Patchin' It Up

Here is a great technique I learned from This Old House on patching walls. Which I do every few months or so. This particular hole in the wall was caused by Malena, as she kicked her heels - literally - against the wall. Whoops!

Sophie, as always, wants to help.

So I start by taking a piece of drywall and cutting it into a rough square that is big enough to cover the patch. Instead of cutting through the paper on the front of the drywall, though, I peel away the board from the back, so that there is a fringe of paper all the way around. I also mark which side is up.

Then I place my patch over the hole and trace it.

Notice the cuts from the center of the hole to the edges of where my patch will go - this is how I start my cuts, because it seems to go so much easier this way. Then I use a utility knife to cut out the patch shape on the wall.

And then (hopefully), the patch fits right in - with the paper overlapping. This piece was actually from the wall that we tore down, so it's painted. Just FYI: don't use painted wallboard for patching - it doesn't like to peel away from the board to make that nice fringe. See how it's torn in places? Not the best. But, after plastering...

You can't tell anyway. So there.

By the way, I didn't actually use a utility knife. I used a long, serrated knife from my kitchen drawer. And whoo-ee, did I get in trouble. Not with this hole - this one was fine. I fixed another one after this and accidentally sawed through a large cable. Doug is not thrilled, and even scolded me for using a long knife instead of a utility knife. So, to avoid sparks of all kinds, don't use the serrated bread knife from the kitchen when patching. : )

What's Bloomin!

Okay, I was thoroughly pleased when I saw something new in bloom this morning. Both of my purple chrysanthemum bushes burst into color. Big smiles over here. Big, big smiles.

And I have to show you something else. My Black-eyed Susans that used to look like this:

Now look like this:

The ones in the bottom left of the picture are an Autumn Rudbeckia - and are usually colored like that. But the ones in the middle and top left? They were bright yellow - but have decided to turn red around the edges. Isn't that the coolest thing?

Anyway, I sure hope you have a wonderful week of fall weather, now that fall is finally here! I know, I'm about ready to cry with relief. Hooray for autumn!!!

The Double-Edged Sword That is a Shelf

Horizontal surfaces are great...and horrible. They provide a place for display. They provide a place for dust. And, most importantly where my children are concerned, they provide a climbing surface.

That half-wall that Doug created out of a full wall last week now has a shelf. Hooray!

I now pull Jack and Sophie (and some other larger children) off that shelf many times a day. And scrape myself on the unsanded (and thus sharp) edges. Argh!

Hopefully the bookcase, once it's there, won't be as climbable. And pigs will fly, right? Right?

It's a Cover-Up

Now that my chairs are nearing completion (I really shouldn't speak so soon, but whatever), I need to take care of the pattern problem in the front room. Here's what I'm dealing with:

•  The chair pattern, upper left
• The sofa pattern, upper right
• The rug pattern, lower right
• The pattern at the bottom of the curtains, lower left

And while I love to mix and match patterns, they are all together on the same side of the room. Add to that a piano that really doesn't fit the room, and so precludes many, many furniture arrangements that might make these patterns work. Oh, and...eventually, I want to make a piano cover from the same material as the curtain pattern.

Okay, so you can see we're getting a little crazy here.

I found a new overstock store in our little valley called "Go Bananas". When I went in, they had their furniture slipcovers half off their lower price. So...I got a little something for the sofa.

Oh, yeah, that's what I'm talking about. A little serenity in the middle of chaos. It's gets even better when I add pillows:

Granted, these pillows are a little too red. I need some orange or sage green or even cranberry. The two pillows on the sofa are cranberry, and they work quite well.

Once I started adding pillows, I started getting really excited. Now I can see what people mean by changing pillows for the season. So, definitely going orange for fall. Yeah, baby!

What Wall?

Ever since we've moved into this house, Doug has wanted to do something with the separation wall between the front room and the kitchen. He eventually narrowed it down to cutting the top half off, with me angling for him to construct bookcases on the top half.

Remember the mockup from a while ago?

So Friday night, Doug looks at that wall, and says, "I could have that gone in 15 minutes." Apparently, he's been waiting for his truck to be done so he could cart away the debris. I agreed...I mean, what's one more project?

