JEWELS

MY FAVORITE NEW PLACE ........

Last month Master Carpenter and I went to Asheville, North Carolina to visit our Granddaughter and this Blog's Design Assistant and Co-Blogger, Erica, and her husband, Adam. The area, and the "village", are so picturesque and a shopper's heaven!

I hate to think of the shopping I have missed by waiting so long to visit this spot! Erica took us into many of the local boutiques. It was freezing and windy, but we managed to work our way through a number of the great shops . Must, must get back there when the weather is warmer.

I want to share some of the beautiful "Jewels" I saw! We are all getting tired of seeing pictures of "Patty's Epiphany House", I know I am!! Actually, I think it would have been Heaven to have been able to bring home ALL of what we saw and redo the Epiphany House. Wouldn't that be fun!!! I did buy one small treasure. I will show the fabulous way it was marketed in the store and it's new home here. Really wanted the entire display!

YOU KNOW HOW I LOVE MIRRORS, AND THAT LAMP IS TO DIE FOR.

LOVE THIS NEW LIGHTER WOOD FINISH AND THE COMPOSITION DISPLAYED IS VERY "ME"

LOOK, LOOK AT ALL THOSE FLOWER SPONGES WITH THEIR POPS OF PINK

I WANTED TO TAKE THE WHOLE THING, TUB AND ALL.

ONE IN IT'S NEW HOME

I saved the best "Jewels" for last......Erica has done a fabulous job in designing a Spring Window for her shoe boutique, Talloni, ("Heel" in Italian). The place is filled, not only with gorgeous shoes, but scarfs, handbags, and jewelry to make any girl's dreams come true!! Actually, I have no idea how she can not spend her entire salary in a day! The pictures will speak for themselves, no need to comment.....Entire project is a winner!

SKETCH OF "SECRET GARDEN"

.....DO YOU WISH TO USE YOUR AMERICAN EXPRESS, VISA OR MASTER CARD????

THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA

Not Quite What the Song Was About......

I am taking a little "Literary License"! I have moved things around ...after getting ideas trying to fall asleep (with the lights out) !!! Nothing great or big, just enough to keep things "new" and "fresh"!

FOUND A NEW HOME FOR A PICTURE FROM THE "WAREHOUSE"

I WARNED YOU THE STATUE WOULDN'T STAY FOR LONG

ADDED TREASURES FOR "POPS" OF COLOR

THE STATUE FINDS A NEW HOME

CHANGED LAMP, ADDED FOO DOGS, AND NOTICE NEW BOX

Kenneth mentioned on his Twitter site... (Yes, can you believe I follow someone on Twitter!) that it's almost Spring and he's getting ideas on changing his entire house!!! So, so, Kenneth and OH how I can relate! He asked for everyone to send him words "to be sensible" .....Not me, I wrote back and said "Sense...and take the fun out of life!" His philosophy is one reason I love his work! Always changing and mixing things up. I can't change the entire house, but moving an accessory here and there keeps me alive and feeling good!

The staff here at Patty's Epiphanies has a lot of projects in the works. Nothing I can show yet. Some will have to wait until April and May!!!

Master Carpenter is planning to build a Pergola in the back. We submitted the plans and they have been approved by the ARCHITECTURE Committee !!!! That's the first, and most important step! With the help of John DeRosso (and his truck), supplies should start arriving on "site" next week. Of course, I will follow the progress and keep everyone up to date on the work! Should be equal, if not top, the built-in unit! Maybe not as refined, but much larger!!!! Let's just hope Master Carpenter can survive .............

While on the subject of Master Carpenter....he must be bored waiting for the Pergola lumber to arrive, because he decided to do "finishing" work on the spaces where the sliding doors were removed. He has built new trim and will caulk and paint in the next few days. He's "designing" a way to connect the two flooring elements. The noises coming from the "SHOP" are very loud right now!!!!!!

Erica has two projects in the works......I do keep that girl busy!! It amazes me, she does have a life outside of my projects!!!! You should see what wonderful design work she did in the shoe boutique where she works. Her window display is fantastic. She's planning on adding some photos to her website.

