start a few more projects

More projects got started today; the corner cabinet got a good scrub and once dry a couple coats of blue paint added.

The internet repair man showed up around 1:30 and redirected to a new tower, lets see if that works. While he did his work I came in and started painting the moulded pieces and added texture. He was done in about an hour and off.

Back to cabinet in the garage finishing up to come in and watch Ellen and put the light grey coat of paint on the projects and have an early supper.

Then back out to add another layer of color to the cabinet.

garage cleaning

I continued cleaning and purging in the garage today. The piles to go to take it or leave it, trash and put elsewhere is impressive. Lots of sweeping and washing and sorting and things are looking really tidy.

It was so nice and sunny and plus 3 I had to venture out to put stuff away in the shop, horse shed, compost bin etc and refilled the salt/mineral tub. Man it is a chore trudging through that deep heavy snow, can't imagine Lola and the horses in it every day.

I came in to catch Ellen at 3, perfect time to paint the men's valet I had wiped clean. I went with the popular dark grey called ash. A great neutral color for mass appeal. By nights end it was painted, distressed and waxed.

I also worked on the caulking projects; the wood candle holder as well as a glass vase.

Then it was back to some computer work, I wrote a shelf blog post too. Then Netflix.

another sale.. doing a happy dance

Uneventful day to start, prince relaxed before heading north. I worked on household chores; while changing sheets I found a new feather pillow seam opened so had to stuff down back in and hand stitch. Moving onto the duvet that had a few wear areas where down was escaping but not amble to be stitched. Thank goodness I have so much craft/sewing supplies I found exact color material and stitch witchery and using my new iron melted the holes closed!

A lady had messaged about the pink dresser yesterday but was talking over with husband so did not think much about it. Today another gal messaged offering lower and I said sorry already on sale but I would give her the same even lower price I gave the lady yesterday, she said she would think about it. again I carried on with my chores and accounting.

Sheldon was off just after 2 to make the journey north when a 3 lady messaged asking if I took offers. She offered the same price I gave both other ladies and I said sure. The 2nd lady then messaged she would like it and send $$ and pick up Friday. HOWEVER #3 came back in a bit saying papa has a $200/grand child limit at the same time lady #1 messaged to ask if still available... WHAT! This dresser sat for 3 months and power of intention always brings 3 at once. I told #1 that until I had a deposit or it out the door it was for sale... she sent the $$ right away and will pick up Saturday :)

I was then off to the garage where I started a big purge. The entire storage cabinet was taken out and cleaned and put back. The tool cabinet too. I found a few things I forgot I had ;) Lots got done but lots yet to do, time to come in shower and remake the bed now all the laundry was washed. AHHH such a great feeling to crawl into fresh sheets after a nice warm shower... and catch up on some Netflix.

stuck again

Another lovely day today, it hung around zero all day but nice and sunny. A fairly lazy day for the prince and his big comfy chair. I did roust him to help me hang the large picture in the TV room in the afternoon.

This morning I also had a lady inquire about private paint classes, we set up a lesson for this Saturday! I repainted the burnt orange shelf that has never sold a soft new color I have yet to use called Algonquin. Dark wax and it was good to go.. what do you think? better? Guess we will see if it sells.

Eventually he did head out to roll out a bale but it seems he was stuck. There is a pattern this week ;)  He came back to rest a bit then took up my suggestion of the tractor. Sure enough it started for the first time this winter like a darn and he had the skid steer unstuck in no time.

The internet had issues cutting out lots today and of course I had to waste my time with tech support. Eventually it was narrowed down to the modem and if happens again they may have to replace it.. uh yes please, everything else is new ;)

I made a home made aioli dip to go with suppers sweet potato fries and chicken wings, SOOO YUM.

above temps

I was awake at 8 running thru ideas for the blog and accounting, S had coffee going at 9 as Britt was getting ready to head to the city for her first dog training class sans Cooper this time. S searched for bison bull online while I plodded away trying to solve the subscription issue on this blog. I eventually opted to stop email subscriptions so if you are here, yeah. Save as a favorite and check now and then to see what we are up to. I may try and do a weekly post instead of daily, will see.

B was back home around 12:30. And just before 1, the round table looker cancelled ;( I got busy cleaning, S ran an old mattress to the dump and washed  the trailer while Britt watched Netflix with the occasional walking of the dogs on this beautiful ZERO day that actually hit +3.

The other couple arrived at 3 and did buy both the new coffee table and the grey side table!!! I am so pleased.

Mom and Travis arrived around 6. I made chili while we visited and they were off by 9 heading back home. Britt and the dogs loaded up and headed to the city before 11 leaving S to watch the gold metal Olympic hockey game and me update marketing and start a new Netflix series Seven seconds but not really interesting

warming up

Today is a sunny day but cold -17 to start. I was lollygagging checking fellow painters sites when I checked email only to find the dresser buyer had left Calgary 42 minutes earlier! Yikes get moving, dressed, main area tidied, the dresser moved to front door etc. She arrived not long after... in a small car. Yep this proved to take about an hour to try different ways to stuff it in finally going with removing drawers and wedging it in the trunk leaving part hanging out. I got cardboard and baler twine and we tied the trunk hatch down and off she went. Well to the gate and then was stuck. I said to stay right for the sensor but when S got there she was all the way to the left ;/ LOL

I published the stenciled growth ruler blog post and listed more items on varagesale - my new sales place ;) I have a buyer planning to come tomorrow for the newest black and grey coffee table and may have upsold the grey side table too. Fingers crossed.

