In the rafters...

Hi Everyone!  One of the things my brother did while he was here for Christmas was to help my dad re-enforce the rafters (the new boards in the pictures below) in our shop.  The shop/machine shed was built about 45 years ago by my grandfather, my Uncle Bill and his boys.  It's called a pole shed because of the poles that are sunk into the ground and then attached to each other by cross boards at the top and the bottom and the rafters sit on top of the top cross boards with the hole thing clad in corrugated metal sheets.

The last year or so, we've been watching a few cracks develop in the middle rafters (sorry, no pictures).  When the wind blows here on the hill, it really blows.  In fact, most days we have at least a breeze.  And I don't like to be in the shop when it's really windy.  It's really loud in the shop and if you look up, you can see the roof moving up and down which has helped to make the rafters crack.

Dad and I couldn't have done this alone and didn't have to thanks to my brother.  He and my dad used the bucket on the tractor to push the new boards up, raising the roof to bring it back where it should be and than attached the new boards with no less than 60 screws.  This eliminated the bow in the cracked rafters and thus shirring up the roof.

Where it bowed, it held water that dripped into the shop and now it runs off the roof like it should.  So thanks to my brother and Dad, we've gained years of life out of that old roof!  Now to just figure out which dust system to use to contain all of that sawdust I generate.... Thanks for stopping by!

Dive into Sunshine....

Hi Everyone!  After my mom told me she was redecorating her guest room with a beach theme, I decided to make her something special for her room.  So in between orders and getting ready for craft fairs, I painted a picture for her new room.

 My parents are Snowbirds in Florida during the winter....and they love it.  It wasn't a surprise that Mom wanted to bring some of that into her home.  I tried to come up with something fun and appropriate and then I saw an old advertisement for Florida that was my inspiration.

 It looks better in person.  In my haste to put the picture in my head down, I painted it on canvas board when I had meant for it to go a wooden board.  I had wanted to distress it and make it look old.  But unfortunately paint on canvas doesn't sand well.

 I had originally painted the frame white with a little turquoise coming through, but mom decided she'd rather have it red.  And it looks good in her Beach guest room.  I'll eventually get over the fact that it would look better distressed...but lesson learned.  Thanks for stopping by.

Reupholstered seat...

Hi Everyone!  After the Apple Jack's Fair this past September, I gave my mother one of the headboard benches that didn't sell to use in her guest room that she was redecorating.  She wanted a different fabric for the seat, but had to wait until after my Open House for me to reupholster it for her.  So today I thought I'd show you how that turned out.

I really liked how it looked with the cream drop cloth fabric, but mom wanted something different.

She picked out some fabric to match her new room and I reupholstered it.

 I really liked the fabric she picked out....

.....It is just the right touch in Mom's new beach themed guest room.  Thanks for stopping by.

Milestones...

Hi Everyone! As I was driving the five miles to my parent’s house the other night, it dawned on me that a milestone had passed without a thought.  I have been living here for 10 years.  This might not sound like anything major to you, but for me it is.  For the ten years following my graduation from college I had moved 13 times and lived in four states.  I had wings and knew how to use them.  I would have opportunities to transfer or find a different job with a new company and then move.  I’d make new friends and it would seem like I was ready to settle down and stick somewhere for a while but then I’d decide it was time for a change and within no time, I’d be on the road again, moving.

Until my last move to the farm.  I remember the day in September that I took off and went for a drive in the Colorado Rockies to see the Aspens change.  I stopped to enjoy the scenery and it dawned on me that where I wanted and needed to be was the farm.

My grandparents had passed and the farmhouse was sitting empty and it was calling to me.  I made plans to go home for Thanksgiving.  The day I was to leave, I got called into a meeting and found out that they were offering a management separation (fancy words for lay off), and I could get paid to leave the company, the timing could not have been better.  I needed to make sure this was a move I wanted to make.  So while I was there I spent some time at the farm and it just felt right.  And by January 14th, I was living on the farm.

I was home.  And amazingly enough, I have never felt the urge to spread my wings again.  I had planted roots.  And they run deep.

Sometimes I miss the sounds of the city….or seeing the mountains….or the waves of Puget Sound....or the thought of a new adventure....but not enough to leave.  My roots are here.  And there’s nothing like sitting outside listening to the birds or the frogs at the pond, walking the pastures with the dogs, listening to the wild animals at night or seeing the deer in the pasture.  I have a sign in my kitchen that says, “A day in the country is worth a month in town.”  And it is so true.

I always thought I wanted to be a city girl but I discovered along the way that I’m just a country girl at heart.  And I’m happy to be home on the farm.  Thanks for stopping by.

PS.  It's only taken me ten years, but it's time to do a little remodeling of the spaces in my home.  And I'm beginning with my bathroom.  More on that soon.

Seeing the light....

Hi Everyone!  I've been dealing with light fixtures lately.  From changing the lights on the outside of my house to changing a light fixture into an outlet but today I thought I would show you the new light fixture I made.  I recently moved some things around in my teeny tiny living room and needed a new light fixture....so I made one....out of a vent turbine.....

