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

 

 

Hitofude Happiness and Succulent Smiles...

 

Hitofude Cardigan by Hiroko Fukatsu

Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Astrid Grey

Happy.  Happy. Happy.

 

I've been notorious for not enjoying a cardigan or sweater of any version once it's finished; but, I think this one is going to be different... I'm actually thinking of starting another one!  It is an absolutely amazing design... Not one seam and an easy, intuitive lace pattern.  LOVE IT!

 

I did the modifications for her summer version.  The length is perfect.

Another piece of Happy this week... these three little succulents...

Found them at a wonderful shop in Tyler called Moss.   If you live near, it is a great little spot to check out and the folks are SO NICE!!  I always appreciate that!

"Eden is that old-fashioned house we dwell in every day without suspecting our abode until we drive away."  ~ Emily Dickenson

Hope you enjoy your Eden... and a big dose of Happy today.

blessings ~ tanna

Echo Beach and Finding Home...

I started this wrap last August at Myrtle Beach and was getting near the end this year in Gulf Shores... It pretty much marks the beginning of the decision to sell our Bungalow and move...

Its finish marks FINALLY beginning to make this new house home... That has not come easily to me this time.  When we moved in the Bungalow on the 21st of December 2004, we had a tree up by bedtime on the 23rd.  That has been the way I nest... until this time.

 

The breakfast nook... that's my spot, my moment, of finally starting to nest inside this house (the porch had been my refuge/nest/homing spot).  This rustic little table was at an antique store in Tyler called Silver Lining.  The owner, Carla, said people often asked her if there was an "s" on the end of Lining and she always was happy to respond, "No, there is only one Savior and He is the Silver Lining."  I loved that... and I love this little table.  Makes me smile.

  

I've left areas in the hutch for my silver domes... for when I ever get to the boxes they are still packed inside.  The two yellow chairs were up-cycled by my daughter-in-law, mother of the Viking Princess, Candice. 

 

It is good to finally get one spot to feel like home.   I hope to share some more spots soon.  ;)

 

And, I finished this sweater, Hitofude, last night.  I can't wait for it to dry!

 

"Reappraise the past, reevaluate where we've been, clarify where we are, and predict or anticipate where we are going." ~ Toni Cade Bambara

 

blessings ~ tanna

 

 

 

 

Whirlwind...

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind... Our beautiful, sweet, fierce, smart and fiesty Little B turned two!!  It hardly seems a year could have flown past since we celebrated her first birthday with Shabby Chic Vintage Style.

Now, Noni had to make her a Viking Princess hat... (because her Dad loves the show, Vikings, and our girl is quite the little tomboy).  Her favorite presents were Hot Wheel cars and tools like her Dad's. 

Our Little Men Big Boys were here to celebrate with us and, oh, what fun we had!! 

We also celebrated Alex's losing his very first tooth in Texas!   He is getting so big, so fast...

They all are.

Little B thinks she is just as big as anybody else!  It only took one time of showing her how to put her feet in the holes to climb and she was off like lightening!  Not to be outdone by her "s-ousins" as Roo would say. 

Even as we celebrated, we also mourned for a precious little life lost to SIDS.  Brevon was only 55 days young... Such a tragic loss for a sweet young family.  There are no words for such a loss.  No words.

I hope we can all squeeze the last bit of fun out of summer as it comes to a close... and embrace the GIFT of each moment.

"Divine love has always met and will always meet every human need."
~ Mary Baker Eddy

blessings ~ tanna