Just As I Am

progress

For those of you who are wondering...Yes, I did get all my kitchen and dining room stripped and primed for paint..and now the real fun begins...choosing a paint color and bringing it all together.  I am leaning toward a neutral color on the wall...taupe-y colors at this point...but, of course that could change.  Apart from the bedrooms and bathrooms, my house is just one room with spaces flowing into one another:  living, dining, kitchen.  The living room area is painted in two colors:  Restoration Hardware Silver Sage and RH Silver Birch, much lighter version of the Silver Sage [which they no longer make]...I could get a color match of the Silver Birch color and continue it, but think I want a contrast in the dining area and kitchen.

It seems I am a long way away from the final product, but am reminding myself that it truly is a process.

Meanwhile I have ordered these yummy plates from Anthropologie, with some money I got for my birthday, that will grace my little corner cabinet in the dining area or the soffit above my kitchen counter.

And, since I am also trying to finish our little bathroom redo, I have ordered these fabrics from J Caroline Creative
 

So I can make this shower curtain that I saw in Better Homes and Gardens Simply Perfect Before and After Magazine

to put in Leah's bathroom:

Again, these colors are a little wonky....appearing darker than they really are...

It's really not so bad to have a couple of projects going....I am finding that as I am looking for inspiration for one, I find things for the other.

Okay, I'm off to clean my house....which has suffered immensely  in the process.

celebrating Easter already

During my quiet time today I read this simple statement:

"On the other side of the lake the crowds received Jesus with open arms because they had been waiting for Him."  --Luke 8:40

It reminded me of the fact that I am a needy, needy person and that it is okay to admit just how desperate I am; that it is not a bad thing but a very good thing, because that is the difference between those who are able to receive him with open arms and those who cannot.  Those who know He is their only...only...only hope stand waiting for Him, and when He shows up....they are more than ready to receive Him.

By the way, curious to know who was on the other side, before Jesus got into the boat and came to the people with open arms, I looked back...it was the man from Gadarenes...the one who also came out to meet Jesus, but said to Him, "Why are you bothering me...?"  the homeless man who roamed around in shackled chains, naked, and living among the dead.   [Luke 8:22-39]

Although our compassionate Lord miraculously healed those on both sides of the lake,  I would rather be one of those who quickly and willingly allows Him to show me my needs...not everyone else's.

My arms are wide open today...bother me, Lord, so I can sit quietly at your feet, clothed and sane and....free!

project #2 day #2

After a relaxing  [no work on the dining room/kitchen project yesterday], I resumed the glue and sizing removal today...

Can you say, "ick"? That's how I felt at first evaluation this morning.  But determined to heed my mom's favorite saying,  "do it now," I popped the soundtrack from the movie The Pride and Prejudice in my under the cabinet CD player  and waltzed my way through the day...
that is until a knock at the door at about 3:30 pm interrupted my sanding, and I waltzed my way to the front door. A telephone repairman in his mid twenties stood there. The look on his face said it all....I just mumbled something about being in the middle of a project and said, "I know, I know, your momma doesn't look like this."
He just chuckled and said, Uh, no she doesn't..."

I just didn't realize how much dust sanding plaster makes. When I looked in the mirror I saw that I was covered... hair, skin, clothes, glasses....in a quarter of an inch of white powder.  He went outside and came back in at least 3 times....I think it was just to get another laugh every time I answered the door covered in white powder with dog in hand, who was also covered in white powder...

Turns out that I had gotten water in the phone jack when I was soaking and soaking and soaking the walls to soften the glue... : )

The good news is that the glue has all FINALLY been removed, the walls have been sanded smooth, and are ready to be primed tomorrow!

I'll keep you posted!

ownership

Okay...I don't just live in my home anymore....I am beginning to own it.  There's just something about the dynamic of do-it-yourself home improvement that helps you bond with your home.  When you're working  in 2 feet sections, you get to know it intimately.  Let's put it this way...the upper 15 inches of my kitchen walls and I are tight....not even wallpaper glue has been able to keep us apart.  I can't say that this is a romantic attraction.... quite possibly a fatal attraction though...my arm feels like it's going to fall off...but truthfully...I'm loving it....TODAY anyway : )

dining area before yesterday

...the easy part...yesterday

Okay, time to remove the glue from the next section....soak the next 2 foot section in DIF, scrub, rinse, dry, soak, rinse, dry.....
Thanks to Julie and Randi for the encouragement!  It keeps me going...

card generator

I took the plunge today and started stripping the wallpaper border in my dining room and the wallpaper in my kitchen.  What a task...the dining room was easy...peel, wet, sand...it's good to paint now.  The kitchen is a different story.  I can't believe I put sizing all over the walls when I put wallpaper up years ago.  Double the work to prep for paint, but I am motivated...anybody know of any shortcuts? 
Have a great weekend...you know what I'll be doing!

hydrangeas

Enjoying these flowers I bought at the grocery store yesterday...

I used to think of Hydrangeas as "old lady" flowers...I wonder if that makes me an old lady now?  If so...bring it on!

finished

Yesterday I finished painting my little cabinet and headed out today to find a pretty door pull to replace the one that was on it...
I chose two that I liked. One was in stock; the other had to be ordered, so my decision was easily made.  This isn't a very clear picture, but this is what I chose...a crystal knob with a silver backplate.

 

The color's all over the place in these pictures...but you get the idea. Such a fun project....still looking for more!

inspired

Here's a peek at my weekend project:

primed, sanded, and beginning to paint...

door with first coat of paint...

I'll sand and paint a second coat tomorrow...

I bought this unfinished jelly cabinet years ago to keep homeschool books in but had never stained or painted it....
So, inspired by Meg at My Little Cottage and by Bethy at Cottage Bethy, I decided to get out my brush and paint.........
The color is slightly darker in my room, goes perfectly with my color scheme, and I am loving it...
I like it so much I'm looking for more things to paint....I'm thinking maybe the headboard and footboard on my bed next...
I would love to tackle the kitchen cabinets....using white or off white paint, but my husband said , "No."
He's probably right...they are oak and have a lot of grain...

I also discovered French General while visiting Cottage Bethy....a fun site with lots of lovely things. I have ordered  this book, written by shop owner, Kaari Meng...I am looking forward to getting it this week.

reel tales

This is what we did today...the 3 of us....

No, that's not us...

drove down to Biscayne Bay with fishing poles in tow and threw a line in the water...

here's Leah waiting patiently to catch the big one

Surprise, surprise....yes, I think she's surprised...

He's a little tricky....I think this was the one with teeth...big teeth
kind of like human teeth...really....

Here's the trophy shot....we debated over having it mounted...hee hee

Not to be outdone...John beefs up his bait....live fish

his turn to patiently wait and wait and wait...

Ah ha....here's his catch.....he wants me to tell you
it was much bigger than it looks here....can't you
tell? uh hum....
Just between you and me, I think the bait fish was
bigger than this....

We ended up throwing them all back...you know...
in honor of...be kind to pelican's day or something
like that

Happy St Pat's

Yes, we do act silly at our home once in a while...and it gives me a chance to practice my photography skills : )  I take anything I can get : )
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Eat lots of corned beef and cabbage tomorrow...
Debi