life interuption

Due to some unfortunate circumstances I won't be on here very much for the next several weeks.  Won't be doing much that's fun either.  More details later.

happy birthday

I don't usually post on Saturdays but I could not let the day go by without wishing my beautiful mom a happy birthday.  T=She is the picture of doing aging perfectly and with grace.  She is who I'd like to be like when I grow up.  I don't think that will happen.  Love you Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Red

I love unique pieces and the lady that makes this garden art is so creative I can't miss the opportunity to buy one of her pieces anytime I see her at a craft show.  Meet Red the crane, she's a scaled down version of Youcrane that I bought last year.  Hand shaped and welded her body is an enamel sauce pan edged in red.  Right now she's in the kitchen holding an aloe plant.  I smile every time I see her.  Gizzy doesn't know what to think.

Christmas time

Right after Thanksgiving I like to start the Christmas decorating.  We will only be in town about 9 days this month so I decided to go very minimal.  I decorated a 4' tree with unbreakables and put it on a table.  Gizzy hasn't learned not to touch things or tear them up yet.  A center piece for the table, wreaths or swags for the doors, vases full of fresh greens and some potted bulbs, and we will be done.

display by the window 

table center piece hand painted glass balls and some beads

tada!!!

while we were redoing the kitchen last winter we had decided to get a new table and chairs.  I sold the 40's drop leaf that was warped and beginning to loose it's veneer.  We bought a set at the Restore planning to paint it.  AH hated it from the start, yes he was there when we bought it.  We discussed what we both wanted and after much talk decided a long farm house table with turned legs that would sit at least 8 was the best compromise.  I started looking on line and in local stores.  I did find exactly what we wanted until I checked the price tag.  Just under $3000 for the set.  No way was that happening in our house.  Neither one of us are status conscious needing fancy expensive things to make us happy.  We turned to the solution that we reach so often, we would make it ourselves.  I found a guy on E-bay that did turned legs and we bought the rest of the wood at a big box store, total cost for materials $200, that included the stain and finish.  Throughout the summer I kept my eyes open for chairs that would work.  Lucky timing at a half price Goodwill sale yielded 4 chairs, a stop at a grocery store parking lot fund raiser found the last 4.  They were all solid and well made but needed refinished.  That was the only disagreement we had with the whole project. AH is one of the "if it's wood it must stay that way" kind of people.  I think anything but the most valuable antiques are fair game for paint. With a wood floor and some large natural wood antique pieces we did not need any more wood tones in the room.  With a coat of satin spray paint and new seat covers on the padded chairs they look great. Total cost for the chairs including 4 cans of paint $61.  total new dining set cost $261 and about 20 hours of labor.  It was finally finished yesterday and took it's place in our home where it will stay for years to come.  thanks to my wonderful, talented husband for spending the time making just exactly what we wanted.

AH put the top and legs together in the house.  If it needs to go out it will need to be taken apart.

Kerig jig and pocet screws for a strong solid table

We deliberatly made the top preworn to match the rest of the room

give thanks

I'm taking some time off for some much needed rest and recuperation.  A quick trip to the big city where the high point will be seeing my granddaughter.  Thanksgiving with family and friends with all the preparation will follow, starting on Thursday and going until Saturday.  Maybe a  quick movie or ride to see the festival of lights in a nearby town. One place you won't find me is shopping on black Friday, there isn't a deal out there that could get me in the middle of all that greed and crazy!!!! I love the holidays but they sure do get hectic.
Remember as you're stuffing yourself with turkey and pie to give thanks for the food you have.  When your kid or mother gets on your last nerve give thanks that you have family nearby to celebrate with.  When the house is a disaster give thanks that you have a home to live in.  Most of all give thanks for all the blessings in your life and try to become a blessing for someone else.  We live in a scary world that gets uglier everyday.  Sometimes it's hard to find things to be grateful for.  Take a minute, put down your phone, game or Ipad turn off the TV and really look at all you have and how rich you really are (if you think I'm talking money just quit reading now).  In this country even the poorest among us have more than most people in the rest of the world we should never take it for granted.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING

little table

This table was another rummage sale find for $3.  The fabric top was a mess but I just tore that off and added a new top after giving the frame a quick coat of spray paint.