fully stuffed

i have been working on projects since my mom and dad were here a few weeks ago doing some appreciated work with us (post on this to come). my mom showed me how to use my awesome sewing machine and i made two pillows to put on the chairs that i painted and recovered. they work for now ... i need to tighten them up ... but don't really feel like pulling them apart again ... one day I will make them perfect.


then i made this plush wreath for my front door using a foam wreath, some left-over batting from my sofa re-do (pictures to come), an old long sleeve shirt, some scrap fabric, and a few buttons.




i pinned the flowers on with straight pins in case i change my mind or want to reuse them.


other things not photographed that i have finished include painting the tv stand, sewing curtain ties, painting a mirror to go in our bedroom, and painting our dresser drawers. whew ... all good stuff - making our house a home.

its electrifying!

its sort of hard to find halloween costumes for adults that aren't all sassy and sexy versions of everything - you know what i mean? nate likes funny costumes or being something ordinary that makes you laugh.

then we found a great idea online! check it out ...



and then we realized it was a bit ... shall we say ... suggestive. i don't think it would be appreciated at the church's halloween party. needless to say - we are still on the hunt.

ownership

ruby is all ours! we paid off our loan about a month ago and received the title in the mail. after a lot of hard work we are free from a monthly car loan ... it feels amazing! and now if we could only know that feeling of freedom from school loans, life would be grand ... sigh ... we'll tell you about that in 20+years (sad face).

but for now we are celebrating the small victories! yay ruby ... your all ours baby!

the day i "bought" her (we can reflect here):

09.05.09

One year ago ...
this boy ...

and this girl ...

went here ...

and did this ...
(only over an altar ...
not the little white wedding chapel shown below)

He felt like this ...

and she felt like this ...

First moments as Mr. and Mrs. ...

we were welcomed by oohs ...

and ahhs ...

and also giggles ...


Families. Are. Forever.

(Johnson/Emery Families)

(Soelberg/Winder Families)

One year down ... eternity to go! We have made some awesome memories already and we can't wait for more adventures - whatever the Lord has planned for us!

Happy 1st Anniversary! Love you babe!

in the house

i have been waiting to get better "after pictures" but this will have to do since i have already started into my next project. it donned on my just yesterday that i have a limited number of rain-less days as fall fast approaches. it rains here like its nobody's business. so i am trying to kick it into high gear.

my feeble attempt at "styling" my buffet/sideboard ... its a lot harder than i thought it would be!



of course i have pictures on chairs still and my tool box(es) still out and about in the living room ... will it ever all have a place? argh.

BUT I LOVE IT!

caribbean blue

here she is ... all dolled up in caribbean blue and its a great accent color for the yellow, black, and gray we got going on with the dinning chairs and table.










i felt like it was a little much with the all one color ... so i decided to dry brush it with some light gray paint i have for my next project. i like the way it turned out (above is before dry brushing and below is after) it makes all the details pop ... so i did this to the entire piece and it turned out great!


i will be taking after pictures tomorrow ... its finally in the house! I am now realizing I have no idea how to decorate such a thing (to be fair the things I got it for are still in CA right now ... so i have no idea what to do until December!)

primed and ready to go

so her she is ... all primed up with some oil base primer that is such an awful thing to clean up ... i have oil based because that is what the paint guys at Home Depot kept stressing. even with water based paint to go over the top of it ... they said its the best. ugh ... i think i will go oil based once i run out of this quart just to see. (i like to learn the hard way)

here you can see my patchwork of painters tape around the hardware that WOULD NOT COME OFF ... i am still annoyed by this aspect of the buffet/sideboard.


all nine drawers waiting for a few coats of caribbean splash (don't be fooled by soon to come pictures ... the painters tape and caribbean splash are not the same color) ...


her body all empty and primed (kilz brand is what i used).


.... next up painting!

and while i was painting i stole a picture of my cute husband after a long day of work ... he lets me sleep in the wee hours of the morning and i let him nap when he gets home from work (sometimes.) is he listening to his student's oral homework assignments? or watching an episode of the Simpsons ... my money is on the later.