Redecorating with ASCP

Feeling inspired after the Roses & Rust Vintage show a couple of weekends ago,
I've spend the better part of the past 2 weeks giving a face lift to some pieces in my home. 

I've kept cookbooks in this cabinet forever, so it seems.
It began years ago as a very simple pine cabinet, (which I had painted with a red stain). 

I painted over the stained cabinet with Old White ASCP,  then after some sanding, went over it with clear wax on the cabinet base, and used dark wax on the doors. 

As a final touch I buffed it with very fine steel wool for a glossy and smooth finish. 

I'm not really sure 'the book' says to do it this way, but it worked for me. 

 Using the same Old White ASCP I used on the cookbook cabinet,
I painted over what used to be an aquarium table.  

After the painting, I added a coat of clear, then dark wax, then did some sanding.

 I'm looking for something to cover the open top it has, but haven't decided what it is I want to use. 

For now it is just open, and I'm in the process of  figuring out how/what to decorate it. 

The final project was a pine hutch I've had for, well who knows how long. 

I stained it some dark color many years ago, but decided to brighten it up using 

Emperor's Silk ASCP, then finished it up with some light sanding, and a cover of clear wax. 

You know it's amazing what a little paint can do.  

Watching the transformation is so exciting. 

While I will admit some find the price of the ASCP expensive, about $40.00 per QUART,

it goes a very long way, and is super easy to work with.
Come on really...If I can do it...anyone can!

It's just about time to start getting the vegetable garden planted. Spring certainly has arrived early this year,
and Summer is soon to follow.

Yesterday the winds outside were terrible.
Let's hope for just a gentle breeze today.
I'm cleaning and scrubbing inside this morning, then working out in the gardens this afternoon. 

Have a lovely day. 

The Girasole Lady

The Good Stuff

We have been incredibly busy these past few weeks. 

The good stuff around Girasole Farm...

Tomato seeds and Sunflower seeds have been started and growing well in the green house. 

 A few weeks ago Caveman built a couple of planters for me out of an old 55 gallon drum that we had hanging around, and yesterday I planted seeds in them.

 I planted Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, and Oregano, along with Carrots and Radishes. 

 When we added trees to the Orchard, I got some Blueberry bushes too.

Eventually they will be planted out in the orchard as well, but for now I will keep them in a container until they are a little bigger. 

They even have some small blooms.

The Summer garden area has been plowed up

The soil will need to be worked up a few more times and some compost/mulch added before planting time. 

The field is green and has been mowed. 

Soon enough it will be brown from the Summer heat. 

 The Peonies are happy, and doing exceptionally well this year. 

 and one more thing, something you probably wouldn't expect me to post a picture of....

 Caveman has been working on this Shelby Cobra car for about 3 years, and finally it is completed. 

He is waiting for a CHP inspection and then file the DMV paperwork. 

He built it from scratch! It was a kit car from Factory Five. 

I'm excited too, and looking forward to a road trip together. 

I also had the pleasure of having my Cousin Candy, and Cousin Aletha,  each come for a visit. 
It was fun having family here with us, and we had a wonderful time. 

The sun has continued to shine for us, although the few days Candy was here we did have some rain. 
During her visit we took a trip into town and had a visit at 
Mary's Store. 

That about sums it up for now. 

On Saturday Beth and I are heading to the High Hand Nursery in Loomis for a class on irrigation. 


Enjoy the good stuff.

 The Girasole Lady

Unmotivated

                                      I wish I could say that I was productive this past week. 

I'm not really sure why, but for the better part of the week I was totally unmotivated. 

I had plenty of time, and opportunity, to get busy.

I just didn't. 

I managed to pin together the strips for the the quilt I am working on,

and that's about all I got done. 

I failed at having early dinners, except for two of the days.

I hardly even cooked at all this week.

I am pretty sure caveman was disappointed, even though he doesn't say so. 

I spent November and December gathering up new hopes, anticipation, making Holiday plans,  

being surrounded by my family and friends. 

Moving from the lights and glitter of Christmas into the January bitterness of Winter,

the cold, and barren landscape. 

Left over corn in the garden that never got the attention it needed after the gardening season. 

Freezing temperatures....

this hose normally keeps a slow drip,

but this morning was frozen solid. 

I have a Susan Branch calendar hanging in my kitchen. 

I've had her calendars hanging in my kitchen for as long as I can remember. 

They just make me feel good.

'Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth,

for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:

it is the time for home'

-Edith Sitwell

The Girasole Lady

Home

Girasole Farm Home
Thanksgiving 2012

The Girasole Lady

Cleaning Turned To Painting

Monday I decided to give my Living room a long overdue deep cleaning. You know the type of cleaning where you actually remove the cushions off the couch and chairs, and clean and vacumn underneath them. It doesn't happen very often, sad to say, but true. In the midst of my living room being torn apart, and the clutter from the living room piled all over the kitchen table, waiting to be put back where it all belonged, I decided to paint the play table in the living room I have for the Granbabies.

It's a simple pine table my youngest daughter, Beth, made in wood shop while she was in high school. It's plain pine, no stain coloring on it, just a clear coat. It had been stashed away, who knows where, until Laci was old enough that she needed a table to sit at when using color crayons. Over the last year or so Laci has managed to color all over the top of it with crayons and markers.

Honestly, the poor table just needed a good dose of TLC, and apparently right then and there, that very second,  seemed like a perfectly fine time to go ahead and just start a painting project. No- I did NOT finish the living room cleaning project before I started on the table!


Does any one else do this kind of thing, where right in the middle of an already disastrous mess, just burst out with a paint brush because you can't take it a minute longer? Really, please don't make me feel alone here. 


Well, I do, and it went something like this...

I  finished cleaning the living room right after I finished the table. 

And that's all I have to say about that. 

The Girasole Lady 

November 29th: Come Sit By My Fire

"If you are a dreamer, come in.

If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,

A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . .

If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire.

For we have some flax golden tales to spin.

Come in! Come in!"

~ Shel Silverstein

I worked on aprons again today, well I should say apron as in singular.

grrr... I spent the majority of the day fussing over a ruffle that I ripped out, re-attached, ripped out and re-attached more times than I care to admit. Finally- I got it right. I will finish it up tomorrow by making the waistband. I promise to have a picture to share tomorrow.

The fog lingered all day here, except for the 20 minutes late in the afternoon where we had a lighter shade of gray. It was cold and damp all day. This morning when I went out to the barn for feeding it was so wet from the fog it felt like a drizzling rain. Kristina came out late this afternoon and we worked together with the horses. I cleaned stalls and she exercised the horses in the arena. After being inside all day it felt good to be outside, even in the fog. I appreciated the fire all the more when I came inside from the cold.

I love having a wood burning stove. It's the only source of heat we use to heat our home. We have a wall heater that was used for the first winter we lived here, it hasn't been turned on since we installed our wood stove. We had the same model stove in our old home we lived in, before building this home. I'm not a fan of central heating, nor is my pocketbook.

I'm so thankful I no longer have to drive to work in the fog. I hated the 30 mile drive in practically zero visibility.

I hope you are warm and snug in your home.

The Girasole Lady

Finished Projects

Saturday brought FOG.

Sunday brought RAIN.

Being stuck inside for yet another weekend, I decided to finish some long over due indoor projects.

Every now and then I have projects that get started and take very long periods of time (if ever) to reach completion. 

 I bought these frames at a sidewalk sale last year at Mary Lake Thompson   
Soon afterwards I bought masonite boards and painted them with chalkboard paint. The painted boards sat in my craft room next to the frames for months. Today I put them together and finished them. Yay! Done.

 Two, possibly three years ago, Beth brought me these prints from New York. Beautiful pictures of Central Park, taken at the same location in the park, one in Winter and the other in Fall. They too, have been in my craft room all this time collecting dust. Finally, I went to Aaron Brothers and bought frames. Yay-framed and hung. Done!

I had been wanting a new quilt for my bed. I would much rather have made a quilt myself, for the mean time this will do. I love this bed. It belonged to my Grand Parents when they were "newlyweds" (early 1900's). It is double bed size and can sometimes be a challenge, but mostly just "cozy".

This table belonged to my Grammy. I cannot tell you how many times we shared  loving conversations, tea and a snack at this table. I love it even more because she wanted me to have it in my home. I often sit with my tea and think of all the good times we shared sitting at this table together.

The Girasole Lady

p.s. It appears I am not very good at taking indoor pictures.

Where my heart is

This week I was reluctant and heavy hearted to return to the office.

But not before baking a lemon pie.

(Yes-I bake from scratch. Just in case anyone is wondering)

 Someday...I will stay where my heart is.

The Girasole Lady