Lavender

A lovely outing to a local lavender farm. Our closets are smelling really really good.

Garden Bounty

This was the first tomato! Tons of basil, and a neighbor's gifted onions = yummy summer pasta sauce.

Table Redo

Yeah, it was icky. This is an old Ikea table that was a kitchen table, then an outside table, then a table we painted for showing our house (it sold, yay. Probably not just because of the cute table) then a spray painting table, then we *may* have left it outside again forgetting that I hadn't put any poly on it - because we were just painting it for showing the house, right? Three years later, we can't really eat on it without paint chips in our food. yuck.

Nice. This time I remembered the poly. White may not be the most adventuresome color choice with our porch but I thought it would be more flexible if we move it again.

Next up, the Ikea chairs that went with it.

Last of the Lettuce

Its hot. Like, a million degrees hot. The lettuce battled bravely then began to turn bitter. Who could blame it? On the plus side, we have a teeny tiny watermelon who LOVES the sun who is well underway.

This thrifted sheet set makes me think of summer. Found at a garage sale a couple of weekends ago, destined for a little girl bed.

Happy 4th of July

Patriotic breakfast!

Rocket decorations! (One year, I will get my bunting made for the porch. Until then, yay for recycling tp rolls and stickers from the dollar bin!)

Real rockets! Happy Birthday, USA!

Wedding Sign Gift

Kathy and Steve met in a bike shop. Kathy spent several years in Russia in the 80s. I had Mr. Sycamore's student who speaks Russian send me the phrase "Steven and Katya Unite" in Cyrillic script (hopefully that is what it actually says!) My idea was to make a propaganda-y wall-hanging - until I remembered that I don't actually have a lot of artistic ability in the drawing department. As I was doodling ideas, I sketched them with a bicycle and decided to simplify everything down.

I copied the couple in permanent marker on a piece of white first, then cut the phrase out of scrap red felt and heat-and-bonded it. I painstakingly sewed tiny bike helmets out of silver lamé - I thought it sent a better message of my hopes for a safe, healthy, long marriage! - then stapled the whole thing to a painting canvas.

To be clear, the joy on their faces is probably because they just got married. They hadn't even opened our present yet.

Congratulations, guys! Your wedding was beautiful, with thoughtful kiddie bags and mac and cheese on the menu. Long life and long happiness!

Kismet Chair

A few days ago I posted this chartreuse redo from Better After, my new blog addiction. Lindsey scours the web for - what else - before and after photos of amazing transformation. Some I love, which I've been saving to "painted style" on my Pinterest page. Some are unbelievably awful, even after. Lindsey is always hilarious in her commentary.

Yesterday, I went to a yard sale and scored a $7 and amazingly comfortable chair with a blech floral upholstery job. Remind you of anything?! This one is staying on our porch and will be going white (what else) but probably not chartreuse ... hopefully this after photo - although not MY after - will keep me inspired. Because, yes, the icky nudey bookcase and chair in the hallway - still icky nudey.