Springing~

Before all else, I must thank everyone who left me such kind words after my pity party post last week. You are all dears and I treasured every word!!!

There has been improvement. Communication helps and so does time...and coffee with sweet friends! All is well!  My friend Tami had a wonderful post yesterday which captured a lot of what I'm feeling. What's a mom to do when she's no longer in the throws of motherhood? I don't have to cook for anyone, or do laundry for anyone but myself, although hubby brings some home, but he often does it himself! My house doesn't get dirty, grocery shopping is minimal, and I don't enjoy going out just for the sake of going out! I'm not sure where to put my focus now and so I'm not really focused on anything.

I've decided to try and accomplish "something" each day. Some of you are rolling your eyes and some of you can relate. I've started exercising and volunteering at church. Yard work is screaming at me!!  I tackled some painting projects that I've been needing (not wanting...there's a difference!) to do. It's sad how I can look past what needs to be done because I've become so accustomed to ignoring it!

Got out my ASCP and some sandpaper and went to town. It didn't even take me an hour...pathetic that I've put it off for so long!!

An old table that I got at a garage sale...

And an old luggage rack that I can't remember where I found it!

Also, I finally painted the ceiling in our office. If you recall, this room remodel was finished last spring...Now it's officially done!!!

It's a beautiful day here! I've been able to put my clothes on the line again (squeal of delight)!  I really, really love line dried clothes. I hung my sheets out the other day and they still smell so fresh. It's a simple joy that puts a smile on my face! So I leave you with some shirts billowing in the breeze!

Enjoy the weekend!!

We like to change things up!

We just can't leave things alone around here....always coming up with something new. I like to come up with a plan, present it to Brian and wait for him to agree with me!!!! This time it only took a year or two!!!

We have a small, about 9 x 11 room upstairs that we really didn't use for anything. Small window, no closet. We used it to hold bookshelves, a filing cabinet and an old desk. We would retrieve things from there, but never actually use the room! Oh, and it had a little jut out where the old fireplace pipe went up through the wall. We put a bed in there during Christmas for guests so it was a little crowed!

 Funky little wall and teen, tiny window!

The guy who makes my vision a reality!

He decided to tackle this while I had my leg in a cast, so I was NO help what-so-ever!

The ugly, green carpeting that I am slowly, but surely replacing!

Carpet gone!

 Funky wall and pipe gone!

Window doubled in size! Look at the difference in the view!  I have to hand it to Brian for doing this all himself! He cut it out, put in the header and replaced the window. I just shouted encouragement from downstairs! He also did all the wallboard, mudding and spackling, wiring and trim work. I painted the green, but he spayed the room and all the trim. He's quite nice to have around! I miss him!

I LOVE having the bigger window! It makes such a difference! You don't have to walk right up to the window to see out....much, much better!

I was able to help a bit with the wood floor. Picking pieces and laying them out, but again, Brian did most of the work!

I've had the color picked out for a couple of years, just waiting to use it somewhere! It's kind of a granny smith green.

We had two old, oak bookshelves that fit the wall pretty well. Brian took all the facing off and then worked at raising them up and trimming them out.

 

 Here's what they looked like after, with some primer on them.

We liked the board and batten that we did before in Ashleigh's room that we decided to do it again. I use the term "we" loosely!!

The finished product!!!


Filled with books, magazines on the bottom shelves...need a label system..., photo boxes on the top and some fun goodies to fill it out!

A cute little desk, stolen from my daughter's room!

And a new filing cabinet from Home Decorators. 

 

I've added some pictures and a few other things, but this is pretty much it!

A big improvement and a room that we actually use now, even if it is just to sit in and admire the view!!!

A Fun Little Project

The recovery is slow. I had such high expectations for myself! I'm farther along than the Dr. said I'd be, but I was sure I'd be closer to wearing two shoes! As it is, I now have a "boot" and am able to start putting a little weight on my foot. It also means that I'm able to navigate the stairs quite well and can finally start spending time in my sewing room...yeah!!!

