tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29434932127506166542024-03-13T18:17:44.671-05:00Pearl CabinThoughts for living small!
A pinch of this and a dab of that!Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-13132498400088115812013-09-01T08:32:00.001-05:002013-09-01T08:39:50.293-05:00BHS Alumni Logo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-94tVpeqeDAg/UiM_L3nIXMI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/ymwc0NY4O6g/s1600/BHS-Alumni--Proof+(2)c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-94tVpeqeDAg/UiM_L3nIXMI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/ymwc0NY4O6g/s400/BHS-Alumni--Proof+(2)c.jpg" width="333" /></a></div>
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As a Graphic Designer, I am sometimes asked to work on a project for the community. I am a graduate of Bentonville High School. The Alumni Association has become less active over the years. A wonderful group of energetic people have began working together to rebuild. I was asked (among other things) to create a new logo for the association. The logo pictured above has been adopted. The new look includes elements of symbolism and and tradition with an updated look. It includes a new tag line that describes the mission of the association.<br />
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PS: I am so happy I only need to draw that tiger once!<br />
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<br />Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-61756805240726837652013-08-12T06:00:00.000-05:002013-08-12T06:00:02.853-05:00Sweet Potato Vine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This pot is home to my early spring salad garden. It also has become a late summer/fall container for more ornamental plants.<br />
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While cleaning the pantry the other day, I discovered a sweet potato that had begun to sprout. It had little bitty vines already forming. I hauled it out to the deck with a little shovel and planted it in the salad garden container. I also stuck the remainder or the onion bulbs in there. Maybe I'll have a late crop of green onions? Within days, the sweet potato started growing. In this picture it had been growing about 10 days. Who knew it would sprout out so quickly? I think I will enjoy its beauty until frost hits. Wonder if I'll harvest sweet potatoes?Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-43589176225767382462013-08-11T13:21:00.000-05:002013-08-11T13:21:45.839-05:00Steamed Eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Steaming has become one of my favorite was to cook eggs. It quick, its easy and tasty!<br />
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I developed this way to cook eggs quite by accident. I was making sunny side eggs one day and let the pan get too hot. I immediately poured a bit of water in the pan to cool it. I saw the steam rise and wondered what would happen if I placed a lid on the pan so I gave it a try. The result was a nicely cooked egg that reminded me of a poached egg.<br />
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The method I have developed starts with spraying the pan with cooking spray. I break eggs into the pan - its really easy to cook multiple eggs at one time utilizing this method. I season the eggs with salt and pepper. When the pan heats, I pour water in the pan until the bottom is covered by about a quarter inch of water. I place a lid on the pan - I prefer a clear lid so I can watch the cooking progress. When the eggs are done, they easily lift out of the pan and onto the plate.<br />
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Add a sliced tomato and piece of perfect toast and you have a delicious meal. Of course, serving with bacon or sausage will be a heartier breakfast. I also use a spicier seasoning when I'm in the mood for some kick. Cook these to a "hard" level and they would easily dice to top a salad. The variations are endless!Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-56546043448742564302013-08-08T15:32:00.001-05:002013-08-08T15:32:52.242-05:00Pillows from Reclaimed Materials<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Need new throw pillows? Look no further than your closet! After I purged clothing that I no longer wear from the closet, I started thinking of ways to recycle them rather than toss them out.<br />
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First, I cut them into pieces for a quilt. I'll let you know how this works out!<br />
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I had a few sweaters which would not be good in a quilt. I started looking around. I had a old red pillow in the couch that doesn't work in my current color scheme. So I covered it - its the green one in the picture. I simply cut the sweater to fit the pillow. I sewed around three sides of the pillow cover making sure to back stitch at each end. I cut diagonally across the corners to ensure a smoother corner when the cover was turned to the right side. I put the pillow inside. If the cover is too large, this is a good time to make it smaller. I closed the fourth side by hand using a blind stitch. I used a double thread so it would be stronger.<br />
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I prepared the cover for the brown pillow as I did for the green one. Since I didn't have another pillow, I stuffed it with all the scraps from the clothes I used for the quilt. I stuffed it fairly solidly so it wouldn't be so lumpy. Again, I closed the fourth side by blind stitching.<br />
