Didn't Quite Work

Well--maybe I am moving ahead somewhat. I at least got the pictures that I wanted posted but no luck with writing the text. Also seems like a lot of back & forth, searching & hunting for each picture. This is what happened when I tried what Sarah told me--load pics first and click to right of top picture, press return to type above. Well when I pressed return it posted. Tried to edit and did not get any where with that. Readers, you will just have to bear with me while I try to learn.
Now I'm tired and want to get off this computer. Maybe tomorrow I will post details about the tea party and then again -- maybe not. We will see.

Tea Party

Mad & Frustrated

Damn!! This posting pictures is not going well. My problems and frustrations are as follows:
-I keep forgetting to click "add another image" when I want to do more than one.
-Can hardly see my pictures in the file--too small. When I make them bigger then I scroll down and it seems that I haven't clicked anything and before I know it picture had been uploaded. It is like it has a mind of its own sometimes. Thus the duplication of pictures
-I want my pictures to appear at end of blog not at the beginning. Don't have a clue how to do that. I thought maybe if the curser was where I want the picture that is where it would appear--NOT.
I envy and covet the computer skills many of you have.

More Pictures

Well posting those pictures in the previous post didn't work quite like I wanted it to. I am going to try again.

The Kitchen

Many of you heard about revamping the kitchen. It is done and has been for about a month. I am posting pictures of the done project.

The before kitchen had dated wallpaper all over. It was a struggle to get that off. As I pulled, steamed, & ripped I realized that there was something that I still liked about that wallpaper. It was cheerful. But I was feeling the need to update and that did have to come off.

My goal for the kitchen was to have it very clean and simple. Only enough stuff to give it my personality.

The before kitchen had a warped and stained laminated counter top. There was no back splash-only the wall paper which was curling very badly behind the sink.

Picked out the counter top the first thing. Now remember I wanted simple and plain--nothing busy. Found a granite composite which fit the bill. It was white with a very tiny fleck. Then of course, one thing leads to another. Next it was a new sink, then might as well do a new faucet too.

If you remember the backsplash was a struggle. I had a very hard time picking that out. After about 15 visits to the tile shop and bringing home many samples--it was chosen. Then it was somewhat of a problem to get workman here to get in installed. It was 2-3 weeks of waiting and then another 2 weeks to get the grout on.

I ahd forgotten the what kind of shape the walls were in underneath the wallpaper. I was thinking that we would be able to do the repair work on the walls before we painted but the more paper that came off I knew it was out of our league. Now we had to hire someone to skim coat the walls. Then we had to prime and then paint.

Fabric was bought, curtains were made and some (not all) stuff was put back on the walls and counters.

Now to try to get pictures on this blog of the final product.

Another Try

On the Wedding Wagon

Sinead & Dan

Tried to post more pictures in the blog about the wedding but it would not let me do it. Going to give this another try.

I see what I did wrong. I didn't click "add another image."

Now there must be a way to put the pictures in a different place on the blog? Like if I wanted to put them in the middle of my post or the end. Anybody know how to do that?

Where Do I Want To Start???

Paul (Sinead's dad) walking her down the aisle

Will start with renditions of the wedding--Sinead Barry (Gemma's daughter) started planning her wedding. I got the idea that Gemma & I could be in charge of decorating the tables for the outdoor reception. Checked with bride and she thought that would be a good thing. Sinead secretly told me that she wanted her mom to be involved somehow but was not quite sure how so she was grateful for the offer. Date for the wedding - July 3rd.

Now one thing was that this was to be done on a tight budget. Good!! I like the challenge and to be very frank I have a hard time spending money on things that I know could be done cheaper.

First idea--pretty white hydrangeas in borrowed vases surrounded by borrowed votive candles. I knew my bush would be blooming as well as neighbors. This was nixed by the bride. She said "too white." She wanted color. She wanted orange & black. ORANGE & BLACK!! Yuck. OK--not my wedding. Now back to the drawing board. How can we do orange & black?? To make a long story short we gathered tiger lilies and other small white flowers from the ditch. Took the borrowed cylinder vases that were graduated sizes-grouped 3 together-colored the water orange-put in the lilies, white flowers and some fern and this all went on a black mat. We were going to put a black ribbon around all 3 vases but because of lack of time that was not done. The votive candles were placed around as well as quotes about love & marriage matted on black paper with an orange ribbon on top. We had borrowed tulle as well as big puffs. The head table was draped with the tulle with little white lights and big puffs of tulle were fastened at each of the places where the drapes were brought up. Some artificial tiger lilies were also placed among the tulle to add color. Cake table was covered with one of my antique, lace edged table cloths and tulle was draped around. We had to do all of this the morning of the wedding.

We got to the reception yard and only a few of the tables and chairs were set up. We scrambled to get the others set up. Mom was placed at a table to start arranging the flowers in the vases. Gemma, Vickie & Al (couple whose yard it was) Mom and I were the only ones there to do all of this. At least the tents were up. We were hustling.

Back to another idea I had. Bride has 2 adorable girls ages 8 & 5 (as well as 14 yr. old Shaun). Groom has 1 adorable 5 yr. old girl and 3 yr. old boy. Why not let the little girls pass out favors to the guests. Favors would be chocolate chip cookies in cellophane bag tied with ribbon and tag that says "Thank you for coming." So Mom baked cookies the 2 weeks before. 2 days before Gemma, Mary Beth, Mom & I (Denny came over to visit) bagged & tied the cookies. We had decorated baskets for them to carry the cookies.

Another idea- (I was driving Gemma crazy) Why not make the Patty Wagon into the Wedding Wagon. So Gemma & I decorated it but they had to all be taken off to transport it and then put back on again once there.

Wedding started at 5:00 and it was over in Minneapolis. We got home at 3:30. Quickly showered, dressed and were on our way. Church was gorgeous. I loved this wedding. Everything was so elegant and tasteful and it was done on such a budget. Sinead was absolutely gorgeous and I am not kidding. Her dress was bought on Craigs list.

Everything went well. Patty Wagon--no Wedding Wagon was a big hit.

Blogging

This was written last week and I am only posting it now. Just so there is no confusion.

Why haven't I blogged lately?? I have asked myself this question. Answers I cam up with:
-Did not want to take the time.
-Need my creative juices to flow and that hasn't been happening.
-Just not in the mood.
-What makes me think that people want to know about my world? Someone said they thought something like blogs were very narcissistic and egotistical. There may be something to this. But then again if people do not want to know then it is very simple. Just don't go into the website. I very much like hearing about everybody else and what is going on in their lives and I do not consider it narcissistic and egotistical on their part.
-I need quiet where I can think about what I want to say and I do not like to be pressured by people (husband) to hurry up so he can use the computer.

OK--with all of that said I am going to attempt to put down what has been going on. The mood has struck me. I am in a quiet place (Gloria & Jim's cabin--Gloria is getting showered and dressed. The guys left for the golf course.) The day is glorious--sun shining, lake calm and glistening, birds are twittering and singing, squirrels chasing each other and we all have full tummies from a wonderful breakfast that Gloria made. Dishes are washed, dried and put away. Lots of good natured teasing was done between Jim and me. Gloria and Pudge had a wicked game of cribbage which the 2 of them seem to enjoy very much. It is probably their 50th game that they have played this week. Yup-right now life is good.

Now Gloria and I are off to check out some shops. To be continued..... (hopefully soon)