Finally Found the Perfect Lampshade

I rewired a lamp for downstairs this morning shown below. It was originally for a clip-on shade and I found the perfect lampshade for it in the loft over my garage but it needed a harp. I took the lamp apart and added the harp holder and the harp and it looks so nice. In the process, I ran across this French Faiance lamp I have had for over 20 years and found a shade that is suitable that I made myself years ago. It is covered in marbleized paper and I think it looks very suitable. The light switch turns on this lamp and a floor lamp in my dressing room/guest room. The miniature chest is an estate sale find.

I am still working downstairs and yesterday spent the day cleaning the walk-in closet and finding more items to donate. I also pulled the refrigerator from the wall in the kitchen and did a deep clean there from the floor to the ceiling. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I slept like a lot last night and didn't get up until 9am this morning and that is super late for me. I earned a good night's sleep.

Just inside the back door. 

This is the lamp I rewired and added a harp.

The toile shade had black ball fringe and several were missing so I cut the remaining ones off.

The base is an old pewter tea container with a Chinese theme. I thought the shade was perfect because it had somowhat of a pagoda shape.

That's it for my Sunday playing around my house. Don't forget to watch or record PBS MASTERPIECE tonight. The new season of GRANTCHESTER begins. I will have to wait until Monday night to stream it via the PBS VIDEO APP. See you tomorrow. xo

Surprise Salmon Dahlia

What a nice surprise today.

All of my other tubers turned out to be dark red.

Today I got one dahlia in salmon.

Isn't it beautiful?

September is over today and I have moved mountains.

Yesterday I washed all my outside windows on the lower level as well as the storm door and the main entrance. I did the sliding glass door a while back. I found more things to put outside for the annual trash pickup. Everything was supposed to be collected Monday but it hasn't happened yet. Most of the stuff I put outside was picked up by people driving by. I got several things myself from my neighbors' piles. I got a fabulous large step-on stainless steel garbage can for my downstairs kitchen. It cleaned up perfectly and I can't imagine why my neighbors were getting rid of it. I really needed it too. It doesn't take much to make me happy, does it? I've been cleaning out the loft over my garage too. It's just dry storage for stuff I don't need. I have slowly been weeding it out for a long time and it's looking better each day. Will I ever finish? I doubt it! I keep tweeking arrangements I've already done but that's the fun part. See you tomorrow. xo

Can't Stop Rearranging and Cleaning

My grandmother said it best:

"It's easier to keep up than to catch up!"

Not much has changed in this view except the pillows on the sofa but everything has been moved and cleaned under and over and up and down. I could have hired someone to do it but I really wanted to do it myself so I would know it was done right. It IS possible to catch up and I am determined to keep going until everything is in apple pie order. Have a great weekend, what's left of it. xo

New Kitchen Counter Arrangement in My Cottage

Sorry I missed my daily posting yesterday. I was busy scrubbing down the full bathroom in the basement. I did a lot and haven't finished quite yet but it looks amazing. I had an office meeting this morning and when I got home my electricians appeared just a few minutes after returned home and I parked my car. 

I had a list for them and they efficiently solved all of my problems in an hour's time. I had two GFI outlets in my kitchen that haven't worked for ages and I am thrilled to have them back. I had to completely rearrange the counter space to the left of my sinks and I am very pleased. I haven't had outside lights for almost a year and I kept putting off the repair. That was all fixed too. 

My basement door is just around the corner from the portrait you see on the left. The rest of my living room leads to the hallway for two bedrooms and a full bath. I am feeling good about my productivity this week and it's only Tuesday afternoon. xo

The Patio Under My Balcony

Now that summer is winding down I finally found the perfect spot for my outdoor table and chairs. It gets too hot upstairs on my balcony in the blazing sun so I decided to move it down under. I like the shade so it has turned out to be perfect, especially when I need a break when I am mowing. It does drip down there when it's raining but this set is easy to dry off when it quits. I still have Missy, today marks one week with her and she might be going home tomorrow. She has been no trouble and hasn't kept me from doing the work on my laundry list. This weekend I tore my bedroom apart for a good fall cleaning and I'm almost finished. The cooler weather makes housework much more pleasurable doesn't it? 

xo

Still Rearranging

The floor is clear of all the stuff that is not going to be displayed on my lower level. Some of it went to the garage, some to the loft over garage, some will be donated, some went in the furnace room and various closets and some went to recycling. I am thrilled to be able to walk in and out of the back door without the obstacle course.