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I spent absolutely no money and have two new throw pillows to add to the coziness of my eclectic home!Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-9409643141925700812013-07-29T14:43:00.000-05:002013-07-29T14:43:10.253-05:00Creative Storage that Hides Messy ShelvesMy guest room doubles as my sewing/art/craft area. I have shelves against the far wall that hold supplies for future projects as well as tools. And they look MESSY!<br />
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Santa brought by grandson a new bed a couple of years ago that doesn't require the use of his full size box spring. I had been storing it for her on the bed in that room. When I bought a vintage sofa bed to use in there instead, I still had his box spring. I leaned it against the wall until I could decide what to do with it. My creative eye saw a wall!<br />
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I had some large pieces of drapery fabric so I covered the box spring with it and now I have a temporary wall that can be moved and it hides my stuff! I weighted it down with some heavy objects but it is still rickety. I have no small children in the house so I'm not too concerned. I would recommend that it be anchored to the wall and or floor for more stability. Now I just need one for the other side of the room!<br />
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PS: The painting in the picture is an original. The artist is the mom who adopted me, Pansy Pearl Gastineau. Read her daughter's blog at <a href="http://bkwilliams-catskidsandcrafts.blogspot.com/">http://bkwilliams-catskidsandcrafts.blogspot.com/</a>.Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-992014542025852762013-07-23T06:00:00.000-05:002013-07-23T06:00:05.793-05:00Winslow, Arkansas Train TunnelMy mom's family is from Winslow, Arkansas. It is a very small town in the very southern part of Washington County. I like to go exploring around town a couple of times a year. Yesterday, family and friends did just that! We explored the train tunnel.<div>
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We are nearing the entrance to the tunnel. And can see the light at the other end! The 1726 foot tunnel was completed in 1882 and enlarged to accommodate larger diesel engines in 1969. <br /><br />This information was obtained from the following site: <a href="http://rogersarkansas.com/museum/photo/friscotunnel.asp">http://rogersarkansas.com/museum/photo/friscotunnel.asp</a> .</div>
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A pavilion has been built in downtown Winslow. The original date stone is displayed there with a placard telling about it.</div>
Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-47631720921119419512013-07-22T15:02:00.000-05:002013-07-22T15:02:24.553-05:00Mushroom and Rice Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When it was time for lunch today, I decided to look into the fridge to find ingredients to make something. I immediately saw the box with about four mushrooms and the container of leftover rice. Then I started thinking. How about a mushroom and rice soup with an Asian flair.<br />
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I put a can of beef broth in a pan and brought it to a boil. I sliced the mushrooms and added them to the broth along with a bit of soy sauce. I let this combination simmer a few minutes until the mushroom was cooked. I added the leftover rice and brought it back to a fast simmer to heat it through. I poured the soup into a deep bowl and added a bit of hoison sauce and garlic chile sauce. It was a quick, easy and low calorie, low fat lunch. And oh, so yummy!Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-58142965532717300142013-07-16T06:00:00.000-05:002013-07-15T18:20:19.684-05:00There's a Boy ...My daughter recently redecorated her living and wanted to do a collection of pictures of her son. She loves the slogan that's been floating around that says, "There's a boy who stolen my heart: he calls me Mom." I made her one that fits in an 8"x10" frame.<br />
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I cut a piece of watercolor paper to size. I painted the background yellow with a blue border allowing the paint to mix making green. I then splattered white guache over the entire picture while it was damp allowing it to spread and fade a bit. After it was entirely dry, I printed the words using the inkjet printer. I spatter more guache over the entire piece. She framed the art and it adds a whole new dimension to her arrangement!<br />
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Brenda (<a href="http://bkwilliams-catskidsandcrafts.blogspot.com/">http://bkwilliams-catskidsandcrafts.blogspot.com/</a>) loves pictures of her family and has a whole gallery at home and at her office. I love to surprise her with a little something in the mail occasionally. I painted her a background that's incorporates pink and blue with the yellow. Because she has granddaughters and grandsons who call her Granny, I changed the wording to fit. She should get it on Monday so I'm scheduling this post for Wednesday. Can't wait to hear her squeal!<br />
