Bye for now...I think!

In a little while we're clearing out this room so they can come in tomorrow and put down the rest of our new floors.  The floors didn't get finished before Reid went into the hospital last December, so we had to wait to have them come in and finish.  Actually, Reid isn't supposed to hang around while they're working, but I don't expect too much dust this time since they only have to pull up some old carpeting in one room.

I'll be back when we can figure out how to set this thing back up again!  Wish us luck.

"H" as in HURRICANES, HELP, HOUSE, etc.

It's already Friday and I'm just now getting an Alphabe-Thursday post written.  I hope Ms. Jenny will understand that the dog ate my homework and that's why this assignment is late.

The first word I thought of was HURRICANES.  Yes, HURRICANE Season began on June 1st and runs through November 1st.  Since I've lived in Texas I've only gone through two HURRICANES.  Alicia in 1983 and Ike in 2008.

In 1983 we were living northwest of downtown Houston and well inland.  Some of our neighbors lost trees, but we didn't.  We did go without electricity for a week or so which wasn't any fun.  The heat and humidity here is relentless and A/C is just as necessary to us as a furnace is to the people of Alaska.

In 2008 my husband and son stayed here for HURRICANE IKE.  They boarded up the house, brought as much as they could inside, and rode out the storm.  Meanwhile, I drove to Austin in the middle of the night with my Dad who had Alzheimer's.  We stayed in Austin for a couple of weeks and came back when the electricity came back on.

I do not plan to ever evacuate again.  I'm about 25-30 miles inland, but there's no way I'd pack up the dog and cats and hit the crowded roads.  I do think about HURRICANE Andrew from time to time.  That's the one that hit Florida in 1992 and did considerable damage.  It's scary to think about, but there really haven't been that many HURRICANES since I've lived here.  We've already loaded up on water and batteries and I'm hoping for the best.  I don't want to wish a HURRICANE on anyone else, but I sure hope one doesn't turn this way ever again!


Now I need your HELP.  Please hold me accountable.  I am the Queen of unfinished projects, but after seeing all the painted furniture on numerous blogs I decided to take the plunge.

I've done lots of research and am now totally confused.  One blog raves about Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint and another raves about CeeCee Caldwell's Chalk Paint.  I've read about how hard it is to wax the furniture after the painting is complete.  Some suggest Wipe On Poly for the finishing coat.  I didn't know such a product even existed, but I bought some at Home Depot.  What to do...what to do???

This is my mother's old sewing table.  It really needed work.

I love the bottom drawer.  It swings out and thread can be stored in there.

It also has a matching mirror.

So, I got out the sander and went to work.

I had no choice but to sand because the table had deep scratches.  I sanded a little bit more after this picture was taken.  My plan is to restain the top and paint the rest.  Meanwhile, the table sits in the garage until I reach a final decision.

I've decided not to use Chalk Paint this go around.  I'll just use some paint I have in the garage and then use the Poly stuff.  What do you think?  Good idea?  Should I paint the drawers one color and the sides and legs another color?  I've seen some pretty pieces done that way.  I don't think I'll do any distressing because I'm a perfectionist and that would be difficult for me to do.  I want a perfect, smooth finish.

I'll be forever making decisions about this piece.  HELP keep me accountable.  I need to finish and I need suggestions.  Of course, working in the hot and humid garage doesn't help motivate me any.  People that have basements are so lucky!  Please follow up and ask me in a couple of weeks if I've finished.  I need your HELP to stay on track.

I've also done some things for the HOUSE.  I made some envelope pillows for the couches.  I found the directions on this blog.  They were so simple to make and the covers come off quickly to wash. I have a dog and cats, so that was important to me.  Sophie didn't like the way I had the pillows arranged, so she redid the arrangement to her liking.

I also made the blanket to help protect the couch covers.  I found those directions on this blog.

And while getting this post ready I found pictures from Keith's birthday on my camera.  His birthday was May 31st and he drove over from Austin on June 1st.  HAPPY late Birthday Keith!

One last thing.  Calling all computer savvy people.  There is a blogger that can't post comments on my blog.  When she tries this screen pops up.

It seems to take her to Disqus which I had never heard of before.  I did google the name and found out its a comment feature that can be used on website and blogs.  However, I've never signed up for it and neither has she.  I don't believe this has ever happened to anyone else, or no one has ever contacted me anyway.  I checked my settings and they remain the same.  Only registered users can comment.  I've had it that way for probably two or more years.  I use blogger and so does she.

Does anyone know what's going on?  Can something be done?  Thanks for your help.

This post is getting a bit long, so if you're still with me please go visit Ms. Jenny's blog for a list of this week's Alphabe-Thursday participants.  Thanks for visiting!

"G" as in GINNY...my favorite doll!

It's time again for Ms. Jenny's weekly event, Alphabe-Thursday.  This week we are studying the letter "G" and I decided to use "G" as in GINNY dolls.  I've used this "G" word in the past for Alphabe-Thursday and I've posted pictures of my dolls on my blog at other times too.  Some of these pictures you might have seen before, but others will be new.

I grew up during the 1950's and my love affair with dolls began then.  This picture was taken on my birthday in 1951.  The dolls you see in the picture all belonged to my sister and me.

However, my favorite doll while growing up was the little 8 inch Vogue GINNY Doll.  She's the smallest doll in the doll stroller.  This picture was taken in 1954.

I still have one of my vintage GINNY Dolls from that time period and many of the Vogue Doll Company clothes made for her.  I also have some of the clothes my mother sewed one year for Christmas.

Once I discovered GINNY on eBay I acquired some friends for my childhood GINNY along with furniture and accessories.  I now enjoy setting my dolls up in scenes.  Yes, I still play with my dolls!  I love GINNY as much today as I did as a child.  I now collect vintage GINNY dolls, modern GINNY dolls, and vintage reproduction GINNY dolls and some of their friends and relatives.

I do not collect what serious collectors call mint dolls.  Rather I prefer what my friend Linda calls "previously loved" dolls.  I collect the less than perfect fixer-uppers that some little girls back in the 1950's loved.  I clean them up, fix their hair, wash their clothes, etc.  Then I play with them.

I let my imagination go wild and try to have my pictures tell a story.  I am no photographer.  I'm just a snap and shoot kind of person, but I have fun doing it.  It's a great escape and I can't help but smile when I walk in my doll room.  All the stress of the day seems to melt away.

Here are some examples of the pictures I take (click to enlarge):

 I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July weekend!  Perhaps you'll have a family picnic...

...and Grandpa will be well enough to come...

and Grandma will supervise the grillin'...

May you all have a wonderful day!

Now head over to Ms. Jenny's blog to visit the other Alphabe-Thursday participants.