painted desk

Here is the before picture...

and the after... I finally sat down with a brush and leftover garage door paint (Martha Stewart for Home Depot- 'Hosta') and got her done. I purposely brushed it on thinly, I wanted some of the wood grain still visible without getting out the sandpaper and officially antiquing it. Looks cute, with the silver bed next to it too.

morning paddle

We rolled out of bed early today and got the kayaks out onto the lake. The sun was just coming up; rain (and a very impressive thunderstorm) rolled through last night and left everything shrouded in mist and feeling fresh.

Deer Creek reservoir is chocked full of water, I don't think I've ever seen the water so high. It's nice to not have to look at the high water mark around the edges of the lake.

I'm glad I wasn't swimming- in the swamp sections, I can only imagine feeling the underwater growth touch my legs and losing it. The plants were magical from above, with the pretty pink blooms.

glassy water

wild roses

Looking toward Midway... I decided to avoid getting attacked by the swans and not try and get any closer than this.

summer projects

I'm finally getting around to the front porch chairs... perhaps it's mostly because I couldn't really come up with any more colors I liked after all of the sudden adding so much with the garage, front door and shutters.  I've collected these chairs over the winter, with the front porch in mind- the rocker one was given to me by a storage unit neighbor (yay, I love free!) and I found the other two in an antique store's back lot- super cheap.

I like the pink, even though it looks a little bright in this picture, the silver works too. The silver chair stood out when it was white, I figured a subtle 'satin nickel' would be better than a bright color. I think the yellow is too bright, I think I'll take it down a notch with yet another can of spray paint- when I get a minute.
 By the way- if you are looking for great spray paint colors, check out your local craft store. I discovered (a little late unfortunately) that Michaels had a much better color selection than even Home Depot or Ace hardware stores.

one more thing-

So just one banner, and then I'll stop. I got the idea for the Swiss flag banners a few months ago about as I was thinking about Swiss Days, the cute little town of Midway, and how much I love flaggy things (makes everyday feels like a party) and all of that. It's taken this long to finally get one put together.

I think I'll make a few more for Swiss Days, maybe someone else wants to show some town pride or honor their heritage or perhaps they are on ski patrol, or they just love the Swiss flag. By the way, for all my neighbors who are wondering what could be next?  when is she going to put out her extensive collection of garden gnomes... it'll skip it and sell them on ebay.  No really, I am Swiss, somewhere back on my mom's side.

I promise when the flags get faded, I'll take them down. If there is one thing I can't stand it's the faded Himalayan prayer flags that people leave up for-e-ver, hanging in tatters across their yard or porch. It reminds me of Miss Havisham's mouldering wedding decor. Take it down people, I don't care if the superstitious folklore prohibits removal, do it anyway and stop embarrassing yourself.

and the mailbox too

I just had to do it, while all the paint was still out. Once again, chocking up hours and hours with the paintbrush in hand...

flower painted shutters

Here they are folks, my folk art flower painted shutters- in all their colorful glory, with their corresponding front and garage door. I got all crazy today and got my planters chocked full of annuals and the front flower bed planted with my favorite perennials and a few herbs too.  Let's not forget what I think is now my favorite part- the window boxes.

I picked up these metal baskets years ago in an antique shop's back lot. I used them for displaying goods when participating at art and craft shows over the years. It's nothing short of a miracle that they made the move and I still have them kicking around- not to mention- I have two of them, they happened to be about the right size, I figured out a way of mounting them to the wall (anchored with 3/8"C hooks that screwed deep into the wall to the sub-layer of wood) without having to order some crazy expensive window-box-hanging contraption off the internet. Then, without even really searching, I found the coconut husk liners you use with this kind of window box at a local nursery, got the boxes planted and hung up- all in a day or two. Ahhh, I have always wanted something to water twice a day all summer long...  Seriously, they are so cute, I don't even care how many times a day they need water.

progress

I've been working on the shutters all weekend, I wonder how many hours I will have logged when this project is finally finished?  I started with the stencils I made, then tossed them aside and started just hand drawing everything in pencil, then paining over my lines. The shutters won't be identical, which I think is more fun anyway; maybe I should hide a bee/Waldo/my name/butterfly/I {heart} JB on one of them.
My goal is to have them (all 6) done and installed on the front of my house no later than tomorrow.
But then I got the mail today and realized that my mailbox is so boring and white and I do have all the paint and brushes out...

bold moves

It has been a week of projects- painting this and that, hanging stuff up,  searching ksl classifieds for hours... which is where I found this cute little bed for $20. After reading the ad (it said the bed was kind of beat up) I got the silver spray paint and made a plan. But when I picked it up and saw it was, in my opinion, in excellent shape (I guess I have a low threshold for wear and tear on furniture) I changed my mind and set it up with it's original honey brown color.  But alas- no. can. do.-  it was way too boring. We dragged it outside and without much to lose, started spraying...

