Thursday, April 11, 2013

the blue hour

Do you ever have one of those mornings that for whatever reason you rollover in bed, look at the clock that must be wrong because you haven't seen that hour in months without the aid of an alarm, and you are left wondering what woke you...was it a loud noise...one of the kids (probably just going to bed)...a thunder clap because you are aware of the raining outside your bedroom window

and you try to fall back asleep to grab a few more hours so that your day ahead won't be a hazy blur...but it is no use, you are fully awake and you might as well embrace it...start your day...stumble to the bathroom, throw something warm on, trip down the stairs without turning on lights...without waking the family...surprise the dogs who weren't expecting you for many, many hours...

put them out for their bathroom break with confused expressions on their furry little faces, continue the routine that is like a well rehearsed dance that luckily you can perform with little assistance from that thing called light...owning the phrase "I can do this in my sleep"...

somehow reassured that you are not alone in the world as you listen to the cars...so many cars...speed by...in such a hurry to get somewhere important...maybe work or school...poor beings who intentionally get up at this hour...your reverie is broken when the dogs pounce back in with an impressive amount of energy...shaking the water from their fur before you can throw the towel at them and immediately your house smells of wet dog and you know you might as well deal with it since it is April and it won't be the last time...and so, you return to the dance

turn on the computer that stabs at the darkness of the dawn, sit with a cup of warm coffee and check to see if there was some strange occurrence that pulled you from bed...upon finding nothing, you check on those areas of interest, like last decades morning paper... peruse a few blogs...read a few e-mails sent during the short night...check the forecast and pause to notice once again how the beautiful light around you is slowly gaining intensity with each passing minute

and realize you were meant to be awake for a time such as this?

(note: I believe William Faulkner holds the record for the longest run-on sentence in a published work...I quite possibly wrote the longest run-on question!)


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

making an entrance

You only have one chance
to make a 
first impression.
In regards to a home
the entry would have to rank
right up there
with curb appeal.

The entrance to our home,
90% of the time...
is also known as
the backdoor.

When this project is officially complete 
I will share the 
before and after
 shots.

We're close...
not there 
yet.

Finished most of the building
and designing.

Today
prepping
priming 
and 
painting.

What we won't do for
a warm welcome.

Happy hump day.
:)

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

am i the only person who does this?


When faced with those tough
decisions in life
like...
which fabric to choose
to reupholster 
(the time has finally come!)
my chair?


I leave the swatches
on said chair...
changing their placement
as the light shifts in my home.

Well...
because...
light alters color.
The morning light will show
the green I like in swatch #3
but as the day progresses
and afternoon shadows
fill that room
that same pretty green
takes on a gray tint.

Not entirely a bad thing...

In the end
it tells me that I'm still
on the hunt for
the perfect fabric.
Goody!
More fabric stores!
More choices!

More swatches to consider
with the sun.

Don't even get me started with
paint samples!

Shades of Gray?!
Ha!
Who knew there were 
so many
shades of brown?

On the up side
I know I want a solid shade of
green for the chair.
As for the brown paint...
completely undecided and a bit confused.

When I get this crazy
I go for a walk
(been taking lots of walks these days)

Clear my head 
and remind myself
that there are certainly
more important things to fret about...

Like...
what's for dinner?

So...
In answering the title question...
Am I the only person who does this?

Will I be hearing the multitudes
proclaim allegiance
and admit to this strange sisterhood of samplings
OR
will you be recommending a good 
therapist?

Break it to me gently.
Until then...


Monday, April 8, 2013

my weekend

was filled with 
beginnings.

I started something
when I picked up a paint brush...
something that 
unleashed this crazy home
improvement
mama.

Maybe it was the fresh Spring air
that blew
inspiration inward
to my home.
Somewhat overdue
since my energies are normally
geared to
Old Maid New
creations
for a consignment shop
in Sylvania, Ohio...
Harmony In Life.
(If you're reading this ladies...
my apologies...
expect a shipment soon...promise!)

As for now
home improvements are
my driving force...
and if you know me at all
you know
that I follow that wave as long
as it will 
carry me...
holding on tight
before the next wave tickles
my toes.

Tugs at my heart
and pulls me in a completely
different direction.

Moving this party
outside...
soon...
I know.