In April, Patti, will bring me the first of her new projects. She has made four 20" x 20" throw pillows for the sofa. They are in two different black velvets. Erica did the shopping for supplies, so I will be "surprised" when they come. She finds the prettiest fabrics at her favorite sources and I trust these new pillows will be beautiful!

She is also working on a very special art piece. This one has a LOT of sentimental meaning. The seeds of this project were planted over the last couple of months. An art piece, pictured in a room in a magazine, caught my attention. It was a large, heavily textured, all white, canvas. If you looked closely, you could see the shape of a dress in the texture. It looked like something I knew Erica would love to tackle!!!! While we were visiting Erica and Adam a few weeks ago, I showed her the picture. Her eyes lit up and in a split second asked..........."Grandma, do you have a dress we could use, I think that would be a great way to duplicate this idea?" It took me just another split second to answer......"Yes, I have the perfect dress...will ship it to you and we can go from there!" What came to my mind, instantly, was a Christening dress. It has been in my Mother's family since the early 1900's! All the babies in her family were Baptized in this dress....including yours truly, my children, and the latest, my Granddaughter, Tess. The dress is now completely unwearable. The top is dry rotted! It has been mended and patched many times and yet, it remains BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!! Now, thanks to Erica, it will be preserved and seen by all who visit my home. The hardest part... I have to wait until May to receive it. She and Adam are visiting in mid-May and will carry it here with them.

So, dear readers, this has been the week here in "Senior-ville"!! Oh, I must relate one additional little "story"!

The other day as I walked through our great room, I noticed something different with our new chair ...IT HAD MOVED!!!
Now, all my original followers know what this means.............Yes, Bill is at work!!! He has been back since he inspired me with the Asian screens and I believe is still here!!! The reason he moved the chair.......( I MUST state that Master Carpenter refuses to believe this!!!!).... I found out that the Thomasville Outlet Store still has one of these chairs in stock! I think, and Bill agrees, it's the perfect opportunity to have a pair of these fabulous chairs.....at an unbelievable price!!!! So far, Master Carpenter, has won this decision.................

Welcome Spring this weekend and enjoy all your wonderful inspirations. Go with them.... What do you have to lose?

GRANDMA'S PARTY CURRY CHICKEN

Well..........who knew? You asked for a recipe from ME!!!!!

Here goes...the amounts are for 10 to 12 people. Adjust accordingly!

6 to 8 Chicken Breast with bones and skin
6 to 8 Chicken Thighs with bones and skin
3 cans of Cream of Mushroom soup
2 cans of Golden Mushroom soup
1 can of Mushroom Bits and Pieces

Sherry to taste
Curry Powder to taste

4 cups Rice
Fruits and Condiments of choice......the more the merrier!!!!!
.....note........it is not necessary to add any salt or pepper

Cook chicken in a large pot of water. Remove the cooked chicken, set aside to cool. Continue to cook down the chicken stock for about an hour. After the chicken has cooled, bone, skin, and cut into large chunks. Put the chicken in a large baggy and refrigerate. Strain the stock. Add the soups, mushroom bits and pieces, sherry and curry powder. Cook at low temperature for about an hour. Allow it to set and cool and put in the refrigerator.

About an hour before serving remove chicken and soup mixture from the refrigerator. Add the chicken to the soup mixture and heat to serving temperature.

Assemble all the ingredients in gorgeous bowls, plates, and serving utensils!!!! Serve buffet style and allow guests to add their own choices to their plates!

Enjoy,
Patty

LADY OF HOPE AND LOVE

WHAT A LADY



The piece is titled: Lady of Hope and Love. It is the icing on the cake! Erica explained the "Lady" is blowing the petals of the flower towards our new dining room to shower the room with hope and love to all that enters !!!! She also wanted to add that "Pop" of red to center the other reds that are scattered from the kitchen to the new dining room!






THANK YOU ERICA

POST OF THE WEEK

JUST CAME TO ME!!!

I really didn't expect to put up a new post this week........but.........I had an EPIPHANY !!! Who knew!

