Thursday, April 29, 2010

Pillow from Hell


Some of you might remember in past posts, that I was getting into stamping. I already stamped the luggage tags and I stamped some stationary and then I went on to stamp a pillow. I tea dyed the fabric which came out nice and proceded to stamp with a distressed ink. It was a walnut stain and wasn't sure how it was gonna come out but I gave it a go and on the fabric it looked OK...kinda faded looking but doable. I then took an existing pillow that I didn't like and covered it with my new printed fabric.

So, if you know me, I get very excited when I start or learn something new, that I have a tendency to just do it and what I mean by that is, I'm in such a rush and impatient, that sometimes it's not either what I wanted or it just doesn't look right...

case in point...



Before I finished it and while I was sewing up the 4th side my instinct told me to stop and re do it because the lettering was not centered to my liking, and it wasn't dark enough. But being me, I continued and placed it in the spare guest room on the bed. Because the words were off to the side a little, I placed other pillows around it so as not to see the offness.
My obsession with it was killing me. Everytime I'd pass that room and look in, this pillow would mock me and I'd try to ignore it....but, I couldn't, it got the best of me. I'm not a perfectionist by any means, but when I know I can do better I'm like a dog with a bone. This is how we learn yes?

So yes, I took it apart and instead of re stamping, I used black fabric paint and sparsely applied it to the lettering and diamond pattern, I then bought a pillow form because I wasn't happy with the size of the other one and went about gingerly sewing and took my time. I added a black piping to it this time to enhance it and put it back in the spare room.




I am very happy with it now...no more mocking me



BTW...here's the new and improved Spare guest room









I'm assuming none of you are an axe murderer, so if your in town, the blogger suite awaits you~

I'm just sayin'

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Planting the Interview Seed



R
ecently, my blogging friend David from "Views of a Star Child" interviewed his partner Sam with hysterical results. What made it funny to me is that they weren't trying to be funny and just let us in on a slice of regular life as it were. Having read that, it gave me an idea to interview all my family members thinking it would be very interesting and give you folks some sort of insight as to how we function and interact as a family. I'm starting with my hubby Eric and so having known him for 21 years, I just can't spring things on him...I need to plant the seed and little by little water the pot so he can get use to the idea.

scenario: Eric is sitting at the computer looking at something...I don't know what it is...yet. I am folding laundry about 5 feet away from him.... I begin telling him about my friend David and how he interviewed his partner Sam and so and so on...Planting the seed~

Me.... So, can I interview you?
Eric.... Why?
Me.... I think it would be funny and my blogger friends know me. I thought it would be nice
if they got to know you.
Eric ... No good could come of it.
Me .....lol...I think it'll be interesting, what do ya think?
Eric.... Why? Is it because your friend did it on his blog?
Me.... come on...
Eric.... No!

Long Silence....and I grab a tablet and a pen...


Eric ....Who's Sam?
Me....... David, he's my friend, Sam is his partner.
Eric ......Do you know Sam?
Me ..... No...why?
Eric ....Sam the man
Me..... what?
Eric..... Don't write that! Are you interviewing me now? Why did you ask me if your already
writing things down?
Me...... LMAO

Eric turns to the computer screen and now I hear a hockey game...he's not looking at me, he's watching the screen very intently...


Me..... So? No interview?
Eric.... What'cha wanna do, talk about? Why? (still looking at the screen)
Me..... I think people would like a little insight as to how you work.
Eric..... I work very well!

He turns off the sound on the computer and turns to me...

Eric .....Do I have too?
Me .....No...that's OK.
Eric..... I'm trying to watch hockey here. Can you wait till after hockey season?...lol
Me... ...lol Are you serious?
Eric..... yes...are you?
Me...... Serious about what? Interviews?
Eric ....Tell your friends there is nothing interesting about me. I'm just a regular guy who likes
hockey.
Me..... I think you just did.
Eric.... I knew it!


