2018 January
The Adventure of Going Back to School!
1/31/2018
Jason said it best.... "Mom, when you, Brent and Natalie get together, there's no telling what you're getting into." I think he is right! I was headed home - much to Jeff's happiness - and the kids had some time off, so the three of us went to Charlotte and then to Asheville. I guess we get along so well because when one of us yells "squirrel" we all follow.
I was to stay at Montreat in Black Mountain for a meeting and then continue my journey home to Kentucky while the kids went back to their home in SC.
Of course, nothing goes as planned.
They found a sofa sectional at theWest Elm Outlet in Asheville, NC that had to be picked up the next day and, of course, it only fit in my van.
So instead of hauling the sofa all the way to Kentucky and making the wait two weeks till I could come back, I headed back to Summerville with their sofa and then back to Black Mountain the next day! So much fun!!
Just had to post this picture.... Natalie made this Spicy Seared Tuna Stack by Flora Foodie that was devoured immediately....
I really do believe that cooking can go way beyond just being a tasty meal...
It can also be a great expression of art...
Culinary art is something I don't possess!!
It's always a joy to visit Brent and Natalie, but the main reason I spent January in South Carolina is that I decided it was time to go back to school. I signed up for a three week class at Real Estate School of South Carolina and, I know, I know, one more thing.... but it sounded like fun and I am thinking about renovating houses again. And being where Brent and Natalie can help with a lot of the designing and work will be even more fun!.
Did I think this through? Probably not. Did I think about getting up every morning on a regular basis for classes? Absolutely not!! Did I think about the fact that I'd have to drive, sit in traffic, AND take TESTS! Hmmm.... the good part is that I'm finished with the class and passed the class exam with flying colors! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?!!
When I arrived back at the house after passing the test, this beautiful Begonia and balloon were waiting for me. Now, if I decide to take the state test, I have a whole year to do it in.
Jeff came down for the weekends while I was at the kids place in Summerville. He was able to help out with several of the projects going on, but most of all, it was just good having my sweetheart there with me...
Here he was helping Brent think through the workbench he's building in the garage.
It's always nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of and to run errands when you need another supply.
Of course, no trip to Asheville, North Carolina is complete without a trip to Scroungers Paradise, and this trip was no different. If nothing else, it stimulates the mind and gets the creative juices flowing!
We love the live edge on these wood slabs. The one to the right is going back to Summerville when Jeff and I go next time. It's Ambrosia Maple and will be Natalie and Brent's new dining room table. It's 9'6' long, and now they have to decide how long they want their finished table. Watch for the finished product!
You can't tell me I can't pack.
There's a two piece sectional in the bottom of this van!!
So glad we kept the seats out! I only wish I had a dollar for every time I've packed out the back of this vehicle...!!
I'm finally home and was greeted with snow. So glad for a warm home, a loving husband, and a fun studio to keep me in from the cold! Can't wait to see what projects might come out of the studio this next week!
1 Comment
Mary Angel - WOW....JUST WOW!
Projects, Projects & More Projects!
1/23/2018
Life would be boring without projects!
When the move was made to Summerville during the Florida evacuation, everything Brent, Natalie and Sameeha owned was stuffed into Brent and Natalie's garage. After Sameeha's things were moved to her house there were still LOTS of boxes to go through. The kids have spent a ton of time sorting through their 'stuff' and decided extra storage was needed. So on a nice warm day that just happened to coincide with Brent's time off, they went to town on constructing garage organization.
Lots of measuring, sorting, and giving attention to the details. Conveniently enough, they had lots of tool benches and work tables to stand on as they measured. The upper shelving has turned out to be such a great space saver!
On the other side, the utility cabinets make the garage look so neat and clean, and the deep freeze is ready to be filled!
There's something fishy about this...
So..... I don't like fish. And the fact that I'm allergic to it just supports my dislike of the slimy stuff. I will never forget the first time I went to my future mother-in-law's house and she served fish with the head on. UGH>>>. This girl could not handle that. The next night they served beef tongue... EWWWW!!! My father in law to be said I was going to go home hungry. I agreed!!
