A Little Project

I have not been very crafty this Christmas Break.  I have done a lot of cooking, quite a bit of cleaning, a little organizing, and a lot of grading.  Sadly, I have only knit a tiny bit.  I have also read a little, but nothing too good.  (If you have a good book recommendation, I am all ears!  Hint, hint.)

My laptop died in late November (may she rest in peace) and so that also put a damper on any potential blogging.  Combine that with teaching two AP Lit classes, two senior writing courses, and one junior English class = big loser with no life.  Anyway, I got a great new computer for Christmas from the Darling Husband and I am back in business.  Thankfully, he backs up all of my files on my computer for me at least once a month, so I didn't lose anything.  (When I say my computer died, it really died.  Like, as in a computer repair shop said no hope for revival.)

This morning I was sitting at the kitchen table (my home office... just call me Harriet Beecher Stowe), dinking around on my computer (trying to avoid starting to grade - I am super good at it) and I found some pics of a project I did last summer that I never posted.  So hooray!  I have something to blog about, other than my lame life.

I was inspired by a fellow blogger, Nicole Davis, of MeOhMy! blog fame.  She hasn't been posting much lately, since she had a second baby and had to move in with her parents while her husband is finishing grad school.  It makes me feel better when these "professional" bloggers fall off the blog wagon so to speak.  It makes me feel less pathetic.  Anyway...

I always loved Nicole's chevron painting in her living room and decided to make one for myself.  Here is the inspiration:

Jádore Nicole's old house.  She has a great sense of formal + casual, and is super stylish.  Here is another shot:

 

And still another at Christmas:









Yeah, I know.  Super cute.

So, my house doesn't exactly look like this yet, but I am trying.  I decided to start with the chevron painting.  (I am eyeing that reindeer painting for next year...)

First, I went to Michael's and bought a canvas, acrylic paint, and a brush.

Then, I sketched out the design on graph paper.

Then, I measured and drew the lines on the canvas.

This part was kind of tedious and boring.  I wanted to get to the painting!

 I painted the white stripes first, then the grey.

 Here it is, almost done!

And here it is, in my very plain looking dining room last summer:

I am working on this room.  I started painting the chairs last summer, but didn't get very far.  I worked on them a little this break, but still have only one done, and one 2/3 done.  I can't decide what I am going to do to the table.  (But a new one???)  But, I am working on it...

Here is the room at Christmas:

(add pic)

Here is what I am thinking about doing with the chairs, once they are all painted shiny black.  I also wish my dining room had wood floors like the rest of the kitchen/hallway and not this super-generic khaki carpet.  Sigh.




I'll keep you posted.

Airstream Dream

I have a dream.  My dream is to someday own an Airstream trailer and to travel around the country for nine months when the Darling Husband and I retire.  I want to start in the fall and head east and south.  I for sure want to stop in Charleston, then a few other spots in the south before heading west.  Perhaps the Grand Canyon and then up to Utah to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park in the later fall.  Then I want to stay in the west through ski season, going to all the big spots and skiing all over.  I would like to get up to the Pacific Northwest in the spring, and then head for home by May to enjoy Lake Michigan at her finest.

I just found these pics online today and I am 100% smitten.  Seriously in love.  Here she is: my Airstream Dream!

Isn't she amazing?

Comin' Down

Our tree was really beautiful this year.  Perfect size, perfect shape.  The branches were really sturdy and did not droop with heavy ornaments. I admire the people who have coordinating ornaments on their trees; I, however, am not one of those people.  I have every ornament my kids have ever made (noodles and cheerios glued to cardboard cut out stars included), plus every ornament I have ever received as a gift.  It is a beautiful hodge podge of memories, and I love getting my ornaments out every year and taking that trip down memory lane.

Usually, I leave my tree up until New Year's Day.  This year, though, I think she is coming down early.  Like today.  My allergies can't take it.  My nose won't stop running, I have a persistent cough, and my eyes are terribly itchy.  Some of this is because it has been above freezing and I am allergic to all of the molds outside, but I have a feeling a big culprit is the lovely tree.

So goodbye tree...  how lovely are your branches.

Also coming down are the mantle decorations, as they are made of live boughs as well.  Good bye Christmas in the family room.  I will leave the rest of the house decorations up through New Year's.

I have been obsessed with mantle decorating lately.  I look and look for ideas and change my mind all of the time.  Here is my latest obsession...

This is the living room and mantle of one of my favorite bloggers, Nicole, from Me Oh My!  She is so creative and has an incredible sense of style, mixing graphic with traditional.  I think I am going to paint a large chevron striped painting for my mantle.  I am also looking for just the right antler accent.  Perhaps a couple of these from Ballard Designs...

I am also obsessing about round mirrors like this one (also on Me Oh My! )...



Or this one from Ballard Designs...

The quickly approaching new year brings thoughts of new decorating!  

Prayers and Projects

Prayers

It is hard to think about, but life can change in an instant.  I have been reminded of this in a big way through three different family tragedies.  These people all need our prayers.  Two are families in my church and one is someone who is close to my husband and his family.  Please pray for Steve DeYoung and his family.  Mary DeYoung, wife, mother, Hope College professor, and an all-around wonderful person died after a shocking diagnosis and brief battle with cancer.  Please pray for her family to find comfort in the face of this terrible loss.  Please pray for Chloe Holland-Anderson and her family.  Four-year old Chloe was recently diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment at DeVos Children's Hospital.  Please pray for Chloe's recovery and for strength for her mom and dad and siblings, doctors, and nurses as they battle along with her.  Please pray for Dr. Coroneous and his wife.  Mrs. Coroneous recently suffered a fall which resulted in a severe neck-spine injury.  She is miraculously not permanently paralyzed (she was temporarily) and continues to recover at Mary Free Bed in Grand Rapids.  Please pray for her full recovery.

Life changes in an instant.  I pray that I can remember to live each day to its fullest, to be grateful for all that I have and enjoy in my life, and that God will continue to guide me to do what is right and good.


Projects

Projects are part of summer for me.  It is part of being a teacher.  Summer means time off, and time to get things done!  One of the projects that has been on my list for a few summers was to paint the downstairs half bathroom in our house.  The room had originally been painted a dark red color.  Not a bad color, but they chose a flat latex paint (why???) and so every water spot showed, and then when I tried to scrub the walls, they ended up streaky and chalky looking.  Sounds attractive, doesn't it?  I wanted to paint it a bold, dark color, but I couldn't decide.  Finally, a few weeks ago, I was reading a home decorating magazine and there was a section of paint palates that decorators were recommending.  I found my paint color: Old Navy, by Benjamin Moore.  I LOVE Benjamin Moore paints, and this color was perfect.  I raced to the paint store and started my project.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

It is REALLY hard to take a picture of a room this small.  I don't know how they do it in magazines.  I guess that's why they are called "Professional Photographers."  A special thank you to the Darling Husband for taking down the mirror, towel bar, and toilet paper holder as well as taking the tank off the back of the toilet, and then for moving the mirror, installing a new light fixture (I couldn't get a picture of that, as I am not a "Professional Photographer" but trust me - the old one was hideous and the new one is quite cool.) and reinstalling the towel bar and toilet paper holder and for putting the toilet back together.  I couldn't have done it without him!  Looks pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Up next: CAN-O-RAMA
I am canning Holiday Cherries and Peach & Cilantro Salsa.  Both recipes come from this sweet new book I ordered.  I will let you know how things turn out...