Room Remakes

 Charlotte's room is emptied out, and is now a work in progress. I stripped the wallpaper border and got right to work!  I had plenty of help!

Please note, that my camera has a shadow, so all my pictures have this blob in them! It takes on different characteristics every so often, but is always there :( 

I picked 2 colors, and started in. The top part of the wall is called Cottage Linen. I love it. It didn't take long to realize, this would take at least 3 coats!

It was a long night getting the first 2 coats on. Yesterday morning, I started bright and early, and finished up the whole thing around 6 last evening. Once I was done, I decided the ceiling needed a coat of paint too, so I am doing that this morning.....I already have the major part of the ceiling done, and just have to do the edges with a brush. The bottom color is called Smoky Slate. It is a green-blue-grey color, depending on the light. I LOVE it's crisp clean look. 

Next, that nasty carpet gets pulled out and a new remnant put in. Hopefully, that will happen on Sunday morning, and I can get my room put together by evening.

Charlotte is all moved in to her Teen Palace. These pics have a terrible glare from the lighting down there, but it can not be helped...you get the idea.

This is her "living area".

She has been begging for that picture above the bench forever! Now she is able to enjoy it! She has no television hooked up, but her DVD player is connected. All the kids have enjoyed watching movies down there over the last few days. I pray she keeps it nice.

Her "bedroom" is set up in the back of the room behind the couch.

On that wall to the left, outside the pic, is her vanity and the shelves that hold all her books. She is a HUGE lover of books! I think she will be happy with this set up!

That is all for now. I will be back next week when it's all done! Right now, I am going to juice my breakfast, and get back to work!

It will be good to take tomorrow off and just relax!!!

Summer Plans

The heat wave seems to be letting up a bit. The grandbabies were here much of the week. They stayed cool in the little pool out on the deck. Big enough to be fun, but small enough that I didn't have to worry! (I am a big worry wart where water is concerned.)

I spent my time in front of that window, in the A/C stitching away. I finished the applique on block 3 of Henrietta Whiskers. Still some embroidery to go, and there is a sign that needs to be added in that top strip of red.

Such cute blocks. I had the background for block 4 all ready to go....

 Note the seam ripper....yes, I had to redo it. There are crows in this block, and that dark background would not work. This is much better.....

All the pieces were prepped quickly, as I had already traced them onto freezer paper.

They were basted up one evening during a family movie, and those hot afternoons were spent dreaming of pumpkins, and cooler weather!

It's almost done!!!

The girls have stayed cool too. They live in the lap of luxury!

Now that triple digits are a memory, I am thankful it allowed me to find my desire for my needle again.

Big changes happening here in the next couple of weeks. We bought this house 12 years ago, and my favorite part was the little room that faced east. It has 2 large windows and the morning sun beams in beautifully. It does not get heated up in the afternoon, like the back rooms on the house. It has 5 walls, not 4, and is the PERFECT sewing room. It was the reason I wanted this house. (Did I mention that already?) Well, when Charlotte came, it was given to her with the knowledge that "someday" I would get it back. I figured it would still be several years, but she has her own desire....like any 15 year old girl, she wants her own "space", not to mention that morning sun that I love and covet, is detested by her on those mornings she wants to sleep in! We decided she has done so well this past few months, we would go ahead and let her have the big room in the basement, otherwise known as "The Man Room". LOL She'll have it turned into a teen palace in no time! In the meantime, I have wallpaper border to strip (I have become a wallpaper, stripping expert recently), painting, and new carpet to shop for. This is IT. All the moves, and seeking out the perfect space in this house....you know I've planted myself all over this house, looking for just the right spot, never quite feeling I had found it. Feels like I am moving home! Stay tuned for pictures!

A Quilty Update

 Happy 4th of July!!! Our day has been HOT!! We did go see Brave, and  the kids spent the rest of the afternoon in the little pool. Now everyone is just "moping", as Sweetheart calls it. 

I thought I would pop in and give you all a quilting update. I will be honest....I lost my quilting mojo several months ago, and am just getting it back, so maybe being back on the blog will help with that. I started working on Emerson's "Star Quilt" last spring.....so far I have 5 out of 12 blocks done. She can't pick her favorite, because she "loves them all"!

It is too hot to hand quilt on that big UGRR Sampler, so I have put it away for now. Hand applique seems the answer. I am working on block 3 of Henrietta Whiskers....still. I bought this neat lap desk at Target yesterday. I LOVE it!!!!

