White Walls...What was I thinking?

White walls....what was I thinking?  Clearly I wasn't....thinking.  Yes it goes with everything but, I can take it for so long (20 yrs) when I have to change it.  It's been painted several times but, always white.

I took the hall of horrors down recently, tried to wash fingerprints/smudges (grrr) off the superdupereasytowashbuymepaint and, after a near heart attack my brain gave me an idea.  The same brain that hasn't worked right since the stroke.....so why do I listen to it?  Because there's no one else home during the day.  My brain gets me into a lot of trouble.  It needs a babysitter or brain day care or.....shopping.

I use to be a big fan of wallpaper and, would still be today if someone else put it up and took it down.  It looks nice but, it's a pain in the ass to put up/take down and get the paste off the walls.  (Panelling is sounding better each day.  Slap it up, nail it, done.   NO FINGERPRINTS.    Of course, I couldn't go out while the hubby is at work and buy the pannelling, etc, etc because I'M NOT ALLOWED TO DRIVE).  I digress (is that the right word?  sometimes my brain likes to humiliate me)....Wallpaper, I don't like the mess but, I happen to have a large roll of commercial wallpaper I bought at a Habitat for Humanity store months ago.  Commercial wallpaper is heavier than the paper used in homes.

I bought a roll with a mauve background, no set pattern so you didn't have to match anything.  The space at the top is for a collage I'm working on.  I put up some of the family pictures but, left a lot off.  The hubby and I are in the middle, my family pics to the right, his to the left.

You can see the beginning of the other hall.....that will be in another post.

The plaid hat was the hubby's step-father's, seen in the photo above it.  He's also wearing a button that says "I HATE CATS" in the photo.   His father's photo is on the left.  The background looks like a light pink but, it's mauve/dark pink/whatever.

 This is the plaque given to the hubby's SF on retirement.....  My tombstone will probably read KMA (kiss my ass)

 Here's the wallpaper.  How did I get it up all by myself, without paste?  I can't believe I'm telling the whole world this...promise you won't tell anybody..

 I stapled it up then used a paint pen to cover the staple.  This is an extreme close up, you can't see them unless you really look for it.

And the border?

Yup, stapled that up too then used a marker.  When I get tired of it I'll pull it down and paint.  I hope to be healthier by then and DRIVING!  The paint will fill in all the little pin holes the staples made and I'm ready for the next brain crazed theme.  It's a lot easier with 2 people.  Didn't quite finish by the time the hubby came home and he helped with the rest but, he admitted it looked good.  Told the Dr what I had done and that it looked good so I have professional proof that he liked it.

More brain crazy ideas next week.

(Not responsible for wrong words, bad grammar/punctuations, etc)

Repetitious Cleaning Wears Me Out.....

Repetitious cleaning wears me out......especially fingerprints/smudges and light fixtures that become bug cemeteries.  So I decided to 'FIX' these area problems in my own little crazy, artsy way.  Of course I 'fixed' most of them while hubby was at work so he couldn't nix the ideas

First- Bug Cemeteries, otherwise known as Ceiling Lights. 

Sorry to say I did not take a before pic of the bug cemetary, it was way too creepy.  Usually I have to ask the hubby to clean the light because I'm not allowed on ladders (balance/dizzy/seizure issues).  So like a good wife I wait till he goes to work and drag the ladder out.  We have two long halls with 3 globe lights, my choice at the time but, I think I must have been high at the time to pick a clear globe which necessitates buying clear light bulbs.   I looked at track lighting briefly recently and, when the shock wore off decided I could live with the bug cemetaries.  Until I had to clean them again.

My brain must be on the road to recovery from the stroke or I am definitely going off the deep end.  My brain sent the idea of painting flowers on the globes to hide the bugs.  It took awhile to filter through and decifer but once it did it grew like the Grinch's heart.  I used Plaid's Enamel paints.  I haven't worked with them in years so it was difficult at first.  You have to let the first coat DRY completely or you end up removing it when you brush on the second coat.

Of course, nothing went smoothly because that's just the way my life is.  It's the truth, substantiated (wow! my brain remembered the word and how to spell it!) by many factual accounts.

The flower or the leaves were not suppose to be that big, according to the pic my brain was telling me but, it will have to deal with it.  They is what they is.

Try not to notice how crooked some are, tilt your head a little to the right and it's perfect.  Notice that the petals are white.....

Because they don't look it here.  Which means I could've used any color....

Looking up.  On the whole I am pleased with them.  I have to be....that paint is baked on and won't come off.  Come on bugs....give the new cemetary a try.  Want to see if your dead, curled up bodies show up through the paint.

(Not responsible for any mistakes, blame it on the brain  It gets confused easily.)

Fave Blogger

Have you ever run across a blog that makes you laugh or smile every day?  Well, almost every day? Karen's  The Art of Doing Stuff blog is not only informative but hillarious as well.  See for your self in this video on how to open bags that closes with strings.


How to Open a Potato Bag.Or any bag that closes with string.

Where did I go wrong?

The Baby is 4 months old.  Bottle days are long gone, no more taking him to garage sales and bottle feeding in between sales.

  He has a new fascination.  If a door opens....no matter what door.....he's through it.  Dishwasher, dryer, fridge, freezer but, his fascination with the fridge is still the same.  Even after getting shut into the fridge for half an hour.

