Graduation Parties for the Overwhelmed

Last Saturday was party time around here!

It followed the last week of school with kids, and weeks of concerts, banquets, awards nights, and other party-preparation-time-sapping events.

Enter my Top Ten Ways to Throw a Last-Minute Party

1) Have a friend convince your introverted child that others love her enough to attend a graduation bash in her honor.  Save your most convincing spiel for two weeks before.   That way you can't  shouldn't second-guess your decisions.

2)Scour Michael's for milk bottles and yellow chevron straws.  These will delight the graduate and spark her enthusiasm.

3) Hit the dollar store for masses of tissue paper to make these poufs.  Instant (and cheap) pizzazz.

4) Be tempted to kiss the feet of the friend who offers to make potato salad for 50.

5) Spray paint mason jars in your theme color.  Fill them with daisies and Monte Casino.  Be happy. 

6) Bless the friend who shows up at your house while you are at one of those many banquets and makes your graduation hat candies out of Lindor squares and mini-Reeses cups.  Add a tassel of embroidery thread. 

7) Enlist someone else to create an ombre cake.  Top it with pinwheels created on the Silhouette.  Prove to your husband again that you are still thankful he splurged and bought you one for Christmas. 

8) Add "perfect weather for an outdoor party" to your list of 1000 gifts.

9) Eat leftover buffalo chicken and coleslaw for days.

10). Celebrate the end of an era.  Be grateful for the past. Embrace the future.  

Following,

Ginger

The Less Project: Update I

Four unexpected days at home!

One would think I'd have used them to great advantage.  Heaven knows my mind races with possibilities every weekend of what I'd accomplish with an extra day at home.

Projects!

Art!

Blogging!

Alas, give me a few snow days and my brain becomes cooked oatmeal.

Where were those brilliant ideas?

For the first two days, they stayed as buried as the grass in the yard, and I hibernated with a tea-cup and blog-reading.

Useless, I tell you, perfectly useless!

Yesterday I cleaned my house like a madwoman, paid bills, made a menu, all in a desperate effort to not be a shirker.

Today, temps are predicted to rise above freezing, and I may be able to venture to Walmart (shudder) and purchase yarn to give arm-knitting a shot.

So, instead of sharing snow-induced productivity (because clearly there is none),
I'll give you an update on the the Less Project.

My One Word for 2014 is Less, and it means, in part, less stuff.  

I've made some progress in the main living areas, starting with the bookcases.

These aren't built-ins; they're my husband's truimph with pre-fab bookcases from Lowes.  I can't imagine that wall without them. 

I realize they aren't perfectly styled, but they are organized into his side:

(Yes, I know this picture should be cropped, but Big Red is rushing me to the door for our snow-escape. )

and her side:

and the books are grouped by genre.

Then there was my nemesis--the desk area.

 Ugh.

It took me two days to clean out all the accumilated paper clutter, but I managed to empty the bookcase, clean the desk, and create a much smaller and controlled mail-dump area by the back door.

Then in a burst of energy last weekend, I made this ever-so imperfect gallery wall.
It isn't quite finished, but it has lots of my favorite things already.   

Confession: I couldn't find Big Red's level (he has less projects of his own), so I eyeballed it.  I also reused some existing nail holes, but it doesn't have to be perfect to be done.  

When I escape from my snowbound house, I shall purchase glitter for monograms on the clipboards.
(Gold glitter letters were a teen request; we can make that happen. )
The fabulous sign in the center was a Christmas present from one of my dearest friends.
I blogged about that song here. 
The clothesline at the top holds my memory verses from John.

These are courting cards--mini love letters between my grandparents when they were dating.  

The original texting.

With the main living area of our home cleaned and cleared, I already feel like I can breath a bit easier. 

Here's to more less.

Following,

Ginger

Linking up here, and here, and here. 

Creating a Heirloom

Quilting purists, avert your eyes.

I chopped up a quilt.

In my defense, it saved a quilt from near disintergration; had it been in terrifc shape I wouldn't have done it.

As it is, one pitiful quilt is now several heirlooms--and that's good!

We think this quilt was made by my great grandmother.

The pattern is "Drunkard's Path", but my mother--who was a quilter--and picky about this sort of thing--says that the pattern wasn't put together correctly.

I haven't a clue.

I loved that quilt, though, and it's been on my couch for quite a few years.

 A while back, however, I noticed that age was leaving it close to tatters in spot, and it needed to be salvaged before it came completely apart.

Answer: Christmas stocking for all the great-great grandkids.

(And the long-suffering, would-be seamstress, but I digress.)

Stockings are an easy-peasy project for non-sewing sewers such as myself.

Trace a pattern,

cut it out.

Right sides together.

Add a hanger from bias tape.

Ta-da!

New, old heirlooms.

For the record, OCD daughter who detests all change with a purple passion

loves having the stocking but does not want us to use them 

because they are not the old ones we've always used.

Sigh.

Since she is a senior, she gets her way.

What are some of your must-use decorations?

