10/23/2012
10/20/2012
10/19/2012
10/18/2012
10/17/2012
10/16/2012
10/15/2012
10/14/2012
09/28/2012
This busy Friday started with a short stop at Me Darlin' Mither's on my way to D'Art Group.
I had only ten or fifteen minutes with her, but it was enough time to share the latest gems I've gleaned from my job entering the names from state obituaries.
Yesterday's special was a gal whose legal name was "Twinkle Bell -----------".
Enough said.
On to D'Art Group where we painted an apple as part of a learning exercise about color value...
...and started painting the backgrounds on our canvasses for an ongoing project.
Mine will undergo a complete makeover later.
I came home for a bite of lunch before meeting up with our 'adopted' daughter, Leeeeeeeesa, to shop for silk flowers for her upcoming wedding.
She's marrying during the holiday season, so a little red and a little bright green are the order of the day.
A little practice on the boutonnieres...
...and a little bit of work on Baby Girl's Christmas stocking...
...brings me to this moment where I am filling time with this post before Little Man and his sweet momma arrive to pick up some folding chairs for his Sunday birthday party and have a little fitting of...
...Ninja masks before I actually settle on the pattern size...
...and get things all stitched up tomorrow.
After the fitting, it's off to the Plum Thicket Book Club meeting, where we'll be discussing "To Kill A Mockingbird".
That's a lot of input for one day.
Lots of pretty things, lovely people, and creative energy.
But none of it exceeded the amazing bit of God's handiwork I stopped to enjoy on my way out to the car first thing this morning.
The morning-glories climbing over our fence from the back flower bed...
...were absolutely...
...glorious.
09/24/2012
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's SuperGwen!
I was in my studio this weekend, working on a little project for the birthday of one of my favorite superheros.
My workdesk looked like this:
I just love having my iPad to keep handy when I'm using tutorials like this one from Georgia Leigh.
I love generous bloggers who freely share their wonderfulness, too.
Other things I love are...
...the free and generous supply of old blueprints I use for drafting patterns, and...
...finding the fabric I need for cheap (sometimes in the form of a pillowcase) at the thrift store.
I love to applique (since UnderWonder and Heat'nBond were invented).
And I really love little boys.
I got to thinking about little boys while I was working on this reversible cape.
And I got to remembering the little boys who wore the superhero capes I made in the past.
They really believed they were soaring when they jumped (off the couch??) with their capes on.
They really believed they could run faster in their new "fast shoes".
I just love that about children.
And I'm wondering if there isn't something to the idea that performance really is affected by the way we dress.
I don't think it would be a difficult job at all to make a Gwen-size superhero cape.
And, maybe, if I wore one, I would have super powers to help me see - and do something about - the things that are being neglected while I sew superhero capes.
Maybe, just maybe, if I was SuperGwen...
...I could save a life.
09/21/2012
Help, I'm Cracking Up!
It's been a little (very) tough for me to squeeze in much 'art time' since I started my new job and work schedule.
In fact, this week I wasn't able to squeeze in any at all.
Last night, exhausted and with an aching back, I sat on the sofa and realized I hadn't even managed to do any lessons from the book we're now using in my Friday morning group.
I felt frustrated, cranky, and miserable, and I was just too tired to climb the stairs to my studio and do anything about it.
And then I remembered an easy little drawing project I'd been wanting to do.
I took the ten steps to the kitchen, got a Sharpie marker from the drawer, and took the eggs out of the refrigerator.
I sat at the counter and did this:
I was laughing, when I put the lid on the carton and put it back in the refrigerator.
I figured I might be waiting a few days for Miss Helping Hands (our main egg-eater) to discover them, and was just hoping I'd be nearby when she did.
But...
Tonight Prince Charming decided we should have what he refers to as 'big breakfast' for dinner.
All four of us went into the kitchen to prepare food, but I just sat at the counter and played with my phone; I couldn't get away with hauling the big camera in there, but I figured I could start snapping pictures with my phone without much to-do (this explains the upcoming poor photos).
I was so surprised by Miss Helping Hands reaction when she opened the eggs.
She literally pulled her hands away from the carton like she'd been burned.
"Why do they have faces?!"
"These are hilarious, but I can't crack them now."
"When I first opened them, I thought you were doing an art project and had just left it in there."
"Really. I can't crack them. They have faces."
Good thing Miss Mary Mack was home.
She didn't mind cracking them one little bit.
She liked playing with them, too.
I actually felt sad after dinner when I saw this:
When I pointed it out, Miss Helping Hands tried to bring comfort.
Yep.
I'm cracking up.
The yolks on me.
It was an eggcellent dinner, but it's ova.
Shell I stop with the puns now?
I will.
But only because I'm so tired...
...my brain is just fried.
09/11/2012
Falling into the Pin(terest)hole
I did, despite my efforts to avoid it, fall into the Pin(terest)hole recently.
However...
...I was looking through my photographs this morning and realized that at least I resurfaced with something to show for my plummet.
Last week I made body scrub with (tweaked) recipes I found there.
