my, how your baby has grown

shelf life

i originally got this for a friend who needed a shelf, but i guess she didn't really need that bad because she kept saying she would get it later and it ended up living in the trunk of my car for the whole summer.  i don't remember exactly where i got it, but i know it was free.  i used it in my studio at my old apartment to hold sewing stuff -->

i wanted a project so i decided to give this shelf a new life.  i realized i could chip the paint away and expose the wood -->

i looked like this while doing it -->

 

while this was very satisfying, i figured it probably wasn't worth the hours it would take to scrape away the black paint.  so i decided instead to spray paint it.  after a couple of hours this is what i had -->

my first reupholster

i always thought reupholstering would be difficult, but this was actually quite simple.  i'm sure if it were a couch i would think differently, but this was a good place to start -->

i've had this chair for over ten years.  a friend's mom was going to set it out with the trash and i saved its life.  there is nothing wrong with it other than the missing piece on the back, which is only decorative.  the old fabric is a maroonish velvet, which i liked in high school, but not so much anymore.  after watching this instructional video from thread banger, i thought it would be a snap.  but after removing the seat and cutting the fabric i realized we didn't have any staples for the staple gun.  normally this would be a quick trip to the hardware store, but we had other errands to run so i had to wait to finish my project.  four hours and a boogie burger later, i was able to return.  it had already been reupholstered a couple of times, so i had to cut away at the old fabrics so there would be room for the new fabric and screws.  once all that was done i attached the new fabric and this is my new chair -->

you can see pish posh anxiously waiting at the door.  this is her new favorite chair.  i thought about figuring out how to make the missing piece and re-staining the whole thing, but realized it was kind of nice a little worn and i really didn't feel like spending the extra time and money on it right now.  i got the fabric at the free market.  it looked like it used to be a quilt.  here is a close up -->

now we just need people to come over.  what do you say, want to come over and sit on it?

pretty kitty

over medium, please.

nat requested i make him a fried egg grilling apron with a beer pocket + his name embroidered on it.  this is what he got:

japan food one/two

nat and i went to japan in the spring.  my favorite thing about the trip was the amazing food.  at first i thought there was no way we would have a bad meal, but i found out quickly that is not true.  just like anywhere, you need to know which restaurants are good and which ones to stay away from.  sometimes the english translation was brief or none at all, so i can't even tell you everything i ate. 

this is a picture menu from Za Watami,  one of the few places we ate at more than once.  this was the only place where we had to take off our shoes upon entering.  there were sandle/slippers at the front door and lockers to keep your shoes.  we sat on the floor but there were holes under the tables for our legs and feet.  the food was amazing and decently priced and the picture menu helped us out a lot.

we only went out for breakfast a couple of times, because we usually ate our hotel restaurant, Cafe' Merry Coco, which was very good.  this picture is from our last morning at a french bakery called Viron.  the waiter brought a big basket of breads and pastries to the table and we were to choose three each.  we had six delicious jams and marmalades to accompany our baked goods, all of which were for sale.  i bought a jar of marmalade for my dad's birthday, which he enjoyed.   

 

i don't remember the name of this place, but it was across from Tokyu Hands, an amazingly huge department store.  we sat on the terrace and enjoyed tea, coffee, and sweets.  i had a cup of ginger tea.  you can see the ginger in the tea pot.  it was a nice way to relax after walking around bustling Shibuya all afternoon.

this was at a little beach town called Kamakura.  this was the only thing on the menu.  i am not sure why a pickle would be served with spaghetti, but they were actually pretty good together.

 duck cookie!

this was at a place called "the great burger" though it was actually pretty amazing.  i don't remember exactly what the green drink was, but i think it was melon soda.  envelopes were provided for the burgers to keep all the tasty drippings contained.  the wet nap came in a package that said, "if you want to meet me, i want to meet you, too."

new neighbors

before we knew

bookshelf wish list

the commish is just like you and me

he takes his work home

he loves love

he talks on his cell phone too much

he cries at sad things

he eats long sandwiches

he doesn't like the way he looks

he makes this guy laugh

fourty-one years

past me's and you's

this is the house i grew up in. i loved that house like a person.

thank, you

what i've been working on lately. more to come later.

dreams for dreams

i want my dreams to look like this:

summer ready

monday morning exercise

it is not as easy as it looks. richard is not kidding around.

free finds from the library

i acquired these books for the covers. i have yet to read any, though "facts of life and love" from 1956 might have some nuggets of wisdom for me.

the iroquois county old courthouse museum

the music room

bright ideas

two heads are better than one

alfred hitchcock pumpkin ginger raisin cookie

recent presents made

lavender eye packs

kitty buddy

christmas presents wrapped

leafy coasters

little curtain for a little window