And there you have it people, an interview with Eric or a prelude to an interview. I'm curious...what would your partner do if you ask them for an interview? Wouldn't it be interesting to see who goes for it and what they have to say. BTW...I'm gonna still work on him but in the meantime I'll bribe Raquel into one...
Sorry David...I tried...lol

Monday, April 26, 2010

Blue Tea Cup Tuesday




Blue is not my color even though it's probably the most popular color in the world. I have nothing against it, it's just not for me...having said that, my master bathroom is blue. When we moved in this house about 16 years ago, Eric said go for it, as far as decorating it...so I did, but he just had one request, that I use blue in one room. I tried to opt for the garage but he wasn't going for it, so I settled for our bath...which extended to our bedroom..so now, I have two rooms of blue that I brake up with gold, cream, and white. I got use to it and so did he went I incorporated a blue tea cup in the bath along with pictures of them...I know, only me would put kitchen ware in this room...

Here's the tea cup sitting on top of an old vintage storage cabinet




and my window sill that contain lots of blue....loving the light through this color...




and here is the tea cup in a little vignette I arranged on my bed along with my reading glasses..




I purchased this cup in a the little Dutch coastal town up north from here called Solvang when we were first married. Eric asked, "were ya gonna put that ?..."in the bathroom of course".





Just one cup and one saucer. It has Duchess, bone china, made in England and Genevieve on the underneath. It's white with royal blue hanging baskets with bows and very detailed floral pattern along the edges along with gold..as well as the rim and handle.

Again I'd like to thank Martha and for some reason I've been forgetting to thank Terri...so thank you ladies for inviting me to tea...no matter where your tea cup is.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Yard Sale Smackdown + update 4/24








Been to a few yard sales and I even got Eric involved in a couple of them. He knows me so well, he points to things and I run over to the item and 9 times outta 10, it has Bunny written all over it.
I've even been to the Goodwill Store (bought a couple of things...show you later)anybody been there lately? The one I go to is very clean and color coordinated..it makes for a more pleasant search and discover situation...lol

Here we go...

1 very heavy ornate plaster plant stand...it's very pale green...almost grayish and I'm probably gonna paint it white....$1. These 6 wooden trays are various sizes and colors. The lady who sold them was obvious gonna go something with them but she said she didn't know and they had been sitting in her garage for over a year....$3 for all of them. Aren't they nice?...Think I'll decoupage a least one of them...the others ...we'll see. Any ideas? Went to a friends yard sale and she GAVE me this cushion....SCORE!!




























A cute little framed flower within a frame with a hanging medallion..very vintage....50 cents and this Moroccan pattern tin. Beautiful colors of gold, ivory and maroon that will fit perfectly in my Living room 25 cents



This very vintage champagne color clutch. Look at all the detail on it..Gorgeous! She wanted
$5 for it, I offered $3 she said no way. To bad for me, although I really wanted to buy it, I had several more yard sales to go. Finally at the end of my excursion, I went back just to see and there is was just laying there on the table. The lady was gone and left her hubby in charge...I asked how much?...his response..make me an offer...$2....SOLD!



These old pieces of silverware that I use for any event that calls for a buffet...they come in very handy and look wonderful in their mis matchy way...10 cents each piece



Although this pillow is not in my color scheme in any part of my house, my intention is to cover it somehow...I will and when I do...I'll show you...25 cents


This black wrought Iron wine rack. It had a $2 sticker on it...I offered $1...SOLD! This lady asked me if I drink wine. I told her nawh, not much, that I'll probably paint it white and use it
for a plant stand or towel holder. Her response..."I never thought of that"...lol of course she didn't...she sold it for a dollar~ oh that sounded kinda bratty huh?...Oh well, you snooze you loose.



And my favorite thing of the day. This bright green shiny ceramic artichoke that I already displayed along with the clutch, in my dinning room. This is the second artichoke I've purchased at a yard sale in the past 6 months....$2


Like some you out there...finding treasures and putting my own creative spin on them just makes my day plus I truly enjoy getting out and talking to people and bargaining. Right now I have projects galore just lining up and the more I see what you all do, it just makes me wanna do
more. So...one project at a time and in between my rants and raves, I'll show you as they are finished


Update 4/24 On my way to the market I spied a couple of yard sales...with $4 burning a hole in my pocket...I stopped.