Wish I could give credit to the poster, but I no longer know where I was when I read the recipe.
I made Lime & Coconut Oil sugar scrub ("You put the lime in the coconut..." Anyone remember? Anyone? Bueller?), which Miss Helping Hands used in the shower recently and said, " It was lovely and smelled great".
I also made Lemon & Olive Oil salt/sugar scrub (with lemon zest!), which I've been using at the kitchen sink.
Anyone want some?
It won't keep forever.
--------
On my recent crochet binge, I made a little purse for Baby Girl (she's into purses and keys - she's going places, I tell you).
I do remember that I got the pattern from here, and am very grateful, thank you.
This bag was just a wee bit large for Ping...
...but I made and gave her the second one before I photographed it.
So there you are.
-------
Also, from the great world of Pinterest, came a peek at these wonderful clothespin toys by Molas & Co. (Such creativity!)
Have I ever mentioned how I love clothespins?
I have a drawer full of different styles and sizes, and a heart full of good memories of hanging laundry, and watching Me Darlin' Mither hang laundry, too.
I guess I could wax poetic about the humble clothespin and it's many uses, but I'll spare you (just this once).
I tried my hand at making some of the 'mechanical toys' like Molas & Co., but I used heavy paper and colored pencil, rather than balsa wood and watercolor.
I needed a birthday gift recently for someone special, and these fit the bill (quite literally).
(Why am I using so many parentheses in this post?)
(What's with that?)
(Don't I believe in what I'm saying enough to make the sentences stand on their own?)
(I guess not.)
I like little things with hidden surprises.
I like homemade gifts.
I like clothespins.
Thank you, clothesPinterest.
I appreciate the tour.
09/02/2012
What is in a name?
At our place, all the vehicles have names.
There is a story about why my car is named...
...and why this one was named...
...and why we named this one, too.
Now we think nothing of it when we say things like, "You'll need to take Phin, because Jesse is parked behind Gwen."
We all are so accustomed to this that when Prince Charming and I both bought a new set of wheels last weekend, the first thing Miss Helping Hands asked was, "What are you going to name them?"
It took me only moments to decide what to name mine.
The Prince also had his named before the end of the day.
And Saturday morning we pulled over to the side of the road and took this photograph of ourselves...
...while we were out taking my "Porsche"...
...and his "Maserati"...
...for a spin around the local lake.
How can I begin to describe that feeling of power...and speed...and wind in my hair?
It was awesome.
09/01/2012
08/31/2012
The herd of swine...
...moved just after I last posted about them.
Miss Helping Hands moved them to the shelf over the computer area.
Two problems arose (for me) because of this move.
One: I realized how badly I want/need to replace the green plant that is supposed to live where the drawing-of-no-one-we-know is sitting.
Two: Oh-my-goodness-somebody-help-me-they're-not-in-a-straight-line-and-it's-very-very-awfully-much-troubling-to-my-eyes-mind-soul-ack-every-little-piece-of-me!!!!!!
There.
That's off my chest.
Am I the only one this would trouble?
I think not.
I think it even disturbed my little harlequin friend; just look how she's staring at them.
If she could talk, I believe she would let out some kind of primal scream.
I can talk, but I never told Miss Helping Hands.
And you shouldn't either.
08/27/2012
Somewhere over the rainbow...
...skies are blue
But I'm not.
I finished a little rainbow-colored crochet project this week; many months early for a special little guy's first birthday.
I love the colors...
...and the little "sorting/counting/learn-your-colors" balls.
I am so grateful to fellow blogger, Kim, over at Seriously Daisies, for offering the free pattern here.
These wonderful nesting bowls make a very colorful tower that makes no noise when it comes tumbling down.
But I've recently learned of other ways you can play with this lovely soft toy.
Creative Genius brought my sweet little Goomba over early one Saturday morning and saw the half-finished project sitting on the ottoman.
He loved it.
He also played with it.
He thought Goomba should try it out...
...and on, too, I guess.
He even let him play with one of the balls...
...while he played with the other two.
And Goomba seemed to be thinking...
"You're going to let this guy raise me, Pretty?"
"Um. Yeah. I guess so. I think he loves you. And you know what?"
I think you love him, too.
08/05/2012
A Herd of Swine
Don't ask me why, when a friend invited me to a sale being held by her miniaturists group, I was attracted to a baggie full of little plastic pigs in various shades of white, pink, and tan.
I don't know why.
But I bought it.
And I brought it home, emptied it out...
...and lined up all the little piggies in a row on the kitchen counter.
Prince Charming scratched his head.
Miss Helping Hands was delighted with the little piggies.
The little piggies made me smile.
And then a friend came along and said, "What's with the herd of swine?"
It took me a little while, then, to recapture my happy feelings about my little piggies.
I moved the herd of swine to the mantle and lined them all up in a row.
A couple of weeks later (dusting time?), I moved the line of piggies to the top of the television.
Then Miss Helping Hands and I decided to take turns moving the herd of swine every week or two.
Don't ask me why.
I don't know why.