I have done more rearranging and I'm still not happy with the TV. I need to elevate it or lower the picture above. I was sitting on the stairs for this photo. The cabinet in lower left is next to the yellow decoupaged cottage chest with the big clock above shown in a previous post. Happy last day of August. It flew by, didn't it? I accomplished a lot though and I'm happy about what I've done so far. xo

Attic Door Closed in My Cottage

This is a portion of the hallway showing my attic door closed and the coat closet door closed and a tiny bit of the window opposite.

Here is a side view. The weekend is in full swing and so is my cleaning/ organizing/ rearranging frenzy. I'm enjoying it and am determined to keep it up until I run out of steam. Enjoy your weekend too. xo

Spring Cleaning Checklist

This photo is on the cover of a book I own on Spring Cleaning. 

Refresh throughout the home:

• Wipe down doors and trim work
• Clean interior and exterior windows – let the light in
• Spot clean walls and touch up any scuffed paint
• Clean and treat floorboards - especially if you’ve had wet pets in and out all winter
• Clean ceiling fans and light fixtures

Entryway and mudroom closet

• Store your winter gear including snow boots, heavy jackets, hats and gloves – if it wasn’t worn this winter, consider donating
• Thoroughly vacuum closet floor and re-organize any storage bins
• Corral small items into baskets

Kitchen

• Empty the refrigerator and throw out expired food. Wash drawers and shelving with warm, soapy water
• Purge the pantry and clean all shelves and drawers. Forgotten crumbs can attract unwelcome visitors like ants and pantry moths
• Remove all appliances from counter and clean behind each one
• Remove build-up on kitchen cabinets – try Parker & Bailey Cabinet Cream or something similar
• Polish stainless steel appliances – always with the grain
• Deep clean microwave and dishwasher; be sure there is no trapped food
• Check countertops to see if they are in need of sealer (stone) or catalytic finish (wood)

Living room and dining area

• Deep clean rugs and upholstered seating
• Remove all books and displays from shelving and clean
• Polish silver
• Add fresh flowers to dining table

Bedrooms

• Purge closets of winter clothes, shoes and accessories – consider donating items not worn by family members
• Remove heavy winter blankets from bed and change to lighter linens
• Flip all mattresses

Bathrooms

• Change shower curtains
• Purge worn towels or bath mats
• Organize vanity – dispose of expired medications and cosmetics
• Clean tiled areas and check grout for discoloration
• Clean mirror thoroughly

Are you exhausted yet? I found these detailed instructions by a Boston/Martha's Vineyard Architect with photographs here. Enjoy your weekend. xo

My Car is Fixed! and A Curtain Refresh

Yes, it's true. My car is truly fixed and it seems better than ever. My friend, the mechanic, said it was really four security systems and he could see why the dealer didn't want to get involved. He said he had only installed one system in his entire career but he has removed over 500. They eventually break down and removing is the only option. I had to get a new battery too. He said to keep driving my vehicle and see what happens. That was my plan too. 

Now about the curtain in my bathroom. It is directly across the hall from my guest room that has full length curtains in the same Lily of the Valley fabric. I previously had this curtain on a black rod with ball finials that covered the side woodwork. They were parted in the center and the black rod showed and the curtains hung straight down. 

I decided to redo the top casing so there would be a ruffle on top and to hang them from a tension rod this time. I wish I had made the casing for the rod a smidge bigger so adjusting the gathers would be easier. But it worked so I am not about to get out my seam ripper. 

I decided to pull them back and experimented with a grosgrain ribbon, twill tape and ended up with organza ribbon and I love the look.

*Note: I had the overhead light fixture on to brighten the room and it was a warm bulb that makes my Lancaster Whitewash walls look beige. This window gets the morning sun from behind and never any direct sunlight on the front of the fabric.

I love the look of a sheer ribbon that does not hide any of the design. I put a ring through the fabric and made a continuous loop with a stapler. The ring is at the end hanging on a decorative nail. The panels will be easy to close in the summer when the hot sun is blazing and I want to block it to keep the house cooler. All I have to do is unhook the ring and slip the ribbon loop down to the bottom hem and completely off and reverse the process to part the panels again when the sun is on the other side of the house. 

Being without a car has been a blessing in many ways because I have gotten so much great work done without the distraction of leaving the house. You know what I mean, when you leave and come back, you sometimes lose your momentum and it's hard to get back into the swing of things.

I will catch up on my errands tomorrow. xo

My Bedroom Curtains Drying in The Sun

I washed my bedroom curtains today in the tub and put them on a drying rack in the sun to drip dry on this windy day. Ironing was a snap and they look so nice and fresh in my room.

They are hanging wrong side out on the rack and the back sides are somewhat faded in places. The fronts are still bright as new. I made curtains for a big double sliding glass door in 1972 and have remade curtains from that fabric for every place I have lived ever since. There is still a lot of life left in these curtains made from 46 year old fabric. It is woven with no right or wrong side. If it were a printed design, they wouldn't have lasted this long. Blue and white checks forever.

