Little project - creating a collage wall

After I moved the other black and white chair and the quilt rack (why would I need a quilt rack in my office??) from this room, there was a big mostly empty wall. It is directly across from my desk area.  

Why not make a collage wall?  I have lots of little things hanging up in various spaces of the house and frankly, they just looked like clutter to me so I pulled them down and brought them in here. Also I had some things just stored in closets.  Why have those things at all if I don't use them? Time to either get rid of them, or use them.  And if I keep them, I want to see them.

I gathered them all up, laid them out on the floor in a grouping I liked, then hung them up.  Very unscientifically - I ended up with lots of trial and error holes in the walls from mostly tacks, and those were easily patched and painted once I had the "pattern" I liked.

There's still room on the wall if I want to add something.  The lamp will stay in here for now - might add a more comfy chair to read in, haven't decided. The plugged in round thing is the home of my bestie, The Google Lady, ha ha.

I incorporated my degrees, a clock I won on someone's blog, some sweet crafts, a family photo, and that nude line drawing.  Nothing really matches, but it all ties in.  For some reason it looks like I am obsessed with owls!  I like them, and people know that, so I get them as gifts.  But I also want to keep my eye out for landscapes and such.  This will be a curated art wall in progress.

It was a fun way to spend an afternoon!

Gina 

Monday menus #99

I pulled the totes with quilts down from the top shelf of my closet, just to check them and get them ready to set under the Christmas tree for my peeps, and I noticed this small section of quilt block with type print.  Do you see it?

On closer inspection I could tell it was part of the sewing instructions, printed on fabric, for a doll she sewed.  The woman had BAGS and PILES and BOXES of scrap fabric, and that's the piece she used on a quilt?

The funny thing is, I think my sister has that doll.  Mom really had a Cute Self sense of humor - I can see her laughing about this, knowing we would find it someday because we always had to examine her quilts to see which fabrics she chose.  So funny!

Monday - Fried Chicken, peas, sweet potato {Gina off, cleaning house!}

Tuesday - Veggie Marinara over linguini, salad {mow yards, powerwash patio}

Wednesday - Brisket with mixed greens, pickled okra, purple onion {assemble foods for Thanksgiving}

Thursday - Turkey and Biscuits, cranberry sauce, Pumpkin Balls {Gina work 630am - 3pm}

Friday - Day after Thanksgiving Turkey Noodle Soup! {10 am Subaru appt., decorate the house}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

Gina

**I am flipping the script on menus, eating non-traditional breakfast foods in the mornings (sammies, etc.), main meal at lunchtime, cereal at night.  My dietician thinks its a plan that might work for front-loading most of my calories and getting just enough food to keep my tummy happy at the end of the day.  Wish me luck!**

Monday menus #82

 The "evil eye" is not intended to be evil at all - its a talisman to ward off negative energies and curses (nazar).  So in that sense, its a symbol of protection.  While my mother worked and traveled the world, she became so enamored of them that she purchased them as charms for all of us, and also this decoration which hung in her kitchen for over 20 years.

One of them, double sided and framed in gold, hangs on my charm necklace.  

And I have one in silver on a charm bracelet.  Another that I got at a wine tasting featuring Turkish food is on my front door.  I'm not particularly superstitious, but I could use all the good juju I can get!

Monday - kitchen closed

Tuesday - Mexican Style Cobb Salad {doctor's appointment}

Wednesday - Shrimp Quesadillas {buy groceries}

Thursday - Beef Broccoli Lo Mein (save 1/2 for a weekend meal) {payday}

Friday -  take-out (save 1/2 for a weekend meal) {meet with Dietician}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

Gina

Monday menus #76

A couple year ago, a friend suggested these hanging crystals as a way to create tiny rainbows of happiness on the wall.  She said she recommended them as a mood booster. 

At each new season they land in a different part of the room, and whenever I walk into my bedroom and they are spread out over the wall, I pause and smile at them.  And now, I can recommend them, too!

Monday - freezer clean-out surprises because I am off today {catch up on leftover items to do from last week}

Tuesday - Curry Chicken Quinoa Bowl (seasoned chicken breast cubes, sweet potato, green bean, purple onion) {virtual doc appt early a.m., scrub deck today}

Wednesday - Teriyaki Salmon Salad Bowl (salmon, mango, avocado, romaine)

Thursday - Spanish Chicken and Beans with brown rice {seal the deck}

Friday - Mexican Pork for tacos (marinated pork, pico de gallo, monterrey jack cheese), corn off the cob {mow yards}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

Gina

Little project: a lamp for the front room

Most of the things I took home from my mother's house had great sentiment to me.  The value was in the feelings they stirred in me.  Exhibit A: the lamp that is sitting on the antique table she had at her bedside.  I imagine she read under the light of this lamp for hours. 

