Can This Shirt Be A Room? The Painted Kitchen

Remember that great feature from the old Domino magazine?
  
Well this favorite shirt was this inspiration for my kitchen makeover.

Here is a before shot: It's a little cold and disjointed looking.


Here is half way: Already the cupboards look better. I used Dutch Boy Refresh Paint in "Beach House Brown."


 Painting the "Little House on the Prarie" pipe was Cliff's suggestion-best idea ever!

Here I am mixing paint with an old curtain rod. You can see here how damaged the cupboards really were. Fortunately, I had no idea how much work it is to paint cupboards or I wouldn't have done it. The paint for the cupboards was white semi gloss left over from the professional painting the kitchen had before we moved in.

(Drum roll please.) The Reveal:

More pictures and more details to come tomorrow!

My New Sewing Machine

Last Black Friday I saw the sewing machine sales at Joanne's and really wanted to upgrade. I had just paid $80 for a cleaning and servicing of my old machine and didn't feel that I could turn around and get a new one pretty much the next day. So, I decided that if I was still wanting a new machine on Black Friday the next year, I would treat myself no matter what.

I don't like to be oversold. If what I need works, I stick with it. I was using this portable black and white TV (happily!) until TV went digital and so any color TV is awesome. (And, I must say, I Love Lucy looked just as good on the old retro set.) However, lately my sewing skills were surpassing my sewing machine's capabilities.

The ladies at Joanne's were very nice when I had to turn down the $279 Viking Machine in favor of a more reasonably sale priced Singer Curvy.

I have no doubt that the Vikings are better and a terrific value etc... but the  Curvy has attachments like a ruffle foot and a walking foot (sold separately) and will be a major step up for me anyway.



The old TV set was recently dropped off at Goodwill for recycling and the sewing machine might go to school for craft club.

It's a new day for this stick in the mud!

DIY Hummingbird Feeder

This isn't a typical almost Christmas project, but it does involve the Christmas variety of the Zip Lock storage containers.

One of the many things that delights me about our new apartment is the "birds eye view" of this tree which is brimming with hummingbirds. On Sunday I think I counted 5 or 6 zooming about around one single remaining red blossom. Not wanting the birds to disappear I looked up "DIY Humming Bird Feeders" and found this video which uses a red solo cup.  I didn't have red solo cups but, I did have a leftover red Christmas Zip Lock storage container. I also used some wire from the dollar store.

 
The pictures are pretty much tutorial enough.





The formula is 1 part sugar dissolved in 3 parts warm water. That's it. No food coloring. Apparently the feeder will need freshening up about once a week or so. So far, I haven't had any visitors. It's been terribly windy and cold. I was over to my neighbor's apartment (I actually have a long time friend within walking distance! Yay!) and we saw several hummingbirds swarming in her bottle brush bush.

I'll be sure to add pictures once I catch one feeding!

Sunday Is Here

Hello Old Friends,

I think I am finally back. 

During lent my pastor gave a sermon during which she said, "Today is Friday, but Sunday is coming!" This summer was one long Friday. Personally, professionally, amongst my dearest friends, and in my family there was a lot of pain. Usually I roll with the punches pretty well, but this was different. So much so, it killed my creativity- and my favorite source of stress relief. Thus no blogging.

But...today is Sunday!

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.    - Jeremiah 29:11

^{For the past few years I have been working *very* hard to be completely honest with myself about "wants" and "needs."  I really, really, really wanted a house with a garage so that I could peruse my interest in woodworking more. The balcony workshop was great and all, but a bit limiting. I really, really wanted my own house so I could have a washing machine that didn't need half a dozen quarters!And, more than anything I wanted a change. I just felt stuck.}



On the very darkest of all days, the Lord set in motion a move for us. And move we did!

Friends of ours from church where also in need of a change and long story short, they moved to Texas and we moved into their *AWESOME* apartment! 

No, it's not the house I wanted, perhaps it's better.  God's plan was better than mine.

I am taking nearly a month of furlough days this year. That ends up being nearly a ten percent pay cut. I am super thankful not to have a mortgage that's a stretch right now.

We have only been in the apartment for 1 week, but here is my list of things I love already:

10. High ceilings! 
9. Lots of windows! I had no idea I had spent the last seven years living in the dark.
8. Laundry hook up! (We don't have a washer yet- any front loader, stack-able recommendations?)
7. A tree full of humming birds right outside my window.
6. A courtyard full of plants.
5. Quiet, adult neighbors.
    (No late night parties on the roof top pool deck also known as my former bedroom ceiling.)
4. I can paint the walls! More on that to come. I haven't wasted a second.
3. Storage! We have a garage storage unit- and side by side garage parking.
2. It's close to my school! A world away, but only 2.5 miles. My commute is only 7 minutes.

And the number 1 favorite thing:

A craft closet! We have seven closets! ( I know! Unbelievable! ) Seriously, Cliff and I walk around all day saying things like, "This is a miracle. I just can't believe WE actually get to live Here!!"

It feels so great to have a place for everything. It's truly a fresh start. The one I really did need.

Needless to say my creative juices are flowing! See you again real soon!

Happy Birthday Will McCotter!

Happy Birthday from Hollywood, California!

And, thank you for your service to our country!

Any friend of Tricia's is a friend of mine. You can read Will's story here and participate in his World Wide (web) Birthday Celebration here.

Owls

It was a beautiful day for painting. I wanted to add a dash of fall in preparation for back to school night. That Artisit Woman's oil pastel and water color owl project was just the ticket. (Especially since many of the kids are excited about the new Legends of the Guardians movie that opens this weekend.)

I got the idea to make these work boards from her too. They have made painting with thirty kids so much easier. The boards keep the desks clean, they hold the paper flat, they keep it from blowing away....

and they make for quite a nice hallway gallery too.

Hope you have a sunny weekend!

Two Films: Objectified & Between the Folds

While I haven't been creative, I have been inspired by the creativity of others. Two films caught my attention on Netflixs. In fact, my new subscription to Netflix may have been the start of my creative hiatus.

The first film, called Objectified is about design and how designers impact our lives. It features my beloved Target and also the amazing Ikea. I loved seeing the design process in progress and hearing designers think aloud.  Here is the trailer.


I watched this while doing some mundane school prep the other day and it was delightful.

The second film is called Between the Folds. This one is harder to watch while multitasking. The origami in this film is truly mind bending. In fact, it is so rich, I am watching this film a little at a time to absorb the images.
I bought two origami books and a "fold a day" calendar at our church book sale. I am hoping to do a little origami with the art club this year. I have also been thinking about making a thousand cranes. Anyway, here is the trailer for Between the Folds:


Both films are instant downloads on Netflix. Have a great day!