Thursday, May 29, 2014

Making Progress



"Up the stairs go the bears, up, up, up. Step by step, step by step, up, up, up." I sing this little ditty with my grandchildren as we climb 10 steps up, turn and climb 4 more. It's a memory of my own childhood - a song/story 45rpm recording of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The little misses have caught the tune and often sing it with me. Mr. F will learn it, too.

Along the long wall upwards there are three wedding portraits of our children. At the head of the stairs I've started a gallery wall of family photos. Some professionally taken, others casual snapshots. I love looking at them as I climb up or down the stairs. When I took everything down to paint the hall a couple of months ago, I determined not to rehang the photos until I had painted them. Some of the frames were naturally finished wood (made by Tim in Ecuador), until this week. I've had them laid out on the newspaper covered countertop and gave them a swipe of white paint several times. Today I finally cleaned the glass and hung the photos. One project more or less completed.
 

Finish number two - this shirt. It would look best on a person, but no person was nearby for modeling it. The fabric is a lovely soft printed lawn, just right for cooler days or as a loose cover-up over a t-shirt. I made it strictly according to the pattern, to determine exactly how I adjust for my own shape. I knew it probably wouldn't fit, and although it does, the next version will have some adjustments. This version will go to my younger daughter.  I'm happy with the way it turned out - flat felled seams, cuffs, collar and band. Can't wait to start my own.
 

Tim made this wonderful armoire/television cabinet 8 years ago. Since then we've purchased a flat screen tv that doesn't fit. The bottom now houses our printer/copier. The top is empty for now, but he's planning to fit it with shelves and I'll use it to store table linens.
 

For a minute there I couldn't remember why I was including the armoire. Scary. Oh, yes - I changed the stuff on top. A large hand-painted Italian platter bought in Quito, a French flowershop pot, a cake stand (also made by Tim) and a plant. Nothing new, but new to this space. I so love puttering with the things I already own. I don't need new stuff, that's for certain. But I like rotating displays, do you?
 

And a flower. We really can't have a post without a flower at this time of year. A wild rose growing on one of the islands we visited last week. Wild roses always make me think of the way Anne of Green Gables decorated the tea table for the minister and his wife - all ferns and wild roses.

It feels good to finish a few things. Are you a start-something-and-finish-it-before-starting-something-new kind of person or a million-things-on-the-go kind of person? I'm the latter, but I wish I were the former.

27 comments:

  1. I'm afraid I'm the latter. In fact, I can leave a trail behind me of started things. I usually go back and finish up but I can get quite distracted. We just moved two things around today, I call it "shopping the house." Have been thinking of a post all day about just that kind of thing --- need or want. :-) I remember all the beautiful pottery in Quito.

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  2. I'm the latter too.
    How beautiful the armoire is, it could have come straight from a French home.

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  3. You really got a lot of things done. Love your stair wall. The blouse fabric is very pretty. Hmmm I do some of both. It really depends on the projects. Sometimes I have a bunch going at once and sometimes I'm a start to finish gal...

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  4. Oh me! I am the latter. It's a constant source of irritation to me.

    You must be working hard to transform with all that you've accomplished. That blouse looks beautiful...your daughter will be blessed. Tim is a very talented man...that piece of furniture is wonderful and what a great storage space for table linens it will be. I like your photo gallery, too.

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  5. Anonymous3:41 PM

    Hi Lorrie, The blouse looks wonderful. Great idea to store linens in the tv cabinet. The rose is very sweet.

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  6. The wardrobe is gorgeous!
    Your photo gallery is such a great focal point on the stair wall...I have family photos framed and they sit on most of the flat surfaces of our small bungalow which doesn't leave room for much else!
    The blouse is fabulous and reminds me of a Liberty print...you would look great in this print shirt.

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  7. The wardrobe is gorgeous!
    Your photo gallery is such a great focal point on the stair wall...I have family photos framed and they sit on most of the flat surfaces of our small bungalow which doesn't leave room for much else!
    The blouse is fabulous and reminds me of a Liberty print...you would look great in this print shirt.

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  8. I think I tend toward the latter! Lots of projects at one time!

    I really like your gallery wall. And I love to use what I have in new rooms or places! Fun. I call it shopping the house!

