More than halfway there . . .

This week has been one of play and creativity.

Each day I am doing a little bit on my 30 Days of Pinterest list and I am more than halfway to  completion.

I saw this grouping of galvanized tin at Tracy's Trinkets and Treasures and liked the simple vignette.  

Tracy commented "sometimes a really cool grouping is right under your nose" and like her, I gathered the pieces from around the house, garage and attic.

I wouldn't mind finding a watering can like Tracy's, but I am content with my vignette.

 Queen B Creative Me posted about this darling little banner made from a Charlotte Lyons kit found on Etsy.

My little banner dresses up the garden bench for the summer.

Brownyn put a lot more detail into her embroidery, but I am happy with the way mine turned out and just might start doing more embroidery.

I love letters and especially these distressed letters from Grandin Road.

A wooden rectangle, the letter J and some beads painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint gave me a cheap imitation of the Grandin Road letters.

I have some little wooden squares and small wooden letters on hand to create tiny versions with a variety of letters.

These little heart tags I pinned from Sugar Sugar are simple and sweet.

The hearts were super quick and easy to make and I was able to use scraps of fabrics that otherwise would have been tossed out.

I am totally hyperactive and never sit still and these hearts are an easy project to keep me awake on road trips.

I might finish . . .

One project just needs to be photographed and two more will be finished tomorrow and I have the supplies for three more.

But, that still leaves me a little behind.

I might not finish . . .

Either way, I am having fun.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

You can find me at

Rooted in Thyme - Simple and Sweet Fridays

The Charm of Home - Home Sweet Home

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup Thursday

No Minimalist Here - Open House Party

Common Ground - Be Inspired

Time On My Hands

Usually on weekends I play catch up on the laundry and cleaning all while trying to fit in physical activity, shopping, creativity and of course blogging.

With work no longer in the picture, it is amazing what I can do - there is time for sports, blogging and creativity and shopping - although I am trying to use what I have.

 The date is deceptive - I FINISHED all of these today, but they have been in the works for several days.

I love polka dots and was was looking for an old tin to paint yellow with dots when I remembered that I already had something similar.

To complete this project, all I had to do was go to the attic, get the container, cut out some hearts from newspaper, stick them on jute and grab one of the 5 orchids I received as retirement gifts.

I like it in the arch of the porch - usually things blow off, but I think the can is heavy enough to stay put.

 I love to use words in my decorating and tried to find different size flat pieces of wood at Michael's  with no luck.

This morning, I looked for interesting shaped rocks on the beach and transformed them with a little paint and letters.

I found a crate at Michael's and was going to paint it, but I decided to live with it while I decide just what I am going to do with my creative space.

Right now it is sitting on a shelf in the garage holding favorite old containers - each filled with craft supplies.

I am participating in the Where Bloggers Create 2013 at My Desert Cottage on July 12 so EVERYTHING might get a coat or paint.

I started crocheting the bags a couple of days ago and mostly crocheted while I sat on the window seat watching Steve make dinner each night - believe me, he doesn't want my help.

My bags are not as fancy because I have not found a pattern I like so I am creating my own pattern using the limited skills I have.

They are quick and easy to make and I like the embellishments I added.

I want to start an Etsy shop and the bags are a possibility.

I know I am totally out of season, but I love the heart on the left and really wanted to try my hand at felt hearts.

They are fast . . .  easy . . . fun . . .

Won't they look cute as a Valentine banner?

The best part - no cost - using up supplies in the garage.

One of the hearts will be going to Paula at Home in Douglas because she commented that she would like to make some and I offered to send her one of her choice.

I am feeling pretty good - 8 days and 11 of the 30 projects are complete.

My old complaint was lack of time.

Now, I have time on my hands, but the 19 projects that are left are a little trickier.

I am starting a new cushion for my window seat on Monday and it will definitely not be a 1 day project.

I am getting together with my sister next week and hope to snag a few of the items from my parents' old garage.

Some of the items are proving to be elusive-

 Plates I have wanted for a long time have been discontinued.

A yellow and white striped pitcher is far more money than I should spend on something I really don't need.

But, I am determined and like my S U M M E R rocks, I may have to get creative with my projects.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

I am partying at

My Romantic Home 

Funky Junk Interiors

Too Much Time

The Pin Junkie

Live the Life You Have Imagined

I am getting the hang of this retirement thing.