It makes my time with the block in my lap much easier and more enjoyable. I duct taped that pincushion to the desk for easy use. It is the best $12 I've spent in a loooong time! I also have a new case to keep my applique supplies in. 

It is a cosmetics bag from "31 Bags". Actually, it is the double one, and has a whole other zipper section. It will be nice when I have 2 applique projects going at once.....which I plan to......

This quilt is my next big applique project....Folk Art Blooms, by Buggy Barn. I won't start it til I finish the Henrietta Whiskers quilt top, BUT.....see that bottom right hand corner block? That one is getting done for a wall hanging. Each block measures 20x20, so they are big. I will start it as soon as block number 3 (or maybe number 4 since it is all prepped) is finished....it will be a nice break and get something in the hoop small enough to tolerate in this heat. I have the fabrics pulled already.

Those colors are much nicer in person. :( 

So that is my quilty update. Hopefully there will be more to share before another 3 months goes by without touching a needle!!

The grandkids are here til Friday. Sweetheart goes back to work tomorrow after 4 days off. It will be a quiet day here....I may even stay in my jammies!!! The temps are suppose to be triple digits again, so we will lay low, which means lots of applique time!

Hope your 4th was as blessed as mine!

Bren

Update on the Kids

Thought I would pop in and give a little update on the kids. I have the grandkids this week while their Daddy works. TJ is 7 now and such a smart kid! He and Emerson love coming to Grandma's house! They are keeping busy, playing in the water, building Lego masterpieces, playing board games, feeding baby dolls, and watching movies.

That laptop is hooked up to the large television, but the girls prefer the little screen! LOL

Emerson goes with me on my Tuesday's out with the girls. Last time she got all dolled up and fit right in.

Charlotte turned 15 the beginning of June. Can you believe it? She is doing exceptionally well this summer. I am really enjoying her!

Zach will be 11 next month. He loves his cats, and spends a lot of time playing nerf guns with his best friend. 

Kyle turned 26 last March and is doing very well. Here he is with his service workers. They keep him on track! He will be going on a short trip with me and my mom this month. He chose Rain Forest Cafe and a trip to Gurnee Mills.

And what about those girls?? They continue to be the best of sisters and you most likely will find them together any time of the day or night! 

 Sassy has such a sweet spirit about her. Calm and loving, and is definitely a Mama's girl. Cammy is a SPASTIC little thing, and loves trouble. Kyle remains her most favorite human, and we all know when he wakes up in the morning...we can hear Cammy crying wailing for him to pick her up.

Well that's the update. I'll come back soon and share some things we've done around the house.

An Update??

I know, I know....I promised an update, and went MIA again! LOL Well I did update on my food/diet/weight loss blog! 

Click over to Losing It and you'll see what's up on that front!

5th Anniversary Giveaway Winner

We have a winner!!!! The Mrs!!!!!  

(thanks to my own personal number generator, Zachary)

Thanks so much for reading my blog over the last 5 years. My goal is to try to post once a week (sometimes more if things are interesting around here). I have updates to share on the girls, of course. 

The kids....yes, we  had some worrisome days, but all is well now.

My diet.....

....and some results.

Some home updates, and of course....

...some quilting updates. See you next week!!!!!

5 Year Anniversary Giveaway!

It was almost 5 years ago that I posted for the first time on Pieces From Me. Lots of things have changed over the years and I have met some incredible friends. I left Life With A Little Sass last February....though it seems longer...and even tried to have a "just quilting" blog. I have missed blogging greatly, and am thinking of returning. I will continue to pray about it, but in the meantime, I did not want my 5 year anniversary to go uncelebrated. SO......a giveaway it is! 

 You know I don't like hoop jumping, so I will keep it simple. You have to be a follower (that is so easy) and you have to leave a comment on THIS post telling me, approximately, when you started reading my blog...whether it was 5 years ago, or just today. Feel free to tell me how you found me, or if I found you first!

What am I giving away?? I will keep it simple....the winner (drawn on June 9th, the actual anniversary date) will get a $25 gift card from their choice of Starbucks, Joann's, or Amazon. Also, I will send some goodies picked just for them! :)

Between now and then, I will come back with some updates and pictures of what has been going on here over the last several months.

We Have A Winner

But you'll have to click over to Isla's site to see who it is!

Count Down

Only a few more days til the drawing!!!! If you wish to purchase tickets, you can go to the Quilt For Isla site. The winner will be announced Valentine's evening. Isla will draw the winner herself! Please reach out to help this family and give yourself a great chance to win a gorgeous quilt!