~~ Just so I don't get any ideas of running around, out on the town, kickin' my heels up and carryin' on ~~

Here's one of the other projects that I've been working on -- it's turning out much nicer than I thought it would when I first started cutting the fabric out. The blouse will have short sleeves, just a little more than a cap sleeve. VERY cool for the hot and humid summer that's just around the corner. I'd wanted to make something a little different than some of the old t-shirt style patterns that I used to make, so this was a nice change of pace, with the sharp little darts along the front, and the back as well.

There isn't much else to say, 'cept that there's a baseball game on..I can hear it just a little bit back here in the studio. The TV is blasting way out in the front room, and if noah was here, he'd already have turned off the thing. He's suddenly "Waste No Electricity" man these days..I get ready to sit down an' watch a game..go grab a cold glass of water, walk back in the front room...and the tv's off. Cute. Very Cute.

I think my last good nerve has left me a message somewhere, but I'm not sure just where.

I'm also sketching some new little odds and ends..while watching the game. Gotta do 2 things at the same time! -- And, I'm also painting some old wicker baskets that I'm not too thrilled with anymore. In theory, if they have a more antique finish on them, they may be more presentable...in theory.

Gotta run -- somebodys outside...lawdy, its noah an he's gonna turn the game off.....

Lady of The Tulips

"Floating" -- 2009
Spring Bay Studio



*** Here is one of the little projects that I've worked on while Noah & I were having fun around the cabin***


I had some idea of what to do with some paper I bought at Ollies -- it's a discount/clearance warehouse that always has a gazillion things on markdown. I found a big tablet of drawing paper, no label or name brand on it, but the price was so good, I took a chance. $3.99 for 50sheets of 70 pound paper. The fishies I made up were drawn, painted with watercolor pencils and acrylics, then sprayed with a thin coat of clear matte paint, just to make sure the watercolor would stay put once the piece is framed. The fishies just sorta came out of no where one afternoon...I'd been looking over one of the brochures Noah got when we signed up for his fishing license. The State of North Carolina will send you free booklets on freshwater, or saltwater fish, depending on what kind of license you're applying for.

So that's where my little fishie friends came from. A humble beginning in the warehouse of an old hardware store...Tom just loves discovering goodies in those places. There are, tho, some REALLY weird things on some of the shelves, so you have to watch the isles for what you're Really Looking For..I mean, it's so easy to get sidetracked an' think, "Well, Sure I could use this 96 oz. bottle of car wash!! It's only $2.99!! Whatta Deal!!" --- Come on, now. Really, when ARE you gonna honestly wash the car with the cheap car washing liquid?? It's even purple, for cryin' out loud!

Sorry -- short rant/telling of what Tom wants to buy..But there are some good Art Things on the shelves for Scrapbooking, Stationary and Writting Tablets. So watching tom ponder over yet another jar of "Super Car Wax!! " -- (yet again, $2.99...) I walk over to the other side of the warehouse an' try to pretend that he's just somebody I got a ride with to the store...

There are still some other fishies over on my work table, and I have a picture of another project that I literally have in the works..but I have to wait till tomorrow to show it, 'cause right now it's starting to get stormy looking, and The Dog is yet again starting to shake an' fall to pieces...there must be some lightning in the area, so here we go...

Lady of The Tulips

>> Since the Laundry Room got done, it's cheery yellow walls make me feel like I'm no longer washing the clothes in a dark and scary place. <<

The room that Waz Scarryy had the Famous 4 Layers of wallpaper -- very ugly on a good day, and by the time poor Noah got to the verrryyy last layer, he looked like he was ready to go discover where the locals go for a good stiff drink. And Noah doesn't drink. So you can tell how disgusted he was by the whole effort.

I think the small window looks better with the nice coat of Ultra White all along it's sills -- there was a "white" on it before, but after both Noah & I took a couple look-ie-loo's at the paint, it seems like the previous owners family just threw some paint on the trim and sills, trying to make it look presentable for sale. I'm discovering lots of little spots all over the house like that -- One story I got, was that one of the daughters was responsible for painting and "Cleaning" the interior before we looked at it. Fat Chance. If anybody cleaned, they may have taken all of 10 minutes. Thank Heavens I've got a big can of cleaner that's been put threw the wringer since we got here. The walls haven't had it this good since they were installed.

The trim and cabinets that Noah repainted in the kitchen are similiar to what happened in the laundry room -- a slap of paint really, and I mean REALLY thinly slapped on --- was what the sellers (and the stories vary from telling to telling, as to who actually sold the house...some say the grandsons...others say some other relative..) did just so they could get what they could out of the sale. Noah was pretty upset that there had been so much just ignored over all those years. I had to remind him, that the people were well into their 80's, and it was probably one of the last things they could do. As for the family that was supossed to make the place look presentable...I just hope they don't have their heart set on being a full time painter, or carpenter any time soon. I'm not close to a Professional, but, man, there are some Basic Things that are supossed to be done when a repair needs to be made. It can't possibly be THAT HARD.