    Deanna

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  9. You and your husband are both very talented - he at woodworking and you at sewing and decorating. I love the blouse and lawn is such a comfortable summer fabric. I wonder why it's called "lawn"? I like your photo gallery and the painted frames. Lovely post Lorrie.

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  10. I love our native wild roses and I also love Anne of Green Gables!! Love the new shirt you made--awesome!
    Blessings, Aimee

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  11. Your project finishes are quite wonderful. I love how you have done your family photos. I have ours in several places because I don't have a big enough wall to have them all together.

    I love the wild roses this time of the year too - they are everywhere.

    I am basically a finish a project before starting another - with a little bit of more projects going than I can finish right now. I think it is a good mix - sometimes the fun of finishing up things that have been waiting - and sometimes the fun of starting and finishing in one big swoop.

    I like to rearrange the things I have - though I've been known to buy another thrift shop find now and then - and add them into the rotation. Your amoire top is very pretty.

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  12. I have been thinking I need to find a wall for photos of my grandson. Didn't plan on having a grandson, so walls are mostly taken. Time to make some changes. Lovely shirt. I just don't sew much anymore, but your shirt almost tempts me. It is fun to move things around and rediscover what we have in new ways. And lovely wild rose. I agree just about every post right now must have it's flower.

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  13. It's wonderful visiting you ,though after a while. Lovely frames! You painted them!! So professional! And the furniture is beautifully built! Coming to the jacket, Oh my!! its lovely!!!

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  14. It's so lovely x

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  15. Lot of things to love about this post...your wonderful gallery wall, the beautiful blouse, that gorgeous armoire, and rotating displays! You are on a roll with your "finishing"!

    (Oh...and I am definitely the "million-things-on-the-go" type of person.)

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  16. Hi Lorrie! You have been a busy beaver!! Love your gallery wall! It is a great way to fill up that stairwell and share your beautiful family with others. You have a talented hubby if he built your armoire! Glad that you are finding a way to re purpose it! Isn't it great that the grass is green and flowers are blooming! Lilacs are out in full force here and they are one of my favorites!! Take care !

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  17. Always great to accomplish projects. I like your photo gallery. Pretty rose too.

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  18. I love seeing the projects you work on...and that woodworking...what a talented man!

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  19. A million things for sure. I lack focus. I love gallery walls. Everyone tells me I have museum walls. HA! I do love moving things around. I definitely don't need to buy anything else. Nice job on the shirt. I don't sew at all so am always in awe of folks who can. Have a great weekend. Tammy

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  20. Oh I definitely have more than one thing going on at a time. I WISH I would start and finish one thing at a time!

    That cabinet is soooo gorgeous!

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  21. It seems to me you are very good at completing projects...from what I have observed over the years! Your gallery wall looks great!

    We also have an armoire that we aren't quite sure what to do with...and just bought a flat screen TV to fit into the cabinet in the kitchen that had been built for a 'regular old TV'. It doesn't quite 'fit'. Change comes with a few complications!

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  22. I enjoyed every picture and reading your little notes.

    I can see that blouse on you... it really is 'you'. Lovely!

    And the armoire, gorgeous too, that Tim of yours and my Rick seem to have another thing in common.

    Brenda

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  23. That's one very beautiful shirt, you sew beautifully. Did you find the material online? I've only made one in my sewing career, but it was too fussy for me, the button holes did me in, lol. So I will just admire it from here.

    We have the very same roses growing wild in our gardens here, but yet to bloom.

    Jen

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  24. I love the idea of the photos on the stairs. I would love to do this, but with trying to de-personalise the house before we sell, this will have to wait. I am trying not to have any more projects apart from painting everything cream and decluttering... yawn! Have a great week xx

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  25. What a busy summer bee you have been! I LOVE that shirt~ well done! There is also nothing I like better than a good gallery wall.

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  26. Your sewing skills amaze me! Lucky daughter!

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  27. The photo display looks unified with the paint job! We decided to use black metal frames many years ago for our photos and did it for a uniformed look. Love the shirt. Three cheers for completing that job! And yes, it is fun to rearrange displays for whole new looks. I greatly resist buying new decorating objects because I already have too many.

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