Abi's presentation at 4-H

Because we just didn't have enough going on, I signed Abi up for 4-H.  (That was sarcasm in case you couldn't tell.)  There is one boy in the group and the rest are girls.  They are encouraged to give a presentation of some sort at the meetings.  I think this is just great.  The home school group I tried to form years ago (which disintegrated before it started) was suppose to do this.  Ok, without further delay.......

Introducing herself with a clear voice, she pulled this off with confidence.  She showed a room full of mostly girls and one boy how to make tassels and pom poms from yarn.

I think it was pretty good idea and she did a good job.

She's almost 14 in this picture.

"that" chair

That chair (the gold one down below) is scaring me!  Truth is, I haven't been able to get back to it.  It looks like this still!

The more I took it apart, the more nervous I got about putting it back together.

 It's not your basic "staple the fabric on" type of chair!  yikes!  It's well built, it's got good stucture.

       Oh boy.   

So, this is on the back burner for now, I really need to work on the kitchen floor, but first I'm having a family dinner.  That might be scarier than the chair.

on to the next project

This one has needed attention for a long time!  I had to move it where it couldn't be sat on, so it didn't totally desintegrate!  I picked it up last summer at a garage sale, or maybe it was two summers ago?  Just now getting around to it, I know, busy times!

At this point, I have the fabric all torn off.  It was a beast.  Those tacks can really be in there good, all embedded in the wood.  It needs a little glueing and new webbing on the bottom.  Hopefully I'll get started next week.

One ugly chair got the slip (cover)

Here's the new cover.  I do plan to put a piece behind those corner slits, maybe.  And the buttons are not on the back yet.

Here's the underneath ugliness.  But it was FREE! 

She sits in the library, where I've been working on making it a cozy study place.

ta da! the table is done and.....the ORANGE curtains and dinning room I never showed you!

This is the table now.

BEFORE

The finish was very sticky and always smudged with pencil graphite.  I had to get out a scrubby to clean it and even then it wasn't very clean.

My ORANGE curtains made from dollar a yard shirting!  I've got ten whole dollars wrapped up in these.  The fabric came from big box mart.  It was a gamble, but I like it.

another angle

My $20 garage sale dresser from last summer.

Fancy dishes and do-dads.

The "lady with sicle" reminds me of hard work and harvest time.

I'm trying to get you a shot of the soft gray/green on the legs.  I almost wish I had done cream, but now I'm tired.  I'm just so glad to say it's finished.....

Hopefully I'm preparing my mind and heart for my best homeschool year ever and we can put miss decorator wanna-be in the closet.  (Probably not, but just say'in)

I'm loving it, and boy is it smooth and VERY cleanable.

and as if I didn't have enough to do....

I guess things have been so messy with the kitchen redo that I decided to rip into ONE more thing before the next clean up.  The last refinish job was very sticky and I never did like it.

This table has a long history.  Handy hubby made it but it went "CRACK" in the night.  So he fixed it with drywall screws (among his favorite southern engineering components) I hope this picture just makes me LOOK fat.  How humbling.

We are going for the rustic look with painted/distressed/glazed legs.

Well, it IS rustic.  I'll show you when I'm done.  It will look much better with my dark chairs and company is a cumin'

coming up next.....mom's chair recover

She's chosen a different fabric to go with her living room freshen up.  We are leaving the wood the way it is.

Projects pending.....

Besides my total house makeover that has cost me nothing except time, here are a couple of biggies that I have going.  I don't know where I got all this ambition and inspiration.  Must have been Blogger.  And God.  Of course, He is my strength and helps me with everything.  Let's not be leaving God out.  You see, I'm getting my house ready to list.  FOR SALE.  A little sprucing up after a winter of loafing and staying in was in order.  So, first off I just started a slipcover for this ugly chair.  It's sturdy though.  And the fabric I had gotten some months back for a mere $5 per yard will just set my living room off nicely.  It needs it.  It's a daunting task.  I did it once before and if I remember correctly, I had to drag myself through the whole project.  So I was thinking the second time around is sort of like having a baby.  While you go into it all with your eyes on the end result-the second time-you know what you're in for!  But, I found a dear blogger who gave a great tutorial on how to go about this a little easier.  I'll find her again and put in a little brag link for her.  For now I'll just show you the chair. Found it at the Salvation Army for under $7.