But, move them we do, and I always enjoy it.
Today, the herd of swine is in a three-part lineup on top of the drawings of the Shoots' left eyes...
...and the drawings of the Shoots' right eyes...
...and the paper cut of The Beetle's Devotion.
I'll let you know when they change locale.
Unless, of course, they wind up in the sea.
06/16/2012
What People Want
Recently, the Prince and I made a trip to the local office supply store to pick up some tape for my label-maker (can you say expensive?).
Happily, I scored a lot of free additions to one of my odd collections; the paper customers use to test pens and pencils.
I find the scribbles both fascinating and telling, and, now that I've read through this latest installment, I think I know what people want.
They want to love...
...and to be loved.
They want to share what's on their minds:
They want to do art...
...young and old alike.
Sometimes, they just want to be fed...
...or to practice their cursive.
They want their questions answered...
...and they want things to add up.
They want to add their two cents worth...
...and they want you to listen to their advice.
They want to talk about themselves...
...and how they're feeling.
But mostly?
Mostly, people just want to know that it makes a difference that they are here.
Poor Speller was wrong when she wrote...
I care that you are here.
And every time you draw a breath, God is saying,
"It matters that you are here."
Boom, boom, pow!
05/23/2012
Expect the Unexpected
Especially if you're doing any home remodeling/repairs/re-dos.
Yesterday, I took everything out of my studio closet so I could paint the walls and woodwork and re-do the shelving.
The previous owners had "built in" some shelves at the back of the closet and I got tired of trying to get to things in the corners.
I decide to remove them, take the support pieces off (the Prince ripped the nails out of them for me), cut them down (gee, the Prince did that part, too), paint them, and put them up along the sides, instead of the back.
But I got a little suprise when I yanked the bottom shelf out:
I guess Previous Owners had decided not to move it when they laid the new carpeting to get the house ready for sale.
This little snafu just fuels my already-burning desire to put plank vinyl flooring in the whole space; guess I'll just bump it up the priority list.
This cockeyed carpet fits right in with the cockeyed way I am going about redoing this room and closet; I've never done tasks so out of order as I am on this one.
I didn't even bother removing things from the top shelf before I started to paint today; I figured once I got the lower half done and reorganized, I would have enough room in drawers and on the 'new' shelves to move everything down and do the ceiling and upper half.
(I'll let you know how that works out.)
I've been trying to keep tight purse strings lately, too, so I rummaged through the paint cans on the garage shelf, found one that was still about 3/4 full and seemed to be a light enough shade that I could live with what little of it will show once I stuff put things back in the closet.
The can was so old (who keeps paint for ten years?!) it was really rusty, and the paint had separated so badly that I had to stir it for quite awhile.
But, once it was stirred and poured through netting (love those paint strainer bags), it was perfectly good...
...even if it was a bit more yellow than I'd hoped.
While I was doing all this cleaning out, tearing up, and painting, Me Darlin' Mither and Able Baker Dana were sitting in my studio visiting and sewing.
A couple of weeks ago, I made a bag from a pattern in "Bend the Rules Sewing" (recognize the fabric from here?)...
...and Able Baker Dana wanted a little instruction while she made one for herself.
While I painted, I answered her questions, and she created this:
Didn't she do a great job?
Now, if she would just put the second coat of paint on the closet walls for me...
05/15/2012
Wallaculla
Or, if you enunciate properly, 'wall of color'.
But who wants to enunciate properly when lousy diction creates a good name for a small Oklahoma town?
That's it!
I'm building my own small town!
And Phase One is now complete.
The first wall of my genuine, bonafide, custom-built-by-Gwen-her-own-self, studio shelving is finished, and is just as I hoped it would be.
Isn't it just so nice when that happens?
I wanted to have all the color-y goodness out in the open for inspiration, but my whirling brain requires environmental order.
The two shutter doors I found at the thrift store found a new purpose in life.
I built simple 1"x4" frames to size and added shelving (no backing).
Behind the doors ...
...are my beloved peanut butter jars (now upcycled with decoupaged lids)...
...and my also-beloved molasses jars, with the same treatment.
My growing collection of Scrabble tiles has found a home (love me some watchmaker cases for storage)...
...and my ink pads are more readily accessible.
But the shallow (2 1/2" deep) shelves in the center of Phase One (built just like the others, but backed with paper) hold most of the color inspiration.
Bead-y inspiration:
Glittery inspiration:
Inky inspiration:
Fabric painting inspiration:
Powdered pigment inspiration:
Flaky inspiration, bwahaha:
And pearly inspiration:
Did I say this came out just as I'd hoped?
Do you think you would feel inspired if you sat looking at this wallaculla?
I know I would feel inspired if I sat looking at this wallaculla.
But...
It is hanging right behind my main work area.
Um.
Yeah.
03/26/2012
I wish...
...that the truck I recently saw in the Home Depot parking lot had had a manufacturer with a very long name.
Because I was just
about the way its crackled blue letters looked against the background of the rusted truck.
It would be nice to have an entire alphabet in this font, but I am happy just to have seen and captured this much.