They were used in these parts on top of grain bins or on top of buildings and I just happened to come across one in one of my grain bins.  

But I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not and wasn't ready to possibly ruin it so I picked up another one and turned it into my hanging light.  My living room is so small that there isn't enough room for a table or a floor lamp so I needed one that would hang.

I used my Dremel to cut a hole in the top and remove the parts that made it turn so that I could add the light kit.  It took me about 20 minutes to cut the metal and ground down any sharp pieces.  Then I added the light kit and hung it in my living room.

I really like the way it turned out.  I like the industrial look of it and it's so appropriate here on the farm.  I left it plain, shiny metal, but I think it would look great painted too.

I'd like to make another one for the studio and maybe one for the kitchen....I just think they are cool.  What do you think?  Thanks for stopping by.

Linking to:
http://www.myrepurposedlife.com/2014/01/catch-as-catch-can-148.html

New lighting...

Hi Everyone!  While my brother and his family were here for Christmas, I was able to spend a little one-on-one time with my brother and the members of his family.  It wasn't enough time because I still had Christmas orders to finish, plus I still had to go to work each day.  But it was really nice to have some time to work and talk with each of them.  My brother changed a light fixture in my bathroom into a plug-in (there weren't any outlets at all in the room).  And then he helped me change the light fixtures on the outside of my house.

I hated the old ones.  They'd been up there since the 80's.  When I moved in 10 years ago the fixtures were gold and I hated them but couldn't afford to change them, so I painted them black.  And that was fine for 10 years.  But I was tired of them and wanted a change.

So I ordered some new ones, two for the front porch and one for the back porch.  And while my brother was here, we changed them.

I took the old ones down and put up the plates that the lights attach to.  And then my brother wired them in and attached them to the plate.  And I love them.

They are Dark Sky fixtures that direct the light downward where it matters and not up into the sky where it doesn't.  Plus I love that I don't have to get the ladder out and remove tiny screws to be able to change the light bulbs!  YEAH!

Thanks to my brother for the help!  So what do you think?  Better?  I think so.  Thanks for stopping by.

Decisions and a Few New Finds....

Hi Everyone!  It seems these last couple of weeks have just flown by.  I have tried several times to sit down and write a post, but I couldn't find my "voice" to write.  Have you ever had that problem?  I have finally started working on a few projects and have a couple of big projects planned around my house (it's only taken me 10 years).  And I've been trying to make some decisions regarding my business like which fairs to attend, how many and when the best time to schedule open houses at the studio and whether or not to put items on consignment at a local shop (just to name a few things) plus I took some time for myself.  I love to read but go in spurts, reading non stop and then not being able to concentrate.  This last week as been one of the those non stop readathons.  Since Friday, I have read six complete books and have started number 7.

But I believe I am finding my "voice" again and am ready to get back to work.  So I thought I'd begin by showing you a couple of new finds.  I'd say recent, but I picked these up the weekend of my studio Open House and just haven't shared them with you yet.

 My Uncle Bill brought me a stack of windows that he saved from going to the landfill.  Thanks Uncle Bill!

My dear, sweet friend Lynett brought me a bunch of items she'd picked up for me.  Isn't this beefy headboard and foot board great!

 I love this headboard with it's classic shape and can't wait to turn it into a bench...maybe one with storage.

 Lynett also brought me this Jenny Lind high chair.  It's in great shape!  I can't wait to paint this one and put it in my studio.

 And then there was this baby.  It was a little pricey and needs some work, but I couldn't resist it.  It's missing some trim pieces, but I think I can recreate them.

I believe it had been a stereo cabinet that you had to open the doors to expose the speakers.  I can't wait to work on this!  I'm planning on replacing the top because it is warped and I don't believe it is original to this piece based on the hinge marks on the base that are not on the top.  Then I think I'll add another shelf to the space on the left so it can be used as a buffet or TV stand.  But all of these will have to wait for a while.  As I'm getting ready to begin work on a remodel in my bathroom, more on that later.  Have you found any great items lately?  Thanks for stopping by.

Happy New Year!....

Hi Everyone!  Happy New Year!  Here's hoping 2014 is filled with happiness and prosperity.

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything and I apologize for my long absence!  Following my Holiday Open House I had to have oral surgery (nothing major) and I took it easy for a couple of days and then hit the ground running to complete a very long list of orders.  I finished the last one up in the early morning hours on Christmas Eve and then delivered it that day.  My original plan had been to complete all orders about a week before that so I would have plenty of time to clean up the shop and my house before my brother and his family arrived for a week.  I missed some family time while finishing up all the orders.  And I had inventory to do right after Christmas at work.  Thank goodness my brother and his family understood.

But I have taken an entire week off without doing too much but going to work.  And my plan is to continue to take the rest of this week off.  It sure seems strange to not have any projects going on!  My list of projects is growing for the new year and I can hardly wait to get started on them!  And I promise to share them all with you!

Thanks for stopping by!