Good Wednesday Morning!

A rainy day here in paradise but not a problem with another hit of sunny weather in the forecast. Yesterday was very productive, baking, cooking, a little crafting, a few locks of hair shed, exercise HIIT class, and a walk after dinner. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I should be back running after my San Fran trip! Yea! I got the new runners so more protection and cushioning. Of course at the pace I will be running, impact is not going to be a problem!

These cute little boot cuffs are my next project. I will have to flip to knitting needles but I think these will be a big hit!

The Shanty2Chic girls whipped this up and well I gotta have one! So the 2x4's are cut and waiting to be assembled. Later today........stay tuned!

Time to get moving.......things to do, people to see, places to go......have a great Wednesday, your half way there to a long weekend!

 

Yikes! Summer is ending!

I guess the end of August is always a sign that summer is ending, with back to school, the temperature dropping, leaves changing........oh dear...........now I love fall, jeans, boots, sweaters......pumpkins, all the great foods of fall........but I think I could live in the summer season 9 months of the year. Our garden is just about done for the year, although the tomatoes are just starting to ripen nicely, cucumbers are abundant, spaghetti squash are getting too heavy for the vines.......but these beauties are totally amazing! I don't think I have ever grown sunflowers twelve feet high or the heads that are over twelve inches in diameter! Holy guacamole! These are stupendous! The photos don't do them justice.

 

 

This last photo was taken a few weeks ago but you can tell how tall they are. The heads have grown so heavy now they are bending over.

 

 

 

 

I finished up the these leaves, and still have half a dozen waiting inspiration for color. My girlfriend just told me about a fall fair so I think I need to get a move on and spend some time in the studio.

So one week till San Francisco with my girls, I sure hope the fire in Yosemite Park is under control before then. Its so scary when a forest fire rages so close to a city not to mention destroying one of America's most beautiful parks. So sad.

Well my friends, I hope you are enjoying these last few weeks of summer and you're looking ahead to Autumn and all its joys! Mmmmmmm...... pumpkin muffins, pumpkin squares, pumpkin lattes! Yum, yum yum!

Starburst because I said.....

I know you've seen Sunbursts all over the stores and Pinterest, and I've been wanting one forever to go over my fireplace....so one day it was a little quiet at work so I started a project between customers. I got one of the guys to cut me a 6 inch circle out of a scrap of wood, and some heavy duty adhesive, similar to PL3000, 24 paint sticks, and a nail gun.........but near the end I needed to cover the center and I had thought another piece of wood.......but come on............we're in a paint store no a lumber yard..........a paint can lid! Perfect! A little hammered metallic paint and voila! This is a Starburst because its silver and I said so!

 

 

 

 

I love how it turned out and it is quite large 32 inches in diameter. It would fit perfect over my fireplace but I have a poppy picture that is beautiful, so dining room it is!

This month I am trying to finish up all my half done projects as Fall approaches I really need to get crocheting......so I am taking my cue from Thrifty Décor Chick and its a no spend month. That is going to be a test of wills let me tell you. Heading to the city and will check out the new yarns for the fall........but first there's some cement calling my name to be finished! Have a great week!

Let's see what my excuses are.................

well lets see there was ................sunshine, broken foot, facebook ( such a terrible addiction), work, and oh yes,  lack of words! Ha, ha! I know, never had that problem before! But seriously July went by in a blurr, too much going on around here, lots of company and totally out of sink.......okay, so I'm sorry that you've been stuck looking at the same garage door photos, so I will try to get back into the swing of things.

Number one is my mom finally got to move into her new house. After much ado, things are starting to get back to normal. Her house is wonderful and she is very happy to finally be in her new home.

My foot is pretty much healed, I had an xray on Monday so hopefully the doctor tells me it is healed completely and I can get back running in September.

I'm taking a trip with my daughters and going to San Francisco for a few days. It should be a lot of fun, and maybe the start of a new venture.  In the meanwhile, the Hubs has had a few weeks vacation and we decided since we already live in a holiday destination, there's really no reason to fight traffic and dole out money to go somewhere just for the sake of "going on holidays" we are on holidays!!

So he decided to build himself a tool shed!

8x10 a tools only shed

His new "Dog House" I really should make a
sign for the door

He really hates heights, but he got the roof shingled!

Big Chief! Work benches to
puddle around with stuff.

This stain if absolutely wonderful!
I love painting with it!

Well there's been a few other projects I've completed, but unfortunately I can't seem to get them to upload off my phone, so I will have to try again tomorrow. Have a wonderful evening, and please forgive my absence, I'll try to do better. Hope you are enjoying the summer! Good night! Good night! Sleep tight! Sweet Dreams!

