Finished! Lots of Furniture.

We've had some gorgeous days this summer. Perfect for finishing up a few pieces of our vast supply of furniture. This is the view from Krista's barn where we refinish the big pieces. 

The aisle way used to look like this. Cramped and hard to move around.

But Krista moved the boat out and a huge piece of farm equipment, rearranged some things and now we have a dreamy workspace any DIYer would love to have. 

I had a knee surgery the week before and couldn't wait to get back to painting so set myself up with my leg elevated (as the doctor instructed) and got to work.

This great little desk, painted a robin's egg bluish/green...$175

or this useful 7-drawer desk, perfect for an entryway for mitts, keys, whatever or of course in an office...$195

oops! one handle is upside down!

This awesome dresser is painted the same robin's egg blue although it looks more grey in the photo. 

We've changed the top knobs to be the same ceramic white as the others.

available for $325

Got this cute little dresser to Ginger & Spice already

and we took this u.g.l.y. piece....

and transformed it into a pet bed! As long as your pet is 30lbs or less.

So comfy, cozy...$125

Another robin's egg blue piece. We're on a roll!

$125

Beautiful, elegant scalloped table...$125

I love these small children's hutches. This would make the perfect changing or in the kitchen for extra storage or maybe the bathroom for towels and bathroomy things.

We're working in the barn all this week, so more to come!

Mini Vacation in Cumberland

Got away for a few days up in Cumberland to enjoy the 4th of July weekend. This is the view from our porch, looking across the street. Love the big globe ball in the neighbor's yard.

We were invited to the Cumberland glider club out at the airport for a bbq/picnic. 

They're all set up for a party, with long picnic tables, a grill and a shady spot next to the hanger.

My friends dog, Ozi, sat on the runway wistfully looking for planes.

This was a day of rain/sun/rain/sun/rain/sun.

 I want these lockers... and the door!

No gliders were out that day, they were all at home in the hanger.

Some of our group went to the end of the runway where the could see the fireworks from town. I chose to stay put and drink more wine.

On Saturday a few of the girls went on to West Virginny.

This is a gas station/cafe/gun buyin'/hunt'n and fish'n type place. We were looking for the 

Bridal and Gun Shop but passed by it. (there really is a store that sells both bridal wear and guns! Shotgun wedding, anyone?)

 

We were actually on our way to 'Cullers Run Art Fair' where our friend, Macee, was selling her jewelry. The show was hosted by Joshua, the owner of the property and a master woodworker. Can you believe all the detailing on the porch railing?

This was once a country church but it is now Joshua's workshop. Another woodworker and an ironsmith showed their art here.

Lovely tools

and a mondo slab of wood. 

Other artwork included stained glass and a few potters. 

 This was way off the beaten track in the woods near Lost River. It's a popular area for second homes for DC residents.

 

We had nearly a 2 hour drive each way, meandering down back roads in this rural area. The land is very fertile here, so lots of farms abound. And it's not the close in bigger mountains of the rest of West Virginia so the valleys are a bit wider and good for growing crops and raising cattle.

Unfortunately, we saw many lone silos, the only thing left standing of the beautiful barns. 

A nice relaxing weekend of seeing friends, (hosted a party Saturday night), yardsaling (yep, more furniture), and enjoying the summertime. 

Recovery and Rambling

So it's surprising how much you can get done when you will be incapacitated for a bit. For weeks I've been rushing around weeding, planting, hacking, mowing, cutting, painting, dyeing, cleaning, organizing, blah, blah, blah, getting ready for D-date....June 25th. That was the date that my knee was going to be scoped, to figure out what the problem was for the last 2 years. I know I'm old, Arthur-itis has moved in, I've played too much Ultimate frisbee and fallen too many times mountain biking. But dammit, I can't bend my leg most of the time, and it's crimping my style! So my 4th ortho doc finally agreed to go in and look.

Anyway, beforehand, I wanted to get some things done because I knew I'd be crazy if I couldn't check some of these things off. I've had this darling little child's cabinet for decades. It was made by an old man named Angel in my hometown, a small prairie town in South Dakota. I remember as a child I would go over to his house, step down into his dark basement and be enchanted with all the wood and tools and projects in the works. After all the furniture I've painted, I can't believe I hadn't tackled this one.  

So I primed it...

and painted it  a crispy white with a robin egg's blue top and inside.

Put on some cute teal ceramic knobs and 

I'm in love! Soooooo much better!

I also have had this cabinet for awhile and did a quick redo on it. I needed more storage in the kitchen (like for the last 25 years!) and remembered that I had this hutch in the basement. Spices have a new home...boo yah!

So  the doc went in to scope the knee, and found a big chunk of floating bone (5/8"!!!). I told them 2 years ago that I thought something was in there and it would get locked into a bad place so I couldn't bend my knee without crying in pain. But 2 mri's and 3 x-rays didn't show a grape sized piece of bone floating around?! WTF?! I'll bet doctors love finding things like that in people. Looking around with their little ortho scopes, and coming up against a big ol' obstruction.  "Oh now, there's the problem! Let's just get that hunkajunk outta there!

After surgery I had all sorts of projects lined up, literally, by my couch with all the pillows. I got my ice, my coffee, my 125 pillows, my computer, and all my projects right next to me. I hunkered in for two days (ok, I did get out there to paint some boards for the studio on day two) and then took breaks thereafter to elevate and ice.

It was kind of like a little vacation (with pain meds!). I really did feel fine, not sick or anything, just a bit of pain in the knee. I got a pass from doing too much, got waited on, and even had wine delivered to my little fort. I also made a 'nest' for myself outside as the living room was getting a tad boring.

I finished a bunch of these brooches and got lots of knitting done.

I completed this shawl. Knit with one of my 'Biggies'.

and am still working on this slubby cardigan. Nearly done.

Knitting away on this Sawtelle child's sweater out of my sheep's yarn that was spun in Prince Edward's Island last year. But my best friend (besides my husband) while recuperating relaxing, was my trusty computer. I'd be knitting away and would think of something I just had to look up, then be lost in the interwebs for an hour. I did get a lot of computery stuff done though. 

When I felt like I could climb steps, I got out to the studio

and put together some re-imagined vintage jewelry.

For all of you who have seen me hobbling around for the last couple years, that's over! I'm on the mend, gotta get my quads back on that left leg as they're jello right now, but I'm glad the surgery is behind me cuz I got things to do, people to see and places to go!