Coming Along August 20, 2009

You are looking at my craft room closet door.  I decoupaged vintage sewing pattern tissue on the door, I had planned to put in on the back of the shelves but switched plans to something easier and ultimately, I felt, more impactful.  I found the blue door on the curb, didn’t paint it.  Found it, put on for trash, that beautiful color with amazing hardware.  It’s too wide for the craft room doorway so I’ve got to cut it down to size.  I have big plans for that door, so stay tuned!

I hung the antlers from my Pop on the closet door to hold all my thrifted hoops.  I don’t embroider but my old craft room had lots of fabric filled embroidery hoops.   I am feeling them as they are this time around.

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I forgot to announce the winner of the Name That Fish Contest:

And the winner is, Sharon with: Fishel: Yiddish name meaning little fish.   The boys had other favorites (Natalies‘ Phinneas was a favorite because of Phinneas and Ferb) and there were some good ones (Visty’s Swordid was my second favorite).  But since the fish will be hanging in my craft room I felt I should decide.  So Fishel it is.  Made me laugh,  like the idea of crafting under an old Jewish swordfish.

So I will be sending out some gee gaws and doo dads to you Sharon in a less than timely manner!  Wait for it!

Ideas & Suggestions Sought August 18, 2009

My granny gave me this sofa.  Probably 20 years ago now.  It was in her living room since I can remember.  I think she could not really understand how we grew up, moving every couple of years as my dad got reassigned in the army.  I think she wanted me to have this beautiful sofa as a place to be “home”.  I have always thought of it as such but it’s been in storage all 20 of those years.  I finally have a home and am thrilled for this family piece to be a part of it.  The dust mite allergies are less pleased.  So we are getting it reupholstered and refibered (I just learned that term and plan to sprinkle it in my conversations today, maybe work it into Facebook…).

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I need your advice, leave the wood or paint?  What to reupholster it with?  I am thinking a gray velvet or maybe an olive.  Teal?  I like the idea of a linen but I don’t think I can swing it, price wise.  Your thoughts and suggestions?

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So those are the “arty” shots.  The “I have a blog,  look at my beautiful life” shots.

Here is the other shot, the “my crap is as messy as your crap” shot.

You are welcome.

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My parents just drove this up from NC in their pull along trailer.  Along with some other bits and bobs (do not look directly at the John Deer motorized ride on toy or one might magically spring up in your back yard).

Habitat August 17, 2009

My youngest son calls the side porch his “habitat”.

We are all looking to create spaces of our very own in the new house.

Old thrifted Boston Public School desk & chair set that they boys are enjoying turning into a rocket console, time travel capsule and just plain sitting spot.

My oldest reading his new favorite, Tin Tin.

Enjoying the shadows in the early a.m.

Learning more about this house every day.

They Call it Chowdah August 4, 2009

So did you know that movers have a term for all the unpacked crap that is unyet boxed when they arrive?  I did not know until last Tuesday.

Sweet shit moving is hard.  A lot harder 7 years, 2 kids, a mess of lbs, and a festering thrift addiction later I TELL YOU.

I am embarrassed to admit that I actually had visions a plan to set my craft room up (in it’s entirety) the first night.  I am laughing at my former, less exhausted self and her silly plans.

I think I was prepared for the physical strain of moving but it was/is the emotional stress that has clocked me.  The public-ness of the process was not enjoyable, it felt a little like going outside with your pants down.  First folks come in and throw your stuff around, exposing all kinds of crud underneath, then they march out the door, displaying your junk until it gets to the truck.  Then you turn around and put on a show of excess for your new neighbors.  Delightful.

I (kinda) wish I had gotten a photo of all the trash we left in front of our old apartment.  It was an embarrassing mound, an embarrassing mound that spanned the entire length of the property – double lined.  And usually I am a good donater or freecycler but time was falling on our heads and we just put it all to the curb.  A couple of folks pulled over (after my own heart) to trash pick.  So much “chowder” was left in our apartment and we needed the stuff out in  2 days if we wanted our deposit back, and we DO. (Hello sectional sofa!)

I will stop complaining now because these are good changes that are happening.  I will appreciate and embrace them with grace, right?

Random shots from around the house:

Newel post at the base of the front stairway.

Above the stove.

Bit of the kitchen floor, original to the house, which is almost 100 years old.

Don’t YOU have a toilet in your yard?

Vintage Photo in Kitchen (will hopefully be back to Vintage Photo Friday next week).

The Bromeliads are from our thoughtful neighbors!

Snippet of the craft room.  Excuse the blur but somehow a blurry photo of cameras made me laugh.

More display of my collections in the craft room.

I still have a crush on my Etsy Boyfriend there in front.  Isn’t he handsome?  Wish he could help me unpack though…

I started a Flickr group called, Just Moved.  Please join if you’ve moved in the last year (or ever in your life!) and share your thoughts and photos.

Craft Room in Progress July 27, 2009

Finally finished painting.  Will bitch about the process another time!  Subscribe now in an effort not to miss it.

The top photo is a truer representation of the color of the walls.  I edited to add this so you can see one of the thrifted house dresses I got for 2 dollars that I’m using as curtains in it’s entirety.  I have too much packing to do to make that last sentence less wonky.

Some of my breakables I brought over ahead of the movers.  My craft room is shaping up to be a touch Black Forrest.  More taxidermy than I had originally envisioned.  That’s right.  The soon to be named big fish will find a home in my craft room. Last chance to join the contest.

