Erwin

Last week Friday we brought home the newest addition to our family. Why am I waiting till a week later to tell you this story? Well I wanted to make sure this story had a happy ending. You never know what its’ going to be like when you bring a cat home and expect your dog to be OK with it. The dog that has been an only child his whole life. The dog who loves to chase cats. The dog who goes nuts when Mr. B pretends to be holding a kitty. Yes we brought a cat home to that dog.

I had been looking around for a kitten. Don’t judge me, but a wanted a cheap or free kitten. I had been looking for a few weeks going back and forth on the whole thing. You know it’s a free kitty then it’s the shots and the vet visits and of course we would get him/her fixed. I don’t need no grand babies anytime soon. Then I thought hey, why not try the humane society. They always have lots of cats, and they go home already fixed and with their shots. Wouldn't you know, last week they were having an adopt-a-thon. They had too many cats.

So Friday night we drove to the city to look at cats, I was prepared and had already submitted our application for pre-approval. As long as we picked out a kitty that was already fixed we could take him/her home that night. (saves us a trip). On the way there we noticed the MINI wasn't running quite right. Ok not a biggy make an appointment and Mr. B would drop her at the shop tomorrow. We were thinking the clutch was starting to slip. Well we get almost there and it is apparent the clutch isn't just slipping, it’s almost shot. NOT GOOD.

How does this happen? Well, probably a combo of Mr B driving it like a race car, the previous owner, and well um me resting my foot on the clutch. In my defense even though my instructor was great in teaching me to drive a manual, luv you honey, he never told me not to rest my foot. How am I supposed to know something that was never told to me!

We were able to make it to the humane society. Since we were there Mr. B had me go inside to pick out the cat while he made some calls to have the MINI towed to the shop and find us a ride home. I have an awesome husband, I know! There were so many fur babies to choose from. How was I to pick. I looked at some kittens and meet with them one on one in the adoption room. They were soo tiny and a tad on the skittish side. I talked with the staff member about wanted a laid back sociable cat. She suggested one a five month old male, we met with him and I fell in love. 

We decided to name him Erwin, after the physicist Erwin Schrodinger. Letting our geek flag fly just a tad on that one. The paperwork was completed and Mr. B had made the arrangements for the car. The three of us took a taxi home and the car was towed to the shop. Then it was time for the boys to meet. 

Obviously since I’m here telling you this story it has a happy ending. How happy? Well only time will tell how awesome it will get having two fur babies in our house. But let’s just say when I got home yesterday they were both taking a nap on the bed. Yes sleeping in the same space together, willingly.  

And how's the car you may ask? Almost $1000 later the MINI is back in tip-top shape.

Carving Pumpkins

Last weekend when the fam was over for Harvest Dinner, Nana was kind enough to provide pumpkins for all of us to carve.

Yes that's Larry and Eugenia in the background. They don't have any fall clothing, or summer for that mater. They have been hanging out au natural. Perhaps they need some camo since goose season is open..

Some of us were to busy watching foot ball to bother with pumpkins. Or don't like to touch the gooey insides (Mr. B).

This belongs to the self proclaimed un-crafty sista.

Can you tell what it is?

 

Not a bad cat for an un-crafty carving free hand.

DIY Planter Box Centerpiece and Burlap Runner

As promised, more details on the burlap table runner and planter box centerpiece.

I've been seeing allot of this look on Pinterest; I thought it would would be perfect for our ginormous table. And this was totally something I could do on the cheap for our dining room. 

I bought a few 1x4s and gave my basic instructions to Mr. B of what I  wanted, I was going to do it myself but no sooner would I have gotten the out the saw and stated my first cut then he would have rushed it to do it for me. I was saving us a step. I asked him to build me a three sided box with a bottom that was 38ish inches long and primitive, no fancy mitered corners etc.

He got it spot on. He filled in the screw holes and gave it a quick sand. Then that's were I come in. I picked up some of the sample size jars of paint in the oops section, fifty cents a piece, total score! So I had a shade of white and a rust color. Using mainly white with just a tiney-tiny corner of my brush in the rust to give it some depth and antique-y look, I gave it a few coats of paint. Then I took the sander and roughed it up along the edges. Finally I took some stain and went heavy on the exposed wood and gave the rest of the paint a wipe down with it, you know to complete the aged look. 

