Hutch

Hello ~
I totally missed the total eclipse - darn it! I will be 63 when the next one happens.  I did get a lovely picture of the moon this morning.

Scott finished the hutch this weekend. I'm really happy with it!!

before

before

after

after

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He thought about painting the drawer black but we might like it the way it is. He sanded off all the damaged parts, painted it then used antiquing wax and replaced the back with - I believe it's called wainscoting. I love the new back!! Saturday night we rearranged the kitchen - it's so clean and organized right now!! I was surprised at how much expired stuff I had. I love it!
The subdivision we live in has an annual garage sale day - we didn't go last year but this year we drove around to see if there were any good things. Mostly clothes so we didn't stop at too many of them. We did manage to find a fabulous rocking chair for 20 bucks!!

I also got a collapsible tote bag for $4.

Scott couldn't understand why I was so excited - I have wanted one forever and they are just too expensive, but $4 I can do!!We went into town to get coffee and decided to stop at one of the shops in town that has fun junk. We got this adorable stool for $10!!

ohh you can see the wall where the hutch ended up!!

and a cabinet for $25!!

I thought it would be great in the master bath but I thought it was medicine cabinet sized - sitting out with other furniture I didn't realize that it is HUGE!! Scott put it in the bathroom - I will get used to it but the bathroom has been empty for 2 years and now has this monster cabinet in there!!

big enough to hold two rows of toilet paper!!

It holds all my lotion - Scott would say that is amazing because I have a lot! It's a lovely cabinet and a great price!!
I haven't worked much on the Victoria Sampler Gingerbread Church

I have to redo the top snowflake because I have to fit three more beads at the top???? I counted right so maybe my snowflakes are bigger - I don't know. I'll make it work.
 Hold on to your hats - I gotta complain......I had to have x-rays on my foot - thought I broke it. I dropped a metal pumpkin on it weeks ago and it just hurts more and more. Turns out nothing is wrong with it (guess it's my imagination) and my doctor (who is a moron and I won't be going back to her) said rest it and wear good shoes. She didn't actually tell me that - her nurse did THREE days after my X-ray and I had to call twice to get them to call me back. I don't think that the shoes will help but I don't want to go to a podiatrist so I will wait and see if it gets better. I read on the internet (which gives better information than the doctor) to take an anti-inflammatory and put heat on it.Which the cat loves!!

I am frustrated with her because every test I do I have to call her to find out results and get more information. She never calls me back and she wants to give me pain pills instead of information.  Every time I go to see her - like for a sore throat - she says "had your mammogram yet?" Really? I have strep and I feel awful but please - can we talk about my boobs? BTW I did get my mammogram this morning - damn that hurts. I felt sorry for the little tech that had to lug my boobs around. I wonder if she is considering a career change after this morning. You never realize how floppy those things are until someone is trying to wrangle them into a boob squisher.
My other complaint is - the Walmart eye doctor (yep, them again - yes, I should have known that it was Walmart and I shouldn't go to a Walmart eye quack - er doctor) I thought it was odd a year and a half ago that she really changed my prescription but she put me in new contacts that were uncomfortable and made my eyes tired so I was focused on that. So, of course I was really having trouble seeing up close because the far away vision was too high. I just thought it was part of getting older and bought reader glasses to stitch with - no big deal. I went to a different eye doctor on Friday and she had to change my prescription lower - so now I don't have super human vision. It's hard getting used to regular vision but in the long run it will be better for me. I wish I could go to Colorado for all my medical needs - my doctors there are not stupid. Doctors aren't the only annoying thing in Indiana - I could tell you about Indiana drivers but I don't have all day.  
Scott is going on a business trip. I don't like being in this house alone at night.
I still haven't heard from either of the schools. Killin' me....
Okay - I'm done complaining. That wasn't so bad.
My family will be here in less than two weeks!! YAY!! I'm super excited about it - I have to go to school two of the days they are here because I have two tests but I have tons of brochures of fun things to do around here and I don't always have to be there when people have fun, I guess.
Well, I better get to my school work. Have a good week - thanks for stopping by!

