Basement Refinish

Here is the update to our basement living area.
Nothing too terribly exciting.
Just that it had 2 walls of dark 70's paneling and the other 2 walls with some sort of stucco-ish treatment.




It looks WAY better now.
New walls and moldings.
New wall lights--ceiling ones we kept.
New carpet.
What a difference it makes.

Wonky Roman Stripes

Here is another stress-induced sewing finish.
Started these blocks last Fall or so and during last week with mounting stress I finished them up.





It won't get a back anytime soon however, because I know I have some fabric that will work, but it is packed and somewhere way back in the storage pod.  After the move....Lynn may end up with a pile from me to quilt.

Details:

• Inspiration from Block Party: The Modern Quilting Bee, Wonky Roman Stripe, pg. 50-56.
• Cut 14 1/2 inch blocks instead of 15 1/2 (because I screwed up one block--bummer)
• Did a 4 by 5 block configuration instead of 6 by 6 per the book instructions.
• Will probably add a border because I'd like it a little bigger, but I ran out of a couple of the scrapsand so couldn't make enough blocks.
• Background pieces are 3 different shades of  blue/grey solids.

Improv Color Blocks

Stress release for me includes a good chunk of time down in my sewing room.
I've had some stress lately with all our house stuff going on and hadn't sewn for weeks, and possibly months.
Let's just say I needed to sew.

I had started some improv blocks last Fall sometime and went to town this past week to whip up some more.  Got all the blue ones completed and then did some green/orange combos.

I didn't have enough scraps to make enough of the green bunch so I decided to combine the two colors.
I laid out a design, found my Kona grey yardage and whipped out the quilt top.

It makes me happy.











Details:

• Inspiration idea from Modern Quilts from the Blogging Universe, Improv Color Blocks, pg. 70-77.
• Her quilt pic here at FromTheBlueChair.
• Made 12 improv blocks.
• Blocks cut to 16 x 18 inches.
• Cut 4 grey blocks to size.
• Used Kona grey as the background fabric. (can't remember which one exactly, but it is light grey)
• 4 by 4 block configuration.  
• Added 4 inch strips on each side and 8 inch strips across the top and bottom to make the quilt larger.

Linked up to Finish it up Friday with Crazy Mom Quilts

I bought a table today

Dropped by the thrift store today and found WAY too many things that I had ideas for.

Lamps.
Mirrors.
Small tables for either side tables or nightstands.
A gorgeous buffet table with a mirrored backsplash type piece.

It was about to put me over the edge because I already know which house I want to buy.  However, we still need to sell ours.

We are putting a bid on it today/tomorrow and I really want it.  My mind is racing with all sorts of ideas of what I could do here or there.  I've not been able to sleep because I am thinking about plans and ideas.

This is the kitchen/dining area of the house I want.



I hope I don't jinx myself by showing you it.
It is beautiful, and spacious, and I won't have to do anything to it right away if I don't want to.

And today I bought a table to possibly use in this room.



78 inches long, 37 1/2 inches wide, and 30 inches tall.



I like the sturdy tapered leg with just a little detailing.

It is big enough we can use it for our family as our main table, but I also have thoughts of using this as my sewing room work table.  Raise it up a bit either on casters or adding something onto the leg.  My cousin Tiffany said her mom bought a table like this and then cut the legs down to use it as a large coffee table.  Cut it so that an ottoman would fit underneath for hidden storage, seating.

I've got options.
Just gotta get "my" house. ;)

Swimsuit Model #2

Little Miss E. modeling her swimsuit I made.







Such a funny little thing.  She was loving being in the water.

Original swimsuit post HERE.

Friday Finds

When you are trying to sell a house and move you really shouldn't be finding or buying additional stuff.  The whole idea is to purge and clean out for a fresh start, don't you think?

Sometimes it just can't be helped.

As hubby and I were once again heading to Menard's for something we needed to finish a project we drove by this group of furniture sitting out on the curb in this industrial park area.

Still there on our way back I picked up a chair and a bench.  Passed on the round glass table.



These are metal and wood and fabric.  The fabric needs help, but everything else is in good shape.  I actually went back again and picked up the other 2 chairs (3 total) and will figure it out later.  At least one will go to my son for his desk in his new room that we don't yet have.