2 Great movies...both for $3 and this very red and iridescent vase, 25 cents, that will look pretty darn good in my living room....I'm just sayin"


Happy Earth Day









We must take care of our planet,

from the Mountain tops



to the Desert

to the Sea


for the future Generations
to come


all of us, together, must do what we can


because we love this planet



reuse, recycle, reduce, replenish and restore

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Tea Cup Tuesday...again





I collect a lot of things, red and white polka dot fireking bowls, antique frames, black Americana, Old German Documents, Vintage Christmas Decor, books with family names in the titles, mismatched vintage silverware, buttons and much much more, but teacups are not included in this list. It's not that I don't adore them, I do, it's just that I don't have the room for them and something else always seems to catch my eye.

But sometimes, just sometimes, someone will give me one because they know I will go gaga over it...like this one...




My BFF Brenda ( please feel sorry for her..she was suppose to leave for Europe last Saturday and out of all things on the planet....a freakin' volcano put an end to that) gave this to me for my birthday many many moons ago. First of all, it has a touch of green, my favorite color AND it has delicately painted ivy on it. I heart Ivy! It's gorgeous, I don't do it justice with my picture taking that's all. The rim of the tea cup is gold as well as the handle with beautifully painted gold scrolled pattern on the cup and saucer. What I especially love about this cup it that it is 3 footed and as you can see, it fits perfectly with the color scheme and decor of my Dining room. The only markings on the cup are a crown, the words "fine china" and "Kelvin" and to my disappointment, I tried to do a little research on it and came up with nothing. So if any of you have a clue...please let me in on it...I'd love to know.




Thanks again to Martha for inviting me to Tea and enjoying all you fab people's company.
Have a wonderful day

Friday, April 16, 2010

A serious mission



I'm gonna be by myself this weekend, kinda. Raquel is going outta town for some FFA convention up north and won't be back till Tuesday evening...what shall I do? Yeah, I know what your all thinkin'...Me and Eric alone, no kid, worries, chauffeuring, negotiating, geting up early or closed bedroom door...but you'd be wrong my friends. This weekend my neighborhood is having it's 3rd annual "neighborhood yard sale"....and I'm already there. I even went to the bank today to get some change...I'm on a serious mission. So wish me luck and hopefully I won't come across anything I gave to one of them...lol Pics to follow...OH YEAH!


Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The Domino Effect


Ever have one of those days? You know the kind I'm talking about, where you realize early on that you either, (A) should have stayed in bed, (B) not left the house or (C) tied yourself up to a chair and not move from it for at least 24 hours. Yep, it's been one of those days and just when you think to your self, OK...it's over, something else happens.

It started innocently enough. Meredith dropped off the boys at the farm this morning so I could watch them while she went to the Chiropractor. Raquel had to be there in the morning so I thought, hmmm, why not drop em' off there, they could get a little lesson in Animal Husbandry and actually help out....WRONG! So now I'm chasing little squirrels around along with chickens that somehow got out and a rogue rooster that someone dropped off and he's chasing the chickens who are being chased by the boys who are being chased by me...kinda like the Keystone Cops.


Alrighty now, that ordeal is over and every animal is contained and fed. I drop Raquel off at home so she can do some homework and I take the boys to the park. What could go wrong right? They start to build sand castles and all three are building individual ones because it's a competition. Everything with them is a competition. They need sticks, rocks, pine cones and that broken discarded kite that someone left on the grass that we stumbled upon. This competition is getting serious. So I wind up the very long string because you all know that would come into some good use as far as castles go. Picture this...Ethan (age 6) is venturing over to the bush area and collecting large skinny limbs that have broken off the many trees surrounding the play area and arranging them around his castle because they are now "castle monsters" and they look scary. DJ (age 3) is running back and forth between his castle which is a hole with a large rock in it and Ethan who is still traipsing into the limb forest in the bushes. Franklin (age 7) is in his own little world trailing the kite string up and around the playground equipment...."I'm making a trap for the castle monsters of course", when I ask him what he's doing. The whole play area looks like mouse trap the game with string going up slides, down ladders, under bridges (i told you it was a lot of string) and every which way possible. We are the only people at this park right now so I basically let them do whatever their imagination tells them to do but of course this peaceful serene scene can only be disrupted like 3 squirrely boys can . Ethan falls up on the side of the hill into a pile of limbs and starts to yell, DJ and Franklin hearing this begin to run to see what all the commotion is about and get caught up in the "monster trap". Both boys are jolted back by the string and fall...DJ into the actual castle monster and Franklin...yep, smack dab into that one rock in the middle of DJ's castle. I got 3 boys whining and crying, so I choose DJ because he's the youngest and just making sure he didn't impale himself. Ethan comes whining down the hill and Franklin is standing over the rock rubbing his head. Time to go.

