Currently

Loving our new dining room table. Generously given to us, along with 6 chairs, by a co-worker and good friend. 

Craving another strawberry daiquiri to sip by the lake. 

Itching to get started on this little project. 

Reminiscing about simpler days and missing a dear friend. 

Loving the little guy more and more each day.

Working on some scrapbooking. Actually just ordering cool tools online that I don't really need.

Watching these two play. I swear, although both are showing teeth, they do like each other. 

Wishing you a good weekend. I hope you enjoy the nice weather.

Lauren

Stick Fence

Our yard has quite a slope to it with one flat spot in the middle. The flat spot is created by the leach field (eww) then it slopes down some more. Since I don't feel like mowing the grass on a slope, and since the grass doesn't want to grow on the slope, I've been trying to grow some wildflowers and other plants (weeds) that will spread out and inhabit the sloping land. The problem is that our two crazy dogs like to run around and chase each other through the whole yard, sloping gardened area included.  My plants were suffering, even more so than they would have been with just me as a caretaker. 

So this weekend Charlie and I cut down some saplings and built a nearly free fence. I originally wanted to weave the sticks together but that would have taken way too long so I screwed them together. I don't recommend screwing saplings together. It wasn't the exact vision I had but it'll do.

 Look! Some of the wildflowers are even growing! These are from a little paper heart that Charlie's cousin gave as wedding favors. (I may have taken all of the hearts at our table).

 The only problem with the fence is that Blaze thinks it is his own personal stick emporium and tries to take sticks off of the fence. Since it is built by me it is not very sturdy and he has succeeded several times at getting sticks free and then playing with them.

 We'll see how long it lasts. There is another area in the yard that needs some dog protection so I can plant some flowers and herbs. I might have to think of another solution. Ideas are welcome.

Lauren

Sewing Room Tour: Lauren Land

The sewing room is far from done, but it's getting closer so I wanted to show you the progress. Here are three pictures of the same corner from the day we bought the house, to moving everything in, to now. 

 The painting took a few days. I painted the boards three times, twice with BIN and once with the regular paint I bought. The walls got three coats as well, just because the blue was so bright compared to the white. Charlie helped me and we are both not very liberal with the paint so it took a few coats.

I went with white because I figured the room would have a lot of colorful things in it so white it was. When I finished painting and there was nothing in the room it felt pretty sterile and I thought I made a wrong call. Once we added the art and put things back in the room I liked it again.

The elephant artwork is from an artist I like, Mati Rose. Her shop is so cool. I have to tell myself not to buy something every time I look at it. Otherwise we'd be living in an art-filled cardboard box.

 At some point I want to get a built in desk that curves around this little corner so I can fit multiple sewing machines on the desk. That would be pure bliss in my eyes.

This area is a bit up in the air as well. We got a new dining room table so I moved this one downstairs. I think it can be a cutting table for cutting out patterns. I do love my purse collection hung on the wall.

My step-moms sister gave us this book shelf. I started painting it then realized I was sick of painting so I stopped. Looks great huh? I will get back to it at some point, I was just over painting that day. I tried to convince Charlie that it looked fine the way it was and the fabric stacks hid the paint. He did not buy it. It's shabby chic? Nawt!

That window needs serious help. I tried to paint the trim that was around it, but then it all fell off the wall, so janky window it is, for now. I also tried to nail something into this wall and it felt like I was banging on jello...not sure what that means. Hense the paintings sitting on the trim boards, not on the wall.

Here is my new sewing room artwork. I love it! Aside from the window the floor needs some serious help as well. It's a gross old laminate that is pealing up. Since I knew we'd replace it at some point I didn't even put down a drop cloth and spilled paint all over it.

My stuffed animals are very happy to not be stuffed in the closet anymore, and my fabric is happy to not be stuffed in a drawer. Although a great deal of my collection did not fit on the shelf and is in the closet.


I have one big empty space left on the wall that I have a grand idea for, hopefully it works out. Now on to some sewing projects!

Lauren

Sewing Room Art

Charlie's grandmother passed away a little over a year ago. Last summer we went to her house on Martha's Vineyard for a burial service. While we were there Charlie's aunt told me to take any books that interested me. There was one that I really wanted so I was pleased she told me to take it.

I love the cover, as well as the topic. The "setting up your sewing area" section of the book is quite funny. It was published in 1972. A friend said the cover had a very "yellow submarine" vibe.

I asked my then neighbor to photograph the cover for me to make a piece of art for my sewing room. Then I asked my computer savvy friend to edit the image. This is what he sent me.

Last week I got the image printed at a print shop in Plymouth. It took a few tries to get everything right and it only cost $1.50! I thought the lady made a mistake when she told me the price.

Then this weekend I asked my brother to make me a frame. He zipped around the wood shop so quickly putting a frame together. We filmed some of it until my camera had too many images to take anymore video. I was thinking about making another video like this one, but then I decided that if he went viral and I didn't I'd be so jealous.

Once we got home I framed the picture and hung it up in the sewing room. I really really like it. I might paint the frame to offset the colors in the image. Maybe a cobalt blue color? Thoughts?

I love it!  I'll show you the whole room soon.


