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Archive for May, 2011

If there’s one hobby that I most missed doing was cross stitching. I’ve written posts about some of my old works before that were left on mom’s house.

I stumbled up on cross stitching during my first pregnancy and one of my sister-in-law gifted me with a a cross stitching set. Dumping the present in my shelf, as I am busy then toiling with my old Singer, sewing baby clothes and some pjs for the coming baby.

And, when suddenly, the Singer died on me and left me with nothing to do, finding myself learning to sew exes the succeeding nights. And, then more and more exes were sewed until I got hooked. Hubby said I should have bought all DMC colors! The peak of my stitching “career” were 1996-1998 when I was able to sold few pieces of my work.  Then, stopped. Completely stopped since then.

These framed stitching pieces were actually reproduction of a big one which was personally picked by a client and asked me to frame it in one big rectangular wooden frame. Sold the item for 5k. Really. Seeing the finished product, I got the idea of making reproduction and instead of stitching the pattern in a single cloth, I decided to individually sew all four. The pattern was named “FOUR SEASONS”, anyways. All seasons viewed from a french window.

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Four seasons were custom-framed and permanently hangs in our living room. Reminding me everyday of my once old hobby.

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Gladly the painting jobs we were doing on the weekends were finished, er, NEARLY. We forgot one small side table perched in the corner of the room ^_^.

I’m happy with the turnout of the settees. But, this hutch, I dunno…

The kids didn’t like the dark green color. The eldest daughter said it was way out of sync with the house’s theme.  Hadn’t she noticed that the floor tiles were of yellow, gray, and GREEN color? Hence, my green paint preference. I would want to bring that color out .

I thought it complements the room. Hubs said, no, it DOES NOT make any complement at all. The GREEN HUTCH, pops out the entire room! It kinda looks Mexican. MEXICAN? Huh?

There were touch-up things to do today. The glasses needs to be cleaned. The handles need to be replaced. We’re going out to look for new ones.  But, last night, I became too curious what the turnout would look like after placing the stuffs in the hutch…

Working up late but the little miss was too eager also to help me out with my little collection. Watch out, sweetie, though, they were “thrifty finds”, I sooo adore them, especially the teapots and cutie little cups ^_^

One more, with the lights on, please. Yes I know, now I couldn’t see the hutch in its DARK GREEN color.

May I say, this is my (er, OUR) paint project in years? Thanks to Boysen paints, I like its glossy color. I opted not to distressed the paints as like the ones I’ve seen here on the blogosphere, the hubs and the kids wouldn’t liked the idea ^_^.

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Since yesterday,we were busy painting furnitures. I am not really happy with the color results. Let’s see when the pillows and other accessories with these settees shall be arranged. It’s darker than the usual lighter original color, but, I am rooting for a change^_^ this time. Ah, this hutch…tis is giving me a headache for quite sometime, as I am undecided what color to apply hereon…All I know is, I want colors in the house. This is the top part of the hutch. Hungry for paints… Originally, I wanted olive green, but the paint shop couldn’t find me the exact color I needed. This is the closest they could give me. I know, it’s far from olive green…AND< I AM NOT LIKING IT…but, the kids were busy applying the colors NOW… Bye now…busy painting here…

Our dinner table was painted with very dark brown paint and coated with mahogany color wood varnish. Much as I would have wanted to leave it at that, I prefer placing a custom-built top glass over it. This way, food spillages and other dents could be prevented.

Unfortunately, accidents do happen, especially when you have kids running around the house, tossing things on the table…the three-fourths inch glass top gave way. I would have wanted to glue it, tape it…temporarily. I know, it’s beyond restoring:(

The glass costs me P1800 ($43) plus delivery charges when I bought it years ago. With the school enrollment eating out our budget, there’s no way I could eke out a fund over a new one. Perhaps, next payday?

Meantime, the frugality in me wakes up again, as I wanted something to cover this table. I don’t want to ruin an heirloom from my mom’s mom, a crocheted table cloth. Thus, I bought two and a half meters of clear plastic…costs me P225 ($5.50).

