Snow day? Sew day!

 Today is kinda a snow day, an ice day really.  We have had freezing temperatures with sleet coming down all day.  Clay had to go to class but I got to stay home since Dr. Mike is out of town.  So what do I do on a cold, icy day?  Sew!!!

Being a germ-conscious dental hygienist, I wear hair caps while I am using my Cavitron (my ultrasonic instrument).  The Cavitron's tip vibrates while water sprays tip to keep it cool.  This creates an aerosol which contains water and whatever is in the mouth (plaque, saliva, blood).  Although you can't always see the aerosol, it can travel quite a distance, which is why I wear these caps.  In an attempt to look less like I'm serving lunch, I make these cute little caps!

Here are the 3 pieces:

 Here is the finished product

Here are a few that I've made

My little model wearing the cap as a cape

Dr. Nugget

This is another craft that I finished a while ago.  It is an old wooden cheese box that I painted.  I love weeping willows!

Dining Table Renovation

This is for all of you sitting at the edge of your seats to see my table...sorry you had to wait so long :)  This table was passed down from Roger and Belinda and I decided to refinish the natural-colored butcher block top.  I was convinced that it would be a quick and easy project.  However, just as every other project I take on, this one turned into a beast (hence the "renovation" in the title, not just a refinish).

First I stripped and sanded the existing polyurethane.

Then I stained: 

Seems simple enough, right?  Not so!  I realized that I hadn't gotten all of the old poly off because the color was dark in some areas and light in others, obvious that the stain was not able to soak through in some areas.  I also noticed some areas where the sanding left little squigley lines which were more obvious once the stain was applied.  I was upset, of course, because I had sanded the table quite a bit, going from coarse to fine grit.

I had no other choice but to start from the beginning and sand it down again.  The trouble was that the stain, which had dried, was gunking up the sand paper.  So I sanded the table again for several hours, starting with a coarse grit and working my way down.  Then I scoured the entire table with my eyes inches from the surface to look for, and sand out, any "squigleys" left from sanding.  After I was sure that the table was perfect, I stained again.  Of course my worst fears were confirmed when I saw several areas where there were obvious sanding blemishes.  I do like wood with some chippy, worn character but this was like curley-qs.  Nobody would have noticed but me, but I wasn't satisfied with it!  I spot-sanded those areas that were still squigley and spot-stained them until the stain matched the rest of the table. 

Here is the table after the final stain:

Next step:  Poly.  I did 4 coats and sanded with fine (220) sandpaper between coats.  I wasn't rough when I sanded between coats.  However, now that the table is finished, if you get the light to glare at the right angle, you can see the sanding marks in the poly layers!!!  I JUST CAN'T WIN!!!  

For the cherry on top, I waxed the top for an extra, waterproof protection.  This, of course, left it looking dull and splotchy.  

So, before I am judged on my pessimistic, dissatisfied attitude, let me say that I am happy with the product from afar.  The table looks great with a dark finish.  I am, however, unhappy with how it looks close up, especially with the glare of the light shining on it's many imperfections.   I know more of a perfect-looking refinish is possible because I have seen many refinished pieces (including my bedroom suite).  I really don't know what I could have done better though.  I guess my craftiness is a work in progress and hopefully I will learn as I go.

If you can tell, the seats of the chairs have not been refinished yet!  This would be a nightmare to get around the spindles seeing as how a flat tabletop was difficult.  I am considering painting them.  I haven't decided yet so they remain a different color altogether :)  I'm kinda dreading taking this on!  Any suggestions on what to do with those or how I could have refinished the table to avoid scratches in the finish are welcome.

 

Living in Black and White (and a few shades in between)

Living my life as a self-proclaimed perfectionist isn't always fun.  I am very type A: I try to be organized, and I like things "just so."  Contrary to what some may think, I do not "have it all together" and my perfectionism results in indecisiveness, self-annoyance, and dissatisfaction.

For example, it is hard to me to commit to color!!!  No, not on fingernail polish...that can be changed easily (although that decision often takes quite a bit of consideration).  I'm talking about paint colors, comforters, cars, shoes!  Most anything that is either costly or that is not easily changed.  A lot of times I end up choosing neutral colors because it is "safe."  Here is an instance of my most recent incident:  I am painting a set of cabinets that are extra storage in my sun room.  My landlord was going to trash them but I decided to keep them.  How hard could it be to add a little color to some brown, outdated cabinets that were trash-bound in the first place?  Very hard apparently.  I started with a cute blue color.  Didn't like it so I added black.  Didn't like that either so I tried another combination of paint colors (I was using leftovers).  Now the cabinets are sitting disassembled in my now-trashed sunroom (the contents of the cabinets had to go somewhere!!!)  The project is at a standstill because I can't decide what to do!  I wanted to go bold, something outside my comfort zone, but failed!  I am indecisive because I fear disliking a choice after committing to it!