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<br />Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-73880426735937257612013-07-15T12:44:00.001-05:002013-07-15T12:47:32.263-05:00Chevron Design Side Table<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wanted a nice square table for the corner made by the placement of the sofa and love seat. This 30-inch square kitchen table that I've used for an art table in past just looked ready for a new purpose!<br />
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I began by taking the legs off. I wanted to use the vintage tapered legs to match the style of the decor in the room. I saved them just in case I ever want the table to be tall again! The next step was to attach the brackets and legs to the bottom of the table. They came from another table that was no longer usable. I just love it when I can reuse rather than buy new.<br />
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I flipped it over and painted two coats of very light tan latex paint on the table top. I let it dry completely before moving on the the next step. I found a tutorial on the internet - there are several out there so find one that seems to suit you best. I marked, taped and paint the chevron stripe with a darker tan paint. This paint was leftover wall paint. I let everything dry for a couple of days and finished it off with two coats of clear polyurethane.<br />
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I am so proud of the result!</div>
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Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-89811223656731860832013-07-14T11:38:00.000-05:002013-07-14T11:38:04.593-05:00Love You More!My best friend, Brenda (<a href="http://bkwilliams-catskidsandcrafts.blogspot.com/">http://bkwilliams-catskidsandcrafts.blogspot.com/</a>) and I have always said "I love you" with the response of "I love you more!" My grandson, Logan and I use this phrasing also. Logan just turned eight years old and I got a little creative with his presents. I wanted a special gift tag just for him so I got to thinking.<br />
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Using a scrap of watercolor paper, I drew a heart with a black Sharpie and wrote the words "Love You More" inside the heart. I brushed a nice transparent blue water color over the heart and and bright yellow on the outside of the heart and let the paint bleed together. Once it was dry, I spattered some white guache over the entire piece. I punched a hole in the corner and attached it to the wrapped package with some green rug yarn. The package is wrapped in simple bright green tissue paper.<br />
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Logan loved it! And I noticed his momma was saving it with a few other momentos she will save in his "Memory Box." A tiny scrap of paper and a bit of watercolor along with a few minutes of time has become a memory for life!</div>
Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-42851023751413127812013-07-05T06:00:00.000-05:002013-07-05T06:00:06.165-05:00Table from BBQ Grill and Speaker StandI have two really cute vintage swiveling bar stools and decide they would look lovely in an empty corner in the living room. And they did. But something seemed to be missing and I thought a tall table would be the finishing touch. I started looking around for items I had around the house that could be used.<br />
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I found an old speaker stand and round grate from a BBQ Grill. Perfect! I covered a small wood block with a scrap of fabric using a staple gun. I centered the grate over the side of the block with the staples. The speaker stand had a hole in each corner. I turned it upside down on top of the grate and attached it to the wood block with screws. To keep the grate more stable, I used clips used to attach speaker wire to the baseboard. I positioned them so that the clip fit over the wire grate and nailed them to the wooden block.<br />
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When it was flipped over, I had a small height-adjustable table! It completed the corner perfectly.<br />
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<br />Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-76688880562596664412013-07-04T06:00:00.000-05:002013-07-04T06:00:09.516-05:00Pictures Within a FrameYesterday, I wrote about the coffee table I made from the room dividing screen. I just couldn't let the third panel go to waste. Creativity hit again! The wall above the love seat was blank. Not anymore!<br />
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This panel had the matchstick material coming out so I just removed it all. I painted the framework with the nice rich brown paint. Originally, I hung the panel on the wall empty. It looked like something was missing. I had these pictures hanging in the kitchen. They are original photographs I took during a picnic with my mom, daughter and grandson. Every time I look at them, I remember the special day we had as a four generation family. Now they are hanging inside the framework and are a focal point in the living room. The pictures are all matted and framed identically which keeps the look clean and cohesive.Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-595743685473270442013-07-03T06:00:00.000-05:002013-07-03T06:00:06.889-05:00Re-purposed Items Make a Coffee Table<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I got my new (used) couch and love seat, my coffee table looked puny! I was thinking a large square table would be perfect and scoured high and low through used furniture stores, flea markets and Craigslist looking for the perfect one. I never found it! One day I was sitting on the couch and my eye traveled to the unused three panel room divider screen. The wheels of creativity starting turning. I laid the screen down in front of the furniture and realized two panels made a table that was the perfect size.<br />
