A Little Cowgirl Quilt!

So I actually started this quilt back in June, 2008, for our friends' new baby. She's not so new anymore, has already celebrated her 1st birthday, but finally--the quilt is finished!

It's the same basic style as the 1st quilt I finished in May 2008, for my cousin Abbey's baby boy, just different fabrics.


This was for a little cowgirl! It had to be special. I initially thought of pink camouflage, but I don't exactly have an awesome fabric selection in town. So I found the cute flannel with litte pink flowers, alternated it with yellow flannel and backed it with a lovely sage green fabric. I even found a matching sage green yarn to tie it.


I honestly don't know why it took me so long to finish. The initial work went pretty quickly, but then it just sat in a big bag for the longest time. There was always "something else" to do. Now though, it is finished! It really didn't take me long to finish it, just over an hour of "real" work and it's done!


I hope little cowgirl Corinne likes it. And her Mommy and Daddy too!

Today's Projects

I thought I would take a break to show you some of things I've been working on today.

Our dear friend Margaret, with me as her assistant, returned this morning to finish installing the dining room chandelier. Isn't it lovely? It came in about 5 million pieces, with two small, vague pictures for "instructions." We had to figure it out ourselves, but we did it. Margaret is awesome!


I love how the chandelier centers the room, creating a nice, warm focal point, and how it contrasts with the red, and matches the windows. It will also eventually match the dining room chairs, when we get some.


Now I just need to get some light bulbs...and chairs for our new table. I promise I will post more pictures with lightbulbs and chairs! Someday!



I've also been working on installing the drawer/door pulls in the kitchen. The door knobs were simple, I actually put all twelve of those on the hickory cabinets and the island a few weeks ago.


The drawer pulls, I think technically they might be called "bin pulls," those are quite another story. We have a total of 25 drawer/bin pulls to install. The other day I put on three, then had to buy longer screws because our cabinets are apparently built so well. Today I put on six more, so far. See?


The gorgeous hickory cabinets fronts did NOT come pre-drilled, not that I expected them to, but I just thought I would point that out. It's not as simple as putting some screws through existing holes and tightening them. Noooooo.

First, you have to determine where EXACTLY you want the pull. You have to measure for the center, both horizontally and vertically, but you can't only measure for the center, because you have to take into account the height of the pull. So that's a bit tricky. I made a mark on a wooden yard stick, so I can put the pull on the yard stick, line it up and mark the horizontal center directly on the front of the pull.

Then, I use a little trick that Catherine taught me. She learned it from her father-in-law, John, and it is really great. I chalk up the screw holes on the pull itself, you know, so the holes in the pull where the screws will go have chalk on them. I line up the center of the pull on the horizontal, holding a small level under the pull, make sure it's level and then press the pull onto the drawer front. Just to be sure, in case the chalk doesn't touch the drawer front for some reason, I also mark around the screw hole thingies with a little pencil. If I'm lucky, I'll have a chalk mark and a pencil mark, which is reassuring to me.

Then I get my drill. I carefully drill the holes through from the front, countersink from the back just to clean things up a bit, then install the pulls. It is getting a bit easier with each pull I install, but I will be very happy when this project is done!

Did you ever think this cowgirl was so handy? Number One is a lucky guy. And I'm lucky too: while I was working, Number One grilled some delicious burgers made out of venison and pork, with tomatoes and onions inside. A toasted bun = perfection!

Oh, and I almost forgot! In Pantry News, Number One finished his gorgeous shelves the other day!




The shelves were inspired by this Swedish Shelving from Williams-Sonoma (below), but the price of their corner unit alone is $199.00. (not including tax & shipping)


We were sure we could make shelves for less than that, and we were right! We paid just over $200 for all the materials it took to make ALL our shelves that run the length and width of the pantry, with two corners included! There's no telling how much Williams-Sonoma cash that would have cost us, maybe someday I'll do the math.

I drew up the plans and figured out how much wood we would need in a couple hours, and then Number One built the shelves. I think they turned out much nicer than the inspiration, and they are sturdy--both boys were perched on the upper shelves the other day, "helping" their dad!

I'll post more pantry pictures when it is fully stocked and organized too.

Bathroom Tile, Day Two

Friday, Contractor and I geared up for Day Two of Tiling the Bathroom Floor. This is where most of the tile cutting came in, and I got a lot of practice!

I cut a bunch of tiles, the ones that just needed a straight cut or two. So basically, I cut all the tiles around the perimeter and at the end of the tub, and in the toilet area (except for the four tiles that surround the plumbing). I used the manual tile cutter (very similar to a glass cutter in that it just scores the tiles and then you break them, so I had some prior experience). By the end of the day, this cowgirl was cuttin' tiles like a pro. Pretty much.

I also used the tile saw, which is basically the same as a rock saw, so no big deal. I may even try slicing some jade I've got while that saw is still here. The only thing I really didn't like about the tile saw is getting covered in ceramic tile dust and spray...I don't remember that from lapidary work, but maybe it's just been too long? My hands and face were so dry and gritty by the end of the day. I suppose that's why lotion was invented. Also I must have cleaned my glasses at least 57 times! But Rene' was right: Tiling is fun!

Soon I will show you the gorgeous results of all our hard work. For now, the first half of the floor is covered with brown paper to protect it from flingin' mud. I could take it off to show you, but I just don't feel like it right now!

