~The Ashford Spinning Wheel~

This is the "Ashford Traveller Wheel" and she is so "sweet". I have always wanted to learn how to spin my own yarn, ever since I went to my first "Renaissance Fair" and watched the ladies spinning.
Learning how to spin yarn was on my bucket list, now I can cross it off. Well at least I have the spinning wheel now, I still need to learn "how".
I searched for classes on the net in my home town and low and behold I found one. I am so very excited to start a class and finally learn to spin.

The Ashford Traveller Wheel weighs only 15 pounds so she is easy to carry and transport. I found her for sale at work of all places, a gal at work was moving and she no longer had room for the Ashford, since she had purchased a new wheel. I bought her for only $80.00, new these wheels can run over $400.00.


I even have some practice wool.
And books to read!. I can't wait to get started. Do you spin and if so can you give me any helpful hints? (Oh my, I just noticed that when I snapped this photo the bottom of my pjs were in the way , oh silly me!) Do you take your photos in your pjs too?

~Pink & Red Rose~

On Saturday we had the utmost pleasure of having our life long friends (Mike and Lisa) come to dinner, we have not seen each other for years, but that did not matter, our conversations were as if we talked everyday. We had lost touch with each other when we moved and then they moved.
I was a bridesmaid in the their wedding and Gary sang for their wedding, that was 32 years ago. Mike, Lisa and I went to high school together. Mike found us through Face-Book.
Gary and I wanted to prepare a nice meal and we also thought it would be a nice time to use the china he had purchased while stationed in Okinawa in 1968.

A close up of the china, a simple pink rose. (You can click on any photo to enlarge if you like)
This is how the table looked, our color skeem was white, pink, red and blue. We used a white table cloth with matching napkins, red chargers under the china, Grandma's sliver and crystal wine glasses.

Gary and I made the flower arrangements, very simple to do (flowers from Costco). My niece Amber while working in Guatemala purchase these lovely blue candle holders. I use them every chance I can.
The cobalt blue candle holders really brought out the blue in the china and the toile chair slip covers.




The day after the flowers were still fresh and looked pretty on the dinning room table.
I almost forgot, to tell you the menu. We all started visiting and I forgot to take pictures of the dinner, but I did snap a few photos of the dessert before Mike and Lisa arrived, a chocolate and coconut bunt cake that we served with french vanilla ice cream and coffee.

So for dinner we served, Prime Rib with Au juice that Gary prepared deliciously for us, red potatoes, sweetcorn with butter, green salad filled with radishes, pecans, cranberry's, cucumber's, cheese and hot peppers, we also had freshly bake french bread with butter. Red and Blush wine.
We had the loveliest time with our friends who we treasure. Gary and I had a fun time dressing the table and preparing the meal.

~The Office Chair~

The story of the "Office Chair". This little chair started out in a garage sale where my dear friend Jackie found her, Jackie cleaned her up and put a new seat cover on her and brought her to work to reside in her office for many, many years. The stories this little chair could tell, I think everyone at work has sat in this chair at one time or another to tell Jackie their woes (Jackie is a wonderful listener).


Jackie retired and the little "Office Chair" went to stay with my other sweet friend Shirley and to reside with her for many, many more years, until Shirley retired just a few weeks ago (I miss my friends).
You can click to enlarge any photo if you like.

As you can see the little "Office Chair" came home with me! and I could not help myself but to give her a new look!.
The first thing I did was take the seat off and remove the fabric, Jackie how many staples did you use? I was talking to you as I was removing them one by one. LOL.

Then I sanded her for what seemed to be forever and then I clued on four little flower medallions that I purchased from Lowes.
All sanded and ready to paint.
I used spray paint its much faster then the old paint brush.
And Wa-La here she is, with fresh paint and a new seat cover, that I made out of the left over drop cloth that I used for our bedroom curtains.
I sanded and distressed her to give her the vintage look.

Aww, but then I could not get Becky's slip chair covers out of my mind, we all know Becky from "Sweet Cottage Dreams" we love Becky. Well I just had to copy her, I mean borrow her idea (hehe).
I added pleats.


I also lined the inside. I love the new look of the little "Office Chair". She will have a new office to reside in here at home with us. It only seems fitting she stays in the office.

~Master Bedroom Inspiration~

BEFORE~~~These photo's are from my post "Waking up in Sunshine".
A very yellow-golden room and it was like waking up in sunshine.. Our room had been yellow for over four years, so I thought it was time for a change.... You can click on any photo to enlarge if you like
Notice the heavy black furniture and the shorter curtains also our little t.v. was on top of the dresser. A lot of furniture for our little bedroom.
The wall with the wing back chair and black dresser now has a custom built-in closet and the back and gold mirror is now white.

AFTER ~~~~ I owe a very big "Thank you and hug to Becky from "Sweet Cottage Dreams", Cindy from "My Romantic Home", Jennifer from "The Old Painted Cottage" and Valarie from "Glimpse of my World".

I have been reading these ladies blogs for quite a while now and they have inspired me to create a new softer bedroom.

Now I must say Gary did not want me to change the bedroom, but you girls know how it is, after over four years with the same color, it was time for a change and when I get something into my little old head, I just have to do it (I need to create). . .

