Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Re-doing a wreath

Tonight I sat in the floor and picked berries and pine cones off a wreath. Sound exciting? Want to come help me?

I'm not even going to get into how long I've had this thing and how long I've planned to remake it. Let's just say it's been a while.

Now I have a naked wreath ready for some new redo.

I hope everyone is having a great week.

Where did day 16 go?

I'm not sure what happened to my Day 16 post. It was there and then it wasn't. Oh well.

I finished hemming a jacket from last Fall. I hate how I know I need to do something and I know it won't take me 10 minutes, but still, I put it off.  Procrastination is my middle name.

Pictures can be found under the 31 days tab. Please don't mind the wreaths in the picture. I'm out of places to stick them for the moment.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Day 15, all about buttons

You know how some days you just want to crawl in a hole and pull it in on top of yourself. Yeah, that was my Monday.

Tonight I tackled the basket of buttons I've collected for the past year or so. I pick them up when I see them at garage sales, estate sales, and the thrift store.

I pulled buttons off cards, clipped threads, and sorted until I got that basket emptied. Now my buttons are sorted by color and ready for a project later on.

Pictures can be found on the 31 days tab.

I hope everyone had a super snazzy Monday.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Burlap lampshade for Day 14

This one is kind of embarrassing. I've put this project off for just over 3 years for no apparent reason. Shame on me.

My finish for day 14 is a burlap lampshade. It was a piece of cake to finish and now DH thinks I need to do the other  one in the room as well. We'll see.

Check the 31 days tab for more information

In other news, I mastered the miter saw. Not the little yellow box with a hand saw. No, the big honkin' thing that could take your hand off without missing a beat.

Mom asked me if DH could cut a rolling pin for her and I told her he would. But, DH pulled a disappearing act while I went to fetch the rolling pin so I thought I'd try it myself.

I'm not intimidated by too many power tools, but the table saw and the miter saw would be the two that do it for me. Honestly, it took me longer to figure out how to raise the blade (there's a little pin holding the arm down) than it did to make two cuts. Poor rolling pin. I love rolling pins of any kind, shape, and size and I have to admit it might have hurt a little bit to cut it.

Well, I'd better hit the tub and get ready for work tomorrow. I hope everyone has a wonderful week.



Two days with no internet

Hooray! It rained.

On days 11 and 12 we had no internet. It's surprising how much stuff you can do when you're not glued to a keyboard or mouse, staring blindly at a screen. It also helps when the electricity goes off for a bit.

On Day 11 my intention was to sew, but short of dragging out one of the treadle machines or sewing by hand it wasn't happening. Instead, I schlepped furniture downstairs to the basement. The bench from Day 1 and the table from Day 5 are out of the way for the time being. No more stubbed toes or grumbling husband.

Day 12, still no internet. Bummer. I tackled the garage and took a load of paint-able furniture to storage. Now DH is really happy. Silly man, I have a plan for that stuff.

So, while there's no pictures to show my finishes, I did finish a couple of things.


Thursday, October 11, 2012

Cleaning up on Day 11

I can't do any finishing-up until I get the mess on my kitchen island under control. It's been a long week and I've been lazy in the picking-up-after-myself department. It happens. That's all I'm saying.

For a hideous picture of my mess head over to the 31 days tab and here's hoping tomorrow I can doing some sewing.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Day 10 and a paper fan

I finally finished the paper fan I started months ago. The poor thing is a little worse for wear after clunking around for so long. I kind of like it though. It might need a little bling of some kind, but I'm all out of ideas tonight.

Check out the 31 days tab for pictures.

Joy

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Totes and towels on day 9

Tonight I finished up two tote bags and six kitchen towels. This project has been hanging around the dining room for months and I just never could get into it.

I used graphics from The Graphics Fairy and Citra Solv. Super easy finish and I'm going to look for more projects using this method. A picture can be found under the 31 days tab.

I may go back and add ruffles and other embellishments on the totes. I'll have to think about it and see how I like them a little later.

The weave on the towels was much looser than on the totes and you can definitely tell by how the images transferred. I like it.

Joy

Monday, October 8, 2012

Days 6, 7 & 8

On day 6 I finished up a promise to my mom and then spent the rest of the day chasing a nearly 4-year-old. We went to a horse sale and didn't get home until 1 am. I'm too old for that nonsense.

On day 7 we recovered from the 4-year-old and I finished up the paper flowers for day 8.

Day 8 gave me a completed project, finally.  I took a dusty grapevine wreath and partially covered it in paper flowers and added a printable clock face. I think it's cute and it's certainly not like anything else I have around here. I may do more of these later with some different stuff on them.

Check out the 31 days tab for pictures and info.

Joy

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Protecting a table

Day 5, I finally waxed the little black table I painted about a month ago. I don't know why it's so hard for me to get the simple stuff done sometimes.

We're having company this weekend and I don't know how I'm going to finish projects with a 4-year-old running around. LOL! Maybe I can talk her into helping Meemaw.

Check out the 31 Days tab for pictures.

Joy

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Dictionary leaf tree

Day 4 was a fun finish. I've got Modge Podge everywhere. Gack!

I bought the paper-wrapped wire trees at the thrift store probably close to a year ago for 25 cents each. I made one up with white feathers and it's pretty darned cute. There's a zillion things you could do with them besides hang teeny-tiny Easter eggs on them.

I apologize in advance for the lousy pictures. The lighting in this house stinks after dark and my camera battery is going so that didn't help either.

Today's finish was to attach leaves made out of dictionary pages. This project was finished in about an hour. Check the 31 days tab for more details.

