Finally feeling human again :)

Again with the big gap in the blogging....sheesh.
 In my defense - this has been my new best friend:

I got some wacky-3-week cold.  It was the weirdest thing - a lot of nose-blowing (you wanted to know that, right?) and pure, sheer exhaustion.  For several weeks in a row, as soon as the kids were in bed, I headed there too.  I had ZERO energy.  I think I'm finally feeling a little more human now after 3 weeks.

There were a few good days in between and so I do have a few fun things to show you.  I got a couple of layouts done on National Scrapbook Day:  

Maybe not my best ever LOL....but it was fun to be back doing layouts for a day.  I've been making cards to sell for so long that I haven't had time to make layouts recently.  Felt great :)  

I also did a furniture project!  Since my scrapbook room has temporarily moved up to my bedroom so that basement renovations can happen, I needed to get rid of my giant nightstand.  But I couldn't have NO nightstand - I need a place for a clock and my Bible & journal...and I only had room for a really narrow one.  I looked for a couple of weeks and didn't find one that would work and then I found this small child's desk at the MCC store - out back, and cheap because it was broken - exactly the challenge I wanted :)

Here's the before:

 It's on casters....but only 3 so it's a little wonky :)

I cut the bank of drawers apart from the rest of the desk.

I filled in the holes and gouges that the top had with wood putty and sanded everything down.

I painted it out in the creamy Lancaster Whitewash that the rest of my trim is done in.  I only used the top 2 drawers and left the bottom section (2 drawers) open for a shelf for books.

Here's the painted finished dresser.  I used the original hardware because it was so cute.  It's 12" across (13" across on the top).  Oh, and I found some cute little square-ish legs that fit on the bottom so that it was exactly the right height for a nightstand.

Right where I want it :)  Someday, when basement renos are done my room won't be so squishy, but for now this is ideal!

Now that I'm feeling better and the weather is looking up I'm hoping to get a few more projects done in the near future.  I have this little "beauty" 1/2 done - turning into something completely different.

and I picked up a stack of these windows that I really want to play with.....hmmm...what to make first...??

Making cleaning up FUN with the Epson LW-400 and a new project

Wait...before I start, I have to tell you a quick, cool story about how God provides for me :)

I found this vintage Davenport at the MCC store a few weeks ago.  It was in excellent shape, original olive, velvet fabric, mechanisms all working....gorgeous antique.  For $25. I couldn't leave it there, could I?  I couldn't decide if I was going to paint out the wood in a nice dark Chocolate brown....or maybe overhaul the whole thing with white glossy wood and a hot pink fabric....but, while I tried to decide a friend, who knew that I needed money that week (a pedicure appointment coming up, just bought drywall and studs to finish out the basement, and groceries), dared me to put it up on Kijiji just for fun to see if anyone would buy it "as is."  Knowing that I really loved it and would loved to have done it as a project, I listed it high....and sold it the next day LOL...for $300.  I really, really wish I had space and time to set up a little shop and do this kind of turn-around thing more often....I leave so many treasures sitting b/c I don't have the space to do this.  BUT, for now....a peek at how sometimes God provides when I need it the most :)

 And now, on to Epson.  I love this company - if you read my blog or facebook page at all, you'll know that!!  I took the LW-400 Labelmaker that they sent me over to a friend's house a few weeks ago (because my friend was drooling even while reading about it on my blog).  This thing is so easy to use, even her kids used it while they sorted and labeled stuff in their playroom!!    

Rayna - typing in her toy-names and adding pretty pictures to label her toys:

Macy - label ready for the "Littlest Pet Shop" bin

 Who doesn't love stickers!! 

 I think this machine would convince ANY kid that organizing and cleaning up is fun!! 