Ok -- that's my short Rant On All Things Not To Do...


But the blue paint in the kitchen makes it feel very calming, and even our oldest walked in and said, "This is a lot better!" -- For him, that's really saying a lot. He usually has zip to say about what we've done in the place. He REALLY flipped when he walked into the laundry room -- "WOW!!" -- At first when I heard him, I thought something was wrong..like one of the little lizards that live under the deck has snuck into the laundry room.

"Ma!! This looks all-right!!"

Well, my stars and garters...

So -- tomorrow I'll show 2 projects that I've also worked along on, while doin' the other places inside our little abode. Noah sez he's still gonna tweak some of the painting in the laundry room -- there are still spots where it looks like the previous owners used anchor bolts to hold SOMETHING up on the walls..???...I've been at a total loss to figure that out.

Maybe an antique wash pot?

noClue!!

Lady of The Tulips -- making this short, 'cause The Husband is on the phone....

Here are a couple shots of the "New" bathrooms -- the one with the reproduction light fixture is the master bathroom, with it's warm cream paint -- that was the one room that had a fairly nice wallpaper...way back in the day. But after 25 years, it went to hell in a handbasket, and just never recooperated. I think that was the one room where I truly wondered whether or not my arms were going to be attached to my body, after scraping and scraping and SCRAPING off layers of wallpaper.

Tomorrow I'll post the laundry room, where THAT project of removing wallpaper was all Noah's -- he said it was really bad by the time he got to the 4th (!!!!!) layer of wallpaper...not just because it was so dated, but because of all the weird stuff underneath the paper. Lots and lots of teeny nailholes...some larger than others, but just so many of them. Still doesn't make sense to me, but then, there ar e a lot of things that don't make any sense to me.

The room with the spiffy fish shower curtain, is Noah's bathroom -- that room wasn't as bad as the master bathroom, as far as the wallpaper goes. It actually came off pretty easy, but the painting for noah went a little slower, as he had to do a lot more filling in of old holes..one which was an outlet/junction box for some kind of light fixture..the box that surrounds the actual electrical wires, had been sloppy set in to the wall, and all the previous owner did, was cover it up with wallpaper...and there it was, this big LUMP on the wall....that took both Tom & Noah some hammering, re-setting, lots of layers of plaster, and finally the final coats of paint. I don't think Noah realized just how bad that "little" project was going to end up taking. It was so weird when we removed the paper, and looked at this junction box...I won't say what immediately went thru my head, but suffice to say that there were lots of question marks floating around my head...

I also have a project that got finished, plus a blouse that is ready to be stitched --well, the front & back will get stitched tomorrow..today being a holiday, both tom & noah are home from work, so they are for-EVAH interupting me..."MA!!" --"HEYYY>>MAAA!!" --- my last good nerve is just....just...JUST...

Wel -- at least noah has a job for tomorrow -- he has some landscaping to do down Ocean Highway at somebodys house. Tha's all I know...but he's stoked on getting some $$$ --- been over a month since he's had some work, so he was getting a little nervous on paying his bills....yyyeeeekkkssss...

Must run and get some stuff for lunch & dinner....Here's wishing everybody a very safe and fun Memorial Day Weekend here in the states!! -- we have a bbq planed, and I made a HUGE pot of baked beans..Yuumm!! -- lots of fresh onions..smoked maple flavored sausage..yummy bbq sauce with honey...And -- just a touch of some garlic powder..onion powder..black pepper.

Now my stomach is growling...

Yikes!!

Lady of The Tulips

>> This is going to be a quick post, as I've got to get some painting done in noah's room <<

We're just about finished with the rooms we've tackled!! -- It amazes me to see how a room can get transformed with a simple coat of paint!! -- Noah has also gone over some of the trim in the kitchen, which at first glance, we thot was in good shape. HA!! Wow - once he climbed up on the ladder, and got to looking along the trim line, and Up Close and Right THERE -- he discovered that there were some spots on the cabinets where they've NEVER been painted. Yee gads and gad-zooks...It really made me feel kinda ill. I mean, here is where the dishes are stored..food is put away. And there was all this gook hidden behind and inbetween the doors and edges of the cabinets. Ughh, it just makes my stomach feel twinge-eee.

So while Noah's been getting some of those things taken care of, I've been cleaning up all the old wallpaper, cleaning up where he had to patch plaster - sand - and resand some MORE - then finally paint. The laundry room is just a breath of fresh air now - it had 3 layers of really old wallpaper, and now it's the same color as my little studio. Tom walked in the day that the first coat went on the walls, and he was about just beside himself. Wow. He ACTUALLY paid attention to what happened. Imagine That!!

And -- just so I don't sit down at night and think that there's nothing to do...I've also got the peppers in the garden, redug and layed out a layer of compost in the large flower bed in the back yard, and have 4 spots ready to plop in the Basil plants. I just potted up some pumpkin seeds, and even tho I haven't a clue where those will go, I just had to have some planted. Actually I think they'll go in the same bed, just along the far edge, so they have the entire lawn to grow all over on/in/to/with..whatever. The funny thing is that when I was cleaning up the bed, noah told me to call his father and tell him to buy a bag of mulch for the bed..SAY WHAT??!! Here we have a gazillion places where there's wood chips, and he tells me to have the exact kind HE thinks should go on the bed...that that Specific Type (Pine Bark Only...) should ONLY be put on the bed...

