skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible.
--Cadet Maxim
Some days I feel like Erma Bombeck- seeing things how they really are and able to write about them in a manner which makes people laugh at the obvious. I loved her writing style and her witty sense of humor just makes you smile. Was her wit based on sarcasm? To a certain degree sure, but it was focused on the obvious.As many of us with children are looking at this time of year as "back to school" there are those of us (myself included) that are saying "finally, a break from the kids- woo hoo!". I've always wondered why so many mothers are sad at seeing their children grow up and start that new part of their lives, in their gaining their independence we get ours back! Me? I'm doing the happy dance! I've got one off in a state side University and one here at home- perfect! No more hen pecking my eldest to clean up his pigsty- it's clean, smells fresh and is loaded with beautiful fabrics and all kids of creative things! I've taken time to turn our son's old room into our new guest room/sewing room. I've chosen an Americana theme and I hope that the guests don't get too cosy because I plan on sewing even with guest staying here-HA! Seriously though, I know so many mothers that make their kids old room into some sort of shrine once they leave the house (my own old bedroom at my parents house is pretty much just that). Do you really want them back? I don't think so! It's YOUR space, turn it into something that YOU can use! Get rid of that crap that your teen had on the walls, paint the walls, ring up your kids and give them the opportunity to take the stuff with then that they want and just donate the rest to a charity shop (or simply toss the rubbish into a wheelie bin). Granted with our son living in America and us living here in England, well his stuff just gets boxed up and put into storage until we move state side ourselves in a few months. But seriously- empower yourself! Take over that empty space and make it over into a room that you'll be proud to show off to your friends! I'll let our son stay in that room for his holiday break but only after he signs an agreement not to make it a pigsty while he is here "visiting".
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
- Dorothy Nevill
We have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it.
- Roald Dahl
In business, I've discovered that my purpose is to do my best to my utmost ability every day. That's my standard. I learned early in my life that I had high standards.
--Donald Trump
So no plan is a simple as you first think, or maybe it is and that it's just that it's not that way for me. ♥The more I looked at the windows the more I want to layer the look. Now for me to find spring tension rods for the sheers (I thought that I had some hanging out around here somewhere). OOh just thought of where they could be, I'll be right back- Yup got them! Now to get the wrinkles out of those sheers; they are white Swiss Dot sheers that I used once upon a time in our daughter's bedroom. These are perfect for the look I'm trying to achieve! Now for the top layer, The blue check was getting to be a little much to look at, it needed something more...a top valance. So taking that in mind I started pulling together ideas of past window treatments that I've made- a couple of these ideas bounced around in my head and it wasn't until I looked at an Americana themed pillow case that I had made where my true inspiration came from. Now I've got my idea, my inspiration now to see is I have the fabric. Quilters always have a fabric stash, but will I have enough yardage to be able to make the design idea that been brewing my head since 2 am? I went through my fabric stash and my questions have been answered and it s a big YES! Now for me to set up my ironing board, grab a can or 2 of spray sizing, my rotary cutter, cutting mat, quiting ruler and to get to work! Okay so first I need more coffee, probably should get out of my jammies and get dressed or people might think that I've the creative eccentric type.You've no idea how exciting this is for me- to have these ideas once again flowing through my little gray cells and into my hands!
"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others".
-Cicero
I back only a few days and I'm ready to get back to work in our sons "old" bedroom (old being a relative term). He's off to college now and his room is now our "new" guest room. I started tackeling his room the day he left (July 26th) but as you know I had to leave suddenly myself on the 28th-which meant the bulk of the cleaning out of our son's pigstye of a room was left to my husband. I'm happy to say that my husband got the rest of the rubbish cleared out of there, got things cleaned up leaving me a blank canvas in which to work with. So, after airing out the room for 3 weeks, it's time to dress it up!Now where to start? Hmmmm...♥I started with the decorator table, put a floor length tale cloth on it- looks fab! ♥Lets move on to the windows- took down the room darkening drapes and out up these new Waverly window treatments that I bought while out in California, they're a pretty blue check and they are floor length. If you want to get some great looking window treatmens try Lowe's. I can't make window treatments for less than what I can get them for at Lowe's. I'll pull them back with the ivory colored curtain tie backs that I bought at the Laura Ashely store last year (Laura Ashely has awesome sales).♥Now to the bed- remember that Americana quilt that I made for the guest room for our house in South Dakota? Well it's now got a bed to call home. Fresh clean sheets, pillows, some fancy handmade pillow cases by yours truly and now an awesome quilt! The bed looks great!♥The walls- being that our son chose not to hang anything on them for his time here I've decided to change that! I'm going to hang a few things up and make it a real guest room.♥Additional closet space- oh yeah! Now this is a real treat! I'm storing all of our extra bed linens on the shelves in his closet along with a few other items and maybe some of our clothes, LOL!!! Look for pictures soon!
The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.
- George F. Will
Last night we went to see The Lion King-talk about fantastic! The costumes were great, the music was awesome and a wonderful evening spent in the company of friends...Priceless! We took our daughter Hannah with us, it was her first theatrical production in London and she loved it! I can't begin to tell you what a treat it was to see this...but let me give you warning- it's not cheap, not by any means! It was $270 for the 3 of us to see the production and then add on the cost of dinner and well the evening out for 2 adults and 1 teenager was into $300 range! It's was what it was supposed to be- a special night out with our daughter and friends. It was a night to remember that was especially nice because our friends also brought their children.