As a bonus, I got the basement straightened out since it seems Grandbaby #1 is coming to visit this weekend.

Joy

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Christmas cards in October

Day 3 of the 31 days challenge has me addressing Christmas cards. I started this project last week and piddled around because I couldn't find my address book. Now it's a project done and put away until December.

Don't forget to check out the 31 days tab at the top for pictures and updates.

Joy

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Mirror perfect

Day two of the 31 day project is done. It took longer to drive to the office than it did to actually finish the mirror. I'm such a slacker.

Joy

Monday, October 1, 2012

A finished bench

I just completed my first project for 31 Days of Finishing Projects. I took me a whole 15 minutes.

Joy

Sunday, September 30, 2012

31 Days


I'm linking up with Nester for her 31 days project. 

My goal is 31 days of finishing projects I have laying around here.  That Current Projects tab up there, that's not even scratching the surface of what I've started and not finished. 

I confess...I am the queen of starting projects and a slave to finishing them. 

My main problem now that I'm working full-time, I procrastinate. I'm can find 101 excuses for not doing something when I get home from work. Am I the only one with this problem?

The list of projects I have running right now is a little bit daunting, but really needs to be worked on and whittled down to something approaching manageable. 

So, here's to reclaiming my dining table, clearing out the sewing room, and possibly getting my bathroom painted. 

Joy

Visit with the grandbaby


We just got home from New Mexico and our first visit with the new grandbaby. She's a whole 11 days old and couldn't be more perfect. Just look at that little mouth and those fingers. Sweet!

We managed to get lots of holding time and I realized this morning just how out of shape my holding arm really is. LOL.

I hope she doesn't grow too much before we get to see her again.

Joy

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Happy Birthday Baby #2


We welcome our newest grandbaby. This is Addison. She was born 9/19 and comes in at 7 pounds 10 ounces. Peepaw is over-the-moon.

Joy

Monday, September 10, 2012

Mirror, mirror, on my wall

I picked up this mirror at a garage sale a couple of weeks ago. It once sat atop an old dresser that was long gone. I love the size and the shape. The finish was rough. I hate to paint perfectly good pieces, but this was a candidate for a little paint TLC.


I took off the back and the mirror is stamped January '20. I knew it was old, just not that old. I very carefully took the mirror out of the frame and cleaned it up good. I think the streaky imperfections are just right.

A coat of primer and a couple coats of black paint later I think it's gorgeous. I plan on putting it in my office.

Joy

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Chair redo

I posted this poor old chair a few weeks ago. Since then she's had a coat of primer, two coats of paint, and a new seat.

Before
After
I think she looks much better. Now I just need to get busy and sew her a cushion. I think I like black furniture. Who knew?

Joy

No more cruddy paint brushes

I love it when I see something, try it and it actually works.

Source: link
My primer brush was nasty and ready to be chucked. The poor thing had been used so many times and then stuck in a bag and put in the freezer. It wouldn't come clean the regular way so I took a tip from Pinterest. I  soaked it in Murphy Oil Soap overnight and tadah!, not only is my brush clean, it smells great too.


Now we can get back to priming and painting. Brushes are just too expensive to throw away.

Joy

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Pinterest

It sucks you in and then shows you how to eat Oreos with a fork.

I may be ruined forever.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Kitchen redo

I posted under Kitchen Redo. It's mostly pictures, hey that's what we all like, but if anyone wanted to know particulars of how we did something I'll happily share.


Before

After 

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Maybe....

Just maybe we'll be blessed with a little rain. I can hear thunder. Crossing my fingers and toes.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Stuff I'm working on

Right now I've got two chairs and a table in the works being primed for painting and foofing up a little.
This one is a little rocker I picked up at the thrift store for cheap.

This one use to be in my Granny's kitchen. I've had it for 26 years, kicking around either in the house or garage and now and it's time to do something with it. For this one I've removed the seat and given it a good coat of primer. Painting and a seat are next just as soon as I figure out what color I want to use.

For some reason I don't have a picture of the little table. Maybe I can remember to snap one before I start painting it.

Have a wonderful week.

One down, two to go

Here's a quickie baby quilt I did for one of the girls I work with. Her colors are pink, black, and white.


This was a fast job since I received her invitation on Wednesday for a Saturday shower. LOL.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Summer Sunday

It's so stinkin' hot outside. Yick!

I've got fabric serged and ready to wash for one baby quilt and a bunch of burlap in the washer softening up for some other crafty projects.

For some reason this time of the year makes me want to stay inside and craft.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

It's been a while...

Almost two years to be exact.

I don’t think there are too many of my blogging buddies around anymore. Sue at Country Pleasures posts the most regularly I think.

Let’s see…two years is a long time to try and catch up on so I won’t. LOL.

Currently, we’re expecting a grandbaby in September and another in January. Little miss Kelsie is 3 now and is looking forward to sharing her January birthday with a baby brother or sister.

DH’s mother is doing okay. She’s 87 and still in the nursing home. She doesn’t walk anymore since falling several months back. Mostly she sits in her chair and sleeps. She seems happy and that’s the important thing.

I still work for the same place, but started a new position on April 2. I replaced a lady who retired and we managed to get three whole months of training in before she left. That’s almost unheard of anymore. I have a sweetheart of a boss and huge office far away from the snippy people. It’s a whole lot different than what I had the first two years of employment.

I haven’t been crafting or sewing or doing much of anything lately. I need to get busy working on baby quilts and I have a few things I’d like to do just because.

Well, I guess I need to hit the tub and get ready for work tomorrow.

Night all.