We have had the two egg shell panels of birds for years. They are hand made, entirely from egg shells, from Asia. I love them, especially because "Bill" found them for us. He always told me to place them next to each other, on the floor, (not hung) to portray a Gallery Look. There isn't wall space to display them that way in this home, so I have had them on each end of the large wall in the Great Room (book end style).



We were reminiscing with friends about Bill over the weekend. As he has done over the years since he passed away, he did his thing and POW....I got the idea. Bill is our personal "Ghost" and he inspires me in fantastic ways. I believe he is my source for most of my Epiphanies!! Thank you, Bill, so glad you are back!!!!

The Epiphany: Attach them together with hinges and Presto a Screen!!!




After THREE trips to Lowes, Master Carpenter, got the correct hinges that would do the job. Actually Master Carpenter will gladly go to Lowes ...so the three trips were not a chore!!!!

We love the result. Now my two panels are together again. Thank you Bill............

GREAT, FABULOUS FIND!!!

THE UNEXPECTED .....ALWAYS THE BEST

Who knew while searching for something to fill the empty Master Bedroom, I would literally fall upon the most "Perfect" host chairs for the Dining Room!!! Just the fact they are completely the opposite of all the existing furniture makes them so correct. The red seats carry the entire theme off and the contrasting styles adds so much interest to the space!!! The ideal solution in making such a small room full of Importance!!!

I must thank Kenneth for his wonderful suggestion of the hurricane lamps and books as the accessories to adorn the table. Actually, I only have one hurricane lamp at present (candle sticks are now stand-ins)......two more are in Patti's attic. They are from Erica's wedding. She had one at every table, each filled with a different candy. Guests were given small decorative "bags" and traveled from table to table filling them with their favorites. Side note...... The M & M table was the most popular, by far!

The Dining Room has come together so well and much quicker than I ever dreamed.

I have come to the realization that my "Home" is my laboratory....my private Design Workshop!

.....and ......the Master Bedroom is still empty!

JACKPOT......... THREE SEPERATE EPIPHANIES

MY LITTLE MIND JUST WON'T QUIT!

It all began last week when I got the brainy idea I needed a console or serving piece to use during a dinner in the Dining Room. It would have to be placed in the Great Room. There isn't room in the new space for any additional furniture. Naturally, as anyone would dream up, a tea cart instantly came to mind. It would be a perfect piece to put behind the wing back chair .....very functional and it would add a little whimsy.

I envisioned a gorgeous cart with mirrored shelves, large shinny rear wheels, and a handle to die for. Simple Elegance! To my horror this piece doesn't exist in my non-existing budget! I spent the week looking at all my regular sources and some not so regular ones!

Enter Plan B

Look for a console table that would fit in that space. In order to visualize what amount of space I was thinking of, I went around the house looking for a Stand-In that would give me a sense of how it would look. The search was short and sweet......my Mitchell Gold/Bob Williams mirrored Dressing Table and Sexy Sadie Chair would be perfect. (Purchased at their outlet store in Hickory, N.C.) It took no time at all and they were in place. To my amazement ......they looked so good, I decided why look any further...... Oh, boy, I just saved a fortune on my budget!!!!

I now have a lovely "Lady's Desk" and chair in the great room... and... when we use the dining room, a beautiful console table and extra seating!


BUT ........I NOW HAVE A HUGE EMPTY SPACE IN THE MASTER BEDROOM.......


I mentioned three Epiphanies. On to number two!

While placing the Lady's desk into it's perfect spot I finally figured a way to eliminate the narrow walking space through the room. I wasn't happy having to walk between the back of the chairs and the fireplace. The fireplace was never a "part" of the sitting area. To my surprise, by placing the chairs up to the fireplace, the entire room was opened up. Now, you enter the ROOM and just proceed! All it took was a little push and pull and it was done! Subtle, but what a change it has made! The "hall" is gone!




#3

Completely different subject. Loved my mirror over mirror hanging by the silver chain....but I wasn't that happy with the hooks holding the chain.

I knew what I needed, but had no idea where to find it. Master Carpenter found it!!!!!!