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I took the panels apart and sawed off the legs so the table would be rectangular. I measured the panels and the overall size the table would be once assembled. I had vintage tapered legs salvaged from an old table. I took a trip to the home improvement store. I bought the brackets to fasten the legs to the table. The guy at the store helped me select the chip board I needed to turn my panels into a table. He advised me that the chip board was stronger and cheaper than plywood. I gave him the measurements and he cut the chipboard for me. Assembly was so much quicker when the cuts are already made!<br />
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On the bottom side of each panel, I placed one of the smaller rectangles into the the recessed area of the panel under the matchstick material to keep them from dipping down. Then I placed the large rectangle that was cut to the length and width of the finished piece over the panels. I screwed it all together with wood screws. I attached the brackets and legs. Then I painted the bottom and sides of the chipboard a nice rich brown so it would look more finished.<br />
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Once the paint was dry, I flipped it over. I had a perfectly sized table for my space! I put two coats of polyurethane over the top of the matchstick material to make it shed water. I'm so proud of the finished product!Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-68098692351985600102013-07-02T06:00:00.000-05:002013-07-02T06:00:01.073-05:00Vintage Light Fixture RepurposedI found this vintage bathroom light fixture at a yard sale for $1. Most would think it fairly ugly but I found that it would fit into my new quirky design style using repurposed items. I thought it would look great in the living room hanging above a framed magazine ad that I really like. I took the bracket off that connects the fixture to the electric box when the fixture is used traditionally. I disconnected and taped off the electrical outlet built into the fixture.<br />
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Using the remains of the kit is used to hang the vintage light over the dining table, I rewired the fixture so I could plug it into an outlet. (See previous blog entry.) I had plenty of lamp wire with a plug and the on/off switch left from the kit so it was perfect! By notching the lightweight metal base of the fixture, I was able to run the cord through so it would mount flush with the wall. I put two low wattage bulbs in. I love to turn it on when I'm watching a movie - it gives me must enough light to see my way around without creating glare on the tv screen.<br />
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<br />Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-42813635085867317742013-07-01T12:22:00.000-05:002013-07-01T12:22:35.665-05:00Vintage Dining Light FixtureI am turning my house into a home that reflects my quirky side. I found this vintage light fixture at a garage sale for $2 - yes, I know I got a steal! For some reason, the builders placed the box for the light in a really odd spot. The wire and chain were not nearly long enough to center the fixture over the table. I went down to the local home improvement store where they helped me select a kit to rewire the fixture. I think I spent about $10 for the kit. In about an hour or so, the light was rewired and hanging in my dining area. I so love it!<br />
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<br />Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-39400280611054748092013-06-28T06:00:00.000-05:002013-06-28T06:00:04.539-05:00Bike ParkingI have two vintage Schwinn bicycles - one from 1969 and the other from 1976. Currently, I have no garage or shed for storage for them so they have been incorporated into my home decor. Yep, two bikes park in my living room! The other day, I was looking at them and thought I need a way to really make them more like I intend for them to be decorative pieces. The perfect solution - art!<br />
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I realized I had a long, narrow picture frame that I'd picked up for less than a dollar at a yard sale. It had a cardboard backing so I took it out and started working. If it had not had this backing, I would have cut one to fit from a box. I have alphabet cookie cutters that were the perfect size to use as a pattern for the sign. I spaced them out on the cardboard and traced around them. I intentionally varied the spacing and didn't try to keep them on a straight line. I wanted the appearance that the sign was hand painted.<br />
