Spring Song

 

About two days ago it started getting noisy around here.  I don't need another hobby so I was resisting looking.  But last night I knew the little guy was in the tree behind my bedroom window!  Big puffy chest.  ???

This morning I went out to hang up the bedding on the line.  Ah, a robin!  Of course, they like to nest in that old potting shed and sit in the trees!  I can put away the bird book. phew!

And whereas I need rubber boots to stand at the clothes line, (lowest place on the yard, I think);  it is probably time to start thinking about spring chores

                                         

But I have been on a bit of a tangent.  AGAIN!   I have been 'analyzing' my clothes.  TOO much information!  I thought I had it just about licked when it was dropped into my screen that the colour of our hair, eyes and skin 'greatly' influences our clothing choices.  I knew through colour season analysis that I was a winter (circa 1975)  and I knew aging dulls things a bit.  But I was kinda thrown of my main tangent trail into a side eddy when I realized just how much my colouring has changed (2017).  I am mostly neutral- dark brown hair is totally silver now, brown eyes are a dull hazel and my skin has never been shiny and colourful.  So I am neutral dominant and light valued.  I do best in a monochromatic colour scheme in a mid range and with a light bright thrown in or perhaps an analogous palette which I really do luv!  Can you here me yip yipping?  I SEE says the blind man. Makes sense to me!   And if you think monochromatic is boring-  check out the vivienne files

My styling for our house sale has gone to a neutral background with a monochromatic colour for major pieces and pops of soft accent colours!  I luv it! I feel validated!
 
 It also explains my monochromatic flower beds!

This should directly impact my creative art journey.  Knowing what I know I'll be able to eliminate a lot of impulse spending and add some great art!

Whoo hoo!   I'll be springing into action and singing a new song!

A window of opportunity

We are still wearing our jackets and I did wear my rubber boots to hang up some bedding on the clothes line.  But we are well on our way to seeing the last of the snow and the first of the green shoots.

An incredibly busy time.   I have been styling the house for sale.  I gave away the kids bunk beds to the grand kiddo for his room makeover and I'm pleased they fit well in his space.   I 'edited' a lot of the grand kiddies toys and old clothes from the closet and have reclaimed that closet for my newly burgeoning wardrobe.  I am storing all the darks- blacks, browns and jackets in there.

In amongst the busyness I returned a couple of things I'd ordered online from theBay and as I was strolling around...

I saw two key items that were on my newly focused to-buy list!  I'm not sure I made any headway on that particular deal but I did enjoy the change of pace as I just strolled along and looked in the shop windows.  I now have a trendy but feminine bomber jacket and ballet flats that are apparently as flattering and versatile as they are fashionable.  And on sale!  I think I'll be good till fall now! 

I got the basement all spiffed up by Thursday.  phew  The showing was for Friday morning.  Then my company for the weekend arrived in the afternoon.  The guest room was definitely ready!   We didn't spend a lot of time laying around though.
 

 We were out and about and Sunday night we changed guests.  We brought back the grand kiddies and their mum for an early start Monday morning.  It is spring break!  We headed off to see the big city and check out their views. 

The Children's Museum is wonderful and fully interactive.

Josh luvs to drive the 'for real' train!

Eliana tried hard to master the 'digger'!

 

 

Jolina dared the colour mixing slide.

and of course we made art!

In amongst all this activity we have been viewing properties for sale.   There are a lot of options.  I thought one was THE one but a second look revealed it was a capital P Project!  Maybe not!   I have a new favourite now and first viewing is a phone call away.  It is exhausting even though I am 'only' mentally fitting all my stuff into the new layouts!   My Rooster studies all the structural details while I redecorate and plant flowers!  LOL

 I have a pile of hemming on the sewing table and a tunic pattern to track down.  The 40+Style Club is revamping some of the scheduling as we all become acquainted and try new things.  I am learning so much but I am also looking forward to a slower pace and settling into a gentler learning curve!   Seems like the softer colours work well for me.

This colour wheel could work.  The black would be a slice for a skirt, the grey my main neutral and the green my second.  Pink as my colour and I'd throw in an aqua.  White is the light neutral.   This makes shopping SO much easier!

I have not spent much time in my art room other than prep for Art 101 with the kiddos!  But here is one page in the planner.   I need to expand this as the style club members want to add a health and wellness thread.  Heck, I am all for upping the exercise and tweaking my food choices.  One gal showed me her planner spread sheet so I had to show her 'my' spreadsheet.  lol  

So that is a peek into the window of my world.  But my windows will definitely be changing as we have sold our farm and the paperwork is beginning.  Now to find that new window to look out!

Spring is Trending

We have been having some crazy weather and more is coming tonight.  Cold and the new driveway is willing to accept vehicles.  Warm- not so much.  The snow and slush that has mixed with new gravel is making life very interesting. :{  So I have mixed feelings about the warm weather! 

I DO luv Pantone's colour palette for spring.  I actually have a number of them in my closet and definitely in my fabric stash.

Hot pink is definitely on trend but I'm embracing pale dogwood, myself!  With lots of greenery thrown in.

