Monday, December 22, 2008

Christmas Decorating

Ready for a visitor.


Done Decorating? well not really sure but I am off to the Airport to pick my mom up so this will be it for now. The first few pictures are of my new guest room. My youngest daughter moved out this summer so I have been working on getting it set up for company. And have had lots of fun with it! still waiting on some clearance items from Pottery Barn, but other than that I am done for now.



And a little something in the Bath too!













Friday, December 19, 2008

Christmas Baking .... DONE

Finished up with all my Christmas baking last night and took a quick shot of it but not before 6 of the bigger boxes went out the door to friends. Now for the fun part hubby and I will be delivering them. I was told that our last delivery will be to a buddy's fish house, Fun but it always makes me a little nervous to drive out on a frozen lake!
This year I made fudge, Peanut butter fudge, date nut roll. jam thumb print cookies, peanut brittle, Carmel's and chocolate Carmel's ( which really taste like a tootsie roll ) and spiced nuts that I got the recipe for from here and really liked the way they turned out the rest of the recipes were mostly old family favorites. I love to make these every year because it reminds me of those that I got the recipes from, mainly my Aunt Sally who was a wonderful cook, who passed away a few years back. I always feel like she is with me when I am making her Date Nut Roll.
I love these little boxes that I found at Walmart they are from Martha Stewart and came with ribbons, labels and little red Polk a dot tissue paper soooo cute. The wine bottle totes were some that I found on clearance last year and they go perfectly with the boxes.
Now off to do some more running!!! Have a great weekend



Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Holiday Decorating

Some Holiday decorating that I have been working on. All I can say is out of all the pictures that I took, These are the only ones that I am happy with Boy you sure can get a different perspective of your home through the lens of a camera. I will be redoing some things!

For some reason I am really liking the whole bird thing this season!
thanks for Stopping


Wednesday, December 10, 2008

More Knitting!

I've finished with a couple more projects for friends and family. This is a pair of fingerless gloves and a fun neck warmer to go with them. I also finished up with a set of funky Amy Butler scrap fabric dish towels and a couple of cotton knitted dishcloths, I found the pattern here
fun with decorating too. Hope to get a tree today!!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

I Did It !!

I did do it!!I finished a project that I am really proud of these mitts!! which are really " Those Mitts"I had started these a couple of times and got stuck so the other day I decided to go to the Internet for help and found Great help on UTube, and was able to get these little guys done. I found the FREE pattern here and will be making many more for Christmas as they knit up pretty quickly!
First pair will be for my son who has already stretched out this pair from wearing them ( why didn't I make them in Pink!!) he calls them " Texting gloves." I have been busy knitting and will be sharing some other projects when I get my camera out again, lots of fun. oh yeah and I finally got a chance to go to my LYS which is an hour away so not so local but its probably a good thing. Anyhow after an hour and a half of wandering the shop, looking at all the great yarn, Talking with the gal at the shop and learning lots and 70.00 spent on yarn for gifts. I was walking out the door a Happy knitter!!!


so.... right home, quick get something to eat and dive into that bag of yarn!!!



Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Time to Take Her in!!

Yup it's time to take her in! I had to finish up my last project with a rubber band holding my sewing machine together!!! and was I thankful that it worked. Oh well, it will be a nice break from sewing ....... More knitting maybe ya, I think so!


Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Finished

OK, so I finished it! but will not be using it EVER! tons of mistakes and questionable knitting all the way through the project. I wanted to post a picture of it ( for evidence ) before I take it apart and use the yarn for something else! I will say that I learned a lot along the way, buttonholes for one! oh and how to stitch together shoulder seams. I think next time I try something like this I will need to get more help along the way.
Thanks for letting me share

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Something Pretty for Carmella

Another project done. This one was for a favorite client who I have done lots of work for and it's always fun cause she brings me beautiful furniture and great fabrics! I would love to see here Home(s) one day. This couch was the first piece of furniture that I made a slip for the slip for (yes it has an undergarment)

we also wanted to pretty up the back because it would be showing in the room so this is what I came up with
Thanks for letting me share

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Progress

Well I'm finally making a little progress in the workshop as I have a door and curtain on my cupboard and it only took what two months?? well, it seems like it anyway. here is what it looked like before the door and curtain. I love that I can put some of the mess behind a closed door and drawn curtain. now all I have to do is have hubby make a cutting table, sewing table paint the floors and get my office area set up.... wow still have lots to do!
oh well a little bit at a time and I'll get it done.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Bathroom Update on a Budget

A couple of weeks ago we were lucky enough to do a little bathroom update. and were even luckier to do be able to do it on a very small budget. With a little labor trade and lots of hubbies hard work we were able to do the whole thing for around 300.00. New Tile, A little touch up paint, a new towel rack/shelf , 2 new fall colored hand towels and a new shower curtain liner. Everything else were things that I already had around the house!
I kept the color pallet in the bath very neutral so that I could change things up quickly and inexpensively for the different seasons.

