I'm Here-Can You See Me Waving?

Honest to goodness, I'm still here. I think after being in winter prison here in NH for such a horrible winter, when the first hint of spring emerged we were all like in the Shawshank Redemption, outside with our arms raised to the sky saying, "I'm Free!" So hubby and I, but especially hubby, have been getting caught up on outdoor chores and I have been enjoying the walks with Baby C when I babysit him. I think we are almost due for a post from Baby C since he is one now. Maybe this Friday. He has changed so much since that first post last year.

Most of the time has been spent at work. I work at a college and the end of the year is so busy. But graduation happened Saturday and new shiny faces will be here in August and I have the summer off starting next week. A new cycle begins. Perhaps I can get to the sewing machine and finish Fruit of the Loom, or whatever I end up calling that quilt. Plus many other UFO's that need attention.

So I promise, more posts coming. Until then, happy quilting, or thrifting, or knitting or whatever you do for fun.

Real vs. Faux

I got an e-mail recently about the ornaments I posted. The question was not about the ornaments but about the tree. Was it real or faux? You'd think living in NH surrounded by trees that I would most certainly have a real tree but, here goes......--I have a faux tree. There I've said it!
We used to always have real trees but somewhere along the line it got really expensive and one year after Christmas I got a faux tree for very little and I've never looked back. I think it's the thrifty part of me that likes the faux trees because they really do pay for themselves after a few years. Plus I hate seeing the dried up trees after Christmas sitting in the snowbanks to be thrown out. It seems like such a waste.
Another reason I love it is because I love seeing my ornaments so I put up the tree the day after Thanksgiving. I have been especially proficient at decorating trees this year. I have put up the tree, decorated it, undecorated it, took it down, put up another tree, decorated again! After seeing my old tree in my new family room with the cathedral ceiling I decided it was too small. So down it came and shopping I went and I love the new tree. I gave my old tree to my daughter's brother in law who is a new home owner.
And the tree skirt I made this past summer looks good under there. It's too bad it has to be mostly covered up.
My Mom used to tell us kids that the little elf near the top of the tree was there to watch over us and see who was bad and good. I don't know how he could since his eyes are closed! We still believed it though!

So what are you-real or faux. And please, don't ever use that other word, (fake)!!

We're Getting There

Finally we are getting along with the family room addition and since I have had a number of questions about it by e-mail I thought I would answer them here. The room is 22 x 26 and has a cathedral ceiling which I am not sure how high it is but it is not super tall. There is a two car garage underneath. The french doors got installed this week so this is how we enter the room from our kitchen and living room. The carpenters are almost done and then we are doing the rest of the finish work to save money starting with a bamboo floor. We already had a painting marathon so it's nice to have that out of the way.
Looking back once you are in the room you can spy my kitchen.
And what is that in the left hand corner of the first picture? I have been looking forever for a sideboard and I found one in an antique store in NH that I fell in love with.
We also did a bunch of antiquing when we were in Maine and here are a couple of my finds. We bought 6 of these matching chairs which are so similar to the ones I already have. They still have a label on the bottom that shows that they were made in NH in the early 1900's. And I love the lines of the plant stand that I found.

Then one last find is this little child's table that I found at a local thrift shop this week. Perfect for my grandson as he gets older. I already have children's chairs to go with it. I also finally found a coffee table for the new family room at the same thrift shop but couldn't fit it into my Beetle so I have to go back this weekend with something bigger! Maybe I should get a truck-or maybe not-I'd come home with way too much!

A New Find

I haven't had much time to look for any treasures in my usual haunts lately, between my grandson being born and our garage being torn down, but I did manage to stop in one store that is near my work and I found this.

I found this wicker basket/bowl, I'm not quite sure what to call it. I had the quilt in case you were wondering. I've had that beauty for years. I don't seem to be as lucky as some of my blogger friends who find quilts for next to nothing. But back to the basket-I love it's turquoise color, which is a color that is growing on me lately, and it's perfect chipped paint in all the right places. Not sure what I'll put in it but I'm sure it will rotate with the seasons. Any suggestions would always be welcome. You are all so much more creative than me which is why I am stealing ideas from you all just about every day!