Plum Street Sampler Tarts

Hello!!
A warm welcome to my newest followers - I'm up to 33!! Yay!!
I have some finishes to show you - my own and some fun stuff Scott has been working on. Mine first - since I gave the blog a specific title I will start there. The first one is Olga's Tart As I mentioned before I changed the colors on my tarts - not because I didn't like the charted ones but because I didn't have them and didn't want to spend the money. I was able to match pretty closely - I thought - turns out mine were darker. (If you like the colors I used I can email you a list.) I had decided not to stripe the cat - or the pumpkin. I wish my black thread had been more variegated. I stitched the pumpkin then decided that it really did need the stripes. I stitched over the existing stitches because I am too lazy to restitch the whole pumpkin. I had also missed the quilt square on the pumpkin - yep stitched it over the stitches. I don't think you can tell. I left off the lighter moon color too - and one of the flowers that was on the moon since I thought it looked like a pucker mark on the moon haha. I went to do the finishing and I had trouble with the directions. I couldn't figure out if the removable part of the tin needed to be left inside the finish.

this loaded weirdly - sorry about that

I left a message on the Plum Street blog but never got a response. I also left one on the Facebook page - no response. Someone else posted a finish that looked right and I asked them - they said no they did not put the piece inside. So I finished my tart without the piece inside.

aren't the pins cute!?!?

I am afraid I wasn't very fond of the way it looked once it was together. I couldn't get the smooth flat look that the pattern picture had. I went on to the Birthday Tart. Again different colors - no changes to the pattern. I was watching a movie and not paying attention and stitched her P onto mine - HA. I took it out and put a J. When I finished it I used a ruler to mark an inch from each side so my circle would be right - also I used the removable piece to draw a circle on the felt to get it the right size.

 I was really having a hard time getting the shape right for the tart- so I put the tin piece inside and darn it if it didn't make it look right!!

more cute pins!

So I went back and put the tin piece inside the cat tart - looks so much better.

This is what the bottom looks like since the tart piece is now inside

I guess it's a matter of what works for you - you can put the tin in or not. Scott suggested making a cardboard piece that matches the tin and put that inside instead. I think it pulls the fabric the right way and makes the padding sit right too.I absolutely love these tins - great idea!! I put the cat on the table Scott refinished! Love it!

I am now making the Victoria Sampler Gingerbread Church. I already have the steeple roof pieces stitched - just waiting for my micro buttons to come in the mail!

Years ago I bought a felt panel pattern - I don't remember who did the pattern though. There were three patterns and the display was a metal rack type thingy. I didn't buy the display rack and I only made two of the panels. Scott didn't know what he was going to do with them. He was driving through a small Indiana town and saw a place selling barn wood and came up with this idea

Isn't that cute!! It's unique and I love it! The pictures can be changed if we want to - what a smart guy!! Scott has been a busy bee making a frame for the Orchard Valley Quilting Bee but I can't show it to you yet - ohhh the suspense!! I can't wait to see it finished. The other project he has been working on is a Broyhill hutch (I think that's what they are called?) from my mom's house. It had been in the barn and had some water damage. It has been in the garage since we got back because it was a little smelly. Scott sanded off all the yucky parts - painted it and is going to use antiquing wax on it. You have to wait until next time though - it's still being worked on!!  I love that guy - he has a magic touch!!
I forgot to mention that I finally found the biscuits and gravy chips - it's crazy how they make chips taste just like something else - in this case sausage! They are not bad but my favorite is still truffle! I also broke down and bought the candy corn m&m's - I love them. they taste like caramel - mmmm. I saw pumpkin spice latte m&m's but I'm not sure I'm up for that. I'm still waiting to see if I got in the nursing program - killing me. School is fine - seems like 16 weeks is a really long time after my 8 week class - sheesh. Well, I'm off to study. Hope you have a lovely day.

wonderful weather

Hasn't it been lovely - open windows and cool evenings!! I sleep so much better when the room is cold and I have heavy blankets!
First let me welcome my newest followers - I'm up to 31!!! I feel like Sally Field - "You like me, you really like me" HA!!
I have some lovely frames to show you - I recently stitched Blackbird Inn by Little House Needleworks. We really liked the frame on the cover of the pattern but when I tried to find the company online I found out they retired from frame making. Scott decided to try making one!! I've been so excited for him to finish it so I could show you!!

 Isn't it lovely?!?!? If you look on the design you can see there is red under the black - in person it is really pretty!

He even put paper on the back like he does on traditional frames! Here are two before pictures. He cut the frame from a single piece of wood - I love it!!

He also framed this "Welcome" I can't even tell you who the designer is. It was a kit from a cross stitch catalog. 

Here is the frame before he re-sized and painted it blue.

 He also framed this - he was nervous about framing this because of the Hardanger - Looks great!

 Joy frame before re-sizing

 The hinge is on my hoop basket!! It's funny how different the two inside fabrics look on the picture because in person they match fabulously - weird.

