Tuesday, February 21, 2012

I'm Back in the Saddle Again. . .

     Christmas has come and gone on the lake and now it is time to, as Gene Autry's song would say, "get back in the saddle again."  H and I are ready to get the rest of this house finished before summer.  We would like to enjoy more time on the lake in our boat this year. Seems like most of last  summer was spent unpacking boxes. We did get some quality time on the lake when family came, but after they left each time, it was back to the boxes.  Now even though ALL the boxes are not unpacked, there are less and less to unpack and reorganize which takes most of the guilt away and we can do more "fun" things. I still need to organize closets, drawers, etc., but at least I have things where they need to be.
    Our master bedroom really needs window treatments but as of now, we are not sure what we want. One option is plantation shutters, another is floor to ceiling panels with sheers between. Still debating that one. I am still looking for an upholstered chair for my bedroom. I have not given up entirely on "the baby" chair and  unlike H, think it is in good enough shape to put the money in and have it uphostered. Another debateable issue. *The baby chair is a the swivel rocker that I rocked my baby in the 1980's.  
   We have finally decided that we want to get plantation shutters for all the windows across the front of the house. That includes the master bath window (above the garden tub), the dining room windows and the windows on the side of the garage. Now, all we need to do is order them and get this ball rolling.  My guess is since we are still trying to decide on the bedroom, that is what is holding us back.
    As I have shown you in previous posts, I have had a fabric shade made for the powder room, and I made valances for the sitting area next to the kitchen. As of Thursday, with my sewing machine now working again, I made the last valance for the kitchen window. I have been waiting on that one as I was trying to decide if I wanted a fabric shade for that window as well. I finally decided to go for it! The shade came back and now all I (actually, H) needs to do, is hang it. The kitchen window is one of only two windows where there is sun that comes in at a bad angle. It's only in the summer and for only a brief period but I still felt I needed a shade on it. (The other window, remember, is in the CROFT. After it fried my computer, I moved my work stations to another wall and that hasn't been a problem anymore. I still need a window treatment on it, but is not a priorty now.)
     Speaking of the "croft". . .which it is now called because the bonus room over the garage that was originally suppose to be All crafts but is now being shared with H.  I "let" the builder add a window, wall and door to make H his own little "hidey hole" The word croft stands for Craft Room OFfice Together which my clever sister, Cheryl coined and is now used by everyone. And to really make it official, I made this sign from a photo I saw on Pinterest.


     I am saving my craft room photos until I do a little more re-arranging, but so far I am loving that space!  I have decided to go with a more modular set up rather than having all built-ins. Two reasons, one, the cost and two, the flexibility of moving things around to my satisfaction as I need.  It is a work in progress as well as a working space.  That still didn't keep me from being  up there every day in November getting an inventory ready because on December 1st, I had my first Alabama craft show! It was a one man show at a friend's house in Birmingham and it was my best show ever! As suspected, if it is anything Alabama or Auburn . . .it will sell. . . and did!  What a fun and profitable evening!



Some of these items you may have seen before but now has an Alabama or Auburn twist to it. Two new items this year were the wooden "holy family and "T-shirt" scarves (which this picture doesn't do justice to). The scarves was a great seller to the 30 somethings this year!



These scarves are so much fun to make and easy too!

     As promised, I have some photos of my wall of pictures or family gallery. I still have 12-15 more to add to this wall but need to get the 6 foot ladder inside and enlist a "little help from my friends" so I don't have to go up and down for each one. H, (being the friend) is on another schedule however. :)  Below is the landing wall going to the lower level. Remember this table I found at a flea market?


     This of course is considered the "people" wall. The photo below is at the top of the stairs. I call it the "places" wall or AKA my pen and ink /watercolor photos of places we have been or have lived. The large photo in the black frame was given to me from the parents of the last class I taught at Holy Comforter.  It is a pen and ink of our church back in Virginia where I taught as well as worshiped. What a special gift for me!


     The wall in the master bed room. . . going to the master bath has become the wedding wall. This is not a good photo but once again, pun intended. . . "you get the picture". The wall across from these photos are random photos of L&J or just L :)



     And as if I don't have enough pictures already, I have been adding my own. This is the J&J bathroom where I put all the antique hankies that have found at flea markets and (told you about) that I have framed. So far, there is an initial for every guest that has been to our home.  Help me add to this wall and "be our guest"! Sorry about the glare.
     I  love making these and have  been making them as gifts. . .and for other friend's homes. Maybe this will be added to my inventory next year. Your thoughts?  I am also framing antique doilies for friends.


Hankie monograms are P,S,H,J,C,A,L,and E in case you can't find yours.

       Not to bore you with every detail, but this has about got you caught up to date.  My sisters are coming for a week of antiquing, crafting, shopping, laughing and just pure fun. This is our annual sister get together and I am looking forward to it. That being said, I probabaly won't post again for a week or so. Who knows, maybe by then H will have hung my shade!

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