The Green Obsession Continues, Part 2

I wrote here, here, and here of my love of green lately. I don't know what it is but my eye just seems to find it in the thrift and consignment stores I haunt. At first it was because we were having so much warm weather here and we were still green in January but that is definitely not the case now. Maybe I'm just craving Spring! At my favorite consignment store today I found this lovely bowl.
I like it and I think it looks good for now next to my lamp full of sea glass that I have collected at our Maine Cottage over the years. And that makes me think of Summer! I'm done with Winter-time to move on.

A New Thrift Find for the Sewing Room

I found the little mason jar lamp recently filled with old thread on wooden spools and old button cards. Remember when all thread came on wooden spools-I do-wait a minute, I'm dating myself here! Anyways, I just loved it and took it home with me from my favorite consignment store. The thread colors are all bright colors and the button cards still have prices on them. The one showing has a price of 10 cents. It is sitting on my cupboard in my sewing room next to the cross stitch that my sister gave me for Christmas. Just try to ignore the ugly wallpaper in the background that has been in this room since we bought the house 23 years ago. One of these days I'll change it.

The Green Obsession Continues!

I don't know what it is about green right now but I see it everywhere. I was out today looking for a treasure for the Pink and Brown Swap and I found the small plate. I already had the green bowl which came from my MIL's house which I acquired about a year ago when she was moving out of her home that she had lived in for 53 years. Anyways, I love the bowl-the holiday M & M's looked great in this over Christmas so I am sure I'll find a way to use the little plate next Christmas or at Easter. I really need to find a new color to obsess about.

I am Loving Green in January!

Since I bought those green buttons I seem to see green everywhere! I stopped in a thrift shop this morning while out running some errands and found this great green platter for $6. I just love the color and simple style and can picture so many things on it. I seriously think I am obsessed with green lately because it is so green outside in NH right now. Usually by now we are buried in feet of snow but it is in the mid 60's today and raining! Unheard of here. I glanced out a window this morning and noticed that the forsythia bushes seem to be budding out. They think it's Spring. I know we'll be hit with freezing cold and snow soon but for now I am loving the green in January!

First Thrifty Find of the New Year

I made a trip to my favorite consignment store and the jar of buttons is what I found. I don't need this many green buttons but they were so cute all together in this little canning jar. I love red but my next favorite color I have liberally sprinkled throughout my home is green. Must be why I love Christmas too!

Speaking of Christmas, all the decorations, except the tree, are put away. I can't seem to get myself to take the tree down. I love looking at the ornaments and love having it lit up when I am in my family room. My Mom used to leave our tree up until the 12th day of Christmas, January 6th, so that's what I think I'll do too. Hopefully the motivation to take it down will be here by then!

Just One Last Thrifty Find

My daughter has expressed an interest in doing some more sewing but since she doesn't live here anymore and doesn't have access to all the sewing supplies, she asked for some sewing things for Christmas. So I've been gathering them but wanted to put them in something besides a basket or a box. This is what I found at our local consignment shop this morning and I think it is perfect. I have one that is similar that I bought at a yard sale 20 years ago full of buttons and it has come in handy. So Merry Christmas Doodles!

Used Stuff

I would much rather buy used furniture than new. I can count on my two hands how many times I have been in a furniture store. We did get a brand new bedroom set 31+ years ago when we got married and have bought a couple of couches that way but for the most part all of our "stuff" has been given to us or purchased used at consignment, thrift, or antique stores or at yard sales. The best freebie was a desk my uncle gave us many years ago. The desk was in his chicken coop and it was on the way to the dump but asked us first if we wanted it. Hubby picked up one side of it and based on it's weight he declared it "real wood" and said we'd take it. Now you couldn't actually tell what kind of wood it was because of thick black varnish and "deposits" from the chickens. But once stripped we saw beautiful oak grain and have loved this desk ever since.

I did recently buy an oil painting in a consignment store for $18. I wasn't looking for a painting but there it was and I was drawn to it. It now hangs in my bathroom of all places. I was back at that store yesterday buying a Jelly Cabinet which I plan on using in my sewing room makeover. Those pictures will hopefully be coming soon. In the meantime here's my bathroom masterpiece.

Bye for now-Chris