Left-handedness & {other very short notes}

 Staples had these notepads for $2.00 each. Happy I bought them, I'm left-handed and the spine is at the top, so it doesn't get in the way.  This 5"x6" pad is the perfect size not too big and not so teeny-tiny. It has perforated sheets and the paper is ivory and is fine quality so the writing is smooth. I'm sold!
Made by Ampad, since 1888!
::::My favorite pen Pilot G-2 07 fine tip. I heart this pen! {does anyone else get excited about their favorite writing instrument?}

Sorting supplies and moving them to this cabinet. Cannot get over how great this feels....since closing the shop {2/2009} and having two babies in two years, I'm so happy to be purging, cleaning and sorting supplies in the office & attic. Finally.  It feels so good folks!

Making simple, no fuss necklaces for Vivian....had everything on hand. Wax twine and vintage components. Seriously easy......as that is all I had time for today! Saturdays are very interesting to me, different schedule from the rest of the weekdays and I never seem to get them quite right.  How about you?

See.......

 

Kara and Tacy work......kids headed to Grandma's. It's Wednesday, so Zach, Vivian and their mum look forward to"Grandma's Day".  {Now it's 5:50 and they're back}

 

Computer work and more organization today. More of our to-do list getting crossed off. My kids get their picture taken with lambs and chicks on Friday. Clothes need picked out for that as I will be busy tomorrow tagging along with Luke on his field trip.  Yes, I like sack lunches!

 I like this:

treat for your lips 

by plane, train or car....take me somewhere!

yum

Details.......Thrifting, Kid's Rooms & Clothing

Old door headboard, found a vintage number 7 in our shed and no doubt from our house as #7 resides in our address. I almost threw it away until I looked at it before a toss was made into the trash can.
European laundry tape with Zach's initials, glued onto the headboard. I love glue. Oh, and vintage initial laundry tape!

 Pillow made with vintage materials, soft orange pillow Marshall's.

{3/24/12}

 Better than a visit to Anthro!  Digging at my favorite vintage place! Thrifty to boot.
*Pair of cotton curtains {to go above Vivi's big girl bed, will be a little while yet!}
*Tablecloth for outside entertaining
*Party hats.....I would so wear these! {& I can! haha}
*Remnants of fabric for this and that.
*Religious cards & a calling card, the font is swell.
*Tennyson's book of poems, love old books. {although I don't read much poety? hmmm.}
*Petite crocheted piece......paper attached with directions, handwritten. I couldn't leave it, for 50 cents? A lovely "prop"!

 Tablecloth was around $5.00.

{Vivian's Room}

 See the old button cards? I used to shop with my mother at the place where these came from. They were the samples on the outside of an old La Mode display cabinet. I was tickled to find them as the new owners were selling all the "good, old stuff". They are purely beautiful nostalgia for me.
{Except for the Barbara Schriber baby hanging card, everything is vintage on the wall.}

 Dress looks vintage it is not, her first dress from Anthro {clearance ladies!}. Vivi will wear this fall.

Smock boxes stacked neat & tidy.

 Sweet books for childhood......Always on the lookout for vintage books.

 Vintage coat purchase around 2003. Before I had kids, see it all worked out.

 $3.00 handmade coat with tag that says "Made by Mommy" I'm not that mommy! Anyway, someone did a fab job, the workmanship is impeccable. The bonnet {not shown} is darling.

 Goodwill via Darcy. I call it the "Madeline coat"and it will be fun to come up with something to wear with this. Of, course it needs a jaunty hat with it!

 It took me a year to figure out that I must buy this vintage rack. It was $20.00 and why it took me so long?  It works perfectly in her room as there is no closet. An armoire and this rack is her closet!
Why, yes there is a plastic swan residing on top of the rack.......I tuck hats, etc. in her. {It's called cheap, creative storage and it fits perfectly in a little girl's room.}

I couldn't resist the tissue balls, know they are everywhere! However, they are cheery and they give something fun for wee ones to peek at. The pennants are gold silk. All the store stuff is moved out of here, we did that awhile ago. Still needs some fine tuning. The chandelier is broken and have a new one that needs wired in.

Have a happy, happy week!

In Full Bloom......

 Not kidding when I say we have watched the grass turn green overnight..... The leaves are poppin' out with flurry.......

We are weeding, planting garden and running barefooted across the fresh cut lawn. Not a normal March for Ohio. No complaints from us. A surprise blessing from above. Thank you.