An adventurous eater, I am not! The amazing thing was that I still married into the McCarthy family. LOL
So it brought back lots of memories when Brent fixed this pan of fish on his new Kamado Joe Grill. they said it was delicious and I'm happy for them. My Cornish hen cooked the same way was delicious too.
DIY Chic & Sleek Headboard!
Natalie and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and decided to create a headboard for the guest bedroom. A few 2x4's, a piece of plywood, and some batting and fabric was all we needed!After we had our measurements and design we created the frame, added the batting and stapled the fabric to the board. The hardest and most time consuming part was putting all the nailheads in a straight line. Bobby Allen would be proud!
Did you know there is a plastic guide that can be used to create straight lines with nail heads?
It's called Flexible Upholstery Nail Strip, available online at Van Dyke's Restorers, and it sure makes the project easy. Just pull out what is in-between and Voila!! - looks like a million dollar headboard. Ok, maybe not that much, but much better looking than anything I have seen in the stores!
Projects and time here with the kids is winding down. I have finished a total of 24 curtain panels, with a few still waiting to be hung. There are also a few more pillows to make and a fun shopping trip to share with you in next week's blog. After that, I'll be heading home and back into the studio. I'm missing my creative time with my art buddies!!!
1 Comment
Jayn Lando - I love projects!
Tropical Detour...
1/17/2018
I just love it when a plan comes together! I like it even better when a wedding is planned and ends up being just what the bride envisioned. Jeff and I were excited to go to one of our favorite places last weekend to attend a wedding. The daughter of our friends Beth and Bruce, Mary Evelyn, was getting married in beautiful Savannah, Georgia, and despite the COLD cold unexpected January weather, it was a great time for all. A few extra outdoor heaters, a few last minute changes of decorating plans from outdoors to indoors, and lots of people with lots of energy made setting up easy and fun.
These beautiful bouquets were arranged by our friend Gina, and her mom, Linda, with the help of her husband, Andrew. Each gorgeous arrangement was a one-of-a-kind and very free-form, along with the table centerpieces which had old burlap coffee bags and random empty bottles sporting single flower stems.
The bride chose tropical flowers of Red, Burgundy, Pink and White Anthurium, large Red Heliconia - so dramatic!, sprays of White Dendrobium Orchid, and Pincushion Protea mixed in with White Calla Lilies, Blush Ranunculus florets, and Lime Spoon Chrysanthemum. I think I got most of the names right. lol!! And the greenery she chose of Citrus leaves, variegated Ti leaves and Eucalyptus leaves was just as beautiful as the flowers!
The wedding was held at The Wyld Dock Bar in Savannah and the ceremony took place outside on the patio. It is located on a marsh and was fun to watch the difference in water levels from morning till evening as the tide rose... The dock allowed for some beautiful settings for pictures of the wedding party.
The bride was beautiful in a dress that she designed and executed. Such talent!! The flower girl dresses were also custom made and they looked so cute on them. What a great weekend away with good friends.
The beautiful flowers and random bottle choices created a great eclectic and tropical feel for the tables! I loved it!! The party favors were old postcard books and Lone Star Beer bottle cap magnets with Rebus puzzles on the inside that just completed the table centerpieces.
This is one of several fun projects at the house this week. Natalie and Brent revamped an IKEAplant stand that they had in their Florida house. They replaced the metal pole with a natural wooden pole from Home Depot which gave it a fresh new look. Natalie then made these great pot covers to give the corner an added punch. Notice that they're still using succulents from the wedding in their home décor.
If you have a design issue, sometimes you can figure out how to make it usable and fix it.
The refrigerator that came with the new house really was too small for the space, which made it look kind of like it hadn't grown up yet... so Brent and Natalie, who love to spend time cooking in the kitchen, decided to take that 5"-6" space and build a spice rack! So ingenious, if I do say so myself! And of course, I'm not biased one bit!
Brent created a basic frame, added a back, strung wire cable across the front of the shelves to hold in the spices in place, and used drawer slides to make it pull in and out from the wall.