This is one of my favorite new things that I have in the bath now. Its a picture that I found in Hubbies old papers. He drew it when he was 12 or 13. I just framed it and there you have it, meaningful art.


I really wish that I could have gotten a better picture of the tile. its beautiful and I love it! Its that really big 18" x 18" stuff that our tile guy suggested. He said it looks cleaner and makes the floor look bigger! and with less grout lines to clean or worry about he was totally right.
Thanks Brent!



Friday, October 31, 2008

A Little Red Toile for Christmas

Another one done! I am really happy with the way this one turned out and I hope that someone will have the perfect place for it! This is a chair that I did for the window of a cute little shop The Little Red Hen, that I will be apart of for the month of November. Its another occasional sale here in Minnesota. I decided to make the cushion reversible just for another option. I was going to take a picture of the back of it but my camera battery died and I had to get this one loaded for the shop. I will try and take a picture of the window that I did but I am having trouble with the glare... we'll see.

Thanks for letting me share and have a great weekend!!!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Mondays are for Cleaning

Mondays a typically cleaning day for me. I love to start the week with a clean and organized home. These are my new favorite cleaning products they are expensive so I really try and make them last but I love the way that my home smells when I am done cleaning with lavender scented products! Have you ever tried these?

Now on to the rest of the week, with a clean house!


Sunday, October 19, 2008


A little something I am trying out. I was so confused at how to create a link, but think I have figured it out so here we go... I have some posts that mention TheHogShed Its an occasional sale (once a month) that I am lucky enough to be apart of and love being involved with. I hope you take a peek! Claire the owner along with Shannon, who I know Claire is very thankful for, does a great job every month of putting together a super creative Shopping experience for those who travel out to Lester Prairie. We are also excited for the upcoming year as The Hog Shed will be in Country Living magazine! I will keep you posted as to which month when we find out.
P.S What do you think Deanna did I get a little smarter? hahahaa got ya

Friday, October 17, 2008

question

OK, I have a question for all you smart and creative ladies out there This is my entry way wall and when I change decor for the different season I like to paint out this wall its big impact for little money and effort! my only dilemma is the clocks I love them and always get lots of comments and complements of the idea of having California and Minnesota time and yes the California clock needs a new battery. it been high noon in there for a couple of months now! ) anyhow it is a real pain to repaint the letters on the wall getting the spacing right and all that, sooo... my question so all you is do you have any ideas on how to do this so that I don't have to repaint the words on the wall every time. would so love any of your suggestions and ideas!!!!

Monday, October 13, 2008

A fun past Project Perfect for Fall

This was a project that I worked on this past June and just loved the color and thought it was a perfect project to share for fall. Its always fun to work with different fabrics and this was a real pleasure. I really wish that I would have taken some close ups of the fabric to share with you. At the very end of the little scrolly vines are fuzzy little flower heads, real interesting and very pretty.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Some for Friends Some for Family

After purchasing my new book Knit Together ( loving this book) I decided to make the neck warmer. Now that I have done a couple, its a real simple and fast knit but I did have some things so learn for this project. first, was the cable cast on. I found out how to do that by googling it, next I needed to figure out how to join to work in the round that was also googled. Last was using a stitch marker which I did wrong at first.... ya, I really don't know how I screwed that one up but I did. now I am having fun with it and getting some ready for gift giving. So much fun!

Monday, October 6, 2008

Something Fall for The Hog Shed

this is one of last weeks projects and I am really happy with the way that it turned out. To begin with I am really liking this fabric it's just so pretty and fall looking with out the real deep colors. The second thing that I love about this project is the chair itself, it's the most comfortable chair to sit in, its a swivel rocker and I could sit in this thing all day long! I did try something new with this slip cover and that is the double kick pleat. I like that it is just a little different . I got the idea from my friend Angie over at Diaries of a slipcover Diva who does great things with fabric!!! and if knew how to do the link thing I would do that for you, great stuff over there! She's on my list of favorite blogs Check her out!
one of the other things I'm lovin about this chair is the vintage crocheted buttons that I used on the back. I got these from my friend Claire that owns The Hog Shed They just make the whole thing come together.



