Tuesday feels like Monday

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. Thank you to all the veterans that have served, fought or lost their lives for us.  

There was some fun around here, but also some garden work...a lot of garden work, but now it's looking good and I'm ready to add some new plants. I had to tear out all the plantings near the house in order to regrade the soil, now some planning has to be done. Yesterday was so beautiful out it would have been a shame to spend much of any time indoors. Days like that just lift me up. Today is expected to be similar, but then the clouds and rain comes for 3 days...welcome to New England! 

THE DOOR

The front door is done! So much better than a big white rectangle. It makes me smile each time I look at it. 

Before

During

First coat

Final! 

Yeyyyyyy!

One project down, a million more to go. 

Bandit Boys

I've been so busy with work, house and garden that I haven't had time to be making things. I had! had! had! to make something before I went crazy. The ideas are always there wanting to make their way out, and this weekend I took a few hours and did something about it. 

Going through boxes from storage, I found 3 more that contained fabric. There was the, "oh, good, I do still have that," to the, "um, I don't like it anymore, make a pile and add it to the tag sale." So, I got it down to two boxes full instead. As I was looking at all the yummy fabrics and feeling all the ideas zipping around in my head, I put aside a buttery color, comfy, worn, soft sweatshirt -- I had a plan, exactly what that plan was I was unsure, but I knew something had to become of that fabric. When a particular fabric intuitively feels good at the time I am looking at it and touching it, a design comes to mind after a few times of thinking about it and looking at it. I actually never had an idea before in my life to make a Bandit Boy, but after walking around this fabric, an image popped into my head, and voila! Bandit Boy was born. 

Actually, two were, but the other is not quite done. Then there are two more that are cut out ready to be sewn, also. I'm hoping to be able to post their pictures in a few days. It's a busy week so keep fingers crossed for me.

Well, it's Monday morning and there's still lots to do before heading off to work. It's a little grey right now with expected temps of 60's...a good day to be inside working. It's hard when it's warm and sunny -- those days I want to be outside working, soaking up vitamin D and feeling the sun smile upon me. In New England, you have to take advantage of those types of days if you can, because you never know when it's going to be back again. 

Have a great day!!

I got me a head

I hope all you moms had a wonderful Mother's Day and got spoiled or completely left alone, whichever was your hearts desire. 

About a year ago I re-homed a dog to Angela, and as it happens on occasion, she and I have kept in touch via email and have built a nice friendship. She sent me this nice note for Mom's Day. I think it is so lovely. "...Happy Mother's Day--you may not be a birth mother, many women aren't.  But, I believe all women at some point in their lives provide a child or a friend with the type of care a mother could only provide, and that deep down we are all mothers to many, many people, not just those that happened to pop up in our wombs." Isn't that such a nice way to think?

We went to the Elephant Trunk Flea Market on Sunday. It's about an hour from here and I had never been so I thought it would be fun to check it out. It should be called an Antique market because essentially that is what it was. That is not a bad thing, but when I hear/read Flea Market I'm thinkin' junk (which I tend to enjoy a lot) and a mix of lower end antiques. mmm, NOT. But I did get a head, a boy's head to be exact. Who knows what it will become, if anything, as I've placed it atop some boxes and I'm liking it there. Of course, not much stays the same around here, so it will be there until something new and exciting comes along...or I sell it, that's been known to happen, too.  

After 3 1/2 hours this is what I came home with and R. bought 3 record albums...oh, oh, oh yeahhhhhh...and some awesome homemade extra extra sharp cheese and spicy and sharp swiss cheese! Very yummy. These two Italian men had about 4 tables set up of homemade meats and cheeses and some olives, and, and, and... I tried the pepperoni which looked soooo good, but it was a bit too spicey for me. I'm not a huge meat eater and prefer the vegetarian side of things, but I do seem to enjoy some pepperoni now and again. Yeah, not the healthiest of choices but oh, the flavor!

It's a beautiful morning here with the birds singing their songs and the sun shining albeit through some hazy sky -- I love Spring.

Enjoy your day!!

Changes are being made

Now that the floors are refinished I've been in a better mindset for doing everything else that needs to be finished -- it's a loooong list, but I'll attack a little at a time. 

The living room received a fresh coat paint, but first I painted the ceiling a light-greyish blue. I've been painting each of my ceilings as I paint the room because I've not been thrilled with this big white "sheet" as as as as, (oh darn, what's that designer's name?) says it in one of his books. Makes it feel a little cozier. With that came the washing of the walls and all trim. So, then I figured, well, might as well freshen the walls with paint, too. You don't know what this entails...I hand brush my walls. After moving into the house, I skim coated the walls in 3 rooms, they ended up so smooth I couldn't imagine rolling the paint on and getting the texture from the roller. Hence, I now handbrush the walls, and my friends will tell you...the colors change regularly. And I do this why???? When redoing the kitchen/dining area (a wall had been taken down between the two rooms) I thought "is it necessary to do the skimming and hand painting?" I decided I could live without it being done here, too. I just can't think about it too much. The saving grace is that there will be an all over repeat stencil pattern so it won't matter too much.  

So, I brushed the diluted paint in the living room. It looks clean and fresh. Ideas are flying as to what type of artwork I will put on them. Usually I like a tone-on-tone look, but I'm thinking there might be some color involved. I want to take advantage of the room being empty, oh, except for the vintage sofa in the middle of the room. My friend Lenore graciously stored it for me for a few months after purchase. I have good friends.  

My dogs have been without a sofa for about a year....I thought they'd forget how to jump up on one, and the 15 yo I thought for sure wouldn't risk it...wrong!! they are loving it!!

OK, so fresh walls, fresh ceiling...hey! wait! why don't I paint the door? Yeah, add another thing onto my list! Oh, what the heck. Actually, it's more fun because I haven't been pondering it forever and just decided spur of the moment. Here's it's 'during' stage...

it's an acid yellow/green in a striae, then I will put a deeper lime green over this in a striae. Fun fun. 

Of course, snacks are necessary when working so hard and I liked this color combo (I've been loving oranges lately) and the camera was nearby, sooooooooo.....

SCHNAUZER PAWS RESCUE

My new foster dogs -- I now have 8 more paws in the house. I only freaked out a little the first couple of days with the new floors and all. 

Here's Cody, he's a sweet boy. 

Rudy, his canine sibling got camera shy after the first picture I took of him. Because I'm such a GREAT photographer, that pic went into the trash bin. Cody is 9.5 years old and Rudy is 5. They are both good boys. They are quiet, except when they feel the need to protect me from outside intruders, they hang out (they're liking the sofa, too) and they play. Cody loves his toys even if he has to play with them alone. Both of them couldn't care less that my other two dogs are here. I've been fortunate that the 40+ dogs I've fostered have been dog friendly, even when the original owner wasn't sure if they would be. 

A lot of times when we get canine siblings in together we don't feel the need for them to be rehomed together once we get to know their personalities. Most times, they actually do better when separated and getting individual attention. These two like being with each other and they play together. Rudy is the more dominant of the two. Hopefully, someone will be interested in adopting them together. They will stay with me until they find new homes. Cody has gotten to my heart because of his sweet demeanor and lower energy. Rudy is very curious, energetic, and likes to rumble if you're willing.  

VINTAGE GOODY

At the flea market the other day, I couldn't help myself -- I had to get this little bunny. I like his oddness, I don't know what it is that draws me to certain rabbits. I like them when they are a little odd or scary. This one has barely readable writing on the side and it has R's name on it so, of course, that cinched the deal.

OK, I must get it together and load my car (in the rain) with my painting gear. A bedroom and bath are awaiting color!

Have a great day!