So Long to 2014

I am officially referring to 2014 as The Lost Year.  It has flown past and I feel like I have been in an abyss of sorts missing out on "real life"... even though the life I was living WAS my "real life"!!!   Ha!  Can't say that I will be sorry to see this year end and a fresh one begin!!

My Knitting/Crochet Review  coming up for this year will be a little skimpy (though there will be plenty of these little Therapy Baskets).  It is somehow fitting that the very last project of 2014 would be one more Chunky Crocheted Basket by Elizabeth Trantham ... a hot pink one by special request of a very, very loved little person.  Still one of the most satisfying quick little projects I've ever done.  =)  If you need some instant therapy, this is your pattern.

I'm going to try to boot-camp myself back into blogging with a post a day through January.  That's not the ONLY boot camp I need, if you know what I mean!!  But, I'll start here... ;)

Amen, amen and amen... Family is awesomely wonderful.  Period.  Lumps, bumps, smiles, laughter, tears, sickness, health, good and bad... We have had an amazing December... even if the Flu Grinch did try to steal our joy.

I'm settling in with a cup of hot tea (thank you, Little Men and Co.) to visit awhile...

Here's to a New Year filled with just the right things to grow us like God plans.

blessings ~ tanna

Crazy Hair -- Crazy Times

 Roo Bear wanted me to make "Crazy Hair" for him... He added the face.  This is just how I FEEL ON THE INSIDE!  Crazy!  ;)

In the midst of the last phase of the remodeling, I made a trip to Virginia to enjoy Halloween with the Little Men & Co. because I had made a promise to this one, my Alex.  Yep, I believe keeping promises is important...  Even when the timing is inconvenient.  And, you have to have the carpenter un-do part of what was done while you were busy keeping that promise.  Yep, very important.

Is that not the cutest Triceratops you have ever seen????  I was so lucky to be there for the Halloween Parade at the boys' school.  CUTE!  I tell you!  LOTS of cute little pranksters!

It was a cold, rainy Halloween night in Virginia... but, the rain did not dampen our fun!! 

It is hard to say good-bye to these two...  They always make their Noni feel so very loved.  But, the crazy life was calling...

The last of the remodel crew finished up this past week.  Hallelujah!  I painted a bit more yesterday and have another little paint project in the queue... Sheetrock dust continues to pop up after multiple cleanings... Seems it always takes awhile to get it all out.  But, I'm happy with the progress.  We still need a couple of light fixtures... however, it is time to finally get all settled.  I will be happy when all the boxes are unpacked... all the rooms furnished... things on the wall... rugs on the floors... AND I CAN KNIT AND BLOG IN PEACE!  LOL! 

So much time had passed since my last post and there is so much left to do... I had been considering just staying out of Blogland... Then, out of the blue today, I ran into Shug, who I only know through her blog.  It was SO GOOD to see her... and I felt the tug of all the friendships I have enjoyed... and missed... and, well, here I am.  I may be sporadic for a bit longer, but I know I will eventually be back in a more regular way.  Shug, thank you!!! 

blessings and hugs ~ tanna

And, the beat goes on...

Wow.  I'd forgotten how different the kitchen looks from the time we closed on this home until now.  I went back to find a photo of these shelves to show what they were before we took them out.  I was reminded of how much the kitchen has changed.

We needed extra eating space more than we needed more bookshelves.  So, all the shelving and end pieces were removed.  Which means the tile had to be redone also.  Luckily, there were enough extra pieces in the attic. 

Corbels were added to support the quartz countertop.  I wanted something very simple and that would least interfere with leg room.

So far, it only has a coat of primer.  The lower cabinets are also getting a coat of Mega Greige, one shade darker than they were.

And, the wainscoting in the dining room is up...

And primed!!  Woo hoo!   Then paint... and a new chandelier... There are two other projects in the works, too.  I hope to be able to share the "AFTERS" soon.

And, the beat goes on... on and on and on....

I'm heading to see the Little Men tomorrow.  Hopefully, all the plans will continue without a glitch in my absence!   Being able to receive photos on your phone is a wonderful thing.