Nice surprises are everywhere.
Keep your eyes open, Dear Readers.
03/21/2012
Ping! Ping! Ping!
When Baby Girl and her brother spent the night Friday, Creative Genius was watching her perpetual motion and - noticing how she stills bumps off of one piece of furniture and into another - said we should call her 'Pinball'.
We settled on Ping, but we haven't told her parents yet (shhhh).
Today, I feel a little Ping-ish myself.
Aside from my usual hundred-different-projects-going-at-once, my mind is everywhere too; bouncing off the mental furniture of a thousand different thoughts.
Sitting on the shelf over my computer desk is a pencil drawing I did in class years ago.
I had to cut a small picture from a photography magazine and draw an upscaled version.
When I sat down to write this morning, I looked at this sketch and wondered for the umpteenth time...
Who puts a model in a pose like this?
Who on earth would ever strike this pose naturally?
Try it.
It's ridiculous.
And it bothers me every time I look at it.
-------
I was thinking about my left-turn-bay pennies this morning.
I don't know how it started, but I have a growing collection now.
Yes, of course this collection is completely different and separate from my Rescued Coin Collection. Of course.
Next time you are stuck at a red light in a left turn bay on a busy city thoroughfare, open your door and see if there is a penny laying in the street.
If there is, pick it up.
Wahlah!
You're on your way.
------
Speaking of Ping's sleepover last Friday, she wasn't very happy to wake up to no Daddy...
...but she was still beautiful.
Her brother arrived carrying this suitcase:
I think he told me it was his mommy's when she was a little girl.
But, I know he told me that it says, "I'm going to Pretty's".
These parents nowadays! They lie to their children! I love it.
He was a lot happier to be here in the morning.
I wish they lived down the street, so they could come over and play for an hour when I take my lunch break.
This swing and its shadow...
...look so forlorn.
------
Speaking of shadows...
This morning I was enjoying the shadow of our one-of-only-two-blooming-tulips, almost as much as I was the tulip itself.
Perhaps it's because I'm drawn to silhouettes.
And perhaps I'm drawn to silhouettes because I like to make papercuts.
I'd like to do a papercut of this March Hare before the month is out:
And I'd like to do a few roosters...
...in case my Chicken-Raising-Seester might like to have one.
I guess the silhouette-cutting falls in line with my recent fascination with drawing blind contours; there is something nice about working with just the shapes of things.
Unless, of course, the thing is me.
------
The rain we've had recently has put the herb garden in fine shape.
(Or was it the work Miss Helping Hands and I did cleaning out the flower and herb beds this weekend?)
The rosemary is already wonderfully aromatic...
...and makes me dream of warm loaves of rosemary bread.
And butter.
The Greek oregano...
...which usually monopolizes the little bed it lives in, has been downsized by the prolific thyme plant next door.
I love the texture of the plant's leaves, but I can't really use this much thyme.
Unless, of course, you Dear Readers have some fab recipes to share with me.
And the recipes call for butter.
------
I've been working on new shelving for my studio; customizing the dimensions for the supplies I actually have and use.
I found a couple of bare-naked shutters at the thrift store awhile back and bought them because I-had-no-idea-what-I-would-do-with-them-but-I-felt-like-I-needed-to-buy-them.
They are becoming doors for two of the shelving units.
I've got the pieces all built and painted, and they've been sitting in this corner 'curing' for a few days.
Yesterday, I added a striped background to the open shelf I made (no door).
I didn't want to paint on the wall, so I decided to glue paper to the backside of the shelf.
I was going to use nice art paper, but when I discovered that the poster board was sturdier, almost the same color, and would only cost $1.50, well, I signed up.
(Recognize the color scheme? Kids shouldn't get all the good stuff!)
Today I am adding the catches and hinges...
...and hoping to get these units actually hung on the wall.
Gotta get out the stud-finder.
Though, I know the stud I really want is at work in a tall building downtown.
03/17/2012
Perfect Fear and Blind Giraffes
"Usually, when we say we can't do something, what we mean is that we won't do something unless we can guarantee that we'll do it perfectly."
This quote, from The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, rings true too often in my artistic life.
I'm a recovering perfectionist, so I am very glad that the lessons in the drawing book I'm currently working through (with loving prodding from my accountability peeps; you know who you are) seem geared toward those who are struggling with the same debilitating disease (yes, that's how I feel about it).
This week, I had to draw blind contours of giraffes.
That is, I had to draw contours of giraffes while looking at pictures of them and not looking at my paper.
Since there was no way the drawings could be perfect, all the pressure was off from the get-go, and I totally loved doing this assignment.
What's not to love about an assignment which is done on plain white card stock with a fine-point permanent pen (hello, Sharpie!)) and includes photos of an animal I actually like?
The results made me laugh, too!
Some of my giraffes had pretty thick necks, and some were just plain lovable - like this guy at the top right:
I liked two of the head-only contours well enough to go back and add some interior lines (the interior lines on the right-hand drawing were not done blind).
