Swing Low...

We bought a swing! My Grams had given us some money for Christmas, and we decided to put it to good use this past Saturday.
I swung on it Saturday, Sunday and Monday and enjoyed every minute of it!

My sweet husband put it together (of course, I helped - I love putting things together, but I lack the brute strength!).
Gatsby took on his usual role as the Grand Overseer of All Projects from a safe distance.

And the swing held! It's just what we wanted. It gives us a reason to get outside and sit on the front porch and get to know our neighbors and the neighborhood better.

Now, I swung on it Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Monday I sat on the swing awaiting my husband's arrival home from work. He pulled up in the drive, hopped up the stairs onto the porch and exuberantly sat next to me on the swing.
CRRRRRACK !!!!!

So sad!!!!!!

It was fun while it lasted. Guess we need to loose some weight.

Have I told you about my hand? I didn't think so.

To all you DIY-ers and Old House people - heck, to anyone who uses one hand for most tasks, beware! Look up DeQuervain's syndrome. I honestly believe this is from a combination of too much time on the computer when I first started my business, scraping life back into the kitchen floor in the foursquare for countless hours, painting trim for countless hours, knitting, painting, writing and having a busy, busy right hand all of the time. New moms can be susceptible to this as well by the way they hold their child with the wrist turned. So, if it hurts, stop!

Anyway, after many months of anti-imflammatories, saltwater soaks, tons of prayer and rest in the brace, I think my right hand is ready to ease slowly back into work!!! Praise God!

Believe me, it was and is an artist's nightmare.

But, my mom and I worked on making these weatherproof canvas tags and my hand made it through ok! I'm still wearing the brace at night and doing most writing with my left hand (unless it is something that someone else needs to be able to read!) as well as brushing teeth, eating, etc. I'm almost ambidextrous!!!

Aren't they cute? Not exactly something for the Met or The Louvre, but it was fun and I've made a little money off of them.

Here's a happy customer:

Or Perhaps he's just a very, very good sport!

Now that Spring seems to have crashed into Winter, run over it and totaled it, I'm looking forward to new projects and inspirations (like Springtime foals and such).

What Winter projects are you finishing up and what Springtime ones are you planning?

Masterpiece

Yes! We are continuing the series of past home-improvements since we didn't have any in January to speak of... and I don't know when we'll have any again since we are totally into our horses and trail riding takes up most weekends.
Here's the master bedroom. Long, long time ago I can still remember when ... there used to be six layers of wall paper on the walls, spanning the decades from about 1920 and on. And there was a big gaping hole that someone once used as a fire place... and there were brown shelves up 10 feet high that went all the way around the room. High enough to catch dust but not low enough to put anything on. Oh, yes. And there were sail boats sailing their merry little way at the top of the walls. Come sail away, oh come sail away... STOP THE INSANITY!
Ahhhh........ peaceful green. Much better. Welcome to our bedroom.

As historically minded as I can be SOMETIMES, I did concede to my husband and allow a ceiling fan. I mean, we are in the south. Air circulation in the Summer is a must! We did go for one that had a slightly older feel to it, though. We also re-installed picture rail in the room, as you can see. There were over 1,000 holes in the original plaster walls and after many hours of patching and repairing there will NEVER be another hole put in these walls again. We will use the picture rail, which is what it is there for.

Can't see this very well, but it was a postcard I found in between the wall and the fireplace brick. it is of a woman holding flowers. The card is simply addressed with a name, neighborhood name and the state - no address needed, so it was probably sent to one of the original owners.

Though it may look green, the bedspread is more of a blue. I like the look of quilted spreads and quilts in old houses.

Sorry about the cat licking his nether regions in the picture. I'm used to seeing this, having four animals in the house so I don't notice it quite as much. Anyway, our bed faces this wall. My dear BIL gave us this old mantle as a double birthday present. It just makes the whole room, if you know what I mean. We hope to one day put gas logs in the fireplace since it used to be coal burning. Oh, and since there are no longer any chimneys in the house.

I love the light that comes through the lace curtains and the huge windows. Old houses are built so well to let in light. I don't even have to turn on any lights during the day in the house. We chose roller shades as opposed to blinds because they were SO much cheaper and they can easily cut them to fit the windows - no custom ordering. Believe it or not, when they are pulled down the room is DARK. Great for sleeping-in.

So that's the master. I can't find my old pictures of it anywhere, and I may have not taken any since it was so horrific for so long. There is, however, a post on this blog somewhere that shows it about halfway done.

BONUS POINTS: I made reference to at least three songs in this post. Can you name them?!

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's an.... Art Studio!