Lunch time now and I take them to Burger King. It's safe, enclosed and around the corner.
Everything is fine except when it's time to go, DJ doesn't want too and I have to climb, again, into the equipment to fetch him all the time he's laughing his sinister laugh and me fuming.

Time to take them home. While driving, I spilled my Diet Pepsi by which this time I announce "the first boy who yells in this car is being left on the side of the road"...of course they all laugh at the absurdity of it and start discussing how cool that would be. Dropped them off at home, pushed them to their mother and said, this one has a scratch and bump on the side of his face, this one has several scratched on both arms and this one has several scratches on his arms and legs and I'm never taking this one to a fast food playground again. Bye!

Get home and Raquel gives me an attitude regarding how she wanted to be at the farm at 1:00 because she wanted to dye Rogues fur black ( future blog post) and it's past 2:00 and she doesn't have any time to do anything on her spring break and she's hungry, can we go to burger king?
Ahhh, NO, and as far as your attitude missy..nip it!

Change my soda stained clothes, hop in the car, take her to the farm and instruct her to stay at least 2 hours and call me only when she's ready to be picked up...not one minute sooner. I then head over to Michaels with a 40% off coupon buring a hole in my purse and I'm taking a very deserved leisurely stroll when my phone rings....MAN...no what? Raquel forgot the hair dye and the mouse traps in the back seat of the car..could I please bring them? I tell her "sure, but you better be out front and I'm gonna throw this stuff at you, so you better be ready to catch it" and of course, she's not....Uggghhhh!

I better go home now and I do, only to find a message from Eric to call him and he NEVER calls me during the day unless it's important. By this time I'm tired, agitated and hungry but...I call him. Seems someone duplicated his bosses checks and is writing bogus checks and Eric's payroll check might bounce meaning we might have several bounced checks so could I be a sweetheart and go to the bank and see what's going on if anything? Of course I have to go, first of all, you can't get through to a bank by phone and actually talk to someone and if you did, they wouldn't tell you jack. Off to the bank and surprisingly, everyone there was very helpful. OK...on my way home finally and guess what...Raquel calls me to pick her up..."you better be done Raquel or I'm gonna have a breakdown"....she is.

Finally I'm home and made dinner, went for a walk and read a little. I announce I'm gonna take a shower thinking FINALLY a little peace and quiet all for myself in the shower, just me and my thoughts. And as I chuckle to myself about the days events and the perils of watching 3 squirrely boys and a intelligent absent minded teen I didn't notice that instead of hair conditioner, I applied "Aveeno skin cleanser with micro beads" to my head. Yep, it was one of those day....WHEW!!!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Teacup Tuesday





I married into an Austrian family and when I say Austrian, I mean from Austria. This tea set is from Austria. I know this because first it says Austria underneath the cups, plates and everything else, but mostly because my husbands grandmother brought it to America after WWII. In German, Oma means grandmother so when I write Oma you'll know who I'm talking about. She was a a very young girl living in Austria when she married in 1920 at the ripe old age of 18 as this was part of her dowry. Oma and Opa (grandfather in German) moved to Germany out in the country and lived there on a farm for some time...until the war began. Along with the 3 children they moved from country to country trying to avoid trouble and looking for work. They lived in Hungry, Yugoslavia and back to Austria all the while traveling with this tea set and everything else. With the help of Catholic Services, they arrive here in America around 1951 and finally settled in Los Angeles.

Fast forward to 1992 when Oma passed away at the really ripe age of 90. Having visited her on many occasions, she knew I like this set because she displayed it in her china cabinet and we talked about it. After her passing, my mother in law asked me if I wanted it...





Of course I wanted it. Nobody, including Oma knew anything about it. Like I said, it has the word "Austria" on the underneath and the number 13 on most of the pieces.
It's cream color with a delicate orange and blue floral pattern with gold rim. I have the large tea pot with lid, creamer w/o lid and 4 cups and saucers.
I have never used it nor will I ever, but as you can see, I use it as a center piece in my dinning room from time to time....and this is my favorite teacup/tea set for obvious reasons...






