Hi, there! Here is the monthly (or so it seems) edition of my blog.  Think I’m a slug? Well, here is one of two things you should know about me: If I don’t have anything to say, nothing gets pubished.  My feeling is that the blog should be as fun for me to write, as it (hopefully) is enjoyable for you to read.  The thought of being on a publishing schedule gives me the willies.  I refuse to write “filler” posts entitled “how to paint your front door”!  If you can’t figure out how to do that, you just might be a candidate for the “point & pay” method to get ‘er done!  ;>?

I have another corner of the master bedroom to reveal to you. Yes, this project is moving at a snail’s pace, but it is moving forward.  Greg has finished all of the woodwork in the space.  We ordered & received stainless steel barn door hardware.  The next decision is whether to make or buy doors (there will also be a barn door in the hallway for the bathroom.)  If you look for doors  that have the word “barn” in their descriptions, the prices are astronomical.  Conversely, interior slab doors, with similar styling as the “barn” ones, are priced half of astronomical!  X’s on the door are fine in some places, but I want a cleaner, more timeless look. The door will be painted gloss white, to break up all the wood, and to lighten the effect of the dark wall paint. Ideally, this is the look I want:

Greg can build those doors, but his honey-do list is already a mile long. Time will tell which way we go…

Speaking of his honey-do list, the next thing he will tackle is the construction of a dedicated sewing table for my office. Here is the second thing you should know about me: When I can’t access my sewing machine, my misery level is ginormous!

A little history: I was “taught” to sew in a Home Economics class, at the age of 13, and I hated it! The blue shift dress we were tasked with making was almost my undoing, after I accidentally sewed the front and back layers of the garment together.  Oh, the wailing & tears that ensued! But my Mom, who was a daughter of a seamstress, and a prolific sewer in her own right, sat me down and taught me her techniques & tips. From then on, I was hooked.  Thanks, Mom!

So…the reason that the bedroom isn’t finished yet is blamed on my not having an appropriate place to sew. Hopefully the addition of fabric patterns, and selected artwork, and a big, funky “surprise” will close this case!  (Frankly, I can’t wait to see the big reveal, myself!  ;>}

There are 2 more areas of the room that are finished. The first is the small wall immediately on the right as you enter the bedroom. I started with family photographs, a decorative plate, and 3 chinoiserie wall vases.  This is the result:

Those spike-y things in the wall vases are actually the dried stems/stamens from my agapanthus plant:

They looked like this in their natural state, and frankly, they were unimpressive, & downright depressing against the blue walls. A little bit of white spray paint made them “pop”.

The other area of the room, (my favorite) is the bookcase, located immediately to the right of the dresser that I wrote about in the previous post. The bookcase now houses my blue & white pieces, which have been collected over many years. Each looks fine alone, but grouped in one place, their impact is amazing.  I covered the edges of each shelf with papers; each pattern is different, but they are quite harmonious, to my eye.  A coat of polyurethane will keep the papers good-looking for a long time.

It’s been a while since you have had a Bear update. Yes, he’s still alive, and that is because, as he approaches his 2^nd birthday in a couple of days, his destructive ways have pretty much disappeared.  Truth be told, he is one of the great loves of my life (naughty, or otherwise).  However, now he is being attacked by something (we suspect it is a neighbor’s dog) that punctures & scratches him, which is extremely upsetting. The first incident involved ear & neck bites that caused swelling of the right side of his face; he was on antibiotics for about 12 days.  Just about the time that batch of pills ran out, it happened again.  This time, the attacks were on both of his rear legs. The vet ended up shaving big patches of hair around the wounds, which makes him look “pant-less”.

This time, it required pain pills, as well as antibiotics. God help the creature that is hurting my puppy.  If I find you…..GRRR!

That is all the news that is fit to print. Until next time, stay well & safe.