Summer Slump

That horrible heat wave finally ended here, and at last some cool, fresh air has arrived!!!  It seems I am only posting once a month now, don't know why............summer usually drains the life right out of me!!!  This year is no exception.....

I've been planning some home improvements for the summer and last Friday the tree people showed up.........2 huge Elm trees came down, numerous small Ash trees and many little saplings, along with a severe trimming of two Maple trees that I love.  So now I have some regrets about the maples, but it had to be done, they were so thick and the branches rubbing up against the house and all, was not good.  I can now see the back of my house which had not been seen in many years!!!  It's actually kinda cute!!  Hopefully the trees will fill out in the next couple of years.

Unfortunately, my perennial shade garden is now in full sun for most of the day......hadn't planned on that one!!!  Have to make some adjustments back there when I'm over my tree trimming remorse........I was nicely secluded before and now so open.......living in a patio home community, one treasures some privacy......we are pretty close together like town houses.  Did not get any before pics..............

The guys were really hard workers and did a nice job......cleaned every little bit up!!!

This large tree had Dutch Elm disease and was a mess, I just didn't realize the shade it provided my flower bed, no matter, it had to come down.....

View from house, see the bed all in shade??     Well at least now I'll be able to grow some grass!!!

All sun now.........I had them leave the stump so I can put something on it like a plant or feeder or something!!!

So there it is, the pretty back of my pale yellow house!!!  In August the roofing/siding man arrives to do his work, then in Sept. the landscaper arrives to do his project, after that I am hoping to get a contractor here to add a back landing and new stairs and a front storm door............whew, what a project this turned out to be!!!!

 

Hope you all are having a great summer......ttyl..........

Living Room Re-Do

Hello dear blogger friends......how I have missed you!!!  I have kept up following all of you, but not contributing very much.  While the weather was still cool, I spent most of my time outdoors in the garden, wanting to get everything spruced up before the dreaded heat arrives!!!  And its here!!!  Took these pics of my front walkway today, spilling over with lavender.......

The yellow flowers are coreopsis, cone flowers about to open and red hydrangeas getting ready to open too.

And this is my front porch....notice the basil plant.....I am so Italian!!!!

Then in between all that I really haven't been feeling so well, had new blood work done and now the dr. has increased my diabetic medication, finally gave me a med for the IBS, and I've stepped up my vitamin routine.  I've asked for so long for help with the IBS and he only tells me to take Immodium AD........well folks that is not enough!!!  I was tired of being a prisoner in my house and I'm so glad I was insistent and he gave me Bentyl......and so far, it has worked wonders for me!!!  And sorry if that's more than you wanted to know about me.......

My living room has needed some help for a long time now, and I finally did some changes.  The furniture placement will never change, its the only way everything fits!!!  But I took down the heavy chenille drapes and sent them out for a good cleaning, did tons of research on curtains, I'm not in the mood for a big sewing project, and finally found something reasonable and charming.  I've made tons of curtains in the past, just not interested any more, it is heavy work.  Also took down the wreath above the TV and made a window box type arrangement.

 Washed all the lace curtains and washed all the windows too........

I arranged a profusion of Summer blooms that will go right into Fall.......

Brought out my blue and whites and some ruby glass.......

Now for the new curtains......khaki checks on ivory......brought a whole new look for the room, going back to the uptown country look I love......

Added some yellow ware and linen napkin with red stripes......

Blue and yellow to the cherry hutch, and removed the checked chair seat on the rocker, I love seeing the spokes on the back of the chair.......

Took this pic tonight with the flash so you could see how pretty it all looks now.....I added the French stripe large pillows to the sofa and you can now see my lace panels.

This is the tea table with the place-mat that matches the napkins.......the tray is a dark blue enamel pan that fits inside my large turkey roaster pan!!!    I added some faux cherries and candle sitting in green split peas in a yellow ware bowl...........

I love this sweet and charming look for my home, it may not be what is in style right now, I've never yielded to the newest fashions any way, and this pleases me very much!!!  I think that is what its all about!!!

Everything I already had except the curtains.......and they are fully lined, came with tiebacks, free shipping and they are very well made.  I really wanted the red check but in the end felt they would over power the small room seeing as there is a lot going on there already!!!  I like the look that has evolved over time, collecting, editing........just like real life!!!

Thanks for visiting, hope you are still awake!!!  Check out Paul's Curtains for some good buys on linens.......no, not getting paid for that, it took me a long time to find that site and hope it can be of help to you out there.......ttyl...

New Table

Here it is, in all its glory........the new craft/sewing table!!!  It's higher than the other table I had so had to put a cushion on my chair to raise me up.......please excuse the untidiness, it is a work room!!!

The one drawer holds my art supplies, the other my sewing implements and machine parts and manuals.

I love to recycle, this is a heavy paper tray from the produce department and is perfect to hold tabletop supplies.

This is a Martha Stewart table from Home Decorator's collection, no I'm not getting paid for this, just thought you'd like to know about it.   It is very strong and sturdy, hard to put together by yourself and very reasonably priced I thought.

Comes in green, white or gray.......thanks for stopping by!!!

Spring project

A few weeks ago I ordered a craft table from Home Decorator's, it arrived last week and I began to assemble it.  I did it in the garage to keep the mess down there.......here is the basic frame put together.  The drawers were really hard to do and the slides too!!!

My sweet nephew had to come over and help carry it upstairs to my studio......the top was so heavy and it took the two of us to put it on the base and then the two of us to finish up the assembly.....what  a job this turned out to be!!!  But I am so glad I have it now, it is heavy and sturdy.  For years now I've been sewing on a folding table that was wobbley and had no drawers.......tomorrow I'll get some pics of the finished product.........

On a warmer note.......Spring has arrived!!!  My pear tree is in full bloom, and the white violets have left the flower beds and have taken over the side yard.........they are like little fairies dancing in the breeze!!!

View from my studio window where I spend all of my time.............

 Silly violets!!!!  Ignore that flower bed, that's work for another day!!!

Hope Spring has arrived by you and you are enjoying yourself........