Easter 2019

Happy Easter--and spring (here, at least), finally!

--to you all.  ♥

Home Companion

♥

Patchwork Walls with the Christmas Tree

It took a few days longer than anticipated, but I finished patching the walls Saturday afternoon and got the tree up yesterday afternoon.  I love both:  the walls turned out exactly as I'd envisioned and the tree is my favorite one yet.  A package from my mom arrived Saturday afternoon, so there even a few presents under the tree already--blocking certain curious cats, hopefully, from chewing on the tree's lower boughs. 

I'll add my set-aside framed pictures to the walls after Christmas when this becomes my writing corner.

Most of the mishmash of wall fabrics are from Mom and other loved ones.  The Old English Sheepdog sketch fabric was a gift from my friend Kent, the pink chenille was from my grandparents' house, the blue floral and the green gingham were from Mom, a few of the floral handkerchiefs were flea market finds from Mom, the long-stemmed pink roses-on-white fabric was a 69-cent pillowcase I found at Goodwill with Mom one of the last times I was home, the few small patches of coral roses were cut off an old sweatshirt from my rag bag. . . .Thus I used most of the fabric I'd had stored-away here--and a hearty "Yeaaaaa!" to that. 

As my fabric-supply dwindled, some of the patches had to be reconstructed in a way that was especially patched--

--but it all turned out as I'd wanted. 

The touches of green gingham on these tiny walls are across from the green gingham curtain I have dividing the kitchen and dining spaces and diagonal from the green hutch in the corner, and already this small apartment looks so much cozier and so much more tied-together as a result. 

The tree is a simple one, only four feet tall but up on a tray-table and decorated with some favorite ornaments.  Most everything on it is handmade and/or a gift from someone.  (And most ornaments are from Mom, it seems.)  The skirt is one of my tablecloths.  The angel tree-topper was made by friend Sommer's mom when I was eighteen.  I made my stocking, and I think Mike's was a gift from my younger brother.  Stuffed's stocking is one of the rare things I saw and just had to buy, but it was too perfect to pass up.  

He snuggled up with it again last night when I unpacked it from its box.  The green snowflake cookie ornament next to it was a gift from Mom, as was the Chickadee ornament below that she painted. 

The pastel green patchwork pear was from Mom too and is actually a pincushion. 

. . .Pale green ice skates from Mom,

glittery pink deer from Mom,

a sign from my friend Madai,

a dear and detailed ornament from Aunt Laurie of the Cratchit home from A Christmas Carol,

a pink snowflake cookie from Mom,

a salt dough ornament I made of Stuffed years ago,

another Chickadee mom gave me,

and a few ornaments I've found, like this snowy window from a thrift shop about ten years ago,

two $1 doves from Barnes and Noble I glued together and joined with a heart,

a simple gingerbread man from the $1 bin at Target,

and so many snowflakes and handmade salt dough hearts. 

The only ornaments that seem to be missing this year are the pink candy cane salt dough ornaments I made years ago.  I've found the yellow, blue, and green ones.  An afternoon spent watching a Christmas movie while twisting salt dough into candy canes would be lovely, though, so. . .one of these days.  Next is Christmas card-mailing, and the sewing of an in-joke ornament for my dad, and otherwise I'm all set until a few days before the holiday when I begin baking.  I finished my Christmas shopping November 29th.  I get a little more organized every year, and despite having worked so many hours of overtime the past three months, this really is the most on top of things I've ever been with all this.  'Am quite proud of that.  'A few weeks now, then, to slow down and just enjoy it all. . .to look up from a good book every few pages to admire the newly-patched walls, and to nap with Stuffed in front of the string lights.  Bliss.  ♥

♥

Today's Pre-Christmas-Tree Project: Patchwork Walls

After being bothered year after year by the bare wall behind-and-beside the mantel--and that is always behind our Christmas tree in pictures--I finally figured out what I wanted to do with it:  patchwork, of course--and set to work.  

I went back and forth about it for awhile this morning but decided just to use dabs of hot glue to hang the fabric pieces since I've already told the apartment's building manager I'll fix up the walls with a fresh coat of paint whenever the day comes to move out.  If I have to spackle/patch a few more spots before repainting, I'll live.  Scrap by scrap this morning, then, the narrow strip to at least one side of the mantel was transformed.  The rest will have to wait until tomorrow, but ooh la la, even this much just SENDS me.  :)

Below is what it looked like pre-Christmas tree last year. 

The green floral wall is only about three feet wide, and the formerly-bare one a little over two feet.  After Christmas, this tiny corner will become my writing corner.  I've already chosen a (black) corner-desk, since the two desks I've inherited from grandparents are both still at my parents' house and neither would fit into this little apartment anyway, and I have a few other things tucked away in the bedroom closet to add to my writing spot once it's all set up.  Before that, though, it'll be the corner for the tree. 

By tomorrow. . . !

And between this and the patchwork lampshade I dolled-up in September, I'll have used almost my entire stash of saved fabric pieces, which is a most satisfying little accomplishment.  It annoys me to have bags of things like that sitting around or squirreled away, especially in such a small home.  Stuffed approves. 

Ah, home! 

Love, love, love!  And soon, there will be a Christmas tree and twinkling lights in this picture--All the better.  ♥

Lampshade Love

Finally, the lampshade is finished and tucked back into its little corner.  I feel like I've been covered in loose threads and bits of hardened hot glue for a month although it's only been a week.  It turned out exactly as I'd envisioned it, which is always so gratifying.  

I couldn't find the lavender plaid fabric I thought I'd saved, but the touch of pink floral suits me better anyway and its crocheted trim at the top complements the ball trim along the bottom.  

I like the way the shade looks in every light--

--and I love all its many colors and patterns.  Love, love, love.  ♥

This makes me so happy.  :)

And it makes reading in bed that much more of a favorite thing. 

Bliss!  ♥

The Lampshade Yesterday and Today

The lamp should be finished sometime tomorrow, I'm thinking.  'Two more tiers of ruffles at the top, and then back into place on the lamp-base it goes.  I have a piece of lavender/white plaid left from an old dress that I'm planning for the next ring, and at the very top, a Kelly green gingham.  

I realized the other day that I wanted a jolt of yellow on the shade and decided just to Sharpie-marker a section of green floral fabric. 

It worked and turned out almost chartreuse, a definite jolt of color on an already-colorful shade.  I have long loved pink roses against yellow backgrounds, so this has turned out to be my favorite tier so far. 

To tie that pop of yellow in with the rest of the lampshade, I dyed my white pom pom/ball trim gold by soaking it in Turmeric water for a minute.   

A minute in the spice-bath was long enough to do the trick, and I let the trim dry while I attached more ruffles.

Ah, ball trim!  It makes me happy.  ♥

'So dear. 

'Two tiers left to go, then, which is grand since all the fabric-pleating and hot-gluing have reached the stage of feeling quite tedious.  Once it's done, it's done, though, and this has already become one of my favorite re-dos and favorite items in the apartment.  ♥ 

Tomorrow!  A finished reading lamp!