Update on Spot's progress

A little more has been hooked on Spot.  This was a freebie pattern by Sally Van Nuys.  I admit it's been fun to play with the pile of worms. It doesn't seem to have made a dent in them though.

I've embraced the wonkyness.  The next time I post about Spot, it will be done

I'm not sure what to do with that bottom bar.  I was going to do hit and miss in straight horizontal lines but my worms are all different sizes from 6 to 8.5 and with the lines not being straight I don't think that will work.  Well actually I KNOW it won't work.  

I'm going to put it aside tonight and give it some more thought. I think it needs something a little more subtle to offset the crazy of the rest of it.  I hate to cut more worms...... 

Practicing Part 2 (and a mini rant)

Well, the day started with snow.  It snowed!  Can you believe it? I guess I jinxed it by bragging about my crocuses.   And that was just the beginning.  I'd like to say I'm a little Ray of Sunshine who went through my day burping bubbles and farting rainbows but the truth is by mid morning I wanted to tell anyone who dared look at me to "kiss my arse".  Lol

So that seems like a good introduction for my latest project update. I discovered long ago that some projects are just learning experiences.  I fear poor Spot is destined to just be one of those projects.  I have made rookie mistakes right from the beginning.  

I have learned that hit and miss is more about planning than random.  That's ok, it will prove to be useful in the future.  However, as I worked around the border I discovered it was not even close to straight.  A good lesson is not to quickly draw out a pattern, in a hurry, and in a poorly lit room.  Some of the squares were 2, 3 or even 4 holes off from one end to the other.  Frustrating yes, but a good reminder for the future.  Spot will be wonky and I can live with that (this time)

He won't be a "masterpiece" but I'll love him just the same 

Practicing

I spent most of the weekend practicing.  I really wanted to name this post "experimentation" but I was scared it might attract some disappointed people who might Google that word!  And if I'm going to disappoint my followers, it's gonna be on purpose.  Lol

Let's talk food.  And I'm sorry for the lack of pictures but I usually think of it too late.  I've been getting bored with my own cooking and I'm still without a full size oven so that limits me. I decided to try to make something different.  I made my first batch of stuffed peppers. 

This one was a keeper.  Simple but very tasty.  But I had some extra filling left over and realized it's basically the same filling as cabbage rolls.  So, with a bit of overconfidence I went out and bought a cabbage and began.....  I think I need LOTS of practice rolling those darn leaves.  No pictures because honestly, they were the ugliest damn things you've ever seen.  I haven't tasted them as they are meant for later in the week, so they "might" taste ok.  But to look at......just sad.  More like "cabbage loosely flapped" than "cabbage rolls"

Undaunted by this failure I continued.  I have NEVER been able to cook edible ribs.  Fall off the bone?  Mine are more like "try to gnaw your way through leather".  But pork ribs were on sale so I succumbed.  I put them in the slow cooker this morning.  This one gets a C+ grade.   Not a total fail but let's just say I'm glad I wasn't depending on them to feed company. 

I think I'll continue this practice theme in my next post related to my latest rug.  I've learned a few hard lessons on that project too 

Hope you all had a lovely weekend.  To end this weekend I'll share what has sprung up in my backyard flower bed.  So pretty.

I dare you....

I've been having some fun lately teasing sweet Saundra from Woodland Junction.  She is always hooking something wonderful and she is always willing to answer questions and give tips for all our hooking challenges.  And trust me, I have LOTS of hooking related challenges. 

So....when she recently confessed a fear of attempting to hook a beer mug, naturally I jumped all over it.   I had 2 motivations.  First she is funny and I do so enjoy and little twisty back and forth from time to time.  But more importantly, I have NO IDEA how to hook glass, so once she figures it out, she will share.  And how great would it be if I could hook a glass of red wine!!

I'm happy to report she is facing her fear and has started her beer mug.  (Yes, just talking about it makes me thirsty).  Go check it out, she's off to a great start.  So in the spirit of friends facing their fears together I will now share my progress in my first attempt at a hit and miss border.

Sorry for the dark photo but it was night by the time I took this picture.  Darn day job interferes with hooking. Lol.  Plus I figured the poor lighting might hide some of the wonkyness.  It's far from perfect but it's using up some of the leftover worms that collect and it has me hooking again after a long break. 