Once a month a get a nice little package from Sweetwater ,as part of their label crew. They create a little project every month, and labels to go with it. I really like everything they do and they have the most swoonable fabrics! I ordered the little fabric kit too, but it was only $5.00...easy peasy!

 The project is for a journal cover that fits over a standard composition book. You get the colorful and very detailed pattern along with the cute label to go on the front of the book. The fabric squares were extra and also came with a fat quarter for the liner.

So I layed out all the fabric pieces until they looked right to me!

Sewed all the rows together...

And together again...

Sewed the front to the back, with a lining in between...

Turned it right side out...

Placed the book inside the flaps...

Ironed on the label and stitched the edges.

I love it! Cute, easy and a project completed in a short amount of time!!!

What are We Thinking???

This weekend our plans were to:

1. get the generator working and tested...supposed to be a nasty winter...
2. put the lamp posts back together...after painting and adding outlets...
3. plant all the plants that are sitting in pots on the porch and around the garden...
4. paint the entry...lots of parties coming up
5. start making a slipcover for the chair...
6. work on the Christmas quilt that is now going on the fourth Christmas...I still like it...





Instead, we got it into our heads to do this...

I'm not so good at taking the before pictures, but this was my son's room when we first moved here. We had painted the walls with aluminum paint and then my hubby made all the trim, chair rail and crown molding. We (he) made it all out of sheet metal, and used big screws and washers to attach it to the wall. It was very cool!!!! Lots of metal shelves, black bed and red accents around the room.
When my daughter moved out, my son took over her room and we just moved her furniture into his old room. She has all white, cottage-ie-type furniture, 4-poster bed stuff and it just never looked quite right!!!

She's coming home this weekend so of course we started a new project, which won't be done in time for her visit, which means she has to sleep on the couch in the bonus room!!!!

We're going to do board and batten on the bottom and dark brown on the top, with crown molding (from our old LR) on the top. I need to paint everything and then repaint all of her furniture too. I should be doing this now, as it's actually nice out, but probably won't get to it today!!

Needless to say, not much of our list was accomplished!!! Brian and Tyler did get the lampposts back up and working, and I got most of the plants in the ground. Also got the lawn mowed yesterday. I keep hoping it's the last mow of the season, but 4 days later it needs mowing again!!!

In other news:

I found out my friend Debra is a rug hooker. She invited me to her home to show me what she's working on. I've always wanted to learn this art and after seeing her rug...I'm "hooked"!!!! I can't wait to see the finished project!

This piece is quite large and will hang above her couch. Do you see the pumpkin patch??? And to the left of the little house is a clothesline with dungaree's on it!!!! I only want to make this and then I will be quite content in the rug hooking business.

There is a group of "hookers" that meet once a week at the senior center and I've attended the last 2 weeks. They are so eager to share and teach and their projects are amazing!

This lady is making one of these for each of her four children. This is where they grew up and where they lived. The Teton's are in the background and I believe this is for her son who works for the railroad. She tries to make each one personal, but the general look is the same for each kid. What a beautiful legacy!

The cutest things there, of course, are the seniors!!! What a happening place!!! Lots of activities, but every Tuesday there is dancing from 1-4!!! Live music and everyone dresses up just a little!! No jeans here!!!! A whistle is blown, (quite loudly, I assume because they are hard of hearing) every minute or so and they have to change partners. This is a good idea, cuz some of those men are quite good, while others seem to be falling asleep on their feet!!!!! The little ladies have their hair all curled up and their high heels on and darned if they all aren't the cutest things!!!!

A few weeks ago we had quite the rain storm. As it was pouring behind my house, the front of my house had this to feast on......

The top picture is from my front porch. I couldn't get a picture of the full rainbow, but you could see it from end to end!

And then...it doubled!!!!

Reminds me of the song...All God's Promises are Yes and Amen!!!!! Nothing is prettier than the pictures He paints!!!

Technically Challanged

After almost 3 hours, the play list has been changed!!!!! It took me forever!!!! Last time it was so easy, but not so today my friends! (those of you who are still listening that is!!!)

