Wednesday, October 14, 2009

What Have I Been Working On

Okay. . . Do you think you could get any comfier than this?!

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This is my 1 year old cat, Charlie, taking a little “cat nap” in between getting into mischief!  He’s constantly on the go!!

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Before I share some projects that I have completed, I want to show you what I got in the mail yesterday!!   The “A Primitive Place” forum was celebrating their 1 year anniversary by having a Celebration Sale.  I was lucky enough to buy this wool felt Acorn picture donated by Linda/Behind My Red Door!!  It is absolutely gorgeous!!  Linda, you do fabulous work!!  I am so thrilled to have this handmade treasure in my home made by a sweet prim friend!!

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I also bought a fabric pumpkin w/ black cat that was donated anonymously, but I haven’t gotten that yet.  I’ll post a pic of it when I do!

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Do you remember the Jenny Hoffman cross stitch sampler I was working on?  Well, it’s finished!! 

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I love working on osnaburg fabric and never realized that the grain of the fabric can change the finished size of a project!  I’ve never experienced this before (all of my pictures have been the correct finished size) but this one turned out differently!!  The picture isn’t suppose to fit horizontally in the 10x13 frame, it’s suppose to fit vertically, which was what I was counting on!!  Oh well, I still love how it turned out even though I have to change my plans of how I was going to display it. 

I’ve started a new cross stitch sampler from Stacy Nash Primitives (actually, it’s a pillow, but I’m framing it instead!).  It’ll be hung next to the Jenny Hoffman one.

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For those of you that like to stitch on osnaburg fabric but think it’s a little monotonous because of the small weave, I highly recommend buying a magnifying glass!!  What a difference!!  I have one that hangs around my neck and rests on my chest and another one that clips onto the edge of my hoop and can be adjusted as you work.  I bought them both from Joann Fabric.  The first one is great for stitching for short periods of time.  After a lengthy period of stitching, it seemed to make my neck feel heavy.  The clip-on one is great for longer periods of stitching.

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A while back, I bought a couple of firkins from an antique mall in Amish country.  Do you remember these?

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Well, I refinished them a while ago, but forgot to show you pictures of them!!  I removed the legs and eagle emblem from the bottom firkin and painted it Antique Maroon by Americana.  I like to try to restore the firkins with the wood bands because they are older than the ones with metal bands, so for the top one, I just wiped English Chestnut stain made by Minwax all over.  It really helped to restore the color and filled in any scratches and scuff marks.

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And, finally, this last project is nowhere near complete!!  There is a lot of work yet to be done, but it’ll be several months before it’s finished!

This is my Rec room.  It had hideous looking paneling on it, that drove me nuts!!  So I finally decided to paint over it!!  Hubby wasn’t too sure, at first, but now that it’s done, he likes it.

This is where I do most of my crafting.  The cabinets are going to be replaced this winter with the ones from my kitchen, which we are going to build new ones!!  (So that will be another project that I’ll get to keep you updated on!)  

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That whole back wall hasn’t been refinished yet.  I’m waiting until the cabinets are installed first.  When we first bought the house, this whole area was an enclosed bar made from cedar, which would have been gorgeous had the previous owners not stained the whole thing a real dark brown!   We had some septic problems and had to tear out the bar to get to the drain pipe. My brother was into renovating turn-key houses at one time and tore out these cabinets  from one of the homes so we took them and decided to turn this into a little kitchen area.  There’s a refrigerator in a wall cubby to the left of this picture, that, for some reason, I didn’t get a picture of.

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This is Kory’s treadmill that she walks on everyday (except on Sundays, which she’ll let everyone know, is her day off!) And  I won’t show you my hubby’s desk because it is very messy!!

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The room straight back is my oldest daughter, Brittney’s, room and to the right of that is a bathroom.

And there’s my new elliptical that I got for my birthday that’s only been used a dozen times and is broke already!!  There’s something in the electrical that’s messed up so you can’t program it.  The manufacturer is sending replacement parts to us and then a technician is suppose to contact us to make arrangements to come out and fix it! 

To the extreme left is a doorway going into the family room, which one day I’ll post pictures of. 

I still have curtains to make for the patio doors and decor to set out and hang on the walls yet, but I’ll get to that later.

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Well, that’s all that I’ve been up to for now!!  I hope you’ll check back on Friday for another delicious recipe – Taco Casserole.  Yummm!!

Until Next Time. . . .Kris

27 comments:

  1. Hi Kris....Everything you do is gorgeous. I like your blog because it gets me going. You are an great inspiration to me.

    I love, love, love the firkins! They look GREAT! Nice work.

    My sister painted some paneling in her sewing room and I thought - Oh, No. but it came out so perfect and beautiful. I recommend it. What a way to update. Yours looks wonderful.

    Keep working on those stitcheries. Like I said..Everything you do is done so nicely.

    Friends,
    Susannah

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  2. Hi Kris!....your kitty is a cutie pie, I love kitties!....congratulations on winning the framed candy corn, how lucky you are to have something made by Linda!....the stitchery you made looks wonderful as does the one you're working on. I have been thinking of taking up a craft and that is one that interests me but I have no clue where to begin! The firkins you restored look fabulous! And your rec room looks very fresh and clean....my hubby's desk is messy too, LOL

    Janet

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  3. Hey Kris...your Charlie is so adorable!!! He looks exhausted..lol.
    Wow!! The firkins that you refinished are beautiful! I love the color from Americana and I agree with you about the firkins with the wood bands, love that patina!! Your stitcheries are beautiful...inspires me to get started on one! Love the wool felt that you won from Linda..very special! Can't wait to see the other prims that you are waiting on...