Yes! It's true! No more Humbling Room! I now have a fully functioning art studio (minus the correct size table and the free chalkboard that's in Millbrook, but we're getting there) that inspires me and feels like MY space! It is probably the best gift that I received in 2008.

My Dad and my husband spent many hours and worked very hard to bring me this studio before the close of 2008, and I could have been more pleased. I've gone around the house gathering up several thing here and there that I love, but have never really fit in their current room or spot and now they do!

I have ample work space with the counter tops, a good amount of storage (though a mixed media artist can NEVER have too much storage!), different work stations and I am surrounded by inspiration!

See the lovely view? It is on the second story so I feel like I am in a tree house looking down on everything in the neighborhood.

I believe that the only new things we bought for the studio were the counter tops and the storage bins. It is so nice to have everything in its own little box. SO much easier to find, too. I used to have to shove things out of the way or dig through boxes to find one tiny thing. Now they all have there spot.

The cabinets were the old kitchen cabinets and everything else was from somewhere around the house were it didn't fit. Even this chandelier. My Dad gave it to me about 5 or 6 years ago. It was out of an old office they had. It used to hang in the front room of my old house (the little house) and we brought it with us when we moved. It does for the room what icing does for a cake!

Oh, and let's not forget the animals. They love it too! They are allowed anywhere I am not currently working and the dogs even have their own bed up in the room too.

I love it! THANK YOU DADDY AND SAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday Sermon

Well, sort of a sermon... It's not that I am a preacher or even a great thinker, but I often have to refresh my mind so that I can keep going from time to time. When you have two old houses, one of which was build about 98 years ago and has been neglected for a few years, it is easy to become downtrodden and want to give it all up and move to an overpriced new house (that will probably fall apart in a few years b/c it wasn't built by my dad) in the "better" part of town that has no sidewalks and very poor soil.

But, Sam and I do our best to remember why we are here in this part of town and why everything worked out so that we eventually bought the Foursquare and not the 3 other homes we tried for. There is a reason and a purpose for this house. When I stop to ponder these things, these events which have led me to this point in my life... when I stop to remember WHY I do anything and to what purpose it is for I am humbled and all of my selfish desires seem to blow away like petals in the wind.

It's not just the houses that cause me to become weighed down, nor are they the biggest concern in my life, but this is about 50 % a house blog, so that's why I mention it.

Sam and I have these song lyrics framed and hung in the Foursquare by the front door. The song is an upbeat one from the 80's I think (remember ELO?). It is used on some car commercial now. Sam and I usually get up and dance around (or make the dogs dance against their will) when it comes on. I looked up the words one day and realized they were quite relevant to several situation we find ourselves in in life, especially old house people, because we ALL know we are in it for the long haul and there will never be a day when the house will not need a repair or restoration of some kind. We will never get to it all and when we do have it done (or do it ourselves) it will not ever be done perfectly. Nonetheless, we hold o tight to our dreams relating to this house, our lives here on earth and what is to come. Without further delay, here it is:

Hold On Tight

Hold on tight to your dream

Hold on tight to your dream

When you see your ship go sailing

When you feel your heart is breaking

Hold on tight... to your dream

It's a long time to be gone

Time just rolls on and on

When you need a shoulder to cry on

When you get so sick of trying

Hold on tight to your dream

When you get so down that you can't get up

And you want so much but you're all out of luck

When you're so downhearted and misunderstood

Just over and over and over you could

Accroches-toi a ton reve

Accroches-toi a ton reve

Quand tu vois ton bateau partir

Quand tu sents ton coeur se briser

Accroches-toi a ton reve.

When you get so down that you can't get up

And you want so much but you're all out of luck

When you're so downhearted and misunderstood

Just over and over and over you could

Hold on tight to your dream

Hold on tight to your dream

When you see the shadows falling

When you hear that cold wind calling

Hold on tight to your dream

Hold on tight to your dream

Yeah...hold on tight...

To your dream

~ J. Lynne

Temper it with this:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Who Is This Crazed Man?!?!

And WHAT has he done with my husband?!

This is Plaster 'n Soot Man!!!!!

Oh, have you not heard of this home improvement superhero before?

I admit I was a little shocked at first (this pictures was taken after he cleaned up!!!). I heard what I thought to be my husband coming home via the back gate. I called out lovingly to my sweet husband, turned on the porch light and opened up the back door..... to my surprise, a very shadowy figure stood in the light before me. I was at a complete loss for words. The superhero then informed me that I no longer need be in fear of what might lurk above my head in my future kitchen... all was taken care of... dead rats, nests, soot dating all the way back to 1910 and... old crumbly plaster! All was gone. The danger had passed. I would have passionately kissed him at that point... but his lips were covered in soot.

