Quick Swap

I have been dissatisfied with the mirror in the upstairs guest bathroom since I moved into this house.  I painted it but that didn't really do the trick for me.

I have been on the lookout for a frame with more bulky proportions but haven't found just the right thing.  Last week when I was on the hunt for inexpensive picture frames for the Grands artwork, I stumbled across this mirror.

I thought it was a steal for $20 and had intentions of hanging it over the mantel in the den.  Then, as I was cleaning it, I got the bright idea to try it in the guest bathroom.  I like it much better than the one that was in there.  However, it still needs a little something.  Maybe I should stain it?  What suggestions do you have?

Priceless Artwork

The other day I cleaned the clutter off the fridge as I was doing some straightening and cleaning.  There were written notes from Grands, watercolors from Grands, crayon works from Grands, and a plethora of photos that were somewhat out of date.  I was ready for a clean slate and was tidying up in preparation for a baby shower that was hosted here.

As I was taking down the pieces, I thought with regret that these priceless treasures couldn't be displayed somewhere.  Then, an idea hit me...

I am reclaiming the basement...ahem...Guest Quarters after Mike's daughter and family had stayed down there for about six months.  As I was placing furniture and utility pieces like the ironing board in my sewing room, I thought that I needed some sort of artwork on the walls to make it more cheerful and creative.  The Grands artwork would be just the trick.

So, off to my frame stash I went.  I had a couple that would work.  One needed a little paint job and I needed a few more to complete the idea I had in my head.  A quick trip to the local Goodwill and a search in the 99 cent and $1.99 area provided the others I needed.  I am sharing that art exhibit today as I just love it and it makes me smile each time I see it.

Original Art Gallery

I chose a grouping of simple frames.  Some needed painting so that all of them would be black.  Nothing fancy.

Lillie's 6-year-old contribution

Lillie did a watercolor painting of our dog, Toby, playing out on the back deck.  This was a piece she painted last summer when she was here for her Days (more Days).  I love how she included such strong detail as the rails and the floorboards.

Cassie's 6-year-old contribution

This is a crayon work that Cassie did this past winter sometime around Valentine's Day.  She was into drawing hearts for the season, as you can tell and she included a beautiful butterfly.  (Cassie, Evie, and Lydia have had Days, too.)

Evie's 4-year-old contribution

Evie also did a crayon work just before Valentine's Day this year.  You can see that she practiced her heart drawing and a few letters.

Sadly, I had nothing original that Lydia had drawn or painted.  I had some coloring book pictures that she had decorated but I really wanted some sort of original artwork of hers to go along with the artistic creations of the other Grands.  (Wonder why she didn't do this during her Days?)  So, I gave her mother a call and spoke to the little mite herself.  Then, I sent a photo showing that I had a frame waiting for her artwork.  A day or so later, her mother sent me this cell photo:

Artiste at work

Lydia's 5-year-old contribution

Lydia's is a watercolor that she calls Grand B.  I think it looks just like me, don't you?  I love the flowers and the bright sunshine.

Harris's 6-month-old contribution

I added Harris's painting that he gave me for Mother's Day.  Every time I look at it I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when he and his parents were capturing this artwork.  They had a hard time getting the footprint to suit them because he kept holding up one toe.  He also wanted to 'squoosh' his hands around.  Maybe he is already a budding fingerpainting master!

When we were digging furniture out of the storage room, my friend, Angela, also stumbled across some photos and valuable works.  I thought this one was ultra sweet, so I included it in this Gallery.

If you look closely, you can see that it says Mike - 4 yrs.  So, I guess that either he traced his own hand or somebody traced it for him on a piece of tablet paper.  (I cannot believe he was still long enough for this!)  I thought it was the perfect addition to add a generational dimension to the Art Gallery.

I was talking to my Mom on the phone and telling her what I had done with the Grands' artwork.  She told me that she had stumbled across a collection of my report cards and important papers that she had kept.  She gave it to me the other day and I am considering adding this piece that was in that collection:

It looks like I laid my hand down on a piece of construction paper and somebody spritzed it with tempra paint.  It was in the second grade pocket of my School Days book.  So, I would have been about 6-years-old.

Creating this Art Gallery has made me want to find works of our children to frame and keep as treasures as well!  I wish you could have seen the looks on Lillie and Lydia's faces when they saw their creativity framed and displayed.  Such a simple thing but it is meaningful, beautiful, and boosts the confidence in the children.

Of course, Lillie, being ever the oldest child, said that she thought she could produce something much better than that as artwork now.  Maybe she will get the chance when she comes for her days and we can have a rotating display!

Right now I am just enjoying the smiles this one provides for me every time I have to press out some wrinkles or stitch up a rip!

Transformation

My friend, Angela, came by yesterday afternoon.

We were a bit on the creative side.

We started with blank slates.

Angela's stool awaits her creative talents.

My slightly taller stool was also a blank slate.

We looked onto Pinterest for some inspiration.  Here is Angela's inspiration:

Simple and cute!

Angela also learned that this stool was painted by a member of her church.  She discovered it through Pinterest but it is posted on THIS blog.

Angela finished hers up yesterday.  It turned out really cute!

Polka Dots and Chevron Stripes

Yet, she didn't take it home with her.  I'm wondering if she was considered it to be a warm-up project and she is going to tackle the rocking chair I've offered her next...

