Scrapbook Nook

My scrapbook nook was out of control.

These plastic drawers held a lot of stuff, but were taking up a lot of useful desktop area (I believe that is referred to as real estate?).   I tried an idea of adhering strips of magnets to a frame to store my metal framelet type dyes.  Bad idea.  It didn't work well,  The strips sometimes let loose, or the dyes fell off.  It had to go.

 

At one time this table worked, but I needed shelves!  Lots and lots of shelves.

 


There were so many "tools" on the desk top that I had no room to scrapbook.  Something had to give.

Everything was moved out of the room and the walls painted a soft blue.  The plastic storage units were dismantled and the drawers placed on shelves, or stored underneath the table.  Jim built an extension to the drafting table that now holds the computer, scanner and printer.  Paper holders that were previously being used to hold stamp sets, had the shelves put back in and now sort all the various colors of paper.  I splurged on a stamp caddy so I could finally organize and see what stamp pad colors I have. 

The folding table was removed and Jim built a narrow shelf with movable shelves.  I used baskets I already had to organize punches and embossing folders.  See the little boxes on the second shelf from the bottom?  I'm making them as needed to sort my photos. 

Look at this!  The plastic is gone and I have a whole new section of work space.  Jim made this shelf top exactly the right size for my paper cutter and Big Kick.  Paper fits on the shelves below.  The metal framelet dyes are now in a binder.  Hobby Lobby sells sheets of magnets.  I adhered them to cardboard to provide stability and placed them in binders.  It is awesome to be able to open a binder and see all of the different framelets I have to choose from.    The Royal Crown soda case is a great place for my adhesives, embossing powders and other small stuff.  It is one of my favorite parts of the nook.  And the best part is that we already had it, but never had a good use for it.  Now we do!

So there you have it, my new and improved scrapbook room.  It is amazing what a couple can accomplish by working together.  Thank you Jim!  The neat thing is that much of what I already had was repurposed.  I bought a new basket or two.  Jim purchased a few boards, and of course paint, and that was it!  And... it is all about the little touches... the picture doesn't show it well, but the fan blades are painted the same lovely blue as the walls.  Now how cool is that?

Thank you Jim!  I love my new scrapbook nook.

Dreaming

 

 

Several weeks ago we breathed life back into our weathered icecream table and chairs by painting them a bright canary yellow.  Just in time for Spring.  We put it in the orchard so we could sit and sip on our morning coffee while enjoying the cherry blossoms that would soon appear on our cherry tree.  Or maybe to just sit a spell after working in our new raised garden beds.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHERRY TREE, SPLIT IN HALF BY THE WEIGHT OF THE LATEST SNOW FALL

A GIRL CAN DREAM, CAN'T SHE?

 

We are hoping that half of the cherry tree will survive.  This is the second time heavy snow has damaged it.  The part now on the ground has been propped up for a number of years with a forked branch and has kept on giving.  So, now we can only hope the remaining half of the tree will still bear.

 

Yesterday was a power free day for almost seven hours.  How about everyone else?  

Tongue Twister

Each week I change the recording on our voice mail at church.  This week it went like this:

What I meant to say:  Thank you for calling St. Andrew's Catholic Church.  Please join us for our Fish Frys every Friday during Lent, serving USA Raised Catfish from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.  Our weekend Masses are Saturday, 5:30 pm, Sunday, 9:30 am.  Weekday Masses this week:  8:00 am, Tuesday through Friday.  Office hours, 1:00 to 5:00 pm, Tuesday and Thursday.  If you need assistance, please leave a message and we'll return your call as soon as possible.

What I actually said:

Take one:  Thank you for calling St. Andrew's Catholic Church. Please join us for our Frish Fr...

Take two:  Thank you for calling St. Andrew's Catholic Church (notice, I have this part down pat).  Please join us for our Fish Frys every Friday during Lent serving USA Rsd C...

Take three:  Thank you, etc.  Please join us for etc (finally made it through the tongue twister!).  Our weekend Masses etc. (keep on going girl, it's going good).  Weekday Masses this week:  8:00 am Truesday... (crap)

Take four:  Same as take one

Take five:  Thank you for calling etc.  Please join us...  cough cough

Take six:  Thank you... voice cracks

Take seven:  Thank you for calling (voice cracks and I keep going) 

All in the day of a church lady.  Is crap a bad word?

Visitors

This silly fella knocked on my door repeatedly this afternoon.  Originally the curtains were closed.  He was bound and determined to get my attention, though.  At first I thought he was trapped under the porch, but not so.



Knock Knock
(Yes, I know the glass is dirty.  It's not like I was expecting visitors, though!)
 

He'd strut around a bit, knock lightly, then fly up into the tree.

I'm much better looking that your imitation hummer
 

 Then he'd fly over to the bird feeder.  There is a message here, I do believe.




Hint hint.  The feeder is empty (again)

 

I delivered my message.  Mission accomplished.

Dakota asked to come spend the weekend with us. " Of course!, we said"  We got more than we bargained for.  The boys thought it would be great fun to play in the snow woodsman style.  Considering they spent 2 or more hours out there, I'd say they were right.  It gave Julie and me some time to sit and visit.  So enjoyed that.

Julie and Austin went home, leaving Dakota to challenge us in several games of pool.  It was a lot of fun, even if I did lose.  He is becoming a pretty good pool player.

After church this morning, we fixed ourselves bacon, eggs, and fried potatoes (I fixed, we ate).  And now I have the house to myself, since Jim took Dakota home when he headed into work this afternoon.  I'm enjoying the quiet.



Two birds of a whole different variety.  Snow bunnies maybe?

Was your weekend as good as mine?

Thunder Snow?

 

I hung my Easter Egg wreath yesterday. 

 

Today we have sleet and snow and...

 

thunder and lightening.

 

 

I'm just relieved that the first unexpected boom I heard wasn't a plane flying too low, like I first thought!

Barn Charm

 This week's barn hails from Cooper County, MO, somewhere near Boonville.  I knew I had to take her picture when I saw her from afar (be still my heart...)

A few of you asked last week about whether I took any pictures of the cars.  We were on a very curvy, hilly, country Highway.  We are talking about calling ahead and get permission to take some pictures.  If we're smart, we'll do that soon - before the temperatures warm and the snakes make an appearance.  Time will tell whether we are smart or not.



Near Boonville, MO

Isn't she a beauty?

THIS MORNING AT OUR HOUSE



GOOD MORNING!

IF WE STAND REAL STILL, MAYBE THEY'LL THINK WE ARE YARD ORNAMENTS...

WHAT HAVE WE HERE, COMPETITION?



BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS



YOU CAN'T SEE ME NOW...

I'M OUT OF HERE!



LET ME IN PLEASE...

A to Z Challenge

When April comes around I will be blogging every day.  I joined the " Blogging from A to Z Challenge" with my friend Betty at A Bench With A View.  The decision wasn't an easy one since I've been such a sporadic blogger lately, but I'm looking forward to it.  So during the month of April, there will be a post from me each day, beginning with the letter A on April 1. They suggest settling on a theme to make it easier to stay true to the challenge.  So I've done that.  But you will have to wait until April to find out what that theme is.

If you are interested in joining in, just click on the link below or on my sidebar.  I was number 307 when I signed up the day the challenge opened (I think last Wednesday).  There are almost 500 bloggers linked up at this time.  This is going to be fun!