 I finished the Needlework Shop by Victoria Sampler. I had some trouble with the roof because I cut the corners too close, damn it! Also I stitched everything one direction except the part that says "needlework shop" so it was shorter than the rest. I was able to stretch it to fit but I think that is why the lip has the raised section on the end. I also have one window that is crooked but it will be up on a shelf so hopefully nobody will see the flaws. I said I would take pictures but really my pictures looked just like the ones in the pattern that show you how to put it together. The directions are great - only thing I did different is I photocopied the actual stitching for the roof pieces so I would get the cardboard pieces  the right size on the first try. She has that as one of the directions in one of her patterns, but I'm not sure which.

I'm still working on Olga's Tart by Plum Street Samplers. I changed some stuff but you will have to wait until next time to see the finished product. Next will he Plum Street Sampler birthday tart.
Ryder is trying to get into SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) next semester. That means he will be 8 hours away instead of 20. That means he would be able to come home for the holidays much easier!! I'm excited for him to go to a new school - the one he is at has turned out to be a disappointment. They charge too much and are cutting back the departments that he needs to graduate. SCAD has been in he news a lot lately because the students move on to do fabulous things! 
I was trying to think of other things I've done - nothing! We haven't done much outside the house. Last weekend I helped mow - that is a full contact sport at this house! The hills, the humidity - ugh. So I guess that is it for today - thanks for stopping by. I hope you are having lovely weather at your house!

Frames and furniture

Hellooooo! Is everybody having this ridiculous heat? ugh. I have family visiting me in October and I see a few trees trying to change and I yell at them - WAAAAIT!!! I don't want them to be all gone by the time they get here! I still don't like the heat though. Scott has been working pretty hard on house projects. I'm going to start with furniture. We bought the cutest little long-legged table at a junk shop for $15 about a year ago. Scott sanded it - painted it black and aged it.

before

after

he added a cute fox pull - adorable!!

A friend of his asked him to cut some table legs down - he saved the legs and made a little bench to hold his crates of bottles

isn't that cute!?!?!

Now for the framing. Let me start by saying we used to buy all our frames. We would use a coupon or wait for a sale but we could always manage at least one frame at a time. Then we moved to Alaska - the frames were ridiculously expensive and we stopped buying them. I didn't stop stitching though. When we moved to Colorado we didn't start framing again and Scott had no idea how many pieces I had made..... I was showing my friend all my finishes and Scott was shocked. So he started buying frames again but now they were so expensive and they didn't always have what we wanted. Scott started making frames or refurbishing old ones. I'm so proud of his ability!! Now after having said all that I have to say the first frame finish is bought - yep we went and bought a frame. We wont be doing that again soon though because with a 60% off coupon the frame was $100 - ridiculous!! It looks lovely though.

Victoria Sampler Jingle Bells Christmas Tree Farm

I have a few pictures that he has been afraid to frame but now that he only has a few left to frame he decided to give them a try!!The first one is by Patricia Andrle of Counted Illuminations. She is a hard designer to find - she doesn't have an email, blog, website - nothing! She has some fabulous pieces but a lot of the are kind of washed out. So you have to look to see the pretty details, this one is Victorian House stitched on two pieces - which is why Scott was afraid to frame it. I think he did a fantastic job!!

stitched in 08

If you look through the windows you see the second piece - which DID NOT line up so I had to add more stitches to it before he could frame it. The other Patricia Andrle I have is the Christmas House - I think I stitched it 20 years ago. It's not framed yet but I hope it will be soon. I have her Flower Shop to stitch - just got the magazine from ebay!! Scott is making a frame for Blackbird Inn by Little House - I'm excited to post it when he is done!! I'm still working on the needlework shop - it's already cute.

I did engage in some stash enhancement activities.... 2 With Thy Needles and 2 older Prairie Sampler Santas!! YAY!!

 Have you guys seen the new m&m's? Pecan pie

I think they taste burnt. Scott didn't think they were very good either. I did not get the candy corn ones - weird! We tried the new Lays chips - Reuben tastes just like a Reuben!! The Gyro flavor is disgusting - Scott liked it because it tastes just like a gyro - meat and feta but I thought the feta was over-powering yeeeuck. The truffle chips are fantastic - I could eat them until they make me sick. Biscuits and gravy - haven't seen them anywhere - nobody we have asked has seen them either. I love trying the contest flavors - it's fun. Even when the flavors are nasty - last year the mango salsa was disgusting and I love mango salsa - they just didn't get the flavor right.
Now for the wildlife portion of the blog - ha ha

chipmunk

male cardinal feeding his baby- so cute!!

Mo

 Welcome to my newest follower - yay I'm at 29!!  Well I guess that's it for today - hope you have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend!!