He marked his chalk line. This was a little more difficult than you might think, since the floors aren't level (seriously?) and they are even different heights on the two sides of the wall, due to the many faces of tile we deplore. But we put a cute little level on the chalk line, snapped it into place, and viola!

Then Doug started cutting. This is him, looking inside the wall before just cutting willy-nilly.

And, many minutes later (many more than just 15), we could see the framing. The first view is from the front room, looking into the dining room.

This next view is from the kitchen, looking at the front room and front door.

And then, the framing was also gone. Doug did a great job of not cutting electrical wires or even nicking the drywall for the bottom of the wall.

I spent the rest of the evening cleaning up. I spent this morning also cleaning up the residual mess. So, of course, Doug pulled out his tools again this evening. Luckily, he was just putting in insulation (since the kids spent the weekend throwing things into the empty wall cavities. The loose fill he had was a zen-like project...crumbling paper-like material into the wall. My job. When it ran out, he was in charge of the fiberglass insulation.

So, this is where we are today. A half wall with insulation poking out. The front room looks so much more open...and I am really enjoying it. I'm also really enjoying the reaction I've gotten this weekend when friends dropped by: "There was a wall there!", "Wow, that is amazing!", "That makes such a difference!" The shock on their faces is priceless.

Now for the bookcases. I'm guessing that will be the loooooong part of this project.

Blackout!

At the beginning of the summer, a friend of mine decided to get blackout curtains for her little boy, who was sleeping very little due to the extended sunshine hours. His curtains are black, but very see-through.

Having purchased an entire roll (!) of blackout fabric for our curtains, I offered to help her...with the hope that it would spur me on to making the ones we need. It took me an hour and a half to have her curtains ready to hang. Then I started on the shop curtains. Three months ago. I know.

Why do we need curtains for the shop? After all, it's basically a glorified garage. But - there is no air conditioning in that shop, and those windows face south. It gets really hot in there in the summer. Also, when Doug works in there at night, those windows are like a beacon: watch me! watch me! Which means he wants blackout curtains. And since Doug doesn't really care what they look like, I am repurposing some curtains made for Collin's room back in South Carolina.

These particular curtains were made to be hung with curtain rings. It does look a little fancy for the shop, with the insulation poking out of the framing next to it.

You can see the light...if you want to...

Just sewed the blackout material right on the back...wasn't too neat about it.

The curtains look great from the inside of the shop. They are the "thing that doesn't belong" (remember that song from Sesame Street?), but they are functional. Maybe once that shop is drywalled, they'll even fit in. Sort of.

And this is what I get to see, since I almost never go in the shop:

Yup, that's why I wasn't too fussed about making the sewing job perfect. But just in case you want to know, this is how I did it:

1. Took my curtains as a pattern and cut blackout fabric to the same size as the curtain.
2. Laid the blackout fabric on the ground, then the curtain on top of it. Since the seams will be seen from the front, but not from the back, I was more focused on getting those right. 
3. Pulled the curtain tight over the blackout fabric, then pinned.
4. Turned the blackout fabric under (towards the curtain), and pinned it on the front side.
5. Sewed all the way around the curtain, using the previous seams as my sewing line.
6. Hung the curtains in the shop (I actually made Doug put the rods up, since he was there, and those curtains are for him anyway. So there).

I also learned a few things...

• Don't try pinning curtains on carpet. The carpet gives too much, leaving you with too much to too little fabric - there are a few places I didn't sew because I would have ended up ruining how the curtain draped.

See, I am such a cheater. I just didn't sew one area so I wouldn't end up with a pleat in the curtains.

• Blackout fabric does not fray. If I were more careful cutting it to size, I wouldn't have to fold it under...or even sew the bottom of the curtain. Note to self: stop making things harder than they have to be!
• It is definitely easier to hang curtains when  you're not the one actually hanging them. 

So there we are, one step closer to starting Malena's Halloween costume. She's still asking me about it. Every day.

The Piece

Ah, Doug's truck.