Lauren

Blaze

This is Blaze. The newest member of our family. His arrival was quite sudden, but we love him and he's a great addition to the pack. Charlie has been waiting another dog since before we moved, we've looked online a bunch of times but never felt strongly about any of the available dogs. Last Wednesday I saw his picture online and thought he looked really cute. His write up said that he was friendly, playful, and would make a good second dog for a home. We e-mailed the people at the rescue agency to ask about meeting him. Within a half hour we got an e-mail back saying if we filled out the adoption form we could meet him over the weekend. After a phone interview, we got the go ahead and were scheduled to meet "Ted Baxter" on Saturday. The people from the agency even drove him to our house and dropped him off. He came at 6 pm on Saturday. He did not respond to Ted or Baxter, and we had agreed that if he didn't answer to those names we would call him Blaze. So as soon as the people left we started calling him Blaze. Penny and Blaze spent some time getting to know each other, we went for a walk, played fetch and went to bed. Sunday morning we woke up, Blaze was being crazy, dragging us on walks, chewing the side of the couch. I had a mini crisis/breakdown feeling like I ruined Penny's life, was on the path to having a new to us yet destroyed house, couldn't love another dog as much as I love Penny, and jumped into this too quickly. I cried and told Charlie how much I liked my life before Blaze came and felt like we were starting over. Blaze put his tiny head on my leg and looked at me with sad puppy eyes. Then I decided to accept that Blaze is here to stay, realize that he needed a good happy home, and we can provide that for him, and accepted that quilts, socks, shoes and bathmats need to be hidden for a while.

Penny is the classic big sister; ignoring Blaze and playing with him on her terms, stealing his toys, beating him up. They do get along quite well though.

Blaze is the typical younger brother; biting Penny's legs and neck, trying to be close to her at all times, following her everywhere. 

 He is a fast learner, he learned to sit in one day. Now, if I could teach him not to steal socks or shoes. The website said he was 2, but I think he's closer to 1 and acts a lot like a puppy. Good thing Penny runs him ragged so he's pooped most of the time. Except at 5 am, which is when he thinks it's time to wake up and play.

The best part is he stays in the yard and can walk/run off leash. He is so cute and friendly and loving.

We do love him.

Lauren

Weekend: The Tale of The Half Done Projects

This weekend we did a lot. But then we realized we either didn't have enough time to do, or didn't know what to do next. The first half done projects was the back side of the garage. There was not gutter so rain just fell off the roof, hit the wood and rotted it. One of the doors was also rotten. 

 Halfway through the demolition we started seeing a lot of ants and more rotten wood. We have no idea how to get the rotten plywood down, or get the ants to go away. Charlie worked very hard and rebuilt the rotten door, hung it up and painted it once. Now we have to wait until the pest people come to kill all the ants, and wait for my Dad to come visit and tell us what to do once the ants are dead. Half done project number one.

The second project was my sewing room. This is a sewing blog but I haven't sewed since we moved, party because I am doing other projects, but also because I am not inspired whatsoever in the sewing room. We set out to change that.

We used BIN, it was recommended by a blog reader, ohhh I'm so popular. That stuff smells so yucky. We did one coat and then were driven out of the basement by the noxious smell. I did another coat yesterday, I couldn't tell if the bad smell was my breath or the paint. I'm hoping it was the paint. 

We did get some smaller projects done. Found some pretty plants for a pot, got the compost bin set up, and bought a lawnmower. Charlie didn't even cut off a toe. Things are starting to look good around here. 

And our most important project of the weekend was.....getting this new guy. Eee!

More on him tomorrow! (Talk about a teaser.)

 Lauren

Fabric Nests!!! With Eggs!

I'm totally obsessed with this nest. Not only is it made with my fabric scraps, it also has three beautiful little robin eggs in it. Also, the fabric the robin picked to use in the nest are color coordinated with the flowers in the tree and the color of the eggs. I should ask the little robin to decorate my house. I am 100% obsessed but am doing my best to stay away from the nest so the momma bird can do her thing. I can't wait to hear chirping! 

Happy Monday!

Lauren

Cooking...I Still Stink At That

In case you thought I was a domestic diva, here is my proof that I am not. The other night Charlie was returning from a 3 day camping trip so I decided to cook him dinner (I was also too afraid to go downstairs by myself so I couldn't sew). All we had were veggies burgers though. The night before I had made banana bread which made me feel like I was on a roll in terms of owning a house and being "domestic". Some of the batter spilled over into the over. I put the veggie burgers in the oven not even thinking about the spilled batter. A few minutes later the smoke detector was going off. I tried to turn off the alarm but couldn't figure out how. Instead I opened the window which cased a box of tacks to spill into the sink. Why we keep tacks next to the sink is a mystery to me. 

The smoke detector stopped going off just as I stabbed myself for the 15th time trying to take tacks out of the sink. Then! Moments later it started going off again as smoke poured out of the toaster where I was toasting the buns for the veggie burgers.

 Penny had had enough of the noise and smoke and high tailed it outside to hang out in the driveway for 45 minutes.

And Charlie came home just in time for a burned dinner.

Lauren

Currently

Currently I am...

Loving finding new flowers and plants growing. It's so fun to find new things growing and blooming that you had no idea were there. 

Smelling the lilacs. One of my most favorite flowers. 

 Facetiming with my friends cute dog. Not really, but kind of. Can't wait to meet Annie in real life.

Hoping my family will come again soon.

Amazed by what a difference a week and a half makes. 

 Attempting to sort though all of the tools and gifts were were given this past weekend.

Nurturing my little seedling(s).

Admiring my new plant. It's an "Ornamental Onion" or Allium, I've been told. All I know is it's purple and I like it. 

Wishing you a happy weekend!

Lauren