He comes into the house from the garage holding this perfect, shinny, knobby "thing" saying "Will this Work?" It was one of the brackets from a towel bar we had removed from the guest bath months ago! In less than an hour .......it was attached to the wall with the mirror and shinny chain hanging from it!!!!!

ps....if you don't happen to have spare towel bars in your garage another solution is Inactive Door Knobs (also called "dummy knobs") sold in hardware stores. Either is perfect for hanging pictures, mirrors.....just use your imagination!






...now........ that EMPTY space in the Master Bedroom..........

COMING SOON

THIS WILL BE WORTH THE WAIT

I can't imagine anyone that knows me, or that has been following this blog, would think this space would remain blank for very long.........

Well, you are right!

A very DIFFERENT "ERiCA" creation is on it's way........

Master Carpenter and I are visiting Erica and Adam on February 25th and will bring the new art back home with us.

Again...............Erica has planned something very different than her previous works. This will be such a new approach and I can't wait to see it hanging and be able to share it with the world!!!

Look for the Reveal around February 26th..............

.....by the way.......Erica is available to Commission.....you can have your own Original ERiCA !!!

EPIPHANY.......

I'm at it again.........

Had an Epiphany..... Was playing with my mind and my curiosity got the best of me and ......result:

WHAT A LITTLE DINNER STARTED

Who Knew!

If you had told me one year ago that I would have a dining room or even wanted a dining room I would have told you: "That's ridiculous!!!"

Going back over the years, a dining room was never important ...a small table in a corner of the living room, for four to enjoy a little dinner, was more than we ever needed!!! Who had people over for dinner any more?

Boy.... was I wrong!! It wasn't three months after we moved in, that we were squeezing seven at our kitchen table for our first Dinner Party!!! I could not believe it.......I needed a DINING ROOM.........I WANTED A DINING ROOM !

For years, if a bunch of us wanted to have a nice dinner together.......we made RESERVATIONS!!! Not in this new phase of our lives.... and the biggest surprise of all.... I LOVE IT!!!

Going back a couple of months, after that little dinner for seven, I had a problem. How did I create a dining room in a house that didn't have one....and how did I convince Master Carpenter to go along with this insane idea? Fate! Simple FATE came to the rescue!

I had volunteered to be part of a welcoming group to ...you guessed it......Welcome the newcomers to SunCity! The first couple I visited had just finished enclosing their small "veranda" into a sunroom. They converted the space that we had JUST enclosed with screens, only they used WINDOWS!!! Instantly, the EPIPHANY hit me! Not two seconds passed before I had the entire picture of a dining room in my devious little mind!

Somehow, and I am still a little puzzled at this, Master Carpenter let me proceed with this insanity! I made a few phone calls, and in less than a week the man who had installed the screens was standing in the space telling us how he could replace them with insulated windows without any problem. A carpet store was giving us an estimate for wall to wall carpeting to put over the concrete pad and how to insulate and keep out all moisture. This was really becoming a reality!

Well, the bones of the project were in place....now how to make it a dining room? Without hesitation I thought of the white drapery panels that were in all the other rooms. They would be perfect to cover the windows, and the one existing outside wall of the house!! Decided to worry about the hanging of them later and went on line and ordered the panels. First I ordered 11, then I re-figured and ordered 3 more. In the end we took the three that were outlining the sliding doors and put them in the mix.............ending up with 17 drapery panels! I imagine Ballard Designs must think I am reselling them! I saved a fortune ordering them on line....no shipping charges during a Holiday special...and I had them shipped to our daughter in North Carolina so I wouldn't have to pay sales tax.

Now, enter Design Granddaughter and Patti, my daughter. Patti wanted an idea for a Christmas gift. That was easy....commission Erica to do an art piece to hang on the "drapery wall" (the outside wall covered with the panels). On Christmas morning I was speechless when the piece Erica did was "unwrapped"!!! It's amazing, absolutely amazing! The textures, fabric and materials are unbelievable!

