December 2013

December is almost over - as is 2013. Life has been busy this past month and a half. Getting "ready" for Christmas was not high on my list. Too many changes. Grandma was in the hospital and family called as her condition was fragile, but she rallied and came to our Christmas Eve family celebration. However, Grandpa spent the day in the emergency room and has been in the hospital since then. They are 90 and 91 and are the beloved parents of my late husband.

This post is all over the place and just as random as my brain is right now. I usually like to create a variety of things in December, but about all I did was paint a tarnished trivet and sprinkle glitter on it. I stuck it up on the mantle that never got decorated. I also went to the Dollar store and brought home some of the ugly little ceramic houses, sprayed them white, and glittered them. They do look so much better and will be fine for January and some of February with the snowflake and candles that were already there.

 

Christmas balls were discovered in a box of ornaments and I asked my daughter if I could put them outside. The box was hers and hadn't been put away from moving here with me earlier in the month.

One morning I was looking out my kitchen window and saw an eagle flying back and forth over the dairy. A while later it was sitting on top of the power pole that is about 100 yards from my back door. It's a horrible picture, but I want to remember this later. Wildlife in my backyard makes me happy.

Work on my bathroom also happened the week before Christmas. Tonight I primed the base boards that were removed so I can put the first coat of paint on tomorrow. It's not a fancy re-do, but I like it already with the flooring, new vanity, and new "throne". All this should have been completed a while ago, but when you need to wait for the floor everything else stops.

 Thank you for stopping for visits during the past year! I appreciate each of you and treasure the comments that you leave. May you be richly blessed in the new year!

♥♫

Cookbook Bookcase

I've had the inside of my kitchen bookcase painted for a week or so and was waiting for the paint to cure as I didn't want to put my cookbooks back on the shelves and have them stick to the paint. This is one of those inexpensive particle board bookcases and it fits (very important!) at the end of my kitchen counter. I did some cleaning and traded a 2 shelf for the 3 shelf version  that is a bit higher than the counter now. The backside was UGLY, and that little part that would show HAD to be pretty.

I gathered my supplies:

glue

  a sponge brush, and

a new brayer.

My old one is somewhere downstairs and the rubber is most likely brittle so I used a coupon at Michael's and now own a new one.

 

I sorted through my cookbooks, gave away only 6, and still have a heavy box that is going OUT the door. Soon, very soon! I found one that I liked (but not enough to keep) and tore out the pages I used.

I spread glue on the bookcase top and back and put the pages down on the glue. Rolled over them with the brayer and wiped excess glue away with a damp cloth.

I did wrap a bit around the one side where the next step is to glue on some beadboard wallpaper and paint it.

Little projects seem to take the most time in this house because I work rather slowly and tend to be a perfectionist. I guess that comes from being a teacher and retirement cannot change that part of my being. So I'm hoping those wrinkles disappear as the paper dries. At least I remember that's what happened years ago when I did real decoupage with the layers of varnish and sanding to get the flawless finish. When the paper dries I am planning on ONE coat of poly! It better be good.

As you work on projects, small or large, may the imperfections become unimportant so you can enjoy the satisfaction of having done your best. Progress is bliss!!

♥♫

More Bliss

Discovering new neighborhood shops among housing developments is something that comes with a change of address. This set of wind sculptures was across the street when the three of us were out looking for breakfast one weekend recently. And look at the mountains in the background! They seem to be my happy place and I look forward to getting to see them either on the way to my mom's or heading to the big city to see Alex and Sarah.

Back at home the only mountain I can see out my kitchen window is the pile of ensilage for the neighbor's dairy. But, that could be difficult if these five wild animals are blocking the view! They had been watching my every move until I was ready to take a picture.

Painting continues with things like a new vanity, furniture, and now the bathroom and eventually my bedroom. My new flooring was not available in Denver and so the expected overnight delivery will have to wait until December 9th. 

Because of that issue I had some time to work outside and "plant" this tree with lights near the door. It's my solution to my entry light  needing a bit of rescue in that I broke the old bulb, tried to replace it and got the new one only halfway in. Can't remove it and can't get it in straight now. Stuck!! Now the whole fixture will have to be taken apart to replace the bulb.

I'm trying to get things out to decorate for Christmas, but the painted pieces are not in their final places yet and are in the way of everything! I am waiting for it all to be put together because of the flooring delay which has given me time to take it easy after having an odd skin growth removed and the uncomfortable stitches that closed the wound. Maybe in a few more days, I'll be able to get around a bit easier!

Hope your time before Thanksgiving will be spent thinking about the many blessings you have. 

♥♫

Number 7

These lower cabinets received their final coat of paint today. Now just some details to touch up and clean handles to put back. They are soaking in some ammonia and Dawn so I will be able to easily scrub away 32 years of life. I wasn't going to replace them as I'd need to purchase 31! And this make-over is as inexpensive as it can be--shellac, primer, and paint. My time is FREE! But, you would not be able to pay me enough to do this for anyone else!! I waited 24 hours between coats of  whatever and didn't rush the process. I'm good at going slowly.

The top of this dresser is shiny now. It had the varnish removed, sanded, stained, and two coats of finish. This was my first attempt at staining and actually refinishing a piece of furniture. I've done smaller craft projects, so even though not perfect, I'm satisfied.

True bliss is bringing in what will really be the last roses of the season. These are miniatures and are white in the summer, but these have a beautiful touch of pink on the tips of the petals. The stems are full of pokey thorns so the arrangement is what it is.

Those fully opened roses are only 2 inches across. Some of the edges are brown because we've had snow, cold winds, and freezing temperatures recently.

These are quite hardy little roses, most coming from the grocery store and planted outside. 

