This summer was so hot. We spent some time at the pool, took a vacation to Minnesota and spent a little time on the lake. The long hot summer just zapped all the energy out of me and I really just feel like hibernating much like I would do in January in Minnesota. The realization that the season is quickly coming to an end jolted me into deciding I needed to get back on track with projects.
I am a list person. In a new “old” house, you always have a long list of things to do. Things you want to do, things you need to do, and then those things you had to do before that. So many lists. Thankfully I also like to check things off my list. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. So I decided to kick myself into gear and create my own “Get-It-Done” August checklist. It was ambitious. A little too ambitious and I soon realized that I needed to settled on trying to at least finish some things that have just been sitting around for too long as well as add a few new projects to kick start things. Here’s what I finished in the month of August.
I started this quilt in July and just needed to finish it. I wanted a lightweight quilt for my Smith Mountain Lake themed guest room that included some vintage fabrics, old chenille bedding and pops of reds and blues. It’s cozy and fits perfectly on the extra lofty queen bed.
I saw this idea on Pinterest and immediately started to look for the cups and saucers at antique stores. They make cute little planters especially with succulents that don’t require much water, attention or depth.
This hand painted picture window pane fell over during our move and the top three panes for this farm scene broke. I was devastated. I decided to make the top a message center by adding cork. I think it fits in perfectly in my side entrance especially since we live in a neighborhood called “The Farms”.
I curated a blank space on my living room wall. I wanted vintage original artwork and found a few, but need to find a couple of more pieces to complete it. It’s all about the hunt. I love a good antique store or estate sale.
It was quite a challenge finding canning tomatoes this year. I think I waited a bit too long. I found some beautiful Roma tomato’s in Maryland when visiting my son’s family. I canned nine pints of homemade tomato soup and nine pints of stewed tomatoes.
I bought this little table on Marketplace. It needed a paint refresh but I decided to paint the leaf inserts a sage green color to make them stand out a bit more and tie the color in to the rest of the hallway. A candle on a time is a perfect night light in this dark hallway.
I hung pictures in the hall. I’m not sure if these will stay here, but I was tired of them sitting on the floor and they will do fine here for now. Eventually this wall will be wallpapered and painted on the bottom.
I fall-ified the home. I don’t really do much for fall or Halloween but a few cool days and nights inspired me to change to fall wreaths, put out a few faux pumpkins, add some faux leaves in a vase on the fireplace mantel, put out a container of candy corn/peanut mixture and change my candles to fall scented ones.
I covered three white matted frames with a taupe linen fabric that matched our headboard and actually hung them. Such a simple DIY upgrade. I still need to decide on what to put inside them. I will save that for September’s list.
When I bought my comforter set, it came with ruffled edged shabby chic shams (not my style). I took them apart and redesigned them to a more tailored sham with a flanged edge and sage green trim that actually fit my king size shams.
We got tired of removing so many pillows every night so I replaced four pillows with one longer lumbar pillow in a pretty bird print. Just enough.
I feel pretty good about what I finished in August and have already started working on my September list. It will include making pinch pleated drapes for our bedroom. I’ve had the fabric for over a year now and it’s time to get it done!
Hope I inspire you in some way to “get-it-done”.
Denise
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