I filled it with a garland of leaves and some blue mason jars. I filled the jars with corn. Everyone has a 50lb bag of whole kernel corn laying around their house don't they? If you don't I suggest you run off to your nearest farm supply store and purchase one. Best $11 investment; you never know when the need might arise. You know to feed your critters, make bags for corn hole toss, or use in your totally amazing fall centerpieces. Once the jars were filled I topped them each off with a tea-light to complete the look. 

As far as the table runner. It is as simple as cutting your burlap to size and gently fraying the edges. Easy-peasy. I do have a bit left over. I bought three yards so my runner would be a continuous strip (my table is 8 feet long, three yards is 9 feet, 6 inches of over hang on either end). It comes in 40 inch widths and I only needed it a foot long. I better start stalking Pinterest for some more crafts.

Autumn in the Dining Room

After three years in our house, I decided it was time to start decorating for the seasons. I started to to this last winter with my giant snow flakes and sweater pillows. But I haven't done anything seasonal since then. The Harvest Dinner this past weekend gave me some motivation. I decided to stick with one room, baby steps people. I can't go all out at once and have my entire house festive including the bathroom towels, you know who I'm talking about Mary. I decided to tackle the dinning room. It was a harvest dinner, the main event would be eating. 

With out further ado I give you the end result.

Fall vignette set up on the buffet, check.

Bunting banner over the mirror, check.

Handmade farmhouse table, check.

Restyled thrift store chairs, check.

Burlap table runner and rustic centerpiece, check. (more on this tomorrow)

Take that Pinterst!

Catching Up

It's been awhile. Like almost two weeks awhile. It's not that I have nothing to share with you. Oh there has been lots happening around here. Mr B and I have been busy turning our to do-list into a to-done list. I haven't had the camera out, nor the ambition to write something. It seems like we have been go go go from the time we get home till the time we go to bed. But now that the list is relatively small I think we shall be able to catch up on things.

You see my family was here Sunday for a 'Harvest Dinner' and I can get slightly neurotic about having people over. Let's just say I was barely holding it together on Friday night, then the drill slipped and I caught my finger. Full out sob fest. Like sitting on the floor balling my eyes out snot running out of my nose holding my wounded finger. All the while Mr. B is calmly sweeping up letting me cry it out. That man is my rock, I don't know what I would do without him. But let's keep that between you and me. OK. Don't worry I pulled my self together, almost to lose it Sunday morning frosting a cake, that in Mr. B's words we were just going to cut and eat any way. But I wanted it to look like the picture, not the corners crumbling in, barely held together by sticky gooey icing. I want everything to be perfect. I blame my mother, but mainly pinterest, and the create channel. 

While I sit here now eating my beets. (yes just a bowl of beets for dinner. I truly am becoming my mother) You know I had a nice pail of the last of the garden put together Saturday. It was sitting outside by the garden. All I could think about at work today was coming home and having fresh garden beets. While silly me I shouldn't have left it all outside. The geese got to it. Don't tell but I scavenged the pile to find a few beets that hadn't been chewed on. They are delicious. Now wonder the geese and probably the squirrels like them. 

But any way, sitting here eating by beets it all seems trivial. My family isn't going to care if my registers are painted oiled bronze including the screws, or my fall vignette is set up. Nope not one bit. So guys thanks for coming Sunday and not minding that I never got around to scrubbing the toilet!! 

Trio

Over the weekend our quartet of geese became a trio. We came home Friday evening after an enjoyable family dinner to find we were missing a goose. We did a quick scan of the yard hoping the missing bird was hiding somewere. 

Not so, Arlo is no longer with us.

He has been burried in the goose graveyard, near the apple trees. Several of his flight feathers have been added to the memeoral with all the other geese I have loved and lost.  

Thrift Store Chairs Makeover

Back when I discovered the 'five dollar filing cabinet' I also stumbled upon a pair of chairs.

When I first laid eyes on them they yelled at me from across the room. "Save us!! Unleash our wild side. Let our inner animal roar!"