The lighting for the room was another stroke of luck. First of all there are two recessed lights in the bead-board ceiling. Because the space was designed as an outdoor space there was power for a ceiling fan. This was all I needed to have the opportunity to install a chandelier. As you all know I jump at any excuse to add another chandelier to my home! I looked on line and saw the "usual " and found one or two that would fit into my "Budget"......speaking of budgets... this entire adventure never had a budget....it just happened....but to make it appear sound-worthy, I created a budget! That way if I stayed under budget .....I was ahead! Now you understand what is meant by " MY DEVIOUS MIND"!!!! Getting back to the chandelier....I knew of a local lighting store and decided to check it out before ordering the one on line. There it was.....I found the one I thought would add character to the room. It was completely the opposite of the rest of the elements in the room. Elaborate shades, leather trim and curves! Perfect! The price was greatly reduced, GREATLY!!! ...but.... it had a SOLD tag on it. I asked if I could order another one and was informed it was discontinued and this was the last one. But.....the sales associate said that the buyer hadn't paid for it or had come in to pick it up and they had been holding it for over two weeks! I said: "I'll pay for it and take it home NOW." To be fair, and small business people here in Georgia are very fair, she asked if I would wait one more day. She would call the first buyer and give her one more day to come for it. I called the next afternoon and by the close of the business day, it was in the truck on my car!

Moving right alone....we needed some seating! Erica strongly suggested, due to our "budget
demands, we look at World Market. To my pleasant surprise they had great chairs that would fit the room that were priced (with coupons, specials, and you name it!) at two chairs for $79. We bought four. We have four chairs in the kitchen that we can use for the Dinner for Eight!

Now.....I know by now you are asking: "WHERE IS MASTER CARPENTER?"

There is one element that a dining room needs that I haven't mentioned. THE TABLE. All during this period he is designing, planning and purchasing the supplies. I think Master Carpenter will let me share on his genious! He designed the table around a solid wood door from Lowes! Price..$54. Oh, so in that BUDGET!! It is 30" x 80" to fit the proportions of the small room 7.5" x 14'. We can comfortable sit three on each side and one at each end. Perfect! The actually construction went very slowly. I think everyone knows about our freezing weather and that made it impossible for Master Carpenter to work in the garage. Even an electric space heater didn't help! Finally after the table was built, we had to wait for the temperature to go over 50 degress to apply the stain and the polyurethane. The temperature stayed over 50 all this week and yesterday morning it was IN PLACE!....just in time for it's Debutant Ball last night! Ten wonderful friends came over to celebrate our new room and we had a Grand Time!!!

Remember my comment on deciding how we were going to hang the drapery panels? Poor Master Carpenter. We had many plans and ideas. We thought of closet poles, piping ...we were all over the place. We needed something that would allow me to pull the panels back and forth. At night the room is enclosed in white drapes... eating in the clouds! Then, during the day, they are opened, letting in all the natural daylight. He ended up buying regular metal drapery poles. The length of the panels are 96" ....we needed them to cover all the windows and if we went up to the ceiling they would be 6 inches too short. The panels came 96" and 108". When you buy ready made merchandise you don't have that many choices and you work with what you can. Thinking we had the exact height to cover the windows and hang off the floor Master Carpenter hung the hardware. Have you figured out what happened? Yes.....they were hung too low and when we put the panels up they didn't cover the top of the windows. "Not So Happy Master Carpenter" rehung all the rods! A little hint. When you purchase ready mades, at least the ones I did, all the panels are not the same length!! They are "about" 96 inches, none of the 17 are the same. When hung at either side of a window, one would never notice.

About a week ago, Master Carpenter and I removed the two sliding doors and placed them in the garage. That was not an easy job....they are really, really heavy! We are leaving the framework and the shades in place...the screens are in the attic. All I can say at this point is that one Dear Friend suggested we keep them.....saying "Patty, you never know, the next homeowner of this house might want them rehung!"...............................

To sum up the past few months I can attest that this has been the largest and most expensive EPIPHANY I have had! One of the Best and one that so many were involved with! Thank you Master Carpenter, Patti, Mark, Maggie, Erica, and John for helping to bring home the door and lumber in his truck!

