Saturday, December 25, 2010

...Enough about me

I'll have a lot to say about my husbands Town and Country restoration that has taken the last 14 years when I update this post tomorrow! Enjoy the before and after pix until then!

I'm baaack! The before picture above I had not seen until this last year. I remember him telling me 14 years ago he was considering buying it to restore and without seeing it I said sure, if you really want to. Now, had I seen it, my response might have been different, more like...OMG, are you crazy???
...now fast forward to 2010, easy for me to say as I didn't put a lick of work into it...but, I have to say, he's done an incredible amount of work and an awesome job. This required welding and installing a new floor, having to refurbish all the many small parts, rebuild seats, learn upholstery, as he did all of that, as well including the door panels.
I'm thinking of testing his dressmaking skills! :-)
Hired out the overhaul of the top metal frame, installed the canvas top, hired the wood work, did all the refinishing, installed new disc brakes, modern transmission, the list goes on and on,
I just touched on a few highlights.
...in this picture he's backing out of the shop with only an inch of clearance from the post on the left. It was my job to guide him and of course take a pix or two!
It's very close to being finished, actually it looks good enough to me, but being a perfectionist, he still has a few little things to do.....then on to another car!

Primitive Green Shutters with Antique American Song Books


I love crusty old outdoor shutters that have weathered the test of time, especially the green colored ones. I use them in my home to add architectural interest.
The picture with the old sheet music is on the living room mantle with small shutters and has been enhanced, just a little with photoshop.


Idaho Farmhouse Work Table To Beach House Coffee Table

just when I thought I was in love with the Carrom Board on my black coffee table, along comes this primitive red table that I had to have.....I'm so gosh darned fickle!
I had to convince the Handyman Husband to cut the legs down a bit, I needed a 17" clearance for the ottoman to slide under it on one side and I'll be looking for a flat top wider black trunk for the other side.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Antique Carrom Game Board


I've had this game board for years hanging on the wall of
my husband's parents old cabin. I bought it because I
loved the colors and the country folk art look.
I brought it home recently to start a new life by the beach
as part of my country coffee table vignette.
If you're interested it's history,
click on the link   Antique Carrom Game Board

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Junk Diva's 2010 at Christie Repasy's Studio

Sue's visiting from the Dallas area, she's resting up for the
shopping extravaganza at Granny's!
Diane treated us to a decadent fondue after our shopping trip to Granny's Attic in Temecula.
This photo was taken at Christie's to show
the newly upholstered vintage couch.
Christie with Mary, Sue and Ginny in front of the pool house that is now home to Christie's college age son
...he cleaned it specially for our visit!
:-)
The entry to Christie's studio, sooo beautiful!
...another studio view!
We had a wonderful lunch at a cute garden themed restaurant
Not all the Diva's could make it out to Fallbrook to see Christie's new place, but those of us that did had a great time.

Fall Sunset Over The Pacific


The sunsets have been spectacular this past week!


The sailboat silhouette is a weather vane as you will see in the daytime picture.



This liquidamber tree reminds me of a mid-west fall,
boy does it ever, we'll be raking leaves for the next 2 months.




One of my favorite old outdoor statues picked up
in a 2nd. hand store 20 years ago.
I have it tucked away in a corner of the yard,
now covered with moss and ivy,it looks like
it's been there for a hundred years.



You can spot these poppies around the coastal areas in So. California,
they like dry soil conditions so they're not usually compatible with
most other garden plants. I tried once to get one to grow, drowned the poor thing.
My husband photographed this with his cell phone
while on a bike ride along the coast.

In 1983 this was our challenge in the
back yard, we didn't take too many pictures
as we were overwhelmed with the amount
of work to be done.
27 years later, we think it was worth it!

Before 1983

After 2012

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Junk Diva's in 2008

Diva's will be together again next month, I'll try
to remember my camera this time.

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Tahiti 2010

Click On Image For Larger Version

Just home from a week in Tahiti, Gorgeous is the way to describe it! Just putting up a few pix for your viewing pleasure...Mary



Monday, April 19, 2010

Junk Diva held captive by IMAC



Now I've done it, my addiction to my computer is over taking my life. This picture was taken after I cleaned the office, I think just maybe I'll have room for a small microwave and refrigerator so I won't starve.
Well, maybe not, I do have to pass the kitchen on my way out the door to go to the Apple Store to get counseling from the the young whipper snapper geniuses working there.
I have to say they are very patient with us old folks though, I'm on a first name basis with a few already.
...to be continued, maybe!
P.S. my desktop has a picture of my daughter's cat Jack, that she managed to capture, very photogenic!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Girl Power.....

Since starting this blog I've mostly talked about my feeble attempts to improve my little cottage,Oh sure, I can paint, wallpaper, manage a little gardening when the mood strikes me, hunt for antiques, nothing too tough, right? But, I need to say that for the last several years, my inspiration has comefrom my daughter, she's absolutely fearless when it comes to home projects. This fireplace surround is not the only project she's tackled since buying an older home in Washington, but, it's the first really large one. She may correct me on this; I'm just working with my alleged memory!Unlike her mom, she's very organized and detail oriented, which helps She sounded like a contractor while she was working on this, learned how to use all the tools, needed to drag all the materials to the second floor, makes me tired!She did have friends with muscle put up the fire board and square off the opening, but everything else she did by her girlie girl self...Impressive wouldn't you say! She rested a week and then started tearing out the kitchen; she's proof that if you think you can do it, you can!
This 1960's fire place needed a facelift!