Happy Birthday, Marion!!

Gheesh...I wrote this post TEN YEARS AGO.  Yikes.  How is that even possible??  

Happy Birthday, Marion! 

We have taken some awesome trips. I often think you and I discovered New York City....still one of my favorite places to go. And we loved Sedona, Arizona -- even though I never got the hang of meditation. Remember our drive down the Oregon coast? Visits in both Canada and Iowa. The best road trip I ever took was our time in upstate New York -- remember lunch at the CIA? Today, on your birthday, I'm going to post some pics from our most recent trip -- the HOTTEST DAY OF THE YEAR in Chicago... Actually, this picture is from an earlier trip to Chicago -- it was the first time I took pictures of the Hey Rita tote to tell the story of my travels...here, in Lord & Taylor's...she fit right in with the mink coats... And we always visit museums....I can't leave the Art Institute without seeing American Gothic... This is us, eating breakfast at the James Hotel. OH MY GOD...The things I've learned with you, my friend. EVEN THOUGH YOU ALREADY KNEW ABOUT POPOVERS....The presentation at the James was so sophisticated -- brought hot, to the table, in a little stainless steel pot... Yes, it was a life-changer... You just NEVER know what's gonna happen on any given day, y'know?? During our Chicago vacation -- they were filming the "Transformers" movie downtown. Everything looked all tore up -- like a bomb had gone off. There was crew everywhere...the movie hasn't come out yet... 

 Here's a picture of you -- walking in beautiful downtown Chicago. You are hard to keep up with on a normal day -- but when it got to 100 degrees...yikes...SLOW DOWN, BABE... Last week, it was 20 degrees BELOW zero here in Iowa. I know it wasn't that cold in Canada -- but I understand why you went to Florida!! Happy Birthday, Marion! You live in the moment better than anybody I know...and I hope there is a delicious chocolate cake on your plate today. In honor of your birthday -- I'm going to make popovers -- AND I can hardly wait to see where we go in 2011...

You are welcome, Jeff...

OF COURSE the pandemic has changed the way we live. And who cares? JEFF BEZOS, of course!! I'm pretty sure my new 2020 Amazon habit bought him a car...or, at least, a fancy new bicycle...

Yesterday, it was a surprise to EVEN ME when I discovered three different AMAZON packages in my mailbox.

I swear -- I couldn't even tell you what I ordered!

I opened the three packages to find THIS treasure...

First off -- these wonderful, hard-to-find EXTRA long bandaids.

I broke my toe two weeks ago...and the only cure is to tape the broken toe next to his unbroken buddy. My toe has mended nicely -- but I used my last EXTRA long bandaid. It's a handy thing to have in your medicine cabinet.

Two blue sponge paint applicators -- for my buffet project...(I've encountered some glitches)

And two "chain mail" pot scrubbers.  To clean my cast iron frying pan.

THANKS, Nancy -- you are SO RIGHT..!!

My History with Decoupage

Coming of age in the 60's...I dabbled in the fine arts of tie-dye, fondue and decoupage.

I never got the hang of fondue, and my tie-dye turned out various shades of muddy brown...but I was the QUEEN of decoupage...

Over the years, I've decoupaged many, many things...for a long time, I was obsessed with decoupaging my suitcases.  Remember some of those?

Mod Podge is the key to success. I use it to seal the luggage fabric -- otherwise, the paint just soaks in... Once the sealer dries -- I use any kind of paint....or even felt tip markers... Sometimes, I glued the embroidered fabric onto the suitcase, then Mod Podge the whole bag...adding painted detail, using markers, etc.

I've been using Mod Podge for over 50 years...AND - this week, I learned a new trick. A GAME CHANGING new trick. 

I'm working on my buffet -- and, to tone down the abstract paint job, I decided to decoupage some zebra fabric onto Drawer #3...

Who got the Doggie Blanket?

My first after-Christmas-winter-project was to finally put together the ragged edge flannel "doggie blanket".

I've been buying cute doggie t-shirts for two years, always with the INTENTION of making this gift for my dog-loving friend Kathy Keefer.

Me and Kathy -- thrifting -- I only WISH we could be planning a visit like this one day soon!

 

Kathy and Denny, on their huge porch -- where I've spent many happy hours...

Kathy has ALWAYS had dogs.  These two are part of her current brood..

I didn't remember this picture. John, with Kathy's black lab...

Judging from the body language, I think John is sitting in his chair...

 

Kathy has always loved dogs. Some of her dogs are smart...some not so much...

But -- the best dog trick I ever saw was Kathy's dog Peter.