Don't think I'm finished..............my DEVIOUS MIND is at work already. Stay tuned!!

LET ME START AT THE VERY BEGINNING....


THE BEGINNING FROM INSIDE.....

A VIEW TOWARD OUR "SCREENED-IN" PORCH

SCREENED-IN PORCH


STAINING THE DINING ROOM TABLE

ERICA'S LATEST MASTERPIECE



TEXTURE--THREE DIMENTIONAL--CREATIVITY
PERFECTION!!

DAY TIME


DINING IN THE CLOUDS

I WAS THERE........

I have spent this week introducing you all to our new friends.....now, I want to introduce you to two wonderful old friends..... and the country's best Interior Designer,...... Kenneth Brown.

As most of you know I have been a HUGE fan of Kenneth Brown, one FABULOUS Interior Designer! He is the first "Idol" I have ever had. It's about time, after 69 years! My Elvis!!! His web address in on the right side of this blog .....I hope you all check it out! It's a great website.... full of wonderful advice, design tips and pictures of some of his work. Without a doubt he has influenced me in ALL aspects!!!

I had the fortunate opportunity of meeting Kenneth two years ago at the High Point Furniture Market. His personality and kindness are unbelievable .....almost surpassing his good looks!!!

As I referred to yesterday, the President of the Kenneth Brown Fan Club, Linda Wiley (the girl on Kenneth's left), organized a "Meet and Greet" with Kenneth at a LA hotel. Master Carpenter and I were planning on attending .....but.... were unable to do so for reasons out of our control. Carol Wheeler, the girl on his right, generously acted as my "Representative"
at the party. I mailed her the picture of myself and she carried it in her carry-on baggage all the way to LA from New Hampshire!!!!

Carol called me this morning to report that it was a wonderful afternoon and Kenneth was THE most wonderful Host..... graciously giving all his time and answering all of the fans questions.

Hopefully there will be another "Meet and Greet" in the future, a little closer to Atlanta,......and Master Carpenter and I will be able to attend!!

Thank you Kenneth for all you have done to make my Design world a beautiful place.

WHO READS THIS BLOG, ANYWAY??

In case you are wondering if YOU are the only person reading this Blog, take a look at the following statistics we picked up from the folks who keep track of such things. We don't really know what period of time this represents, but it isn't too long.

Behold....

Log On's State/Region
208................Georgia United States
54 .................North Carolina United States
52..................California United States
27 .................Virginia United States
22..................Unknown Unknown -
22 .................Florida United States
17 .................Tennessee United States
15 .................Colorado United States
12..................Seoul-t'ukpyolsi Republic of Korea
11 .................New York United States
9 ...................Massachusetts United States
8 .................. New Hampshire United States
6 ...................South Carolina United States
3 .................. Oklahoma United States
3 ...................Louisiana United States
2....................Oregon United States
2 ...................Wisconsin United States
1 ....................New South Wales Australia
1 ....................Arizona United States
1.................... Hong Kong Hong Kong
1 ....................Kentucky United States
1 ....................Vermont United States
1 ....................Czestochowa Poland
1 .....................Niedersachsen Germany
1 .....................New Jersey United States
1 .....................Illinois United States
1 .....................Pennsylvania United States
1 .....................Minnesota United States
1 .....................St Petersburg Russian Federation
1 .....................London United Kingdom
1 .....................Quebec Canada
1 .....................Eastern Cape South Africa
1 .................... Maryland United States
1 .....................Guerrero Mexico
1 .....................Ohio United States
1 .....................Utah United States
1 .....................Texas United States
1 .....................Brit Columbia Canada
1 .....................Washington United States
1 .....................Ontario Canada Canada
1 .....................Ile-de-france France
1 .....................Kansas United States
1 .....................Minas Gerais Brazil

IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG WEEK

Waiting .............................


I spoke with Master Carpenter this morning and the new "Due" date for the table looks like next Friday, January 22nd. He has the top to stain, varnish...and then..... DRY. Just love waiting for that drying stage.... Endless !!!!

