1.5 Million….

Number of pictures and explanations in the following post.

Sun Room, original

I know that the floor looks like a nice grey color.  It is lying to you, it is an awful forest green somethingorother.

Painted floor

 

…..and done.

• Pallet day bed.
• Red casters from Bryce for my birthday.
• Vintage quilt.
• Down filled pillows.
• Red bird cage that will soon be made into a hanging light.
• Old farmhouse table bought at Good Will.
• Heaviest bench ever from Ross, with a cushion.
• Galvanized container for indoor plants.
• Cheerful bunting.
 
 

• Local pear bin graphics.

• And the yellow wall.

 

 

Old frame picked up at a garage sale after the curtains were a com.pl.ete fail.

And the bed skirt made with the left over curtain fabric that reaffirmed my inability to do math or to follow instructions after I made Bryce do the math for me.

Old bread tin as a planter.

Old tool box used as a planter.

You should go take a nap now.  Or maybe I will.  Or we can at the same time.  Or you should come visit so you can try out the day bed. I  won’t even charge you.  Except in work to get some other projects done.

Have a good weekend.

Katie

Announcements!

{Sneak Peak, kinda}

I’m almost done with the sun room.  I only have two more things and then it is finished!

I have the ducks trained to follow me from outside all the way to the dining room.

I’m signing Adeline up for kindergarten today.  What is happening?

I have my garden all planted.

I kind of hope that we’ll have a rainy day soon so I can take a break from all outside obligations.

I made a new bed skirt for my bed using the leftover fabric from the curtains.  Why do I suck at math?

I got a thank you note in the mail from the church leader I made the pillow for.

And of course, the winners:

Tate and AlisaMay 11, 2012 6:02 PM

Haha Katie I love your blog. I finally became a follower today instead of stalking you privately. Anyway I always pick my hangnails!

HfoutzMay 11, 2012 2:19 PM

I always want to sleep more and feel guilty when I do!

Email me your address so I can get those in the mail to you before the end of the year.

katiebolander@hotmail.com

If you don’t email me in a timely manner, I’ll give your fat quarter bundle to someone else, sorry.

Did you read the comments that people left?  Pretty funny.  Thanks for everyone participating.

Till Friday,

Katie

Giveaway Day!

{I know some of my siblings will be embarrassed by this photograph, but I look fabulous, so I’m sharing it.}

Happy Friday!

So here’s the giveaway: a bundle of ten fat quarters from my personal stash of fabric in the prints that I will be using for an upcoming quilt.

I will be giving 2 away.

The rules:

• You have to be a follower.
• You have to leave me a comment telling me something that you ALWAYS do.  It cannot be you always read my blog.  I’m on to you people.
• You have to enter by 10pm Tuesday, May 15th, my time.
• Two commenters will be selected at random, using random.org, so no sucking-up.

Why you should enter because:

• you like free fabric.
• even if you don’t quilt, you can use the fat quarters to make: pillows, a bag, baby doll blankets, bunting, a table runner {or hire or bribe someone to make it for you}.
• you like free fabric.

Anxious to hear from you and good luck.

Katie

Swear Words

It’s been a helluva {it’s not swearing if you say it really fast with spelling errors} couple of days for me.

Reason?

Unknown.

{OK, one possible explanation is I had to go to the grocery store on Monday, with all four children, and I forgot five important things on the grocery list, so I went back yesterday –with only three kids this time - and forgot one of the main things that I forgot on Monday. And I got a couple of rude comments (masked in politeness and concern, ha) from the cashier about my children standing up in the cart. Note to self: do not give the grocery list to a child that does not know how to read, it is not helpful and avoid that cashier in the future.}

{One other possible reason…one of our chickens was hauled off by a neighborhood dog leaving only a pile of feathers.  I know it’s just a chicken, but I feel like it was my stewardship and I failed.}

But I’ve been a pretty pathetic mother and wife, despite my best efforts. 

I just can’t seem to get it together.

I’ve been: cranky, irritable, easily annoyed, grumpy, angry, joyless, un-Christ-like.