1/31/2018
Jason said it best.... "Mom, when you, Brent and Natalie get together, there's no telling what you're getting into." I think he is right! I was headed home - much to Jeff's happiness - and the kids had some time off, so the three of us went to Charlotte and then to Asheville. I guess we get along so well because when one of us yells "squirrel" we all follow.
Of course, nothing goes as planned.
They found a sofa sectional at theWest Elm Outlet in Asheville, NC that had to be picked up the next day and, of course, it only fit in my van.
So instead of hauling the sofa all the way to Kentucky and making the wait two weeks till I could come back, I headed back to Summerville with their sofa and then back to Black Mountain the next day! So much fun!!
I really do believe that cooking can go way beyond just being a tasty meal...
It can also be a great expression of art...
Culinary art is something I don't possess!!
Did I think this through? Probably not. Did I think about getting up every morning on a regular basis for classes? Absolutely not!! Did I think about the fact that I'd have to drive, sit in traffic, AND take TESTS! Hmmm.... the good part is that I'm finished with the class and passed the class exam with flying colors! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?!!
When I arrived back at the house after passing the test, this beautiful Begonia and balloon were waiting for me. Now, if I decide to take the state test, I have a whole year to do it in.
Jeff came down for the weekends while I was at the kids place in Summerville. He was able to help out with several of the projects going on, but most of all, it was just good having my sweetheart there with me...
Here he was helping Brent think through the workbench he's building in the garage.
It's always nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of and to run errands when you need another supply.
Of course, no trip to Asheville, North Carolina is complete without a trip to Scroungers Paradise, and this trip was no different. If nothing else, it stimulates the mind and gets the creative juices flowing!
We love the live edge on these wood slabs. The one to the right is going back to Summerville when Jeff and I go next time. It's Ambrosia Maple and will be Natalie and Brent's new dining room table. It's 9'6' long, and now they have to decide how long they want their finished table. Watch for the finished product!
You can't tell me I can't pack.
There's a two piece sectional in the bottom of this van!!
So glad we kept the seats out! I only wish I had a dollar for every time I've packed out the back of this vehicle...!!
I'm finally home and was greeted with snow. So glad for a warm home, a loving husband, and a fun studio to keep me in from the cold! Can't wait to see what projects might come out of the studio this next week!
1 Comment
Mary Angel - WOW....JUST WOW!
Projects, Projects & More Projects!
1/23/2018
Life would be boring without projects!
When the move was made to Summerville during the Florida evacuation, everything Brent, Natalie and Sameeha owned was stuffed into Brent and Natalie's garage. After Sameeha's things were moved to her house there were still LOTS of boxes to go through. The kids have spent a ton of time sorting through their 'stuff' and decided extra storage was needed. So on a nice warm day that just happened to coincide with Brent's time off, they went to town on constructing garage organization.
Lots of measuring, sorting, and giving attention to the details. Conveniently enough, they had lots of tool benches and work tables to stand on as they measured. The upper shelving has turned out to be such a great space saver!
On the other side, the utility cabinets make the garage look so neat and clean, and the deep freeze is ready to be filled!
There's something fishy about this...
An adventurous eater, I am not! The amazing thing was that I still married into the McCarthy family. LOL
So it brought back lots of memories when Brent fixed this pan of fish on his new Kamado Joe Grill. they said it was delicious and I'm happy for them. My Cornish hen cooked the same way was delicious too.
DIY Chic & Sleek Headboard!
Natalie and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and decided to create a headboard for the guest bedroom. A few 2x4's, a piece of plywood, and some batting and fabric was all we needed!After we had our measurements and design we created the frame, added the batting and stapled the fabric to the board. The hardest and most time consuming part was putting all the nailheads in a straight line. Bobby Allen would be proud!
Did you know there is a plastic guide that can be used to create straight lines with nail heads?
It's called Flexible Upholstery Nail Strip, available online at Van Dyke's Restorers, and it sure makes the project easy. Just pull out what is in-between and Voila!! - looks like a million dollar headboard. Ok, maybe not that much, but much better looking than anything I have seen in the stores!