As I write this, my "Mentor", Kenneth Brown, is having a Meet and Greet with his Fan Club in LA!! Master Carpenter and I had hoped to attend, but were unable to make the journey. A fellow club member, (and Blog reader) Carol Wheeler from New Hampshire, is acting as my Representative. I can't wait for pictures and a full report of the afternoon.

A few months back I had a project I never posted. This seems like a good afternoon to share it with you.

We had display cabinets purchased at Ikea years ago for our condo in Norfolk. They were perfect for our Asian treasures. These pieces have found new homes in our place here and the cabinets were not being used. I decided to see if they fit in the guest room closet. Actually it was easier than tearing them apart. That is a big hassle. To my delight they fit !!! So then I thought they needed a "function". Got the Epiphany thing and Presto they were converted for a home for guest towels, extra bedding and toiletries .

Take a peek and see what you think. Some day Master Carpenter can build a "dream" closet for these items. Meanwhile our Ikea cabinets have a very functional new purpose....

CLOSET

THE FIT

GREAT FUNCTION

DON'T GIVE UP ON ME !!!

THE COLD CONTINUES......

This cold is driving us all nuts.......Master Carpenter has been given an unwelcome break on his new project. It is way too cold to work in the "workshop".... Even after the purchase of a space heater!!!

I felt he needed to stay "in shape"..... suggested he hang the drapery panels. TWICE..............The first time they were just a "wee bit" too low. I will say he was not a very "Happy Master Carpenter", but willing, went with all his strength and rehung the rods!!! I had planned on 15 panels and ended up using 17!!!

Erica has out done herself on the new piece for the room......We hung the masterpiece the other day and BOY ......it is FABULOUS.

All we need is the temperature to warm up and the work on the table can proceed.

CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS REVEAL.................

Small Space Sunday with ERiCA.....

The Non-DIYers Home Survival Kit

-Handy-dandy products and items every household should gather together-

Ok. Not everyone is a “Do It Yourselfer” (DIYer)… not everyone lays their own tile, fixes drywall, sews their own draperies and bedding and makes custom furniture. Heck, some people can’t even hang a framed picture straight! For those of you that may fall into the, uh, later category, you can remove your fix-it guys phone number from your speed dial and know that you too can tackle many home projects all by yourself!

First, do not be afraid!!!! I’m not talking about major installations or roof repair here… just a little paint, glue and simple sewing. Nothing you can really mess up! I mean, sure, maybe you should consult a professional before refinishing a piece of antique priceless furniture, but that’s just common sense! So, let’s create a basic rule of thumb before beginning any project: Google it, TEST IT, and proceed with confidence!

Now for your “At Home, DIY Tool Kit.” These are some items that I use often and would be lost without.

· A staple gun and a pack of refill staples

o Great for reupholstering dining room chairs, ottomans and other simple pieces, giving old furniture new life. This staple gun is $20 at Lowes.

· A mini glue gun and refill glue sticks

o Don’t buy the big macho glue gun… really, the little guy is cheaper and easier to use. This one is from Michael’s crafts and retails for about $8.

· An iron and ironing board

o No, this is not just for pressing your slacks and hopefully everyone already has an iron and ironing board. We’ll get to the other uses soon…

· A small sewing kit complete with a pack of needles, all-purpose thread (at least in white, black and grey), small scissors, a seam ripper, measuring tape, straight pins and if you want to be classically correct, a thimble.

o Don’t be frightened if you can’t sew… for simple fixes like sewing on a button and fixing a falling hem, it’s easy. Thread the needle with about an arm’s length of thread or a little less, tie a knot in the end, begin from the wrong side of the fabric and go in and out, in and out. When finished, tie off in the back and DONE! Of course there are more complete directions out there, so if you need them, Google it! This sewing kit is $10 at Joann’s Fabrics.

· No sew heat bonded hem tape

o This stuff is great for quick no sew hemming… but do test first as it is not great for sheer or very light weight fabrics. Use this to easily mend a fallen hem in your favorite skirt, or to “sew” your own DIY curtains! All you do is first (after you do a test of course), iron in your hem (hence the ironing board above), cut the Stitch Witchery to length ($3 for 13yds at Joann’s Fabrics), follow the heating instructions on the back of the package, and VOILA! Like double sided tape for fabric!

