Happy Easter!

 Guess what this is???!!!    A little project I have been thinking about for a while......

 The laundry room door!  It is always open and has bothered me.  I got to thinking about how many chippy painted chalkboards we sell.  Here is my new command center.....

 Hubby's schedule...

Goals and chores...  Let's see how many I can check off this week!

Ugly Duckling to Swan

 Last week I worked on this Ugly Duckling!  A couple of weeks ago my Hubby had an accident at work while loading this china cabinet onto a cart.  He was fine - the cabinet -not so much.  So due to the "You break = You buy" rule he became the not so proud owner of this hot mess!

 The top piece was worse- broken glass, shelf supports and a corner.  He felt so bad...so did I...we did not need a broken $200 Ugly Duckling.  So being a supportive wife I said - bring it home, we will fix it and make it cute and make a profit.  That was before I saw it.....  I sanded, painted, sanded, painted,waxed and added burlap to the back.  He fixed the broken wood and replaced the broken glass.  Last night we took it to our booth and we have high expectations for it to sell!  Here is the swan.......

 She is painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint -Old White.  And finished with clear wax. I really hated it when I started working on it.   Now I really hate to see her go.....

 And just because I always focus on my booth and redos- here are a couple of the Hubby's projects- A corner screen made from the old screen/shutter doors that came off our house.  They have been in the basement for several years (just in case we decided we missed them.) 

 And a cute antique humidor that he refinished.  I bought it and planned on keeping it.  Never got around to doing anything with it.  He really made it cute so we priced it high.  If it does not sell, I will find a place for it!

Weekend Goals

 There is no doubt that if I make goals for myself that it helps focus my effort!  I made a goal of getting 10 things out of my house and I got rid of 26 items. Most of them were small things but less clutter is the goal!  Some of those were more unfinished projects that I needed a push to finish. Like the carrot bunches -  I have made some from burlap and chenille for the booth ...and  I had even cut these out.  Just let them sit...until now.

 This cradle was done except for the mattress.  I finished the quilt and pillow (along with 2 other sets last week)  Hubby had painted the bed and he had to replace the bottom which was cardboard. 

 I worked on this Friday.  Old piece of chippy wood, stenciled cross, Mod Podged the hymn on the edge. Saturday morning I added the burlap flower.  Took it to the booth and it sold that day.  Made a second one Sunday.  Hubby has made some frames from this old wood. He saves me his scraps.

 Hubby and I finished 3 of these memo boards this weekend.  On some of them I decorated the clothes pins with scrapbook paper. 

 And an experiment... a couple of years ago I made some "Junque" necklaces for myself and often get comments on them.  I have not tried them in my booth because I used up all of my junk and it is so easy for things like this to disappear since I don't have any kind of  locked case.  In my decluttering I found I did have more junk and did NOT need to make myself any more!  I also found a few things on the clearance row at Hobby Lobby.  I did put these in security boxes so they will not be easy to steal!

 My final weekend project was this shabby chair.  The only thing needed was for Hubby to attach  the cute bird hook so I could hang the wreathe!  I don't even want to say how long ago I dragged this home and it  has just been sitting around on the porch!  Now it can go clutter up someone else's porch!

On the schedule this week: pillowcase dresses, and painting a huge china cabinet that is parked in the den in front of the TV :(

Thrifting Diet

 Our house is full of stuff.   My burst of energy this weekend has carried over to this week and my Hubby has joined in.  Monday we worked in the backyard.   It started to rain so we did not finish but we have a magnificent pile for the trash truck to  pick up on the side of the road.  I have seen trucks and cars stop to see if there is anything of value and leave empty handed- so it is true trash!   We moved inside where we started working on books and magazines.  There are so many books that we have hoarded over the years that we will never read again.  Plus old magazines sell at Angels so off they go!  We decided not to buy anything at yard sales or thrift stores this week to make sure we get rid of more than we take in....a thrifting "diet" !!!

To help me make it through the week without thrift stores came a treasure box from Kristie!  She counted it as one item she was donating....I would say closer to one hundred!!   Bitsey smelled cat on the box- which is OK with her-she likes cats!

Wow! Look at the goodness!  I have played with the pile all week whenever the thrift store longing came over me.  I've taken out a couple things a day, then packed it back up.  This could get me through a few weeks without buying anything!  Monday 2 of those tassels went to my doors on my corner cabinets.

Tuesday I pulled out the vintage pillowcases.  Two of them will be the sweetest pillow case dresses!

Wednesday I played with those Spanish flash cards, need them when the boy was not "getting" Spanish class (you have to know when to cut your losses and move on!)

OH! The cute pins came out Monday to go in my bowl of pins!

And I still have tons of treasure to take me through my diet!   Now I am setting some weekend goals- 10 items to go to Angels and 4 more unfinished projects -  that is just the minimum-I plan to beat that!

Clutter and Unfinished Projects

 I was inspired by Kristie to take charge of of the clutter in my house.  Her challenge was to get rid of 5 things this weekend.    A.  DROP.  IN.  A.  BUCKET.   But still it got me motivated.  I have plenty of room in my booth to take "valuable"  clutter so I really have no excuse other than laziness.  One man's trash is another man's treasure is so true and I have much trash.    I started Friday by bringing home a bag from the thrift store with 10 items so I made a rule that I must further declutter to at least 15 things.    It was not hard at all.  So I added that more things must go that are harder to part with!
I really did OK with picking out some vintage restaurant ware to get rid of...I was just hoarding it!  So my grand total was 36!!!  

 During the declutter process I had to take stock of the unfinished projects for the booth that are building up.  Four of the items from Friday's thrift store trip were more projects!  On to another challenge.  I decided to finish 4 projects this weekend.  I got this watering can at the thrift store.  Should have taken a before picture- green with very ugly faded decal, but still had a cute shape and size going for it.  The make over included sanding, priming, painting and a sweet vintage kitty decal. #1- Done!

 This pillow is a burlap remnant that just fit a recycled down pillow insert.  I added the burlap flower and button,sewed it up...#2 Done!

 I started these pillowcase dresses a couple of weeks ago but put them aside when I ran out of thread.  Got the thread but never got back to finish the dresses!  Both made of vintage pillowcases (I admit to hoarding vintage pillowcases!)

Love the pattern on the boarder of this one and the ruffled eyelet on the white one! #3 and  #4 Done!

Mission  Accomplished!

 

 

Fine Animals

Two fine animals napping on Mom's pajamas in a tiny patch of sun, longing for Spring!

 So....I took a 2 month unexpected blogging "BREAK",,,, I have been lurking around, but, not in a mood to be creative or share.  I really do not like my blog to be negative or whiny so I became silent until I could be more cheerful.

Scene of the accident: Stairs 
Time: New Year's Eve, about 1:00 am
Reason: No glasses on, dark stairs, socks on feet

And down I went - All the way- 13 stairs.

Results: Broken wrist (Thank GOD that is all I broke!)
              Very bad bruises
              Possible cracked ribs
              Surgery
              Metal Plate and pins (spikes)
              Occupational Therapy

Now, to be positive- I was very lucky that I did not break my neck.  My surgeon has released me unless I need him. My OT is pleased with my progress so far.  I am not 100% with  range of motion and may never be but it will be functional.  I feel 200% better!!

See - I even got out some Easter decorations!

 I am really looking forward to Spring and warm weather.   I am so sensitive to cold and this metal plate seems to absorb the cold!

 Love the bunny family on the mantle!

 And a touch of Easter in the hall...

Bunnies under glass...

 

Here's a cheerful idea that I have shamelessly copied from Wanda's new blog.  A bowl of vintage flower pins!  Cute!