I really liked the metal supports on this bench too.  They are on the ends too.



This can be used in then entry or mudroom--once again I don't know where we are moving to, but I have visions anyway.  It can be painted some fun color....or add a cushion....



And here is the downsize and staging of my LR.  We moved out a cedar chest and a loveseat to the basement so that we can make it look more open.



The little table between the chairs is a sewing machine table that I found free on the curb in my neighborhood 3 yrs. ago.  I had my son take out the machine just this week because it was SO heavy.  And although the machine did work, I hadn't ever used it and decided to remove it (donated it to my thrift store).  Then we tightened up the legs a bit and good to go.



The 2 wingback chairs I just picked up on Wednesday at one of the thrift stores that I frequent occasionally. Stopped there on a whim and found these for $12.99/ea. marked down from $27.99/ea.  They were in better shape upholstery-wise than the other 2 I had in there and these matched each other, so even better.  I had almost bought a different pair of wingbacks last week for $49.99/ea.  Glad I didn't.  They had dark floral upholstery.  The lighter ones (they are kind of a green grey fabric) look nicer in this space.

I also picked up recently 2 different Pampered Chef stoneware pieces.  A loaf pan (which I absolutely LOVE for making homemade bread) for $5 and a 9 x 13 pan for $10.  Happy day!!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!!

Today is the Day and Kitchen Counter Update

Today our house goes on the market.
Hallelujah!
It's only 2 months after I had originally wanted to have it ready to go, but.....such is life around here.
Now the kicker will be to see if we can get moved before school starts after Labor Day.
Keep the fingers crossed.

I thought I'd show one of the projects we did to get ready.  I'll show a couple more in the next few days too.

First up the kitchen counter and backsplash.


Old counter top before we took it out and before we repainted and tiled the walls.
We had a cream-ish paint over that green but had to get it all off because it was peeling and gross.
I'll tell you more later about those nasty avocado green painted walls from hell.

Our friend Paul told us about their kitchen remodel and how they used laminate sheet to redo the counters.
We really don't have much counter space in our kitchen and so this sounded like a straight forward fix for us.


The color we picked---Gold Flake


Roll on the laminate sheet onto your counter board with contact cement.
Install it in place.


Cut out the sink opening with masking tape and a jigsaw.

Hubby cut the facing trim from some solid oak.
It turned out great.

Once the counter was completed we put up the subway tile (3x6 pieces)
We had the section along the sink wall and then a little bit behind the stove towards the fridge.





I am really happy with how both turned out.
Even though we didn't do anything with the cabinets (we'll let the new owners decide if they want to do that or not) the changes we did make really give a nice feel to the kitchen.
And not having our house ready when I wanted I have been able to enjoy the kitchen a bit before leaving.


Details:
Laminate sheet bought at Menard's
Oak trim and facing custom made by hubby
Subway tile from The Home Depot
Changed the overhead light and vent.

Family Reunion Tees

One of the fun things we had for our family reunion last week at Ft. Robinson State Park, NE. was a reunion t-shirt designed by Emily.



It featured the family name, place where we had the reunion, year, and on the back of each shirt the number placement of when you personally entered the family, either by marriage or birth.

For example: this group of cousins and how they fit into the family.


And then the stream of little cousins.


We had 34 of the 38 family members in attendance (plus Mason the dog).  Two of the married grandkids and their spouses weren't able to make it. (#s 9,10, 37, 38)



The little kids always want to do a goofy picture, and I always say that once they cooperate for some nice ones I'll let them do funny ones.

Here we are in all our glory.


Hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend!

We're finishing up last minute details before our house goes on the market.
Yikes!
I just want to be done with everything.

Trio of Grad Quilts from Emily

Last week we had our family reunion and while we were there Emily gave the 3 graduating nieces their quilts she had made for them--my oldest daughter being one of them.

They are all the same pattern and design, just with different color schemes.






#1--Tiffany Blue for Miss H. who's heading off to BYU-Idaho


#2--Black and White and Pink for Miss M. who is heading to U of Nebraska Lincoln.



Back and binding

#3--Scrappy for Miss L. who is heading to BYU in Provo.



Floral back and binding


They were each pretty happy with their gift, as you can see.

Each one was quilted differently and includes their name quilted somewhere in the sashing portion---so no one else can claim the quilt for themselves.