And, Bev - couldn't resist the chance to play too :) 

Newly labeled Arts & Crafts bins:

Newly labeled Toy bins: 

 

 And then, Bev got really excited.  Their family, together with some other relatives, owns a cabin.  One of the troubles with owning a cabin with other people is that things aren't always as you left them the last time you used the cabin - in particular - bedding.  Bedding goes home to get washed and then brought back and put into the linen closet but not always on the right shelves, right?  

So Bev's great idea was to use this roll of tape:  (Iron-on Fabric (black on pink) tape)

 

To make this:  A strip of labels that she can cut apart, and iron on to the hem of each sheet - pink for Twin, blue for Queen - so that no matter which shelf the sheets get put on, you'll always be able to tell immediately which sheets you're pulling down.  After all....after a long day of boating and skiing, who wants to spend 1/2 hour finding a sheet for your bed??  Not Bev, obviously.  Love you Bev....I think you're a genius!

Ok, enough labeling.  Well....there's never enough labeling, but enough of me telling you about it....for now.

I've been doing some scrapbooking - which I'll tell you about in a future post.  Actual layouts - I know...it's been awhile.  And I've got some furniture painted which I am IN LOVE with - pieces that I'm actually using in my bedroom as we speak!!  Also a future post.  

For now, here's a quick peek at my latest purchase:

Windows.

I've got plans for at least 2 of these large ones (artwork), a couple of smaller ones (framing a mirror) and a third project with a window that's sectioned into 3 panes.  I can't wait.  The TIME factor is in my way again so for now I'm pinning all my ideas away happily on Pinterest and dreaming late into the nights of all the projects I'll get to do with these!!  

Fingers crossed - National Scrapbooking Day!!

I've got my fingers crossed that, on Saturday May 5th (National Scrapbooking Day)...

a.) the housework will be done early in the morning

b.) the kids will be happy, busy, or elsewhere occupied

c.) no emergencies will come up

d.) I'll have time to sit and scrapbook....For. Fun.  It's been way too long since it's been a play-time for me and I'm so looking forward to this online crop:

I can't wait to see what comes of a weekend of inspiration!! 

It's a free event - no cost at all (which is right up my low-budget alley) and there are great prizes too....not expecting to win any but the anticipation of maybe winning is always fun too :)

Come join me!!

Cards for the museum

 I mentioned a few posts ago that one of my "new adventures" is that the museum here in town is going to be selling my cards this summer.  I couldn't be more excited.  A.) another forum to sell in = more money/more reasons to make cards LOL and B.) a chance to use some of the more vintage-y things I hoard.    The museum is called The Mennonite Heritage Village - it's an amazing day's worth of reliving how this town came to be with it's Mennonite settlers - a whole village to walk through including schools, churches, a working windmill that grinds flour (to make the bread they sell), several houses, a sod house, a general store, a blacksmith, a printer.....and of course barns with animals.  So....what could be better, I thought, than cards to sell there made with some of the very era-appropriate vintage items I've been saving for this rainy day.  

I have an obscene button collection - time to use some of that up;  I keep rolls of hemp and jute handy at all times;  there is no end to the amount of ribbon I have hoarded up; and I regularly haunt my local MCC store and find vintage lace, doilies, and all sorts of handmade trinkets like that.   (I have a few hand-embroidered old hankies that I want to incorporate into some cards yet).  

For now, here's a peek at a few of the styles I put in my first batch of cards at the museum.  

Thanks for stopping by :)

Cathy

A little (late) Spring Break Before & After

Over Spring Break this year I took a few days to makeover a couple of cabinets for a friend of mine.  One was a large hutch they were using as a TV/entertainment unit and the other was a much smaller, older cabinet that belonged to her Grandfather, I believe.  Here are my before & afters :)  Both were already stripped so that made this project quite easy but they did require quite a bit of sanding and touch-up. 

