Sitting Pretty

The porch has been a kind of catch-all this summer. Some weeks it was so cluttered one could hardly get to the front door! With Winter looming on the horizon and the days getting cooler and cooler and Mom announcing she thought this was the last weekend we could paint outdoors, we decided to spring into action.
Friday afternoon Mandy sanded it down and by that evening we managed to get a coat of primer on. Then Saturday (while Mandy and I worked on the plaster in the bathroom) Mom painted the floor. I love how bright and cheery the color is! (the pictures are a little dark as it is later in the afternoon)

Can't you just picture a couple of wicker chairs loaded with pillows?

The Pug Dog Theory

Do you ever feel like it is your birthday when you return something?

In our house we love to quote the scene from the movie "Life with Father" about the pug dog statue. We know it doesn't really work that way, but every time I return something it feels like a bonus! I have been tidying up things and we are at the point where we can finally return some of the extra supplies hanging around. Now I just have to figure out what to buy with all that money.......

The Quick Easy Way Darner

 A little vintage find from my Sister. The Easy Way Darner attachment can be used for quilting, applique, mending, zippers, buttons, button holes and to darn stockings. Quite an impressive list! I was very curious to try it out. It looks like it is an equivalent to a modern day free form sewing attachment.

From the illustrations it looks like it if from the early 1940s.

 

 Included in the box are a cardboard button hole gauge, a metal ring to hold stockings while darning and the wire attachment (which is on top of the button hole gauge blending in!).

 This is the only way I could figure out to attach it. Unfortunately, I didn't get a copy of the instructions.

As you can see the test run did not work very well. Every time the needle went down the wire hook popped off the needle knob and didn't keep pressure on the fabric. I was so sad.......

Then I had a brain storm! The sewing machine I was trying it on was a 1970's Kenmore. Maybe it would work better on an older Singer, one of the cast iron versions. I also recalled there being a little different arrangement of the needle knob and an extra clip on the main shaft. As soon as things settle down around here I will have to give it a try on my old treadle machine!

 

What do you think of this interesting 1940's invention? Ever seen one?

Signs of Fall

I love watching the seasons change, don't you? It doesn't look very fall-ish yet, just a few hints here and there that fall is indeed on its way.

 "Autumn Joy" Sedum (Beautiful color!)............

 Busy bees........

 Acorns dropping......

 A crab apple tree bursting with red fruit.........

 Cheerful orange Marigolds.......

 

 Crunching acorns underfoot......

 

 Kerri enjoying the cool break in the weather.

 

A hint of yellow on the trees.......

Progress Photos of the Bathroom and Kitchen

Here they are! What we have all been waiting for, Progress!
The kitchen grew once we had the cabinets back in! There of course is still a few things to do; counter tops, sink, tiling and trim. Do you see those yellow wires hanging out of the walls? That is the new electrical! Just a few outlets wired in and we are good to go.

 And here is the bathroom with WALLS!!

 It is such a strong green, it makes the bathroom look small! The white round pipe in the floor is where the toilet is going and the pipes sticking out of the wall is for the sink.

 I love how the view from the hallway is the window. Though once all the fixtures are in it won't so uncluttered. (Bathtub to the left.)

A new coat of plaster! In keeping with the style of the house I am skim coating all the bathroom walls with wet plaster. (I started in the closet for practice.) So nice to have the walls back to white! I have about half the walls done with the first coat!

I'm Dreaming.......

I think I am dreaming.............. I can't believe it is true..............

My brother showed up at my house Tuesday morning with his crew and they are going to town!! It is a good thing I took this picture of the bathroom two weeks ago, it certainly doesn't look like that anymore. There are walls!!   I will have a lot to update you on as soon as I have pictures!

Can you tell I am excited?