So off I went with many ideas to explore, and my guy Gary, well he did help me and was surprised how much he loved the out come. We went with blue, white, neutral paint and red accents.

Jennifer's color choice for their home (Ralph Lauren's Canvas Natural) was just the ticket and what I had been looking for, I think its such a neutral color and soothing to the eyes.
(Oh my! look what I did, I left my camera lens cover on the ottoman~silly me!) I still need to make a new slip cover for the ottoman. I do have an idea up my sleeve but that will be for another post.
Also the wall shelves were an inspiration, Jennifer has them in her kitchen and I thought they would work nicely for the family photos of our niece's and nephews and since I had removed the dresser, I needed a place to display the photos. We love our little ones!
Cindy gave me the inspiration to paint out my black furniture to white the color is actually from Kelly Moore and is called "Frost". I also painted the beveled rectangle black and gold mirror using the Kelly Moore "Frost". All the trim, molding and anything painted is in the "Frost".
The two side windows on either side of the bed are very small, I had added the full curtains as you can see in the "before" photos in hopes it would help to enlarge them.
I think actually I was hiding them.
I love all the crown molding we have used through out our home and wanted the windows to be more substantial, so sweet Hubby went to work and added the wood trim above the windows for me ( The wood was a recycle from the guest room headboards project).
The painted mirror.

A better shot of the two side windows with the fuller trim on top of them.
Valarie had her 100 Th post giveaway back in April and I was the very lucky girl who won her $25.00 gift certificate to "Laurie Anna's Vintage Home". I choose three mercury glass votive holders. They are siting on the headboard mantel. Look closer
And here they are!
Aren't they lovely. They reflect the light so romantically, thank you Valarie and Laurie Anna. I have had so many wonderful comments from my friends about these sweet mercury glass votive holders. Laurie Anna sent me some milk bath and hand lotion, it is divine. Valarie and Laurie Anna are two very sweet and kind ladies.
Our new custom Oak closet. I am so excited about theses really I am! Our home did not have enough closet space and since this was a wall that was just crying out for a built in, I thought why not add one, and look it fits my little t.v. too.
Gary and I still need to add the cabinet knobs. I want to find just the right ones.
I love the braided trim molding its the same as on the trim above the two small windows and also on the two night stands on either side of the bed.
Before the cabinets were installed.

Becky inspired me to go out and buy a "painter drop cloth" and make curtains. Becky had made her dinning room chair slip covers using the drop cloth as her fabric and they are amazing!. Becky is one creative and talented gal and we live in the same town.
I Made them to cover the entire window including the transom window. I think by doing this it brought the eye up and also helped to keep the morning light out.
Much better, Yes?.
At night with the curtains drawn. Now what do you do with the left over drop cloth fabric? make a pillow and you all know how much I love pillows. I have them all over my home and change them from room to room.
The creamy white linen on the pillow was made by my Grandma, she made this sometime in the late 40 to early 50 . Grandma did the drawn thread work and then embroidered the "L".
I hated to cut the linen to sew with it, but through-out the years it had began to show holes and had warn out, so I carefully cut the linen and was able to use the best of her beautiful hand work. The button was also Grandma's from one of her dress suits from the 50.
A closer look at Grandma's hand work. I can't imagine all the time it took to pull each thread out of the linen fabric and then go back and sew it into a lovely lace.
Thank you Becky, Cindy, Jennifer and Valarie for your" inspiration"!
Just another reason to love blogging.

~The Little Frog~

Look who was swimming in our pool! and couldn't get out. Mr. Frog had been swimming for hours and had been vigorously trying to jump out.
I knew I just had to help the poor guy, and besides I really didn't want a dead frog to get stuck in the pool filter (Yuck) and so I pushed the pool sweep tubing under him to help free him from the cold water.
Mr. Frog looked so happy, I think he was so tired from all that swimming.
Aww, safely to the ground now. I could see his little heart beating so fast. I said " now hop off and be free little Frog" no more swimming in my pool!
We have had lizards, a garden snake and a mouse in our pool, its really icky but I guess that's just one of the things to look out for when you have a pool.

~The Storm and the Tree~

Last week a huge rain storm hit the central valley of Modesto Ca. and also the San Francisco Bay area of Ca. We had rain "ALL" day long and into the night. Gary and I received a call from our neighbor saying that the large tree in our front yard was coming down.
This is a city tree and was about 12 years old. This is what the tree looked like when we arrived home from work that evening. It was leaning in about a 45 degree angle.
The night sky, I think it was pretty and mysterious.
Oh no! she beginning to lean more. We were just hoping and praying the tree would not fall against our smaller little crape myrtle.


On Saturday Gary and I went out to dinner and received a call from our neighbor saying that the city was out and cut down our tree, so not to be too surprised when we arrive home.
Our big beautiful tree is gone, look across the street our other neighbor also lost their tree.
As of Sunday night (as I right this post) the tree branches are sitting in the street, now we might get some rain tonight and where do you think the city put the tree debree, Yep you got it (right on top of the rain gutters.) Now what do all men do? ~ they inspect the work and then they stand around and talk about how they would have cut down the tree (the right way). Giggle Giggle

Enjoy your week my friends and keep creating!
Elizabeth

~Thats what I Need~

Now doesn't that make you feel better!

Enjoy your day and keep creating lovely things.

Elizabeth