All things Green

Well Friends , I am falling a bit behind... I have not finished my march craft project yet, and it is weighing heavily on me! My problem has been that I am trying to get my booty back into shape and my new work out regime is  getting in the way of my crafting. I am trying to work on a solution, like getting up an hour earlier , but I do so love me sleep and this has yet to happen! So that is where things are for me right now. I don't really like to talk about weight loss, diets, and exercise because I don't want to jinks myself, but  I have lost 15 lbs so far, so I guess the exercising instead of crafting has a little bit a good trade off. I still have a way to go until I am at my "goal weight", but lets just hope I can stay on this path.

So here is to all things that I am behind on.. I should have had this post done for St. Patties day but ..you know the story!

I went to my favorite pickin place before St. Patties day and had green on the mind. Here are some of my quirky finds..

I guess this green dish is probably an ashtray, I just thought it was cute and bubbly and of course the color.. Also I got the stars on one of my adventure to Berkeley ( my favorite city) If you have not been to Ohmega Salvage you should totally go. Just saying super funess.

Green Books to go with the green theme.. Look and see the Practical Methods of Speech book was written by me..Just Kidding but same last name!!

I have no idea what these green glass globe things are. They have a lip like a glass bottle but with the rounded bottom they can stand?? Just thought they were quirky enough that I had to buy!

Added some of my Christmas people who have been hanging around and a couple of my shoe forms and a little this and that and here is what ya get..

Had to make some green pillows for the occasion.. Well this is about as springy as I can get. I don't do flower prints... This guy is actually made from a wool sweater I bought at old navy about 13 yrs ago.. I have been saving it for something good and I think I found it.

This guy is made from some fabric I bought soo long ago and scraps from the wool sweater. Ive seen this cross emblem around in different blogs and magazines.. I think it works..

Here they are all together. My store bought beauties and my homemade goodies..

I promise you will be seeing that March craft soon.

 I forgot to mention there is another factor that has been making it difficult to craft..

Lily

Swing Batter..



And Chaseroo.. Baseball season has come!!

Your truly who is working on catching up ~ Bianca











Look what I can do ( with a little help from the man)

These chairs. Ohh how I love these chairs.  I can recall sitting in these chairs for many Thanksgivings and Christmas Eve's at my Great Aunt Sherry's house. Time outs, coloring , soo many memories.

One thing you need to know about my Great Aunt is that in my opinion she has great taste.Her house is filled with art and nick knacks all tastefully placed in their designated spots. Collections from her travels around the world and the US.

So when she bought a new dinning set and gave them to my Grandma who then  decided moved to Ohio and was looking to get rid of them,  I jumped at the chance to have these chairs for my own. At first I had all 4 of them proudly displayed in my dinning room. Now,  even though these chairs are probably older than me and managed to survive the last 3 or more decades , they however did not survive my children.. One by one the backs broke off and had to be taken into the garage until no more were left. And there they have been sitting sadly UNTIL... Well until I had a big Thanksgiving dinner at Mi Casa and needed more chairs, so I got the best of the best out and tried to fix them. I got 2 in working condition and once again fell in love and have had them at my table since.. But once again surviving my children has been difficult!

 Time for a new plan.. I took one of the chair backs apart and found  the crumbled remains of the wood backing that makes up the chair.

After talking it out with the "man" We decided I needed to add a piece of wood to reinforce the area that holds the chair backing to the chair.. Don't laugh at my nail job.. it worked!

And since I had to take things apart a new wardrobe was fitting ..

Here is the seat being recovered..

All Done!! I know I picked a fabric that is a little trendy, umm has a lot of pattern.. um kind of funky ( in the good way)  but with my new recovering experience if I really start to hate it I can just do it again I guess!

And Voila..

The only problem now is I really do not want my kids to even touch these chairs!!

I had once seen this dinning set at a antique store in Portland for $1500 smackers... Same chairs just a different table.. I do have the table but it is in really bad shape and cannot be restored because if the wood laminate they used back in the day..

They fit in so great. It took me all day to get the 2 good ones done, but I am thinking I might cover the other 2 in a different fabric?? But that will have to be a project for another weekend..  Guess I get to half check this one off the "To Do" list!!

~ Bianca

P.S. I have to add that the "man" as I call my hubby in this post is the ying to my yang. We both have completely opposite ways of thinking of things which sometimes can be hard and other times works out smashingly. This is one of the times when it worked out smashingly, thanks for your help Mike !!

March'in Portland Twenty Eleven

Went on a quickie road trip with my mom to Portland. Had a super fun time, and still longing to move there.. Here are some quick picks from my trip. Have I told you how much I love my Nikon and Photoshop CS5??

Little Sister

Sitting eating lunch and the sun was hidden behind this building.. Thought it made a good shot..