OH STOP -- just quit looking at the grey hairs that are suddenly popping up on my head...

Thank You.

Anyway -- so I've been having LOTTS of Fun and Games here -- And the Full Moon certainly added a bit of frivolity to the mix...that whole Episode will be discussed later...I get a sudden headache when I think of the start of this week...

So I'm off to go check on some flowers out front...and this, that, and that and this...


Lady of The Tulips

>> just a couple more minutes here, an' the picture will appear <<

Well -- more like in a couple days, as the BATTERIES hauled off and went kaappoooott. Oh, no, they didn't like, make a big noise or anything.

They just hauled off and stopped working.
Right when I was ready to take a close up of one of the walls in the kitchen.

Ever feel like one of those days, where you honestly feel like standing outside, looking up toward the heavens, and just KNOW that some odd space-junk-piece-of-thingie is hurtling toward you at 234,394 miles an hour?? Thats how this morning felt when I REALLY wanted that picture to come out.

But, I couldn't make myself go out in the rainstorm and stare at the sky, wondering if there really and truly would be a piece of space junk hurtling toward me.

Just some days it feels like maybe that's what's going to happen.

So -- after I dried my eyes from the tears that fell...Sara wanted to go for her morning walk, so naturally that had, HAD to happen immediately. It had just stopped sprinkling, so the ground was a tad damp. Actually, it's rained off and on for the last 4 days so the ground is totally saturated. The road is all full of puddles, and sara for some reason, just will not walk into one. She walked down the middle of the road this morning, and once we got back onto our little dirt road, then she sorta picked up speed, like she was ready to get in the house.

Within 10 minutes we had another storm.

How do dogs know these things? Should they work for the Weather Service, and make GOOD PREDICTIONS??

Well -- anyway. I worked on my canvas this morning, and got started on another set of sketches that will eventually be another piece. I've got some paints that look like they have MY NAME on them..see..I don't have them YET...but I looked 'em over on an online catalog, and I'm just BESIDE myself wanting to try them.

But Tom has other ideas on what to spend the $$ on. Like getting the new pedestal sink we saw at the hardware store..$119. Not Bad.

But I still want the paints I SAW>>>>We'll probably have to make a compromise.

Just won't pay the electric bill...

NO -- not a good idea...

But --- the ART will be on here too -- I think I like some of the newer things I'm coming up with.

And with THAT -- I'm off to find something to nibble on. my salad from 2:00 p.m. has bad wore off...

Lady of The Tulips

I'm going to do something of a little tease..no, NO -- Not THAT kind of tease. silly..

This is just a first shot of what the kitchen looked like with the old poohey wallpaper...if you look where the cabinets are..the counter space area..see the wallpaper with all the teeny little flowers and viney-like stuff? WELL -- that's all I'm gonna show for now...an' PLEEZE don't look at how dirty the kitchen was the day this shot was taken...it was before we checked out the dishwasher to make sure the old owners had fixed it completely..and the dishes were on hot stand-by..an' to make matters worse...Tom left the gallon of milk sitting out on the counter..bright...

Anyway -- now that my left arm has fallen off...no, check that. Now that my left arm FEELZ like it's fallen off, and my left hand is still swollen nearly double..the old wallpaper in the kitchen is GONE --ANd -- zippa-dee-doo-DAH -- the old and even more gross looking wallpaper in noahs bathroom is ALSO gone!! And --- just 'cause we were on a roll, the wallpaper in the MASTER bedroom is ALSO GONE!!

Le's Hear It for totally goin' for it!! 00h baby..

I've never worked so hard in all my life. Well -- actually when I worked on our old house, that was pretty close to the hardest I've ever worked. But that was so we could get the house SOLD -- so it was totally worth the effort. BUT -- this is turning out much better than we thot...I've got to make sure tom picked up the right batteries for my camera..an' I'll SHOW YOU the stuff we've been up to. Noah has done a fabu job at sanding, scraping and patching all the tonz and tonz of holes we kept on finding all over the walls. It honestly looked like the previous owners just decided to slap something up on the wall...then take it down..an' smack something else up on the wall. And thus there were something like 33,689 holes in noah's bathroom alone.

Don' ask how many there were in my bathroom...jus' say it was MORE THAN in noahs...

Yee Gads...

Fortunately putty and patch stuff is CHEAP -- tom bought another package of the mix last night for something like $15.00. Noah's already diggin' into the mix today.

BUT -- onto ART -- My CANVASES got here, and I'm so thrilled it's just too funny to be believed. Now I can put togeher all the little pieces I've been workin' on!!

But this computer is doin' somethin weird again...so I gotta run before it dies on me again...

Blast!!

Lady of The Tulips