Now ALL that is left is tiling up and over the tub surround, and two shower walls. I better get to designing my pattern, I think Contractor is coming back Monday. He's such a slave driver.

~~~

*Update: I measured and designed the wall pattern this morning (Monday). Contractor has been showing up around noonish, so I should have plenty of time to change my mind 5 or 6 times before he gets here~

Stay tuned for pictures!

Tiling is Fun!

I'm pretty sure that the thought of tiling our bathroom has been keeping Contractor up at night. I didn't think my tile layout was all that extravagant, but I will admit it has changed and evolved some over the last few months to a somewhat simpler design.

We got 12x12" tiles, with 6x6" border/accent tiles, the accent tiles being both plain and four different patterns. I like things to be random and unexpected, so I wanted our tile layout to reflect that. I drew inspiration from my favorite spa up in the Big City, which has 24x24" tiles accented with some smaller mosaic tiles at an angle. However the spa tiles are not random at all.

First we laid out most of the tiles on the floor for a dry run, to get an idea of what we would have to do. I left some of the 12x12" tiles out so we could walk through the room and look at things.


We measured for the tile cutting, and then set up the 4-12" tile configuration with a 6" tile center. I figured it would be simple, once we got the correct measurement to lop off the edge of the 12x12's. Contractor was pretty worried about having to measure each and every tile, but we didn't have to. Sorry if I don't know the correct terminology, but it looks like this:



Contractor started cutting. I think he made the exact same cut on more than 30 tiles. I've forgotten how many tiles we hauled out to the tile saw. I carried the cut tiles back in and put them back into the layout.


Once all the tiles were cut, it was time to get down to business. Contractor mixed up the cement, which he calls "mud" and we started with the border. I basically handed him the tiles and then helped align them with the spacers.


This is what it looked like a couple hours in:


By 5:00pm, we had done all we could for the day. Contractor had a 24" x 12" space to sit in, and he said, "I guess this is what they mean by 'painting yourself into a corner.'" We cleaned up and he went home.

Back at it tomorrow!

A Labyrinth

Sometime during the night of June 1st into June 2nd, I had an epiphany. I am going to build a labyrinth on the ranch. I actually remembered this when I awoke on June 2nd, so it must be important. I mentioned this to Number One, and he simply said, "Okay." No questions, just "okay." It must be important.

I believe it all started back in 1994. I was working at, and equally exhausted and enamored by, The Grand Hotel, a magnificent, sparkling gem of a property on Mackinac Island in Michigan. A romantic place, accessible only by ferry boat or airplane, where there are no automobiles, only bicycles and horses, Mackinac is a spectacular experience. I was enamored also by the Musser family, who has owned the hotel for many years, and are dedicated stewards of this historic place. I admired Amelia Musser, a posh and elegant woman, of whom I caught glimpses during the season, but I don't remember specifically meeting her in person.

In my memory of that summer, a woman (who was quite possibly Lauren Artress) was either a guest of Mrs. Musser, or was doing a presentation at the hotel, or both. Regardless, this woman was into labyrinths. I had no idea what that meant at the time.

I don't have any particular memories of the woman, or any talks or exposure to anything labyrinthine. I do, however, still have a sticker. It is silver, with a purple labyrinth imprinted on it. I believe it is from Grace Cathedral in San Fransisco. And it intrigues me to this day. I still don't really know what it means.

But it is this image, purple on silver, and the name of the cathedral with which I awoke on June the 2nd. Some internet research has put it all together. It seems that now, there is a labyrinth at the Grand Hotel, and I'm certain it was Mrs. Musser's influence that brought it into being.

I want to go to there.

image from the Petoskey library website

Since I have never walked a labyrinth, or seen one in person for that matter, I ordered two books, written by Dr. Lauren Artress of Grace Cathedral. Walking a Sacred Path and The Sacred Path Companion: A Guide to Walking the Labyrinth to Heal and Transform. The books arrived in two days. Reading Part One in The Sacred Path Companion, the very first sentence drew me in: "In modern culture, we need to be able to quiet our minds." Indeed we do. I will let you know more after I do more reading, but I do feel that a labyrinth is something I need in my life.


I have learned that both the Grand Hotel and the Grace Cathedral labyrinths are modeled after a labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in France, which was constructed in the year 1200. I want to go to there as well.


For reasons unknown to me, building a labyrinth on the ranch is my current mission. I don't know where I will build it, or even how or when, but I will build it. It will take a lot of planning, and honestly I am not anticipating it being started until after construction on our house has ended. But it will come into being. Of that, I am certain.

Gypsy Wagon, Part II

After RanchHand's trailer frame was built, he and Dave began building the wood floor for the wagon. The base of the floor and some insulation sits inside the metal trailer supports, and is flush with the metal frame. The wood floor then covers the metal frame and insulation.

(Number One, "helping.")

Once the floor was in, RanchHand and Dave began working on the frames for the walls. The wood walls had to sit inside the metal framework, a fairly close fit so the wood could be bolted to the metal. This involved some accurate measuring and re-measuring, lots of discussion and even a bit of father-son bickering. You understand.

RanchHand & Dave

They built the walls off of the wagon frame, which meant that it needed to be lifted into the metal frame on the trailer a few times to make sure everything was the right size before it was finally attached. Lifting the whole thing on and off took about four guys.


Dave primed beaded board before putting it on the outside of the camper base, which will give the camper an authentic "gypsy" look.

It turned out quite nicely. I really like bead board.

Here is the template they created for the door wall on the end.

After the camper base was completed, things started moving more quickly.

Stay tuned for more!