The lesson includes the suggestion that you take the blind contour drawing a step further by drawing three contours right on top of each other: looking at the paper only long enough to start the second and third drawings in the same place as the first.
I was amazed at how close in size my three drawings were:
I learned so much by doing this little exercise; things about giraffes, things about my skills, and things about fear and fun (they're not on friendly terms).
I'm going to pack up all the things I learned, along with my pencil and sketchbook, and I'm going to take them to the zoo next week.
Miss Helping Hands and Little Man will both be on spring break.
I want to show them the blind giraffes.
03/15/2012
Fabric Bowling
I took a class last Saturday (along with my friend, Dear Reader Annski) at the wonderful Oklahoma Quiltworks (OKQW).
We made bowls from fabric-wrapped cotton clothesline.
The teacher was lovely, the class was fun, and the bowls are really easy to make.
I wish I'd known that before I went, because I took fabric I wasn't crazy about; just in case things didn't go well (I tend to perform poorly in class).
This is the first bowl I made in class:
This is the second bowl I made in class:
I should probably take some photography classes.
I came home from the gym yesterday morning at 6:30 and made another one.
It had to be done right away.
I've been keeping my paper beads in a bowl on the end table in my living room, because Little Man sometimes likes to string them, and because it's very therapeutic just to run your hands through them.
After we made fabric bowls Saturday, I knew the paper beads just had to be in one.
Like, immediately.
Whew.
I feel so much better now.
This class is offered frequently at OKQW, and I highly recommend it.
The price is quite reasonable, there is enough time allotted to ensure that you go home with a finished product, the class is kept small enough to allow for individual help when needed, and it really is simple and fun.
Sure, you could probably buy the book and teach yourself.
But, will you?
And why would you want to?
(I am not a paid advertiser for OKQW; just a happy customer.)
03/11/2012
Un-dones, all-dones, and do-overs.
It occurs to me this morning that I usually have many projects in each of these categories.
I've got at least one from each list on my mind today.
In the un-done category, I passed my growing collection of yardsticks this morning...
...and thought, again, of how very kewl it will be when there are enough to actually lay the entry floor with them.
Oh, yes.
Very kewl.
But, for now...
Undone.
------
A project I completed just yesterday is already on the do-over list.
I cut some new paper birdies.
I liked their modern look, and I wanted a mobile for my studio, but I combined two looks that I like, quite unsuccessfully.
I like the idea of the branch looking like it's growing out of the wall, but I think these particular birds need a sleeker hanger.
I'll have to do the branch thing elsewhere in the studio, with birds of a different feather.
How shall I do the do-over, Dear Readers?
Do tell.
------
I took a loooong time to finish this all-done project, but I'm so pleased with the results that I've made peace with the time span.
My seester (of the Blue-Bar-of Happiness) gifted me this wonderful set of kids furniture (she has a set just like it that we have all lusted after liked for a very long time).
When I recieved this fab gift, I took forever to decide what color to paint it (it started to be red once).
Then I took the rest of eternity to find the perfect fabric to cover the top (I put clear vinyl over the fabric to protect it).
But, don't I just love it?
It's bright and cheerful, without being childish, which I appreciate, because this set sits in my family room.
I keep looking at this fabric and thinking how much I would enjoy taking a yard of it to play on - with free-motion stitching, felt flowers, beads, and other embellishments - and then making a bag/purse from it.
But I'm not going to buy the fabric until I am ready to play.
I can't add anything else to the undone list right now.
I just can't.
03/09/2012
Closet to Playspace: Before, During, After
(My apologies for the strange contrast in photo sizes contained in this post; I'm still having technical issues. User error, I'm sure.)
The closet-to-playspace project is finally finished.
Finally.
Finished.
Except that it's the kind of space that I could keep working on for a long, long time; adding little details here, little surprises there, until the grandshoots are all grown up.
For blogging purposes, though, I really am going to call it finished.
(For today.)
Remember these 'before' photos?
It was a storage area for rarely used things, and it had lost its carpeting in a plumbing leak nightmare.
I
It had neutral colored walls, and we had ripped out most of the floor trim.
The first thing I did (with a little help from Miss Helping Hands Hannah), after clearing out the space, was to paint the walls with Eucalyptus Leaf paint color from Behr.
I love the color; it's so bright and cheerful.
The Prince and I put in the new flooring, which was given to me by my Leetle Brudder.
It's a wonderfully easy product to install (unless, of course, you are working in a space with a 37" ceiling height that slants to nothing at one end); there is no glue required, it has an easy score-and-snap fitting process, and we were especially glad that the preferred sub-flooring is bare concrete.
(Insert BIG thank you to Leetle Brudder here.)
After the flooring was in, I painted the new trim and used my hand-saw and miter box to cut the corners and joins.
That was some work, but I got to use my new air compressor/nail guns to install it, and that was some fun!
Raise your hand if you got new power tools for Christmas!
Love me some power tools!
When we decided to make an art/reading space at the front of the closet, we knew we'd have to have additional lighting: the only light in the space was a bare bulb mounted at one edge of the 37" ceiling at the back (which the Prince removed and replaced with recessed lighting nearby).