Projects and time here with the kids is winding down. I have finished a total of 24 curtain panels, with a few still waiting to be hung. There are also a few more pillows to make and a fun shopping trip to share with you in next week's blog. After that, I'll be heading home and back into the studio. I'm missing my creative time with my art buddies!!!
1 Comment
Jayn Lando - I love projects!
Tropical Detour...
1/17/2018
I just love it when a plan comes together! I like it even better when a wedding is planned and ends up being just what the bride envisioned. Jeff and I were excited to go to one of our favorite places last weekend to attend a wedding. The daughter of our friends Beth and Bruce, Mary Evelyn, was getting married in beautiful Savannah, Georgia, and despite the COLD cold unexpected January weather, it was a great time for all. A few extra outdoor heaters, a few last minute changes of decorating plans from outdoors to indoors, and lots of people with lots of energy made setting up easy and fun.
These beautiful bouquets were arranged by our friend Gina, and her mom, Linda, with the help of her husband, Andrew. Each gorgeous arrangement was a one-of-a-kind and very free-form, along with the table centerpieces which had old burlap coffee bags and random empty bottles sporting single flower stems.
The bride chose tropical flowers of Red, Burgundy, Pink and White Anthurium, large Red Heliconia - so dramatic!, sprays of White Dendrobium Orchid, and Pincushion Protea mixed in with White Calla Lilies, Blush Ranunculus florets, and Lime Spoon Chrysanthemum. I think I got most of the names right. lol!! And the greenery she chose of Citrus leaves, variegated Ti leaves and Eucalyptus leaves was just as beautiful as the flowers!
The wedding was held at The Wyld Dock Bar in Savannah and the ceremony took place outside on the patio. It is located on a marsh and was fun to watch the difference in water levels from morning till evening as the tide rose... The dock allowed for some beautiful settings for pictures of the wedding party.
The bride was beautiful in a dress that she designed and executed. Such talent!! The flower girl dresses were also custom made and they looked so cute on them. What a great weekend away with good friends.
The beautiful flowers and random bottle choices created a great eclectic and tropical feel for the tables! I loved it!! The party favors were old postcard books and Lone Star Beer bottle cap magnets with Rebus puzzles on the inside that just completed the table centerpieces.
This is one of several fun projects at the house this week. Natalie and Brent revamped an IKEAplant stand that they had in their Florida house. They replaced the metal pole with a natural wooden pole from Home Depot which gave it a fresh new look. Natalie then made these great pot covers to give the corner an added punch. Notice that they're still using succulents from the wedding in their home décor.
If you have a design issue, sometimes you can figure out how to make it usable and fix it.
The refrigerator that came with the new house really was too small for the space, which made it look kind of like it hadn't grown up yet... so Brent and Natalie, who love to spend time cooking in the kitchen, decided to take that 5"-6" space and build a spice rack! So ingenious, if I do say so myself! And of course, I'm not biased one bit!
The only thing left to do is order a piece of wood veneer to match the cabinets that will be attached to the front so it looks like it was in the original design.Did I say, 'ingenious'?
Next week's projects include a new headboard for the spare bedroom, finishing up some bedroom drapes and pillows for Sameeha's house, garage organization and I'm waiting for 70 more yards of linen to arrive to finish up drapery panels here at the kid's place! Good indoor projects for cold hibernating weather. Best of all.... they're still cooking yummy food for me!!
aa
0 Comments
No Snowmen for Me, Please!
1/5/2018
Because we were heading South, I thought we would be experiencing a little warmer weather than we do in Kentucky. Not so much. This is the view from Brent and Natalie's new house.... ugh... At least it didn't last but a couple of days. We slid around a little after we got here but were able to mostly stay inside and work on projects! Hibernate was the word for the week!
So.. since we were snowed in, Jeff was able to work with Brent as he and Natalie were building their fireplace surround. Check out this ingenious idea on the right.. He has attached his vacuum cleaner to the sander so that he doesn't get dust everywhere. Now why didn't
I think of that on the last five houses Jeff and I remodeled???
The mantle is looking great as they experiment with décor options... And check out the finishing details on the side.
I think this Minwax Paste Finishing Wax is my new favorite way to finish wood.