I can live with this…until I can slashed few cash on next month’s budget ^_^

P.S: It’s not the end of my bad day. This tiger printed dessert plate also broke today. Thanks to my little miss who, after finishing her fruit pie, she bumped into the kitchen counter, throwing this plate on the floor. Good thing, the miss gets no harm. She was shocked, in a way, because she knew how much I adore this plate. “It’s okay, honey. It is just a thrifted plate. You’re a treasure to me:)”

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I came out early to buy fresh meat at the market. It’s me and hubs’ wedding anniversary. AYE! I had to cook for few visitors. I had to finish cooking early, thus, hopping to the market very early.

Plus, I came to this bargain shop hoping to find an “unbreakable vase”. I needed 2 vases because I had to make (again ^_^) faux flower arrangement for a friend who’s birthday is coming and one for a blogger friend. I am looking for an “odd” and unbreakable vase because I had to shipped it via local courier. It will be a gift…Shhh, it’s a surprise!

Anyways, I hadn’t find any. Instead, found me these rather “odd” pots (?)

I am really not sure what are these for? They have no lids. And only a small handle-type on its side. But since it is a mere fifteen pesos ($0.35), there’s no reason for me not to hold on to these lovely yellow, er, shall I say stoneware vases? Because, that’s what I intend to make use of them.

I was trying out if these artificial flowers would fit in…

I may have to try later…In the meantime, I need to washed off the dirts away from these recent thrift trips.

By the way, those faux blooms were also my latest thrift buys. I have done quite a few posts on these faux flower arrangements. LILY FLOWER HERE, and SUNFLOWER HERE.

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In addition to being a bad blogger, I AM A TERRIBLE FRIEND, VERY UNTHOUGHTFUL, INSENSITIVE… throw me uneuphemistic words I WILL ACCEPT.

But, still, sans my indifference, there are still people who reminds me time and again,  “no man is an island”. There are people out there who come out their way to make friends, sans the difference in location, difference in time…am i just being lucky? I have found friends in blogland?

Thanks YAMI, you’re the sweetest friend there is.

Thanks LIZ, your generosity and openness is admirable.

Thanks DHEMZ, you’re the little sister I never had ^_^.

Thanks MISS K for always replying to my queries on FB.

And, to others whom I get to keep in touch via comments…thanks to you, for pouring over your wisdom and heart for me.

AND, just this morning, when I AM BUSY “FITTING”  THE CURTAINS THAT I AM SEWING;

guess what do I RECEIVED FROM THE MAILMAN…

A POSTCARD FROM WEST VIRGINIA! Isn’t it coincidence that the autumn card somehow matches the new curtains?

HOW CHARMING WERE THE CARD…The bright splashes of reds, yellows, oranges and the bluest water from the mountain spring…

HERE’S WHAT MELTS MY HEART THE MOST;

Like her flower namesake: THANKS BE TO YOU, SWEETEST ROSE. I AM MOST TOUCHED. SINCERELY.

All the backaches and tiredness went away after receiving such sweet gesture from a FRIEND, I have yet to meet. Same as the other blogger friends mentioned above, I’d be in bliss if I ever get to meet all of them. I JUST DON’T KNOW WHEN ^_^.

For now, I got to get back to my curtains. There’s more sewing finishing touches to do and have to iron it before the curtain call…

THANKS BE TO THE  PRETTY HOST OF

No photos yet! It was my bad! Last night when I hauled in the memory card onto the USB drive, I forgot to run the anti-virus. Er, was the anti-virus (of the desktop) already expired? I was too sleepy, I didn’t noticed. I get to use the desktop at ten in the evening. The kids were busy with their online games and while waiting for my turn, I did few finishing touches to the curtain I HAD FINALLY FINISHED SEWING. Whew! But, sadly enough, I can not retrieve the photos. I have to wait for daughter to wake up ^_^. The curtains, btw, were sheer lovely. Sorry for being sooo conceited! I am in bliss for finishing a project sooo daunting a task! Thought I posted the fabric I bought here.

April’s been a busy month for me. I don’t know. April just flew on me. The house tasks that were scheduled remains undone. Aw! We were planning to repaint, or re-varnish, whatever… this hutch…

…and, these seats…

They looked ugly, I know…

Plans of revamping those wood fixtures came when the school was about to end..Sadly, kids’ school period will soon commence. Yay!