Kathy would say, "Peter -- go get my smokes"...and that dog would find her pack of Marlboro's and trot right back to her.

BRILLIANT..!!  

I can't remember the last time I had this much fun sewing a gift...

Love ya, Kathy...

Another Snow Day

I wanted to write about how my buffet project is coming along...but then -- THIS HAPPENED...

So far,we had about 6 inches of snow...and it's still coming down. At this point, it's soft and fluffy...sooo easy to shovel. So I need to get to it -- cuz if the snow turns to rain -- it all becomes a very slick kind of icy concrete...ugh...

The good news is I have all the proper attire. Parka with hood, heavy duty snow boots with a firm grippy bottom...waterproof gloves and a fleece facemask...

So -- MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. I cleared the steps, sidewalk and around the car...and put down some salt. But it's still snowing. And that's fine....but today -- is ALL ABOUT THE SNOW...ugh... 

 I think I'll make a pot of soup...

My New Rug

So, yes, it's winter...and we're in the middle of a pandemic....and maybe, just MAYBE, I've been doing a little bit too much shopping on the internet...But, just when I thought I've spent every possible nickel on Amazon...I DISCOVERED WAYFAIR..!!

OMG...OMG...OMG...

Obviously, I don't NEED anything from Wayfair. But, hey -- it's fun to look, right?  And I AM A SUCKER FOR AN INTERESTING AREA RUG..!!

This rug caught my fancy...and, hey, I'm looking or some inspiration for my vintage Buffet, right?

THEN I SAW this rug..!! And I could not help myself...at 2:00 AM, January 14, I placed my order...

And, as amazing as the internet is -- even I was surprised when my fabulous new rug was delivered to my door on January 16...!!

Really. It was like magic...

Here it is -- in my living room...!!

I LOVE THIS RUG SO MUCH...it will be the inspiration for my vintage buffet renovation project!!

 Oh, yeah -- THIS IS GONNA BE CRAZY GOOD...

My Vintage Buffet

So -- HERE IS MY NEXT BIG WINTER PROJECT. This blonde buffet has been sitting in my kitchen/dining area for over 20 years. I bought it at an auction with my friend Bert -- and it houses SO MUCH STUFF. I have always loved it.

Several weeks ago, when Dean was in the hospital, Ronda was coming over here for supper. We were sitting at my table, and she said, "I can't believe you've had that buffet in this room for all these years and never painted it."

OMG. I always intended to paint it. I PAINT EVERYTHING!! How did I forget to paint my buffet?

You can see it here, behind John...there are three middle drawers, and a door on each end.

I was excited about getting started, I had the first drawer out before I remembered to TAKE A PICTURE...The top drawer has velvet inserts -- and it holds Aunt Rozella's silver...

I love the hardware

It is beautifully made, with sturdy, dove-tailed drawers.

The middle drawer holds a plethora of napkins!! And the kids know EXACTLY where to go when they're setting the table.

The bottom drawer holds our big set of plastic Christmas dishes, Christmas napkins and Santa hats.  It's the drawer that begins our holiday season!!

And, the side door holds my HUGE SET OF COACHING SCENES CHINA. I have no idea where they would go if I got rid of this buffet.

 

OH, YES, THIS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME...It is exactly the kind of project I need to tackle right now. It's winter. Seven degrees outside this morning...

I'll keep you posted...

Bird by Bird

One of my favorite authors is Anne Lamott. I haven't read anything by her for a long time -- but something she wrote in 1995 has always stayed with me...

This was the first Anne Lamott book I ever read...

And this is what resonates with me today...20 years later....

 "Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to write. [It] was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said. 'Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.'"

 I'm reading a lot nowadays....and they can't ALL be Alzheimer's books!  I'm going to try the FREE trial of Audible because my library doesn't have any Anne Lamott books on Libby.  She is exactly what I need right now.

The woman has a way with words...she also said this:  "There's no point in writing hopeless novels. We all know we're going to die; what's important is the kind of men and women we are in the face of this."   

It's Gonna Be Alright...

There's a lot going on here this winter...

I'm about 12 books into my Dementia/Alzheimer's learning curve.  Some have been very helpful -- other's have put me to sleep...and, well -- that can be a good thing, depending on the day...

Becoming a "caregiver" is a giant change.  Of course, LIFE IS ABOUT CHANGE...I get that.  But some change is good -- like -- "I lost 20 pounds and none of my pants fit"...

Alzheimer's is more like -- "There's a tsunami coming -- and I forgot to learn how to swim"

Since the day John climbed in his truck and ended up 169 miles away from home -- I've been forced to face the reality...