Over 30 years ago, Steve and I participated in a 3 day retirement planning seminar with his company.

One exercise asked us to visualize ourselves in retirement.

I imagined myself walking on a beach and creating whenever/whatever I wanted.

Well, this week I have definitely been living the life I imagined and working on my 30 Days of Pinterest project.

I ordered linen napkins and a tablecloth from Save-On-Crafts a couple of weeks ago to make an alphabet tablecloth like one I saw on Dreamy Whites.

I wanted to use blue just to be different, but I couldn't get the lid off the jar and I didn't want to wake Steve ( I start many of my projects about 11:00 p.m.) so I went with my standard red.

Hand painted letters are just too much work so I used stickers to create a reverse stencil.

With 26 letters and only 47 inches, I had to get creative and stagger the height of the letters across the length of the cloth.

The other side got numbers for a different look.

I used an idea from my 'Lovely Linens' Pinterest board as inspiration for the napkins.

There were still 6 napkins left so they became today's project.

I bought some Tim Holtz metal pieces the other day and simply tied them onto the napkins with jute.

Now, I imagine myself finishing reading  The Secret Keeper and going for a swim.

What are you up to today?

. . . . . . . . . . . .

I am partying at these great sites

French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday

The Charm of Home - Home Sweet Home

Common Ground - Be Inspired

Rooted in Thyme - Simple and Sweet Fridays

House of Hepworths - Hookin' Up With HoH

No Minimalist Here - Open House Party

The Shabby Creek Cottage - Transformation Thursday

30 Days of Pinterest

Usually, the day after school is out, I begin working on my summer project list.

This year is different because I am not on summer vacation.

I am on vacation for life, so to speak.

So, now is the time to do all those things I said I would do when I had the time.

After reading the post A Simple Pinterest Project by Judy at 20 North Ora.

I went to my Pinterest boards and chose 30 projects.

There are things to make, things to buy, bits and pieces to gather and vignettes to mimic.

The goal - complete the 30 projects in 30 days -

June 8 to July 8.

Embroidered pennants 

Alphabet table cloth 

Bicycle rim

Crocheted bags

 Alphabet sign 

Polka dot container

Film reels
    
Eyelet napkins

  Colorful quilt

 Green Bench

  Metal chair

  Stenciled bucket

 Old door

 Fun Scrabble tiles

Felt Letters

Metal labels

Heart Tags

Crate 

Wash tub

Linen napkins

Numbered containers

Sweet yellow vignette

Galvanized tins

Floral plates

Windowseat cushion

Sweet heart

Colorful utensils

Steps to the Beach sign

altered globe

garden dresser

The shop teacher cut out the wooden sign for me to paint and the linen table cloth to stencil arrived yesterday.

The countdown begins.

Wish me luck!

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Between projects, I'll be partying at

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

Four Hours . . .

Moving everything to the my new workspace in the garage left my Ikea Expedit in total disarray.

The alphabetical organization was fun - guests usually end up in the guest room looking at all the little bits and pieces and even questioning my placement of items.

But, it is time for a crisp and clean look.

None of my alphabet collection was moved to the garage since they are used for vignettes rather than creating.

I sat on the sofa in the guest room staring at the Expedit waiting for inspiration.

Aha!

Letters are scattered along the top of the cabinet.

To fill the boxes, I gathered books from all over the house.

I decided this was the space to showcase some of my collections -

hands . . . blocks . . . clocks . . .

and a few favorite family treasures.

The ceramic tobacco canister was my father's and I can picture it sitting on a similar shelf in my childhood living room.

The glass container holding my number collection was my grandmother's.

You can faintly make out the raised letters of PLANTERS PEANUTS.

 I broke a corner of the glass several years ago, but I could not bear to part with it so I used clear packing tape to mend it.

This worn out little school slate was what my grandmother carried to school everyday in the 1880s.      

It took 4 hours to achieve this look.

All my large letters are in one place when I want to create a vignette.

I'd like to say that I was done.

The guest room cabinet is organized, but I created havoc on shelves in our bedroom.

I have several baskets full of odds and ends I removed from the shelves - where am I going to put them?

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays

Vintage on a Dime - Welcome Home Wednesday

A Delightsome Life - Home and Garden Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup Thursday

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

Green Willow Pond - What We Accomplished Wednesday

Creative Cain Cabin - Budget Decorating Party

No Minimalist Here  - Open House Party

The Busy Bees