Anything Sweeter?

A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.

-- Anonymous

Is there anything sweeter than babies? I know what your thinking and let me just stop you right in your tracks and assure you this girl isn't anywhere near ready for that 'project'. Give me a couple years. However, I do have friends- and family who are it seems, ready for that new addition to their family.

I am all about the homemade gifts as you all know. I am currently working (or thinking about working) on a quilt for my husbands cousin who is due here in the next few months. It recently came to my attention that another friend is having a baby shower- this weekend. Okay okay, so while I am realistic enough to realize I can't whip up a quilt at the drop of a hat (or bonnet)- However- I am entirely capable of creating a really rockin' personalized baby basket.

I had entirely too much fun making this cute little basket. If anyone is interested in pricing for something like this I would be delighted to create one for you- for any occasion. Heres to a Happy Wednesday! 

Just Around the Corner.

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.  ~Margaret Atwood

It's hard to believe Easter is just around the corner again. I was feeling the Easter spirit today and decided to get my Easter Eggs out of the way and make a Easter Tart while I was at it. After reading this months issue of Martha Stewart, I was entirely excited to try out their decorating techniques for dying easter eggs with electrical tape. Just as I suspected, Martha takes the cake again! 

Afterwards I decided to try my hand at a recipe I found for Double Citrus Tart from Southern Living. If your interested in the recipe you can get your own copy HERE. 

Still in need of some Easter inspiration? Hope this helps get you in the Spring Tide mood. Cheers! 

Phonograph Table.

I don't mind living in a man's world as long as I can be a woman in it. 

-Marilyn Monroe 

I spent most of today working on the phonograph table I found yesterday in the trash. All things considered, it was a really fun project to start the week off with. 

I began by washing the entire thing down with a mild soap and a wet rag. 

After it was dry I removed the warped veneer from the side. I was excited to see that it had nice hardwood underneath so I didn't really have a need to replace it with more veneer. 

On the top and cabinets there was a inlaid design that I wanted to make more prominent. So using a Exact-O I scraped out years worth of grime and old paint. 

Yesterday when I cracked open the interior of the cabinet I discovered the missing pieces to the broken leg and using a wood epoxy glued them yesterday. 

And then everything was set for the new coat of paint!

After the paint dried I installed the new knobs on the cabinet doors. 

Before I knew it, It had moved into its new spot in the dining room.

Happy Monday everyone! 

http://www.deborahjeansdandelionhouse.com/

A Junkers Dream.

“Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.” -Unknown

One Mans Trash, Is another Womans Treasure, at least that applied to me this weekend. 

I found quite a few great finds this weekend at some of the rummage sales we went to. (Some of them will be featured later on in the week in some of the other projects I am working on already!) However I will give you a sneak peak at one piece I paid only $8.00 for... 

Its a Century American Writing Machine Typewriter. I don't know why I have such an affinity for old typewriters, but I couldn't pass this baby up for so cheap. When I got home I did some research and found the average listing for them is $140- although I haven't decided if I am super attached to it or not yet. :)

Some of the more exciting things I stumbled upon was two pieces of antique furniture someone had set out by the curb for the trash! 

This cute little chair was in dire need of refinishing and touch up but still entirely usable. 

But this was the piece that had really caught my eye... 

This is an antique phonograph cabinet! Apart from a good cleaning and new front leg this baby was in good shape!

I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend! 

I was sittin', waitin', wishin'.

"Now I was sitting waiting wishing

That you believed in superstitions

Then maybe you'd see the signs

But Lord knows that this world is cruel

And I ain't the Lord, no I'm just a fool

Learning loving somebody don't make them love you"

-Jack Johnson Lyrics (Sitting,Waiting,Wishing) 

I am finally getting around to planting some shrubs around the front of the house. To be honest I am not planning on spending too much time up there, since most of our time will be spent in the back yard. Its a start right?

I did manage to sit back and enjoy the show today- the nature show that is. I was excited to see that I had six bee's on the feeder today. Earlier in the morning I had picked up a new trash can to start composting, and had pitch forked in some stacks of weeds I had set aside earlier in the week. It was later on today that I stumbled across a blue bird couple that was taking advantage of the bugs I exposed in the process. 

And behind them was the squirrel sitting on the feeder I had created on earlier posts. 

