18 Months

I've been living with these beautiful gifted lungs for 18 months. More than living, thriving!  My creativity has recently awakened and it's as if I'm making up for lost time. I want to paint, sew and build all the things. For a couple years prior to transplant I just didn't have the energy to do much more than exist. I'm so trilled to have energy and strength to do the things I love. I'm stronger than I ever remember being and it's such a wonderful, amazing feeling!

Despite my physical strength, my blogging muscles seem to have atrophied. It's been so long, and as they say, use it or lose it. I'm finding out I've darn near lost it. Hopefully like the rest of my muscles, with work, it will come back. Not being in the blogging frame of mind, I haven't photographed much of what I've done lately. A snap here and there to post on Instagram is about it. Today I got the big guy out, my real camera, and took a few photos of my latest projects.

A few weeks ago we installed a new sink. A great big, apron front farm sink.

We installed two actually. The first one cracked after several hours of altering (cutting!) the cabinet and counter top so that it would fit.

It was traumatic, very traumatic. Thankfully, Ikea exchanged the broken sink, even though it cracked during installation and gave us a new one. It only involved six hours of driving. We are certain the sink was defective because we did not apply enough pressure for it to crack.

Then I got a wild hair to strip the paint off the french doors that separate my living room from the kitchen and dining room. Not a quick or easy project, but one I'm happy I completed. 

I liked the softer more muted, natural look of the doors, so naturally I decided my curtains needed to be more muted. That's just how the brain of a serial diy'er works.

I found the fabric at Fabric.com a while back, not knowing what I would use it for, I just knew I loved it. 

The latest project happened simply because Casey send me a picture of a dining table with an antique pew. He was looking for something similar for his wife, Jessica.

I offered him a bench I had in my garage.

He didn't jump at it, I don't understand why. (I need the laughing emoji here) I bought it from a friend a few months ago with the plan of stripping and sanding it to bare wood. But the bare wood was very, very red. So, it's been sitting in the garage since. It was not the correct size for Casey and Jessica's table, but the photo he shared gave me the perfect inspiration for what to do.

The seat was in bad shape and had to be replaced. In this picture I had replaced the seat and it had a light coat of primer. You can see how red it was even through the primer. I had to apply several coats of a stain blocking primer to stop the bleed through

I'm so glad to have it out of the garage. One less unfinished project floating around.

 

I have a list in my head at least a mile long of future projects, close to the top of the list is painting the cabinets. It's been a few years since they were painted. We used oil based paint for a couple reasons, primarily because Mitch sprayed the doors and drawers and oil paint doesn't clog his gun like latex would. Also oil dries (eventually) to a much harder more durable surface. Well, fast forward to today, and my white cabinets have yellowed. Thank you oil paint. This was magnified with the addition of a bright, shiny, white apron front sink. And,,,, I'm sick of the black cabinets. Sick of black, yellowed white, perfect excuse to repaint 

This post only took two days to complete, with all the relearning I had to do about uploading and editing photos from an actual, real camera instead of doing everything from my phone. Hopefully it will not be as long between posts and I'll get the hang of this blogging thing again.The old blog certainly needs a makeover, but good gracious, the thought of that is down right frightening. Maybe when I run out of things to paint around here. Ha ha, like that's going to happen. 

BTW, I found I have a difficult time typing and  not using emojis. Surely that's possible, right? Using emojis from my lapto? I'm finding myself in need of a smiley face.  I'm so un-techy. 

Comments

[Karen Riley]

Oh you're baaack! Boo to the yellowing cabinetry. When we painted ours I went with a Sherwin Williams ProClassic latex. I am satisfied with my results. It leveled very well even though I brush painted them. Can't wait to see what you wind up doing with the cabinets! And now I want an apron sink. 😂 With a house the age of ours, any plumbing projects have the potential to get scary. 😳

[Thimbleanna]

Wow -- has it been 18 months already??? It hardly seems possible! You've been a busy girl -- I love watching all of your fun projects. And I can SOOOO relate to you and the emoji problem -- Instagram and texting have totally ruined my ability to communicate -- like you, I NEEEED those emojis!!!

[grumperina]

It warms my soul to read how happy and healthy you are with your new lungs :) Enjoy life!

[Autum]

Thank you so much! I am so committed to making the very most of this life because it truly is a gift ❤

[Autum]

Thank you Karen. The yellowing really is a bummer. Pluming is never fun to get into, no matter how old the house. We built this house 21 years ago and at the time the pipes they used (quest) were kind of a new thing, supposedly the latest and greatest. We've had all sorts of problems with the connecters spontaneously leaking. 
Best of luck with your renovations! They are looking wonderful. 
XO Autum

[The Helpful Housewife]

Yay! You're back! I have been away from the blogging world for far toooooooo long, and haven't even visited any of my favorites. Yesterday, I came across a note from you in my office. You had sent me some doll clothes for my girls with the purses I ordered from you. So, today I decided to stop over and see what's new! Congratulations on your new life! I am so happy for you. You're so creative, and having your energy and health back is just going to boost it again! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us now that you're back to blogging. I really feel awful about my laziness online, because I have no good reason for it! Welcome back!