Something else that I face:  I go to Lowes, pick out a great paint color, spend hours painting and LOVE it!  Later at someone else's house, I see a different shade of the same color and wish I had chosen that instead!  Dissatisfaction you see!

A lot of times I want to change something or take on an improvement project.  When I can't decide what colors to use or how to improve whatever, I end up doing NOTHING at all!!!  Very productive, I know.  Either that, or a simple project turns into a nightmare (my dining room table) because every detail must be perfect before I am somewhat happy with the finished product.

I went shoe shopping and bought brown flats because I couldn't commit to the red ones even though I loved them.  Less will go with red shoes, right?  I couldn't branch out even though I wanted to.

As I sit here, I look around me and see shades of brown, white, black and olive green.  I couldn't get past the neutrals.  My walls are empty for the most part because I can't decide what, if anything, to hang up.  Also, what if I hang a picture but decide later I don't like it there?  A lot of work goes into spackling, sanding and re-painting that tiny nail hole.

I bet my logic is annoying you right now!!!  Irrational?  You bet!  It annoys me too!  Why can't I just make a decision and like it too?

I can't end this post with such pessimism.  I have many decisions that I am happy about:  I still love my amazing husband and still like the looks of him :), I like my neutral wall color, I love my profession, and I still like one of the pairs of shoes I bought after Christmas.  My perfectionism isn't always a negative thing:  I think I'm good at my job because of it.  I stay pretty organized as a result.  I don't spend a ton of money because I can never decide what to buy.

What character traits do you have that annoy you?

From the Inside Out

Here's a song that has been streaming through my head and my heart for the last couple days:

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And If I stumble again
I'm caught in our grace
Everlasting, Your light will shine
When all else fails
Neverending, your glory goes
Beyond all fame

In my heart and my soul
I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Everlasting, Your light will shine
When all else fails
Neverending, Your glory goes
Beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise
From the inside out
Lord my soul cries out

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise
Everlasting, Your light will shine
When all else fails
Neverending, your glory goes
Beyond all fame

2012: All Wrapped Up :)

 

2012 is over but the memories of a great year will live on.  Clay and I have been blessed much more than we deserve.  Our cup is overflowing!! 

 

Christmas was wonderful.  Picking up where I left off in the last blog, Clay headed to Biltmore with Kathy and Lisa.  They had a great time seeing all of the Christmas decorations.  I stayed behind and cleaned the house, did laundry, and unexpectedly baked all day.

Nugget got the first Christmas present from Santa, a "Santa's Little Helper" collar charm.

Painted piggy banks for some little cuties in my life:

 

My camera was hijacked during the Gendoes Christmas party:

Christmas Eve was spent celebrating Christmas with Erin, Alexa, and Bobby.  It was neat because after much discussion of when to get together, it worked out that Christmas Eve was best.  It turns out that Erin and I always opened present and had our big dinner on Christmas Eve growing up.  After eating a yummy, yummy dinner, we all tore into the presents.  Clay and I opened presents together later.  Then we headed to the midnight service with Beau, Jennifer and Jackson at Westford United Methodist Church.

 

This is Alexa's tag for her present for Erin.  She got her a calendar.

My dining room table...finally refinished (details to come later)

Nugget kept stealing cookies off of my plate!!!  Here she is with a  pecan tassie!!  Sneaky, sneaky!

Clay got a 1984 Franklin Mint Civil War Chess set for Christmas.  Looks like I may have to learn how to play chess...  I got a ton of awesome things and this pic is just a selection of some of my favies. 

Christmas Day was spent at Kathy's house spending time with her and Lisa.  Somehow I managed not to take any pictures ??  I stuffed myself silly...Kathy outdid herself on dinner...everything was amazing so of course I had to try everything :)

 

The next day, Clay, Alexa and I headed up to Beckley, WV to visit my mom.  Mom made her traditional lasagna which was amazing of course...something I grew up having each Christmas.  I kept saying that I wanted to see snow and I got my wish.  Clay, mom and myself ended up having to push my car out of the grass onto the gravel driveway that night to keep from being stuck that next day.  The next day, I was able to enjoy playing in the snow with Nugget and Alexa!  We all had a ton of fun!!!

My little angel :) 

Here is Nugget, exhausted on the way home from running around in WV.