Ok Saundra, challenge accepted!  :)

Unwinding

Kimmie had a hard day today.  Some days you should just stay in bed.  Time to hide and unwind

Good Night!

I've got the Sunday Night Blues

The weekends just go by far too quickly don't they. I spent most of the day house cleaning or also known as "all the chores I ignored all week".  

I applied another coat of clear wax to the top of the new TV stand.  It will probably be ok to put stuff on top of it by Tuesday night.  I think I could get addicted to this new painted project mode.  I visited my Mom's best friend this morning and I found myself looking at all the wooden furniture in her house and imagining what I could do with it.  Lol

With creativity still coursing through my system I thought it was time to pick up the hooking frame again.  I'm so intimidated by the hit and miss sections of this rug.  I know I'm over-thinking it.  I decided to sort some of the worms in my bag.  Not sure if I thought this might actually help or was just another procrastination technique....

Of course, by the time I finished that it had seriously reduced my hooking time.  Here I go.......

Oh, and another gourmet meal tonight.  That's code for a lazy Sunday supper

A makeover project

I found this old wooden dresser at a junk store last summer.  I knew eventually I would figure out what to do with it.  

Don't you just love the yellow plastic handles?  Lol. I've been dying to try the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint on a project so now is the time.  I got a can of paint and some clear and dark wax.  I watched a few tutorials on YouTube but I probably should have watched a few more. :)  it's not as easy as it sounds 

Here I go.  This is after the first coat.  You really need to rush and just slap it on because it dries incredibly fast.  And supposedly you are supposed to have brush strokes going every which way.  Quite different than regular painting so it takes getting used to but after you get going it's fun to paint like a child. 

A close up after the first coat.  I want this piece to look a little old and weathered.  After the 2nd coat was applied you add a coat of clear wax and let it set overnight.  This morning was time to add the dark wax.  This step was terrifying.   Look at the color of the wax......

But everything I read said "don't fear the dark wax - just do it".   So I did It.  Now I know I need more practice with the dark wax.  My technique isn't too great but I'm hoping tomorrow after I buff it and apply another coat of clear, it will look OK.

Not sure if you can see the weathering with the dark wax just applied 

Found some new hardware and this is almost ready to be my new TV stand.  I'm not loving the handles but selection was limited and they are easy to change later.

And for those of you who kept reading to the end, here's a little treat.   This is a pic of Scout today - 5 days old

Awwwwww, I'm in love

I spy with my little eye

Something that is green

Something is sprouting up in my front flower beds.  Since I wasn't living here last Spring I'm not sure what it is but I think it's crocuses.  I guess it will be a nice surprise.  As I was walking around the house surveying the winter damage I guess I should clean all the dead leaves from these beds.  Ugh, garden work.  

I also need to address this broken front rail......plow damage.

Before all the snow melted I was kind of hoping maybe I could straighten it up, slap on a little duct tape , and paint over it.  (I'm not kidding, I actually considered it). Lol.  But I guess I will have to suck it up and go to the building supply store and buy new railing materials.  I tried to ignore the peeling paint around all the windows but that will be another spring job.   Ahh the joys of home ownership.  

I'm working on an inside project this weekend.  I'll share it next time.  

Happy weekend all

Announcing......

I'm thrilled to announce a new addition.  My new puppy was born today!!

In about 3 months a new furry bundle of joy will take up residence with me.  I'm so excited!  When I got the email I felt like running out on the sidewalk handing out milk bones!  Lol

"Scout's" first baby photo.  That little black blob in the middle, nestled against Momma , only a few minutes old.

I can't wait for that tiny little bundle to grow and fill my house with love.

It's really happening

I think we have this winter beat.  The snow is melting.  I even saw some robins flitting around the yard this weekend.  

Even though there is still snow, it is disappearing some every day.   Wheeeee

If you recall, the snow used to up up past this window.   

I have another home project in mind so I'm off to the hardware store.  Spring Fever has hit!

Restless day

It was just one of those days. I woke up feeling meh.  Nothing in particular, just restless I suppose.  I have spent the whole day puttering around, doing nothing and everything, and nothing for more than 20 minutes at a time.  You know I must have been seriously restless because I vacuumed both upstairs and down.  And then I rearranged the living room furniture and had to vacuum again! 