And, the last bit of bliss this week has been the lack of flies. I think I'll be able to put my fly swatter away for the winter--at last! Of course, with warmer weather coming later this week, a few flies might be back. Living in the country next to a dairy has some drawbacks, but love where I am. 

Hope you will be finding bliss and enjoying your life where ever you are.

♥♫

Bliss and Not

These are the final kitchen cabinets to be refinished. It was over a year ago when the painting bug 'bit', but school started and  I ran out of time to get them finished. (Once school started, my life was controlled by all things school). The whole set made the kitchen dark and dreary so after seeing lots of inspiration I began the work. My first mistake was believing the statement that Annie Sloan paint needs no prep work. This is not true with oak and the tannins they leach out and using her Pure White.

  

THAT I discovered AFTER the first set of upper cabinets were finished. So I put on two coats of shellac, then primer on the next set on another wall. They turned out much better!! After removing the handles I washed the cabinets and got started with the brush. I still need to prime the frames, but the doors and drawers are ready to paint. I just need some sunny days to continue working so I can see what I'm doing.

While I was in this painting mode, I brought in some  drawers from the garage to paint.

I finally got my school stuff sorted and put away and now I'm filling up the house with more work. I need to get this out of the way ASAP. Sarah came during the week and helped me bring in the actual chest to work on, too.

Wally always did all the painting. I'm not a painter and it can make me cranky. 

Seeing these beautiful leaves before bell practice and practice itself put me in a better mood.

And a visit on Thursday from my 'dot' and SIL was a nice break! Sarah and I did lots of little things that needed two people to get done AND we made butterballs for our German noodle soup. BLISS in the midst of painting chaos.

Waking up the next day to 5-6 inches of an early snow was rather surprising. Snow almost always comes and ruins Halloween fun for trick or treaters. This year it was early!

But it was BLISS not having to worry about shoveling the snow and going to school!! By the time I had to leave, most of it was melted off the sidewalk and car.

Looking out the back across the irrigation ditch to the dairy's "mountain" of ensilage covered with plastic and tires reminded me of my time in Granby when I lived in the high country almost  (GASP) 40 years ago!

The snow melted during the day on Friday so now it's back to fall again. 

Thanks, Sarah for the picture of your tree. It must be gorgeous in person.

Here's wishing you some fabulous fall color where ever you are. Even when chores make the bliss appear to be rather scarce.♥♫

BLISS 5

Finding a calendar for my mom for Christmas is bliss. It's the first gift for this holiday!

Having a coupon for 50% off at Joann Fabrics to use on the calendar is bliss. Lang calendars have easy to see numbers and pretty flowers! Bonus bliss. It was such a good deal that the next day I decided I should get mine, too.

Shopping for a few necessities at Costco I found a Christmas garland that matches the tree Sarah and Alex got for me last year is bliss. I do love the sparkles and lights!

Bliss is enjoying our Indian Summer with warm days and cool nights. This blossom was a "bonus" as it was on the other side of the driveway and I had actually forgotten about this rose. It smells divine!

The fact that Sarah and Alex have a new address and are happy here is bliss. No, they didn't buy a new house, but are sharing this beautiful home with a friend. So you might hear more about Julie, the owner of the house. Julie and Sarah have been friends for a long time and she was Sarah's maid of honor. Buster, the grand-dog has adjusted nicely!

Celebrating my brother's birthday last week was also bliss. I also celebrated Sarah Josephine's birthday the night before. Delicious meals for both-- one in town and the other a feast that my mom made.

Celebrate each day and bliss will find you.

♥♫

Finding Bliss. 4

Food and flowers were bliss this past week or so.
Eating at this cafe is edible bliss. Alex and Sarah took me here and it's become one of my favorite places to dine when I'm in Denver. Actually it's near their new home in Thornton, so I'm looking forward to more visits to the  Vietnamese Cafe.

My garden has a few final blossoms.

Mini roses in pink and yellow.

A standard pink rose, ready to open, with three more buds. This fragrant bloom may be the final one because the other buds may not open before a possible frost this Friday.

A few petunias, most are ready to be pulled out.

New pansies planted for fall.

Delicate colors.

 The baby tears has grown so much and will come into the house for fall and winter.

The rest of the yard is a wreck and is in need of a good mowing. The pasture, too! Weeds everywhere and I'm lacking ambition to work on it. This September was my real month of adjustment to retirement and have decided I need to get over it and get busy. Have a lovely week looking for bliss inside and out.

♥♫

Finding Bliss. 3

There were two trips to the big city last week. I knew I had to take a picture of the morning glories in the back yard where Ali, Sarah and Alex live. Jack Frost will be visiting one of these days and changing the leaves and flowers to brown.

The leaves are my favorite shape and are going to be somewhere in my garden next year. I'll need to think about something tall for them to climb on, as these are over 8 feet tall.

Here is one with the bright zinnias, but I think I want the blue ones or the dark purple.

Besides loving the flowers, I must include the cat this week. This will surprise everyone that she is part of the bliss in my life. Yuna continues to be a pest, yet she is devoted to me, as she was to Wally.

The second trip to the city was for the Park Hill 35th annual home tour.

The homes in this part of Denver are older and so interesting. We couldn't take interior pictures, so I tried to take some outside.

This was the back yard and a familiar fellow was guarding the back entrance/exit.

This weeping tree was gigantic!! The parkway also had a small street fair going on for all the visitors.

The home below is shown in three pictures.

The middle of the house is below.

And the right part of the home. For "traffic flow" we entered on the side patio into the dining room.

Two houses I'd move into!

It was a nice day for the tour and a perfect beginning to fall. My next trips to Denver will be busy as I'll be helping Sarah and Alex move to another part of the metro area where the houses are newer, but not as charming as these.

I hope you will find something in a neighborhood near you that will bring you some bliss this week.

♥♫