Busy Bee Weekend!

Well, here it is, almost the end of the weekend (here in Australia, anyways!) and I have been buzzing around like a busy bee ... PHEW! It will almost be a rest to go back to work tomorrow ... ALMOST! Tee! Hee! Hee! Let's see ... what have I been up to?? Hmmm ... quite a bit, so perhaps you need to go and get a cuppa before you read on ... sorry Chookyblue ... NOT a short post today ... but lots of photos! :0)

Firstly ... yesterday was a horrible, cold old day here on top of our 'hill' ... the temp clawed its way up to about 13 before plummeting back down to 4 degrees overnight ... BRRRRR!! You KNOW how I feel about cold weather!!! :0( So what's a gal to do ... but lock herself in her sewing room ... which I did, cos I was a woman on a mission. Remember the green Moda Basics fabric and Beach House charm squares I showed you on Friday? They are now a finished quilt top ...

I'm pretty chuffed with how it came together. The green really shows up the dusty colours well.

And I appliqued some dotty hearts at the top of the quilt ... two larger ones overlapping to represent the quilt's recipient and her husband, with two smaller ones to represent their children. The light cream dot block you see under the hearts is one of the signature blocks I included so family and friends can write messages of love and encouragement so this lovely lady will know that she's wrapped in love and prayers when she snuggles under it. This sweet quilt came together pretty quickly (though I think it was about 1:30am when I finished the applique!!) and today it has been whisked off to the Fabulous Fiona of Bubz Rugz to be quilted. Thanks Fiona! :0)

Another task for today has been rearranging the dining room a little to properly show off ... our new table! YAY! It's taken a little longer than anticipated to finish giving it a facelift due to visitors, wet weather etc but it's been well worth it. Do you remember this 'before' photo ...

If I ever find the person who put the HIDEOUS varnish over the original finish I will do them a damage!! It took quite a bit of work to cover and/or get rid of it ... paint stripper didn't even make it flinch!! So it was back to old fashioned sanding to clean it up. And the after photo ...

Ta Da!! Hasn't it come up well!! We are so chuffed! And that's not the 'royal we' I might add ... both my Beloved Geek Boy and I had a hand (or two!!) in transforming this beast into a beauty. I love the contrast of the honey gold timber with the white and the original drawer handle has been popped back on. I would have liked to 'shabby it up' a bit ... but this tentative suggestion was met with growls from GB along the lines of ruining a perfectly good paintjob! :0) Here is the madeover grande dame in her new home ...

You can see the recently refinished kitchenette behind it ... they make a lovely pair, don't you think! :0)

So ... I then had to decide how to dress this pretty lady. I had a few 'outfits' to audition ...

I've had this vintage crocheted cotton tablecloth for a while but still haven't found the right home for it. I quite liked this look ... but GB grumbled that it covered up all the hard work he's done sanding and finishing the timber top ... not to mention the drawer. OK, OK ... next!

This is a lovely linen and crochet lace table centre that I rescued from an antique shop bargain table some years ago ...

It has a few holes in the crochet lace edging, looks like it has fallen on hard times and is a wee bit battered around the edges ... but who isn't:?! :0) But I love it ... it was love at first sight! :0) OK ... a bit of a favourite emerging from the field, but one more to audition first ...

This table centre is in pretty good condition and was embroidered by my great aunt who passed away last year aged 99. I was fortunate enough to be gifted with a small pile of her lovely linens and the white Dr's bag that's on top of the kitchenette. Most of the linens have age and storage marks on them ... any tips on how to freshen them up??? This one didn't have any marks, though. Hmmm ... OK ... this one was pretty, but after consulting the table's fellow-restorer, we decided on ...

... this look. You can see a few of the holes in the lace edge in this shot ...along with the gorgeous detail. So ... another project crossed off the ol' "To Do" list. :0) Now I just need to find new chairs to go with the table, as the directors chairs we've been using as dining chairs have handles that bump against the edge of the table when you sit down ... DEFINITELY a no-no in GB's eyes! :0) I know just what I want, though ... I found the perfect chair on the Ikea web site ... will have to schedule a visit, I think! SHHH!! Don't tell GB!! Tee! Hee! Hee!

OK ... that's finally it from me for today. I'm off to make a pot of soup for dinner and then I think it will be some hand stitching in front of the TV for this busy-but-tired little bee. What have you been up to over the weekend?? I hope there was some time to 'play' scheduled in. :0) Have a fantastic week ... and remember to appreciate the many 'everyday' blessings that your days contain! :0) Til next time ...

BUSY BEE BEAR HUGS!!

CHEERS!
KRIS