November 21, 2010

Sitting Pretty

Craig was so clever to spot this rather neglected piece of furniture tossed out by the side of the road awaiting the fall clean up truck back in early October.  I admit I turned my nose up when I first saw it.  However, upon closer examination we discovered that there was really nothing wrong with it at all and I knew it was a perfect candidate for a make over.  


Our own kitchen table at that time, although lovely it was barely large enough for four adults to sit around comfortably without banging elbows and no room for condiments or napkins. During the winter time we seldom use the big dining table and tend to eat most meals in the kitchen.
I have always fancied a round table in my kitchen, but it wasn't high on our list of requirements for the house.  Still, always keen for a paint project challenge we sanded it down and I gave it a couple of coats of oil based gloss paint. 
Once the paint was dry, a hunt around the house for four white chairs to go with it and voila!  My new kitchen dining area is complete.


November 15, 2010

Sewing, sewing, sewing.....

Keeping busy stitching again this week so my Etsy shop is stocked up for Christmas with a few new items for you to take a peek at :)
Like these new woodland themed bookmarks, handy little stocking fillers for children or grown ups.


A new design chubby bird - I have called him Cyril :)
For collectors of miniatures I made these teeny weeny ones...
I hope you like them.


November 07, 2010

'"It's a rather blustery day", as Pooh would say!

My darling husband Craig has a love/hate relationship with the weather at the moment.  Having been bombarded by torrential rain and wild winds (no complaints about the double digit temperatures) over the past couple of days, made me think of the lyrics to Winnie the Pooh's song .  Poor Craig is forever running out to the barn and up to the attic to check for leaks!  Luckily only one was found needing a bucket to catch the drips.  Two days ago there was an almighty crashing sound in the driveway as the metal chimney cap took off, rolled down the driveway across the road and ended up in the corn field.  It looked like a battered old hat by the time Craig managed to retrieve it!!  He has since bought a replacement, but finding someone crazy enough to climb up on the roof to install it could prove to be a bit tricky until the wind and rain die down a bit!  On the other hand he does enjoy driving out and observing the overflowing rivers and streams by going on a 'flood watch' as well as keeping track of the happenings all over Canada on the weather channel. 
Being unemployed at the moment after the company he worked for was restructured, he is a state of limbo, whilst looking out for something new to get his teeth into.
We have been in worse situations before, so are remaining calm and patient.  This has lead me to get active on Kijiji, a local site, where I have been listing all sorts of things for sale in an attempt to 'downsize' in preparation for moving to a smaller home in the next couple of years when Amber finishes high school.
English Antique crockery, old suitcases, woolen blankets from the Cotswold's and even a vintage sewing machine have gone to new homes in the valley recently.  My heavy oak framed mirror is still listed for sale and with a bit of luck should get snapped up soon. 


.  




The Etsy shop is ticking along nicely with Christmas orders coming in including special requests for new animals and personalised pets and my mind is constantly trying to come up with new ideas in a competitive on-line craft market.
Now, as I head down to the basement, what else can I find to sell.........