Tuesday, July 30, 2013

KITCHEN BACKSPLASH


I had been tossing and turning  and debating for months  -  trying to figure out an affordable way to finish my kitchen counters and back splash.   Finally it came to me - well in regards to the back splash anyway.  I had a basement full of the original bead board that is the wainscoting in the main room.  These were the pieces removed from the altar/now kitchen and the wall that is now sliding doors.  Now remember, this is the OLD stuff !!  One board at a time........I must have cut hundreds of pieces and fit them together - or banged them together if need be.

It actually was a great solution !  It was free ! and I could do it myself.  Wood is much more forgiving than stone or tile so I can change my mind when I want to hang things or re-arrange things.  Also - because my ceiling is low (only 7 1/2  ft) I had to get short upper cabinets and that made for a bigger than normal back splash.   I had thought of a darker glass tile but realized that a high contrast in color there would make the cabinets looks too little.  I think all this white on white on white - in my specific space - works well.

Next I started with the nightmares over counter tops.

Monday, July 29, 2013

CHRISTMAS IN JULY


Good morning
I have realized I have taken very few photos of the house as I knew I wouldn't be posting......I mean really, lock yourself out of your own blog.  So these are a couple from last Christmas - I finally got that huge old church piano into the room.



Christmas in July !

Sunday, July 28, 2013

I'M BACK !!

Greetings!

In the past (almost ) two years I have had most of my email accounts and credit cards hacked or compromised.  In the course of cancelling and/or changing passwords I have basically locked myself out of my blogs.  Somehow, today, the planets all aligned and I am back.  Little by little I will bring you up to speed with the happenings since my great birthday gathering.  I'll also figure out all these new formats but that may take  a bit longer as this is my absolutely busiest time of the year ......
I love the early morning sunlight coming through the stained glass.

and I had begun hanging artwork on the walls.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Progress Report

So - I have been falling into old habits - not posting because things are not done. I have been chastised - friends and family want to see the progress !! And since many came thousands of miles to help me - they are right - they deserve progress !!







Some assembly required? how about ALL assembly required

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Mission at St. Mary



When the ladies arrived, with tools and plants from their gardens, I said "The Marines have landed"!! They went at my weeds with a vengeance. Jayne ( here from Alabama with Twinkle) did the entire perimeter with that weed whacker - it never looked so good.
Another Jane (friends since college) - from Chicago - this is her idea of working in the garden.

Diane - the garden is her favorite place - except when it's 90 degrees....the heat was relentless.

Bertie (another college friend and Jane's sister) - giving my tomatoes some much needed TLC.

Marcia is a wonderful gardener - we've been friends since we were 14.

Patty , and below her is Mary Kay..... amazing friends.... we go back to when we were 10. And actually I don't think we've changed a bit.


Consultation with The Tin Man.


Saturday, August 13, 2011

Mission at St. Mary

Align CenterThese are just random snaps taken during the week.......some beautiful faces of people I love

( OK - that's me )



Michael and Meghan (both from Laguna Beach) Looking like characters in a Bob Fosse movie



McGiver/Michael


Taste Master/Guardian Angel Diane from Laguna Beach, CA


Darling Randy - Contractor from California




My Meggie

Meghan's oh-so-darling Arnn from Laguna

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Mission at St. Mary


This dear friend Nancy made it her personal mission to finish my ( well, actually START and finish) my ceiling before all the others arrived. I had been down with vertigo since June 1, and was under threat of death if I climbed the scaffolding. We decided - after trial and error and listening to both solicited and UN-solicited advice that we would chip away all the loose paint but not try to strip the whole ceiling. If it was still hanging on tight - we decided it will probably outlive me anyway. So it was scraped , treated with a rust prohibitor, primed with a metal primer and painted with aluminum paint. Sweet girlfriend looked like the Tin Man.

Nancy's Fearless Son Hunter



The Tin Man




and her Sweet Daughter Stevie








FINISHED !!

(and speechless)

"I get by with a little help from my friends"