Our Home. My Canvas.
Click on the picture to be taken to the clip board Turns out I’m brilliant. Who knew? Certainly not me. I’ll own up to smart … concede to inventive … humbly accept creative … But brilliant? Yeah, that one eludes me. You see, the folks at Hometalk asked me to collect my favorite mason jar projects on a clip board. And I thought sure. Sure, I can … [Read more...]
Chalkboard paint. Do you love it? … or do you hate it? Are you sooooooooooo over all those chalkboard paint projects? Like you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a chalkboard painted flower pot ... or door ... or awesome chalkboard calendar made from and old window over it? Because you know what? At the risk of sounding so two-thousand-and-five, I’m … [Read more...]
I remember when ombre came into style the first time around. And I have to admit that it’s taken me some time to wrap my head around its comeback … I mean, who can blame me? I’m a product of the 70’s. The very same decade that is not known for its fashion or style highs. Just the lows. Lots and lots of lows in various hues of brown, orange, and apple green … * Shudder * So I … [Read more...]
Now that the cards have been opened and read … brunches consumed … fresh cut flowers arranged in a pretty vases … and kisses kissed and hugs hugged, I thought the time might be right … primed, even … to reveal our secret. Our super secret superpower mom secret … Yes, we moms have superpowers. And, no, they don’t include running faster than a speeding bullet. Or … [Read more...]
A few weeks ago, one of my Facebook friends posted a link to an article entitled, Women over 50 are invisible. Sadly, as a woman who is staring down 50, it resonated with how I’ve been feeling of late. So much so that I can’t seem to shake the author’s words … “Invisibility is different (from aging). It’s the feeling you are no longer vital or important or noticeable to others, a constant nagging pain you can … [Read more...]
I had hoped to report that my “wear pants with a zipper” diet has been huge success … That the pounds are just melting away … that I’ve rediscovered my waist … that I’ve dropped a pants size … And that I’ve shedded {autocorrect wants me to say shredded, which works too} my shields of oversized hoodies and sweaters … emerging slim and trim and ready for swimsuit season. * Sigh … [Read more...]
I asked … … and you answered. All 70 of you ... * Wow * Seventy comments in the comments thread! Really? I’m shocked. I’m in awe. And, most importantly, I’m truly ~ and deeply ~ grateful! I wish I could hug each and every one of you. So here’s my virtual hug … And you were honest. Brutally so, just like I asked you to be … And while I … [Read more...]
It dawned on me recently that I’ve never really shared how my blog name came about. I mean, on the surface it appears to be self-explanatory … … you know, with me and some paint … But when you dig deeper, there’s just so much more to the story. Because it really started with me deciding it was time to paint the kitchen … … and that decision set in motion a series of … [Read more...]
… and happy Saturday! It’s been a long week, right? Felt like it would never end. And here in Chicago it was a week filled with highs (can you say 80+ degree weather) and lows (can you say minus 40 degree weather) … But the weekend has arrived. And we all survived. * Phew * And whether you’ve been dealing with deadlines at work, or crazy end-of-year kid schedules … [Read more...]
If you’ve hung around here for awhile, you know that I can’t be trusted with living things. Well, living things with roots. The kind that live in dirt. I’m okay with kids and pets. Both of which have managed to survive -- and even thrive -- in my care. But plants? Yeah, we don’t see eye-to-eye. All that needing water thing trips me up. So, I’ve had to resort to fake flora and … [Read more...]
I was having a little Cinco de Mayo dilemma … Because when I think of Cinco de Mayo, I think Margarita. In all its lemon-limey and tequila deliciousness. On the rocks. With salt. Problem is, the calories don’t exactly fit neatly into my new “wear pants with a zipper” diet plan … … and can I just tell you that two days of 80+ degree weather here in Chicago has really reinvigorated that … [Read more...]
It’s official. I’m in rehab. Well, my finger is in rehab. And, unlike Linsday, my finger didn’t get a reprieve before entering therapy. There was no last hurrah at Coachella. There was no late night television appearance. And there certainly weren’t any paparazzi following it around town … oh, and my finger’s rehab is doctor-ordered. Not court-ordered. And let me tell you, rehab is hard. … [Read more...]
It was just a matter of time, wasn’t it? What with all those mason jar projects I’ve been tackling as my surgered finger heals. It’s been a good run. Well, some of my loyal readers may think otherwise. You don’t fool me. I can hear your sarcasm dripping thick in the comment threads … I thought I had another brilliant mason jar idea up my sleeve: recreating one of my favorite … [Read more...]
There are times when I long for the days when my family was blissfully unaware of the blog … or,if not fully unaware, disinterested. Those were carefree times. When I could tool around the house arranging and rearranging pillows and accessories unnoticed. When I could set up craft projects on the dining room table and they would walk by without a second glance ... or heckling. But now? Now they’re … [Read more...]
Where were all the mason jars when I got married almost 19 years ago? Probably hidden behind pantry doors – or in the dark recesses of basements – being used as they were intended to be used. For canning. When my father walked me down the aisle so I could say my “I Do’s” to my beloved husband, those mason jars were busy working hard to keep those stewed tomatoes stewed … … and those pickled … [Read more...]
Hi there! My name is Linda and I’m a Jersey-born-and-bred Midwestern transplant who lives in Chicago with my husband and two children. We've lived in our home since 1995 and over the years our style has changed and evolved. I wouldn't call my home a work-in-progress -- more like a rework-in-progress as I refresh and remodel things around here ... one room at a time.