Can’t Talk, Packing… July 22, 2009

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…

Attic July 18, 2009

The attic in it’s current state:

Love the knobs, will love them more when I figure out how to secure them.

Walk up.

And because I am all about little tips for you to take with you –>  when walking around in an attic; you should always wear shoes.  I spilled the first blood the other night.

Patch.

Vintage linoleum love.

Found.  Still looking.

Little room not as scary as this photo would suggest.

This will be Mr. Paperdoll’s break out room with his music and the tiny little IKEA sofa he has been dreaming of.

I look forward to sharing the after photos with you!

Typing Without Green Thumb July 15, 2009

I think plants are lovely.  I appreciate them in pots, although I killed all mine when I became pregnant for the first time and have never felt like I had the time to try and be a better plant parent.  So I am a little freaked at the prospect of taking care of all the beautiful and currently thriving plants in our new yard.  I have always lived in an apartment and don’t think I have even so much as mowed a lawn before.  Although I think mindlessly pushing a mower is more suited to my strengths than taking care of all these delicate plants that are now OURS!

Luckily, a friend from high school (International School Bangkok, WOOT!) is a published author and plant expert extraordinaire.

Check out her first book,  Rain Gardening in the South:  Ecologically Designed Gardens for Draught, Deluge and Everything in Between,!

Anne agreed to take a look at my photos, help me identify the plants and have a game plan for avoiding a yard full of astroturf (my husband’s preference). Big thanks to my fellow Soi 39’er!  I hope the fact that I have not heard from her since I sent a ridiculous amount of photos her way doesn’t mean I overwhelmed her kindness.

I thought I would also ask you all, who I assume are much more skilled in this area than I, for a little help as well.

How do you tend to your gardens?  Do you have a schedule?  What tools do I need?  Any other tips or tricks I should know?  Can I do this?

There ia a huge vine of Wisteria in the front, it’s  beautiful and ancient.  What do I do?

Can not wait to take a photo of it in full bloom next year.  The previous owner told me a story of walking  in the neighbor hood and seeing a woman holding a big bouquet of Wisteria and when she asked about it the thief woman admitting to taking it from the green house a couple of street over.  To which the previous owner replied, “Yeah, that’s my house.”

Those plants (?) got trampled during the move, should I cut them back?

Are there weeds in this shot?  What is that billowy thing?  Oh man, I am in trouble.

These unknown plants/bushes are over taking the back steps.  How do you cut them back?  Close to the base?  Is it harmful to them?

I am pretty sure that’s Hosta but what’s that pink flower?

So pretty.  What are they?  Please tell me they are all hardy.

Oh pretty little orange plants, I will do my bests.  Please be patient.

Thanking you in advance for any help you could throw my way.  I am a little embarrassed because in my head, I am a gardener.  But all learning is good, right?!!!

You’ve Got Mail July 14, 2009

Last time we went to Brimfield, I found this old cooler.  The kind you would leave on your porch and the Dairy delivery would come round and leave you milk and butter.  I paid a few bucks for it, with no plan at the time for what to do with it.

I was trying to figure out what to do for a mailbox and then I paired the metal cooler with a little green metal plant table (?) I picked up at a yard sale a while back.  It was a sure bet to buy, the combination of it being the shade of green that makes me swoon and being made of metal made me wonder how in the heck everyone else could have passed it up since I was not an early bird at all!

I special ordered the vinyl decal from TastySuite, a fine Etsy establishment.  They sent out my decal lickety-split!

So far it’s pretty much been filled with the old owner’s mail but one day we will get bills fun parcels and fan mail in this baby, I’m sure of it!

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Put this in your box —>last chance to enter my contest! Winner announced in a couple of days (family having a hard time coming to consensus).

Before & After & More Before July 11, 2009

We found 2 of these chairs on the curb one night on the way to dinner at our friends’ place.  It was about 6 or 7 years ago and they have been in our basement since.  My husband and I toyed with the idea of reupholstering them ourselves but it is not a hobby for the dust mite allergic.  Now that we are moving from our very small apartment into a house, we finally got them restored and reupholstered.

Before

After

I also found a midcentury tile topped teak side table on the curb that I have since put in between the chairs.  This is basically the only furniture in the new place so far.

And Before Again:

Surprising thing I have enjoyed about the process of moving # 1 = getting rid of STUFF.  As you may recall, I have trouble with stuff, so weeding out has been freeing.  And yet, as I have been tossing junk at the thrift store as fast as I can, a steady stash of new treasures has been flowing into the garage.

Can I just say that I never thought I would post a photo of our garage on here.

Check out the door someone put on the curb!  It has it’s original door knob and handle and it’s just beautiful.  I have plans for this door in my new craft room.  Thrifted green chair also headed to the craft room, I have already cut off the skirt and vacuumed round 1 of the cat hair off it.  Peeking out from the back are some red lockers mined from Craigslist that we’re going to use in the entryway.  Can you see the Lucite bar cart or is it like Wonder Woman’s plane?  I got the baby scale and the chalk board at the same yard sale.  I think I got them both for 5 dollars.  The baby scale may make an appearance in the bathroom and the chalkboard either in the kitchen or rec room.  In the trash bag is a vintage croquet set I got at auction in NC for CHEAP!  We brought it to the new house last night for a BBQ and I heard myself telling the children, “Those are not HAMMERS!” as they used the mallets to beat the yard.  Maybe they will be tucked away on the porch or I’ll put my wine down, stop talking with my friends, get up off my butt and show them how to actually play the game.  One or the other…

So stick with me, this is probably going to turn into a house blog for a spell here!