The entertainment hutch had already been previously repurposed....it used to be a separated upper section with a bar down the center and an extra shelf inside - the divider bar had already come down (been attached to one of the doors so it still closed properly but a TV could fit inside) but if you looked inside you could still see where the shelf had once been and that required some sanding to make it look like it had always been a big open space.  Amazing though what some sanding and primer can hide :)

Entertainment hutch BEFORE:

and AFTER:

Grandfather's cabinet had a drawer in the bottom that hadn't been opened for awhile and I had to tip the cabinet on it's front and shake like crazy to get it out of there :)  Before and after painting, I sanded the edges of the drawer down so that once it was finished, it would slide in and out.  Also, putting hardware on the drawer helped.  I had a lot of fun doing this little piece although I don't think it would have been quite as much fun to do those spindles on the side without my paint sprayer (probably my favourite new toy!!).

Grandfather's cabinet BEFORE:

and AFTER:

I love the "after" picture my friend sent me - maybe this just appeals to me a lot because I'm in the process of converting my own house to grey/white with teal accents.  Love it!

A day for new adventures

Apparently today is a day of surprises for me - good ones I hope....we'll have to let them play out a bit to make sure.  

1. I asked, and got a yes from Mennonite Heritage Village  (MHV), the nationally acclaimed museum here in our city - they're going to sell my cards in their gift shop this summer!  Yay.  I'll tell you what - it felt amazing to put together some cards with my "found items" that are extremely era-appropriate for what the museum stands for....lace, doilies, buttons, buckles, and of course, several of them sewn on my sewing machine.  If you get a chance to be in Steinbach this summer - you've got to visit this place (and buy my cards LOL).

And, 

2.  I found out today that in September when I come "back to work" after summer holidays - I will be here: 

At the brand-spanking-new (so new in fact that only this "artists' rendering" from the news is available to show you) Middle School.  I'll walk down there one of these days and take a couple pics for you of the actual building which is going up quite quickly, but obviously still under construction.   When I found out today, it was bittersweet news.  I know that it will be a good move and I'll find my niche there but leaving a great staff and amazing friends at my current school will not be easy.  That, plus I'm moving out of my comfort zone and further and further away from Kindergarten which was what my original education focused on.  But, I am looking forward to a little more literacy and a little less shoe-tying and nose-blowing; a little more actual math and a little less "you're not allowed to sit there...teacher....he's in my spot..."  Like I said - an adventure.  I think I'm up for it.  Sheesh....what's one more adventure after the year I've had.  Bring it on!

Therapy Cats get an Epson dish-makeover

We've had dogs over the years....Disley & Bean (may they rest in peace) and we are definitely dog-people.  BUT, we're also pretty spontaneous and we live in town where dogs can't really run like they're meant to.  Shortly after 5 became 4 at our home, we were given a lovely little grey stray kitten who IMMEDIATELY wormed his way into our hearts. 

 A year later we lucked into another little kitten (another stray found starving under a friend's shed)...

... and not just any old kitten, but one who, after a week of adjustment, bonded closely with our first. Now we have 2 who love us and love each other - how amazing is that!!? 

 We lovingly refer to Wasabi (our first, the boy) and Soya (our second, the girl) as our Therapy Cats because they are snuggly when we need it;  playful when we're in the mood; and they've licked more than their share of tears from our faces when that's what we need.  I'm not exactly sure how the last couple of years would have turned out without them....and that may sound a bit "coo-koo" to those of you who haven't been here, or aren't animal people at all....but we have found ourselves to also be Cat-people and these 2 furry friends have dug their way in deep into our hearts.

Anyway....as I wandered around the house with my Epson LW-400, I couldn't help but notice their small, white, unlabelled food dishes - how sad :(  They deserve better than that.  I'd already tried out the borders and icons with the labeling I did in my cupboards but who wouldn't want a chance to use more of them, including the little cutsie cat faces in the "animals" section.  So....now the Therapy cats are sporting individualized food dishes!  

Now if I could only teach them to read and eat out of their own dishes.

Product was received to review - views are my own - no monetary compensation was recieved.