Learning lessons

           Well, I have decided that I need to write more often, even if I don't have pictures.

The longer I go without writing the harder it is to write.

lesson 1.

lesson 2- be VERY careful when putting non-food items into the microwave!

                                                     

I had lofty aspirations for this fabric that I had hand drawn roses onto.

I then painted them with Rit dye. 

To set the dye I often microwave the fabric to set the color.

I did not notice I had left a pin in the fabric.

Within 3 seconds I had started a fire in the microwave!

I downloaded these pictures myself, a FIRST!

But unfortunately I had to ask my husband 2 or 3 times what I was doing wrong.

I need to take pictures daily for a week or so and download them for the practice. 

I am a repetition learner!

Third Lesson!

On the kitty cat homefront-

I took pictures of them.  The one of Abby is a little blurry.

Gemma and Abby pretty much avoid each other.

Yoshi is the "stalker kitty"

Gemma is okay if he stays 3 feet away from her, but closer than that and there is hissing.

I am hoping they will continue to get more comfortable with each other. 

They are all very sweet and lovable.

Yoshi

Abby

aka Little Girl

Gemma, my kitty!

New shop items

I had a very productive weekend.  I got the bathroom spruced up and we got pictures taken of my latest creations for my Etsy shop.  I learned how to upload pictures from the camera.(need  A LOT of practice with this).  I got 5 new items listed in my shop!  Getting things accomplished is such a good feeling!!  I am usually too tired on Monday's to do much, but veg  out.  We saw 44 patients today!

                             This is the watercolor shabby chic jacket.

This one is hand painted with cottage roses and polka dots.

Shabby bracelet- ombre dyed in peaches & corals.

Black & white cuff bracelet.  Elegant and whimsical!

This one is so lovely! Made with peachy-pink and white chiffon-

cuff bracelet also.

I love visitors to my etsy shop!

etsy.com/shop/polkadotcherries

(Sorry have not learned how to do a link yet)

Learning to blog is a work in progress for me!!!

Marietta   :-)

Polka Dot Bathroom II

Deciding what to put on the little shelf was the next problem.  I generally wander around the house looking at what I have and what do I want to put together.  The problem now is, I have put a lot of my knick knacks away since the kitties have come to live with us.  Yoshi can get up anywhere and I am afraid of precious things getting broken.

I am not totally happy with what I have put on there, but it will work itself out!  I had framed several years ago, a cover from Victorian Trading Co.  It is in peachy-pink and there is a violinist.  I hung this above the shelf.

I sat these two polka dotted shoes a top a vintage hankie with pink edging. 
I have had a fascination with paper parasols since childhood.
My mom and I love cameos.  These two shoes were given to me by my mother.

This is a little scrabble letter holder with shabby roses.  I got this at a flea market in Michigan.  It is sitting on a knitted doily.

This a a peach colored glass basket, and cherries look good every where, in my opinion.
This is sitting on  a cute varigated pink doily.

Hanging from the 2 little pegs are a treble clef and a crocheted violin.
In honor of my daughter.
And a beautiful applique rose handkerchief.

This is the flower arrangement put together.  I added a black & white photograph of our daughter along with it, that was taken a few years ago.

The picture and shelf have added  just the right touch to the new bathroom!

Polka Dot Bathroom

Yesterday I worked on accessorizing our new bathroom.  It still needs a floor and the ceiling painted, but my husband still has the other bathroom to tile!  I have painted the bathroom a peachy-pink.  It is hard to decide what shade to choose when there are so many to pick from!  And where do they get the names for the paint?  "cozy cottage, pink mimosa, bunny's nose"  I decided on Lady Pink.

I am using black and white as my accent colors.  I found a beautiful shower curtain in white with shabby roses at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

I got a very light pink toilet seat cover and a hand towel with the same shabby flowers at Target.

I have a small wooden shelf that was previosuly in Amanda's bathroom.  I spray painted it black.  I used chalkboard paint, simply because I had it on hand and I wanted flat black.  I polka dotted the shelf with the end of a paintbrush and the Lady Pink wall paint.

I also found these cute checkered rugs in the bargain bins at Target for $2.50 each.
I am going to polka dot them, too!

I painted the inside of the heart, the pink color.  I touched up the "boo-boo's: with a black felt tipped pen.

The sides.

