also been working on the bed. I got it painted all white.

I knew I was going to distress it. I sanded down all the edges and roughed up the seams a bit. I was set to go last night. I wiped on the first bit of stain and almost cried. I tried to wipe it off, but of course that wasn't happening. I even got a scrub brush. Nope. So, I decided to just go with it.

After I got it all done, I sanded it a bit and the paint started to come back though, which lightened it up a bit. I could sand more. Sanding damp stain just gums up the sandpaper so I quit. If I sand it more and don't like it, I might try lightly dry brush some more white paint on it. I wanted it super distressed. Maybe I'll just try to live with it. It needs a coat or two of poly on it then we can put it on the bed.

I've been knitting like mad. I have no idea how big I'll make this blanket. Maybe it will be just a like a lap blanket. I'd love to make it bigger though. Right now it is about 20x20.

Back, forth, back, forth. Turn the corner, change color. Back and forth again. I've put it away for now so I can make some longies for Ellie.

John just took Mary to a play. Ellie's sleeping. I should clean or something. It sure is nice to just sit here with the window open listening to a gentle rain though.

Birthday money and projects galore.

2010-09-06T13:07:00.005-04:00

Yesterday morning I went to the big antique mall in the next town over. I had $45 from Mom. And I got 2 hours to myself. Perfect.

Milk glass jar and a little hen for the hutch.

Three ironstone butter pats and two tiny oval plates. These will go on the wall of white plates as soon as I get them cleaned up. They are pretty dirty. I have them soaking in peroxide to clean up some of the discoloration on them.

The hutch is coming along nicely. I need a plate to stand up on the bottom shelf and maybe a few other little things.

I also bought a HUGE oval ironstone platter, but didn't get a decent pic of it yet. It's so heavy. There's no way I would trust it on the wall. It's going to be used as a centerpiece.

Thank you Mom for the money, and thank you John for letting me have a couple hours to myself.

On the other side of the dining room, I made something to hang on the wall.

Over the chair in the corner there, on the right side, I hung these:

I did the frames a long time ago using this tutorial, but never could figure out what I'd put in them. I ended up using some left over drop cloth from the curtains, and embroidering them.

The dining room is almost complete! I am so happy with it.

To celebrate being done, I started ripping up the entry way flooring last night. It's glued down. I might have the adhesive removed before my next birthday. It is going to be painfully slow going. Not to mention my hands and arms are super sore today.

And a have my huge knitting project going.

AND!!!!!

John's making a new head board for our bed. I am so excited. He's almost done. Then I get to do my thing....painting, distressing, and glazing it. Woot! I am seriously so excited. It's the Farmhouse Bed from Knock-Off Wood. That lady is amazing. She uses furniture from Pottery Barn, etc for inspiration and makes free plans for anyone to use. I think the Pottery Barn bed frame was $600 maybe? More? And I don't even like or want a foot board. So John's just making the head board. I think he said he spent $60 including the bolts, etc.

Busy, busy, busy around here. Life is good.

1744

2010-09-05T07:58:00.003-04:00

When it's Friday afternoon and you have a million things to do....

like figuring out how many guests are coming for a birthday party the next day

or maybe cleaning the house

or cooking the lunch you are going to serve for those guests

or making a birthday cake

or wrapping gifts

or finishing up any of the projects you've already started

you should drop everything and go to the sale at the local yarn shop.

And buy.....

1,744 yards of yarn!!!

And then start knitting. And stay up until 1am, knitting until you can't see straight. Even if the cake isn't ready, the food isn't prepared, and the house is still a mess.

Freebie.

2010-08-22T18:39:00.002-04:00

Free mirror from Grandma Mary + white spray paint , chalkboard spray paint, glaze (all on hand) =

I hope Mom likes it.

Adjusting to the new school year

2010-08-20T21:25:00.002-04:00

Mary started pre-k on Monday! I am so excited for her. She's going daily from 8:30 to 12:30. It has been a crazy week here. I was looking forward to not breaking up fights for 4 hours a day. Now I just have to listen to "where's Mary?" all morning. Hmm. Yesterday Ellie picked up the toy phone and said "Hello, Mary Elizabeth? You come home now, Mary Elizabeth?" I thought she'd like having more time with me, but I was wrong.

Please note she's looking at her reflection in the deck door. She's also growing her bangs out....again. I hope it sticks this time. The last time they got into her eyes, and she refused to pull them out of the way. I cut them because it drove me crazy.

I'm working on my August to do list. I have the last little bit of wall decoration/art almost done for the dining room. I've touched up the paint. John is going to put the doorknob back on for me this weekend. I've painted the living room and hallway bathroom windows. I have NOT lost 10 pounds. Ugh. I've worked on Mom's mirror, and can finish it up with a coat of wipe on poly this weekend.

I'm thinking about knitting something. It has been many, many months since I actually knit. Longies season is just around the corner too. I was hoping Ellie would be nearly potty trained by now, but she isn't. And her legs must have grown 3 inches this summer because the last pairs of longies I made late last winter are now capris on her.

Maybe I'll go to bed early tonight to avoid picking up the toys.

It's Buddy!

2010-08-12T16:04:00.003-04:00

Turns out a stray cat doesn't stay wild too long when he gets three meals a day. We've named him Buddy. He's super sweet, but also a dork. The first time I thought I saw him hunting, it turned out he was killing some weeds. There's a patch of grass by the front porch that's hard to get with the mower. He attacks that too.

Today we went out and fed him mid ice cream sandwich. He tolerates the girls pretty well, but does better being petted by them if his head is in the food bowl.

I actually got something done!

2010-08-10T11:25:00.003-04:00

I've had this small project in mind forever. We had a row of black and white photos of Mary in our hallway. There were 5 of them. I took them the month we moved in.

Mary Elizabeth 17 months old

Mary Elizabeth 4.5 years old

I took the two physical photos and held them up as I was taking the old one out of the frame. I couldn''t even believe that the two are the same person. We thought Mary was so big when I took that old picture. And of course now I think she was just a baby back then and is so big now. I can't imagine what she (and Ellie) will look like in two more years when I get around to replacing them again.

Eleanor Ruth 23 months old

I love this picture of Ellie even though her face is obscured. I didn't hang it in the hallway though. I used this one instead.

What sweeties.