I am shadow waving hello to all of you and hope you have a nice weekend. They won't look at my car until Monday. xo

Our Mothers Worked So Hard

Doesn't this vintage photo found Google Images make you love your mother more? Mine only had two children three years apart but I still marvel at all she did with no help. She kept our homes beautifully, sewed her clothes and mine too and she even sewed for my brother and my father. She cooked delicious and sometimes complicated food and we ate healthy meals. She always looked beautiful and I don't think we gave her the credit she so deserved. I was so proud to be her daughter and she did know that. This photo just struck a cord of how hard it must have been to hold it all together back in the day. 

I wish I hadn't been so lazy all summer long because it is really hard now. I should have taken my grandmother's advice.

She really did say this, I'm not making it up. I am playing catch up and have the feeling I will never get to the point of having every room cleaned from top to bottom the way she did. I have told you before that she devoted one week to each room for spring and fall cleaning. I just seem to jump around and do the same task in each room instead. Right now it's still windows and I'm almost finished.

Have a great weekend. Thank you for giving me the will to continue blogging. I am enjoying it again and will continue. Thanks for clicking on the ads in my sidebar too. xo

New Curtains I Sewed for My Attic

What an adventure I had this week making curtains for my third floor home office/work room. This is where I have my sewing room and ironing board as well as two PC computers. One is an iMac and the other is an old Windows XP computer.

I moved my sewing machine next to the last window and I really like it here. I worked today rearranging the part of the room you see in the ten photos I am posting today. The rest of the room is is wreck but I will slowly get it just the way I want it.

This is a view showing one of the windows closed. I created a monster when I started this project. Right away I had to take out the screens and wash them in hot soapy water outside. Then I had to clean the windows inside and out. Thankfully, they are tilt windows so it wasn't hard at all.

This is a view to the way back.

This pic shows the white twill tape tie backs. In the winter when it's freezing outside I can remove and let the curtains hang shut so there won't be so much heat loss downstairs as the warm air rises and hits the cold window panes. If I'm sewing and need more natural light, I'll just tie back the ones beside my machine.

Here is a close up of the wonderful designer fabric. It is woven in a damask pattern and it's the same on the reverse side. I am so thrilled I found four panels of long draperies that I remade for my little windows. They were double lined too. One layer of white flannel for insulation and the white cotton lining material.

Here is a view of the wall behind my Singer. The TV on a vintage artist's stand was for sculpting and now my TV and DVD player use it. I don't have my cable working in the attic and I mostly listen to NPR up there. The baseboard heat is on this wall too for warmth if I sew when it's cold.

Another view. Are you bored yet? This shows my comfy chair pulled up to the machine.

This might be a repeat.

My trusty Singer I've had since about 1965 and it is still simply wonderful and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I had to have the bobbin winder repaired several years ago but otherwise, it has never had a problem. I had a cabinet for it at one time but I sold it to a friend long ago. It works fine on this makeshift stand that is easy to move around. I love my pin cushion with the clear plastic wrist strap. I have a red one too but the bracelet part broke and I've been using it with elastic that needs to be replaced. I found this blue one in a drawer this week and was so excited. It's better than my red one because it is filled with metal shavings that sharpen the pins every time you poke one in. It says made in Japan so it's very old. I always look at sewing supplies at house sales.

That's it for my this project that I started on Tuesday morning. My windows look so nice from outside too, just like the cozy cottage that it is. Enjoy the weekend. It was overcast all day and has just started to rain. xo

Quick Cleaning Tips

This probably isn't the right week to post these cleaning tips since Thanksgiving is on Thursday but who knows, they might come in handy. I had a friend in my youth who didn't have a dishwasher and she used to put her dirty dishes in the trunk of her car if someone called and was coming over unexpectedly. That tip is not on this list. via Pinterest

Shark Day at My Cottage

Did the title of this post get your attention? A few days ago, I washed and cleaned all the filters and the canister on my Shark Bagless Vacuum Cleaner and it was like new again. Yesterday, I decided to use it instead of my upright Hoover. Here is the end result in my living room. I have a hard time doing inside housework in the summer, do you? It's a necessary evil though! It was somehow quite satisfying to see all the dirt and dust I collected. I did a really thorough job in my living room and kitchen (moving furniture) but only gave a lick and a promise to the 2 bedrooms, bath, and entrance vestibule on my main floor. I had to empty the canister 3 times! My windows are all open and the outside dust is on its way inside but I don't care. I like being clean as a whistle once again. Doesn't it look nice? xo