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I painted the letters with white acrylic paint. Again, I did not strive for perfection. So much less stressful this way! After the acrylic paint had dried, I watered down some brown latex paint I had on hand. Using a paper towel, I daubed the watery paint over the entire piece. I used a clean towel to take off some of the paint to ensure a variation of color. After it dried, I decided another coat would be good, so I repeated the process. Once it was completely dry, I slipped it back in the frame and hung it behind the bikes. It's perfect!Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-89701055070019411192013-06-27T06:00:00.000-05:002013-06-27T06:00:06.872-05:00Mom's Telephone ChairI've had my mom's telephone stand for some time. When I lived in the antique house it was perfect. We also had corded phones back then! When I moved to a more modern house, the chair when to the attic. Then it was stored in a shed and an unfinished basement. In other words, it didn't look very pretty anymore! I was way too ashamed to take a before picture.<br />
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I've been decorating my current house in an eclectic style. And wow, my creativity in working in overdrive! I brought the telephone chair down from the attic and cleaned it up. I gave it a coat of nice, dark brown paint. The table part has separated where two boards had been joined. Although the gap didn't bother me entirely, I knew it could look better.<br />
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As my daughter was growing up, we enjoyed jigsaw puzzles. We worked on them together but I must admit, she did the most! I had a small puzzle of a collection of postage stamps that I had picked up at a garage sale for a quarter. I invited my daughter and grandson over and we had a delightful afternoon together assembling the puzzle. Once it was together, we glued it to a piece of poster board. After allowing it to dry thoroughly, I cut it to the size of the table top. It wasn't wide enough to cover the entire top so I centered it and glued it in place. A couple of coats of clear polyurethane will protect it from spills.<br />
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I covered the seat area with a nice soft butter yellow fabric and the transformation is complete. I can't wait for Mom to visit and see her once again beautiful telephone chair!Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-3671576775224100392013-06-26T13:57:00.000-05:002013-06-26T14:04:07.251-05:00Vintage/Retro UniteWhat's the difference between vintage and retro? I'm not really sure how the experts define the words but this is my personal interpretation. I consider vintage to be older but not antique. It would come from the 1950 - 70 time period. On the other hand, retro is something that has been made recently in the vintage style. These are the definitions I will use while writing this entry.<br />
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I have a very small dining space in my home. I was lucky enough to acquire a vintage table that is the perfect size for the space. It has a pale pink top with random think black lines running through it. The walls throughout the house are a nice happy green color. This table really fits not at all! But I love it and its time to make it work. I already owned some retro chairs that work well with the table. As you can see in the before and after picture below, the seats are a stark white.<br />
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I selected a fabric to recover the chairs that had a vintage feel as well as the colors in the room. I left the original black back piece. I found the fabric on clearance at our local Hobby Lobby store and purchased one yard. I highly recommend measuring the seat bottoms before heading out to the store to make sure enough fabric is purchased. For five dollars, a bunch of staples and about an hour of time my chairs have a whole new look! And the dining area looks pulled together.<br />
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I am so pleased with the end result! My small house is becoming a home. My eclectic decorating style allows me to explore my creative, artsy style. My projects certainly are great conversation starters for my guests.Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-82456077190406074172012-07-15T18:05:00.000-05:002012-07-23T08:50:56.385-05:00How Single People Can Use an Extra FreezerThere are people I know that wonder why I, a lady who lives alone, has an extra freezer. I cook more at home than some folks do but food doesn't come packaged for singles or if it does, it costs way more. Recipes make more than one serving.<br />
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Yesterday, I was shopping in our local Wal-Mart store and spotted ground pork in one pound packages for a dollar. Well, its been a long time since I've seen meat that cheap! Being the bargain shopper I try to be, my mind started thinking of ways I could use ground pork. I remembered that there are recipes that call for ground pork and ground beef. Then I figured it would work well in chili and I could make pork cutlets. A recipe for homemade breakfast sausage shouldn't be hard to find. So I loaded up with 8 pounds!<br />
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A quick Google search landed this recipe for sausage on <a href="http://www.cooks.com/">www.cooks.com</a>. <br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">HOMEMADE SAUSAGE WITH
SAGE</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Printed from COOKS.COM</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Read more about it at
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2012 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.