"You decide what it is you want to accomplish and then you lay out your plans to get there, and then you just do it.  It's pretty straightforward."  ~ Nancy Ditz

Pretty straightforward... in my experience, there are always a few detours to be navigated.  Still, it is a matter of just doing it and keeping moving. 

blessings ~ tanna

Pumpkin Patch...

This past Sunday afternoon we tagged along with family and friends for a pumpkin patch visit!!  I LOVE pumpkins, mums and all the fun that Fall brings... Leading right up to my favorite holiday... Thanksgiving. 

Fall brings bright, clear, sunny days... Cool in the mornings and warm in the afternoons...

 

The little pumpkin patch was so nice... There were ducks to feed...

 

Hula hoops to be hula-ed...

Swings to swirl...

Pickles to be enjoyed... in cool eating spots...

All under the watchful eyes of Dad and Pop Pop...

 

But, most of all, there were pumpkins... and more pumpkins... and more pumpkins... I am part of a long line of pumpkin and Fall lovers... My Mom's house is brimming over with pumpkins this time of year... So is my daughter's...

 

And, Little B ran herself DOWN hauling pumpkin... after pumpkin... after pumpkin... to the wagon while her Dad tried to discreetly remove some of her harvest... 

 

Zack said she fell asleep on the way home only to wake up saying, "Pumpkin!!"  I think the continuity of the long line of pumpkin lovers is insured into the next generation... ;)

 

"If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves."

~ Maria Edgeworth

 

blessings and Happy Fall wishes ~ tanna

 

 

Obsessions, Trunk Shows and Noro Love...

My newest OBSESSION:  Fox Paws by Xandy Peters.  This is a trial swatch with some leftover yarn.
Great lace tip needles are a MUST.  I've gotten a new pair of Hiya Hiya Sharps to use with the DK weight yarn I will be attempting to use (the above is in a fingering weight of leftovers).  More to be revealed... I hope.

Rose Path, our amazing local yarn shop, had a wonderful trunk show of hand-dyed yarns, Theodora's Pearls by Jennifer Thompson Miller.  Don't you just love seeing all those beautiful colors!

Plus, there were all kinds of projects to touch and see!

Judi and Sherri are sporting some of their beautiful knits.  Sherri is responsible for getting me on the basket binge.  ;)

I enjoyed the immersion in color and design... and being surrounded by such creative sistas-of-the-yarn-love!

You can tell by that smile on my face I was enjoying myself!  And, I was enjoying this latest knit:  Espenson by Cirilia Rose.  Details on Ravelry here.  FUN piece to wear!  The Noro Taiyo is a perfect combination of cotton, silk and wool.  Soft and colorful.  Big, comfortable FUN.  EASY knit.

It has been a frenzy of preparation to start the LAST phase of this remodel.  We had a week delay on the inside, but they started on the outside last week!  Yea!  I am looking forward to the finish line one of these days! 

Well, I hear workers pulling up outside... the rain has stopped.  So back to it!!

Blessings to all ~ tanna

One More Little Basket of Therapy...

I'm soaking up the beauty of this first week of fall!!  Our weather has been PERFECT.  Bright sunshine and cool days... I've gone like a lizard to a rock to sit and soak up the perfect rays of joy.

And, there was one more therapy basket... and a pumpkin...(Big Pumpkin by Tatyana Korobkova)

And, I can't help but look at Helen Mar's little burst of sunshine again... and SMILE!

Oh, I love the early morning rays casting their long, strong shadows... foretelling a beautiful day to come.  May your day be filled...

"Appreciation is yeast, lifting ordinary to extraordinary."
~ Mary-Ann Petro

blessings ~ tanna

Chi Chi and Life Lessons...

 

During the Little Men's Big Boy's last visit to Texas, we were eating at the Cracker Barrel and each boy had $5 they could spend.  Alex quickly found a b-yue (not light b-yue, but dark b-yue) rubbery, plastic worm-like creature for about half his budget.  Roo, on the other hand, was enamored with this little mechanical Chihuahua.  The Chihuahua cost more than Roo had.  Now, any of you who are grandparents KNOW the temptation is to help a little guy out... but, I have long believed we have to teach the hard stuff, too... What a bummer!!