The Prince installed the new light fixture just over the desk space at the front.
It was Plan B, but it was the only place where we could tap into existing power (located on the hallway side of the wall).
It is just an inexpensive vanity light fixture, but it is amazing how much more like a room it makes the space feel.
I love Prince Charming.
After the interior was finished, it was on to building the forward-facing bookshelf and the fold-down art desk, from the plans which Ana White so kindly posts (for free!) on her website.
I think I went to Home Depot at least once a day during this portion of the project.
Actually, I think I went to Home Depot at least once a day during the entire project; I was very inefficient!
After I had the desk built, and had the pieces for the bookshelf all cut, I spent an afternoon with my friend, Jeni, and she and I had problem after problem putting the shelf together and trying to install hinges on the desk.
We had power tool problems, jig problems, design problems, and just plain problem problems.
But Jeni was a sport and we got some things finished, she taught me a lot, and she put some great trim at the bottom of the bookshelf.
Here she is carefully measuring...
...and marking.
She's a pro.
See the pencil in her teeth?
That's the sign.
Or is that impressive saw the sign?
Well, just take my word for it (and get a friend like Jeni, if you're going to do some building).
After all the building, came a lot of sanding and painting, and let me just tell you right here: I'm so glad I did the priming and first coats of paint before I assembled all these projects, because it was a lot more difficult to apply the second coat of paint afterward.
After finishing the desk and bookshelf, I built a toy shelf with some 1x12's which were left over from one of the Prince's home-maintenance projects.
Then my power sander decided to go to heaven.
So, there sat my naked toy shelf; propped on one end, with my arm-powered back-up sander resting on top, just waiting to give me a good work out.
More bonus bicep work; I hope my trainer reads my blog.
I had drawn up my own simple plans for this shelf, because it needed to hold specific containers and fit in a specific space.
Thing is, the sides reminded me an awful lot of tombstones.
I decided to paint some stripes on them
My friend, Miss B (of Zentangle fame), gave me a great tip for painting clean stripes.
After your tape is in place, using the paint color of the stripes which are underneath the tape, apply just a little paint to all edges of the tape to seal it; once it has dried, you can paint your contrasting color without fear of it bleeding under the tape.
After my stripes were in place, I knew I needed to add a little graphic goodness to the rounded space at the top of the sides.
I found an elephant silhouette that I liked (on the web somewhere) and printed it out.
I laid some graphite transfer paper on top of the shelf...
...and laid my elephant silhouette over it and traced the design with a pencil.
I've read that you can use newspaper to transfer designs in this way, as the ink will transfer to your project, but I didn't try it; I already had the graphite paper.
The transfer came out like this:
I used some left-over, bright green, wall paint and a small craft brush to color in the design.
It took two coats, and it isn't decal-smooth, but it serves my purpose.
I used the same technique to transfer the grandshoot's names, but I colored them with some of the brown chalkboard paint (I was very much into no-more-spending at this point).
Please notice, if you are reading this, any Shoot-of-Mine, that there is room for several more names on this side, and six more on the other (though there is infinite room in my heart for any additional grandshoots you might give me).
Some time during this planning/building/painting process, Miss Mary Mack brought me these chairs, which she'd picked off her neighbor's big-junk-pick-up heap:
She thought maybe I could use them for the playspace project.
She was correct.
Aside from the missing seat, they were in perfectly good condition, had safety latches to keep little ones from pinching their fingers while trying to fold them up, and they were FREE!
Also, unlike so many things of this type, the seats and backs were screwed in, rather than riveted; which meant I could actually take them apart and put them back together.
I "just happened" to have everything I needed to re-finish them, except a scrap of plywood (which my Bro-in-Love gifted me from his scrap pile), and a piece of foam (a trip to Joann's solved that) to make a new seat for the yellow chair.
I disassembled them...
...and cut patterns for new seat and back covers (from the paper which had been stuffed inside a purse I'd recently purchased - I save everything) .
I laid out the two orange fabric fat-quarters (which I'd purchased at a sale in October just because I liked them)...
...and discovered that they were just big enough to do the job!
Yipee!
The piece of clear vinyl I had left over from another recently completed project (ah, so many projects that haven't yet had their day in the sun) was also just big enough to cover these chair parts.
I had two large sheets of orange paper in my studio which sufficed for the bottoms of the chairs.
Et voila!
Seating for the fold-down art desk!
Thank you, Miss Mary Mack!
Sam-I-Am came up with some really wonderful ideas for the playspace, too.
Some of them I haven't yet implemented (see what I mean about adding and adding and adding?), but the one that I did use is so wonderful, that I wish I could say I'd thought of it myself.
He suggested that I build a very narrow shelf and install it just a few inches down from that low ceiling at the back, all around the perimeter of that area, to hold little things like Lego men, army men, etc.
I built it using 1x2's and quarter-round.
I had to hand saw those mitered corners, too (biceps, biceps).
