Not Another Caddy . . .

As I am cleaning out one of my craft cupboards I am moving everything into my new garage work space.

I found another caddy-  like I need another one.

It's amazing what I am finding in my quest to be organized.

 I remembered the number box I saw at American Home & Garden.

Yesterday I painted the caddy with Old White Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

While waiting for the paint to dry, I checked the picture on my blog post, Seeing Green, and realized I should have painted a rectangle on the caddy.

.

In my organizing, I remembered seeing a rectangular piece of metal.

I nailed it onto the caddy and went looking for numbers to trace.

Instead, I found a bunch of magnetic letters and like that, the plan changed.

I decided to leave the metal unpainted and use magnetic letters to change the words whenever I want.

I tried out different things in the box and used a variety of words.

But, I still wanted to paint a box with numbers.

Of the caddies I painted last week, only one had been left plain.

I grabbed the caddy on the front porch and added our address.

It isn't quite the same as the American Home & Garden caddy, but it will do.

I got my number caddy - Steve actually noticed it on the porch.

And, I also have a fun caddy that can change with my mood, or the season, or the holiday . . .

I'm pretty sure I don't have any more caddies to paint.

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You can find me partying at

Ivy and Elephants - What's It Wednesday

Coastal Charm - Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Creative Cain Cabin - Budget Decorating Party

The Charm of Home - Home Sweet Home

The Dedicated House - Make It Pretty Monday

Boogieboard Cottage - Masterpiece Monday

Our Garden Room

After school on Friday I headed to the nursery.

My artistic outlet for Saturday was to create a welcoming space in the garden.

When you live in a little cottage, the garden acts as another room.

I began behind Steve's studio.

This area definitely feels neglected during the school year because it is the least viewed spot of the garden.

The recessed area was a fire pit, but we stopped using it when we added on the studio due to its proximity to the house.

Moving on, I worked on the center of the yard.

Everything will take time to fill in, but it is nice to see color instead of weeds when I look out the window.

A little signage in the garden . . .

The SC in the gate is a replica of Steve's art logo.

One of his vendors in Mexico (from manufacturing days) made the gate.

It was CHEAP to have made, but it was 4 times the cost of the gate to have it hung.

The garden is getting there.

The "room" is ready, it just needs sunshine and time to be in full bloom.

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You can find me partying at

Under the Table and Dreaming - Sunday Showcase Party

Sunny Simple Life - Sunny Simple Sunday Link Party

Boogieboard Cottage - Masterpiece Monday

Life on Lakeshore Drive -  A Bouquet of Talent

I Heart Naptime - Sundae Scoop Link Party

Using Up Supplies

One of my projects during spring break was to fix up a creative space for me.

In November I fixed up a corner of Steve's studio as a work space for me.

Boxes storing tools and supplies left little room for actually working.

When I left things out, they got in Steve's way.

 Only a few of my supplies were actually at hand in the little corner.

The white cupboard in the living room is filled with my supplies.

During spring break I moved everything out of Steve's studio and piled the garage workbench with everything I use to create.

It is a work in progress that I hope to show off in two weeks, but in the meantime, I am organizing, tossing and finding long forgotten items.

I came across instructions for making fun things out of wire.

I looked at the date and couldn't believe I had torn the pages out of Better Homes and Gardens in 2001 - more than a decade!

One of my goals for the garage space is to have LESS.

I am forcing myself to use up what I have before I go out and buy more.

After work this afternoon, I gathered the supplies to make the wreath.

It is pretty basic.

Wrap the wire around and around, make some loops as you go and voila, a wreath.

I added a little bow and decided that it needed something more.

I found a rusty heart in my supplies and made a hole with the trusty little Tim Holtz hole maker (not the technical term) and tied it on with a snip of wire.

The entire time I was making it, my plan was to hang it on a rusty stick in the garden.

But, it seemed to disappear into the flowers.

Instead, it is hanging from my little red ladder on the front porch.

A primitive little wreath . . . created from some old wire . . . adorned with some ribbon and a rusty little heart. 

It took all of 20 minutes - I spent more time taking photos than I did making the wreath.

My retirement date is official - the paperwork was submitted on Tuesday.

People are asking me what I will do and ask me if I'm worried about being bored.

Are you kidding?

I have so many supplies and so many ideas, I will be busy for the rest of my life.

