Never too old to learn!!

This is my first posting on my new laptop.  I'm not too sure just how confident I am that I can come up with something worth reading as I'm not very comfortable with it yet, including the keyboard.  So, if you find lots of mistakes, we can blame it on that, LOL

It's an ASUS - to be honest, I had never even heard of this make.  I'm sure it is just as good as all the other makes, e.g. Sony, Acer, Gateway, etc. but so far, I have lost this post twice - it just disappeared from the screen - was it me???  I was always an excellent typist, 95 words a minute on an electric typewriter but now I am lucky to be able to get by with around 40 wpm and keeping my fingers on the right keys.  Of course, my twisted fingers (from arthritis) might also have something to do with it.  I'll put the blame wherever I can, LOL

Having said that, let's see what I have been up to lately......

I refinished a lovely coffee table.  A little different from the usual, more square and with a small drawer.  I guess it could be used for more than just a coffee table - would look great in a large foyer.........

Of course, many people would say that they prefer the original wooden look and I do too, but it's so much fun working with my home-made chalk paint.

I also refinished a cute little footstool.  A friend of mine rescued it for me.  Her neighbour's dog had chewed the seat of it and was throwing it out, but my friend knew that I would give it a new life......

And, wallah, the finished product, so cute.

And yet another wooden product.  It seems that is all I did lately, but honest, I did do other things.  This one is a small stool which had absolutely no personality......

and slowly it turned from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan.....

I used a water-slide decal which I had purchased from The Polka Dot Closet - a fabulous blog and a wonderful place to visit.  Go and check in with Carol.

I also turned a dirty old thing into this, I think it is a toilet roll holder/magazine rack.....

The colour looks a little wishy-washy - it's more of a yellow/black.  The above picture is from my Boutique.

A few more things I have done.....

And, now in closing, here are a couple of photos of my most favourite people, grandkiddies, Rhys & Katherine - I can't wait to get on that Greyhound bus and go visit in September....

That's it for now.  Have a wonderful week.  Talk to you again soon.

Hugs, 

Crazy days of summer

Isn't the weather odd?  Recently we had really high and humid temperatures and now it has turned much cooler and we have been deluged with rain, to the point where our streets have been flooded, some like this......

Toronto had similar weather a week or so ago - what is happening to our seasons and weather patterns - changing so, so much and it can't be for the good.

I mention my Boutique quite a bit in my blog so I thought I would show you where it is - it's in an old MNR building, an old warehouse type setting.............

It's perfect for our kind of store and being old and quite shabby, the rent is just right.  I don't think our "landlord" makes any money out of us.

It's been very peaceful at the Boutique for the last couple of weeks, the stress level has gone right down, and I hope it continues.  A few new ladies have been added to the room where I was (I think 6 people have their "stuff" in there now) and I hope we can all get along.  I must say though, I do so much like being on my own and anyway, the lease states that there is no sub-leasing allowed, so on my own I will stay, LOL

Here are a few things that I have been working on..........

Painted this mirror for a friend.  She wants to make a willow stand for it and put it on a dresser.

Turned this calender holder....

into this, a beautiful chalkboard.....

Found two old drawers at the side of the road "free", so I lugged them home and gave them a coat of home-made whitewash paint.  Looking good and now they hold my vintage linens in the Boutique..........

Made this out of another old, and really battered, calendar holder.  I think it looks so cute with its shabby paint job......

Here are a few pictures of my neighbourhood.  I live downtown so it's really nice to see some prettiness.....

This one is taken from the side of the Library where I used to work, it's just across the road from the apartment where I live....

and these are just round and about my apartment.....

A new blogging friend of mine is Sharon Srock and Amazon.com explains her far better than I can....

"Author Sharon Srock went from science fiction to Christian fiction at slightly less than warp speed.  Twenty five years ago, she cut her writer's teeth on Star Trek fiction.  Today, she writes inspirational stories that focus on ordinary women using their faith to accomplish extraordinary things.  A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Sharon serves her local chapter in the role of treasurer.  Sharon lives in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma with her husband and three very large dogs.  Her books include:  The Women of Valley View:  Callie and The Women of Valley View:  Terri, both of which are currently available.  The Women of Valley View:  Pam will release in early 2014."