After I'd gotten it all installed, I had the wonderful thought that the wall above the shelf, which was, of course, turquoise...
...really needed to be orange.
It only took four coats of paint to fix that.
It was worth the extra work (and the perma-cramp in my hiney). I think.
I owe a big thanks to Sam-I-Am for putting great creative thought into this project.
Thanks, Sam-I-Am!
So, now that I've taken vast amounts of blog space to give you all the process details, and show you bits and pieces, would you like to see how it all came together?
Oh, wait!
One more thing...
The very last thing I did while building/assembling the projects for this playspace, was to install the Plan B fold-down desk supports.
I decided to use the metal "chain" supports Ana White used on her own project, rather than the hinges she recommended (which could not be installed per specs).
Thang is, you run that there metal 'chain' through these here little ferrules...
...and then yew gotta crimp these here little ferrules shut with a good slam of the hammer, if'n yew ain't got a special twenty-five dollar ferrule-crimping tool (which I ain't got).
Well, lemme tell ya what happens if'n yew lay that there ferrule, with the chain running through it, down on that cee-ment floor, and then bring yer hammer waaaay back so youse can give it a good whack to close it, but yew miss that there ferrule and give that good whack to yer very own finger.
Well, what happens is this: besides yew starting to talk like a hillbilly, yer little old finger gets kinder upset about all that there pressure bein' applied to it all a-sudden like that, and it just blows it's little top and starts to spewing a bunch a yer good ole all-American red blood all over the place, while yer little ole all-American heart starts to throbbing right there in the end of yer little ole finger.
And then yew cain't hardly talk, cuz yer jes so danged sur-prised, so yew wash yer little ole finger up and bandage yer little ole finger up, and then yew crawl inter yer little ole bed, and ya grab yer pillers and jes hang on while yer little ole body draws itself up into that there fetal po-sition, and yew let them big ole tears jes run down yer face while you gasp and choke.
And then yew start to thinkin' 'bout how doggone curful yew were with them power tewls yew been a usin' recent, and now yew done been brung low by a measly ole hammer, fer everlastin' goodness sake!
Okay, I'm done.
Had to get that out of my system.
Here is the finished closet-to-playspace conversion.
Looking directly through the open door, you can see how the ceiling slants down to 37".
Because I know kids love hiding places, I made a curtain to separate the back play space from the front art/reading space.
To make it easy for the little ones to slide them open and closed, I mounted the curtain panels on a tension rod with cafe-type rings.
Something painful happened just after I got the curtains installed: The first time I opened the door and saw all that orange and turquoise through a doorway set in a red wall, my eyes nearly started bleeding.
I had to stop everything (immediately) and repaint the little red accent wall in a more neutral color (found on another wall nearby).
To the right, immediately inside the door, is the forward-facing bookshelf (I altered Ana's plans to fit my shorter space).
To the left, just inside the doorway, is the new light and the fold-down art desk/chalkboard.
I keep playing with what gets set on top of the desk; I want to hang a picture above it, but I'm waiting for a child's drawing/masterpiece to frame.
I used screw-in cup hooks at the bottom of the desk to hold the little buckets of chalk, etc(purchased from the Target $1 bin for OSU reasons a couple of years ago, but never used).
I used a hook and eye latch at the side to keep the desk from falling open and bopping little ones on the head.
The beginnings of their art supplies are inside.
(Since this photo was taken, I have added a piece of square dowel across the front of the coloring book space, to keep the books from falling outward.)
The desk has a dowel in the space at the bottom to hold a roll of paper.
I rolled my own (freebie!) paper on a piece of PVC and slipped it over the dowel.
I want to sit down and draw something whenever I open this desk or look at this picture.
When the curtains are open, you can see the left portion of the back playspace.
The toyshelf, and the beginning of the little figurine shelf, are on the left-hand side.
I found the orange baskets on clearance at Hobby Lobby; they're great for the vintage wooden building blocks and like-new-with-tags Beanie Babies I found at the thrift store for cheap.
We put a lot of little things on "Sam's Shelf"; I love it, and may 'need' one in my studio).
On the right side of the back wall, we hung the wood 'semi-shelf' for Matchbox cars.
I found it at the local thrift store (yipee!) and spray painted it orange.
I added that Velcro strip to the bottom shelf so the kids could attach the 'racing ramp' I made from a leftover strip of flooring (with self-stick weather stripping attached to make the lanes).
It really works wonderfully; the cars go crashing into the corner where the slanted ceiling meets the floor.
I'm waiting anxiously for foam pool 'noodles' to appear in stores; I plan to buy and cut an orange one to fit into that junction as a bumper for the cars.
One of our shoots moved on and left behind a big orange bean bag chair, which found the perfect home in this space, too; though I imagine it will be tossed out the door occasionally, when the train track gets set up.
(Still lovin' Sam's Shelf. Holds so many wonderful little things.)
And last, but hardly least, we added to this space my most favoritest things of all...
How I wish I had made a video recording of these moments.
I had been telling Nik I was working on a surprise for them, and he was excited to learn that he could "open it" on Sunday afternoon.
