Chair Debacle

Have you ever had one of those days where you're wondering, "Um, what just happened here?" or better yet, "If I had stayed in bed, would that have been better?"

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So yesterday I was minding my own business and being a good wife by selling a baby gate on Craigslist. (I love Craigslist... I had 4 people who wanted it in no time at all.)

And then I saw this dreamy vintage chair:

Isn't it formal and informal and soft but tailored and everything rolled into one? *Swoon*

It was $85.

I asked the hubs if it could be my Mother's Day present (yes!) and then I made an appointment to see this chair.

For the record, I fully intended to buy this chair.

I was already hooked.

I was prepared to drive the 3 hours for this chair. THREE HOURS. WITH A BABY IN TOW.

I wanted it. Bad.

But the chair was not cream as I had imagined it.

It was not cream as the picture had led me to believe.

It was peach.

Daggone it.

I can't work with peach. I can work with almost any color except peach, mauve or teal.

Stink.

I looked the chair over and because I didn't have a CLUE as to how much re-upholstery would cost, I passed.

I called my friend Steph (who makes sewing look magical and easy all at once) and she told me that to reupholster might cost $300-500.

I don't know.

Did I do the right thing?

I can't go back. It took three hours.

Actually four, because baby girl needed a stop.

I started the day confident that a new chair would be in my living room this evening.

Did I do the right thing?

Pergola Dreams

I saw my first pergola when I was a teenager. I was working at a beach house inn and from the second floor I could peer into my neighbor's back yard and see it. I took a picture.

Years later, our neighbors built one from cedar. It was dreamy and enchanting.

So when our new home lacked any shade whatsoever in our south facing back yard, I knew what I wanted ever so badly.

"Let's build a pergola," I mentioned to my husband.

He probably just smiled at me--the same way he smiled at me when I suggested we have a baby.

Last year, sad things happened in our life and I felt the need for protection.

I prayed for it, for great big protection.

The image of the pergola came to mind again.

"Please, honey?"

I even promised to do my part. I'd save up for the whole thing.

How could something as romantic as wanting a pergola take so much time and effort?

(Rolling eyes... I'm a MOTHER and I asked that question?)

The homeowner's association wanted us to show them a plat of survey.

And wanted to know if it was going to be some crazy color. Like purple.

Then the city wanted to make sure they approved.

(Sixty one dollars and permit in hand.)

The utilities company wanted to stake their claim, too.

Something about underground wires before we dig...

The patio guy gave us a quote.

We gave him a thumbs up.

He told us to remove the deck.

"Free deck" read the Craigslist ad we ran.

And within one hour we had two people who really wanted it.

(LOVE Craigslist.)

So now we have a lawn with no deck, some great play dirt (rolling eyes) and some magical little flags which our toddler thinks are fun to walk around with.

Eve likes how they flap in the wind. And the pretty colors are tempting as well.

I'm not sure what these spheres are which were found under the deck, but some sporty friends of mine tell me they are "wiffle balls" left from the previous owner.

(Enter evil laugh here....)

I think I'll find a craft project to do with them.

"Let's build a pergola," said the artsy woman who had no idea what it would take.

"Okay," smiled the patient husband who knew it would take more than expected.

Groundbreaking is May 3rd.

Time for Five: Coconut

About "Time for Five":

I don't have hours to discover things with my Morgan.

But I do have a few minutes extra at a grocery store to find something fun.

(A new fruit to try. A retro kind of candy.)

I don't have the curriculum or organization of a preschool or kindergarten teacher.

But I have more love for her than they ever will.

I don't want to miss her in the midst of today's busyness.

So I do have five minutes in which we can enjoy a new discovery together.

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If you have five minutes, you can discover the joys of breaking open a coconut.

Might I suggest the "easy break" kind?

It's fun to play with tools which are usually forbidden.

Morgan takes her job seriously.

The coconut was already "pre-cracked" so the effort was not much.

Was it worth it?

Despite the "eww" face, I think she liked it.

Five minutes, was all.

I'd love to hear what others do with five minutes.

Eve Hat, Cont.

"I'm sorry, sweetie... yes, they do... they think you're bald."

"Even when you smile that adorable girlish smile and wear girly colors."

"How would you like a hat?"

"Is something on my head?"

"Really, Mom?"

"This is hilarious. You'd really want me to wear this?"

"Please, child... please wear the hat.

It cost momma a great deal of time, effort and pride to make."

Hat Making

I have a bald looking toddler. She's adorable.

But people keep calling her a boy.

