Happy Independence Day !

Guest Room Update: The painting is completed. I will relay that process over the weekend when I have a little more time. I'll also provide some "before" and "after" pictures. Thank you to everyone that provided tips and paint formulas. It really helped when I as wondering if I was on the right track. You guys are great!

My wishes for a safe and happy 4th of July to all! AND - remember our four-footed, fuzzy friends that don't always find noisy celebrations to be as much fun as we do. They need special care and attention. M.

the perfect shade of a little blue egg ...

For some time I have wanted to paint my guest room a soft, soft shade of robin's egg blue. I have found several accessories to place in the room once it is painted. I even found a bed coverlet that will look great. The problem? Finding the right shade of blue.

I bought a sample that I just knew would be it. Wrong. Way, too aqua. How could that be? It looked absolutely perfect in the jar! Then, I remembered seeing a picture of a Martha Stewart color: sea spray blue. So off I went to Lowe's for another sample. After looking through all the chips, I ended up with two samples: sea spray blue and apothecary jar. One of these had to be it. Wrong again - well maybe not really wrong. Either would probably work fine, but it's not what I saw in my head. So I mixed equal parts of both samples and tried that. Too gray. Probably the color of some egg, just not the one I see when I close my eyes.


By this time the bedroom walls looked like an aqua patchwork quilt! My poor husband is afraid he will have to look at a minty toothpaste color or seafoam green. I keep reassuring him it will be fine. I usually can just pick out a paint chip and that is it. I have a reputation to uphold here and it's on the line. Plus, I have guests coming in a few weeks and I would like the paint to be dry when they arrive!

So, I went in search of items that were the perfect shade. Off I went - again - to the paint store with an assortment of "samples" for them to put in that little machine that tells you what the "perfect" color really is. If they could just capture the color of a vintage spool of silky thread that is in my workroom or the antique collar I used in this collage!

Not possible to cram either the thread or the collage into that little machine. So we used a scrap of wrapping paper. It still seemed a little intense so the "formula" was halved in intensity. I took a deep breath and with my head in my hands said, "Mix it." It is hard to be so picky. I should know. I've been this way for as long as I can remember.

The sample smear on the can lid looked like we had "it". I could hardly wait to get home and brush some over areas with the previous samples. well, I'm still not 100% sure, but I decided that it is just paint. If I get done and I don't like it - there is always more paint. Right? I'll report back after I paint on Sunday. - M. PS Think positive for me and say a little prayer to the paint gods - okay? Thanks.

I'm Still Here !

I know it has been a while since my last post. Things have been busy. Graduations, birthdays, events at work, moving our son and just life in general. I haven't even had time to read everyone's accounts of Farm Chicks! (Imagine me pouting with a big boo-boo lip here.) Maybe this weekend I'll get to do a little reading and be really jealous that I didn't get to go. Maybe next year.

I did complete a belated birthday gift yesterday. I had promised Diane, (Molly Mo's) a liner for her market cart. It's a little different from others I have made. This one is made of burlap! The funny thing is that I discovered while making it that I am still sensitive to the fibers in burlap. Haven't spent much time around burlap since it held grain for my horses in the 60's and 70's. Elf Patty had to finish sewing the burlap parts and I sewed the lining and trims. I love the look of the burlap in contrast to the frilly trim, but don't think I will be working with it again too soon! (Cough-cough-wheeze) Here are a few pictures. Kinda cute - huh?!?

I starting on some Halloween designs. I'll keep you posted on a certain process I'm trying that will be applied on some pumpkins! I've also been experimenting with folding book pages.

Next post: A poll regarding guestroom paint colors - getting that perfect shade of robin-egg blue! Have a peaceful weekend - M.

Farm Chicks this Weekend !

So many of my friends are packing up and heading to Spokane, Washington to set up for Farm Chicks this weekend. Boo hoo for me. I'm not going this year. Just too many other things going on in our lives. Graduations, work, on and on. So I will have to enjoy the show through the many blog postings that will result from a wonderful weekend in a shopper's paradise. So - to those lucky gals that are going - DON'T FORGET YOUR CAMERAS!!!