I love it so far, it's going to be tough to wait the proper drying time because I can't wait to set it up. It took more Satin Nickel Metallic spray paint than I originally thought (wow- 5 cans for nice, even coverage, both sides and under carriage included).

It looked super sparkly and fantastic in the direct sunlight, I hope it still sparkles inside the house too. I'll get a finished bed&room picture posted tomorrow. 

local color

If you are paying attention as you drive past Park City (on the 40, Silver Summit exit) you might catch a glimpse of this fella and his corral mates. The kids tipped me off, apparently the owner purchased him at ZebrasRUs.com, just in case you're in the market too.

desk raising project

I have these two metal desk that we've picked up along the way, back to back in my sewing room. I love the standing/drafting desk. It's the perfect height for cutting. The red desk is another story- it's one redeeming quality is the long drawers underneath for poster/big flat paper storage. Since this room has been moved into I've wanted to somehow raise up the red desk to standing height and make one big work surface.

After thinking for months about raising the whole thing up (like on cinderblocks) I finally puzzled it out... I took off the top and used 2X6's to build a frame that only lifted up the top, and with a lot less weird looking result, I hope.

                             

Luckily, a 2X6 was the perfect height, since my tool selection is currently limited to a circular saw, drill and a few bits.

I had some red paint (that is going on the exterior of my house soon) that matched almost exactly the painted color.

I had to do a little shimming here and there to get the height right. The tops still don't match exactly- good enough- I say.

I needed some way to brace the whole contraption to the desk underneath. Hole in the metal were in place already, so I had to work with what already there. I found these metal brackets at Home Depot which actually lined up, with a little bending and turning. Now I just need to paint it red too.

Finally finished, in the harsh light of day and with a camera flash the reds look a bit crazy together, but in reality, you have to look hard to notice the lifter part is not part of the original desk. I picked up a huge 3 section cutting board I picked up a while back (anticipating this project) with my 50% off coupon at Joann's, I can finally use it. And the truth is I don't really care what it looks like, just that it's done-checked off the list.

tiny house week: monday

Tiny spaces are so intriguing to me.
 I think I can pinpoint when it all started.
When I was in elementary school there was a fabulous, intricate, brightly painted two story playhouse on a trailer parked on the side of a major road we used to drive everyday. The dollhouse/playhouse has a sign posted near it that said- 'Enter a drawing to win this playhouse.'  I begged my mom to stop and enter the drawing. Once entered, I was certain I would win. How could I not when I wanted it more than anything or anyone else?  I dreamt night and day about what the playhouse looked like inside, how I would carpet, paint and decorate it. I was obsessed, like only a naive 10 year old can be. But as entries in all drawings and giveaways go (in my world), I didn't win. I was devastated- perhaps still am.
Something in me still longs for that pint-sized playhouse of my childhood. Now as an adult, when I see a tiny house/shed/outbuilding, I have this overwhelming sense of longing and, let's be honest here, covetousness. (Also, that thing- like when you see a cute baby or a fluffy cat- I clench my teeth, raise my voice an octave or two, say 'cute' a lot, and want to squeeze the guts out of the cute thing.)
As the weather warms up,  I've been running and biking around my tiny, quaint new-to-me hometown. It's a pleasure to get out of the car and see details, all the wee buildings- like the garden shed above. I mean are you kidding me?? It's like 10 sq.ft. tops and couldn't be more perfect.

So I'm dedicating the week to tiny buildings. If you've got a favorite in your town, link it up here and share the love.

progress

Once again, I'm organizing. I'm frugally sorting through scrap bins and totes, walking down memory lane, and coming across a few surprises- fabric that have been give to me by those who know I sew and collect fabric, somedays- one more than the other. By the way- bring it on- I'll be your Salvation Army drop box anytime. I came up with the saw horse idea yesterday.

I have all these scraps cut into various size strips all wadded up here and there, very hard to keep track of, or make use of. I needed some sort of display/storage system.

I've got this bit of space in the sewing room, by the sink, so I dragged this horsey from the garage and set to work.

It's not very exciting, I suppose, in general... but it has been making me happy all day to see my sewing room get organized and to find what I'm looking for is delightful.


OK, now down to business-
To all you jokester/ April Fool pranksters out there- here's the best prank I can think of... if you can pull it off, it's bound to be talked about for years to come.
It's the old dirty diaper trick, baby shower game. All you need is a fresh disposable diaper, chocolate bar and a microwave. Take the chocolate bar and melt it into the unused disposable diaper- be creative here folks- Snickers, Milky Way, Mounds etc. Then using your best acting skills, you can really gross someone out. Find the diaper, smell it, taste it- you get the picture. Good Luck.

Hey, get off the shed!

This shed, inelegantly deposited in the sideyard of our house, (our petite substitute for a third garage bay)- lovingly nicknamed the "Outhouse" or "Sport Shack" has been calling F's name since he first set eyes on it. I missed the vision of what exactly he was planning until I went outside yesterday and found this scene unfolding. Oh well, if you can't beat 'em join 'em- Steve O climbed up too and helped plan the big jump. 

