Sunday, May 22, 2011

Adventures in Spray Paint and Upholstery

So.... I've been a very busy girl this weekend.  Saturday I took a bunch of junk to Peterson Air Force Base for their base-wide yard sale and set up with a new friend from a playgroup I just started attending.  I wanted to do more than just sell some junk though, I was shopping!  I keep a list in my phone of all the things I "need" for the house that I would like to pick up at bargain rates.   Well, I managed to buy a full patio set (four chairs and a table) for $20, a wicker chest for $1 and 20 items clothing for Darcy for $10.  Oh, and a ginormous mirror for $10 too. 

I'm not sure what I'm doing with the mirror right now, but it was the perfect size, color, and style to go on top of Darcy's dresser when it stops being a changing table and needs to be a vanity.  That thing weighs a ton, so I'm not hauling it upstairs until I know where it's going. It stands on it's own, so I'm thinking I may just put it on the floor in her room so she can admire herself when she had floor play time.

But...more to the point I've been tackling the wicker and patio projects.  I've been wanting a blanket chest for our living room for ages.  Right now our fleece blankets end up on the floor because Carson pulls them off and likes to snuggle in them. As a result, all of our blankets are embedded with dog hair- blech.  But if we had a place to toss them out of his reach, I'm hoping they would have a chance to de-hair after a dozen or so spins through the laundry.  So here's my before and after of the chest (I've spent about an hour on it so far, but I have to reattach the hinges and hardware still.
Before- $1

After- with $4 spray paint and $10 batting and fabric (before second coat of paint)
I"m pretty darn pleased.  Just ignore the photography though- it's not my strong suit.  The next project coming down the pike is to paint the patio furniture and recover the cushions.  Here's the before and a sneak peek of what's coming.  Yes, the table top is FILTHY. Apparently $20 doesn't cover windex.



I'm adding color to the front porch baby!  Hopefully I'll get this wrapped up this week, along with assembling my raised bed (boards in the background) because we'll be in Greeley next week and then Boulder as I run my first 10K!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Quilt Story

I did it!  Having begun this quilt in early 2004, I finally completed it over last weekend.  Man, this thing has been with me in six different houses/apartments and has fabric in it from at least 3 different quilt shops.

When I first started it, I thought I would make it for my MIL-to-be, Michelle.  But, then I realized it wasn't really her colors, so I made her a different small quilt which now hangs in her guest room.  So then I decided it would be for Michelle's mother, my dear Grandma Gayle.  At this point, I had pieced the back (something I did in one day and a few hours of hanging out with my own grandmother), but hadn't gotten any further.

After Jason and I were married in June 2005, we moved to the East Coast.  On our way to NoVA, we stopped in Maryland and I saw GG's house for the first time.  Well, it is impeccably decorated and I confess to thinking within a few minutes of entering that I would have to find another recipient for this quilt. I knew if I gave it to her, she'd feel obliged to hang it somewhere, and it didn't fit her color scheme either.  At this point, I had at least cut the fabric for the applique, though not a single flower or vine appeared on the quilt.

Well, when GG's mother (aka Brambie) moved out to live with her, I knew my quilt had found it's perfect recipient. Brambie likes ALL colors, and the brighter the better.  Brambie just celebrated her 90th birthday, and though this was not completed in time, I hope it will brighten the rest of her year.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Revisiting Resolutions

So, every year on my birthday I resolve things (I find this more meaningful than the new year).  With less than two months till my next birthday, let's take a look and see how I am doing with last year's resolutions.

1. Run another 5k, be very close to being prepared to run the Bolder Boulder (10k) in 2011.
Well, I haven't done this quite yet, at least I haven't run a race. But I am in training for the Bolder Boulder and plan to do a 5K with Kevin and Ramona this month.
2. Re-upholster at least one chair
I have the supplies to reupholster a couch, all except the upholstery needle, so this is "in progress."
3. Sew my own curtains
Definitely not happening.  Well, maybe I'll get around to sewing curtains for Darcy before my birthday. I have the material, but I make no promises.
4. Finish my columbine quilt and my secondary circles quilt.
Ha!  The columbine quilt is a possibility, the secondary circles quilt is not.
5. Sew decorative pillows for my living room
Cancelled, after t he dog ate our existing ones.  This can go back on the list when he completely exits the chewing stage.
6. Paint EVERYTHING! (Or at least almost everything in my new home. I'm talking walls, doors, trim, and cabinets.  If I get really into it maybe even the kitchen counters?  Don't freak out Mom, that's just a musing.)
Though I have not painted everything, I'll leave this green. I'm very satisfied with what I was able to accomplish while working full time and being pregnant.  Work continues....
7. Build a bed and some bookshelves using plans from www.knockoffwood.blogspot.com
Cancelled- I don't need another bed and I picked up enough cheap and free bookshelves, for now.  Bookshelves may be a summer project, but they are not a priority.
8. Raise my own vegetables and make home-made jam
Sigh... I never got my garden in.  It was just too much work without Jason, and by the time he got around to helping me with the yard, the season had passed.  But this resolution is staying on for next year.
9. Expand the family...
Green, very green.  I didn't even realize when I said this that I would be adding a dog to the family as well.  But, we have our darling Darcy and I call that success!
10. Visit my family in SE Asia (this is the improbable must most desired one)
Though this didn't happen, I'm marking it yellow since we are now at least planning a trip, for next Christmas!  Yayayayayay!

Hmm, I definitely have more red and yellow than green, but I'm not unhappy about it, and it's not that unexpected. I think it is fair to say that I have very high expectations for myself and tend to get over committed.  Stuff that was not on this list that did get done included painting Darcy's crib and dresser/changing table, and sewing her crib skirt, bumper, and sheets.  I've done plenty of projects, so the ones I didn't do were because they lost on out the priority wars.  So far 27 has been good, very good.  I'm excited to see what 28 brings, and I'm even contemplating a 30 before 30 list.  Do I dare?

I am SAHM, SAHM I am

After only four months, I finally have time to blog again! (well, sort of)  The end of the year was pretty busy what with having a baby and hosting Christmas dinner for 30 family members.  And then it's just been an adjustment period. While I was on maternity leave, we had Dominic going to preschool only part-time.   Over the 7 week period, it became increasingly obvious that Dominic wanted to spend more time at home and that some of his behavioral issues from the last year or so are stemming from a sense of insecurity.  Add this to a new baby and the fact that I've found my job entirely unfulfilling and eventually Jason and I took a hard look at our finances and decided we could afford for me to quit and stay home with the kids.

Anyway, I'm taking my job as as Stay-At-Home-Mom very seriously, and with the same amount of anal retention that makes me plan my menus a month in advance.  I've set up my old office as our class room, drawn up a schedule in half-hour increments, planned the snack and lunch menu, and made a lesson plan for the week.  I'd like to do the lesson plan further out, but I figure I need to gauge progress every week and work from there.  Here are a few pictures from our classrooom.
Darcy hanging out

The start of our number line.  Teaching Dominic to recognize numbers and help his cutting skills.

Dom working hard to color pictures that start with "a" for the first page of his alphabet book.

A lesson in word building.  I used "bat"- the other word was what Dom wanted to know how to spell.

Anyway, so far it's been a real treat. I get to spend more focused time with Dom, cuddle Darcy (and no pumping!) and I've divided all my weekend chores across the week so I don't have to spend a full day just doing household chores every weekend. I do these during Dom's "free play" time.

On a side note, I was going to use this title anyway, but it's timely. Happy Birthday to on of my favorite authors, Dr. Seuss!