I have been working on a few new projects, and will be placing new items on Etsy soon. I'll let you know when I'm done so you can check it out!

In a few short weeks, my oldest, bestest friend from childhood/college/Kansas will be here in Oregon!!!! We will have a few days to visit and visit and visit. I am so excited since it has been over 10 years since we last were together and almost 30 years since she was in the Northwest! We are planning some sight-seeing and lots of fun. I know the days will pass too quickly, but I won't trade them for anything.

Must get busy. Have a good week and to those of you going to Spokane - good luck and enjoy! M.

How Time Flies

Today is our 15th Anniversary! It seems like it was only a couple of years ago. But looking back, so much has happened in our lives. There have been changes - mostly good. Growing, moving ahead, adjusting, adapting, being comfortable while trying to keep life interesting. Lots of understanding, compromise and respect for one another. Oh, and did I mention love?

Lots of love.

It is an interesting story that began with this little guy...

who decided I needed to be introduced to this guy...

and I ended up with both guys - the apple of my eye and the love of my life.

How lucky am I?!? I thank my lucky stars everyday and know I have been blessed with the best. Have a great weekend! M.

Introducing ... Lily Rose

A few weeks ago I showed you a sneek peak of a special project.

Well, yesterday I delivered that little project to her new home! It was so much fun to reveal her to Connie, her new owner. She was so excited! (Sorry, not the best pic - the sun was so bright.)

I told Connie she would need to name her. She said she had a couple names in mind but would wait until she saw her to decide. Immediately, she said Lily Rose! I think it is a perfect fit.

Miss Lily Rose is a lucky girl. She will be able to enjoy the best of both worlds at between two new homes: one on the lake and the other at the beach. I think I might be a little jealous! M.

Workin' on my Workroom

I picked up the latest issue of "Where Women Create" last week. Not only does this publication make me want to spruce up my workroom, it inspires me to get busy too. Usually that's what I do -- get busy and make something.



Not this time. I decided my workroom needed a little change. Not a big change, but something. It's a really small room so with having to take into consideration closet doors, a window, Internet and TV cables, there isn't much variation with furniture placement. I decided to bring in a little bookshelf that I store in the garage as a prop for shows. What the heck? Why not use it? I moved an old storage piece to the other side of the room and placed the bookshelf on top of my old farm table . I stacked all the cigar boxes and glass jars that house some of my treasures on it. Imagine - more work space on the table top! More workspace is such a bonus. Since my rolls of paper are always a mess and tend to fall out of the old hops baskets, I brought in my market cart. It works great - at least until I need my cart again. I'll deal with that later.



I got this idea from another magazine. I had just taken this old wire dish drainer out to the garage. What was I thinkin'? It makes the best holder for files and pencils!



I didn't do much to this storage piece except clean out the cubbies. I found some great stuff I had forgotten about! Eventually I will add some old pulls to the bottom drawer.

This is where I placed the old storage piece that had been on the farm table. I keep all my stamps, ink, scraps of lace, ribbon, etc. in it. Love it. It sets on another bookshelf where I store my old pics, postcards, etc. behind a little curtain.


Okay, this is where I could use some input. I removed the drawers to a couple of cheap, cardboard storage pieces and repurposed it to hold my wire project baskets. They are tucked under the farm table. Here's my dilemma: Should I paint the icky brown/ivy cardboard boxes ivory or should I add a skirt to the table and hide the storage underneath all together? I know an old, linen skirt would look great, but I would have to push it aside every time I want to remove a basket from under the table. Function or aesthetics? Let me know what you think.


All of that moving and re-organizing led to a lot of cleaning and dusting. What a great feeling! My little mannequin even seems happier!

Now, I really do need to get busy and work on some projects. Let me know what you think: should I paint or make a skirt? M.