Hiding the clutter . . . . .

Do your bookcases tend to look cluttered after a while?  You don't notice it until one day when you start to decorate for the holidays, it hits you. Where did all this stuff come from?

You know the stuff I mean . . . . .  boxes of pictures that you will put in a scrapbook someday, your kids yearbooks from every year of school from 6th grade on that they want you to "hold" for them, DVD's, all the electronics Hubby HAS to have to watch the weather channel (just kidding - I meant football or the Bourne Identity in HD). Here is the bookcase on the left side of the living room.

This picture was taken back in June.  The shelf at the top of the spinning wheel is stationary.  All the others are adjustable.  See all that mess below that shelf?  Now you see it . . . . .

Now you don't!

I've had this for literally years waiting for the right project. I tea-dyed it first and hung them with tension rods.  I didn't quite have enough fabric for these three units and the three units on the right side.  I will fix them somehow by either adding some "antiqued" lace or some fabric that is really close.  I don't want a big in-your-face contrasting fabric.  The right thing will show up eventually.

But doesn't it look better already?  It made it look so much cleaner when I walked in the room this morning.

One of the best things?  The remotes work on the electronics THRU the curtains!  No having to move them to use the remotes.  Because I am pretty sure that I would have been the only one putting the curtains back where they belonged if you know what I mean!

Blessings, Cathi

Two years later . . . . .

I posted about this little cross-stitch two years ago in this post, explaining how the name Arline Clause came to be on it.

And I talked about how I was going to finish it.  It only took me two years!  I finished it this week and hung it on the wall of the newly remodeled guest bathroom along with a few other goodies.

I can't show the whole wall yet as there are a few things that are left undone.  You can see the corner of the mini quilt I finished last week that I posted about over on my quilt blog. 

I really like how this wall has turned out so far.  Now to concentrate on fall decorating!


Blessings, Cathi

Two little projects in the done column . . . . .

Did you ever look at a little project and think, "Ooh, that won't take long.  I'll do it tomorrow.".  Only tomorrow never seems to come!

That's what I did with these.  But I did wake up Monday and think that it was time to do them.  So quickly in fact that I didn't take a before picture of the first one.

I found this cute little bread box at the NC State Fairgrounds on the Friday before My Black Monday.  It is in great shape but it was a boring beat-up brown.  The price was right at $10.00!  So a little bit of paint and my favorite Tudor Brown Bri-wax and ta da!

While I was at it, I painted the wall above the countertop in the kitchen.  Remember we had to remove all the cabinets to put in the new flooring last summer.  We put the base cabinets in and made the kitchen functional but then we stopped and went on to other things.  We even had put some of the paint swatches on the kitchen wall last summer.  I'm embarrassed to say, they were still there.  So I painted.  It took an hour!  What was I waiting for?

After painting

Note the coffee pot in the above picture.  Murphy's law struck again.......

After measuring 15 times, I still put the first shelf a 1/2" too low.  So the bread box was moved here and the coffee pot to the right of the window in the picture.  It doesn't look great yet.  I just threw up some things I had laying around the house.  The brackets came from IKEA last January destined for another project that was never done.  The board I picked up at Lowes that morning.  It was a rough cut cedar board....rough cut on one side and smooth on the other.  Only $12.00 for the 8' board and the best thing - they cut it for me!  No trying to kill myself getting into Dear Hubby's shop and finding the right tools which would have taken HOURS.

Anyway, two more little projects off the list.  We may wind up putting upper cabinets on this wall down the road but in the meantime, I have a nice place for seasonal decorations and the paint samples are gone!


Blessings, Cathi

Another big project . . . . .

See that little ticker on the left side column?  Another BIG project that I am working on is ME.  I thought I would put it out there to the world so that all of you can hold me accountable.

No "before" picture of me yet so I will just show you a scale because no post should be without a picture!

I have been on South Beach diet since the end of May.  I had been on it before with some success but this time Dear Hubby is on it with me.  What a difference that makes!  So in 12 weeks, I have lost 21 lbs with 26 more to go!  I feel so much better already!!

The boys and I go for a walk every morning for 45 minutes.  Turns out Hubby and I weren't the only ones that needed to shed a few pounds.

At Reagan's last vet visit in July, Dr. Mike told him he needed to lose about 10 lbs.  We went back for a weigh-in 10 days ago and he had lost 8 lbs. already.

Hope all of our BIG projects continue to become small!


Blessings, Cathi

Happy Birthday to me! . . . . .

Hi!  Nelson here.  Today is my 3rd birthday!  Today is the day that I am, according to most doggie experts, not a puppy anymore.

Mommy was hoping that I would wake up this morning mature and calm.  But that's not gonna happen any time soon!

I have too much playing to do still.

And running.

And aggravating the cat.

And begging for treats to do first.

Being a grown up can wait!


Mommy is having a Christmas Crafting Party today so I thought I would dress up for it.  Maybe they will have food.  I LOVE food.

And I hope Mommy has a birthday cake for me later.  I LOVE birthday cake!

Love, Nelson