And acceptance is a whole new territory for me.  

It is what it is....and John isn't going to get better...  That was a bitter pill. 

So, I pulled up my big girl pants and took a look around.  I realized HOW LUCKY I AM.  John and I have been married for 50 years, and we have enjoyed good health, interesting jobs, a beautiful, quiet life in the country.  I wouldn't change a minute of raising our boys here, in the house we built...and, OH -- how I have enjoyed being a Grandma here...

John always loved the apron Mary made for him...

 So, with a heart full of gratitude -- I'm moving forward by living in the moment.  I'm not going to obsess about what the future may bring...and what horrible things may or may not happen...I'm determined to make the best of each day, given our new parameters. 

My intention is to put my time and energy into the things that I can control.  I make arrangements for John to get out of the house a couple of times a week.  I encourage his old buddies to call him on the phone...because he still enjoys talking....and that may not last for long.  I figured out how to put the Lone Ranger on a 6-hour loop -- cuz that makes John happy.

What makes ME happy is having creative projects to plan and work on. I am a girl who loves a project.  Working on Kathy's doggie blanket was fun...and there's always a bit of Frankensewing in the hopper...and my next project is a MAJOR furniture reno (pictures to follow).

To bring some balance to my day, I try to mix up things I LOVE to do (sewing, reading, etc.) with things I HATE to do (cleaning, organizing, finances.)

Therefore -- Swedish Death Cleaning is in full swing -- with a lot of creative breaks.  I've been BURNING 40 years worth of old bills.  In the history of the world -- has anybody ever once looked back at an electric bill from 20 years ago??

 

 

Winter Projects

Yes...it's winter.Time for some PROJECTS. That doggie blanket was supposed to take me a good week. BUT -- it was so much fun, it only took me two days.

Of course, since Ronda gave me SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS of doggie-print flannel -- I moved into microwave cozy production. Yikes.

I have this thing DOWN PAT....

I can make a complete cozy in less than 10 minutes!!  So, of course, I packed up a bundle to be sent off with the doggie blanket.

Then, I cut up a child's shirt -- and put MY NEW MOTTO on a plain sweatshirt from the Goodwill store. HAPPY THOUGHTS...yes, that sounds like a pretty good mantra for anybody...

 

But, who are we kidding? My new neon sweatshirt only took up another ten minutes...

UGH...THIS IS GONNA BE A VERY LONG WINTER...I need a project that's going to consume me. Keep me happily in the house...creating something spectacular...

WHAT'S NEXT, people??!!

Brown Sugar Hack

 One of the best kitchen tips I ever learned was how to soften rock-hard brown sugar.  And, just in case there is one woman on the planet who doesn't know this simple trick...here it is.

My year-old bag of brown sugar was LIKE CEMENT. A chisel couldn't make a dent in it.

The simple fix is to just put a slice of bread in the bag with the sugar.

I left the bread in the bag overnight...and the next morning, the sugar was soft and packable -- just like the day I brought it home from the store!!

 

The Doggie Blanket is Finished!!

It is Winter. In Iowa. Which is all about cold, gray and miserable. And it'll be this way for a coupla months.

We live in the country -- at the end of a long driveway. And we don't have a garage. Or, rather, we have a garage -- but we've never been able to park a car in it. (it's full of John Deere equipment, mowers, a tractor, etc.)

Bears have the right idea about how to handle winter. It would be best if you could SLEEP THROUGH IT. 

My outdoor activities are pretty much limited to snow shoveling and car-scraping.

So far, my indoor winter activities have been all about the HOLIDAYS.  Honestly -- putting all that Christmas stuff AWAY is damn near an Olympic Event. 

So, I'm ready to set up at my sunniest window to work on some winter sewing projects...

I usually sew in my basement -- but, in January, I bring my Featherweight upstairs and set up smack dab in the middle of the living room, right next to my puzzle table.

I LOVE my Featherweight Table...(remember this $5 bargain?).

Using Mary Mulari's t-shirt quilt technique -- I cut out all the doggie t-shirts, and sewed them (wrong sides together) to flannel squares.  (Frankie is supervising).

Then, I laid them out on the floor to see how it would look.

Sewing the squares together is easy-peasy.  MY KIND of project!!

Like all good sewing projects -- this one will BE A GIFT...but I'm not going to say WHO is getting it....but I'm delighted she'll see it HERE before it appears on her door step...in a box...all the way from Iowa...

Due to arrive on Tuesday...I'm hoping she sends me a picture!!

I was IN SUCH A HURRY to send it (before Winter is over) -- that I forgot to take a picture of the back of the quilt..