Anything new?

Following,

Ginger

Glory Revealed

Popping in briefly today--

home with my annual chest cold and laryngitis

 (and probably back at school tomorrow with said problem if no subs materialize soon.

  Pain in the patootie.)  

Between tea and naps, I thought I'd share our simple but sweet mantel.

 It got a few lights to make it twinkle at night.

In Isaiah,  

the glory of the LORD was a future promise.

In the gospels, 

it became the promised reality.

Today,

it is past, present, and future.

The glory revealed 

in the manger

on the cross

in the empty tomb

will be revealed in my today,

and we await His coming again

when all will see

the glory of the LORD revealed.

Holiday Door Decor

'Tis the season to copy great ideas! 

 The Christmas decorating here is simple.  

And done.

That last part is key.

There are a few new things in the mix, and I'm sharing one of them today, our version of the copycat Anthropologie yarn wreath.

One tutorial and about 5 rolls of yarn later, 

and here it is:

 Isn't it fun?

Every time I walk past it, I think,

"It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!!"

(Don't tell my kids I added that!  They'll die!)

Following,

Ginger

Favorite Fall Mantel

Now that September is nearly over, I'm finally here to show you my favorite fall mantel evah, my accidental school-themed mantel.  It was a bit like the best of lesson plans, uninspired at the outset but ending with an ah-ha! moment that makes the whole thing work.

It begins with a few pencils and books and the antique chalkboard that appears here regularly.  

There it sat until I hit the jackpot in my basement, where my rummaging around unearthed class pictures from my mother's college and teaching days. 

 Strung from a twine and miniature clothespins, they added the perfect vintage touch.  

Don't they all look spiffy?  

They look considerably more pulled together than I do on my best days.

I love it when my favorite vintage looks are also meaningful.

I wish my mom could see it, though if she's anything like me, she won't remember anyone's name.  

(I have trouble with kids I taught last year; sixty years later isn't looking hopeful!)

Be blessed,

Ginger

Laundry Room Reveal: Done is Better than Perfect

Years ago, I worked for a company that used the motto, "Done is better than Perfect".

It's become something of a personal mantra for this recovering perfectionist.

 A  perfect reveal post would have all the decorating/storage/organizational solutions photo-ready.

In this house, payday has to come before that can happen (thank you, budget envelopes), so you're getting the Almost Done version.

Call it Laundry Room 2.O, awaiting small updates.

To get the full effect, you'd need to see before pictures.

There are no before pictures.

I got busy and forgot to take them, and when I left to be with my mom during her surgery, Big Red finished the painting for me (love that man) and covered up all the paint samples. 

There were a lot of paint samples. 

I was earnestly attempting to use some leftover paint from other projects since the laundry area is small, but nothing quite seemed to work. 

 They were all too dark or too gloomy in a room with only one small window

(obvious given these blurry pictures!) ,

or they clashed with the wall that leads to the rest of the house. 

 In the end we went with the same color as the main living areas, a lovely leafy green by Laura Ashley called Apple 3. 

 (It's discontinued, but our Lowe's will still mix it.  If not, there's an Eddie Bauer "Apple" paint that's similar.)

Here's the part-way done pictures:

I didn't take before pictures because I was too busy emptying an entire bookcase of cookbooks.  

I narrowed it down to one shelf of books I either a) use or b) kept for sentimental reasons.

 I have a cookbook from every place I've lived. 

 Except here.  

I should remedy that.

Okay, so it isn't perfectly neat.  This is the Real World--and it is so much better than it was.

Then we moved about half the contents of this room to the basement, where Big Red, Man With Power Tools, fixed two closets for storing seasonal stuff like Christmas cookie cutters and my turkey roaster.

Finally, I sewed.

I'm on a roll.

My main make-over goal was covering those ugly hoses that someone--clearly a man with no thought to the future decorating issues--placed above the washer.
While I was at it, why not a new ironing board cover?

(Just hand over some thread and nobody gets hurt.)

The oh-so imperfect results:

Did I mention the fabric was (nearly) free?  I'd bought a few yards at the thrift store years ago and discovered it was the perfect amount for these two projects.

Some vinyl action and tiny lamp:

Old painting + scrapbook stickers= DIY art.

I still want to hang some photos and figure out a solution for clothes sorting.  The garbage cans we've been using just don't seem to have enough panache for our new space.  Any suggestions?

This was my one major accomplishment of the summer!  We're loving it.  

Be blessed,

Ginger

Linking up at Better with Age!

The Fine Art of Wasting Time

Remember when I told you my one-item to-do list?

Yeah, it hasn't happened that way.

Now, before I sit here and tell you that I've been all productive and busy this week, that is not the case.

I've piddled.

In Southern vernacular, piddling is something like puttering, and it's a perfect word for getting little, unimportant things done. 

Caring if anything gets done defeats the purpose.

(It's also a great word for describing why it takes your husband and child thirty minutes longer than any other people in the world to get ready to go somewhere.  Grr...)

