D to the I: LEGOS

If you like my page on facebook, then you know that I am knee deep in a LEGO wall mural.

You can check out the progress album here.

Then, while you're at it, get addicted to LEGO stop motion animation videos.

They are my new distraction.  And I love the LEGO toilet clog one.

Isaac's Crib: Smart Art

The 18-year lease on Isaac's crib starts in just a few days, so I've worked hard recently to add in the finishing touches.

I took the room decorations seriously.  He isn't a kid that just gets a random cutesy elephant picture.  No. The names that Jen and Jeff tossed around for him were Isaac, Tesla, Nikola, Newton.  You know, just the greatest scientist and engineer ever.

My design solution was clear - Nursery Smart Art.  Starting with my version of Baby Newton's Apple that I created in Photoshop.

On the opposite wall is the Smart Art collage.

One is the formula for Newton's Law of Gravity.  (that I saw on a T-shirt and had to learn more about from Wikipedia)

Another is his Team Tesla poster.  (two minute you tube history of Tesla)

And finally the color prism.  What? Of course I did not know that Isaac Newton was the one that demonstrated that light already contained colors.

I didn't know most of this when I started.  Isaac is already making me smarter.  

The Ikea dog butt hooks count as smart art because they are creative genius.

The blank frame is for an enlarged copy of his Sophisticated Gentleman birth announcement.  I will show you that down the road.

And the green V book shelves are from Ikea too.

Here is a closer look at the Smart Art images.

Now, who is with me on Team Tesla?

DIViji: Dining Room

You're Invited: to a virtual dinner at Viji's.

Please bring one of the 3 Cs.

Chocolate, Chardonnay or Cheese.

Dining Room BEFORE:

Dining Room AFTER:

Anthony supplied the frames.

I provided another set of curtains.

And Viji brought the spray paint for the chandelier.  Brought it like I've never seen a can a spray paint brung before.

Bon appetit ma cheri.

DIViji: Living Room

Aside from a few small projects that we might tackle down the road, my work at Viji's is done.  

So many lessons.

Such little time.

So much spray paint.

Let me start walking you through the transformation.

Viji's Living Room BEFORE:

Viji's Living Room AFTER:

That's right, Coco Dreamland.

It is now regal, inviting and fit for belly dancing soirees.

Seriously.  I was there when the belly dancer balanced the sword on her bazongas. The room beckoned her.

Besides the new chocolate walls and a few accoutrements, the significant changes in the room were:

~ A few coats of gold spray paint to Viji's old wood coffee table and end tables.

~ A new area rug from Home Depot


~ A new DIY accent chair


~ New curtains


~ Redone lamps

Here is one of the lamps BEFORE:

And with some spray paint, hand painted gold detail, spray acrylic and a new shade, here it is AFTER:

A few weeks after we finished the lamps, I received my Jonathan Adler email newsletter featuring his new electra lamp for $345.  

I know right?!  He totally made a knock off!

Oh well, somebody needs to set the trends and it might as well be Viji and I.

~ And the last change:  The piano was moved to a different room.

Not by me.  Although, I did call Jen to come over after school and help me lift the piano up the two steps out of the living room area and wheel it over to its new home.

That day's lessons?

Pianos are heavy.

And my copay for the chiropractor is $15.

Choking and Ouising

Even though my In Your Business B&B is still a few years down the road, it is never too early to start scouting out locations.

According to Hooked On Houses, Sally Field's home in Steel Magnolias is on the market in Lousiana for $1.175 million.

I know what you're asking.  

Are those beautiful pastel curtains from Shelby's bedroom still there?

You know it.  And impeccably preserved to boot. <Insert sigh of relief>

Current photo:

While perusing all the pictures, cinematic as well as current, I learned that the movie was based on a true story.

I could have done without that info.

It's like the universe just said, "Um, yeah, your Steel Magnolias snotty-ugly-cry isn't enough.  We are going to need you to have a complete emotional breakdown during the film.  Maybe even choke and shart a little bit."

I also learned that 'Ouiser' is not spelled 'Weezer'.  Who knew?

Isaac's Crib: A Place To Chill

Finally.  Isaac has a place that he can relax and put his feet up after a long night in the Talk Stick Casino poker room. 

Maybe listening to his Baby Queen CD.  Perhaps having a nightcap.

Always enjoying the sophistication of his solid wood, contemporary parlor chair.

I wish that I could tell you that I whipped up that chair last weekend.  But the truth is that Isaac's dad, Jeff, constructed it back in high school.

The chair is in impeccable condition.  The cushion that has been on it for the past 15 years?  Not so much.  We bought a foam piece and coordinating fabric and constructed a new removable cushion cover.

I was so proud of myself for perfectly lining up the fabrics for the front of the cushion.  I/m serious, my headband was cutting off circulation from pride swelling.

It should have dawned on me that something was off with my gloat parade when there were no kids lining the streets to catch candy.

Just five minutes after my triumphant fist pump routine, I realized that I had looked at the measurements incorrectly.  The width was really the length and I had put the zipper on the side and the new front was as far off as I could have gotten it.

Normally, I would take it apart and fix the error of my ways.

Jen said that she would punch me if I did because it wasn't visible anyway.

I left it.  And I wasn't fired.

There were quilt pieces leftover, so I put them together as a back pillow for the chair.

Or a head pillow - if Isaac decides that he just doesn't have it in him to go to his crib and calls it quits in his throne.

Tutorial I followed for sewing a box cushion cover:  Design Sponge  --- except that I put the zipper corner to corner instead of wrapping it around.

DIDon't: If the Glove Fits

DIY for yourself is one thing.

DIY as a gift for someone else is another.  And if not executed correctly, can turn the giver into the likes of Cinderella at The Central Perk.  Friendless and disenchanted.

I stress like crazy when I make someone a gift.  Do they really want or need something else?  A practical gift instead? Is this even their style? Do they actually have somewhere to store it?

Sometimes you are handed gift opportunities on a silver platter, like when A-drin Amy got married.  She sent a file of all her wedding plans, including the fabrics that she was using to masterfully DIY all her table runners and cloth accents.  I ordered her chosen fabrics and made a rag quilt throw as part of her wedding gift.  

Minimal stress because she essentially picked everything out for herself.

And sometimes we have DIY fails.  Many myself.  But today isn't about me.  

My friend, Michelle, is a 3rd grade teacher, hilarious, a breast cancer survivor and blindsides people with her angelically toned inappropriateness. 

On the last day of school she received a pair of personally knit fingerless Pink Ribbon gloves as a token of appreciation for taking such good care of their cherub, that we will call Bobby.

No, no.  Not Bobby Cute-and-Courteous.  Bobby Wanted-to-stab-classmates-in-the-heart-with-pens.

She wasn't even expecting a gift for keeping Bobby from being tried as an adult.  I mean, it is part of her job right?  And Arizonans need the fingerless gloves for when the temps dip to 65.  And I'm sure that breast cancer ass kickers then want everything they can get with a Pink Ribbon on it, right?

Let's be clear.  This is me judging.

I  have never been in the position of parenting, nor <praise sweet baby Jesus> of having the cops called on my 9-year-old bundle of psychosis at school.  But, I can say with confidence that if that does ever happen and I can't with all efforts subdue my desire to knit that teacher some fingerless gloves, then they will be gifted with either the chilliest vat of Chardonnay that I can find or encasing the most chiseled hunk of  burning love that the Phoenix Naked Masseur site has to offer.  Yes, if the glove fits then that is where he will wear them.

And lastly, sometimes your DIY gift is for a sister.  Don't lose a minute of sleep.  She will keep on loving you no matter what she thinks of the thong joggers.