Things I’ve tried to get out of the dumps:

• Talked to friends who’s lives are way harder than mine.  I realize I have a pretty blessed life which compounds how lame it is to be acting the way I have which makes me feel worse.  Typical female scenario.
• Bought baby ducks.
• Bought tomato plants.
• Done my hair {I’m counting pony-tails, you should too} every day.
• Done the breakfast dishes soon{ish} after breakfast.
• Spent a lot of time outside.
• Made some fried foods for dinner.
• Eaten chocolate.
• Read a romance novel.
• Finished projects.
• Served.
• Let the kids watch movies for an entire morning.
• Threatened Adeline with a time-out every time she interacts with Spencer and makes him cry.

Things I haven’t tried:

• Called my mom and cried.
• Worked on a quilt.
• Locked myself in the bathroom with a donut.  {That will never happen seeings how I would have to go to the grocery store, can you get those delivered.}
• Seen a psychologist.
• Exercise (although I did like six loads of laundry on Monday and carried them all up the stairs, and I walked with the kids to the park which was more like an exercise in patience, all in the same day.}

So my question is:

What do you do to get out of the dumps?

I am currently taking any helpful hints and advice.  Seriously.

Katie

P.S. Giveaway on Friday, I came up with a most excellent idea, and no, it is not one of my children…unless of course you want one, see how accommodating I can be?

Can You Blame Me?

Swimming

Happy Monday.

Katie

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

 

Original ‘Before’

First ‘After’

Final ‘After’

I had picked up this frame for $1, somewhere.  And then I found an inexpensive mirror at a garage sale this last weekend.  It turns out the yellow mirror was much too big and I was much too lazy to cut it down.  So, it’s in the girls’ room now as a floor mirror.  But I kind of missed having a mirror above my dresser.

So, I made one, kind of.

It cost five dollars to get the mirror cut down and put in the frame.  Total cost? $8.

I love being able to see the stripes behind the dresser.

So I saw this idea on Pinterest…..and thought it would work perfectly for the vast expanse in the bedroom.

I solicited my mom’s help to round up some ‘b’s.  She got them from Hobby Lobby.  And Meg and Adeline helped paint them.  I like how it looks.  The bright ‘b’ on the right doesn’t really ‘go’, but I’m chalking it up to Adeline’s creative license.

 

You should also know that I have no self control and bought three baby ducklings this week.  Seriously, so.much.fun. and way easier than 12 baby chicks.

What are your plans for the weekend? 

I’m hauling branches and spraying weeds….and….going on a date!  To a garden show!  Slightly excited.

Katie

A Series of Letters, Part….?

I don’t know, I’ve lost track.

Dear Joe,

The time that you took a shower and told me that the water felt like little needles?  That’s called water pressure.

Dear Society,

If you could make unibrows stylish, I would have a lot more time in my life.

Dear Katie,

You know that cute thing that you made and put on your kitchen wall {see below}?…. you totally forgot that you were going to put something else there.

Dear Spencer,

Contrary to the loaded compliment from the doctor about your healthy lungs, you can stop crying all the time.

Dear Blackberry Bushes,

I hate you.

Dear White, Retired, California Costco Customers,

Stop glaring at me, I have just as much right to shop in the morning at Costco as you do. 

Dear White, Retired, California Costco Customers,

When you tell me I have my hands full when you look at my cart full of crying children and I smilingly reply ‘it was a long winter’ I really mean, ‘stay out of my business, I’ve never been happier’.

Dear Meg,

Pleaser never pee on my down comforter again when you’re taking a nap on my bed.

Dear Elizabeth,

Coming into my room before 6:30am to see if I’ll pull out your tooth and then leaving only to pull it out yourself and then coming back in to tell me is not nearly as exciting for me as it is for you.

Dear Spring,

Thanks for showing up.

Dear Really, Really, Really Nice Neighbors,

Thanks for the lawn mower, even if you only gave it to us so we’d stop borrowing yours, every weekend, for hours at a time.

Dear Mom,

Thanks for bringing me Snickers that I hid in case of emergency and I honestly hope I remember where I put them, soon.

Katie