Widow Works

 A couple of weeks ago I thought I had a great score in a window at the "Meals on Wheels" thrift store.  I had been looking for a project using a window and this one was only $4.00.  WOW!

 Someone had painted flowers on BOTH sides and the frame and I just figured I would remove the paint with elbow grease, alcohol and razor blades.  Not so easy!  The window was plastic-not glass.
After several days of trying to get the paint off, I opted to just paint it the same color as my walls.

I sanded and primed it and my original plan was to hang it and place a wreath on it, but then another project which I tried went a little different than I had planned.  My buddy who visited last weekend helped me with a removable decal that we purchased for my coffee bar wall.  It is  a really cute set of coffee cups.  After getting it on my wall, which is slightly textured...I really was not please with the way it looked, but loved the idea.  So I decided to paint my window frame black and try the decal on it.

 Looky, looky, --I love it! The decal fit perfectly.  I have had so much satisfaction with this $4.00 project.  The other two pieces here were also thrift shop and craft project for little or nothing. 

"Taking joy in life is a woman's best cosmetic." ~ Rosalind Russell

Junkin'

 A few days ago I noted that we had scored some good "stuff" at Garage sales.  I had an issue with the camera and lost my photos.  Spent this weekend with a good friend here and did not even get to the blog.  The grill above is a 4 burner gas/propane with a side burner and the Mr. did get the grills cleaned up,  so for $25.00 we have a grill which is probably overkill for us....but would have spent much more for a new smaller one.  Below the office chair is occupied by Coalette, the coal black feline who lives here and now thinks it was purchased for her exclusively. That was a $5.00 purchase.

The metal quilt rack which had a front broken bracket (the spiral decorative pieces on the top back) will still hold 3 quilts.  The Mr. took the other spiral piece off (which will go into my re purpose stash) and ground the rough edges smooth and now I have another place on which to display my quilts.  This was also a $5.00 purchase.  My friend and I went junkin' Saturday and because it was Easter weekend, there were not so many sales, but I did get a couple of things which I will re purpose or use for sure.   I spent all of $8.75 and will post as I can. 

My brother had some surgery yesterday and will no doubt have a long recovery, but his wife said he was already joking and I am sure he is glad that it is over.  We wish him a successful recovery and will be thinking of him and hope he is released soon.

My buddy who came to spend Easter is a friend that I have known for over 50 years.  We met when our husbands were in the Navy during the Viet Nam War.  It was a great couple of days and I am blessed to have such a good friend! I recently saw a picture of 4 sisters who had been taking the same picture every year for about 40 years.  It was amazing to see the gradual aging, although they were all very recognizable.  Gray hair and wrinkles became more obvious and the two of us could relate to the pictures.  Funny!

"I am tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep.  That's deep enough.  What do you want, an adorable pancreas?" ~ Jean Kerr

featherweight case

This will be a short post...deleted some photos so have to get those up again...but here is the finished case and the before pictures.  Will get an inside picture eventually.  Have a friend coming for the weekend and we are headed for garage sales tomorrow.  The Mr. and I went today.  Our pine tree needs a trim and he found a bow saw. (our other one is in the trailer in storage) and I got several boxes of sewing notions so spent an hour or so sorting stuff.   Great deals though.  Have a happy Easter all.

Feb, Mar, Jan. Baskets

 They aren't in order, but at Around the Block, which is a quilt shop here in Cheyenne, and just across the interstate from me, this year's block of the month are these baskets.  The challenge was to use stripes and plaids.  So Feb above, March directly below and Jan. at the bottom, are completed and April is nearly done!

I always feel like things need to be embellished so I added the flowers to each. 

Today was warm enough to finally get outside and work on the yard.  Whenever I move I am always anxious to see what plants I have inherited from the previous gardener.  There is not much space here to garden, so no veggies and I am not sure I have the energy for that anymore, but I do know there is a Clematis and a rose bush and some other bushes which I haven't identified.  It will be interesting.

The Mr. and I like to frequent the thrift shops and the flea markets and consignment shops.  There are quite a few here in Cheyenne and I found an old window for $4.00 yesterday.  I have been looking for one for a decorating project.  When I left my last home, I gave away two to neighbors, rather than take a chance on getting them broken.  So.....when I got home with it, I discovered that it wasn't actually a glass window but plastic of some sort, which looks like glass.  It had been painted on both sides with painted flowers and instead of being able to scrape with a blade, I have had to use alcohol to remove the paint.  What a chore it has been.  I will get a picture, but have gotten some of the paint
 off.  I will persevere!!! 

"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort." ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

Cuffs and Fabric

 It is not really a cuff but more of a cufflet. (don't think that is really a word), but I saw something similar and loved it!  So the Mr. who does leather work and is used to doing larger things, made it for me.  We designed this one after one I saw briefly and adapted to our specifications.  I picked out the jeweled center at the local Tandy Shop.  Cut from a large piece of hide, he then carved, stained and put the snap and jewel in it.

 This picture does not do the center piece justice, as it has sparkling jewels in it, but I think it turned out great!

Wednesday, I was invited to make a quilt shop trip to Laramie with 3 other quilters and friends.  Fabric?....Wonderful!  So after the trip over the summit, and it had been storming the day before and foggy, the sun came out and it was a beautiful day.  We first hit the Snowy River Quilt shop and needless to say, spent a buck or two.  They have a really good selection of fabric.  We had a tip that there was a vegetarian restaurant open and decided to be adventurous.  Near the railroad tracks and tucked in the middle of the block, Sweet Melissa's proved to be as terrific as we had heard.  Actually one of the gals had gotten the tip.  I can't take credit for that.  The servings are generous and the multitudes of selections made it difficult to make a choice.  We each tried a different dish, including the specials and weren't disappointed.  I feel like I am doing what a food critic would be posting, but I will go back indeed! Then we hit the second quilt shop and on to a couple of antique shops and headed back over the summit for home.  I am working on a "bear" quilt and was happy to get the rest of the fabric needed for that project.  But I was happier to be able to spend the day with some friends, one of whom I hadn't seen for 4 years.

"One of the wonderful things about Women...is that we are Bonded by shared Experiences." ~ Anita Roddick