Thank you Martha my Dear for inviting me to tea.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

This n That




Just a few things I've been up to....making a mess




and then redecorating...My living room is very monochromatic and I always try to add a splash of red...like putting red food coloring in the cala lily water


and revamping the side table in the dining room











This empty box of chocolate chip cookies (i didn't eat one) was too good to throw out. I have a friend Tammy who is the Queen of recycling and she has inspired me to do so...



I used circus print paper with out clowns (click on the link and you'll see why) glued it to all sides and the top then, I added some ric rac and my favorite obsession...buttons and now I have a brand new canister in my kitchen



There has been some serious baking going on
lately. Why is it, that I almost end up baking
when the weather gets warm? Anyways, cookies
for Raquel's friends birthday because Raquel is
too busy, seriously, she barely has time to sleep.
And cookies for one function or another but as I stated before...I haven't eaten any...yet. I hid a couple in the freezer for me for after my dr. appt next week...cross your fingers...lol!








Again I'm on a shipping tag jag. I go through
phases and I just about wear myself out. I have tunnel vision and I'm up late but I have a great time creating...just me and my ipod





















What else am I gonna do with all my buttons?




...and, I printed on fabric and made it
into a pillow but I don't like the way
it came out. I'm not a perfectionist, it's just that the writing is not centered on the pillow and EVERTHING must be centered. So, I
will rework it and I'm sure I'll blog about it in the near future...

Now about that apron....

that's all folks!

Earthquake Country


Yep! It happened again...another Earthquake. I can't really say I'm used to them. You'd think I would be having experienced my first one at the age of 15. I'm not really afraid of them but I do have a healthy respect for good ol' Mother Nature. When you grow up with something that is out of the ordinary or strange and your family and friends talk about it like it's an everyday occurrence, then it becomes part of your being, part of the dichotomy of your life. Us Californians can be woken from a dead sleep or at least I can, and determine by the amount of shake rattle and roll whether to even get out of bed. I've actually laid there once and thought to my self..."Nawh, it's only about a 4. something"...only later to find out I was right. Now, I don't want to make it sound like it's a party, because people here have been hurt, killed and have lost everything during one of these shakers, but most people I come in contact with are very nonchalant about the whole thing. Again, these are native Californians, born and raised. If I was visiting Oklahoma and there was a tornado warning, believe me, I'd be the first one heading to the whatever I'm suppose to be heading to area.
We are picky here or at least that's what some people call it...I like to call it Earthquake Tolerant...we only duck and cover for a 5. or above....maybe. We pick and choose our Earthquakes. In 1987 I lived near the epicenter of a very big one and I just happened to be sitting on the couch brushing my then 9 year olds hair getting her ready for school when it hit. It hit so hard, it threw me off the couch and I couldn't get up due to the magnitude of it, but on the other hand...this last one I was home alone and just stood in the middle of den waiting for it to end, talking out loud to myself..."Come on already, end!" So again I want to reiterate that by no means do I take Earthquakes lightly and I know that people around the world have been devastated by them, but here in Earthquake Country, it's normal and it's become a "let's see and wait" situation. Come on people, do we need a house to fall on us? I'm just sayin'

Sunday, April 4, 2010

New Fleece on Life



Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are proud to introduce the newest addition to our family. He came to us on St. Paddy's Day, therefore, his name is Cormac the magnificent. He's a little skittish still and he eats like no tomorrow, but Rogue likes him....she better, they're neighbors! They're like sheeps passing in the night, hope he doesn't turn into little sheep of horrors and let's hope for lots of sheep thrills. Ok, I'll stop before I have to go on the lamb. Anyways....







So the other day I sang to him and I taught a couple of the FFA kids this song...


Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy, a kid'll eat ivy too, wouldn't you? (sing it fast)


Yeah, I know I'm strange but I'd like to think I'm expanding narrow minds...BTW, not only do my daughters know this song, but my 3 squirrely grandson sing it too! Thanks for mutton...

Friday, April 2, 2010

Easter Greeting







h
ApPy eAsTeR
To AlL mY pEePs!




...just because this made me laugh...



What did you expect? I'm just sayin'!