And then there are stripes.  I haven't met a stripe that hasn't made me smile.  I scored the Coldwater Creek jacket at the thrift shop!  :)

I am enjoying the group of fashionistas at the 40+Style Club.  We learn and we post photos of the daily challenges using our capsule grouping.  It makes for a busy day taking photos and then a quick upload on the weekdays of the challenge.  That is one week of learning and gathering a core of about a dozen articles of clothing, shopping, or shopping our closet.  Then ten days of posting, with one week of socializing (and showing off the also rans)!  I should get faster at this as I progress.   The ladies are most encouraging and last week I got to be a poster girl.  Actually I think it was for most improved.  LOL  I have learned the importance of things fitting and the value of accessorizing.  My mixed media art and fibre art lessons/principles really help.   I need to start smiling but coordinating the requirements,  throwing clothes all over the place,  learning to take selfies,  and then standing still after clicking 10 second timer is all very challenging. 

The new 'me' is going for light-hearted and, casually contemporary.  I'm losing the dark look and embracing the light.   It certainly makes shopping an whole lot easier which makes me very lightheaded.  lol

Through one of the members I also discovered a blog- The Vivienne Files.    I spent Sunday evening going through the 'Starting From Scratch' tab.  Here are two examples of a personal colour wheel.   This totally appeals to me.  I'm just about ready to commit to my basic neutrals and my accent colours.  I was almost going to say navy and grey (no more black) when I realized I have very little navy but I have LOTS of green so it may be green and grey.  Aqua (teal) is one colour and I'm thinking pink (cranberry) for the other.  The 'other' light will be white/ecru/cream- depending.   I did think of two capsules- one for summer and one for winter but remembered KISs just in time.  LOL  But those kahaki sections can still work when I go grey taupe and green based taupe so I can have those for summer.    Then think of all the combos with lights to darks and prints that pull together two colours.  I hate clothes shopping so this would focus me on MY colours.  A jean skirt is a must,  almost considered a neutral and I'd keep my black pencil skirt and LBD (little black dress).

Spring is my favourite season even though it can be quite cool and muddy here.  But the idea of fresh air, pussy willows and green grass just make me happy!  I am happy to put away all the stuff that has managed to accumulate from the previous seasons, spring clean and start all over again with lots of white and minimal clutter.

I'll be accessorizing things that best show off the charm of this old character lady.  ha!  you thought I meant me.  I meant this old house!  We have a  showing for a prospective buyer this week and a contender for our own purchase/consideration.  So I have not been making much art but I have been busy!  Spring is shaping up to be very exciting and summer is looking to be busy!  Bring on the daffies!

Marching to the Challenges

Thank goodness for clean fresh calendar pages!  I am totally behind on most things.  :/

 The over forty and for me, sixty, style challenge completely stole my month.  It was like my first visit to Michael's Craft Store.  I wanted just about everything.  Looking at the gaps in my recently edited closet sent me off on the clothes hunt.  Gosh there is lots out there!  I got a bit side tracked but I am now back to basics and the 70% around home apparel.  February's challenge was clothing our unique body shapes.Who knew I was hiding good legs,  Well, except the Rooster!  ha!  
The March challenge is Spring and my thrift shop jacket is apparently on trend for colours and will work for the 15% errands and the 15% Dress up section.
It has been a real eye opener and ego let-downer to lay out a lovely ensemble on the bed, dress, and then confront the full length mirror, take a selfie and analyze!  What I saw on the bed and in my mind's eye is not what the camera reveals nor what, ' the people that you meet, when you're walking down the street...' see!  vbsigh   So it will be onwards and upwards from the low point of crying in the closet!  I think I want people to see 'light-hearted, relaxed and rural' as I approach.  Seriously I have learned a whole shopping bag full of useful tips and information.  Why don't they teach us this stuff in school?  You know, home ec???

I will now be marching in light as opposed to dark clothes!  I'll share my spring capsule next week which will highlight the Pantone colour pale dogwood!  I do have lots of 'greenery' and my closet is full of stripes which is also on trend!  :}

My game scores have improved with our young house guest.  My dear hubby has absolutely no luck in games and when asked if he 'really' wanted to play he said yes.  His goal is not to win but to be under 500 points in a low score wins game. lol  My challenge has been to keep my mind on what I'm doing as talking, dealing, sorting and gathering is a bit like rubbing ones tummy, patting ones head and ...  you know!

I did gather the brackets and hinges to complete the sewing room but we've been rather busy playing games!   The work party is scheduled for next weekend.  I had cut out a dark brown tunic and skirt but I have lost my enthusiasm since spring green would be better than brown bark.  I know, I know, scarves, etc.!    lol  heck, paint splatters can lighten just as well.   And then as I was looking to make brown fabric photo worthy I pulled fabric from my quilting stash.  Oh, MY!  I DO have options!!!