The key to piddling is to look busy without accomplishing anything of significance.

During the school year, this includes the room organizing I do to avoid reading essays, but I digress.

Piddling Projects this week:

1. A few freezer bags of chard and squash.  A lot of bags would qualify as real work; a few qualify as piddly.

2. Vinyl labels for the washer, dryer, and electric box.  

'Cause everybody needs those.  I almost ruined this as a piddling exercise by making classroom passes ,

 but since I could write passes on sticky notes, and Big Red, the Original Not-Cutesy Male Teacher, would never own these, creating them counts as Creative Time Wasting.

3. Cleaned about 1,000 pictures off my camera card.  Still have about 1,000 to go.

Kept about 3000 zinnia pictures; it's an addiction.

4. Perused Pinterest--the Ultimate Piddling Project. 

In the interest of full disclosure, most of the pins were school-related.

 If when I actually do some these, I won't be piddling.

Piddling might be my favorite way to spend a summer day. 

Be blessed,

Ginger

Chop,Chop

Popping in to share a quick re-fashion project!

First, let me say that I am not a seamstress.  My mother, who was an excellent one, would be mortified right now.  I probably won't share the details with her. *grin*

I found this dress at our local thrift store.  

 

It had two important things going for it: a) it's a maxi, which means it's soft and long (always a plus for leggy middle-aged women who don't do knees showing any longer.  Looking pulled together in something that feels like pajamas is a win-win.),  and b) it's green, my favorite color.  

However, what it did not have going for it was the top half. 

This dress was clearly owned by some incredibly tall woman willing to show waaayy more skin than I am.  

It was time for a bit of chopping.  

Out came one of my other maxi skirts as a guide.

( Um, apparently I like stripes and green.)

This was the only tricky part because the knit was thin and stretchy.  I can safely tell you that the hem is approximately  even, but far from perfect.  (Insert my mom cringing.) 

It'll do.  

Chop, chop, and the immodest top half disappeared, leaving behind a comfy elastic waistband. 

Now I have a new pair of pjs green, stripey skirt!

 (Sorry for the faceless pose; it's a summer weekday, meaning I'm not wearing makeup and my hair looks like a brillo pad.)

Happy refashioning!

Be blessed,

Ginger

Happy, Happy, Happy

 My happy place...

 

...just got happier!

(Rustoleum Ultra Cover in Aqua)

Be blessed, 

Ginger

All Summer in a Mantel

So...the bunny mantel stayed up through the end of May.

Yeah.

'Cause ain't nobody got time for decorating in May.

With the arrival of summer comes lighter clothes, lighter food, and lighter mantels.

DD#2 and I added the banner today, and after much fiddling and fidgeting, got it placed just where we wanted.  

The bike was a thrift store find a few years back.  Isn't it fun?

 

All the flowers in my yard are off to a slow start because of our delayed spring, so I made some from circles of tissue paper and twigs. 

 

 The paper pack used for the banner is the best $5.00 I've ever spent at Michael's; it's shown up in all sorts of projects.  

Lighter and brighter.  

One project down, about 122, 345, 875 to go. 

Be blessed,

Ginger

linking here

Spring Mantel

Hello, Friday!

This might be one of the few Fridays I'm not enthusiastic about because it's the Friday of spring break.  Fastest.week.ever.

One of the other speedy things this year was the arrival of Easter.  

I had my mantel ready, but I never had time to post it.  

So today I'll show you the Easter Spring mantel!

This mantel features my favorite neutral, green.  (Look outside.  Unless you live out west, green is the background color, right?  

It's the new neutral.)

It has my favorite antique chalkboard.

My favorite thrifted-$1.50-each candlesticks are up there along with a few of my favorite books and one of my favorite vases from my mom.

Finally, it has (had) my favorite early spring flowers, daffodils and forsythia, now deceased.  Yes, I really should bring in something fresh, but my to-do list today is rather lengthy--and I needed to get this post done ASAP!

So without further ado (because that explanation took a long time), here it is:

 Don't you love the glitter bunny?  It was  Silhouette project from this post.

Be blessed,

Ginger

linking up here and here

Happy New Year and the First Silhouette Project!

Happy New Year to you!

I rang in 2013 earlier than expected. 

No party, just insomnia. 

This post may be a bit foggy, like the weather. 

 

 Sad, isn't it?  

Especially since it's brighter now than it was this morning.

Wait, it is still morning.

Time crawls when you're waiting for 5:00 am to arrive because that seems like an acceptable time to have coffee.

(Which it is, if one is not on Christmas break.)

It's a dreary start for the weather, but my Silhouette has brought a bit of sunshine to the house.

 

This was a totally free project (unless you count the Silhouette) constructed from an old picture and some leftover door paint.

It makes me happy when skies are gray.

My dishtowel table runner makes the happy list as well.

 I always plan a ton of housecleaning at New Year's, and while I still want to get it all done, I'm reminding myself that resting is okay, too.

Praying you have a sunny, restful day as well as we welcome 2013.

Be blessed,

Ginger