It was in rough shape.  The shade had to be as old as the lamp itself - mid 60's?  I don't remember it in our house growing up, so maybe it was Jim's.  That shade went into the trash right away - not sorry.

I thought about using it in the front room for this very dark and awkward nook where I always place the Christmas tree.  But I hated this shade, too.  So I decided to buy it a new shade, and give it a spiffing with spray paint.

The original finish.

The base had a lot of discoloration and damage.  Nothing I can't buff up with steel wool before I paint.

For a hot minute I considered a hammered gold finish, but the other lamp in the room is shiny gold.  And I wanted a softer gold, so I went with the Behr metallic gold.  The part that took the longest was taping off her cord and the socket, then buffing out her finish and giving her a good wipe down. But start to finish, I probably spent an hour on it.

Isn't she so pretty now?  I got a matching lampshade to the lamp that was already in this room - $22 at Target.  The paint was $10, but I still have most of the can left.  And lamps like this cost a pretty penny.

She has really lovely lines - very mid-century modern.  In fact, the only thing that doesn't really "go" in this room now is that table.  But it stays.

Its still pretty gloomy in here with only one lamp on and grey skies outside.  But every time I see this lamp now, it will give me a cozy glow, remembering Mom.

Happy Weekend!

Gina

Crafting: handkerchief sachets

I was doing some minor cleaning and purging and came across some pretty hankies that seemed a shame to just store away.  Some were made by my mother and feature embroidery and crochet.  I thought they would make pretty sachets, no sewing involved!

This one was one of my favorites.  Believe it or not, we used to carry these in our purses, my sisters and I.  Such a feminine thing - my mother would tuck them into our stocking or Easter basket.  There's a blue one with matching crochet flowers pressed in my wedding album that I may have to repurpose - it was my "something blue" once upon a time.

I almost ordered lavender buds, then ran across an idea using epsom salt.  Its less expensive, smells great, and you can always use it until the scent weakens, and then just refill with fresh.

They were all clean, so I just pressed them.

Then I scooped about a third of a cup in the center of each hanky and tied them up with some velvet ribbon I had in my stash.

I spent about 20 minutes making several of these and tucked them away in my dresser drawers.  And I guess I could've used a simple square of fabric.  But these have an extra pretty touch with their pretty lacey or decorative edges!

Gina

5 thing Friday - cracker pie, Chinese lunch, new sandals, yardwork, easy summer dinner

 My sweet tooth is out of control.  I read somewhere that sugar cravings are your body's way of feeding your sugar addiction.  Sounds about right.

Nevertheless, I made something called Lime Cracker Pie. Might as well be called Lime Crack Pie.  Sweetened condensed milk,  heavy cream, limes, Ritz crackers.  Every bit as delicious as you think it is.

On my quest to find decent Chinese food that isn't so expensive, I located this place on Burnet Rd. and gave them a try.  Not bad.

But what is it with my fortune cookie fortunes lately?  Seriously.  Please don't leave me any more land to deal with, thanks.  Money will do.

I am IN LOVE with my new summer sandals.

This is also the only brand of work shoes I can wear.

My sister told me today, regarding yardwork: "you should really hire somebody for that s*** and don't put yourself out there, it is just too hot Gina".  

But it only took me two hours to mow, edge, rake, and use the leaf blower on the driveway and patio.  Then I went inside and took a cool shower before going to buy groceries.

I am strong, and capable.  And I feel a great sense of pride knowing I have mastered this task, and others.

However, I did phone it in for dinner by using HEB turkey salad, bakery croissants, fresh melon, and some spicy chips for dinner.  And I might even have had a beer and the rest of that Lime Crack.

Gina

5 thing Friday - new hospital, learning, H Mart, Ted, shrubs

The hospital has an informal thing on Tuesday where you learn to find your way around the hospital.  But in advance of that, I walked around and took note of a few places...

the cafeteria,

and a wide open window space to sit and eat outside of it.

It wraps around the inside of this end of the building, and there are lots of places to sit and eat peacefully - no giant LOUD cafeteria.}

the gift shop - I like the use of glass walls all around

the pharmacy

tiny chapel

It all still looks pretty empty as everyone has not fully moved in.  One week to go!

I've been spending most of the week trying to catch up on all of my education modules.  The one for PALS (Pediatric Advance Life Support) took me far longer than it would have had I been an actual nurse.  Spoiler alert:  XR folk don't have to know or use a fraction of the material covered so it was quite challenging!