Open the door and up he goes (there is no uncovered food).  We are continually pulling him out.  If we call him and he doesn't come running.....we check the fridge.  Too bad I can't get him to clean it.

I decided to name him after Mike Katz, a classmate of mine.

Did you miss me?

I haven't been here......did you miss me?  Yeah, I know.  Why would you miss my ramblings.  August was one of those months where you sit back and say....WTH?

Remembered at 9pm on a Saturday night that it was my niece's daughter's 5th birthday party the next day.  And of course was totally unprepared.  No gift, card, etc.  So looked in my stash and remembered the Barbie clothes I had crocheted last year.    Here is a link to some of the Skipper clothes   Barbie clothes    Had to add buttons to some of them so got up early Sunday morn to work on them.  Went to the store to buy a Skipper doll but, it was ugly.  So bought Barbie (crochet stretches) and the last doll case they had.   Searched for 5th birthday cards, they were ugly.  Bought paper and wrapped it on the way over to the party.  sigh.

Had a headache so left early.  Neck stiffened up on the way home and it went downhill from there.  Severe chills (in August?) until my joints ached, headache was ginormous, nothing I tried was working.  So gave in and we made a trip to Borgess ER in Kalamazoo.  We were on hold because several chest pain patients came in and they get top priority.  I don't know what happened.  One minute we were in a small waiting room and the next in a trauma room.  Won't bore you with the details.  I did not have meningitis as suspected (spinal tap is ok if done right.  the 2nd dr had no trouble).  3 heavy duty antibiotics and by Tuesday felt better so they let me go that afternoon.

Wednesday I'm resting from the ordeal when it hits me.....we're leaving the next day for the UP and I haven't packed anything.......sigh

She makes me laugh....

Some time ago I stumbled upon this blog.  Very funny lady.  She makes me laugh.  I read her every day. 

The Art of Doing Stuff

Talented and ingenious.  Did I mention slightly crazy?  Enjoy

Favecrafts

Months ago I stumbled upon a website that I absolutely love.  If you're a crafter this site has patterns for just about anything you want.   http://www.favecrafts.com/

Crochet, knitting,scrapbooking, gardening, sewing, soap making, decorating, glass, Christmas crafts, crafting with kids, etc.  They have a great newsletter that I recommend you sign up for.

Blog | Christmas Crafts | Crochet Patterns | Free Craft eBooks | Knitting Patterns | Low-Cost Crafts

Please add mail@favecrafts.com to your address book to ensure inbox delivery.	August 3, 2012

Hello Crafters! Clay pot crafts are great for adding some decor to your garden.  Liven up your outdoor and indoor living space with these fun and adorable terra cotta crafts.  They also make great gifts for a new neighbor! Win More: Did you know we give away a new craft product every Friday? Today's giveaway is Atyou Spica Markers! You can enter to win every single day from now until August 17th!   1. Cute Bumble Bee Pot (shown) 2. Decoupaged Clay Pot 3. Clay Pot Critters 4. Vintage Flower Pot 5. Painted Hippy Pot 6. Brightly Striped Pot (shown) 7. Terra Cotta Reindeer 8. Too Many Pots in the Kitchen 9. Kids Clay Flower Pot 10. Painted Christmas Tree Pot 11. Purple and Green Spider (shown) 12. Clay Pot Garden Angel 13. Bee-autiful Bee Decoration 14. 22 Flower Pot Crafts 15. Christmas Oops 16. Leaf Stamped Clay Pots (shown) 17. Clay Pot Farm Animals 18. Geranium Painted Garden Planters 19. 25 Clay Pot Crafts 20. Turkey Centerpiece 21. Terra Cotta Garden Turtle (shown) 22. A Purple Surfing Monkey 23. Painted Spring Tulip Planter 24. Be Merry Pot 25. Clay Pot Birdhouse Before you grocery shop this weekend – I have arranged for you to get free grocery coupons and store discounts.  Recent coupons for Betty Crocker, Cheerios, Campbell’s Soup, Starbucks and hundreds more caught my eye! Happy Crafting,   FaveCrafts.com Editor P.S.Love Loom Knitting?: Our friends at AllFreeKnitting.comhave some great loom knitting patterns to share.  Check them out: Loom Knit Granny Round, Chunky Funky, and Oz Twister Beanie. P.P.S.  Try making easy homemade recipes for your favorite brand name recipes with our free eCookbook, 16 Brand Name Recipes: Copycat Recipes for Items in Grocery Stores. Green Crafting Central Do you like to craft with recycled items? FaveCrafts has a ton of great ideas, suggestions, and tutorials.  Here are some great ways to craft with wine bottles! 1. Cork Tree Ornaments 2. Green Pendant Wind Chime 3. Wine Cork Apple Stamp 4. Love Letter Bottles 5. Snowball Wine Bottle Vases 6. Wine Cork Balls 7. Wine Cork Sail Boats 8. Tissue Bottle Vases 9. Wine Cork Key Chain 10. 20 Crafts for Wine Bottles     Featured Blogger-Lindsay Obermeyer: Check out Lindsay's Blog, "Serendipity", for all kinds of beautiful craft projects! She's also one of the FaveCrafts featured designers. Every Friday they have a free giveaway, this week it was Atyou Spica Markers.  Here is the link to sign up.  http://www.favecrafts.com/sweeps/Atyou-Spica-Markers-Collection/ml/1 Check it out! Janie