    Your basement is a really nice work area...what I wouldn't do to have a space like that and love the painted paneling.

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  4. Your firkins are great. I just love them. Your rec room is very nice. I can see why you craft there--lots of open space and bright light. I like the color on the walls. We, too, have rooms with paneling that we have painted. I would love to take it off and redo, but can only imagine what is behind it. Like my DH says, it's there for a reason!! I am so going to have to get one of those magnifying glasses that attatch to the hoop. I love the look when stitched on osnaburg and just tried one again last night but had to give up b/c I couldn't see it. Thanks so much. Never knew they made them!! Have a great rest of the day. It's rainy here in our part of Ohio and figure it's probably heading your way. Take care.
    ~Melissa~

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  5. What is the brand name for your magnifier that clips on the hoop?

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  6. Great projects as usual Kris!
    What color did you paint the paneling? It looks to be kind of a taupe color. Nice big bright area you have to work in.
    I better get one of those magnifier too.
    Whenever I say Let's Paint to my husband he breaks out into a cold sweat!
    Linda

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  7. Linda - the paint color is called "Chester Grey" by Ralph Lauren. It's actually a greyish green.

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  8. Kris~ Love all your projects your working on. I was wondering if you wash your osnaburg fabric before you start your cross stitching? I need one of those magnifiers. I'm having trouble seeing. Do you know what the brand name is?

    Thank You
    Robin

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  9. Melissa and Robin - The magnifying glass has "Carson" on it. It's the only one in that style at Joanns.

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  10. you kitty is just way to comfortable and too cute for words..love the firkins and your stitcherys too...;)

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  11. I have YARDS of osnasburg and never thought of cross-stitching on it. I thought with the uneven weave that you can get sometimes it wouldn't work. Guess it just makes it more prim, huh?

    We painted the paneling in our living room 20 years ago and never regretted it. It is so much brighter. Getting rid of the rust colored shag carpet didn't hurt, either! It's looking good!

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  12. Hi Kris! I've just attempted a little X stitch on osnaburg, and it definitely requires a magnifying glass! My neck was sore craning over it!
    The firkins are simply beautiful - you have such a knack for decorating!
    Best wishes
    Christine

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  13. Loved all the pics today! The firkins turned out great!
    Smiles,
    Beth

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  14. Another super post. I love your cross stitch projects. Do you buy the patterns in Berlin or on-line? Your craft area is so nice and bright! My craft area would be the kitchen counter. LOL!

    Did you make it to Prairie Peddler?

    Keep your fingers crossed we don't get any snow this weekend.

    Tonya

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  15. Your sampler is great Kris. I rarely cross stitch anymore so I appreciate all the detail in that.

    The firkin makeovers are great. You would never know the bottom one was a faux magazine basket or something at one time. It looks like an real firkin now!

    You have a big project ahead in your rec room. Ou lower level family room was all dark paneling and finally after 20 + years, I got the OK to paint it. What a difference!!

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  16. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I have been looking for something so I can finish my cross stitch. I had the one you wear around your neck and like you after awhile it was a pain. I will be buying one of these! Thank-you!

    I love Linda's work she is so talented and her home is beautiful! So many talented ladies out there!

    I'm going to try your pepperoni bread.

    Donna

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  17. Forgot to add I love the cat picture and what a beautiful fluffy cat!

    Donna

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  18. First..love your stitching!!!Second, love the firkins (i was wondering what you did with them)...Third...can't wait to see all the remodeling done, you and your hubby are so talented that way ( my hubby..not so much-very jealous-lol). Your home is soo nice and spacious too. Keep us posted!!
    Hugs,
    Anne

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  19. Hi Kris, Thanks for posting a picture of the magnifying glass. I will def have to get one of those. I luv your firkins makeovers. They turned out great.

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  20. What an adorable kitty - mine get in some kind of funn position when they want to catch some z's too...aren't they fun to watch.

    Love your Candy Corn picture and pumpkin.

    Karen

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  21. Kris, I love your new sampler and the one you are working on. I need one of those magnifiers for the stitchery I've got started. I'm not getting it done very fast because I have to work in the daylight to see it. It' on 28 count linen! These old eyes aren't that good! Love your firkin makeovers. Can't wait to see the rec room done!

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  22. Hi Kris, As always everything in your house looks amazing. Love your firkin makeover... Nice job! Love, love your stitching.

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  23. Hi Kris,
    I'm going to get one of those magnifying glasses!
    Your rec room/craft room is amazing! I would love to have all that room to craft in. The color you used on the paneling is beautiful.
    Your firkin makeover is fantastic as are your stitcheries.
    What a sweet little furbaby you have. Ahhhh.... a cats life. Hugs, Loretta

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  24. Hi Kris,

    Love the kitty picture. We have a silly male cat also named Charlie!

    Those firkins are beautiful! You did a great job on them, and I am loving the Stacy Nash sampler you are working on!

    Your rec room looks amazing! Love the color you used. Can't wait to see what else you do in there. Have a great day.

    Prim Blessings,
    Kim

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  25. Hi Kris,
    I have a ton of osanburg so maybe I'll try that I do need to get a magnifing glass so I'll be stopping at JoAnn's today.

    Love those firkens you did a neat job on those and of course the candy corn that Linda did is so sweet, she does great work.
    Rondell

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  26. Kris
    Love your post. I just today bought one of the magnifying glasses that go around your neck. I wanted to do some simple cross stitcheries, but my eyes are tooo Old! So far it works good. Thanks for all the pictures. Love your home and what you do.
    Cyanne
    treestoday

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  27. I love what you done with the firkins, they look really great! I have never stitched on osanburg before. I would definitely need the magnifing glasses.

    Blessings~Kim

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