Cutting branches from our petite orchard.......

 Visits to the playground........

Warm weather + kids = pure joy!

Grandparents day at school for Luke.  Vivian loves her Grandma Sheryl! {Matt's mom}

Warm Days....

 bring a fervor of doing!

It will be nice to have someone help with uploading product!

Cleaning, photographing & organizing......it was time! Spent a full day yesterday with our new assistant. {she is great!}

Window Solution

{Image Source}

This picture verifies my thinking about having a window that is longer than sink base. The previous homeowners covered up part of our window as to save the original window. However, it is one of the things that drive my batty. From the sink up & wide as our window they put a contraption up to make a backsplash right in front of the window. {I'm serious, crazy as this seems!}

 The window also extends down behind the sink base. It's hard to clean the window or open it. {You should see me open it!} Plus, the natural light is taken away. It looks odd from the outside as you see this cherry wood piece coming up from the windowsill walking by. Lovely.

If we don't open the wall to the porch, I have been pondering a solution and this picture was the answer. It verified my idea of ripping out lower cabinets and installing an open underneath sink/countertop piece.

The photo above got my attention today while looking at Maria Killam's blog about color, etc. Her blog, Colour Me Happy, is amazing if you are building or remodeling. Maria talks about color undertones, tile, grout line widths & other important home issues.

Is my partially covered up window the only one out there?

Make these recipes in your kitchen this weekend:  Iced Tangerine Mint Green Tea  or Veggie Gyros on Homemade Pita with Feta. Yum!

Painted Kitchen Floor

 The Linoleum Lacquer® has a great finish. It's very thick paint, I used a 6 inch foam roller. The foam was perfect for the application.  {see my final thoughts on Linoleum Lacquer® here}

{See, I have one cabinet painted. 1st coat anyway!  The dark splotch is a test of the Annie Sloan dark wax. The cabinets will get the natural wax treatment as the dark is well, too dark!}

{Had to put the shutters up to reduce the blinding sun, which is appreciated here in Ohio. They will be attached once I strip the windows. I have never striped woodwork, so this shall be interesting. I purchased this book for restoration advice on windows.} Spring and summer sounds good for that project.

 When we moved in 7 years ago we painted only the walls in the kitchen. Haven't done much in here except hang an antique light. See the cabinets on the left? That wall would be lovely knocked out and opened up to our porch and finish the porch as part of the kitchen.  First, need to finish painting cabinets and then the attic project. The kitchen is complicated as to lay the wood floor we want to lay the flooring under the cabinets. Quite a big project and in no hurry to not have a kitchen with 3 little ones.

Freckled laundry painted her countertops---I would like to change our countertops, but will wait to do those when the whole kitchen project is tackled!

Do you take on house projects with fervor and finish them up fast?? {We do not! haha}

About {Linoleum Lacquer®}

{Images Source}

Some of you have requested what kind of paint I used for my linoleum.....
Linoleum Lacquer specifically formulated for linoleum, how cool is that! I love that it's keeping the dirt on top of the paint, has a great finish. However, the paint is not holding up as well as I would like.

The prep work took longer than the actual painting and the dry time is 48 hours with each coat.
I do love seeing the ugly linoleum covered up and it's so much cleaner!

*Update: My floor has been finished for 1.5 weeks and it's chipping off in too many places. I would think twice about the work that goes into the prep + painting. Really, there are a lot of reasonable flooring choices and can lay it in less time than it takes this stuff to dry! Remember you are without that room for 96 hours after painting if you do 2 coats of lacquer. I thought it was a good solution for at least a year until we lay our wood flooring.  Sigh.

This Past Week {Homekeeping}

*

{Image source}

This past week:
*Painted our kitchen floor {will suffice until the wood floor is laid. I couldn't take the terra-cotta linoleum any longer.}
*We moved into my parent's house while floor was drying. 4 nights and it worked out well as my parent's were still on vacation. No internet there so that is why we whittled away at this below :)
*Taxes almost ready---{what is it about the last little piece of info that is needed?}
*Restocked pantry/freezer/fridge {major food expedition at Meijer, Kroger, bulk food store & Landes Fresh Meats} We're ready for a sudden snowstorm, it's Ohio and March after all.
*Hired an assistant to help with the shop. I cannot do it all! {really? haha.}
*Then I found this & this {awhile back} lots more to come on the latter.......
xo
K