 They were telling me to paint them turquoise and upholster them in either leopard or zebra print. I rescued them from the thrift store and took them home to do just that. Never mind what to do with them when they were finished. Perhaps I would give them away to a family member or sell them. Their inner animal just won't blend with the look I'm going for in the house. Either way, I simply couldn't let the chairs spend any more time living in a thrift store being drab yellow with maroon seats.

I brought them home and Mr. B asked me if they were for the dining room.

Well honey, you see the thing is. I bought them to unleash their potential, in the form of turquoise and animal print.

 That statement earned me the look. The one that says "Your buying things to redo that aren't even for the house when you have a ga-gillion other projects on your plate."

Umm maybe....

I did think about it for a while. (Don't tell him but, there might of been a shred of truth in what he said, or rather what the look said.) I stuck them in the dining room at the head and the foot of the most awesome-est table ever, you know the one my amazing husband built for me. They didn't look bad. Over the next few days they kinda grew on me being in there. Eventually I came to the decision they would be white with green or tan seat covers. Don't get me wrong they still would look great in the original color scheme, but I was beginning to see a tamer version would be OK too. 

This Sunday, while I was boiling down pizza sauce and Mr. B was watching football, I was able to find some time to get out side to do some painting. We busted out the stable gun for some upholstery. 

I am thrilled with the way they turned out; as I am with most of my makeover projects. There is just something about seeing a piece of furniture transform, going from drab to fab.

The nitty gritty:

Three coats of Rustolium spray paint in Navajo White, gloss.

(no I didn't sand first)

Two clear coats. 

The fabric was left over upholstery fabric from another project. I believe it is from Joanne's.

Let's do a side-by-side, shall we.

 

I'm still itching to redo a chair with animal print.

Perhaps someday another chair or two will call out to me.

Birdie Wordies

It's been awhile since I shared pictures of my feather-babies.

Let's change that situation right now!

Sewing Room Hutch

Last month I bought this hutch off of Craigslist. After weeks of searching for the perfect piece in the right size and most importantly in the right price range. Mr. B was kind enough to drive me to go pick it up and help me load it in the pick up.

It originally had glass doors; one of which was broken. Those came off right when we got home. Mr. B is always quick when it comes to taking something apart, so alas there are no pictures of the hutch in all it's original glory.

I gave light sanding, I mean very light. I'm not big on striping furniture here; just a quick buzz over the large surfaces to give the paint something to stick to. I used my favorite primer for furniture, Zinzer Oil based. Then three coats of soft white in a semi-gloss.  

I decided to keep the original hard ware.  I just took it off when I painted and then put it back on, I didn't try and clean it or shine it up at at. I love the way it looks on the white, it really stands out.



This has to be my favorite piece in the crafty room. My fabric stash offers some color to the room. My notions, which are mainly from Mr. B's Grandma, are displayed in old canning jars from my Grandma.

On top of the hutch I was able to display more notions and a book from the Grandmas, not to mention the button-holer (which I have yet to try and I'm sure it will be an adventure)

I'm surrounded by bits and pieces of all the ladies who have inspired and encouraged my craftiness and love of sewing. That gives me the warm fuzzies.

Keepin' it Real

Remember how I showed you that sneak peek a few days ago, well good thing I did. This is what my crafty table looks like tonight. 

I started a online quilting class shortly after we finished my space. The creative juices have been flowing the past week. Unfortunately I have a hard time being neat and creative.. Perhaps the tour will have to wait until this weekend. 

Sneak Peak

I thought I would give you a little teaser while I prepare the grand photo tour of the newly completed crafty space at the Acres. I'm so excited to have this space to sew, create, and blog. Over the past few days I find my self standing in the door way just looking in. I still can't believe that it has happened and it's all mine!

Project Five Dollar File Cabinet

I stopped by a thrift store last week, just to look. Well I had to go back later that weekend with the truck to bring home the load of goodies that were on hold for me, you see they wouldn't fit in the MINI. I found this beauty. Yeah she's a little rough around the edges, but she's heavy duty, all the drawers work, and the hard wear has great character. For five dollars I couldn't pass her up. I've been on the hunt for a file cabinet for the sewing room/home office for a while. The plastic tote we have just isn't cutting it any more. Four drawers might be a tad over kill for our paperwork, but I'm sure I will be able to fill the remaining drawers up with crafty stuff. 