All in all it was a wonderful relaxing Thursday. How was yours? 

A Major Farm.

"I know I chatter on far too much... but if you only knew how many things I want to say and don't. Give me SOME credit." -Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables) 

I promised myself I would get some yard work done this morning before I did any shopping ... er... errand running. (wink wink). Since having moved all of the herbs to the raised beds on the side of the house, the front gardens I had started last season began looking very disheveled. So I decided to do a little weed removal and that left me with a blank canvas. 

... which lead to other ideas. 

Hopefully in a few weeks I will have two wonderful wildflower gardens on either side of my front porch. Wont that be lovely?? I can see it now... 

All of my seedlings are coming along wonderfully as well and I am slowly transitioning them into the 'real' world. 

Even my big pots on our front porch are doing incredibly well for this early in the season. 

And as if all of this beautiful foliage wasn't enough I was entirely enthralled to see that my humming bird / bee feeder was finally getting some attention. 

I can't explain why- but ever since that all inspiring trip to Sharon's little bee farm I have been totally taken away with the little buggers. I totally adore all things - well, bee. C'mon aren't they just the slightest bit cute?

After I got all cleaned up I decided to go to JoAnne's for some fabric. We just found out a few weeks ago that my husband's cousin is having a baby boy, so I thought that I would make her a sweet little baby quilt to match her baby decor (green). 

It just so happened that while I was there I ran into the cutest fabric for ... well I haven't entirely decided what I am making out of it yet- but I needed it. It definitely called to me, and it was on sale so I can't feel entirely guilty over it. The bonus part is the bee fabric in the middle! Gah! I'm in love!  ;)

I did pick up a cute little bird feeder to put out in the yard some where, I noticed a cardinal munching happily on the seed I put out this morning. So I figured while I had the bee's in my yard, why not a few birds too? Have I mentioned I love all things animal? 

Ever since I started this whole veggie raised bed garden thing, I have been itching to do more and more in the yard. One thing leads to another, I'm sure you all understand how these things get started. So the latest installment in this plot is to start my own compost. I figured I would start 'small' and get a trash can that I could mix it all in. Which got me to thinking how wonderful it would be to have a bunny again, to add to the compost. No, not the bunny himself, more so.. his leavings. 

So, Mr. Major and I have been talking, and pricing and planning. While the decision isn't 100% solid, it looks like we might have a new addition to our little family- which is getting rather big isn't it? But, who couldn't love a face like this? 

Maybe we will change the plaque on the house to: The Major Farm. I think I might have something there. :)

Lazy Bones.

The laziest man I ever met put popcorn in his pancakes so they would turn over by themselves. - W.C Fields

I'm thinking about changing my name to it, since I can't manage to put in more then half a days work lately. Ugh. Things are starting to warm up here... mostly in the 80's for the last few days, though this weekend brought a reprieve in the way of rain which was nice. I can feel summer weather quickly approaching and I cant help the automatic groan of disapproval that slips out at the mere thought of 100 degree weather.

In lieu of this... deal breaker, I have been in a mad rush to get as much outdoor things done as possible. Over the weekend Mr. Major and I finally got around to removing the last half of the chain link fence from around our perimeter. So many of our neighbors came out while we were removing it and thanked us. It had been on my top ten list since moving in, and I have to admit- I was pleased to see it go as well.

(With Fence)

(Without fence)

Believe me, its a lot less subtle in person. So now I am left with a big pile of chain link supplies in the yard- hopefully someone on Craigslist is in dire need of these bad boys- because this girl is ready to see them go. 

I am slowly trying to direct some attention toward the other unwelcome inheritances we got when we moved in. I was lucky enough not to have inherited too many unwelcome plant friends since the previous owners didn't seem to believe in the term 'landscaping'. I am almost certain that all of the plants we have on our property have been here for at least 20 years, untouched by people at all. I spent the last few days hacking down our Crepe Myrtle trees (shown in the second photo) so that they can come back in full bloom this year. Last year it was too late in the season to prune them, and they spent so much energy trying to bloom that they missed the season by about 4 months. Hopefully I will have some luck this year with them, they are with out a doubt the prettiest plants I have in my yard. Hopefully they will look something like this...

****(Crosses fingers)**** 

My goal this week is to do a trip to the dump with the remains of these two inherited issues. 

Wish me luck!