Such a beautiful feel and not glossy, just a nice rich look. They've done a beautiful job. Not bad for a flat wall!
One of the benefits of visiting the kids is that both Brent and Natalie are wonderful cooks and they truly enjoy being in the kitchen... unlike me.
Check out the Mango Chutney on top of a dish of Grouper. The chutney was delicious.... I passed on the fish.
The scallops looked good and they said they were good but so was my chicken. :)
Allergies so get in the way sometimes!!
Brent has been experimenting with using UMAI Dry Age Bags to dry age meat.
He vacuum seals the meat so it can safely age for two months or so. That seems like a long time to wait for dinner!!
I jumped right into projects and wasn't sitting still the whole time they were in the kitchen cooking. I'm willing to do their chair upholstery anytime if they promise to cook for me. That seems like a fair trade, doesn't it?
Chair upholstery takes only 3/4 of a yard for two chair bottoms so it's an inexpensive update, and so very easy to change a style.
The key to upholstering chair seats is to cut the fabric on the straight of grain and always pull across from each side as you staple, this keeps it even and smooth.
I have been busy at the sewing machine. This 100% light weight linen has made beautiful unlined drapes. We will spray it with ForceField UV SunBlock to keep the sun from rotting them.
I used clear polyester 2" buckram in the top and, since they were puddling on the floor, I used horsehair braid to give them some support to hold their shape. They really do look nice if you can get by our makeshift table and the ironing board. Only 15 more panels to go!
Off to sew as they are cooking in the kitchen again! I am in my happy place!
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Ready for the New Year!
1/2/2018
The tradition continues! Our friends, Roger and Sophie came in for our New Year marathon tradition of lots of food, LOTS of BAD movies, and lots of laughter.
Roger and I finished this year's puzzle in record time with only a few kibitz from Jeff and Sophie, but we had scaled down to only 750 pieces after last years run to get a 1000 piece puzzle done. Next year we're going back up to 1000 pieces.
Be prepared Roger!!
Projects are always a part of our New Years holiday.
Check out the beautiful scarf Sophie made with various fibers and simple stitching lines.
The left picture below is of the yarns laid out on the wash away paper and the picture at the right is after she washed the paper out.
The colors are great and the scarf will go so well with so many color combinations.
I'm anxious to make some more of them... but I said that same thing a month or so ago. I guess it'll stay on my "to do" list for a while longer.
The chefs are in the kitchen! Sophie and I requested Chocolate Pralines for New Years. Now, let me preface this with the fact that Jeff and Roger were Co-Valedictorians of their New Orleans School of Cooking class several years ago. And I can totally vouch for their skills in the kitchen! They make some mean Pralines!
This recipe for chocolate pralines is the best praline recipe I have ever tasted!!
SOOOOO much sugar!
And as they say in New Orleans, "Butter, butter, butter and more butter!"
Oh yes... they let us lick the spoon AND the bowl.
Husbands that can cook are Keepers!!
Snow!!!!..... Jeff and I headed to Summerville, South Carolina on Wednesday for Christmas #2 with Brent and Natalie. We knew they were expecting a little snow but it got deep really fast!
If you can't have a white Christmas in Kentucky you head to SC. Go figure!!
We arrived safe and had no pressing engagements so we're hibernating inside, cooking some more, and enjoying family time. The only thing missing is Jason and Lydia!
Check out the accident at the top of the ramp we were to exit on!!
I can't remember the last time I was in a snow storm that shut EVERYTHING down. Not a soul on the roads in Summerville! No gas stations, no fast food, and no grocery stores. Definitely missing the Florida weather!!
New adventures are coming this month in South Carolina. More details to follow!!
1 Comment
Jo P - Can you share the chocolate praline recipe? Glad you got to SC safe & sound. Enjoy your visit. Hope fully it will warm up.
Next week's projects include a new headboard for the spare bedroom, finishing up some bedroom drapes and pillows for Sameeha's house, garage organization and I'm waiting for 70 more yards of linen to arrive to finish up drapery panels here at the kid's place! Good indoor projects for cold hibernating weather. Best of all.... they're still cooking yummy food for me!!
aa
0 Comments
No Snowmen for Me, Please!