I had planned to take off the hardware before I painted her. I didn't notice until we got it home that they were riveted on. So it was on to plan B, very carefully tape around every thing. I got excited and started taping before I managed to take the before picture.

I wanted to go with a deep rich color to bring out the hardware on the drawers. Since I'm not a hunter green or maroon person I settled on navy blue. 

Five cans of spray paint later, she looks great. The cabinet adds a pop of color to my new sewing room, more details and a full reveal on that coming later this week. 

Patio Fence Update

The fence is holding strong. The patio is still a goose free zone. It is great to be able to walk out side and not have to watch your every step to get to the car. 

Last week Gus realized that he could jump over it. I, on the other hand, have almost biffed it a few times. We are definitely going to need a permanent solution with a gate. I'm thinking a white picket fence. Maybe next year. 

Ruined Crop

There will be no zucchini for us this year.

No zucchini bread.

 No fried zucchini.

No zucchini cakes.

No turkey zucchini meat balls.

No zucchini lasagna.

Nothing.

Zippo, Zero, Zilch.

The geese ate all of it.

See. There is barely a leaf left.

I planted four zucchinis this year.

There was going to be a mega harvest, now there will be none.

I was even preemptive and put a fence up. A cute plastic coated green one (thanks mom!) rather than the chicken wire we use around our other vegetable gardens. Well they could fit their heads through. And they devoured it. There is also a cucumber planted at the end of the raised bed. They left that alone.  

 

Moral of the story, use the ugly fencing and geese don't like cucumbers.

Island Reveal

It is the perfect opportunity to share the kitchen island with you, seeing as it has only been done since early July. But now the stars and moon are in the proper alignment for sharing pictures. More accurately my kitchen was relatively clean, the floor wasn't full of muddy Gus prints, and it was still somewhat light in there.

We picked up two of the el-cheapo wood stools from Menards. A can of red spray paint and ta-dah!

Mr B was thoughtful enough to use wood glue during the assembly for extra durability, I don't think these guys are going to get wobbly any time soon.

Quarter Round

Sunday Mr. B set up shop in my fingers-crossed-soon-to-be sewing room. He started cutting all the pieces to put the finishing touches on the trim. 

After we refinished the floors we decided to install quarter round in all the rooms. I like the finished look it gives to the trim. And, as a bonus, it hides all the imperfections in the finish along the walls. 

He's been plugging away at it all week. We just need to caulk and putty, then I can paint. I splurged the extra fifty cents per board and got the primed stuff. We should have this room done by the weekend. Then on to the dining and living rooms. 

More Watermelon and a Fence

Back with the baby geese were, well babies, we gave them their first taste of watermelon. Look at how cute and fuzzie-wuzzie they were. 

It happened to be on sale again on Sunday and I couldn't resist. I bought them one to share with Gus. 

Look at how grown up they are with their big feathers. 

Now more fuzzies.

In other goosie new, we have reclaimed our porch and patio. The birds like to hang out near the house. I like to think it's because they like to be close to their mama and they can hear me in the house and see me though the kitchen windows. Which probably isn't the case, it just happens to be shaded and safe, but the thought that they need their mama makes me feel better. There's this thing about geese, they poop. A LOT. And it doesn't matter were they are. They are birds there is no potty training them. And now that they are big, their poops are big. I finally had enough. I went and bought a fence. 

Field of Happiness

Sunflowers just make me smile. 

It's something about the ginormous yellow blossoms towering over me. 

Do they give you the warm fuzzies, too? 

There is a field near
the house that the farmer has planted with them. We drive past it every time we head to our parents houses. Last weekend we were driving up on a beautiful day. Mr. B pulled over so I could get some pictures and share them with you.

Warriors

A group of friends from the office got together on Saturday for a 5k mud run, the  Warrior Dash. We had so much fun! We stuck together, everyone made it through all the obstacles and everyone finished. 

Here's a before.

 

And the after.

We were just a tad on the dirty side. 