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
- Thomas A. Edison
I've been back in the UK for 24 hours, have had 3 naps and now am starting my day only to find that my husband and daughter didn't think to get the coffee addicted me any fresh half and half (insert some laughter here). The half and half in the fridge expired back on July 29th...as tempting as that night be, I think that I'll pass on that, LOL! Thank goodness for my "in case of emergencies" powdered Coffee Mate! There's no rest for me, just like when I arrived here a little over a year ago there are places to go and events to attend. I start off with a trip to London's theater district to see "The Lion King". I bought these tickets back in May when I first heard about the ITT office getting tickets for that show. The Lion King was the first ever movie that we took our son Andrew to see (he was 2 at the time) and it's only fitting that it be the first Theater Production that we take our Daughter Hannah to go see. I hope this inspires her to develop a life long love of theater as our son LOVES going to the cinema!Now for me to pick out my dress and to get ready for our outing tonight (it picks us up in a couple of hours) as our ticket price also includes transportation :-DMy parents are doing well. Granted the heat out there in Northern California is normal for this time of year, but it was wiping me out! My poor mom was being frozen daily with me opening ALL of the windows of the house early in the morning when it was cool and a delicious 60º. The having the air conditioning blast in the rental car and down to 75º in the house. I hung out at the local library because they had the best a/c (yes, it was cooler there than at the local Starbucks plus there was always an open seat for me at the library which was not always true at Starbucks.It feels strange that I was gone for 3 weeks- so much has happened out here. I have new neighbors and now all of the houses are filled on our street and just in our entire neighborhood for that matter! School starts soon for our daughter and now sooner am I home then my husband is scheduled for a stateside TDy. Life is back to "normal" here for me :-)
Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means you've decided to look past the imperfections.
-Unknown
My Dad is hanging in there- he's one tough Marine! Granted he will never be 100% but the antibiotics are really doing their thing and his lungs are healing. My Mom is in better spirits which is also a good thing. I feel good leaving my parents on an upnote. So here i am, hnging out at the Sacramento International Airport waiting for my flight to Denver then on to London. I miss my husband and daughter and yes I also miss my son but that's another story all together. I look forward to the cooler temperatures of England, the 100 degree weather here was jut a bit too much for me. There' nothing like a 40 degree temperature hike and n 8 hour time change to really throw your body out of whack. I am coming back with a tan- I'm living proof that it IS possible to get a tan just from geting in and out of the car!
Although we are thousands of miles apart, I want to wish a very Happy 20th wedding anniversary to the love of my life!Things are pretty much on hold here in CA. My dad is hanging in there but his helth is declining. The doctors who said he'd be dead withn a handful of days are dumbfounded as to how he could being hanging on for this long. It just goes to show you that no one can really predict when someone will die. I leave it all in the hands of God, it's up to him when he will call my dad home.So I'm just playing it by ear, taking my mom to see my dad every day, going out and doing errands here and there. I've met up with some old friends from high school (what a crack up that was). I'm working away on my counted cross stitching project that I brought with me. And just to make it perectly clear- I am not on a vacation. Vacations are relaing get aways...this is anything but relaxing!
Before I met my husband, I've never fallen in love. I'd stepped in it a few times.-Rita Rudner
The worst part of this trip is the fact that it was/is one that I made as an emergency. I'm appreciate the time I get to spend with my mother, the brief moments that we share that aren't filled with sadness are a true blessing.Things that I don't miss about living in California...the heat, the crowds of people everywhere, did I mention the heat? Yesterday it was 105...way too hot for me! I love love love the huge variety of fresh produce out here along with just having a selection of things I'm used to buying.My Dad is hanging in there. Hospice called today and is giving him medication to make him more comfortable. Every time the phone rings my Mom and I jump. We don't know if this will the "the call", it's not a pleasant feeling to say the least.I try to get my Mom out of the house but this damn heat is making us both pretty darn misserable. Went to a fabric store today- we were both in fabric heaven. I feel a renewal in my desire to quilt and sew, so does my Mom. I think that I'll make tea cozy from some groovey new fabric when I get back home.
Looking down at my newly aquired sewing table (it's the computer desk that my husband built for our son about 9 years ago). I put a big cutting mat and my sewing machine sits on top of the key board matt to protect the desk top.
Our son's desk now my sewing and cutting area - I had my husband take the arms off of the desk chair and it's now perfect for me!
My 3 layered window treatment- valance designed and made by yours truly, long blue checked panel by Waverly and a white on white Swiss dot sheer by Martha Stewart.
The bedside table with our son's Eagle collection.
The window above the bed
Our son's desk now my sewing and cutting area - I had my husband take the arms off of the desk chair and it's now perfect for me!
My 3 layered window treatment- valance designed and made by yours truly, long blue checked panel by Waverly and a white on white Swiss dot sheer by Martha Stewart.
The bedside table with our son's Eagle collection.
The window above the bed
Posts
