Tolentreasures

  First of all,  I have lived in this house 19 years.  That is officially the longest i have lived anywhere, ever in 63 years. I guess that meant that I never lived anywhwere long enough  to change what I had done.  I might have repainted but never had to strip my own wallpaper.  I guess I should apologize to all those people that bought houses that I had gone wallpaper crazy in over the years.    And I really loved wallpapering.    This was my last place I had wallpapered. 19 years ago, when I moved in.    I am not as young as I was then.    And this is kicking my butt.     After an entire day working on this yesterday,  and not being as far along as i thought  I would be in my mind,  I am almost too sore to go back to it this morning.    Full disclosure: My mind might think my body is a little younger than it is.     …update, tomorrow!...

The last two days have been consumed with moving all this paint.    I closed one location and combined it all into the other.    I packed and moved one location in an hour and a half.    Carried the boxes out and loaded them in my van.   I must have been on some type of adrenaline rush because when I got home,  I could not lift the boxes!    I had to cut them almost in half to get them out of the van.    But this evening,  they are all in place!   Whew!    Now to pack all the remaining Christmas items in my booth!    Anybody have a new paint project?  I can ship!     

Another visit to  Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse and some "can't live without"  goodies!   I love the bulk section,  things you did not even know you needed!  Like all those little bottles of paint. And... Coasters! I have been buying dowel rods, these were a bargain thrown in the bag!  Some seashells for VBS decor, and some gold bars for the treasure chest!  Vintage dishtowels. Zinc lids, and of course, Golf Balls!   Always treasures to be found!  If you are in the Pittsburgh Area, it is worth the visit!  http://pccr.org/

Yesterday was Career Day at Preschool. Kendall went as a princess.  Who wouldn't want to be a princess?   She is 4, I am 56. I still want to be a princess!  What I am not,  is a foodie. Or a cook,  chef, or anything else food related.  What I have been thrust into,  kicking and screaming, is  a part of preparing food for  about  500-600  people. Not to mention shopping for it. Have I mentioned that I despise grocery shopping? JWS loves it.  But I went along, because I like the  Strip District and  we had dinner at one of my favorites places, Roland's. Lobster roll!  Mural in the Strip District However, while we were eating, the car sat closed up, and we had a rotten onion.  I think that the smell is stuck in my nose!  And finally, some organization to my paint shelves.   Wonder how lon...

This and This!   But I just can't seem to pick up those brushes!   Hopefully the warmer weather this week puts me in a better state of mind!

I bet that you are really wondering about that title. Well, hang on, you have to hear some other stories first. The boys were at work, they were restless, they wanted to play in the snow. Always ready to take off work early, I volunteered of course! Don't they look cute with their snowmen we built? And a pic of the three snowmen builders together.   And one picture of us trying to roll the biggest snowball ever! Well, at least I was trying to roll the biggest snowball ever. That is Logan laying on the ground making one of the 35 or so snow angels that he made and Tyler forming yet another snowball to pound me with. But before all that... We went sled riding. Up and down this huge hill over and over. Pulling tired little boys UP the hill on the sled.  The best moment of the day.  Walking back up the hill, holding my hand, Logan says. "This time all three kids ride." I ask who the three kids are? He responds,  "Gramma, Tyler and Logan!"   Now I h...

Disclaimer:  If you notice, we are doing this is Mamaw's really messy basement because it does make a mess, not that Mamaw didn't already have quite the mess before I started. Today, I will be showing you how to make these lovely pictures, my Mommy and Daddy are going to be so excited when I bring them home. Supplies needed: Paper Acrylic paints A Mamaw that is not afraid of a little mess (or a big mess, obviously) First, you gather your supplies and one of Mamaw's old shirts and find Mamaw's messy basecoating/varnishing table in the basement. Then you start to place puddles of paint all over your paper.  It helps if Mamaw is close by, some of those lids can be a real bugger to get off. Keep putting paint on, even after Mamaw says that is enough for this one, because the real fun starts when it squeezes out and goes everywhere.  Just beg a little in a cute little voice and Mamaw's usually cave. Sometimes you have to shake the paint really hard to get a nice big ...

I finally finished all these pieces last night and have them varnished and ready to be packed back into the box for transport to Jenn's house. Whew! Please excuse the painting counter background but I did not want to move them AGAIN! Jenn was here last night and I showed them to her and she was really surprised and excited. I want her to be able to display it this year and wanted her to help us (John) decide what to build for her for a display for them. I suggested plexiglas with those two precious, overactive, ball throwing, wrestling, little boys and John wanted to build it behind chicken wire like the band in the movie Roadhouse, but seriously, now he has to build something this weekend for her and then she can display it. One of those special moments when truly the gift is in the giving! Thanks everyone for signing up for the giveaway and for posting it on your blogs. It has been fun to "visit" each of you! Can't wait to see who the lucky winner is!

This little scarf is for Gracelyn, my granddaughter. I found this cutest little white fur coat for her last weekend and at the same time her other Grandma found the cutest little plaid coat for her so of course she needed a scarf to go with both of them. She is here tonight spending the night with Grammy and nothing is more precious than a baby falling asleep in your arms, even if it took three tries to lay her down and Grammy rocking herself to sleep in the recliner on the last try. Apparently I must have needed that cat nap, I was up to babysit the boys at 3:30 this morning so that my step-daughter and son in law could go Christmas shopping. Another precious moment is when those little boys woke up and came downstairs and were so happy to see me. It is the only time that I can get them to cuddle with me. This is the nativiy set that I have been working on for the last month on and off. I am counting it as two projects when it is done. There are 19 pieces to it. I had made ...