Along Came A Spider

While outside with my friend Diane, she spotted this spider on one of my wild roses. As I ran back to the house to get my camera, I was hoping it would stay right there until I could take a picture. It did, so now I have a proper introduction to what I recently did to my downstairs kitchen.

Our house was built in the 60s, as you can tell from the wavy wood valance that was so popular to have back then. Blue painter's tape surrounds what became my jumping off point for my latest attempt to paint and distress yet another room.

I have been collecting ironstone plates and English silver plate, so I asked Henri to think of a phrase that would become a prominent part of my newly distressed kitchen. This is what he came up with. I used carbon paper to transfer the lettering that I printed out and enlarged and then used black paint to fill in the rest. When I finished I thought the black paint looked a little too stark, so I softened it with some chalk to fade it out a bit.

Next I needed a little layering for the window treatment, so I added some lace and stitched up some simple curtains in a fabric that reminded me of an antique linen (but it's not).

I even added a swagged ruffle to the curtain and left the edges frayed. Henri switched out the light fixture for a small chandelier. I left the natural wood in these 60s cabinets and distressed just the cabinet fronts. Then I took a picture for you from atop a chair because this is a very small kitchen.

I already had this wooden cherub shelf that I further distressed with some cream colored paint

Here's my ironstone soup tureen with some recent vintage copper finds.

I switched out my cabinet hardware for these ones that were less than a dollar a piece.

So were the bin pulls for the drawers. But they came in a shiny gold finish, so I hit them with a spray of ultra flat camo spray paint from Krylon.

My English silver plate clam shell serves as a soap dish.

And I found an antique mirror to help add the illusion of space to my tiny kitchen.

To tie into the dining area, I even changed out the "tuffet" part of my previously distressed dining chairs. This is the "before" that shows the tapestry fabric I covered them in 20 years ago.

Here's the "after" which is the same fabric I used for the kitchen curtains.

So glad that spider showed up when he did.

Because I was wondering just how I was going to explain what I did to that kitchen.

Bait and Switch Blade (Or The Beginning of Our Summer)

About the time the lupines start to fade here, it's about time to complete a few of our summer chores.

Like purchase some bait for our lobster traps. Mackeral, ewwww.

And then spend the better part of the afternoon stuffing bait bags that we put into zip lock bags to store in an old freezer. Henri always seems surprised that I don't mind doing this with him. Frankly, so am I.

The next mildly unpleasant chore is to take a trip out to our mooring to clean off all the built up kelp and barnacles.

Where to begin.

It took Henri about 45 minutes to cut through all the lovely aquatic debris while I sat back and enjoyed the scenery.

Back home on a rainy day, Henri decides to spend his Father's Day gift certificate on something more eye-catching than the rotted-out split rail fence that we just gave the old heave-ho to.
I just love the look of a white picket! Only 2 sections for now, but we can add on later.

And now hold on to your horses for this one. Yep, that's Henri sporting a new shirt, getting ready to walk down the Downeast version of a runway.

Another tie dyed one, you ask? Nope, this one is batik. Here's the close up detail, just in case GQ is reading.

We have a new friend that often greets us on our walks.

We noticed a new sailboat out in the harbor the other day too.

The fog had rolled in, but the boat's colors stood out nicely.

Of course I had to use my zoom to find out where they hailed from. (Sorry for the fuzzy image.)

Here's a sailboat just leaving our harbor. Off in the distance you can see the sea smoke around the islands.

I also thought I'd show you the finished version of some of my homemade raspberry liquor that I've been enjoying since May 1 of this year.

And, just in case you're interested, here's the link to the post that tells all about how I made it.

I hope you all are enjoying your summer too!

Ragamuffin

In anticipation of summer's arrival, it was about time we got our skiff into the water.

Henri's spur of the moment decision turned into a "come as you are" boat launch. "Hurry, hurry let's go while the tide is right!" So I just jumped into my rubber boots with no time to change my clothes.

If you've been reading me for a while, you've come to expect what Henri will be wearing. For those that have not, that would be his favorite turquoise tie-dyed shirt peeking out from under his life vest.

A candidate for the fashion DO's and DON'TS. You decide the category.

Also in anticipation of summer, I've been knitting and wool felting a few things for my shop.

A scarf that I combined with a ragged, non-wool fiber. In this pre-felted "before" shot, note the individual stitches are visible.

After one cycle of machine felting.

I think I like it this way.

But then again, that's coming from someone you've just seen commit a major fashion faux pas.

Greens From The Garden

Our first harvest of the season, some spinach and swiss chard.

Such an easy and healthy lunch wouldn't you say?

Oops, where did that come from?

Right in the middle of trying to be healthy.

(There's always room for a brownie.)

More green.

Simon had his own little salad too, just no brownie.

He is such a good role model.

Bon Voyage To Our Friends

Our friends Jeanne & John are about to embark on an exciting new adventure.

They are moving to Florida, and tonight was the only time we could all get together to celebrate their departure. They sold their house 2 weeks ago and the closing is this Tuesday!




So we decided to all meet up at a local restaurant to celebrate for one last time together before they head South.

We sure are going to miss them.

We first met them through our friends Danny and Diane.

So, after we ate we planned to head back to our place for dessert. Dessert that I decorated at the last minute with some flowers from my yard.

And some garnish from our flower boxes.

I warned everyone not to eat the flowers though.

The cake is lemon.

And I even had enough to make some cupcakes too.

A plastic palm tree container served as a vase to hold some more flowers from the yard.

John already seems to have that "just think, no more snow" look.

We will miss them, but we are tickled pink that everything has fallen right into place for them to begin their new adventure in Florida. Congratulations you two!