Here is a synopsis of her book "Callie".  I'm sure you will want to read this one and the sequels.

"Three dire circumstances. Three desperate prayers. One miracle to save them all.  Callie Stillman is drawn to the evasive girl who’s befriended her granddaughter, but the last time Callie tried to help a child, her efforts backfired. Memories of the tiny coffin still haunt her.  Samantha and Iris Evans should be worried about homework, not whether they can pool enough cash to survive another week of caring for an infant while evading the authorities.  Steve Evans wants a second chance at fatherhood, but his children are missing.  And no one seems to want to help the former addict who deserted his family.  For Steve to regain the relationship he abandoned, for his girls to receive the care they deserve, Callie must surrender her fear and rely on God to work the miracle they all need."

You can also find out more about Sharon at these links:

Visit her BLOG at: http://www.womenofvalleyview.blogspot.com/
Connect with her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SharonSrock#!/SharonSrock
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/SharonSrock
Find her on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6448789.Sharon_Srock

If you'd like a chance to get acquainted with THE WOMEN OF VALLEY VIEW you can download a free 39 page PDF here:
http://bitly.com/SmQmUs

My favourite topic.... My granddarlings just came home from spending a beautiful week with their mum and dad at a cottage. The weather was great and they all had a fabulous time.  They needed a good time away.  To finish up, a couple of photos of darling Rhys and sweetheart Katherine.........

Well, that's it for now.  I hope you have a wonderful, happy and healthy week and I will "talk" to you again soon.

Hugs,

A'thrifting I will go

This is what it looks like outside my apartment patio window this evening.  I couldn't even open the door to get a better photograph as the screen was frozen shut, but you get the idea of how much snow we have had in the last couple of days.  Thank goodness I don't have to shovel......

I'm also pleased to report that I don't seem to have that problem loading my photos to my blog that I had last time.

It's great being retired and being able to please myself in what I do, but there is a drawback and that is how fast the time is going by.  I remember looking forward to Fridays so much when I was working, but now every day is a Friday and sometimes I even have to stop and try to figure out what day it is, LOL  I seem to pace my weeks by the Saturdays I spend at our Boutique and no sooner do I leave there after putting in a whole day that lo and behold Saturday is back and I'm doing it all over again.  The days in between are usually spent shopping for supplies and treasures for our little piece of heaven on earth and I have to show you what I found at one of the thrift stores yesterday.  For me, it's not a simple matter of just putting an item in a car and driving home, no, I don't drive and my form of transportation is my little shopping buggy.  I'm sure that in our city I am known as "Downtown Chrissy" as I can frequently be seen traipsing the downtown area with my recent "finds".  Here's my latest find and considering all the snow we have recently had, it was no easy feat, believe me.

So, that's how I got it home and I'm sure that I had a few funny looks, but I don't care, at my age I sorta, kinda can get away with it, LOL  This is what it looks like now and I'm not sure what I will do to it, paint it or varnish it, but will post it when it is done.  It seems to be quite old, maybe from the 60's???

Now onto my creations for the week.....

These are 5" x 5" canvases which I purchased from Pat at the Queen's Cupboard.  They had a different picture on them which I completely covered and then did my "altered art" thing to them.  Not everyones taste, but I just love them (for now).  They could end up in my Boutique in a few months, who knows!!......

I finished off the coffee table, which kind of goes with the two end tables I did a couple of weeks ago.  The only difference really is that the end tables have mirror tops and the coffee table has a smokey glass top......

As you can see, if you look closely, it is shabby-chic'd to match with the end tables.

I painted a couple of wooden lighthouses.............

I didn't realize just how much I have done until I started putting them on the post, so I'll just feature one more selection and save the rest for another time.  These are some gorgeous glass containers filled with potpourri and small lights and topped with a beautiful lace doily and vintage flower.  I hope these sell and then I'll make some more..................

Have to finish up with a pic of each of my most precious grandkids.  It will be a couple of months until I see them again (when the snow goes and it's safer to travel), but they are in my heart and thoughts all the time...................

Mischievous Rhys

and "Butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth" Katherine

Well, that's all for now folks.  Have a wonderful weekend.   See you soon.  Hugs