1/5/2018
Because we were heading South, I thought we would be experiencing a little warmer weather than we do in Kentucky. Not so much. This is the view from Brent and Natalie's new house.... ugh... At least it didn't last but a couple of days. We slid around a little after we got here but were able to mostly stay inside and work on projects! Hibernate was the word for the week!
So.. since we were snowed in, Jeff was able to work with Brent as he and Natalie were building their fireplace surround. Check out this ingenious idea on the right.. He has attached his vacuum cleaner to the sander so that he doesn't get dust everywhere. Now why didn't
I think of that on the last five houses Jeff and I remodeled???
The mantle is looking great as they experiment with décor options... And check out the finishing details on the side.
I think this Minwax Paste Finishing Wax is my new favorite way to finish wood.
Such a beautiful feel and not glossy, just a nice rich look. They've done a beautiful job. Not bad for a flat wall!
One of the benefits of visiting the kids is that both Brent and Natalie are wonderful cooks and they truly enjoy being in the kitchen... unlike me.
Check out the Mango Chutney on top of a dish of Grouper. The chutney was delicious.... I passed on the fish.
The scallops looked good and they said they were good but so was my chicken. :)
Allergies so get in the way sometimes!!
Brent has been experimenting with using UMAI Dry Age Bags to dry age meat.
He vacuum seals the meat so it can safely age for two months or so. That seems like a long time to wait for dinner!!
I jumped right into projects and wasn't sitting still the whole time they were in the kitchen cooking. I'm willing to do their chair upholstery anytime if they promise to cook for me. That seems like a fair trade, doesn't it?
Chair upholstery takes only 3/4 of a yard for two chair bottoms so it's an inexpensive update, and so very easy to change a style.
The key to upholstering chair seats is to cut the fabric on the straight of grain and always pull across from each side as you staple, this keeps it even and smooth.
I used clear polyester 2" buckram in the top and, since they were puddling on the floor, I used horsehair braid to give them some support to hold their shape. They really do look nice if you can get by our makeshift table and the ironing board. Only 15 more panels to go!
Off to sew as they are cooking in the kitchen again! I am in my happy place!
0 Comments
Ready for the New Year!
1/2/2018
Roger and I finished this year's puzzle in record time with only a few kibitz from Jeff and Sophie, but we had scaled down to only 750 pieces after last years run to get a 1000 piece puzzle done. Next year we're going back up to 1000 pieces.
Be prepared Roger!!
Check out the beautiful scarf Sophie made with various fibers and simple stitching lines.
The left picture below is of the yarns laid out on the wash away paper and the picture at the right is after she washed the paper out.
The colors are great and the scarf will go so well with so many color combinations.
I'm anxious to make some more of them... but I said that same thing a month or so ago. I guess it'll stay on my "to do" list for a while longer.
The chefs are in the kitchen! Sophie and I requested Chocolate Pralines for New Years. Now, let me preface this with the fact that Jeff and Roger were Co-Valedictorians of their New Orleans School of Cooking class several years ago. And I can totally vouch for their skills in the kitchen! They make some mean Pralines!
This recipe for chocolate pralines is the best praline recipe I have ever tasted!!
SOOOOO much sugar!
And as they say in New Orleans, "Butter, butter, butter and more butter!"
Oh yes... they let us lick the spoon AND the bowl.
Husbands that can cook are Keepers!!
If you can't have a white Christmas in Kentucky you head to SC. Go figure!!
We arrived safe and had no pressing engagements so we're hibernating inside, cooking some more, and enjoying family time. The only thing missing is Jason and Lydia!
Check out the accident at the top of the ramp we were to exit on!!
I can't remember the last time I was in a snow storm that shut EVERYTHING down. Not a soul on the roads in Summerville! No gas stations, no fast food, and no grocery stores. Definitely missing the Florida weather!!
New adventures are coming this month in South Carolina. More details to follow!!
1 Comment
Jo P - Can you share the chocolate praline recipe? Glad you got to SC safe & sound. Enjoy your visit. Hope fully it will warm up.
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