Weekend chores are all done.  I think I deserve a treat

Gray is fickle

Since I have moved Into this house I have changed my mind on many things.  Furniture has been moved and removed, rooms have changed function, ideas have come and gone but one constant since the day I got here was the upstairs hall and my bedroom were to painted a soft silver gray.

Well, nobody told me what a fickle witch gray could be.  The other evening I put the first coat of paint on the hallway and then went to bed.  In the morning the walls were not gray but instead a pale sky blue.  I'm not a fan of blue to begin with so I was sooo disappointed.  With the natural light of day, the color had completely changed.  It looked fine at night.  Since I only had one coat on and hadn't started the bedroom yet I went back to the paint store and had them mix a darker gray paint.  Now convinced I had outsmarted the blue demon in my paint can I started painting in the bedroom.

Guess what??  Now it's just a darker friggin blue!  At this point I'm heartsick, cranky, tired and fed up.  I decided I would keep going and force myself to live with it for a year.  

I took a couple of pictures to show you and here's an ironic twist........the color in these pictures looks more gray than blue.  Arrghhh

It may not be what I hoped for but at least it's fresh and clean.  

On a more positive home decor note, I found this idea on pinterest for these shelves over the window.  Taadahh!  All I need to do is add a dowel and find a cute piece of fabric to hang 

I know everyone is sick of me whining about the snow but I want to post this pic taken yesterday.  The blog is a great way to look back at other years so I wanted to be able to see Easter Sunday 2015

And it wouldn't be right not to post about the Easter bunny.  Saw him at the grocery store the other day

(I'm sorry but you know I'm a little dark and twisty ). 

Treats!

I've been keeping busy.  Yesterday I got at it early and worked all morning.  It was close to noon so I decided to feed myself.  And then my phone beeped.  The message said "wanna come over for coffee and fresh baked cookies".  Well, that sounded like a great lunch to me.  I changed out of my painting clothes and headed out.  

They were just out of the oven.  Mmmm

The next question was "do you want Bailey's in your coffee?"  I think we all know the answer to that question!   Best lunch ever

Then it was back to work but the whole painting thing requires its own post so you'll have to wait for that story.

This morning at my weekly Coffee date with the Hens, we had a little Chicky join us.  Sweet baby Ashlynn was wearing bunny slippers.  So cute

Final stop of the day, the german bakery/chocolate shop for a fancy egg

I'm so sick of painting I need all these treats to keep me sweet 

Still going

I did keep going today with my painting but it took awhile to get going.  Truth be told, this morning I was sore and tired.  Like "old woman" tired.  Lol.  I lingered over several morning coffees and then I decided to go get my groceries.  AKA - anything but paint!  

Then I stopped at the Dollar Store and found this cute little sign (and a few other doo-dads).  Isn't The Dollar Store the greatest place?

Put the groceries away and then grabbed the shovel and tried to break up some of the snow banks so they would melt faster.   Classic procrastination techniques.  Now I was out of chores so I bit the bullet and finished that one wall 

There was still some paint left in the tray so instead of pouring it back in the can I decided to try painting the panelling in the entry to the bathroom.  That old wood panel board really sucks in the paint.  Two coats isn't going to cut it here 

I'll finish this tomorrow.   I also found an old bookshelf on a local facebook swap and sell site.  $10 and it's in great shape.  I might paint it or maybe leave it as is.  Time will tell 

I visited the florist again and bought another little plant.  Mainly because it was in a really cute burlap covered pot.  Perfect for a hooker, wouldn't you say?

I "think" it's a peace lily.  She told me but I forgot by the time I got home.  Well, that's all for today.  Tonight I'm just relaxing with a cold beer, bag of cheesies and the TV.

More mess

Chaos reigns supreme here. I look around at the mess and I wonder if it will ever be in order.  I know it will all be worth it but ARRGHH - the mess

At least the walls look fresh and clean. Two coats of "cloud white" are on the walls in this room.  And look....the peach valances are gone!  

And no major casualties.  A bit of paint on my pants and shirt, a few spots on the carpet  (I'm convinced nobody will notice).  I'm not sure what logic I used to not take down the hanging plant.  A decision I would later regret.  I'm pretty sure these leaves are not meant to be variegated .....

Tomorrow I will finish the wall on the other side of the room and maybe even tape off the bedroom walls.  I think there may even be enough paint left to do the little entry to the bathroom that currently has paneling.   I hope I don't lose my steam