Now, the decision for the trim around the edge.  My first choice is the first one, but there is not enough to go around the edge.  So I am choosing the second one, a cluny type trim.

I hot glued that around the top edge.

We are undecided about the floor treatment for the bathroom.  Randy wants to just paint the concrete.  The paint that we had used to do this in Amanda's bedroom smelled HORRIBLE! for at least one week.  I am intolerant to a lot of smells and I could not sleep in there with that odor!

For now, I am using throw rugs, no problem!

I used the wall paint on these little rugs, too.

Looking lovely as bath mats.


I put together these 4 items to put on top of the linen cupboard.

It is a half size paint pail- found in paint section of Lowe's, I think it was about $3. 2 pink silk hydrangeas and a sheet of dotted tissue paper.

I am really in to hydrangeas right now.  They are one of those things that make me smile inside, just like polka dots!  They come in a variety of colors.  I have purchased most of mine at Michael's.

Finished photos in the next post!

Marietta

A do nothing day

Well, this might be gross to discuss, but had had food poisoning yesterday.  I have never had it before and do NOT want it ever again!  I intended to get up and go to work like nothing had happened, but my body said NO.  When I have the chance to be home, I feel like something must be accomplished.
DID not happen.  I wandered back & forth from the bed to the recliner all day.  I made myself some mashed potatoes, and took a nap with my kitty ( who has been by my side all day, keeping watch over me).  Feeling better, but have a lingering headache.

On the kitty cat homefront- there seems to be less hissing the past couple of days.  Today, they seem to be trying to ignore each others presence.  Which I will take!!  On Monday I went to the health food store and bought Bach Flower remedy for pet stress.  It may be put into their water or on treats.  I am thinking that is making them tolerate each other better, but it could be a coincidence! I had already purchased the pheromones before Yoshi & Abby moved in.  It is a plug in from Petsmart.

This little post has wore me out.

To feeling much better . . .

Marietta

pack rat family

I am so so thankful that I have been off from work for the past 11 days.  It has enabled me to get the house as organized as it can be with all the stuff we have.  I don't think I have mentioned that I come from a "pack rat" family. 

My parents born in the mid 1920's were small children during the depression and lived through a lot of hard times in the 78 years they were married.  My mom told me that when my 3 brothers were little, she often did not know where a nickel would come from for a loaf of bread.  They were taught not to throw anything away because you might need it later and could not afford to buy another.

The difference at their house is this.. .  They live in the country on an acre or so of land.  When they have run out of space they simply add a shed or garage or carport.  Which they have done all 3!
Me, living in the city is unable to do that and my garage is already full.  I am trying to break free of this family pattern, BUT I like SO many things!!  Many, many of the things I have around in my house as decoration are family pieces. 

My grandmother crocheted as well as my mom, so I have a lot of beautiful doilies of all sizes and shapes.  My mother has given me her hankerchief collection, and all the crocheted potholders she had made-they are works of art!  Glass baskets, glass shoes, tea cups, tea pots, antique plates are everywhere here.  No pictures hang in my home.  I prefer all these vintage lovelies!  I am grateful for a husband who has pretty much let me do whatever I want in our home. Our living room is lavender!
I know he would prefer less clutter, but he never tells me to get rid of anything!

Since my craft table was put together I have been able to work on a project. SO excited about my craft room.  Before the pipe/bathroom incident I had got a lot done in there to re-organize everything.  I am finally able to find what I am looking for! 

Hoping to be taught today how to down load pictures myself!

Already a lot of cat hissing this morning!

To a relaxing Sunday-

Marietta

cats, cats and more cats

It has been one week now since Amanda moved back home.  The house is settled for the most part.
(bathrooms still in progress, but usable!!)  BUT-the cats.  I am wondering if we introduced them to soon.  We had read to keep them separated for a couple of weeks, and we had intended to do that.  But, the door to Amanda's room does not stay closed nicely and the first night the cats let themselves out by pulling on the bottom of the door.  So on Sunday when we got up, they were already out.  It has not gone as bad as we had thought it would, but yesterday there was pouncing towards Gemma (my kitty) by Yoshi.  It is unclear if it play (he likes to do this with his sister) or aggression.  He is also hissing at Gemma more.  Abby seems to just be steering clear of the whole matter.  Gemma wants to stay in our bedroom.  It makes me sad.  I know it will take time.  Patience has never been one of my virtues. 