A small crowd gathered- our whole family and the young, impressionable Calderwoods' risking the cold to watch the scene unfold and embed some fresh ideas of how to behave when they turn 13 or so. 

Thank goodness he had his helmet on... what a good example.

Special thanks to the Calderwoods' for reminding us of this Saturday Night Live skit, we are so glad you are big SNL fans too and that you're the kind of neighbors to applaud this type of behavior, or at least turn the other cheek and not call DCFS. 

new curtains

I made these curtains for the new sewing room a few weeks ago, from an Urban Outfitters panel. I was pretty happy with the way they were looking until I came across this fabric...

(sorry, another bad-ishly exposed picture, but I refuse to move old curtains back for another picture, if you know what I mean).

I stumbled upon "Brooke" by Alexander Henry at Joann's, no less. Bonus- I can use my 40%-50% off 1 item coupon for Joann's- all wise crafters and sewers keep in their pocketbook (am I wrong ladies?). 

I can't stop loving the bright colors. I don't know if I'd make curtains out of this fabric for the living room (OK, I might...) but my basement 'honeycomb hideout' was a perfect place.

Lookin' so cute with my 'Noelle O Designs' puffy fabric letters logo my daughter Q made me for Christmas, great present huh?! She's a clever one- came up with the idea on her own, and made one for her Dad too (that says Solpin Films...).

The walls are painted Beehive, Martha Stewart color from Home Depot. Subtly yellow/brown, it works well in a basement- and with curtains this bright.

The other curtains made the move into the newly finished basement family room, looking much better here, if you ask me. The walls are Index Card Green, another Martha Stewart color. This little kitchen has been in storage for a few years, when it came back home the kids were very happy, even though Q and F have to kneel down to make it the right size for them now. It's most often a restaurant (The Banana Boat Cafe) but frequently a vet's office or even a school.

I found this note stuck on the white board easel. Having your big sister act as your teacher and boss can get a little old... and then she rubs it in with this public post-it declaration- like it's your fault.

15 hour garage makeover

This was our garage yesterday morning, I've been meaning to get around to organizing it, but it's been way down on the list, especially the week before Christmas.

But then it snow about 2 feet.... and since I wasn't going anywhere (here I am stuck at the bottom of the driveway) I decided the time had come to get the car inside for the winter and the mess organized. By the way, cat litter works wonders for getting 2 wheel drive cars (or Tahoe) unstuck. I think I'll keep a box in the car, as well as a shovel and the chains.

It's a Christmas miracle... my pulley system for the kayaks worked, the bikes (can't see 'em, they are to the left) and skis are hung up- and the car fits into the garage with the ski box on top- hooray! A few more items to list on KSL, a trip of two to the salvation army and the recycling center and we'll be able to fit the other car in as well. It sure will be nice to have a warm, snow free car for the rest of the winter. A beautiful sight.

Legos- for grownups

I have been search for weeks, racking my brain, asking around, reading classifieds- all in search of affordable cabinets to put into my craft room. Nothing was panning out. I even went to a chicks house with my car all ready to pick up the cabinets she had listed on KSL and they turned out to be from a doctors office and nowhere near a standard height. Finally, the most affordable option, within a certain time frame, was Ikea. And let me just say, it's so nice to have an Ikea handy when moving or finishing a house. Here are all the necessary pieces, all ready to be snapped together.

The upper cabinets went in easy, even working solo. I still can't believe that only two bolts hold each cabinet to the wall. It's probably a good thing I don't know what is behind the scenes in most construction- I think I'd worry too much....  Kind of like when you are at a party and wonder if the floor might collapse under your feet with the weight of all the partygoers? Maybe it's only me who wonders about situations like that...

It occurred to me as I read the instructions that came with each piece, Ikea is pretty much Legos for adults. Your instructions show all the pieces that are included (and how many) then they walk you through step by step with pictures for building your project. Good thing I have a long history with Legos.

The sink is one thing that worked out from a KSL classified ad. It looked a little gross when I picked it up, the previous owners had pulled it out to remodel. I took it all apart and scrubbed and scoured every last faucet and drain part and now it looks brand new. As a matter of fact, it's a much nicer faucet (probably sink too) that what we've got in our kitchen upstairs. It's also cast iron and probably weighs as much as all my kids put together. I fret about the Lego cabinets with their wee plastic legs holding such weight- everyday for the rest of their lives...   Well, it's lasted overnight, so I guess it's OK. 

The countertop is also from Ikea, 6 ft. slab of formica, the price was right and it looks good too. See the cute wee plastic legs under there? I need to pick up some kick-plate material when I make my daily trip back to Ikea. By the way, the kick-plate snaps into place in a very Lego fashion... works for me, I love Legos.