Garage Door Update

I am finally back on track, well about as much as I ever am.......but I managed to get the garage makeover finished despite the cast. Who says you can't stand on a ladder with one foot. Maybe not that safe but when I want something done, where there is a will, there is a way!

So you remember that I put the hardware on I found at Home Depot.......

 

 

 

And then the door with hardware..............

 

 

But it still wasn't doing a lot for me so a little trip to Pinterest, to find the painted faux windows.......

Well seriously how hard could it be do add a little detail? Not very much believe.....but seriously use the "best tape" you can buy.......being as I work in a paint store and have listened to all the Sundry reps boast about their line of tape that "will not bleed" can I just say "B.S!!!!!!!!" We got a new line of tape which is blue and happens to boast a shur-line blah, blah blah! Nothing and I mean nothing compares to Frog Tape! and I don't even get a commission by telling you that! So if you get close to my doors you will see a slight bleed in a few places, which I will fix...... just not today!

So here they are and I am very please with look and have to admit they look spectacular! Now when I drive into the driveway I am blown away how such a easy fix and inexpensive makeover spruces up boring old garage doors. Oh I can hear some of you saying seriously she needs to get a job! Ah? I think not......this is my job! Beautifying the world one project at a time!

Well that's my story for tonight.......now its time for me to make friends with my "new" book. I finished reading Ellen DeGeneres's Book - Seriously....... I'm Kidding! Soooo funny! And sooooo, soooo true! OMgosh! Crazy she is!

Night all, time to say sleep tight and sweet dreams.......on to my next vision! CAtch up with you tomorrow........ciao!

TIMBER!

And down they come....................don't get me wrong I like trees but when they interrupt power service, telephone and TV reception, its time to come down. The Hubs found a guy that we didn't have to take out a mortgage for, to take down 4 trees. Unfortunately for the faller, it was a hot day with a wee bit of a breeze. It was quite interesting watching him drop the branches with such precision. I'm afraid I was a little doubtful at times, that I was going to loose a few plants but I'm "bad" they all survived!

"Before"

 

OMG!

Yikes!

He made it look so easy!

And that was end of three cedar trees making a mess of the yard and the roof of my studio. The faller will be back tomorrow to finish up the job, with a chipper machine. That I can't wait to see, maybe I will even get a few bags of bark mulch......do you get that from the chips from the cedars....I hope so......I could use a few bags to use around the garden. Well its been a great couple of days, my mom has taken care of the house and chores and I've got to sit and do what I love to do. Crafting........see y'all soon. Sleep tight! Safe travels.................

Ran into a bit setback.........

Sunday was our usual day to go for our group run so Sue and I thought we'd take an easier route with Ingrid.........I probably should have gone the longer, harder route and maybe it wouldn't have happened at least that's what the guys were telling me. .......because I didn't get very far before I did slight roll of the foot and ended up fracturing my metatarsal bone. Yup.... certainly has thrown a wrench into my running for the summer. Seven weeks I will be off the doc figures. Still haven't figured out how I managed to do it. but when I did I sure knew it! OMGosh! I have never broken a bone before, so I was a little shocked at the pain involved but its already getting better just don't put any pressure on it and its all good!

Afternoon of accident at friends for BBQ, no plaster cast just an air cast so it can come off and on when needed. Quite stylish don't you think?

I'm afraid a few of my projects are going to take a back seat since a few entailed a ladder, so I think for the next few days or weeks, I will spend painting cement leaves and doing some sit down projects!

Our gardens are growing like crazy! The beans are reaching for the clouds already and I ate my first pea pod today.

I think we should be eating fresh veggies very soon. The kale is ready, also the beets are starting to poke through.

I love these white roses, I think they are my favourite color.

The African violets are doing fabulous, I think they like this window.

I've never been able to grow lavender and now I have three types, they smell divine. I hope I can dry the flowers and use them in our soap making........

 

This hydrangea was one that my mom bought me a year ago for Easter and I can't believe its come back to life, I had almost given up on it, I guess it wanted to be in the ground instead of a pot.

 

Well I hope you liked the garden tour, everything grows amazingly well here and I find it very full-filling gardening in such a great climate. What a great change seeing things grow overnight! Time to go to bed, I picked up three new novels Nora Roberts-The Witness, Lee Child- a Jack Reacher Novel- A Wanted Man, and The Unfinished Garden by Barbara Claypole Whyte, so I think I am set for a few weeks.

Have a good evening........................ciao