a footstool makeover

This little footstool started out with a

dingy brown velvet covering which

it was wearing when I bought it.

I was in my needlepoint phase,

{yes, that is mismatched green wool you see}

and one of my first projects was

to staple this finished piece

to the footstool...

A couple years ago, I crocheted a cover

for the footstool,

which just slipped right over the needlepoint...

Lately I've felt ready for a change and

a little less color, so 

I removed the crocheted cover and the needlepoint,

took a coffee sack--which I would usually

sew into a tote bag--and cut out a cover

for my stool...

The burlap coffee sack was stapled to the underside,

and then I used black upholstery tacks to attach

some wonderful jute braid that I found at Walmart.

I should finish the underside off with a black

fabric dust cover, but haven't gotten to that yet...

It presently sits right next to my cubbie unit,

handy for whenever I need to reach something up high...

~Deb

this summer's garden

A May that was all rain, and a June

that had virtually no rain made

for some difficult gardening,

...string beans planted twice that never came up

...ears of corn that never filled out

...and a poor crop of broccoli

But, some things did really well,

...zinnias, sunflowers, black-eyed susans, and

morning glories are plentiful--the morning

glories are covering the fence on

the east side of the henhouse and have

found their way inside, where they are

blooming above the nesting boxes--sadly

it has not improved the number of eggs I'm

collecting.

...there are tons of cherry tomatoes,

which I eat for lunch and put into tomato,

basil, & mozzarella salads.

...there are plenty of eggplant--some I am

dehydrating {first time trying this},

and some went into penne alla Norma--excellent!

...lots of zucchini for freezing and being

baked into my favorite chocolate courgette

muffins.

...several different peppers, onions, and collard greens

have done well,

and butternut squash, lumina pumpkins, and one

lonely watermelon are coming along.

...the cucumbers vines are starting to shrivel.

In between gardening chores,

I started a quick upholstery project...

...be back with the results.

~Deb

school desk makeover

This poor old school desk has sat on our

back porch for years, and was really

looking shabby and seriously neglected. 

Any former finish was gone,

so this past weekend I decided to get

out some paint and see what I could do.

This piece was handed down to us from
Mike's family and his parents, aunts/uncles,
siblings, and nephews names were all
carved into the top...

After a good sanding down and cleaning,

I applied two coats of Behr's french gray blue

in eggshell.

The next day, I distressed it with the

sander, then waxed it with a brownish wax

to age it.

And, the brownish wax filled in the

carvings so they are still visible...

~Deb