 

So, I talked with Roo about how his Momma and Noni often have to WAIT on things we really want... and work... and save... And, that sometimes it's hard.  Especially when your brother HAS something he bought and is playing with while you have to walk out empty handed. 

It was a sad day... Noni offered some job opportunities.  The boys are used to doing chores at home to earn their money (though, if you read here... you can see that Roo is not highly motivated by cash).  I promised to take him back if he earned enough to get Chi Chi.  And, Little Roo worked and worked and worked.  

He worked some more the next day.  There were times he would just break down and want to go back and get a blue worm like Alex "RIGHT NOW"... but, we would gently remind him that he really didn't want THE WORM... he was just wanting SOMETHING.  We would talk about Chi Chi and he would resolve to wait... with the saddest little face. 

They were at other family member's homes the next couple of days; and, before we knew it, it was LATE the night before they were leaving at 6 AM the next day.  As tired as we were, I knew we needed to finish up this lesson... and hold true to our word.  So, Pop Pop and I gathered Roo and Alex and headed to the about-to-close Cracker Barrel.  Now, there ended up being MORE life lessons on that little excursion for our other love, but the bottom line is that Roo got his Chi Chi... and they've enjoyed lots of good times since. 

The Five Guys people even prepared Chi Chi a special lunch in his own bowl!

And, Chi Chi has enjoyed "pamcakes" with Roo, too. 

I guess what I keep trying to remind myself about from this little life lesson is this:  If I really want to lose some weight... I can't eat that blue worm now!!  I need to WAIT and work for my Chi Chi.  Thank you, Little Roo, for reminding me of a lesson I needed to remember... in a bit different way... but, still the same lesson.

Ending with some beautiful flower pins made by one of my LYS friends, Helen Mar!!  These are exquisite!  She had made this bunch for the Mineola League of Arts fundraiser!  Aren't they gorgeous?!  I am always in awe of her detailed work.  They just make you smile to see them!

"Self-denial is painful for a moment, but very agreeable in the end."
 ~ Jane Taylor

blessings ~ tanna

Progress Report: Transforming the Big Bah-Nilla

It is definitely still a WIP (work in progress) around here.  There has been discussion of a wall to come down in another room... and three other PROJECTS!!  Meanwhile, this room is almost finished. 

I'll share some before photos:

The floors in this room were decent and we matched the rest of the downstairs to it as closely as we could (12 years later).  Note that mantel:  Way too fussy and somehow the proportions didn't work for me; I'm sure the last owners loved it.

There are pocket doors between this room and the entry.  I like those.  =)

The crown molding is decent, but as you can see the caulk had cracked and separated on ALL the woodwork.  The Big Bah-Nilla had been on the market for four years... wonder why.  ;)

So the new caulk and fresh paint helped a lot... But, the room felt off balance to me with all the built-ins on one side and the necessity of keeping a walk way on the other side.

The idea was born to add board and batten wainscot AND to use it to create a gallery for my paintings along this bare wall!!

So, my two carpenter friends, Andy and Pablo (who built the bathroom in our Brickstreet Bungalow with me) helped me create my Gallery Wall.  This added the visual weight to balance this room (in my eyes). 

So now... we have a simplified mantel.

Yes, I know these built-ins would be more aesthetically pleasing if there were fewer COLORS going on... but, truth is I like color.  And, all the pieces are some little thing I love for one reason or another... So, it is going to continue to be a sensory overload.  ;)

That overload does help me to keep the furniture and central part of the room VERY CALM and simple. 

The top shelf of the board and batten wall will allow me to swap painting around easily... Should I ever get back to the brushes!  One day.  One day.

This end of the built-ins... well, it is still swapping around... I have tried SEVERAL baskets in attempts to find the ones that satisfy... but, not yet.  I notice that ladder has been in all these photos taken months apart... does that let you know I can't get this one "fixed" yet.  LOL!

 

These three little benches finally got here last night.  I love the aqua legs and cowhide (velvet) seats!! 

 

Slowly, this is becoming HOME.  The last (I hope part of the construction type work will be starting in a couple of weeks... and take about three.  I hope to have more progress reports soon. 

 

I'm joining Kim's Wow Us Wednesdays. 

 

blessings ~ tanna