garden explosion

The garden is just exploding with colors.

Usually by late July the garden flowers are tired of the heat and starting to slow down.  No this year, the cooler weather has made the blooms heavier and longer lasting.  This is just a little tour of the blooms.

Fiddler

Our grand daughter Kaylie had a part in her community and church production of Fiddler On The Roof last weekend.  We went expecting to see a so-so play but it was great.  The cast of mostly high school kids did a wonderful job and the young man who played Tevia was just awesome.  Theater is a great way for young people to learn many skills and gain confidence.  We were so proud of our girl, of course she was the star for us.

more projects

frame painted soft aqua, I'll probably add string or chicken wire for a message board

   

just a wuick coat of paint for these shadow boxes

this little table is really black with wax on it.  The drawers need little knobs

a nice finishing touch is adding book pages or music to the inside bottom of the drawers

work in progress, those insert panels look like vintage tin but are really wall paper.  This stand needs wax and i bought a marble tile that will be the top

all this little table needs are the buttons to fill where the screws go to take it from a $5 purchase to a $25 sale piece

I'm still working on my painting projects.  The sun room, kitchen and yard look like a bomb has gone off.  Plenty of the things I pick up at sales have just a little work needing to be done.  Replacing a knob, a coat of paint or a finishing detail can really improve the look of a piece.

Running away from home

AH works really long hours so we occasionally  need to run away from home for a couple of days.  Last weekend we drove to Bloomington, Il for a mini break.  We visited the David Davis mansion, where there was a civil war program going on.  We heard speeches by all the generals from that war, met Abe Lincoln and toured the gorgeous home.  Mr Davis was a close friend of Lincolns, a wealthy land owner and the first supreme court judge from Illinois.  The home was built in 1872 and had all the modern conveniences available at the time.  Only two hours from home it was a great getaway.  Of course we also had to do a little shopping and visited 3rd Sunday Market.  There were some great vendors but the prices were outrageous.  It's always fun to run away from home for a couple of days but I sure love getting back and sleeping in my own bed.

honest Abe

all the buildings on the property were surounded with flower beds

Italianate style popular in the late 1800's

pretty ladies in costume

General Grant

white paint

A flurry of painting has been going on here.  Lots of it on me but plenty on the small furniture and accent pieces I've picked up this summer.  This small fern stand was in great shape, except a bad paint job.  That pink was almost florescent.  A couple of coats of Country White, sanding some dark wax and it it's ready for more years of service. .

did you know?

I love sweet corn in season.  What I don't like is the silks that remain that make me feel like I'm flossing as I eat.  My friend Kathy told me to cook each ear of corn in the microwave silks, husks and all for 4 minutes on high.  When it's done cooking pull back the husks and everything including the silks just slides right off,  Just add butter and salt and feast away.

shabby chic

I like to keep things interesting and busy in my life so I signed up to do a vintage home show this fall.  I've been picking up small pieces at thrift shops and rummage sales all summer to fix up.  I found this ugly stained table with a warped peeling top in the free pile at a recent sale.  I sanded it lightly, painted it black, distressed  then waxed it.  I pitched the top and glued on a tile I picked up for $6 on clearance.  It looks perfect and ready to sell.  The model is pretty cute too.