 I have managed to keep up with the grand kiddies and Art 101.  We finished art landscapes and are doing Architecture.  Cityscape's are all about lines and shapes with foreground, midground and background.  Their journal/planners are up to date but sadly mine are a mass of loose papers and not enough penciled data!  :[

 I am a regular follower of ...And Then We Set It On Fire... which is featuring Clara Nartey for March.  The challenge is to stitch for 31 days.  On our sewing machines.  I am IN!!!
 I had also signed up for a class on improvisational hand stitching for my evenings but I haven't got past gathering my supplies. My presence has been required at the gaming table.   I may have to carve some time out of the housecleaning slot!  8-}

  We had a lovely 'get away' which is always a time of rejuvenation.   While some of us were preparing for March, Eliana stylishly and exuberantly embraced the freshness of winter's wonderland. 

And I, myself,  will be drawing a big deep breath of fresh air and flinging myself into March's challenges.

Spring rush

The rain seems to have quit but the frost sure hasn't.  I'm still dragging the transplants in and out.

But in spite of lawn mower breakdowns and repairs we are up to date on the grass cutting.  Last year's trees are all looking good.  Now to keep my lawn mower away from them.  I do like to cut as close as I can!  eek!

The kitchen sink is back within the top 3 items of the list.  I saw a question on face book asking if anyone hand washed dishes anymore.  Yes, and now I am back to the old basin set up.  lol  Can't wait to hand wash in my new porcelain sink! 

I'm just itching to play on a big canvas but the next thing to do is a handmade book for a young graduate.  This a young man who is into hunting, fishing, golfing so that will be a bit different from my usual.  I shall enjoy the challenge.

The Next Thing First has some changeable aspects this week.  ;^) I also hope the magpie nest in the upper right has its building permit revoked and the pair change locations.  They are not nice birds.  Fast nest builders but not nice tenants!  The robin in the potting shed is hoping I don't arrive too soon as well.  ;^)

What's next?

We had a great weekend away.  I was hoping the trees would be leafing out when we returned.  Not quite but  I did catch a splash of yellow as we drove in the yard.

I keep forgetting that once upon a time I wanted a woodland walk and I planted some miniature daffodils.   They are small but gosh, hardy.  They have survived.  Now the woodland walk is limited to keeping the path clear as the poison ivy is just awful.  :(

But the entrance arbor could use some of the Rooster's attention.  I don't need to actually wait for him to begin and  he does have our evenings set aside for yard work.  While the sun has been hiding lately we are called Sunny Manitoba and that means long days of sunlight so the evenings provide a lot of opportunity for my working man.

The kitchen is still on the to-do list and most of it comes from Ikea.  I have been looking with longing at this chair for years and when it hit the last chance list I convinced he who keeps the budget that all his frugality on the trip surely indicated we were meant to drive in and wrestle it home.  oooh!  It is so perfect.  Now I can settle on the paint colour for our bedroom and plan some quilts and pillows!  :)  And the curtain material I got  stole from the thrift shop looks just about perfect, too.

Same day my package from Paper Artsy popped into the mailbox.  Literally, as the wee package just fit into our rural mail box compartment.  But boy, it has lots of goodies.  Again I have been longing for the chalky effect that these paints produce.  It also seems that flowers are coming up in a big way!

The Rooster is learning we just can't drive by Michaels!  I got some beading twine for my budding jewellery maker.   The plastic envelopes I had for the grand kiddies to put their supplies in burst their zippers so now it'll be be this much and no more with the new plastic carry alls!  :(  We'll do a quick art journal technique with tags this week, hand out some inspiration pages for May,  and plan the summer to-do list as art goes all year.  While we were away our lunch came with printed deli paper.    I wiped all the Rooster's mustard and mayo off and folded them nicely into my purse!  

So I have lots of options and while I clean up and put away the suitcase I shall be deciding which project will be the first one to jump into spring with!  Whoo hoo!  The sun is smiling hugely and I have a great bouquet of ideas to lift up and sniff appreciatively!   :)

Spring upstairs

It is a little difficult to get a decent picture in this tall and angled stairwell.  But I do like having an art gallery wall!

before

The windows face south and the stairs aren't dark at all.   The outside wall has about four coats of paint on and the sponging technique works well at disguising hand prints.  I did not touch any of the stairway walls with anything other than soap and water.  But I had matched the solid paint colour for the two hallways to it.

 I did make new art for the railings.  They are from Ikea and are shallow enough for the stairs but wide enough to add canvases and some accessories.

before

after

 

I intended to put back the short  sheer white valences on the windows but decided that I'd rather be a minimalist.  I can't pass up an opportunity to make vignettes though!  LOL

I also decided a wee chair serves the landing better than a full size one.  I put my antique printers tray on the sponged wall and  perhaps a fibre art will go on the freshly painted wall across from it.

before

 I emptied the hallway and covered the shelves in that old closet.  I taped everything but that short stair wall on the left.  I primed everything and then I mixed the rest of the primer and the rest of the downstairs hallway paint together.  I just wanted to be done painting.

after

The colour is a bit darker than it looks but works well.  I am reluctant to fill it up with stuff so we'll see how all the computer stuff fits on that small desk.  :(  That hallway waited a long time for its final coat of paint as I'd stripped the country wallpaper a looong time ago.  ;-{

I'm trying to remember the KISS principle for this Spring!  :)