My *Rockin* Chair

Kat brought an extra rocking chair with her from VA, all sanded and prepped and ready to be an amazing inspiration. And she offered it to *me*! The chair was a welcome horizontal space on our porch (along with the other rockin’ chair from the beginnings of Mary‘s motherhood journey). I’ve no *before* pictures, so you’ll have to imagine a plain wooden chair… until I decided to work some majik! I don’t consider it a *completed* project, there are still tweaks I’d like to do (one spindle and two rockers unadorned)… and I’m considering what else to do to the seat, to calm it down a bit… though I’m loathe to cover up this lovely in the corner.I used mostly acrylic paints (purchased at our buy art supplies cheap during the back to school sales spree)Then I just had to add some collage art, to make it more me… (this image, on the back of the chair, is from last year’s We’moon calendar)And these are from Mary’s stamp collection (saved in my paper-scrap-bag since my first visit to Corvallis!!) and they’re just above the collective women picture, on the back. Of course, I had to use my favorite medium of all – decorated kleenex facial tissues, and yeah, some of them are from my first visit to Corvallis, too ♥ (and why yes, I did put just a bit of the tie-dye napkin on the chair, it’s like the “where’s Waldo?” of the throne!)I bought the can of clear sealant yesterday, so I must be instinctively close to completion…

Taggin’ Hayden Style

Hayden LOVES to spraypaint. He’d like to cover his world in spraypaint (take that Sherwin Williams :Þ) Which is why his now-gold scooter didn’t stay silver very long! This cigar box came from Saylor and had already been lovingly spraypainted Red a few months ago… throw in the idea (thanks Chance!!) of stencils (SO glad to have a Michael’s in town!) and viola! an old project becomes new.And PIE becomes a new obsession (Olivia?!)Pie, Pie, Pie, Pie (methinks I’ve too much Monty Python on the ol’ brain!)
Hayden joyfully models the PIE sock for me.
Our straight-from-Iowa wood chunk sacred log became the recipient of the PIE tagThen, he branched out and made a CHILI stencil, so another part of the log saysWhich only led me to sing “Chili Pie, honey bunch, you know I love you….” Okay, now that I’ve infected you all with that song, I’ve done my good deed today ♥

A New Home for the Luv Machine

When we inherited the Luv Machine from the in-laws, the initial thought was safe travel to Oregon and quick sale for some easy cash upon arrival… a whole year later and we’re sad to see her go! After a few inquiries from our Craigslist ad that didn’t pan out, I talked with a cook at Sunnyside and suddenly realized he would be the perfect appreciator of said Machine ♥ So in preparation for her new home and her new family, Hayden and I decided to give her one last spitshine! Yes, he is King of the World, the Van Roof Scrubbin World! He had *so* much fun being on the roof, the rain gutters are cleaner than they’ve been in at least 20 years!! One last view of the Iowa license plate (on which Hayden sliced his toe, bandaged it, and went right back to scrubbin!)Even the well-worn running boards are shiny and purty!At no extra charge, I’ve left the coolest bumperstickers on the backAnd a sign that maybe we did take the Luv Machine for granted and neglected her for too long… (yes, a terrible picture of bullet holes!)This morning I gathered up Steve and Gwen and viola! the Luv Machine is an official Oregonian ♥ Hayden has offered them free Luv Machine washes for as long as they keep her. I know they truly appreciate her and will luv her as much as she’s been loved these long 30 years of her existence!

Just another Sunday Night at Home…

I bring you Backyard Apple Bobbing.

Not to be confused with Extreme Apple Bobbing, which involves sharks.
Which we don’t yet own. Thankfully.

Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire

I knew my day was off to a good start when Hayden requested Sunnyside Up on our way to the Faire! He needed a big ol’ protein fix and I needed a soy mocha ♥ It’s the world’s greatest win/win/win situation!

