Happy happy birthday to my baby sister! I hope you have a fabulous day!
#FridayFunday – What Happens When You Mix…
What happens when you mix someone with too much time during “the Pause”, someone who is “cheap, cheap, cheap”, and someone who likes to work with their hands? You get me and this convertible coffee table! Actually, since retiring to write full-time, I have more time for not only doing the writing but projects I’ve been wanting to do for some time. But “the Pause” made it tough to find some of the materials for converting a coffee table that I had into this convertible table. I had already researched and bought the hinges, but the coffee table I was salvaging (hence the cheap, cheap, cheap) didn’t have a bottom shelf. I ended up using an old Ikea coffee table that I had planned to toss and chopping it down to make the bottom shelf. New coats of paint on the table sides and bottom shelf and voila! An easy way to have our casual Friday dinners when we usually order out and sit on the couch. No more hunching over. Now we just lift the tabletop and sit comfortably to eat take-out. What do you think?
#FlowerFriday #FunFriday – Fav Colors for Flowers
My fav colors for flowers are pink and purple. They just make such a great blend together. I also like to mix in some blues and there’s a great benefit to using those colors in your yard: They will attract bees and hummingbirds! So unless you are allergic to bees, help out your local population by putting in some nice pink, purple, and blue flowers in your garden. This photo was taken in Bryant Park where they have all the spring bulbs and flowers out. Love them!
#FridayFun – Girls’ Nights
With my daughter working in the city, Friday nights have become about the two of us getting together either for the whole night or for a quick meeting before heading home. Tonight we’re headed to a sample sale and then off to Brooklyn for a visit with the grandma! But for now, I’m sharing a montage of some of our other Friday night adventures!
#FunFriday – Christmas Decorating Ideas
I love getting the house ready for Christmas! It’s the one time of year I really go all out with garlands at various windows and along the staircase, the Christmas village, lights outside, the tree and of course, the table for Christmas Eve. I must confess the table is a two person operation as my husband has it down to a science as to where the china and crystal are stored and how to lay out enough spots for all the friends and family that are attending. Once he gets the basic layout done, I come in and do the decorating.
We usually have three tables and I try to do something different on each one. The fun part is mixing in new with old family favorites, like my husband’s Lionel train set, gifts from friends who know I love Christmas, or handmade items my daughter or mother had made. Of course, everything around the house has color. No monochrome displays or just white lights. Sorry. It may be “elegant” but it’s just not for me!
Just in case you need a little Christmas decorating inspiration, here are some links to some fun sites for you to check out!
- For those with a country flair: http://bit.ly/2zXEqoN
- Tap your inner Martha Stewart: https://www.marthastewart.com/274574/christmas-decorating-ideas
- Want to try out different colors for Christmas? https://www.bhg.com/christmas/indoor-decorating/christmas-color-schemes/
- How about a little Southern, y’all? https://www.southernliving.com/food/holidays-occasions/christmas-decorating-ideas
- Or are you feeling a little wacky this year? https://yhoo.it/2zVxnwM
FYI – this photo is of one of our Christmas Eve dining room tables!
#FunFriday – A little Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas Eve Sarajevo
Happy Friday! How about some Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas Eve Sarajevo? I love this song and it always pumps me up for the holidays! If you can’t see the video below, you can cut and paste this link: https://youtu.be/MHioIlbnS_A
#FridayFeeling – Some of my fav storage ideas!
It’s Friday, yeah! For me that means a couple of days away from office work and turning my attention to work at home. I know my husband cringes sometimes (well a lot of the time) when Friday approaches since he knows what that means, especially during the not summer months: Projects.
I love Projects with a capital P. I love to make things whether it takes shape in the form of a new story, work bench, or jewelry. I love to work with my hands and that takes many forms.
With us downsizing my “making” has become about me moving and repurposing as well as getting rid of things I no longer need. To do that I’ve really gone big time to my trusted sources for ideas on storage and other things. Today I’m sharing some of my fav (and IMHO workable) ideas!
Bike Rack (a problem for most people with little space for them): http://bit.ly/2OKjVk1
Glass and Liquor (I’m planning something a little different, but still I loved this idea): http://bit.ly/2OKjVk1
Ladders (So much you can do with them. 2 with some long boards = bookcases!): http://bit.ly/2OKErko
Hang it up: Tin cans, 6 hooks (http://bit.ly/2OKEOvi) or these wall storage items from IKEA: http://bit.ly/2OMxgbf
Pegboard: It’s not for your garage anymore! Paint it! Frame it! Hang! http://bit.ly/2ONnGVC
Glass Containers: For health reasons, I’ve started replacing a lot of my plastic containers with glass. Best places to buy are IKEA, Target, Home Sense and a local restaurant and supply place. Make sure they are lead free. I always try to buy ones made in the good ol’ USA.
Baskets: Yes, I have them! All over to store an assortment of items. From shoes to office items to DVDs, baskets of any kind help corral the clutter once you’ve tossed what you no longer need. Best sources for baskets for me were IKEA and Home Sense (https://us.homesense.com/).
If you’re like me and love to do Projects, be sure to check out these valuable resources and maybe sign up for their newsletters:
https://www.diynetwork.com/
https://www.hgtv.com/
https://www.ikea.com (Get the catalogue and see how they do it!)
Have an awesome Friday and Happy Projects!
