Pelican Point

Pelican Pow Wow

Up close and personal

On the first day at Mitchelville Beach, Em and I saw all the Pelicans gathered together at the end of a sandbar way out in the ocean.  We tried to make our way out there, but we were a bit concerned that with so many of them, they might attack us.  So we made it halfway and turned back.  Fortified with my big, strong husband, the fear dissipated and we trekked our way out to the point.  As soon as we got to close, they all flew to the other sandbar.  I guess they were more afraid of us then we were of them.  Anyway,  I was fascinated by them and took way to many pelican pictures, but here are a few I wanted to share.  It was another glorious day at the beach!

Mucking

I have left the state of Georgia for a brief time in order to enjoy some fun in the sun at the beach in Hilton Head Island, SC.  I have been blessed with the opportunity for a free place to stay and spent the weekend with Emily at my favorite beach in Hilton Head.  It is Mitchellville Beach and probably not known to many people.  I have never used the word "crowded" to describe this beach.  It is not your typical tourist beach.  It is more natural and wild and when the tide is out you have opportunity to walk way out into the ocean.  It is one of my most favorite places to spend time and I have found many interesting things there.  Yesterday, while walking close to the rocks and grass, it appeared as if the whole earth was moving.  What  was moving was a massive amount of crabs moving away from us as we got closer.  It was an amazing sight and sound.  While going out into the ocean when they tide goes out, we do tend to get a little dirty.  Thus the term, "mucking".  You can get your feet stuck in something that appears to be a mixture of mud and sand.  While it is not the most pleasant sensation, it does wash off and I always look at it like a free mud treatment for my feet!  I always feel at peace and rested at the beach.  I love to look at the ocean, feel the warm sand, take a nap, or just read a good book while catching a few rays.  Here are a few pics from our trip yesterday.  Thanks Em, for the fun time!

Muck!

TaDa!

Crab Hideout

Em and I

                                                                                                                

The Evolution of a Footstool

 

The project I just completed involved supplies from two of my favorite places.  The footstool was courtesy of Craigslist; a $15.00 splurge.  The cover for it was a Goodwill purchase. I can't remember the price but it had to have been under $5.00.  It was an evolution because I started out making a slipcover with a skirt.  When I finished, I really didn't care for the skirt part, so I proceeded to rip off the skirt.  I really liked it better with just the top covered and being able to see the wood work.  Sooo, while the project was much more complicated then it needed to be, I liked it better
with just the cushion covered.  As I always say, "less is more".  I should have followed my own rule to begin with!                                

Purchased footstool from Craigslist

Footstool with cushion cover

                                                      

                                                                    Footstool with skirt

Point of Grace

Table Talk

I have two alcoves in my guest bedroom.  I had a round table that Grandpa Schreck had made that had a grey cover with it.  I love the round table.  It's a great size but the cover didn't match the "red room".  So, went to Goodwill and bought a white queen sheet for 2 or 3 dollars.  I used the original cover to make the new white one.  Also purchased a lovely bright red table cover that Em picked out at the Goodwill to go over top of it.  That only needed a hem on two sides of it.  It fit perfectly in the alcove.  I have also purchased two chairs that I want to put in the alcove with the table, but they will have to be recovered.  I haven't found fabric for them yet, so that will be a later project.  Here's the finished product:

The lamp came from Grandma Schreck, the picture frame, white plant bowl, and the books all came from Goodwill.  

Pillow Talk

I like pillows.  They are great for decorating because you can change the color scheme of a room in an instant.  I have been busy making covers for pillows in many rooms in my house and even outside my house!  I have covered three cushions for a swing and two chairs on my deck as well as two pillows for the swing.  The tan fabric was a Goodwill purchase and the plaid pillow fabric was a steal at Ikea for 50 cents.  Did I say 50 cents?! Yes, I did, it is not a misprint!  Stand up and holla!  It was enough fabric to make 3 covers.  Heres a few pics:

The plaid is the same color as the flowers in my garden!

             

Cushion Detail

Here are a few pics of the rest of the pillow projects:

Made the yellow pillow cover from Goodwill fabric.  The grey/yellow print pillow I actually bought at Goodwill.  I can't remember if it was $1.61 or $2.61 but either way, amazing deal!

                                                            The red pillows are a paisley 

print that I got from the Goodwill.  It has a lovely silk feel to it and is a great addition to the guest room which I like to call the "red room".  

Curtain Call

It has taken me a long time to finally have a curtain up at every window.  I had only a few leftover from my other house that would work here, so it has been difficult to find things on basically no budget at all.  My last ones were the kitchen and dining room.  I didn't really know what I wanted to do, as I am not into the frilly, ruffly curtain style.  I didn't really want to cover up the windows to much because I have wonderful sunshine flooding through them each day.  So, one day while at the library, I found a book that had a simple, easy curtain design that I wanted to try out.  The book can be found here:  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Sew+simple+squares&x=0&y=0.  It's called, "Sew Simple Squares".  You can get it used at amazon for 1 penny plus shipping, or for free at the library:>  I found some wonderful, handy dandy, cheap fabric at the Goodwill and got busy.  The curtains in the dining room were from the book.  They are just simple squares.  The curtain in the kitchen I wanted to match but be a different design so I just made it up as I didn't have a lot of fabric left over.  The fabric is a white with a thin black stripe, and the backing fabric was a black with a cream print in it.  Here are some pictures of the finished product:

Dining Room Double Windows

Door to Deck

Kitchen Window

Handmade Handbags

So, this weekend Em and I decided to make handbags.  Em needed a new one, and I am always ready to sew something new.  Em decided to make her bag out of painters cloth that we had purchased at Lowe's for about 4 dollars.  I used one of my wonderful Goodwill fabric finds.  Both linings were also from the Goodwill fabric pile.  (On a side note, I always seem to make my bags out of blue fabric.  I am determined that the next one I do will be a different color!) We searched the internet for a free handbag pattern and found this one that we really liked:  http://lamaisonreid.blogspot.com/2010/08/burlap-purse-with-shabby-rose.html.  We loved the burlap look and while Em's is pretty close to the original, I decided to change mine up a bit.  I made mine a little bit smaller.  Em attached a really cute metal accessory that says, "joy" and I stuck with the original design and tried my hand at a shabby chic rose and placed a button in the middle of it.  I found the directions for it here:  http://tutorialboutique.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-fold-burlap-rose.html.  We are quite happy with the results!  

Em's Purse

Deb's Purse

Shabby Chic Rose

Laura Story, "Blessings"

I received this cd from Em for Mother's Day and I just love it.  Hope you enjoy it as well.

Secret Garden

I love my deck garden.  It is a bit like a secret garden as it is secluded on my deck top.  It has grown tremendously and many additions have been made since we started it.  Mrs. Oliveras graciously provided us with a greek oregano and lemon balm plant.  Thank you!  Here are a few recent pictures so you, too can enjoy the garden.

Zinnias 

fresh beans

greek oregano

lemon balm

beans, cucumbers, lettuce

marigolds, basil, parsley, chives

petunias

gazinnias, impatients, sweet potato vines