We got to sit in the morning sunlight and anticipate our day of and in costume. We talked of abundance. Of the ease in which we created our outfits for the day. Of stocks and big swings. Of orbs and minstrels. Of knights and champions. Of swords and breadbowls. The excited talk continued through the beautiful 15 miles of Oregon we got to drive through to get to Her Majesty’s English countryside……complete with coconut shells! (and icecream?)We had a traditional Elephant Ear. It was non-traditionally awful. The farm boy sure looks good serving it, though! Ah, there’s a new dagger on his belt. We settled down on the haybales for the noon-time tournament. Our announcer was not Chaucer, and yet could excite the crowds well.
See that shade on the hill? That’s the only shade in the place. For Oregon standards, it was hot and dry and waaaay too sunny. (When I reread this in 6 weeks, will I be grateful for the lack of hot and sunny?) I did get me a pretty paper parasol & I did make the hike up the hill to rest with Hayden before we left. Here was the champion for our section. We got the young cute guy. He didn’t win. Most of us didn’t care! When I wasn’t gawking admiring our good knight, I noticed the Barbarian and his woman and the green guy and then I put away my phone and didn’t take another picture…
There are pictures in the future of Hayden’s beautiful new cloak, the curved wooden sword, mama’s hair net, leather hair holder, the small leather pouch & something known as a nipple pick. Not to mention tales of his after-party adventures with Talis ♥
I know it was an abundant experience when Hayden joyfully comes home with cash in his pocket and feeling like he was able to purchase exactly what he wanted and he feels his birth was well celebrated.

And Charlie Scored, too!

We’ve been on the look out for a big kennel for Charlie. He’s got some mighty big Separation Anxiety issues (like chomping the door trim and knob, like jumping out the screen and then throwing himself at the back gate until it opens, like that). And we’d like to go bowling and not worry about the dog while we’re gone. More importantly, we’d like him to to worry about us while we’re gone. I put a wanted ad on Craigslist and one on our local recycling-your-stuff list. And I waited. Then I thought I should look at the for sale ads. This beauty here was $20 and it was in our happy little living room (it’s bigger than the TV!) within 12 hours! He was in it and we were dog-free at the skateshop just a few hours later.
I think the authentic Return of the Jedi blankey is a great comfort. I know he was calm for a little while, he snarfed the extra bone treats I hid in the corners. He won’t chomp bones unless he’s calm and chillin. What a great den for plotting, planning and practicing the doggie version of no-mind meditation. I think I want one of these for me… ♥

Mmmmm Macaroons!

They came out especially lovely the other day…

Birthday Wheels

Today Hayden took the plunge. His first purchase at the local skate shop. New wheels and bearings for his existing deck. $50 is a serious financial commitment. There was incredible consideration involved. Big comparative discussions. Several visits to the store. Minimal stress and fuss. He knew the steps he needed to take to eventually build the board of his dreams. Wheels are a great place to begin. I learned a lot today.
First the old wheels come off. Then the new, pretty red ones go onAnd we admire the incredible spinThere’s a test run in the drivewayAnd another at the skatepark, if only momentarilyAnother bonus, new products=new stickers!

Our Staycation

Tomorrow we shall venture out to the local Renaissance Festival ♥ Hayden’s been to the local Faire in Sioux Falls and was anxious to attend this one in costume. At the friendly neighborhood non-corporate thrift store, we found an old lady dress in the perfect fabric and shape (I removed the shoulder pads, the polyester lining and the elastic from the waist) $3.The leather purse was also $3, and is now free of all metal hardware and zippers & the strap; it’s now worn on a belt, a $1.50 belt.We found way-too-big leather shoes, another $3. We already had the Ginsu Knife. Oh yeah, just like the infomercials! The Amish hat fits perfectly with the ensemble!

Meeting Obama

…his flat self, anyway. Hayden wants him to know that all the world’s social problems can be solved via a rousing game of Duck Duck Goose (or Grey Duck if you’re me)hmmmmm I first met Ren first as Flat Ren, too…