A New Year

(vibrantraze.blogspot.com)

So here we are, it is September.

Summer is almost over, kids are back to school.

This time of year always feels like a new year is starting.

Not January, but September, I guess it's because we

start to do yard clean up, getting things that have overgrown dug up,

new plantings going in for next Spring, we're putting away our summer clothes to bring out those warm ones,

washing linens and bringing out the warm blankets.

I love this time of year, I don't know about where you're at but here

the nights are cooling down.

I know we'll have an occasional warm day, but it won't be stifling.

We've had so much rain that I hope we have a beautiful Fall season.

(livescience.com)

Although we live a half hour from D.C., we just have to drive the opposite direction and in 15 minutes we're driving back country roads that I can't wait to do when the leaves change.

It's been a busy summer, a nice summer, some real hot days, but also some not so bad days, so I'm not complaining, but I'm ready for Fall and then Winter when we can put logs into our fireplace and cozy up.

Start cooking those yummy comfort stews and soups, baking new recipes, and maybe getting some crafting done.

We have finished our kitchen remodel, I just need to take pictures now. We'd like to add tile to our wall, but it's such a commitment that we can't decide what we want, so when the time is right we'll get right on that, but for now, everything is finally done.

Still have some other around the house projects that we need to finish up, hopefully it'll get done before this year is over.

But tomorrow, I will go paint shopping and get some fresh new plants to replace the overgrown ones in our pots.

Also get some ideas for a Fall Centerpiece that I can leave on our table when not in use and that my furry creatures can't break if they get curious.

I like this one

(bhg.com)

Or maybe this one

(momsbyheart.net)

I may have a long and narrow plate like this, not sure, but this is simple and pretty, I'd add a candle in the middle for height.

I like this one the most

(sophisticatedyellow.com)

So many ideas out there in Google world plus craft stores have been Fall ready since end of July, which was insane, I don't get why they keep on pushing these seasons earlier and earlier each year. Do people start buying stuff that early?

It's July and it's 90 degrees out, the last thing on my mind is Fall décor.

But now, I'm ready! I have to control myself and not put out the Fall wreathes on our front door and gate side yard entrance. The day it's officially Fall, I'll have them ready to be put up.



Shades of Blue & Green

So I finally got to use this gorgeous fabric that I purchased about 3 years ago.

Was suppose to make curtains out of them for our last home but never got around to it, then we put our home on the market

and moved.

Now that we're about settled in, I had to make these for the summer.

I even made matching pillows, but don't look too closely, some errors,

well, I learned what not to do next time

I'm not one for matchy matchy BUT I love this fabric so much I had to do it!!!!

I didn't want to waste any of it.

The Euro shams I purchased from JcPenney

the quilt from Marshall's

The green and cream quilt from Jo Ann Fabrics

 

I always have so much fun sewing.

But now that I have it all up, I definitely want to repaint our bedroom!

Hubby is not too thrilled with that idea since the ceiling has high peaks and you need a long ladder to get to those sections,

that'll be a Fall project when the weather cools down and we can open the windows.

I have some more sewing projects to post but that'll be later.

MCB

 



Sewing Craze!

Having a ton of fun sewing again!!!

It's funny, I LOVE to sew, I love to put fabrics together and try to coordinate with ribbons and buttons,

BUT

I have to get myself excited for it.

 I have to get motivated.

I planned this a few weeks ago, the first week of July will be my sewing week.

So yesterday I sewed three bags, the one above is for

Moi!

This one below is for a friend, who bought the fabrics and asked me to put it together

{she says she's afraid to use it now, it's too pretty}

And this other one below is an order from a friend as well, many of you have seen this pattern, it's one of my top

sellers

So busy with those and once I get started I can't stop.

I have no sense of balance what so ever!

I can't get motivated,

then when I finally do, I will sew 3-5 hours straight, only stopping for a potty break, and I may remember to eat or drink

something to stay hydrated and energized.

I need help!

 

So that was yesterday,

today I've been measuring, and re-measuring then ironing, ironing and more ironing,

then I started cutting,

these

What am I making with these?

HMMMMM

Well, time will tell, I mean I know what I'm doing with them, but

you'll have to wait for my next post.

The far left one, I'm trying to decide the green fringe or orange fringe?

Pretty aren't they?

Until next time.......

