A little painting

I'm not sure how long we have had this chest of drawers, it was given to us years ago and I have no idea how old it was when we got it. 

 I should have taken a picture of the top and sides. It had a lot of scratches and dings in it (also on both sides). I know some people go nuts over painting wood. I have a few things that are wood that I won't paint (like my great grandmother's sewing machine cabinet or my grandparent's bed) but I had no problem painting this. I bought paint for it about 3 years ago but for some reason I just kept putting off getting it done. I finally painted it Sunday.

I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey, then sanded it back to distress it before I put the wax on. (It looks more blue in the picture because it is against a blue wall) The hardware was tarnished (I actually thought they were black until I went to take them off!) I did try to clean them but when  I spent an hour on the first one and it still wasn't clean I held it up to the paint and I didn't like it that color anyway so I wasn't about to clean 14 of those little buggers! Didn't want to buy new ones so I gave them a good shot of  black spray paint!

We are supposed to have storms again this weekend. I hope not - much of the ground is still water logged from last week. 

Hope you have a great weekend!

Some stitching

I had a whole post ready to go and I lost it. Dang it!

While all the rain was coming down last week I got some stitching in. I can't remember if I showed the projects from the getaway or not so I'm throwing that one in first. 

 The open piece folds up to make a slice of cake. Too cute!

These are the samples we had to look at. Nobody but Pam (shop owner) knows what we are going to stitch until Friday evening. She is probably already stitching on stuff for next year!

 I didn't add the little scattered stitches to the one on the right - I've got a little bee button I am going to use. (these are all on the same  color  fabric - some just look different) I actually finished the stitching on that one at the getaway - I think that is a first!

 This goes on the back of the cake

 The top opens up and this goes there to make a little scissor pocket.

 This is the top of the cake (inside) - I changed the orange to pink - so mine is a little different from everyone else.

 I stitched this to go on the little 'muffin' pin cushion that goes inside instead of the chart for it, again, I'm different. 

This goes on the little pillow with the scissor pocket. 

I didn't stitch the bird for the pincushion - he just really didn't speak to me but I will find something I can stitch to go with the fabrics.

There ya have it. 

On to the next project.

Have a great week!

After the rain

In case you haven't heard, we have had a bit of rain this week in our neck of the woods.

 We were fortunate here and only had 5 inches.

 I took these photos yesterday morning

 before the last wave of rain came through.

It started raining just as I walked back in from taking these. This morning it looks the same except there is sunshine and I need to get out and pick up debris and sweep - there was a lot of wind with that last front and there are sticks, leaves and pine needles everywhere. Not complaining at all. Very thankful that we made it through with no flooding.

I've spent most of the week inside and I think I have ADD. I've kind of moved from one project to another. I finished the stitching part of the get away projects, started another cross stitch piece, pinned and started stitching on a quilt.

I will try for project pictures next week. I've got my mind made up to paint a chest of drawers this weekend. We will see if it actually happens. :)

We have a tentative date of May 2nd for the outside painting to start. 

Have a great weekend!

Old couch, new couch

I guess you have seen on the news all the rain the Houston area has had. Fortunately here in out little corner we have only had 4 inches but there is still rain in the forecast, though it shouldn't be anything like the past few days. We had a little ponding along the fence line but that's it (thankfully!)

 Old couch - should have plumped the cushions - a certain little doxie likes to climb up on the back and hang out.

 Okay - it's really not a new couch - just a new slipcover  (once again, I should have plumped the cushions - I think humans have been sitting here).

Took oldest kidlet to Ikea a couple of weeks ago (he wanted to buy a desk and it wouldn't fit in his car) and decided I would lighten up my living room for spring/summer with a new slipcover. The dark pillows didn't work so I have them stashed away to use when I swap covers again. And yes, I cropped the photos to not show the parts of the living room that has stacks of stuff to put away.. 

I went on a fob making frenzy the week before the getaway and made one for each of the ladies that attended. They are so much fun to make. When I drag the beads out I can never make just one! 

I'm feeling the need for some furniture painting - it has been way too long. Maybe next week - have the project and the paint, just need to make room in the garage to spread out.

I did get a little stitching in on the days that it rained - I'll show those pictures soon. 

And it just started raining again. At least I don't have to get out for anything today!

To bead or not to bead

That is the question

Sorry my picture is a bit blurry but I never claimed to be a good photographer - we c an blame it on the camera. Anywho - I finished this little Lizzie Kate piece a week or so ago and when I got to the embellishment part I could not find the little baggie with the beads and charm. Why I took it out of the packet in the first place is anyone's guess. I decided to put my initials and date inside the basket where the charm is supposed to go and just skip the beads. While I was looking for something else yesterday I found the embellishment packet.

This is what it is supposed to look like. So, my options are

1. Leave it as is

2. Leave the name/date and add the beads

or

3. Take out the name/date and put the charm and beads where they are supposed to be. 

I have not decided how I want to 'finish' it. Frame it? Pillow? Suggestions?

One little plant

I love hydrangeas - especially blue ones. They scream 'cottage' to me. Unfortunately we have underground utilities running along our fence line in the back yard so I am limited in where I can plant things, but a couple of years ago I bought one little plant  (blue - it was blooming when I bought it) and planted it in a pot. It has bloomed every year but after the first blue blooms died off it has only produced pink blooms - and I've put enough of that soil stuff into it to turn the whole yard blue.

The other day I counted 15 buds on my one little plant. I'm quite sure they will once again be pink but I'm okay with that as long as it blooms. Now I'm afraid to try moving it out of the pot!

We finally got approval to paint the house and we are on the painter's list but we don't have a start date yet - probably about 3 weeks. 

Featured!

 Who would have ever thought my little blog would be featured in a magazine - and a UK magazine at that!

I was shocked when they asked and it was hard for me to say yes for a couple of reasons - first, they wanted a photo of me, I don't do photos, and second, I don't like to draw attention to myself. 

You might find that strange for a person that has a blog, but I'm much better sitting in front of the computer not knowing how many people are reading my words than I am in person. I was encouraged by those around me to do it so I sucked it up and had my friend, Monica, take some pictures of me (she also took the one I posted on our anniversary) answered their questions and sent it off. I guess I didn't really think it was real until I picked up the magazine at B&N last week. 

There have been many times I have almost closed this blog - I don't get here to post nearly as often as I would like and I always wonder if my readers have moved on to other blogs with more content, but I've kept it going because of the friends I've made here and well, I can pretty much go back and see what has been happening in my life for the past (almost) nine years.

To those of you who read (even if you don't comment) Thank you so much. I hope it doesn't seem as boring to you as it sometimes seems to me. 

Again, thank you for visiting and a big thank you to Cross Stitch Collection for featuring my blog.

Ahhhh, April

It's April

 Time for a new view. 

We are having some great weather - know it won't last long but I'm loving the cool mornings and warm afternoons (as opposed to hot mornings and blistering hot afternoons)

The first Saturday in April is always the anniversary celebration at 3 Stitches

So, of course I had to check it out. Unfortunately I kinda split up what I came home with so this is only part of it. (do you like to look through your new stuffs before putting them away?) The box and thread winder I purchased - along with some charts and a couple of gifts (which I can't show) the other goodies are part of the 'thank-you' bag that Pam was giving away to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the shop. The scissors were in the gift bag and since I think all scissors should be dressed I came home and made a fob.  I bought the box to keep my scissors in at my stitching chair - I don't think I told you about my scissor sheath eating dog but she ate three of them in one week. Never bothered my stitching stuff before and only ate the leather sheaths. It's a wonder she didn't hurt herself since the sheaths actually had scissors - sharp scissors - in them when she stole them off my chair. Hopefully she won't eat the wooden box! (she has been known to chew on wood)

This is very thin mirror - perfect for a small purse. 

Pam always has a 'theme' Can you see what the theme is? 

Stitching is now legal. :) 

And who doesn't need a mug of beer to help keep floss in order?

I'm still stitching on my get-away pieces. I've finished the stitching part for three of the charts. Pics soon.

We finally got approval to paint the house so now to get on the painters list - hoping he can start soon!