Posted in Paint Projects

She Likes Yellow

The Big Sister of the brothers with the cabin bedroom, needed a paint job also. She likes yellow. And stripes. My first thought was this would be the EASY job, especially after the fireplace rocks and wood effect of the logs. I was WRONG! IMG_3316  No taping was really involved with the boys room!! I hate taping. I now know I hate taping vertical measures stripes worstiser. I also found out that stripes are a bit like wallpaper, the measuring and layout need to be planned.  Hopefully no one will measure the width of the last stripe. After the stripes we added a tree silhouette . My granddaughter has another bedspread with black and white swirls that really makes this look great!   IMG_3321   A few months later we added the stage and curtains, for a birthday gift. This has worked as a stage for performances. Also a runway for clothes designs. A great place to stack clutter of course.  Recently we talked about adding some wall shelves and pillows for a reading corner.  IMG_4130

Posted in Paint Projects

Cabin Room

The mother of my Grandsons, the brothers, had a great idea for decorating their room.

She wants it to look like the inside of a log cabin.  She drew out the look of the fireplace she wanted IMG_3302and then asked ,ever so politely ,if I would do it for the boys.

Of course I could not refuse

She painted one wall moss green!IMG_3289

Then part of the opposite wall the same. IMG_3291 (the dresser with the speed limit sign has been replaced, it was a Nonnie project when the theme was cars)

And I added the fireplace. IMG_3303

I know it is weird to paint the log holder first… But it gives me perspective- Besides how would the logs stay in if there were no log holder. Then the moosehead, and I lit the fire, of courseIMG_3308

Then I started the log wall. IMG_3292

Brown, then more brown, then lines and knot holesIMG_3298

The job took me a couple of days. All were happy with it. I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out! I usually am.   IMG_5272  The stockings go up each Christmas . We are still thinking of hanging a real mantel someday.

There was one problem. I forgot the window I was commissioned to paint. I did not even realize it for a few weeks. My daughter in law was too kind to mention it.  So over a year later I finally painted the windowIMG_5270  I do like the window! From a distance the bear does not look like a hairy pig, like it does close up.

We are still in search of a faux bear skin rug for the room. Any one know where to get one?

Posted in Paint Projects

From Boring to NOT with a bit of Color

One room in my home is called the ‘Nonnie Room”. The purpose for this room is ME and my grandkids.
The kids toys, dress ups, books and such are located in the suitcases and in an unpictured cedar chest and dresser. The room WAS cute enough but it just did not reflect NONNIE much.  So I put ME into it.First I painted the walls.  I originally wanted PURPLE and then talked myself down to a glazed purple. I am not happy with it. 😦 But after glazing it all, ceiling included, I thought I would learn to love it.  I have not. It takes on different colors through out the day. Purple, to fushia, to pink to red. I think I will go back and do a couple of the walls purple someday.  I bought the paint.

The reason for just a couple of walls going purple isMy giant poppies.  I don’t know why, but I wanted poppies. Big uns.

Ashton, one of my daughter in laws, reworked a room and allowed me to purchase my favorite couch of all time from her, at a GREAT price. Which really is the need for RED poppies and the purple walls in the first place!

The buffet/entertainment center/toybox used to be dresser got dressed up. I could not find any knobs I liked, so I tied on giant buttons instead. (something is under the ‘toybox’ I must go look after I post)

More toy storage needed some work:Mom’s tapestry rocker felt just right but did not look like Nonnie. I fixed that though.I It is still needing something- I will be inspired someday.  I revamped the cedar chest with a new top , replace rug with the perfect find fromTuesday morning, a purchase of a coveted chair from a friend, and some curtains from Amazon, move a grandfather clock, win a giant frog, buy giant flowers from Hobby Lobby, and…..

Voila!

The Nonnie Room.

Posted in Traveling

GF in the Air with BA

We ordered Gluten Free Meals on our flights to and from the States, by checking a box on their web site. It worked.  We ordered Gluten Free on our last trip abroad, with Continental. It worked too.  On BA, the meals served from Houston to London were about the same as the meals received on Continental, rice cakes for our ‘bread’ ,and subbed grapefruit in for dessert. Once we were flying with  with a European Crew and European supplies. we received gluten free bread and fruit with a sauce. One the trip from Zambia to London they lost one of us, so there was only had 1 bread roll for the 2 of us at brunch, which actually worked fine, I had the top skinny and Keith had the bottom FAT and most of the butter.  The main dish seems to always be the chicken with rice.  ALWAYS.  I glance at the other flyers meals and they look gluten free also, somthing beef stewish and steamed fish on rice, I wonder on the ingredients,. Maybe, just maybe they  contain soy sauce, or wheat as a thickener in the gravy?   I think, that they too may be gluten free, they just have not been labeled so.  I am thinking my next change the world mission will be to add to or include gluten free meals into the mainstream of flight cuisine.

The ‘snack’ meal was the same on all flights, egg salad sandwich, with a lot of fresh dill and no  mayonaisse on the bread.  The bread was a great looking white bread, but like most GF bread it really needed the extra moisture of some sauce.  The othe flyers received a ham or turkey and cheese crossiant, again we could have had the guts, if they only would think outside of the pre-packaged airline box.

Posted in Traveling

Traveling Gluten Free

Keith and I are starting a mission into a vacation trek into other parts of the world.  We will be in Zambia South Africa for a time and then we are stopping over in France for a bit!

We will fly Continental with no meals to catch British Airways in big Hub and have Gluten Free meals, 6 over and 6 back.   We will see how British does!!!

The Zambia stay will probably not have much issue with GF eating, unless they try to Americanize for us and add pasta.  France I am totally clueless about, I think I may be wanting of pastries and such. Aren’t the French suppose to be pastry people?  It is an adventure and I will take you along!!

Check in and see what we eat!! I can not promise the posting will be real consistent, seeing we do not know when we will have wi fi- But I know we will once we reach Paris- So for sure in about 10 days I can tell you about Zambia, if not sooner!!

Tune in!

Posted in Paint Projects

Painting Project, not my house

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Recently I was hired, given the opportunity, to paint the rooms of a friends daughters rooms.  I had painted their rooms in their previous house.  And with their next move, I was asked to do again.  What an honor!

This is Sammies room.  We still are hoping for a real honest to goodness swing to hand from the tree.

Sammie at first was a bit disappointed because I did not put a pig in the room.  She told me just a few days ago though that she loves the room.  Maybe I am forgiven.

They have some posters they will be framing and putting up.  You can not tell from the pictures but the base paint is AWESOME!  When talking about it I suggested a greyish back ground, instead they found SILVER shiny SILVER, it is soooo cool!

Loved loved loved doing this.  I would go in in AM and work till the late evening. The family had not moved in yet, the best way to take over someone’s home.

Keith was not the most patient husband for the 40 hrs it took me to do this.  It was not 40 straight, I had a couple of days and weekends that I did not paint, so he ‘got ‘ me then.

It was 40 hours, but the time seemed to fly.  I wish it was faster, for them and me though.  Words take time and the tree leaves, and the rope and the music…. Well I guess it all does.

I have a few projects to do here at the house… I just can not get to them!  I am here everyday, yet instead I do ???? and don’t get to them.  Maybe if I left the house all to me like they did I could get it done. 😉