{PS I'll give you a hint, it's not handbags}



Landscaping Before & After's

I thought when I put this blog together I'd be posting quite regularly but no, that hasn't happened since we put our last home on the market.

Life has become insane since all that happened.

Projects are never ending, you finish one and there is another waiting for you.

Plus, work & a life take over as well.

But I am now finally posting our Landscaping project.

When we bought this place it certainly wasn't for it's curb appeal

or

how beautiful it looked on the inside,

no way!

It was price, location and the possibilities.

Our front yard was awful,

whoever lived here look like they tried to do something

but because it being an end unit and on a slope

the yard was washing away.

You couldn't plant anything.

They had holly bushes in front but the roots were exposed since the soil was going down the hill,

So it required building a retaining wall and adding soil.

After the OK from the HOA committee,

the project began and Hubby was the one doing all the work since it would of cost us about $4,000 when it was said and done.

Yeah, sure we'll pull out $4,000 from........

 

Building the wall was stressing him out especially since he NEVER built a retaining wall before.

The internet is a great source of information!!!

After building this we didn't need to buy soil, thank goodness, we had enough after the wall went up and walkway went in, so $$$ saved here.

(Below- before adding mulch)

 

 

After:

We weeded and added mulch and planted a spreading plant, ordered it and came in a root bound ball so still waiting to see if it'll do anything, and we planted impatients as well.

So after moving the soil around, replanting the holly bushes which was a bit stressful because the rules on replanting those were specific and if you did one thing wrong they'd die. Happy to say they are healthy and happy.

Here he's now putting in a walkway to the gate. 

He even added steps, again the internet was a great help, this was a bit of a tough one but he figured it out and it turned out great. 

Here is the after, below, after putting in pea gravel

 

 

 

 

(before adding mulch) 

 

(after adding mulch) 

 

(Holly Bushes doing well)

 

This part is always been hard for me, PATIENCE, waiting on the plants to fill in, controlling myself by not buying so many plants since it does get expensive, but I do go to the nurseries and watch out for sales on perennials.

 

 

We were having issues with some neighbors walking through our front yard to cut across to the main entrance, after putting in the wall and landscaping it finally stopped, even after we landscaped one neighbor insisted on still walking through but I haven't seen him do it, maybe because heard me scolding a young boy who thought he was superman and tried to jump from our wall over our flowers and instead he landed on my flowers as he was running down the slope, I must of looked like a crazy person running out my front door, I'm sure others heard me but I didn't care.

Well, the boy never did that again, in fact I haven't seen him and his friend playing out there since then.

Oh well, we're happy with the results and can't wait to see the flowers fill in and can't wait to add more.

Spring Love



Yesterday had been a very busy day for me, I worked in the morning,

got a few groceries,

came home, put things away, finished some of my work online

then went outside and did some trimming, which I am now paying for a little...:)

then decided to go ahead and do some measuring, ironing, sewing and hanging curtains.

I have to motivate myself to get sewing, I LOVE to sew but it is time consuming, the measuring, remeasuring, cutting, pinning, ironing, remeasure again, etc. but once I get started then I can't stop.

(got this fabric through fabric.com it's an Ikat look and I LOVE the colors, design and the feel of the fabric, it hangs nicely)

Above is my new window treatment for Spring/Summer look.

I even changed out pillows,

(the butterfly pillows are my favorite, it captures the colors perfectly in our living room)

(I didn't even realize the pictures hanging above our sofa have blues in them until AFTER I purchased the fabric, now it stands out)

 I'm noticing as I take pictures and load them up and get a better  look at the living space and the walls, those pictures look small up there, it doesn't seem that way when I'm standing in the room but it does here, I'll need to change that..:) time to go shopping again!

 

I change our rooms around every season, well, in the Fall it'll go to deep oranges, and now with Spring here and Summer approaching these colors just say Warmer weather is coming and we really like how it turned out, Hubby is loving it, of course after I put the pillows down he sat right on them!

I freaked, he said, "oh great this is going to be fun now"

Oops, don't want to make him sit on the floor BUT no sitting

ON THE PILLOWS Please.

I also lightened up the Dining space by just changing out the curtains

(they're a sheer with an embroidered design on them) 

 

The room feels fresh and bright now

I'm all ready for the warm weather to come and ready to open those doors and let fresh air come in.