Nightstand innovations

Because I do some crafting in bed and that bed is one that my grandfather had (it sits higher than most beds), I need a light higher than most nightstands.

I was using a sewing table (the kind where the machine folds down into the table) as a nightstand (without the sewing machine).  It worked well except no drawers and limited top space.

Solution - I was collecting plastic crates. I was going to stack and tie them together. Make something of a wall with places for books, meds, etc.

We found stacking plastic crates that also nestle together side by side and stacked on top of each other for $3.59 apiece.  Fantastic price!  Got five, stacked them, tied them - works.

End of the drought = mildew

Fighting mildew - with all the rain recently it's a problem.  Discovered some of my art work, maps and the porch are covered.  So, we're tackling that with peroxide and bleach cleaner.  It's working, thankfully.

Gardening in July

The drought is over and the grass got up past the knees - every time we'd try to cut the grass it'd rain.  Chris, wonderman that he is, got most of it down yesterday.

Best Laid Plans....

We've had a LOT of rain here, including a downpour that overran the gutters, formed a small creekbed in our driveway and overflowed our little soaker pool.

I went down to the garage/basement to find a dehydrator (and can't find the darn thing), smelled mold and grabbed a flashlight.  We have three major hot spots and all the wood and some paper in the garage was covered.

We grabbed gloves, masks, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide and bleach.  So we spent the last hour cleaning up Mom's toddler furniture and my art pieces.  I'll have to get more cement caulking to expand the barrier on the floor and hit the walls again with the sealant basement paint (if it's still good - stuff is expensive).

 

We had a problem when we moved in and I got some of that sealing paint and caulking.  I caulked all the cracks/grout and formed a barrier on the floor in the worst spot.  Then I painted the north side of the basement and garage with the sealing paint - in July.  I'd work a little at a time with lots of water, come up, hose off and do a little more.  Now we have a different spot where it's coming in and the moisture got around my ground barrier.  Back at it again!

That wasn't fun.  I'm highly allergic to the damned stuff.  So, besides dripping with sweat, I seriously needed a scrubbing-every-inch-of-my-skin shower and all clothes are getting washed.

And we had planned on doing nothing today..... best laid plans..........

Crafts, Crafts = finishing touches

Crafty today (or just tired of the rain and grief)

The green guys are a pair of dragon slippers we found at a thrift store - seams falling open, heads dragging.  I inserted small dowels in the necks, added more stuffing, sewed most of the seams and now she has happy dragons

The flat mauve piece is a panel that Mom quilted that was left over from the quilt we finished that she had started.  We are going to hang it as an art piece.

the pillow is two panels that were left over

the beadwork/wood/art piece is the Hebrew aleph-bet done in loomed beadwork, mounted on small wooden squares (or rectangles) that were then mounted on dowels of varying heights.  Mounted on a thin piece of plywood, edging applied, wire and eyelets - hang piece

Next I'm going to work on netting for my bed - with all the rain the bugs are insane this year!  I'm also researching for a new novel I've got the basic plot for in my head - it's such JOY to research Nazis and WWII on a rainy day - NOT