Doing what it does best

It is an amazing piece of machinery that follows us from state to state, very often being confined to one garage or another as he "works on it". Sometimes I ask if we can use it to move mulch or dirt or something along those lines. The answer I usually receive is: "That truck isn't really that safe. I'd prefer it if you weren't driving it."

So what is the point of having it, I wonder. It takes up space, requires yearly registration and monthly insurance. Wow, what a great use of monetary resources.

Looks like it's worth it, no?

Actually, I know the point of having it: Eventually, it will be a great truck. Eventually, we can use it for four-wheeling in the mountains, working in the yard, and helping other people move (we are never moving again, I hope). We bought this truck in 2003, used. And it hasn't been used much since. The last time I drove it somewhere, the engine almost caught fire. No joke. And I was pregnant and had my two little girls with me at the time. Bonnie wouldn't go anywhere near that truck for many a year after that.

But it is Doug's project car. And he loves it. He has been working on the body for about six months. It had a hard life in Vermont, where the salt meant for snow and ice ate away at it until almost every portion of it had holes. The holes are mostly fixed (except for pieces that will be hidden from view and don't matter to the vehicle's performance), and he has it primed.

Holes where the fender flares go, but no one will see them, right?

Very proud of his Jeep

The primed truck

Now the paint has arrived. He has been working late every evening, sanding the truck, and saying repeatedly, "I don't care. When the paint comes, I am done sanding. I could sand that thing for an eternity and it not be done, so I am done when the paint comes."

So, he has gotten into painting. And painting. Haven't seen him much lately. But the truck looks so much better.

More importantly, Doug has informed me that he's taking the boys "riding" this weekend. I love girls' days...they are so calm. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Mumsy

Watering isn't my thing. I once had a vision of Doug on his deathbed, saying something to this effect: "Beckie, you have to water the plants. Or they will die."

Watering is Doug's job, and he does it well. He does, however, forget the potted plants on the front porch and in front of the garage. They are about dead.

Okay, totally dead.

Being as it is now fall (or so close to fall that people like me, who hate summer, can pretend it's fall), I decided it was time to get some chrysanthemums to "liven up" the space. Ha ha.

And since my garden is pretty much the same - nothing new blooming there, although the flowers are still going strong, bless them - this is my flower time for the week. Maybe for the month, if things continue as they have been.

Mums are currently all the rage at the stores - almost every store you come to has a display. So I got two:

From Smith's, a grocery store

From Lowe's - I love the orangey-yellow color

 And now my porch doesn't look like a tribute to dead plants.

Although something really has to be done about those windows. They look very strange, don't you think? Maybe some wide trim? Doug thinks maybe an entire redo...trim would be way easier!

Obsessing Over Time

My childhood home was full of clocks. You could easily see a clock in almost every spot of our home. Needless to say, when I was decorating my first apartment, every room had a clock.

My darling husband, however, was not raised in a home with clocks. Maybe they have internal tickers. His mom's home still has very few clocks: there is one on the oven (even the microwave is not set) and one in the master bedroom. Both are digital. Oh, there is the grandfather clock, but through the many years I have visited that house, it has rarely been in motion.

Then we marry. Doug surreptitiously takes the batteries out of my clocks, leaving them stranded in time. When I look for the time, I cannot find it. Partially this is my fault, since I stopped wearing watches long ago - this was before everyone and their mother had a cell phone that doubled as a time-keeping device.

The mystery of the still timepieces was solved when I realize that Doug hates the ticking sound so many analog clocks produce. If he can hear it when he sleeps (or tries to sleep - which he does in any room with a couch), he will remove the battery. Do you know how difficult it is to purchase an analog clock that does not make sound? And digital clocks do not look as stylish as analog clocks. They are also useless for teaching children how to read clocks.

Thus it was that when we moved to this house, I had two remaining clocks. One for the kitchen (he doesn't nap there), and a digital one for the master bedroom.

One of my favorite clocks, since I can see it from a few different rooms

I think we've had this one forever...which might explain why it looks so "bleh"

Soon, Bonnie had her own. Digital.

Pink - her favorite color

And, of course, there were two other digital displays in the kitchen: both the microwave and the oven. This is not actually redundant when we're cooking, believe it or not. These clocks are all upstairs.

