Piano-before

This is our new piano...well, new to us. I wish I was better at before and after photos but I always seem too anxious to get started that I don't take the time to shoot pictures. It was a typical 1980's oak piano. It was in good shape but I wanted to paint it so it would flow with the rest of my house. I thought...black, cream, green or blue but since I don't play and Emma and Justin do their vote won out. Black. Here is a pic without the tip piece. I started taking it apart and discovered that all the front pieces either lift off or unscrew and ended up with the whole front bare with just the inside keys and mechanisms showing. I also ended up taking off the harp like piece down by the pedals, I thought it looked better without it.

It was very dusty so I took time to clean it and vacuum out the pianos crevices. I found some interesting things inside...most of the things didn't surprise me like a pencil, paperclip, pennies, whole punches and paper. But there were a few things that I thought were funny...a drill bit, hey, how did that get in there? And dry oatmeal??? As in not cooked, I can just see my in-laws a bit younger: one at the piano practicing and the other stirring a bowl of oats getting ready to cook it and spilling as they are looking over the shoulder of the other at the piano...anyway I thought it was funny.
I took each key out and cleaned it and vacuumed under it. Cleaned the dust off the felts and put it back together. It was so fun! I tried to talk Justin into getting a piano hammer to tune it ourselves but he declined and eventually I will call someone. We do have a sticky key I tried to fix but I think I need a new felt and I don't want to take it apart again and get felt and then have it still stick so when it is tuned then we will get the sticky key fixed.

After pictures...next post!

Piano-after

OK!!! Here it is! I sat for a while in the living room after we put it in the living room and just looked at it. (well, it took me a few days to get it back together but then I sat) I love how it turned out. My in-laws graciously gave the piano to us. Justin grew up playing it. I had been looking for one for a while and never found one I liked enough to buy. When they offered this one to us I said no because they live in Washington but then my father-in-law was coming this way to go hunting and he said he would bring it to us.

I am glad I went with the black because it really fits my house. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought. With some sanding blocks, tsp cleaner, spray paint (love spray paint) and some polyurethane I was set. As I started to take a few pieces off the piano I realized that most of the front comes off. Once I got everything off and sanded the painting part was easy. We have a lot of construction around us so the hardest thing was keeping it clean between coats. 3 coats of paint and 3 coats of poly and done.

I made this new book stand which I learned is really called a desk. I am not loving it but for now it is going to stay. The original had some cut outs that looked like a t-shirt and then my husband mentioned that the other cut outs where shaped like duck feet and then I really wasn't sure I could look at the desk the same again, hence the new one. I have another vision that I may try later but for now this one is it.
I have been looking at this fabric for a while now wishing I had a great living room chair to recover...but I don't. I was thinking of using it for my dining chairs as well and I think I still might. I thought it would be perfect on the bench to bring in some more green to my living room and it looks great! It is a great shade of green but you can't tell in the picture.

On the original there was a harp looking piece with gold rods running through it down by the pedals that I took off. I thought it looked too 80's and I wanted to bring the piano into 2011's. Now it is just a flat piece that looks cleaner.

Some new vinyl signs...

Got to

www.sayings4life.blogspot.com

if you want to order just send me an e-mail.

Routine...

So school has started and all is good. The boys are going to a brand new school this year that is just down our street at the bottom it out hill. They ride their bikes so in the morning it is a quick trip but at the end of the day when they are tired the uphill ride is a little harder. As soon as the snow comes I will drive them but for now they don't complain. They seem to be enjoying their teachers and classmates. The only complaint is the assigned seating at lunch. This year they have a before lunch recess instead of an after lunch recess which is great, why didn't anyone think of this before. You see with the after lunch recess all the kids eat three bites of lunch and throw the rest away so they can play. This way they are a little worn out and sit and eat all their lunch. My boys have even asked for an extra sandwich at times. Emma is in her last year in Junior High and she loves it. It is all about the socialization at this age. She isn't the biggest fan if homework but she doesn't it without complaint. She is in a peer-tutor class where she assist Autistic and mentally handicapped children and I think it is her favorite class. She loves interacting with the kids. She is growing up so fast and before I blink I am sure she will be dating and driving and worrying me to death. As for me, I am enjoying the quiet...noise makes me so anxious! I am working Monday afternoons and Thursday and Friday nights. I am hoping to pick up more days or find another part-time something for days. I have done a little sewing but not as much as I have liked. You would think my house would be spotless but it isn't. I am working on some new vinyl lettering signs to advertise for the holidays...one is so awesome I am hoping it will get me some Christmas money with the holiday orders. Other than all these things are lives are pretty normal...for now.

Alexism...

Well, I can't wait for Alex to grow up just to see what he will be like...

Alex: Mom, when are we going to move again?

Mom: Never!

Alex: Well, that's bad news!

Mom: Why?

Alex: Because I always wanted to live in Hollywood!

TOO FUNNY!

Random stuff...

Here is the quilt I made for a friend. It is one of my favorites...I know I always say that but this one really is. I told Justin today that I want to make another one like this and hang it in my upstairs hallway...that you can see from the front door...I have been thinking of something to put there and a quilt seems perfect. We will see. I am out of fabric at the moment but maybe in August I can get some and start another one.

Here is a picture of the blessing dress I made for my niece. It wasn't quite finished in the picture and I didn't take my camera to the blessing to get one of her in it but it turned out so cute. I finished the band with a flower and made a headband with a flower to match. She is a cute little one and has a one of a kind dress to keep forever.

This month Alex went to Scout day camp and Justin got to go with him. He had a great time and got do do some fun things. He is such a handsome boy and he just might sail right past Dylan in the height department this year.


Well the boys played city baseball and made it to the State Tournament. Unfortunately they didn't go very far. Their season this year started out rough. They only had a few returning players and several who had never played. I think we lost the first 4 or 5 games and then made a great comeback that took us to State. We won the first game of the Tournament and then the second game was a big bummer...the pitcher on the other team kept hitting our boys and really shook them. Dylan got hit in the elbow of his pitching arm and still has a pretty good sized bruise. So we lost that game and the one that followed putting us out of the Tournament. We are so proud of the boys anyway. They had so much fun and by the end of the season have made so much improvement that next season should be a great one. Way to go Dylan and Alex!!!

More sewing...it's an illness!

So with the scraps I had from the first quilt I made I made this one...so I has to pick up a little more fabric in the end but it was worth it! I couldn't decide what to do with this one so I washed it a few times and it now has a home on my couch. I love the bright cheerful colors! It makes me feel good just looking at it.

Here is the whole thing. It is so much better in person!

This one I made for a nephew that is getting married in a few weeks. I loved the fabric and just had to have it. I was going to keep this one for my bed but soon realized I didn't have time to find something new to make so...this one goes to Remington and Megan who will be married in August. I hope they love it as much as I do. The lady who machine quilts for me was loving it too and even asked me to explain how I pieced it. She said I did a good job which was a compliment seeing as she quilts 20-30 quilts a week. I have learned a few things from her as well. I even told her if she ever needed another hired hand to give me a call.

I made this one extra big...I wasn't really thinking about how big it would become, I only wanted to have an odd number of stripes so I had to add an extra one to make it the same design on both ends. It isn't quite a king but it would fit one. Next time I will cut the pendants down just a bit. I really love this one so much I really am thinking of making one for my bed. this fabric also comes in a orange, brown, blue combo that is beautiful.
With the left overs from this one I made another one that is being quilted. When I get it back and bind it I will post the pics. I made it for a friend I have been thinking about lately...what better comfort than a quilt, good book and maybe some chocolate!