· A basic tool kit with a hammer, nails, both a Phillips and Flat head screwdriver, measuring tape, wrench, needle nose pliers and a utility knife.

o I know, seems obvious, but every home should have a tool kit with AT LEAST these items… and people not afraid to use them! I think out of everything, I use the needle nose pliers the most because they are great for fixing all kinds of things that just get “bent out of place” or you need to grip and crimp something back into place. This tool kit has it all and is $50 at Lowes, a wonderful investment and makes a great gift for any new homeowner or even a college kid!

· Hobby enamel paint, like model car paint and disposable brushes or Q-tips AND/OR Nail polish

o Enamel paints are PERFECT to touching up small scuffs on colored shoes (come on ladies, you know it happens and shoe polish just doesn’t cut it for your fabulous red patent leather pumps!), but also for dings in factory painted household items like picture frames, some furniture and lamps. Go to Michaels or another craft store and in the hobby model building aisle you will find LOTS of little bottles of enamel paint. The awesome part is they are super small, cheap and come in lots of metallic options and various finishes (matte to hi-gloss). Testors makes the best and they are about $2 at Michaels. Nail polish also works, but is typically not as opaque as model car paint.

· Super glue and nail polish remover with Acetone (be careful as Acetone needs to be used with caution, read instructions and do not use near eyes or mouth)

o Super glue is awesome and will stick to almost anything. Super glue is great for repairing costume jewelry and shoes, but is also great for household use… just be careful and use with care. It will bond skin and even if it just gets on one finger, it feels yucky on your skin. That’s why you should keep some nail polish remover with acetone on hand. Check out the Super glue website… there’s a glue for everything!

http://www.supergluecorp.com/choosingaproduct.html

· Foam/sponge brushes

o For when you need to touch up the wall paint, and just don’t feel like making it a huge ordeal. These brushes retail for $0.25-$1.50, depending on where you get them, size, and if they happen to be on sale. One time, I got 20 brushes for $1 at Michaels! They can be washed and reused a few times, but if you just don’t feel like it, whatever, just toss it when you are done with the touch up. Easy… ok, and lazy too, but “you’re allowed.”

Ok, that’s enough for now. Of course you don’t need to run out right now and get all of these items all at once! These items are really useful and EASY TO USE, and I just wanted to share some of my favorite “tools.” Know they exist and when you think, “Ooh, I’d like to recover these chair seats” or “When did that picture frame get nicked?” you’ll know that YOU can make it or fix it!

I love to fix and make things myself, and I do have a bit of knowledge in my little brain, but even I do research before beginning a project. That’s how you learn! So remember, there are lots of experts out there and some like to share their knowledge on blogs or how-to websites. Google is your friend, use it!

Oh, one last recommendation, for you, the crooked picture hanger out there:

The Black & Decker GeckoGrip Spirit Level helps you hang those frames perfectly and level every time! We have one and it is awesome! Go get it at Target for $20.

Happy fixing and making! You can do it! The more you do, the more confidence you will have, and the more confidence you have, the more (and bigger) you will do. I love it…

Love

ERiCA

PS… Do you have any good tips or products you’d like to share? Comment on this post and let us know how you “make and do!”

FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS

MERRY CHRISTMAS
AND
HAPPY NEW YEAR

(A surprise gift from Master Carpenter. Oh is he a "Keeper"....Love him and Love it!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR

Emil, Erica, and I, wish you A Very Merry Christmas and A Wonderful, Happy New Year.

Things have been a little crazy and hectic here....thus the lull in posts.

We promise to have fantastic new posts after the Holidays. Lots of new projects in the works....
Master Carpenter will be busy, busy, busy... in the next few weeks.
I also have been informed that Erica has some very interesting "Sunday's with Erica" in the works!

So ........please bare with us..... hold on for a few weeks..... we will be back, in January, with ideas like never before. They will Amaze and Wow you....just wait!

Merry Christmas,
Patty