Screen Door Suprise

Ever since we 'finished' the mud room. I use the little quotes around finished cause well, it's not quite finished. It's more than usable we just need to install trim around the window and door and a base board. You know little things. I'm sure it will be done by Thanksgiving, of next year.

 

Any way, ever since it became a functional room I have been bugging Mr. B that we need a screen door for it. It has the exterior steal door, with no window. It would be nice to be able to leave it open to light in the light and the fresh air but not the bugs and geese. You see I have this bad habit of not shutting anything, drawers, cupboards, doors. I was always leaving it open. With a screen door I wouldn't have to worry about it.

 

 I had my heart set on one of the wooden full screen doors. You know the ones with the spring that just slam shut.My Granny had one in her house when I was growing up. The house that her and her father built. My sister and I would always get scolded, not by her, never by her, by our parents every time we visited not to slam the door. It was fitting that our house have one too.

 

Well when I came home from work on Saturday Mr.B had a surprise for me.

 

 

 

And I let it slam every time I open it. 

Front Garden

Earlier this spring we 'deconstructed' our garden off of the porch. We moved the plants to a different flower bed. The rocks that made the boarder were moved to the front yard to create a new garden in the dead patch under the arborvitaes.

 

 

 

 

I wanted to show you what it looks like now that it's full of color.

 

 



First Fruits

Tomatoes are actually a fruit. And we have some!

They aren't ripe yet.

But soon we will have tomatoes coming out of our ears. There will be fresh salsa.

BLTs

and of course canning.

Goosie Cuteness for Your Thursday

Look at how big they are getting.

Check you the big bird feathers.

And the size of their wings.  

 

 

 

 

It's been hot, really hot. Did you know that geese pant in the heat.

Good things the babies have a pool to cool off in.

 

 

They do this funny thing were they are all swimming, splashing around. Then one hops out really quickly. The other three follow quickly on his heals. This all goes down with allot of splashing and carrying on. Mr. B and I refer to this as their 'Chineese Fire-drill'.

 

 

 

And this handsome boy or beautiful little lady is Gimlie. You can tell by the white patch on his belly. He also has a darker neck then all the other geese. Since all the babies are getting their big bird feathers you can tell the babies apart by the shape of the white patch on their bellies. Unfortunately only Gim wanted to pose for a photo this evening.

 

Moth

When I was picking berries on Sunday this guy was resting on the shed. If you know what kind of moth it is let me know, I'd be interested to hear.

The first photograph doesn't show the massiveness of this guy. Lets do a size comparison.

That's a big moth.

Oh My, Pie

Can you believe it, it's the middle of July already. Were has the summer gone. I still have a long list of honey-do projects. And my Pinterest list continues to grow. 

 

Now that its July our garden seams to have sprung up over night, along with the weeds. I can't keep up with them any more. I'd show you pictures of the vegetable garden, but I'm too ashamed of the weeds that are competing with the tomatoes and carrots. Yikes!

 

July also means that the bugs are out in full force. The mosquitoes are especially fierce this year. Let's not talk about the flies.I have the bites and the scabbies on my legs to prove it. I can't help it, they itch. And I must itch until they bleed, them I must pick the scabbies. I know it's horrible and I'm working on it.

 

This weekend I braved the flies and the skeeters and picked some raspberries. They are just starting. By next weekend we shall have a plethora of berries. But this past weekend I picked enough to make something. Can you guess. Really the title of the post gives it away. That's right a pie.

 

A scrum-didilie-umptus pie.

 

 

 

I think I'm going to cut myself a piece right now. And wouldn't you know, we have vanilla ice cream to go on top.



A Weekend of Firsts

This weekend we gave the babies their first taste of watermelon.

 

 

 

 

 We wanted them to enjoy a tasty treat this hot July weekend. They attacked it like piranhas.

 

 

 

 

 

Gus Gus also is a watermelon fiend. But he waited oh so patiently for the babies to be done.

 

 

 

Then he finished it off.

 

 

 

After digging into the melon the babies were just a tad on the sticky side. They needed a bath, so we brought out the kiddie pool and gave them their first "swim".

 

 

 

We had to put some steps next to it and in it, right now their little leggies are too small to let them climb in and out. It didn't take them long to figure it out.