For now...
focusing my loving attentions
on this place I call 
home...
well, it just feels 
right.

Happy Monday!

Thursday, April 4, 2013

in defense

A new recipe?
It looks...
interesting.
Loaded with fresh
ingredients.


A closer look
may tell
the whole story.

Sometimes my compost
looks like a beautiful
albeit
strange
salad concoction.

Why did I decide to post
my bowl of compost
on this sunny
Thursday?

Well...
when someone...
even an anonymous someone
calls me wasteful...
well,
them's fightin' words!

In a recent post I was 
making strawberry syrup
and in the process I composted
the strawberries after
extracting all their
juicy goodness.
Now, I should have added that
you can mash those
strawberries
for a slurry drink...
but this time I was wanting
a clear syrup.

Then I started getting the giggles.
I don't know why 
that happens...
maybe it is a stress relieving mechanism
that my body has adapted 
OR
maybe I began seeing
the funny side of that comment.
Waste.
Is it a waste when I make
my Whole Food Kitchen recipes
like chai tea
and after releasing the flavorful
spices and extract the tea...
I compost what is left behind?
Giggle.
Is it wasteful to
do the same with apple peels...
carrot shavings?
Much of the nutients exist in the
skin of the fruit/veggie...
but that apple pie would have a texture
you may not enjoy.
Giggle.
Juicers...
I won't even go there.
I only hope all you juicers
out there
are rigorously composting the remains.
While preparing my dinner
Coconut Curry With Chickpeas, Cauliflower
and Peas
I added onion skins, potato peels,
pepper seeds and tops
to my compost bowl.

Waste?
My garden thinks differently.

To a gardener...
an organic gardener in particular...
the compost heap
is 
like a pot o' gold.

So in answer to that first question
I posed...a new recipe?
Yes!
Quality compost is a recipe
for a happy garden.

Sorry to anonymous...
but I take caring
for the planet and those who
abide here
very seriously.

:)

Now giggle.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

a tuesday transformation

This is not going to be
a regular Tuesday
thing.
I want to be honest with
myself (and you)
right out of the gate.
I would love it to be...
but seriously
who in their right mind can keep
up with that kind of pressure?
Well...
other than Miss Mustard Seed?


Here's my thought process...
good luck keeping up.

This cabinet holds
our home office supplies...
so it is functional and pretty.

This cabinet
holds our homeschool supplies
and it is...
well...
functional.

I think the drop cloth/sheet 
is a hint that
"things is about to change"
(grammar mistake intentional.)

With cabinet one as my goal
I decided to be bold
(like Miss Mustard Seed)
and mix my own paint.


Blending the two shades
I have been painting my walls
and trim with
to yield a color I call...
"close enough!"

I wish I could get a drum roll here...
I can
drag 
it 
out
with 
words...

Oh...

before the unveiling
let me add that this project
took a village.
At times it felt like a village of idiots
but
the project is now
complete
and I 
love
it!

A teaser.

One more thing.
The history of the piece
and the reason I will never say
goodbye 
to it.
This is the very first
piece of furniture
that we purchased together...
as a couple...
at a yard sale!
How telling was that!?
Originally it had doors
with glass panels and an intricate
scrolled wood trim
that through the years of boys and
wrestling
were ruined.
BUT
the actual doors and hardware
were put in storage.

So with that first piece
as my guide
I saw potential...

The doors were cut.
Basket storage was added.
(On clearance at Target...$10/each)
Knobs from Target clearance as well...
4/$6.28.
Paint and time I won't count
since...well just because.

I think this turned out
so great...
it was completely worth the 
few arguments it caused!

Let me just say...
it looked easier in my head than
the actual doing of it.

Which in the end
reiterated the notion that
next time...
I will be even bolder
and do it all
by myself!
Time to get comfortable with
electric tools.

After all was said and done...
everyone who participated in the
re-do...
Rudy...Josh...Joe...
myself...
thought the outcome was
amazing!

It took a bit of
doing and prodding and
patience...
but it is once again
a keeper!

And this is the epitome of
Old Maid New.


Happy Transformation Tuesday!
(again, this will not be a regular feature!)

Monday, April 1, 2013

visions of easter



For He is Risen!
He is Risen, Indeed!