I have such a hard time choosing songs. I really wanted some winter/love songs. After all, Valentine's day is just around the corner! But then I start listening to all kinds of music, writing out play lists and just when I think I have it set, playlist.com doesn't have a certain song! As I start looking for new songs, I find one's that I don't have on itunes and I have to start all over again!!! I haven't listened to it all the way through, but I hope it's good? Okay? Better than Christmas?!!!

Off to get something done...that's so I can say I did something constructive when Hubby asks what I did all day!!

Cooking and Cleaning!

Happy New Year everyone!! It's been so long since I've posted...sorry about that!!
We had such a great Christmas, but things went downhill quickly and I've had trouble getting out of my funk! It's been 3 weeks of hurt, sadness, frustration and crankiness. People have disappointed and I'm sure I've disappointed also. I feel like a bad mother, wife, friend, etc. I'm questioning everything and I hate living that way. I covet your prayers and I will say that things have improved greatly, but I'm a bit leery at this point!!

On a happy note....the pantry is FINISHED!!!!!!!! No more food in my bedroom! Living out of boxes, card tables and temporary shelving for the last 13 months has not been my favorite thing, although I've handled it better than I thought...right honey???

After a major leak that went into the ceiling and down the walls into my pantry in Nov of 08, we had to rip everything out. Drywall, flooring, shelving...everything! I never did like the slatted metal shelving that was in there and the shape of my pantry is a triangle, so it wasn't all that functional either. So handy honey decided to take on this project of building me a shelving unit and utilizing some more space. He did such a great job!! I love it!

This is the center unit. I wanted to have a place just for baking items with a little table area. I have a few cake mixes I need to start using!!!
I collect old Thermos's but after the remodel, I had no place for them....until now!!! Love them! Hate the light fixture! I'm thinking maybe a cute little chandelier?

This is the genius area of the pantry! As I've said, the pantry is a triangle with the side walls being totally useless. Brian came up with the plan to use the space between the studs for shelving!! We haven't done the other side yet, but isn't this great?? Every thing's adjustable too, so I can change things around.

Hard to get a picture of the whole thing, but hopefully you get the idea. I'd love to replace the door with a screen door so that's what I'm on the look out for!

The laundry room also got finished...almost!

Got the old wooden cooler at the Farm Chickshttp://thefarmchicks.com sale last year and the wringer at Seabold Vintage Markethttp://seaboldvintagemarket.blogspot.com.

When we bought the house the cupboards were all arranged differently...very weirdly actually!! So a few years ago we changed things around and it works a lot better. Because we had a major leak here as well, we needed new flooring. It was so hard to find what I wanted! I was hoping for something solid as it meets up with tile in the hallway. Finding solid, and dark was next to impossible! Finally found one I liked, ordered it, and the company had closed!!!!

Back to square one!!! Found an Armstrong floor that was close so I settled for that! ( At this point I am very tired of making decisions!!) I really like it though! Got my wooden bench at the Farm Chicks show too!! I painted all the walls and Brian put up all new trim.

Some of my baskets on top of the fridge in the laundry room.

Love the little red cowgirl boots!!

My old washer and dryer were 25 years old, so I'd been saving all year for a new set. I knew if I didn't put money aside, they'd break down and I'd be stuck! So I squirreled away my money and Brian's parents gave us money for Christmas. There was a BIG black Friday sale and some rebates too, so now I have a new W and D!! Plus, Whirlpool ran out of the dryer I ordered, so I got an upgrade to the steam dryer! Haven't tried it yet, but it sounds cool!

I'm really pleased with how every thing's turned out and glad that I waited to do everything and didn't settle just to get things done! I also painted the kitchen and the interior of my big hutch. Finished painting a part of the upstairs that wasn't done, got all my Christmas down and put away (which depresses me greatly!) and started working on a quilt!!


I am, however, SICK of projects!!!!! I just want to do something fun for awhile!!! Like quilt, or scrapbook, or nap!!!!

I am blessed beyond belief and deserve none of the blessings I've been given. God is so good and so faithful and while it's been a tough few weeks, we're healthy, have nice clothes, running vehicles, food to eat, a roof over our heads and most important, the promise of Heaven. Thanks for sticking with me!!!