A Stroll Down Lillie Avenue

Steve and I are about the most boring and predictable people you will ever meet.

We eat sushi every third Friday at the same restaurant, sit at the same table and order the same dishes.

Every Thursday we eat at the same Mexican restaurant- we switch up the booths, but always the same meal.

We walk the beach every morning and people in the ocean front houses tell us they can set their clocks by our beach walks.

But, we are changing that and breaking out of the mold.

One of our summer goals is to do something each week that we don't usually do.

Saturday night  at 9 p.m. we walked over three lanes to be extras in an indie film being shot in a friend's driveway - definitely something different.

We didn't last long at the shoot - extreme disorganization and an incredibly poor plot combined with cold air at 11:00 p.m. sent us home - but hey, we tried.

For Father's Day Steve wanted to go to our usual local breakfast spot.

JP reminded him that we are trying to be different so we drove to Summerland (just south of Montecito and Santa Barbara) for a lovely brunch at Cafe Luna and a stroll down Lillie Avenue.

JP wanted us to see the tower gardens because he is pushing me to start growing my own vegetables and the towers are great for small spaces.

Little spots for seating beckoned us suggesting we sit awhile and not rush home.

A garden shop housed in an old craftsman style cottage gave me ideas for the container of succulents I just received from a friend

Sweet animal topiaries drew me to a children's shop, but I could not entice either JP or Steve to enter so I left it for a visit when the ladies on our lane do a summer shopping day.

I would take any of these great cabinets for my creative space, but the metal drawers kept calling me.

If I was a gazillionaire those metal drawers would be in my garage right now filled with all my supplies.

But, I couldn't convince Steve that I need old shelves priced in the 5 figure range.

I couldn't convince him that we needed an $1,100 birdcage either, but I would it sure would be fun to have all those rusty stars for a 4th of July themed vignette.

I would like to find some old shutters with a lovely chippy patina, but $850 for a pair of shutters is also out of my price range.

Please tell me that all of you who decorate with chippy doors, shutter, ladders, etc. are not spending that much.

Summerland is all of a 15 minute drive up the coast yet in 36 years, we have never visited the little hamlet together.

We enjoyed the beautiful flowers, including my all time favorite Matilija poppies, and just moved slow the rest of the day.

We went for a bike ride along the ocean, read in the garden and sat at the fire pit after dinner.

I did not finish a single project on my 30 Days of Pinterest list.

Our stroll down Lillie Avenue reminded me that I am on permanent vacation and I won't be fired from retirement if I don't finish everything.

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I am partying at

Little Red House - Mosaic Monday

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.

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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?

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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

4 Down, 26 To Go

Day 2 of retirement - weekends don't count - and I think I am getting the hang of it.

The laundry is all caught up, the house is clean and the garden is looking good.

My plan of attack - clean out 1 cupboard each day.

I don't grocery shop or cook and I'm not going to start now even if I am retired - one of the many advantages of marriage to a gourmet cook.

We went for an 4 mile beach walk and were on the water for our first paddle in the kayaks since Steve's surgery - major sunburn.

The rest of the day was spent on my 30 Days of Pinterest project.

The bicycle rim from Save-On Crafts provides a backdrop for my hearts and hands - the simple quote unites the two collections.

The bicycle rim is undecorated on the website so mine is definitely an improvement.

Sunday's project was easy - how hard is it to slap some paint on a bucket?

I have so many "retirement" bouquets to put in my bucket (more were delivered today) and seeing the buckets side by side showed me that I should have put more flowers in my arrangement.

This little project was free and easy because I already had the Ballard Designs tags and Ikea baskets.

The only difference is the color of my baskets.

The BEACH sign is another freebie.

The wood for the sign came from the blue box.  

When I painted it blue, I removed the rectangular lid and asked the shop teacher at school to make it more interesting by adding the curved top.

The Jane Coslick 99 Steps to the Beach sign is larger than mine and I am thinking I might need to find some fencing to add to this area in the front yard.

I wanted to paint 186 steps to the beach (I counted them yesterday), but my piece of wood is just too small.

I had to settle for BEACH.

One of my gifts at the party Saturday night was a $50 Michael's gift card.

I went out today to buy supplies for making felt hearts, crocheting bags and stenciling a tablecloth.

$50 sure doesn't go far these days!

I can't decide which of the projects to start next, but I have to get going if I want to keep making progress on the list.

4 down, 26 to go.

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Join me at these fun parties

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays

Green Willow Pond - What We Accomplished Wednesday

House of Flowers

Friday was my last day of school!

We partied through the night Saturday to celebrate our new life.

Several friends were snapping photos all night, but I don't have any yet.

I do have photos of the beautiful flowers everyone brought

My dining room windows are decked out in vibrant hued orchids.

Flowers add color in corners throughout the house.

A colorful anthurium (I hope I got the name right) fits perfectly on my green chair.

The party invitation should explain why the stake with "on your graduation".

More orchids decorate the living room adding height to simple displays.

A beautiful hydrangea sits on the porch cut out, but the wind has blown it off several times - it will join my other hydrangeas in the garden later today.

Flowers adorn my house, new flip flops are on my feet, a gorgeous scarf is around my neck, gift certificates for mani/pedis and gift cards are burning a hole in my purse.

Now, what should I do?

 go for a long walk on the beach

sit in the garden and read

 clean out the garage

work on my 30 Days of Pinterest list

Unbelievably, I actually have time to do it all.

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Join me over at

The Dedicated House - Make It Pretty Monday

 Little Red House - Mosaic Monday

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!

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Between projects, I'll be partying at

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday