Project in Waiting

I spray painted this desk black at the same time I painted the chairs blue. Now that the chairs are done, it's the desk's turn. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Ideas?

My youngest daughter wants me to paint big pink flowers on it and give it to her. I'm thinking of keeping it for myself and maybe giving her my old desk. Most days, my favorite color is turquoise. But I like all bright colors, so I was thinking of random, bright, wild patterns. I guess I have to decide who gets the desk before I start painting.

Savoy Cabbage and Golden Beets

Savoy cabbage is beautiful. I love the variation of greens, the bumpy texture, and the way the leaves curl. If I was a bug, I'd visit a cabbage.

I'd never heard of golden beets, so when I saw these I had to buy them. They taste just like red beets. They would be pretty served together. Maybe cooked together they'd make an interesting color. I'll have to try that.

Decoupage

We always have empty containers.

Here are the materials I used to cover these-- minus scissors. The wrappers on the containers come off very easily and leave a mostly smooth silver base. If there is any glue left on them I just leave it. It gets covered up anyway.

I didn't realize the "tissue paper" was really printed-on plastic film, so I cut it instead of ripping it like I normally do. I'm not sure how long or how well it will stay on the containers.

My son has a space-themed bedroom thanks to my sister who is a mural artist. I think he'll be able to use these for some of his small toys.












Rather than using spill-free sippy cups, we use cups with lids and straws for my daughter who has Down Syndrome and Autism. Otherwise she spills. We store the straws on the counter. They needed a container.




Here are a few other things I've decoupaged. I like using colorful napkins and tissue paper. For the container on the far right, I used regular wrapping paper.




You can decoupage just about anything. I did the side a cabinet a couple of years ago and it still looks pretty good.

Big Kid Bibs

Sewing is an intense experience for me. I don't do it often. I don't usually know what I'm doing. I didn't follow a pattern, just used the old bibs and my own ideas. I spent three hours thinking, cutting, and sewing these this morning. My arms and hands are still fatigued.
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I have a daughter (not the one pictured below) who has Down Syndrome and Autism. Most of the time we put a bib on her for meals. For years, I've used the big old bibs my mom gave me that she bought for my grandpa. They were white terry cloth with a vinyl backing. Now they're stained orange from tomato sauce and age and they're falling apart-- embarrassing and ugly. My daughter needed new, big-kid bibs.
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Color mattered most. It had to be bright, multi-colored fabric with a lot of red to hide the sauce. I made two apple bibs with pockets, one with red on back and one with navy. I made two bibs with the black-patterned fabric, added the red fabric for length and put yellow fabric on back. I used red and black thread. My younger daughter likes the swirly pattern on the back of the black, but normally this won't show. (You would not believe how hard it was to get her to model this for me. And the faces she made! It's not cool to wear a bib when you're ten.)

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I put low-loft batting between the front and back fabrics. I made a button hole on one side of the top and sewed a velcro cable tie to the other side. I didn't want to have to mess with string ties, but I wanted it to be very secure. Instead of worrying about turning and hemming, I sewed everything wrong sides together and notched the edges. The edges will fray with time and will make a nice fringe.

Chairs Done

It was finally warm enough to put a clear coat on the chairs I painted last fall. It was a gorgeous day.

These chairs are for sale. Or maybe not. An offer would have to be local and high enough
to be worth it.

Lake Haiku

Moss-covered branches
Reach up from dead, mired trunks.
Wrens dance in the stream.


Crows caw and chatter;
Dragonflies hover and hum.
Speed boat slaps the lake.


Caspian tern dives,
Orange beak piercing the lake.
Small fish dart away.

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I'm looking forward to canoeing again. Soon.

Why This Blog

I like to create: to take pictures, to cook, to write words, paint on walls and on furniture, and sometimes to sew. The focus of this blog will be on creation. Occasionally, I may share how I feel about other people's creations.

Winter feels too long here in upstate NY. So, I like to buy flowers. Their colors and forms cheer me up. They lighten my heart and brighten my table and counter tops.

Lyrics and their tunes are coming to mind: Cold Play's "We live in a beautiful world," Amos Lee's "Nothing is more powerful than beauty in a wicked world," and Imogen Heap's "There is beauty here." True. Sometimes we just have to look for it.

I believe in surrounding myself with beautiful things, finding them, creating them, and sharing them with the people I love.