My husband( cat liker-not lover) says he can't believe we have 3 cats in our house.  For the past 4 1/2 years he couldn't believe there was ONE cat.  But, he is adjusting well, he just has less tolerance for the hissing towards Gemma.  I had always thought people who treated their pets like humans, were a little crazy.  We have JOINED the club!!  Just as protective of the kitty as the daughter!

To days of harmonious living among the kitties. . .

Marietta

A table!!

I know that most people would not be excited about a table.  This is not ANY table.  It is a hobby/craft table!  I previously did my crafting at the dining room table.  Leaving my mess out most of the time until the project was done, or had to pick everything up and bring it back out the next time I worked on the project. 

For Mother's Day my husband got me this table at Jo-ann.  It folds, it rolls, it is higher than a normal table.(which is good for me I am taller than average (5"8") and it will be less stress for my back when I stand. I will have a place to cut out patterns!  I had previously used the living room floor.  This usually leads to too much help from the kitty.

Yesterday my husband assembled it for me and by afternoon I was in my sewing room, painting!!
When I got done last night, I could just leave everything where it was and it was waiting for me this morning with no guilt about leaving it all out!

I love it!!  It is going to make my crafting life so much easier!

To happy crafting!

Marietta

Catching up

I have been so thankful to be on vacation this week.  I think I will regain most of my sanity(did I really ever have it all, to begin with?) by the time I go back to work on Monday.  Yesterday I thought if I had to find a place for one more thing in my home I would puke! We really have not tackled Amanda's room.  She has not put anything away since she moved in on Saturday.  But I have offered to help her today and perhaps it will feel more like home when we are done.

We repainted Amanda's bedroom before she moved in.  Her room was orange, now the bathroom is ORANGE.  So orange that it glows out into the family room in the morning.  You think you have left the light on!  Her bedroom is now heirloom red and light gray with navy blue accents.  She has lots of pictures and posters to put up.

The cat situation is better than we thought it would be.  There is some hissing.  No actual fights yet, and hopefully there won't be.  I had never heard my kitty hiss before and it made me sad that it had happened.  I hope they will all keep their sweet personalities and learn to get along or at least co-exist.  Randy (husband) has offered to do the litter boxes daily.  That is a big help!

Sewing room a little more accessible today, so HOPING to get my hobby table put together (that I got for mother's day) and try it out!! 

Happy 4th!

Marietta

P.S.  I will get to picture taking, too! 

Lives blended back together. . .

We have spent the past 3 days moving our daughter back home.  The house was not ready, in the way that I hoped due to all the plumbing and bathroom remodel.  The bathrooms are 3/4 done.  My husband tiled the shower on Thursday and finally on Friday we got to use the shower!! It had been 6 weeks since I had been able to shower in my house. ( I was bathing though, to be sure- we live in Florida!)

There are boxes and bags everywhere that need to find a place in our home.  Our daughter has been living on her own for the past 4 years, and had a large apartment by the University.  ( We only moved her across town)  This is the house she has lived in since she was 3 years old, so it is home, but she is used to her own space and lots of quiet.  NOT that her Dad and I are loud.  But we watch too much TV for her liking, and I am told that in the mornings when I get ready for work, that the "kitty and I make too much noise."  Gemma (kitty) and I have our morning routine! The biggest concern in living together again, is her two kitties.  We have no idea how they will all get along.

We got Gemma 4 1/2 years ago.  We asked my husband at a weak moment, if we could have a cat and he said "we"?  Amanda had always wanted a kitty.  I had tested allergic when she  was about 4 years old, and my husband had never cared for cats.  But he said yes and within a week we had gotten our beautiful calico cat from a local rescue.  When Amanda moved out about 10 mos after we got Gemma I said the kitty was not going.  She agreed the cat was mine and not hers.  AND what a joy she has been to me!  I only seem to be allergic if I am scratched.  My husband is a self proclaimed "cat liker."  (not LOVER) 

About 3 years ago Amanda got her 2 kitties, brother and sister.  They are very sweet, too.  But much more underfoot and in your space.  That will take some getting used to especially for my husband.

Being able to create is my coping mechanism and at the moment no craft supplies are accessible.
Saving grace is I am on vacation this next week and I am hoping within a few days the house will be much more livable.  I am planning another denim jacket, this time painted with cabbage roses.

to successful organization . . . (and no cat fights)

Marietta