He took the big things in pretty quickly and eagerly, but when he discovered Sam's Shelf, and the little knights and horses, he just stood there, gently touching one thing and then another and whispering over and over, "Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh."
It was priceless.
Baby Girl finally decided to come all the way in and see what was going on.
I think she'll be the one reading the books, and drawing and coloring at the desk.
(Isn't she beautiful?)
I think they tried everything out.
Nik raced the cars...
...and played with the clay.
Guess who was in that other chair, tee hee hee.
One of the things Nik seemed to like best was closing the curtain when I left and making me "knock" when I wanted to come back in.
He liked being king.
Won't it be grand when this little monkey can challenge his right to the throne?
Do you like the way I worked in this picture of my adorable, widdle biddy Boss? I'll bet he is missing me right now. Yep.
I wonder if he will have brothers and sisters whose names will fill in these spaces.
I'm ready for them.
01/25/2012
Oh, Precious Happiness
I ended my last post (on January 4th) with these words: "I'm going to have an amazing day."
And I did.
Before all the amazingness, though, came quite a bit of waiting.
Waiting isn't easy, so it was nice to have lots of people waiting with me.
They were waiting for something amazing to happen.
They were waiting to step into new roles and be called by new titles.
Some of them stood and waited...
... and some of them sat and waited.
We were waiting on Creative Genius and his Bride.
After a long time, Creative Genius showed up.
He was wearing the most beautiful smile I've ever seen, and he was carrying my amazing day in his arms.
Oh, precious happiness!
Eli Pemberton Boss Haikin, is there anything more amazing than your brand new life?
I think not.
01/04/2012
Morning Coffee - A Special Blend
I cannot make a half cup of wall paint go very far.
I can't bake anything with a half cup of flour.
A half cup of water does not quench my thirst.
And if I give a half cup of ice cream to the kids, well, they're just gonna cry.
But, coffee?
With a half cup of piping hot coffee I can:
- burn my chest
- soak my sweatshirt
- stain my camisole
- make a nice big spot on the sofa cushion
- clean a good portion of the wood floor
- and still have enough left over to add a new design to the pretty wool rug.
Yep.
Given the right supplies...
And I'm going to have an amazing day.
01/03/2012
Closet/Storage Area to Playroom
The coat closet/under-the-stairs-storage-area in our home has had some troubles.
The first trouble was the "Great Plumbing Disaster" of '05 (?), wherein the slow leak (caused by two pipes rubbing together in the ceiling of the den) managed to soak the carpet (and destroy nearly thirty years of our family pictures which were stored there) before we knew we had a leak at all.
That disaster resulted in new sheetrock, paint, trim and carpet, and the cancellation of our homeowner's insurance policy.
We couldn't do a thing about the photographs.
Fast forward to 2010, wherein the water-heater tank located in the sunroom closet - which shares a wall with the under-stair closet - sprung a leak and soaked the new carpet and trim, which started growing mold before we knew we had a leak.
Yep.
It's had some troubles.
And it's taken us over a year to do anything about the last round of them.
It's looked like this for a long time:
It has no flooring.
It's been a storage area for things-which-can't-be-wrecked-by-water or things-we-don't-care-about-very-much.
And, occasionally, it's had the odd winter coat or scarf hanging on the rod.
Enough of that.
This little closet is about to become a cozy little play spot for those precious grandshoots of ours.
They're growing up fast.
Pretty soon, they won't be able to enjoy crawling back there...
...and playing back here...
...or hiding back here:
It includes this Eucalyptus Leaf paint color from Behr.
It includes a bookshelf made (by moi, I hope) from this free plan from Ana White's site.
It includes orange: orange shelves, orange and white curtains, and orange who-knows- what-else (because I fell in love with the orange and aqua palette during 2011, and I finally have something to take it out on).
The plan may include one or two of these thumb chairs or child-size ottomans with storage.
It will definitely include a chalkboard, probably in a custom color, made using this tutorial from Apartment Therapy.
It will include this flooring...
...which I got at a fabulous family discount (can you say 'free'?) from my Leetle Brudder, but which is so perfect and (looks so) easy to install, that I really would have paid the going rate (which was already great, because it was in his Crazy Nate's outlet store (I love that store and it's warehouse full of possibilities).
I hope it includes some polka dot rugs; the space is so small, they could just be bathroom mats.
Today, it doesn't include much, but that's okay.
Yesterday, Miss Helping Hands and I painted the walls.
Today, I have been scraping the blobs of texture, drops of paint, and carpet pad glue off the concrete and sweeping it all up, and I need to get back in there and patch the little holes in the concrete so it will be ready for the flooring.
But...
I just started working out again.
Among other things, I did a bunch of hip abductor exercises in the last couple of days.
And I've been sitting at this computer for an hour or so.
I just got up to get the mail.
It hurt.
Real bad.
Really badly.
Ouch.
I think if I get back down on my hands and knees in that closet today, I will have to sleep in there tonight.
Because there will be no getting back up.
Seriously.
Ouch.
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