Brother thinking about sumtin..

another hidden sun picture

Parents and Sibs, minus one.. My Parents took their wedding photos here many moons ago..

 

\

What Does this say, I have studied this for minutes and cant figure it out...let me know if you get it!

that's all folks  :-)

~ Bianca

Who doesnt need more pillows??

I am sneaking in my February craft project just before the month ends. Cutting in close as they say..

I decided to go with  Stencil 101 for my inspiration this month. I have been wanting to work on this one for awhile. I bought this book in October last year, so it is new to my collection! I took a class awhile back that taught me how to do linoleum prints which led to screen printing etc, etc.. They have a home decor stencil book too that I think I may have to get. I keep seeing hallways in magazines with crazy wall paper or stencils and I love it and want to add a little pizazz to my entry!

 SOOO who out there does not need more pillows?? I love pillows, I think if I add one more pillow to my bed the hubs might move out! Just a bit ago I made chase some new pillow cases( Here is the link to the past blog) and so I decided to make him another cause that is what he really needs!!??! This book is great, it comes with the already made stencil and a paper copy of it to use if you need to make more ( or screen prints)



I used a already made pillow case that I wasn't to worried about messing up for my first run at it..

Blue to go with chases room..

 A little green fabric paint dabbed on the stencil.. AND Voila..

After the paint dries you have to iron it to set it

And here is the finished product, I had a little paint boo boos but aye its all good!

Here is what I was thinking to take this to the next level... I have these doors in my house that I hate! They are an orangy woody color from the 60's and in some places the former owners kids carved names or left behind stickers that we haven't been able to get off. My idea is to stencil the head phones in a repetitive pattern on chases door? I am kinda really liking this idea, but I might chicken out, give me a minute to think about it and I will let you know, maybe there is a surprise in store!!

Till next time ~~ Bianca

Things that go bump in the night...

I am working on my February craft, I still have about one week to go in this month and cant let myself get behind schedule! No craftyness to report other than that. I just had to put in writing for memories sake the spookalicious happenings at my house last night.

When I was younger I had no problem watching the scariest of scary movies, but now that I am a bit older my imagination sure can take hold and put me in a sleep sitting up, eyes open watching the door listening to every creek and burp my 50 yr old house makes. A couple of days ago I wasn't feeling well, so I quarantined my self in my cozy bed. Late in the evening I started watching a show called " Ghost Adventures". I have watched shows like this before and not had issue but for some reason this one really resonated in my mind. I now have spent the last couple of days as stated before listening to every crick , creek, and eerk my house has made. On my way to bed last night I checked in on my daughter who was running a slight fever and had one of the top 3 spooks of my life. Do take into consideration that I  have a very over active imagination. Anyway I went in her room to check her , she was awake (so I thought) so I asked her how she was doing and with wide googly eyes she creepily chuckled at me and had the most insane smile on her face. In a voice resembling that of  yoda  she says" I am good now that you are here" followed by more  insane chuckles. This doesn't seem odd at first glance but you had to be there and see the look on her face. I asked her if she knew who I was in fear that her fever might be making her hallucinate ( her fever was not high only 101) and again with wide , wide open eyes she said " you are mom". I asked her what was my real name , and she answered with ease but her answers were always followed by her creepy laugh and insane smile. The hubs walked in and could probably tell I was freaking. I asked her who he was , and again she answered with more creepyness. His explanation... she is still asleep, she knows not what she says! OK I will take that! That is what I will tell myself to. Not that I believe she was possessed and needed to exercised, but I was completely creeped out! I had to spend the rest of the night checking on her temp and hoping she would not wake and spook me some more. I know its crazy, but sometimes I have to let the crazy out.  

Will have some craftyness and pictures for you soon. ~ Bianca


P.S  Just a little back story on my house...

1. The neighbors who used to live across the street and had lived here since these houses were built told me the man who owned this house died..OK, did he die in the house?? Never got that info out of him??!!

2. When we moved in My son was 2. One night he woke up screaming so I ran down the hallway and asked him what is problem was . He said there was a man in his room trying to take his toys.. I said where is the man and he pointed to the corner in his room.. I quickly scooped in up and ran to my room where he stayed the night!

3. Room that son used to occupy is now the girls room. My kids talk in their sleep ALOT.. It is quite annoying, but I do hear a large amount of "leave me alone" from the girls room?? Spooky nI tell ya?! I always run in and check and most of the time have no clue. BUT.....

W.I.P's

Just a little kntting WIP ( work in progress) for a friend. I got the pattern for free in Ravelry. You can find it here if you are interested.. I am using Malabrigo worsted, and it is sooo soft..



 

I love this color purple!

Will update when I am done!

~ Bianca

~2/13/2011~

UPDATE ... ALL Done!!