Baby Watch 2014

Baby Watch has commenced!  Today is Bluebonnet’s due date! She’s already bagged up. Has dropped real low. No discharge yet but she keeps laying down breathing fast then later shes back eating hay again. I figure she will go sometime overnight. I’ll keep you posted.

My Daughter’s Flower Garden

Duck Mishaps

Well I had the ducks penned up in a kennel do I could put numbered leg bands on each one and keep track of our population. Also if I sold any in the future I wanted to make sure Im not splitting up mating pairs.

Well I bought some plastic leg bandettes in the size recommended for my ducks. In less than 10 minutes two had them off just running through the grass. Wasted money. I’m gonna have to get the zip tie ones next time. And catch them up again. Sigh.

Oh and this morning I found seven sad looking ducks waterlogged in the water trough. They couldnt jump out. It was like they were saying “Hey a little help here!” I easily helped six of them out. The seventh paniciked splashing duck poop water all over me. Thankfully my mouth was closed. Ugh. I was soaked and smelled lovely.

Vintage Metal Chair Refinish Part 1

I bought a pair on vintage metal chairs for only $12 each. I’ve wanted a full set of these all my life! They were so cheap because they needed paint and had dent in each seat. I went out a bit ago with a hammer and with a few smacks the dent popped back into place!! Whoa!

I started by taking a wire brush and a metal scraper and removed all the loose paint and roughed up the finish all over. My plan was to unbolt it and paint each piece then reassemble but the bolts have rusted into place. Oh well.

After throughly roughing up and scraping, and my arm about falling off, I got a quality white primer spray paint and painted all over the bottom of the chair and legs. I’m letting that dry before I flip it over and paint the other side. Just the bottom part including legs took almost a whole can of primer. This is not going to be a cheap of a project as I thought but at least I’m using a paint that will last and protect.

I just went out and flipped chair over and primered the front. I live this paint. It actually fills in any imperfections on the surface!

And here are the two chairs side by side. The one on the right now fully primered. Amazing!

I wrapped the arms in plastic and tape. I almost forgot to take a picture so that is why you see some paint on the bottom.

Then I did first coat of paint starting with the bottom and back.P I Using Rustoleum 2X spray paint in Satin color Lagoon. After that dried then I did a second coat. After that dried I set it upright. My husband came along and joined in on the fun.

I let him put two coats on with drying between. Here is the photo of it now. I’m gonna let it cure overnight and see if it needs another coat of paint in the morning.

Stay tuned to see how they turn out!

Rent House Update.

As long readers may know we bought a property across the street from us. Its been an ordeal. But now look how nice it is. We took this pictures before the new renters moved in. And they are awesome!

New Buck Isaiah

Our friend Suzy gifted us with a beautiful buck named Isaiah. He’s a big boy but yet he’s registered as a 1st generation mini. Crazy huh?! His height was at the maximum height for breed standard. He is 88% Alpine and 12% Nigerian. Beautiful boy!

Vintage/New Porch Swing Cushions

I got a porch swing from my hubby last Christmas. It was great but needed cushions. I can’t afford to pay for high dollar cushions so I made my own. First I found the perfect vintage curtain fabric at a yard sale for $1!

Then I bought a full size egg crate mattress topper and cut in half. Then I folded those two pieces in half and weighted down with heavy books overnight until the creased well. The next day I ran a strip of silicone across the long side. Then I weighted them down till it dried. So now I had two double thick cushions.

Next thing I did was with a seam ripper remove all stitching and pleating from the curtains. Then I washed them to get the starch and the mothball smell out of them. And prayed they didnt fall apart. They are a cotton blend linen.

Came out fine so I shook the wrinkles out and hung on the line. After they were dry I laid the fabric out on the floor and measured the fabric out and folded over like wrapping a present. Only difference was tucking in raw edges. My sewing machine is out of needles so the long horizontal seam I fastened with permenant fabric glue. For each smaller in I hand sewed each side in a hem stitch.

I set them on the bench and noticed the two layers shifted in the cushion. So I found the thick quilting thread and tacked the layers together in three places on each cushion. Later I will add ties and maybe make some coordinating throw pillows. Ta Dah! Total cost $1 vintage fabric $11 foam mattress pad (egg crate). Silicone, thread and needle I had already.

Sleepy Kitty

I thought you might enjoy a few photos I took this morning of a sleepy kitten in the flowerbed.

Canning Spree

I’m on a canning spree. I gave up on my garden and just bought veggies in bulk from the store. I got roma tomatoes for $29.

First we made diced tomatoes. Then we made salsa.

Where To Put Extra Canned Goods

We have very little cabinet space in my kitchen. In the past I stocked canned goods in shallow tubs under our bed. I need to start stocking up again now our income is going to improve I need to stock up for slim times again. However my quart canning jars don’t fit under the bed. So what to do?

Here’s one option I found. http://welloneofmyblogs.com/2012/06/23/secret-canned-goods-stash/ It is placing canned goods behind books on the shelf. I am also researching other ideas. Anyone have something to add?