 Another "biggie" I'm almost done with is this dresser.  I just need to put new knobs on which I still have to pick out.  That will be the first money I've spent on my total home makeover.  I've shopped the house like crazy to find "new" things to repurpose/redo.  I love the dresser and can't wait to get the knobs picked out and show you.  It really makes my room.

My mom nabbed this from a friend and refinished it for me.  That was over 15 years ago.  It's time for a new look don't you think?  One hint, it will be a painted/distressed finish.  That's all I'm gonna say!  Oh, and I'm a little tired.  Been staying up late quite a bit to keep this makeover train moving.

something spectacular from a chipped plate

I'm in the midst of a total house makeover, a small time one anyway.  I was wanting a jewelry/perfume tray for my dresser.  My dresser hides in the corner usually with a stack of books on it.  It has been needing some charm for a long time.  I had a few ideas to make one out of a picture frame but then I thought about this chipped white platter and decided it would be just right.  These two little birdies were a gift and they were in need of a make over too.  They just don't seem to fit in anywhere, but brown paint topped with white dry brushed on was just right for the plate.  I added a clear coat so they could be dusted.  The plate, by the way, was literally retrieved from a trash pile.  It wasn't even chipped at the time, that happed after several months at my house.  The little birdies, once they got their new paint job, were just hot glued on.  So simple, why didn't I think of it sooner?

I almost painted them blue but I had to remove the blues from my room during my great makeover.  I think the brown/white makes them look like they always belonged together.  Maybe it would make a nice party tray too.

I'm linking up at:

http://thegirlcreative.blogspot.com/  The Girl Creative hosts Just Something I Whipped up Monday &

for Tuesday I linked to http://asoftplace.net/  A Soft Place to Land host DIY Day and also over at http://reinventedkb.com/  where Reinvented host Trash to Treasure Tuesday.

If you follow these links and find the post for that day there will we lots of links from others who have made or done something to show.  Major idea factory, could be dangerous, but not expensive.  Most of them are very frugal.

Home Decor Inspired by Books, especially old ones.

I have the decorating bug.  Nesting bug.  Renewal fever.  Whatever you want to call it.  You should see my house right now.  There are piles of stuff everywhere.  The Inspired Room is hosting a linky party.  So since I am in the process of redoing the dining room I'll show the whimsy and off beat way I decorated the top of the piano after it got moved.  It is in the dining room.  Everything behind me is still a disaster!  So here goes!

I can honestly say, I never would have thought I would decorate with angrams, old books, and cut glass dishes all in one place, but I'm really liking it!  The colors are just so soothing.  The sweet little book is The Bremen Town Musicians and the bigger one is Hi! Mister Robin.  HOW APPROPRIATE.  The two little plastic with brass fake finish were from the trash, seriously.  I'm not sure I love them but there were two scuffs on the wall that were really messing up my scene and the spot just seemed a little vacant.  I've had a fixation on decorating with old books for a long time.  I just love them, inside and out. 

I'll show the rest of the dining room in a future post along with the other make-overs I am working on.  I have moved six pieces of furniture in the last two days and dug two great old junky pieces out of the garage today.  I am speaking the new do-it-yourself home decorators lingo:  shop the house, window mistreatments, thrifted, from my stash, make some new slips, remake, nesting, goin' junking....and so on and so forth.  I am having fun though.  It is time to deep clean around here anyway so it's all good to me.

big accomplishments

After months (or was it years) of planning, working and collecting materials- Sam has finally finished his canvas canoe. Yesterday was the big launch. All the kids tried it out on the water and nobody sunk. It is truly quite an accomplishment. Bravo to Sam! Go HERE to see video clips, what I was able to take before the camera's batteries died on us. It was a big day and a testament to what can come out of one boy's dreams. (Mothers: despise not small beginnings)Now, if I can just get him in the driver's seat.

CANOE 2

A few days ago I did some more work on my canoe. As you can see from the pictures all I need to do is paint the wood and put on the canvas and paint it. Then I will be done.

MAKING A CANOE

This is the frame and half of the ribs to a canoe that I am making out at the new house. The frame is made of pine and the ribs are old barrels that I found out at the new house. I am going to cover the ribs with canvas.