Instead, I cried "Thank you! OH THANK YOU! Plaster n' Soot Man - you are my HERO!!!! How can I ever repay you?!"

"Ma'am..." He said in his deep bellowing voice, "There is no need to repay me. I simply did what must be done. No plaster walls need ever stand between me and what I love!"

"Oh, but there must be something I can do for you!"

"Well..... you could make me dinner and kiss me..."

"Ummm.... I'll make dinner... but I really don't know about the kissing part... you're kinda sooty."

"Well then, ma'am. I must go. Remember, never let a plaster wall and what lurks behind it imprison you with fear. For where there is evil hidden in old houses, PLASTER N' SOOT MAN IS NEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And with a cough and a cloud of dust, he was gone. All that remained was a pile of dirty, soot covered clothes at my feet. I thought I heard him later on in the bathroom, but all I found was a dirty black ring around the tub and what was left of a bar of soap. I asked my husband if he had seen the man on his way home for dinner, but he explained that it was highly unlikely for anyone to see a man in the dark so covered in soot.

So, Plaster n' Soot Man, where ever you are know that I'll be dreaming of you tonight!

He Loves Me for Who I Am.

And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

This Time A Year Ago....

Many wonderful things were happening!

War Eagle! or something....

This Saturday, we trekked to the Auburn Game. Mr. C and Mrs. S, friends of ours, had tickets in the scholarship section (see a more devoted football fan for information on what that is/means), a means of comfortable transportation and a smorgasbord of food for tailgating. I was very worried about going because of how the AU season has progressed thus far. And, as we all know, football is king in the Deep South. It dictates what you wear, who you are, who your close friends are and how the rest of your week goes after Saturday. So, if the outcome is bad: (AU looses to a "high school" team, Bama beats a fairly good team) I have an unhappy husband. If AU wins and Bama looses I have an agreeable husband who gives shoulder massages, washes dishes and vacuums the kitchen floor. I kid, it is not that dramatic for me, but truly is for some. Sam had a great time, as did I. It was a fairly exciting game with a good outcome.

Shown below are Sam and Mr. C at the tame (good for me!) tailgating party. The food was great, by the way. AND they had caramel cake for dessert. You just can't beat a good caramel cake.

This is when the "War Eagle" bird thing flew in. It actually is really cool. The raptor flies into the stadium and circles, then lands on this thing, which I think it suppose to look like its dinner. I think the bird/raptor is named "Nova" something. Again, consult your local football expert for more detailed/accurate information on how it all happens.

For a non SEC opponent, the stands were packed. Sam tells me that when the stadium is full, Auburn is the 4th largest city in Alabama. If you don't count permanent residents, it is the fifth largest in population size. I think there were 20 New Mexico State fans there. I can tell, because, when the Aggies scored, only about 5 or so people twirled some white towels around.

Not only are the games a show were you can display your fashion prowess and clothing monetary value by trying to put an orange and navy blue outfit together without looking like you got in between a fight with Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams, they are also a place where you do your best to turn your small child into either a future Quarterback or bouncy cheerleader. This starts from the moment a child is known to be conceived. Once they are born, rip the blue or pink beanie hat off and put an AU one on. Take 50 or so pictures with the various relatives. Then, buy bibs, onesies, orange and blue bows, shakers, tigers and anything else you can find. Don't forget the lilliputian sized jerseys and cheerleader dresses. Oh, and make sure everything is monogrammed with the child's nickname or initials. This continues until the boy child is old enough to care what goes onto his body. He is then given a baseball cap and a larger jersey. For the little girls, it changes when the little cheerleader dress will no longer fit, or you have another little sister that throws a tantrum unless she gets to wear it. No fear. She gets a monogrammed orange and blue purse and every hair ribbon imaginable in the same colors as well as her choice of tiger rags tee shirts.

This little cutie below danced the night away the ENTIRE time she was in the stadium without stopping. Even when she fell off her seat, she hopped back up and incorporated that move into her routine. She did her best to imitate the cheerleader and dance team moves, but when they weren't energetic enough for her, she made up her own.

This other little tiger got into it in the 3rd quarter and did her best to follow the cheerleaders. It was so sweet. During each routine, she would turn around to check and see if daddy was watching. After her moments in the spotlight, she would hug her daddy and ask him to watch her next time and give him high fives and kisses. She was about 4 years old. Cock your head to the side and watch!

Yes, I did enjoy a football game. It was hard not to bust out the purple and gold and yell, Geaux Tigers (as in LSU)! I was glad to go and make my husband happy. (he's not shorter than me, just standing on a lower step here)

Thanks Mrs. S and Mr. C for the tickets, wonderful company and a great time!!!