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You can find me partying at

Crafting in the Rain - Weekend Creative Link Up

Jennifer Rizzo - Fabulously Creative Linky Party

Homespun Happenings - Rustic Restoration Weekend Linky Party

Made in a Day - Made U Look Linky Party

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

Shabby Art Boutique - Shabbilicious Friday

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

Paint Can Do Wonders

I am back at school after a fun and productive break.

And, I am still on a roll with my projects.

Yesterday I gathered up these caddies that have seen better days and took them to the garage.

While I was at it I grabbed this pitcher I found on the discount Easter rack at Tuesday Morning- marked down 70% to $2.10.

My one lonely scale also made it to the garage.

I soaked the paper off the pitcher

 and gave it a coat of Annie Sloan Old White to take off the shine.

The pitcher ended up in the living room on my Tuesday Morning green chair.

The new colors for the caddies are a vast improvement.

The white caddy, a cheap TJ Maxx find, stayed in its usual place on the front porch bench.

The red caddy KC made for me in middle school is now on the dining room table.

The green caddy is still looking for a permanent home so it is being moved around the house.

I embellished the indoor caddies to give them a little something extra.

I have wanted to paint my scale since the day I bought it - almost a year ago- and just never got around to it.

The red makes a better statement on the green and yellow table.

I even painted my scrabble tile holder.

I have a bench in the guest room waiting for a makeover, the dresser is still waiting for its coat of Greek Blue and I am sure I will find some other things that could do with the wonders of paint.

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You can find me partying at

Domestically Speaking - The Power of Paint Party

Cedar Hill Ranch - Tuesdays the Scoop

The Rustic Pig

Elizabeth & Co.

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Creative Cain Cabin

Lavender Garden Cottage

Fluster Buster

Cozy Little House

Savvy Southern Style

Coastal Charm

#6 Tackling the Jungle

Spring Break is over today and I got most of the things done on my list.

#6 has been eluding me because I developed bursitis and the doctor ordered me to take it easy.

What exactly does "taking it easy" mean?

I knew it meant no gardening.

My body agreed with the doctor and refused to let me garden.

But, Victor came to the rescue.

Victor is our neighbor's gardener and he agreed to come to our house yesterday.

He worked for HOURS tackling the jungle.

He trimmed the ivy and hibiscus, weeded and cleaned up the cobblestones.

I am embarrassed to show the before picture of this section of the garden.

In my defense, I teach middle school and coach volleyball so I don't get home until after dark from October through March.

I had a few plants on hand, but there won't be anymore planting until next weekend.

I wanted some color in the garden so this morning I grabbed the WELCOME sign that has been calling out for a makeover and painted it.

I love Annie Sloan Chalk Paint because the whole sign took only a couple of hours to paint, stencil, distress and put in the garden.

#6 was completed after all.

There is still so much to do, but the garden is looking pretty good.

And, if I wasn't back at school tomorrow, I could follow the doctor's orders and take it easy in one of those blue chairs.

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You can find me joining in at these parties

Under the Table and Dreaming

Boogieboard Cottage

Life on Lakeshore Drive

I Heart Naptime

Another Change?

One area of my house that needs work is my entry.

It has gone through many changes over the last 15 years.

The biggest change was moving the washer/dryer and water heater to the garage.

The white cabinet was a good choice, but I like it now on the porch.

I love to sit in the wicker chair and talk to Steve while he cooks, but the area is really inefficient.

When you live in a small house, every piece of furniture has to serve a purpose and sometimes more than one purpose.

The shell display is fitting for our beach house, but not functional.

I need a place to store napkins, placemats, tablecloths, etc.

On Tuesday I decided to tackle the spot.

I swapped a tall cabinet from a closet with the red bookcase.

Without the red cabinet on the wall, it looked really bare.

 "Flowers and Rust" came out of the bedroom to grace the entryway.

Linens and pitchers are on display.

And the drawers keep napery handy for setting the table.

Wire baskets and an Anthropologie shelf hold keys, books, mementos, etc.

The cabinet needs a paint job.

I am favoring using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint -Old White.

I wouldn't mind using a color on the cabinet, but I need something that won't detract from the painting.

At first Steve's comment was, "another change?"

But, he loves that Flowers and Rust is in a prominent position instead of relegated to the bedroom.

And yes, there will be more changes.

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You can find me partying at

The Charm of Home

Redoux

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

My Romantic Home

The Shabby Nest

A Delightsome Life

Shabby Creek Cottage

Jennifer Rizzo

Fabulous Friday Linky Party

Holly's Stamping Addiction

French Country Cottage

Rooted in Thyme

Shabby Art Boutique

Classy Clutter