Ryane's Home

 

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at our daughter Ryane's home.  She asked her dad to help her install a chandelier she designed herself in her dining room.

 

 

She and her husband bought their first home in March.  Then they had their first child in May. 

 

Now just this morning I heard on the Today show that today's home buyers are the millennial generation and they want to move into their new home and start living.  The last thing they want to buy is a "project" home.

 

Well, in no way did our kids buy a "project" home.  But our daughter cannot live in a home without turning it into her own piece of art.  

 

As I sat there watching them work I started looking around at all the changes they've made to their new home.  I asked her if I could take some photos and asked if I could share some of the creative changes she has made, with the help of her trusting husband and handyman father.

 

Keep in mind, nothing is staged in these photos and they are completely spur of the moment.

 

At six months pregnant and teaching full time high school art, the first week they moved in they painted all the rooms, and then remodeled the kitchen.....

 

 

They replaced the cupboards on one wall with open shelving, bulldozed the old tile and replaced it with marble subway tile, and her dad cut her a butcher block counter top to replace the old counter.

 


Next was the stairway up to the attic master bedroom......
 
 

She stripped and varnished the steps, added mirror tiles, and stenciled the wall. 

Here is some of her art she found time to make and add to her home......

some porcelain ceramic pieces she made.....

and a baby gym for the coming baby boy......

 

 

 

The master closet was turned into a nursery....

 

side note, I made the crib quilt and knitted the man in the moon in the window.

 

 

Her most recent project; these awesome shelves.....

 

 

she completed with a lot of help from her dad, the awesome handyman and spectacular grandpa,

my husband Paul.

 

So now, you might be asking how that chandelier turned out.  Well......

 

gorgeous of course!

Fredericksburg Texas

Whenever I visit my mom in San Antonio, Fredericksburg Texas has always been one of my favorite places to go. Sure, this little town is packed with amazing shops up and down Main Street, with everything you could possibly want to decorate your home, yourself, and your dinner table in that unique Texas style.  Not to mention all the peach orchards surrounding this cute Texas town where you can buy or pick them yourself.   

But for me, the number one reason for visiting Fredericksburg is to see what interior designer, Carol Hicks Bolton has been up to.  I’ve followed her from her former Homestead shops on Main, to now her new warehouse a few blocks off Main on Lincoln Street.  What a treat!  She travels the world to find the most awesome antiques and ships them to tiny Fredericksburg!  And they are so friendly, asking where you're from and allowing all the photos you want to take.  So……

You can read more about Carol Hicks Bolton and see more of her work on the blog Fiona and Twig and get ready to be inspired!

Spare time projects

 

Thought I would share some recent projects.....

I finished my first pair of socks, learning to turn a heel....

 

 

Just finished cherry season.  Picked 4 buckets, dried 2 buckets, made 14 jars of jam with the rest.

 

 

And finally, a sneak peak of the sweater I started.  Working on the back......

 

 

Not by my choice, my free time became full time last Thursday.  At least I have things I love to do. :)

 

 





Birthday Book for Braxton!

Many exciting things happening around here!  Our fifth grandchild, Quinn was born on Monday, which just happened to be our 35th wedding anniversary.  What a way to celebrate!  And, she was born just 3 days after big brother's second birthday.  

Some of you know all the grandchildren get a book for their 1st and 2nd birthdays.  I wanted to share Braxton's book.

Four of the pages I owe design credits to and I've linked those photos to the wonderfully talented people I found through Pinterest!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/100551151/comic-book-characters-felt-finger?ref=sr_gallery_43&ga_search_query=felt+finger+puppet&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZA&ga_explicit_scope=1&ga_page=4&ga_search_type=handmade

http://www.imagineourlife.com/2011/09/05/astronaut-quiet-book-page/

http://www.imagineourlife.com/2012/01/09/treasure-quiet-book-page/

http://craitlyn.blogspot.com/2010/08/charlies-felt-name-book.html

Baby Presents Part 3

Our fifth grandchild is due in two weeks.  I just finished her presents....

 

 

 

Her big brother is in for a rude awakening.  Poor baby. :)

 



Baby presents part 2

My second wood project, a baby spoon for baby Jools.....

Baby Presents, Part 1

Our fourth grandchild is due in a week.  Much knitting and quilting has been happening.......

 

 

 

 

 

Our fifth grandchild is due in 5 weeks.....so onward I knit and quilt.  More to come......