crazy for...

built-ins.

especially those that frame a fireplace

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a doorway

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or (a) window(s)...

hello, gorgeous!!

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someday i'd like to have built-ins, or some sort of window seat surrounded by shelves. 

maybe i could work one into our current living room?

now:

sad window, lacks charm

(excuse the mess0 i;m on vacation!!)

future???

i guess it would be more like 

free-standing shelves with a bench for reading, 

but we do need room for a couch in there...

so says m.

 last friday one of my mini-dreams came true.

i got to see alison krauss and union station in concert, 

courtesy of m's birthday gift to me.

<3

she's been a favorite of mine for years, 

and the concert did not disappoint.

the entire performance was positively flawless.

and the chicago theater was amazing.

if i weren't an opera singer, i would definitely be 

a bluegrass singer and fiddler extraordinaire.

fun in mi

over the long weekend we went to michigan and enjoyed a bit of nature.

michigan is lovely.

 i saw my sweet nephew.

 he's into making these funny little faces.

 we stayed with m's parents at their trailor near wolf lake.

 and jasper and lola got to hang with bailey. 

 and m got to do important manly stuff like building stairs.

 we day tripped to ludington, walked the pier

 and had the best ice cream!

 it was nice to be in michigan for a bit, even if just a few days.

a whole lotta awesome!

yesterday i arranged some old cabinets that we'd pulled out of the kitchen. 

i found a six-foot-long slab of wood in the garage and it fit perfectly on top.

now i have the world's most amazingly awesome work table that is p-e-r-f-e-c-t for sewing and other crafting.  m even drilled a couple of holes in the top so my sewing machine cords can go right down to the outlet.  i can't wait to get a nice little stool, give it a good sanding, paint it white and decorate it.  the day i get around to that, i will be sure to post.  but for now, eat your heart out all  you crafters!

story of a stick

this could be good....

yep, it's gooooood

you're lucky i love you, jasper!

mmmmmmm...

my 10 on 10

a few days belated, but i did attempt the 10 on 10 challenge hosted by rebekah at a bit of sunshine 

here are my photos. 

sometime soon i hope to be able to get a new camera and improve the quality of the photos i take!

a bit of sunshine

one of my favorite blogs, a bit of sunshine, has a really fun project that i cannot wait to join!  it's called 10 on 10, and you can read about it here.  until i get a nice camera, my phone one will have to do, but it sounds like so much fun i think i'll try it tomorrow.  why don't you join in the fun as well?

awesomeness

a friend showed me this blog, and i absolutely love it.  i hope you enjoy the creativity and charm as much as i do!  you can also find a link to it on my sidebar ----------------------->

storywoods

have you seen this amazing dog?

copycat

 i loved  hyperbole and a half so much that i decided to experiment with the cartoonish fun.  

i made this hyperbolized cartoon version of my family.

i realize this is nothing short of plagiarism,

and this doesn't make me creative or clever,
but it was sure fun.
you'll probably see more sometime.
because life's more fun in cartoons.

Home Sweet Home!

 So here it is, folks... our starter home!

We have big plans for the exterior, as you may remember from previous posts.  We would like to paint the house a darker color, maybe blue or gray.  I can't wait to plant new bushes, with flowers!  And maybe make a beautiful stone flower bed.  *sigh* 

As for the interior, that project has already begun and is in phase 1:

If you haven't seen what it looked like before, here is a little photo from the house's original listing:

Doesn't it seem to say "RUN!  DON'T WALK!"  But we saw its potential.

The hideous wood paneling was the first thing we decided to say "hasta la vista, baby" to.  The beams on the ceiling were decorative, and in between them, the white sections of ceiling were cheap fake wood pieces, too!  So we ditched them.  (And by "we" I mean my amazing hubby and his overwhelmingly generous friends!)  I'm sure that with drywall, more subtle light fixtures and a nice, warm paint color the room will open right up and look beautiful!  Oh, and did I mention there are wood floors under the carpet?  Bonus!

Speaking of paint, I've been thinking about this A L-OT. 

For the living room, I really would like to paint the walls something neutral and warm but not yellow.  What do you think of this color?  It's called "Cozy Cottage!"

 

With white crown moulding, I think it would look modern and classy, warm and inviting.  

I'm pretty attached to a color like this for the kitchen:

White cabinets?  Maybe!

And for my music room (yes, I will have a music room!) I desperately want to use purple, but I don't know if I have the guts!

Updates to follow... giggle, giggle giggle.