For lunch one day we went to an Asian supermarket called H Mart.  So much to look at!  I've been wanting to come here for such a long time.  They had a food court at one end of the space and a grocery store on the other.  Sort of like an Asian Whole Foods Market.  I had sweet garlicky chicken and fries, and may have purchased a few things from the bakery such as the honey cheese mochi pancakes, a sweet garlic cream cheese bun, and a butter danish with Nutella and banana.  I will be going back on one of my future off days.

Ted was here to visit for a little over 24 hours.  He hopped right up into my lap on the second day like "here is where I belong".  Then his mom picked him up and he forgot all about me!

I am excited to learn all of the new equipment and quit working on education modules.  This is our Mini C-Arm.  We will use it for bedside fracture reductions in the ER.  Mini C's save the patient having to go to the traditional OR, since simple fractures can be reduced by ortho techs with the help of an XR tech in the ER with conscious sedation and no overnight stay. We will use this a LOT.

I planted these Ligustrum shrubs back in Spring of '21 and they have survived brutal Texas heat and 2 ice storms.  One evening this week I was sitting out here enjoying the scent their little buds are emitting.  So beautiful!  It was a pain in the neck to remove the shrubs that were already there, with their stubborn roots, buy new shrubs {and they were not cheap}, dig holes, plant, mulch, protect....wonder what Mark would think about it now?  "Good job, honey".

Gina

Empty Nest menu #134

An interesting and beautiful postcard I received last week from China.

Those stamps! 

The sender wrote:

"Greeting from CHINA.

This is strange times.  I hope we can all keep our original heart."

Its my favorite postcard so far from my Postcrossing experience.

Monday - Burger for one with sliced tomato, cheese, purple onion, tater tots

Tuesday - Tilapia, steamed broccoli, Greek-seasoned chickpeas

Wednesday - Lemon Pepper Chicken stir fry with leftover veg and ramen

Thursday - (freezer) Lentil Soup, cheesy French Bread

Friday - Dinner with The Girl after her Lasik procedure

Saturday - TBD

Sunday - (freezer) Mandarin Orange Chicken, rice, snow peas

Strange times, indeed.

Gina

A fun Saturday stopover

Although I feel like I did get a lot done last weekend, I also found time to stop at this cute shop:

You could miss Bertram if you blinked while you drove through, but it really is a charming wide spot in the road, and the people there seem very friendly.  I had been wanting to revisit this shop.

You step inside and it takes you a minute to un-mesmerize yourself so you can explore.

The very friendly co-owner offered me a glass of Spanish Tinto de Roja and some snacks since it was Sip and Shop Saturday.  I had a great time looking at absolutely everything.

The lady who owns the shop also does classes where she teaches stained glass mosaics and fused glass, and she has example of her work all over the shop.  She sells handmade soaps, antique needlework and crochet, jewelry, and tee shirts.

There's a little courtyard in back where her husband has set up a succulent paradise.  Some of them he gets from a nursery, others he propagates.  He also has a beautiful Black Spanish grapevine out here and is learning to make wine.  There was also a thrift shop around the corner where I found two cute summer tops and a Christmas ornament for a whopping $4. I think I will start making Bertram a quick stop when I'm headed to Highlands!

Gina

5 thing Friday - resin art, Spam, craft closet, friend, cooking

 Sweet resin art made by Dutch!

She made all of us one for Christmas - some were clip-on fobs, some were keychains.  My mother always called her crafts "tacky homemades" but I treasure these types of gifts.  Dutch decided not to continue her Etsy shop, so now we are the lucky recipients!

I cleared all of the zombie apocalypse canned foods out of the barn at Highlands and decided to enjoy some Spam and potatoes with a fried egg.  Say what you want about Spam, I like it.  Does that mean I will start buying it regularly? No.

Part of what I love about being at home on weekends is that I get to be creative.  And now I have a storage space that supports that.  Everything is organized and labeled and I could not be more pleased.

There is a sweet cafe in downtown Giddings that my friend Carol and I like to meet up at.  Apparently they are known for pizza?  We always have sammies.

We ate lunch and chatted for a couple of hours.  Then exchanged "New Year's gifts" and decided to meet up again before too long.  Her daughter is getting married in April, so I might see her a couple of times this year.

Slowly, I'm on the road back to myself.

She's been telling me that she's doing more cooking at home, so I gave her some of my tried and true recipes, along with a pullover apron and some other kitchen goodies.  I think I might go get myself one of those aprons as they can be useful for cleaning, crafting, etc.

Which I am SURE I will be doing this weekend!

Gina