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<span style="color: #351c75;">2 lbs. lean ground pork<br />1 tsp.
salt<br />1/2 tsp. sage<br />1 cumin pepper<br />1/4 tsp. ginger<br />1 bay leaf</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Combine all ingredients in large bowl; mix well, shape
into 12 or 15<br /> patties. Brown for 8 minutes on each side in skillet.<br /> May wrap
patties in foil and broil over charcoal.</span></div>
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I quickly made this recipe and rolled it into some waxed paper and<br />
put in in the freezer. In a couple hours, I will unwrap it, cut it into<br />
sausage patties and store in a freezer bag. When its time to cook<br />
sausage, I'll just need to take out what I need and reclose the bag. <br />
So easy!</div>
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Then I made patties with three more pounds. I put them each<br />
into a sandwich bag, sealed them up and put the bags into a <br />
freezer bag. Now, I can take out the number I need when I need <br />
them. I'm thinking I can grill them in the George Foreman as a <br />
pork steak or bread them and make a chicken fried cutlet. <br />
Who knows, I may come up with more ideas as time passes!</div>
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With the remaining packages, I just divided them and put roughly<br />
a half-pound of meat in a sandwich bag then into the freezer bag.<br />
This is the meat that I will use in recipes. </div>
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That's meats for lots of meals for a mere $8! </div>
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This is a lot of reading for one entry so there will be more at<br />
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I collected the ingredients:<br />
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Head of lettuce - $1.14</div>
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Chunky Blue Cheese Salad Dressing - $1.99</div>
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Bleu Cheese Crumbles - $2.37</div>
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Cherry Tomatoes from my Garden </div>
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Two Strips of Bacon (not pictured) - approximately $0.40</div>
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As you can see, I spent much less than I would have paid for one salad at a casual dining restaurant and will have enough for several salads! </div>
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Time-saving tip - cook the entire package of bacon and freeze. It's ready whenever you need it!</div>
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Because I eat alone, I decided to chop my lettuce. It is easier to eat than cutting the wedge while I'm sitting with a plate on my lap!</div>
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It takes a few minutes to make and oh so good!</div>
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<br /></div>Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-26012502582803615682012-06-10T11:47:00.000-05:002012-07-23T08:51:51.294-05:00Rag RugsI have discovered a new relaxing project! I am crocheting rugs from strips of old sheets. I thought I'd share. <br />
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The first step is to make the "yarn." Currently, I am using old sheets but any cotton or cotton blend woven fabric would work just fine. (Think old clothes.) Keep in mind that woven fabric will tear in a straight line - it is much faster and more even than cutting. I tear off the hems and selvage edges of the sheets and discard. To start the first strip, I cut about and inch down and then start tearing. The width of the strips are about an inch or so - there's no need to be exact so I just eyeball it! I like to tear down the long side of the sheet to get the longest run. Stop tearing about half an inch from the end. Move over and make a cut to start the next strip. This will allow a continuous run rather than needing to connect each strip. If you miss and tear all the way, just tie the ends together and keep going. <br />
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Just keep tearing in this manner until you have a pile! I am tearing outside because this process produces tons of dust! It makes me sneeze so I got some dust masks. Unfortunately, they made me feel like I was breathing extreme heat and were extremely uncomfortable. I seemed to feel better working outdoors. <br />
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Now its time to start rolling the "yarn" into balls. I will usually make two balls from a sheet because trying to do just one makes a ball that is difficult to handle. <br />
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I love working on the deck in the early morning! I have a great view and the birds sing and I can hear the breeze through the trees. <br />
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Now I have my yarn, so it's time to construct the rug. I been doing simple rectangles in a single crochet stitch using a huge plastic hook. I'd tell you the size of the hook but it's not labeled. I cast on 30 stitches to start but you can experiment and make it the size that works best for you. I can barely crochet myself so I'm not thinking I could teach you to do it! Luckily, there are wonderful tutorials on the web as well as great books for folks learning to crochet. <br />