"I'll make her a hat," I said to myself, "a really froo-froo one."

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They make it look easy in the movies. Women taking up the hobby of hat making.

"I love your pillbox hat, Mabel."

"Why thank you, Gertrude. I took lessons from the Ladies Society."

Pshaw.

Attempt One:

Fabric too heavy (linen, lined).

Hat too small.

Fabric flowers look droopy and sad.

Fail.

Attempt Two:

Use hat I already have and ADD flowers to it.

Result: Oddness.

Fail.

Attempt Three:

Buy pattern.

Disregard mending of church puppets.

Disregard other projects.

Hat sewn in 30 minutes. (At last!)

Placed on measuring cup so I can prepare hat for flowers...

Fabric glue, eh? Never used it.

But boy is it easy and fun.

(Hand wash only.)

Oh my... A garden hat. :)

Needs something for the middle of the flowers...

Tweezers are necessary. Makes the job easier.

It looks like Eve will have some synchronized swimming in her future.

If at first you don't succeed... keep spending money until you do.

It doesn't fit me. Hopefully the child will endure it.

Fern

This is my entry.
*Yawn*
Poor, sad door.
Looks like no one lives here.

But wait, the Fern fairy arrived.

Holey smokes, that baby is cute.

And I adore the look of southern-charmed front porches with their oversized ferns.

It's a start, a beautiful way to welcome spring.

It's easy enough to do in an afternoon, even with a toddler in tow.

Hee hee... My happy ferns have me thinking about all manner of front door fun.

We're getting our sidewalk repoured because our guests keep tripping on that 1" rise in it. But once the dust is settled, maybe some pretty little phlox will appear on the side of the walk. It's about three bucks a pot right now and likes to meander about... perfect to soften a landscape.

Has anyone grown ivy on a north facing wall? My attempt at growing ivy onto our columns last year... um... failed.

Dan

This is Dan, the man of Cookie Cutter House.
He's also the dubber of the term "cookie cutter" to our particular house.

I love this man.

He makes a mean brew. I don't drink beer much, but I've been told that it's wicked good.
He likes to look at its clarity.
And then drink up its frothy goodness.

He taught Morgan to play Connect Four this weekend.
Isn't that a great game?
I love how baby is sitting on his lap.

I love how he let her hold one of the pieces of the game in her hand.
She's holding it very tightly with her fat little baby hands.

"Don't move there, sister... He might connect four!"

Dan had ample opportunity to squash his daughter at this game.
He didn't really let her win, but he didn't snuff her out either. :)

Mini Garden

It occurred to me as I was flipping my calendar recently that my beautiful kindergarten daughter will be coming home all day, every day in about 6 weeks.

*Gulp*

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE this child but I just don't always know what to do to keep her busy.

So I've been acting like a penny-crazed woman from the depression era, collecting random recyclables and craft-appropriate containers. I've been signing out all manner of library books and collecting information about how to make this and that from such and such.

I'm gonna be ready to have some crafty fun with her.

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For starters, I'm on a "reuse" kick. If something has some life left in it, but not in the way I expected, I set it aside and save it for a rainy day.

Today's "reuse item" is DOLL HOUSE FURNITURE.

We're gonna make a mini garden.

First, we get ourselves a nice clay pot, some soil and some unsuspecting herbs.

(Herbs are great because they don't expect to grow large.)

If your pot has a hole at the bottom, cork it with an appropriately sized rock to let water flow but to keep soil from escaping.

Little hands love to help put the soil in the pot.

Gently release the herbs from their container...

... and introduce them to their new home.

Pot, meet herbs. Herbs, meet pot.

Now if you have some old dollhouse furniture that was bound for glory, you're gonna want them to make their entrance now. This little wire bistro seat is killing me with how adorable it is.

"I don't have doll house furniture. I have BOYS," you say.

Very well then, bring out your Legos and little army men.

What's that kid doing to the setup? I can't see a thing.

Is that a dog? A hound dog?

It certainly is. A very-glad-to-be-outside hound dog.

Now you may or may not believe this, but I saw similar miniature gardens (okay, without the dog) for a hundred bucks at a garden store. Reusing these quirky toys makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over.

This project took about five minutes. Maybe ten.

Soil- $5

Pot- $5-10 (I already had one on hand.)

Herbs- $5 (Does your grocery store carry cheap herbs?)

Reused Items: FREE

This project is great for ages 4 and up. Do be careful of pretreated soil if your little one is prone to eating dirt. (My toddler eats sand.)

Easy peasy. And fun, too.