Love these Buttons aren't they great!

Thanks for visiting and have a great Week!!!



Wednesday, October 1, 2008

A New Chair for Carrie

Another Fun Slip Covering project. This one was a fun one for A clients daughter I though that she picked out some really fun fabric for a teen not to frilly just nice clean lines, ( OK OK I did frilly it up just a bit with the little skirt... I just had to!)
This was another client that I met through The Hog Shed and how lucky am I her mother owns the auction house in town. I can't wait to go and learn how to bid on things!! I have only been to two auctions in my life and the whole time I was there I was scared to death to move for fear of bidding on something accidentally. But now I have the perfect motivation, Carrie says that they have lots of great furniture that goes through there all the time yippee for me!!


Oh, I almost forgot this is my favorite part The back!


Thursday, September 25, 2008

A Couple of things

First, I finished my Mom's Knitting bag and even got it shipped off to her! Actually she probably already has received it as I sent it off about a week ago. I took pictures and all but then I was having trouble with my camera ( one of these days I will have to read the instruction booklet!)
anyhow I am very happy with the way it turned out and hope that you love it Mom! Now on to the other thing that I finished last week and could not post about ( because of the camera thing) I finished my third knitting project. Its for my middle daughter, Autumn.
This was a fun challenge because of the pattern. I had to learn some new stitches that Mom walked me threw over the phone ( did I mention my knitting partner lives 2,000 miles away? )


well its done, all I need to do now is get it wrapped and stashed for Christmas, and I am on to my next knitting project! I'm having so much fun with this!




Tuesday, September 23, 2008

A Favorite Project

A Favorite project of mine. This was a couch that I slip covered last summer and as I was going through my pictures I was reminded of it and thought I would share.
This was done for one of my favorite clients who always comes up with great stuff for me to do
The slip cover itself was constructed of a super sturdy brushed cotton and the pillow were constructed of a combination of fabrics which included a couple of quilted throws from T.J. Max.
I just love the blues so calming!!!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Just an Idea

This is one of the things that my Mom does ( not the best picture ) but she paints on glass. While she was doing it lots , she made this set for me and I just love it the original set came with 8 glasses and this is what is left of the set after about 5 years. One of the great things about this set is that each glass was painted just a bit differently some had red berries, some yellow, some had little pair looking things well, you get the idea....
I'm thinking I would love to have some replacement glasses for this set. Christmas Maybe? Just an Idea.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Lovin the new bag


Loving my new knittin bag! I decided that I needed something to tote my knitting around in so I whipped up this bag out of my new favorite fall fabrics. Now I have room for all my new knitting "Stuff" and a place to keep all the patterns that I have been printing of projects that I want to try ( and there are lots of them!!!!!_) And yes that is the newest project sittin in there, Hope to post completed later this week .... we'll see

Wanting to make a bag for my new Knitting partner ( My Mom) but having a hard time deciding what fabrics to use. May have to post some choices for you Mom, so that you can decide for yourself.


Monday, September 8, 2008

Progress in the Shop

Well after about 6 months in the new shop we are finally making some progress with some of the functional details like shelving and hiding the big ugly heating system.

Hubby started this shelving unit the other day now all we need is doors and paint and it will all look much cleaner then the old medal shelves that I was using before. I have found that I work much better when things are clean and organized. I can not work in a mess. That's not to say that I don't make a mess when I'm working.

Second Project.. But There is a Problem!!!!

Finished with my Second Knitting project and I'm pretty happy with it. This is a hat and scarf for my oldest Daughter ( getting a head start on Christmas ) but as I mentioned there is a problem!! All I want to do is knit. I all ready have about 6 other projects all picked out that I want to work on. Oh well I will just have to create more time in my day for it.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Slipcovering Again

I don't know about where you live but here in Minnesota it feels like fall! so for my next Hog Shed project I went with this beautiful fall fabric for Septembers Slip covered Chair! I love the way that it turned out and the throw is as soft as it looks!!
What a fun chair for a cozy Cottage this fall.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Starting at the Begining

OK so I am determined to figure out how to knit again! I see all of these wonderful things that you ladies are making and I want them all!! I used to knit when I was a girl and had my grandma at my side to help me when I got stuck, but now I'm on my own except for one friend that I see about once a month so maybe if I get stuck I will have someone to help me out. so for my first project I started with the first project in t he book. I love the yarn and cant wait till it gets a bit cooler so that I can wear it with my favorite fall jacket.