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I just keep working rows until it is the size I want to be. To give you an idea, one sheet makes a rug that is a good size for a doormat or small bathroom rug. I also make round rugs. I often mix different coordinating colors to add interest.Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-10573822278511965502012-05-03T11:50:00.000-05:002012-07-23T08:52:29.208-05:00My Little Touch of RetroToday I have been working in my guest room. My grandson got a new loft bed for Christmas so my daughter asked me to store his box spring. In the interest of saving space - we all know I don't have extra - I put it under the box spring in my guest room. Now the bed is very tall as it has two box springs and a mattress! I really like tall beds. They are easier to make because all that stooping and bending isn't required. I also find it easier to get in at night and out in the morning! <br />
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I wanted to share the look I have created because I really think it's cute! <br />
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The bedspread was crocheted by my mother's loving hands and I have and will cherish is for years to come. She retired for six month one year and I have a collection! This is the one I specifically asked her to make for me. I found the little table at a thrift store for $12 and just had to have it. The lamp came from a garage sale for $2. I'll find the right piece of art to hang above the bed and it'll be even more beautiful.<br />
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It's all ready for a guest!Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-45289031764257222202012-04-16T14:16:00.000-05:002012-07-23T08:52:41.786-05:00Container Salad GardenI so love fresh lettuce and spinach for my salads in the springtime! So this year I decided to plant a little salad garden in a container. I had a large plastic flower pot that I decided to use. Because I wasn't going to plant anything that requires depth for the roots, I decided to tear some newspaper to put in the bottom of the pot for filler to minimize the about of soil I would need. I tore the paper in strips so that it wouldn't impede drainage. I dumped a 40-pound bag of topsoil on top of the torn paper. On one side, I planted spinach and on the other side, lettuce. Deciding to make the most of the space, I planted a few peas around the edge. We'll see how that works out! I water it almost every day if it doesn't rain. About once a week, I add plant food to the water. Today for lunch, I walked out the back door to the deck and harvested the greens for my lunch salad. YUM!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzHTxdoWBsQ/T4xvnxkfeXI/AAAAAAAAARs/KIi7oLRycHA/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzHTxdoWBsQ/T4xvnxkfeXI/AAAAAAAAARs/KIi7oLRycHA/s400/010.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-44977462492962082202012-03-18T14:09:00.000-05:002012-03-18T14:09:55.357-05:00Boots for Attic StairsI recently had attic stairs installed in my house so I could tap into the abundance of potential storage space. After the stairs were installed and cut to length, they weren't as stable as I would have liked them to be. While shopping for a work light to use for lighting, I ran across these wonderful boots! Their original use is to stabilize a ladder. <br />
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</div>They are very stylish! They have little grippers on the bottoms which help hold them to the floor. They also help protect my flooring. And so much safer! This is vinyl flooring that comes in strips like laminate does. It came with the house and I'm amazed at how good it looks. <br />
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I bought 6 sheets of particle board subflooring to use in the attic. It took 24 trips up these stairs to get it up there! The nice people at Lowe's cut each 4'x8' sheet into fourths for me. This made it very manageable for me to haul home in a CR-V as well as get it up the stairs and screwed down. Quite a project! Now I can have organized storage upstairs rather than an huge pile of stuff!Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943493212750616654.post-78222665482824346192012-02-19T18:30:00.000-06:002012-02-19T18:30:10.857-06:00Homemade Dog FoodI have some wonderful frozen boneless skinless chicken breast in my freezer. The problem is that they have been there too long and are beginning to show signs of freezer burn. I couldn't help but think it is a horrible waste to thrown them away. As I was bemoaning the wastefulness of it all, Louise and Joey came padding into the utility room. Then it came to me - dog food!<br />
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I boiled the chicken breasts and set them aside to cool. I added rice to the broth and let it cook. Near the end of the good time, I added some frozen spinach that had turned itself into a nice hard ball. I kinda figured that dogs eat grass to keep themselves regular so the spinach should add a bit of roughage for them. As the rice was cooking I shredded the chicken and added it to the mixture. While I was in the fridge, I noticed the eggs were a couple of days from the expiration date so I stirred three of them into the mixture. <br />
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The result was I had a batch of dog food using ingredients that were still good but not something I would probably eat! I let it cool before letting the dogs sample it. They loved it! I put about 4 days worth of food into a plastic container and refrigerated it. The remainder was scooped into service size containers for the freezer. I can let them thaw in the fridge before serving.<br />
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My plan is to continue serving dry food for one meal and the home cooked food for the other in a day. My dogs seems happy and I have salvaged food that was destined for the landfill!Pat Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051820572535374231noreply@blogger.com1