What We Did on Labor Day

Sam, Ella and I travelled down to Florida to visit my parents (and meet my Dad's new child) for Labor Day weekend. We had a good time visiting and the new boat was very nice. Ella liked it because she could get on and off very easily and run this way and that inside.

Ella and Our Boat-Warming Present

We went to dinner the first night at the marina restaurant, and Ella was invited! We ate outside, however, which was fine except for the bugs. I don't think they ate anyone else for dinner but me! I counted, and I have 22 mosquito bites on my feet. Oh, the irony!!! I'm not kidding about the numbers and location! Anyway, the owner of the restaurant (who was eating with us) ordered Ella a hamburger steak! She LOVED that! He also hand fed her ice cream from a cup. Needless to say, Ella had a great time. She was well behaved as always.

Sam at the Helm of the New Boat

We also took the boat out for a run so that my parents could get used to it and Ella could try out her new life jacket. She did not want to jump into the water at all. I got in, and then she finally took the plunge after I called to her and swam away. It was a bit manipulative on my part, but I thought she would enjoy it once she got in. Wrong. She didn't realize that the life jacket would support her, which I understand. There's no way you can explain that to a dog. She also couldn't get in and out by herself, which I think was the biggest concern of hers. She was cute, though!

I LOVE My New Life Jacket, Mom!

No, I really don't think I want to go in...

Once we got back to the marina, I took her down to a little sand bar right off the dock, and tossed a squeaky toy to her for a while. This was probably her favorite part of the whole trip, other than the steaks, table scraps and ice cream. She loves the water, but ONLY if she can choose to get in and out very easily at her own pleasure.

Take THAT ya Little Life Preserver!!!

Yeah, it is a little nuts that I have a dog that I bring to restaurants and buy a life jacket for, but I don't have kids of my own, just a really great dog.

Thanks to my parents and the owners of the Oyster Bar Marina for a great weekend. Ella wants to know if she can spend her summers there from now on!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAM!

Happy birthday to my Best Friend! It is Sam's 30th, so everyone, join me in wishing him a happy birthday!!!!!
10 Things I love about my Best Friend:
1. He is very cute. (sorry if I am nauseating you)
2. He loves and trusts in God
3. He works for an organization and purpose that he believes in
4. He is patient in almost all circumstances
5. He is FUN to travel with!
6. He is open to trying new things
7. He is excellent with teenagers!
8. He loves people, old and young, "perfect" and imperfect
9. He makes every day special
10. He is himself - I love him just because!

He Speaks

I know you have all been wondering what I thought about this blog since I have yet to make a post. Well, the truth is I love to read all the great things Michelle has posted, and look at the great pictures from our adventures, but I have been either too busy or too lazy to write anything!

Michelle has done a great job posting these stories and I hope you have enjoyed reading about them. Our first 7 months of marriage has been great. She is a wonderful lady and I am proud to be her husband. We have done a lot of growing together.

We have a great time working in the yard, and I hope to post some before and after photos soon.

Later days,
Sam

...And He walks with me and He talks with me...

And I never feel quite as close to Him as when I am "In The Garden" or in nature. I had forgotten to share our little morning adventure to Jasmine Hill Gardens with you. Sam and I had a wonderful time (didn't we?) looking at the Greek sculpture replicas and, of course, the beautiful flowers in the gardens. Sam knows the owners well and he had been told by them that the gardens were in rare form this year with the number of blooms. We just had to take a look!!! Not only was the story behind the gardens interesting and the flowers beautiful, but the layout and many special places the garden contained were enchanting.

(Here is a picture of a water lily I took and some pansy patches that lead to a fountain)

Most importantly, Sam was with me sharing in the adventure AND he enjoyed it. I know not every man out there likes gardens and history, but Sam was more that happy to go and we did have lots of FUN! yard work is one of the things that we really enjoy doing together, so we also found the gardens very inspiring!

(My best friend on a Grecian Bench, A Beautiful Fountain, Sam and Me in the flowers)

Take a look at our pictures! They just don't do the gardens justice, though!

(The Garden's Wishing Well, The House and Flower Garden/Fountain, A Replica of the Athena Nike, and an accurate replica of Hera's Temple)

(I got caught by a horrible panther, then Sam came to rescue me - but got caught, then we were all distracted by this man with no clothes on!!!)

(Beautiful, beautiful tulips on the tulip path... wish you had been there...)

(Michelle on the garden path, and with a fish friend, and with another little dog friend, Sam WHAT are you doing???!!! Silly!)

As you can see, we had a GREAT time!!! Next time we visit or have an adventure, YOU should come along!