This home, though, also has a basement, where I find myself spending many-an-hour working on reupholstering, curtains, and sometimes just cleaning up children's rooms.

Not having a clock can make me crazy. I lead a time-centered life, which dictates when kids go to school, when Doug comes home, when each meal is eaten, and when the kids (finally!) go to bed. Without a clock, I am lost. So when I work downstairs, I run upstairs probably every fifteen minutes to see what time it is. And though I get a decent workout, the constant interruption does not help my work progress smoothly or quickly.

Realizing this was the first step. Then it occurred to me that Malena requires me to walk all the way to her room to wake her each school morning. She is old enough to use an alarm clock, so she definitely needs a clock. School mornings are a circus with everyone losing paperwork and shoes and wanting breakfast, so anything I can trim from that routine is good.

Enter the clock purchase. All three children downstairs got their very own alarm clock. They will lose said alarm clock the first time it goes off in the middle of the night, so Collin and Jack may not keep theirs for too long. 

Jack's favorite color - green (and it matches his room!)

Malena's favorite color...and Collin's is also the same,
but more to match his room than his favorite color (which is yellow)

I also got an analog clock for the sewing/laundry/office room. This is where I spend a majority of my project time. Now I know how much time I have remaining to work on projects. Sigh of relief. I do have to admit that they aren't exactly super-stylish, but at least they are functional.

Pretty dull in black and white, but a little graphic flair with the large numbers

How Doug lives without a clock obsession, I will probably never know. Then again, he has me to obsess for him. What else does he need?

Jack's Ready for Preschool!

Last week, the older kids headed off to school.

This week, Jack gets to start preschool. He was so sad last week when he was still at home, while everyone else seemed to be donning backpacks and walking off to school.

Now it is his turn. Go, Jack!

The best part? His preschool is about two houses away from us, taught by a woman who used to teach first grade in public school. All the neighborhood families rave about her. Hooray for a brilliant neighborhood preschool!!!

More Progress on the Upholstering Front

Every once in a while, I look at those two unfinished chairs in my front room and sigh.

This weekend, I went from sighing over my chairs to actually doing something with them. Partially, it was the whole blog thing - being accountable for finishing a project I start on my blog. Mostly, though, it was Malena begging me to do her Halloween costume.

Halloween starts early around here, especially if the kids want me to make a costume for them (which hasn't happened in many years). Malena has a plan, and she has lots of energy to bug me about said plan. So, I turned to my sewing room, which currently has three projects strewn not only all over my sewing table but also all over Doug's desk. Sorry, Doug.

I took an afternoon simply cleaning stuff off - not all of it was mine (I swear!). There was sawdust from the paneling project, and tons and tons of leftover craft stuff from the girls. And let's not even mention the beading projects that have been started and left all over since my sister gave me her beading collection for the girls. Which they have enjoyed immensely, I must say.

Once it was cleared, I was able to find the pieces of the chair I had been working on. And I finished putting on its skirt. Here are the chairs as they existed last week - the ghost and the leggy thing.

And now...with a skirt and everything!

Granted, the cushions still leave a lot to be desired. I did want to get all the big pieces done on both chairs before I move on to the (relatively) easy job of recovering the cushions. So I cut out pieces for the second chair, marking them along the way with a Sharpie.

You can see the dashed lines - that's how I marked the staple lines. Then I just stapled on the lines. I used a solid line for folds, and wrote on the edges what piece it was, where it went, how it related to other pieces, and so on. Luckily for me, this is thick fabric, so nothing would show through even if I started drawing pictures. Which I didn't. I mean, who has the time?

So anyway, I spent today putting together my second chair. And, yee-haw, I now have a leggy thing again, but thankfully, no ghost chair.

And the entire ensemble looks like this today:

Way too many patterns for one room, I have to say. These chairs might just end up downstairs. Which would mean I'd need new chairs in the front room. Shopping, anyone?

This picture is just to remind you (and me) where I started. This whole project has really been a learning experience. Not sure if I like reupholstering, to be honest. But there is still a sofa (in the middle of the two almost-finished chairs above) that needs recovering. Maybe I should just use a slipcover?