She did make a cool Before/After collage shot using an iPhone app...

Here was the picture I found as my inspiration:

I've been wanting to paint something whimsical like this for a long time!

I don't have a cool app to do a Before/After collage.

During

I did have a During shot, though.  I didn't finish mine yesterday.  So, I just took an in-progress shot yesterday.  On the top of the stool, I took a plate and used it as a template to draw a circle.  Next, I took a small bowl and drew around it.  Then, I took red and added a bit of white to get a hot-pink shade and painted the ring my drawing templates had created.

This angle shows the pink wave-striped leg.

I was at Lowe's today and learned that their Wave Frog Tape was on clearance for about $5.  The fellow thought it was being discontinued.  I sure hope not.

I used two pieces of the Wave Frog Tape to create a waved stripe down the leg.  It was super easy!

Polka Dot Leg

I originally tried an orange wave stripe down this leg.  It didn't work out.  At. All.  So, I used a couple of the other colors to make two different sized dots down the leg.

My favorite leg

I made another wave stripe going down the side of this leg.  Then, added some large hot-pink dots into the curve.  This turned out to be my favorite decoration.  It just strikes me as really cute.

Bird's-Eye view of the seat

Here is a look down on the seat.  I decided I didn't want to add a monogram like the inspiration piece.  I've always liked the MacKenzie-Childs checkerboard look.  So, that is what I decided to do to the center circle.  Otherwise, I followed the inspiration piece somewhat closely.

We used a pencil eraser as a stamp to paint small polka-dots.  I stopped by Hobby Lobby after my teacher professional development session this morning and picked up a paint pen and some sponge brushes that will paint larger polka-dots.  I used the paint pen to freehand the vine going round the edge of the seat.  I picked up a white paint pen, too, but decided to stick with simple black instead of introducing white.

Blue wave striped leg

I fell in love with this periwinkle blue color when Angela painted it onto her stool.  So, I used it instead of a turquoise blue.

We both were rather pleased with our craftiness.  Yet, at the same time, we both were a bit frustrated about it not being as perfect as we wanted.

The big question is...

What do we do with these stools now that we have created this major transformation?

Quick Little Project

When I was a young girl...

Long, many years ago...

I had a wonderful old patchwork quilt that followed me off to my college dorm room.

It was soft and well-loved.

It kept me warm and helped me think of home.

It was crafted by my great-grandmother.

It wore well and all I could salvage from it six or eight years ago was a couple of worn but still-pretty-much-intact quilt squares.

I saved them.

I finally got an idea for how to use them.

Here they are framed and hanging above the bed in the Guest Quarters.

I used album frames...

mainly because they were inexpensive and I had a coupon at Hobby Lobby...

probably much like the quilt was made from something inexpensive and easily accessible.

Nothing fancy.

Just plain and simple.

Completing a simple look.

Sweet memories.

Guess What We Got!

Yes.  Yes we did.

Last weekend a newborn came to live with Mike and me.  He is such a cutie!  His soft dark eyes just blink up at us.  Lillie and Lydia were here and they fell in love with him.  He has such soft fuzzy hair.

Introducing...

Blacky

Since last weekend he has grown a bit more aggressive as he has learned that people are the providers of food.  Lillie was a bit overwhelmed at the strength of him when he was taking his bottle this weekend and decided that he might not be quite as sweet as she thought.  She doesn't like that he now wants to push her down when he is trying to suck on the bottle, her shirt, her shorts, or anything else that he might be able to get his nose near.

I'm not too fond of that part either!

He is still a cute little fellow and has hardly made a noise out there at the barn.  He is already progressing and has munched on some fresh hay and grain this week.  I think he is a keeper!

Thanks, Jay, Jayme, Forest, and little helper, Jake!

Spring Veggies

I thought it was time for an update on how our tubs and tables of Spring Planting veggies are doing...

Here is a look at the lettuce and broccoli.

Well, except for the fact that the lettuce has been picked pretty clean.  We had a nacho bar at the baby shower here yesterday and that was part of the menu.

The cabbage, peppers, Brussels sprouts, and a couple of tomatoes are looking pretty!

The spinach made two or three good salads but it has been so hot here during the last week that it has bolted and is trying to be a tree.  So, today, this is what Mike and I did...

Cucumbers, squash, zucchini, and ocra

We joked with everybody around here and said we had been farming this morning.  We fed our livestock (the bottle calves) and then planted the crops!

Happy farming to you all!

Freshening Up

Some things around here just needed a bit of freshening up...I mean, other than me.

We rarely use the full staircase that goes up to our deck.  We take the lazy route and go up the short three-step entrance instead.  So, when I was planting flowers earlier this week, I noticed that the wreath on the full staircase gate had become shredded and dilapidated.

Sadness About

This is a full-color picture.  The bow is faded and bedraggled.  The wreath is shredded and pitiful.  The little metal welcome word is lying forlorn on the step.  Lots of sadness there.

A quick trip to the local Goodwill and I came home with a two dollar vine wreath.  I used a scrap of the left-over green chevron burlap wreath that I had used on the previous wreath and several gifts to make a perky little bow.  I attached the little metal welcome word and used cable ties to attach it to the gate.

Come on in!

Fresh!  Come on up the steps and step through the gate for a visit.  You are always welcome here!