Those woody thingies badly needed new coatings. It was untouched since I have bought them in 1992 from the monetary gifts we have received on our wedding day.

I was actually looking for color inspirations which I am glad I have more from the blogs I have visited.

Any more color tips from the creative bloggers around?

Have you heard of plants that is said to bring bad luck? I had those thorny Euphorbia’s in my garden. I sooo loved them, because they’re easy to grow and easy to maintain. AND, they bring more blooms all year round. Can there be more prettier than those?

I don’t know why some people call them “unlucky” in every homes. Some say I should  remove thorny plants in my garden. Why? “Thorns”, they say brought bad luck. What about roses and other plants, I retorted.

Hmmm, I am keeping my plants. They beautify my garden. I am not QUITTING on them.

What about this QUAINT plant stem? I know, it has an uncanny form, my little miss call it an elfin-turned-plant ^_^. She said the gods of the plants may have turned an elfin into this plant to guard our garden. Does she have a QUIRKY imagination?

However QUEER and bizarre a plant or flower maybe, just like human beings, all are CREATED equal in the eyes of God and should serve its purposes in life.

Can there be anything beautiful than this flower that plant stem has?

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Hadn’t find much home stuffs the past three weeks. My April’s been very busy with personal matters, and buying school things for my kids. Besides, hubby said we have too many stuffs in the house already. We gotta get to organizing and clean-up thingy^_^.

But then, coming to market this morning, when I went looking for plastic canister for my little miss, I found that the shop I frequented selling home stuffs were offering this flatware set for half the price. I already bought 2 boxes sometime in December for $6 each. Now, they have slashed the price for $3. Unfortunately, there was only 1 box left that matched exactly the ones I bought before. Yes, I did get that last flatware set.

There’s nothing much fancy about these flatware pieces. I just fancy those simple round edges.

AND, PLEASE BEAR WITH THIS ADDITIONAL “FIND”. I was just “enormously” happy that this room airconditioner has finally been placed on the room where it is supposed to be. After months of waiting for somebody who could make a hole in the wall for this room ac, AT LAST…

THERE IT IS NOW. I have been whining hubby about this room airconditioner. We have bought this unit in October. Yes, OCTOBER 2010! There were a big sale of LG products at Abenson that time and since when plans of construction at our extension began, a new AC unit was originally included in the plan. Thus, hubby said we grabbed the unit at a discounted price.

YES, FINALLY, THERE IT IS NOW!

No more whining but rantings this time: MY ELECTRIC BILL’S ON THE RISE AGAIN! Go away summertime, et the rainy season began. I need cooler temperature now. Seeing the monthly utility bills makes my blood pressure soar ^_^.

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When me and hubby decided to renovate this part of the side porch, once again, I acted out as the over-all designer. Er, he did the construction lay-out. I was in-charge of the finishing details. Like when I wanted a big sliding door. Hubby would only want big French windows, but I insisted on what I had initially envisioned for this area, explaining that this could be our receiving room “extension”. Thus, even the kids call this additional space, “extension”.

Putting up bricks on the wall was my idea, too. I thought the bricks would save us from painting costs. Besides, bricks enhances any wall space. There’s an array of colors and brick designs on the hardware store. I chose these yellowy/orangy colors because when plans of repainting the whole house pushed through, I would pattern the new paint with these bricks. Rust, terra cotta, or mocha were my favored paint ideas. Oh, hubby and me got to save a lot before the year ends. I got inspired by LIZ when she repainted her kitchen, ALL BY HERSELF!

This is a piece of the bricks that were placed into that “extension” room. A room which now serves as play room and computer room.

After some finishing touches and application of clear cellulose based coating from Boysen, this is how the bricks were transformed. Look at how the colors come alive.

We also did the same treatment at this brick-designed bay window at the master’s bedroom. I loved how the bricks shone especially at mornings when the sun’s rays hit this area.

House renovation eats up a lot of budget. There’s more to do. And, no more budget:( Somehow, we have underestimated the cost of the project. Paintings shall have to wait. School enrollment comes in 2 weeks time. Tuition costs and school necessities of the kids can’t be delayed. Construction, as well as painting jobs CAN…

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