I moved everything in my "store" area in the basement and vacuumed and reset it up, this lead to the entire basement getting vacuumed then pulling out the steamer to refresh some old dog pee areas. ;)

 

The custom dresser was picked up at 3:30 with the lady so happy with how it turned out .. yeah. It was up to -6 now, perfect weather to move the dresser home.

Seeing I had water left in the steamer I did our shower and sink drains too. S hmmd and hawed about the new replacement disposal I had sent around Christmas. Finally he took it out to put in only to find it was damaged. The damage was just to the outer plastic so he went ahead and installed it.

I put the blue dresser blog post live that I did last night. An email came in for a lady wanting to come look at the round coffee table tomorrow.. I sure hope she does ;)

Britt and the dogs arrived just after 8. They will stay with us while she is off at Grady's birthday celebration. S dropped her off around 9 in town bringing back teas ;) . I was working on blog when I found over 1200 subscribers.. what?? This is not legit as there actually is only 5 family/friends that subscribe so I worked on figuring out how to change this. In the end I changed the feed location for subscriptions so if you want to have this blog delivered to your email, please resubscribe.

I then got started on accounting. Reconciling Visa for last 5 month due to a missing statement in Oct. This took hours to enter and update and I was still at it at 1 am when B was ready to come home. S was still watching Olympics and doing things on the iPad so he ran and got her. I shut the accounting down at 2 but stayed up playing cookie jam till 4 as not tired ;( and they gave me 15 hours free men !

Big guy gets stuck

I was up and let Lola out then made coffee at 8:30. The prince had a real sleep in missing fresh coffee not rising till after 11!! I worked on .. you guessed it marketing hoping to keep the sales moving. It was lightly snowing again too till about noon. Time to move the car and stage the custom painted dresser as it is going to be picked up tomorrow.

Around 2 prince loaded up the skidsteer and headed to friends who buy hay but had their horse pass so no longer needed it. It seems we are down to the last 2 bales so works out to buy them back so off he went to load them up. An hour later after dropping off 2 of the bales he called to say he was stuck running to get the mail. I threw a chain in the mercury and was off picking him up and taking him back to the yard for the skid steer.

While he drove the 7 km at turtle speed I drove back to the truck, got his wallet and zipped into town to pick up beer, another thing on his list but this way I used the time it took him to drive to the truck and check off the task. I waited back at the truck till he arrived. I jumped in the truck to drive as he hooked up and easily pulled the unit out. I helped him load the skid steer and was off home by 4:30. He made a trip thru town to fill the skid steer with fuel while loaded and was back to the bale task getting back home in two more trips by 5:15.

Using my hand cast iron pan I made home made potato crispies beside a frying pan of creamed chicken. S was off to do his usual Olympics and Flames in the TV room. I worked on more marketing. Now with the staged dresser pictures I could finish writing and publishing the blog post for it. I finished the stencil growth ruler and shades of blue dresser blog posts but will hold off publishing for a day or two.

Furniture sales start ;)

I was up making coffee and doing my marketing. The dresser lady confirmed she indeed wanted it and after a few messages back and forth to confirm a hold and pickup she sent the full $ and will be out Friday to pick up. YES! Thank you Jesus.

I continued working on multiple CM blog posts then got busy staging the coffee table. Of course this required vacuuming dog hair from the staging carper hahahaha which led to taking couch all apart and vacuuming etc but eventually I got a few pictures. The background always reveals something that needs tidying so the process is long but does help on housework chores too ;)

S did a bit of online stuff before going to get the truck to head to town for diesel. The dresser however needed to be taken apart for pieces such as the new hardware and the cute feet and attachment hardware and the hardboard too. Although he usually complains about this part, prince did help me even though it was -16 but sunny out. He asked if I was Scottish when I rounded up all the tiny little nails and screws.. why yes I am ;) Waste not want not was always drilled into my head growing up and I see no reason to toss perfectly good things away when only part of the piece is damaged. The solid wood drawer sides will make great signs too.

from this to this

He was then off to town while I continued my cleaning, staging and tidying. He was back with a clean empty truck and lunch, thanks! He also brought diesel so after his after lunch relax he headed out to roll a bale out for the horses. Shaina arrived for her usual Wednesday training, boot camp and supper with the rents. We were visiting when a gal messaged wanting the bench and was out in 15 minutes to pick it up. This is fabulous as 2 sales in one day makes me very happy. Turns out she knew Shaina too.

check out the fancy new biz cards dude got.. feel free to share her info as she would like to build up clients

Shaina was off to train Sharon for 4 with S coming in soon after for his nap in the big comfy chair ;) Shaina was back for supper and visit before she headed to her boot camp class after 6. S watched more Olympics before the Flames game while I continued my marketing posting the coffee table now on all sites for sale and finishing up the blog post for it. I started a movie soaking in the tub and was almost finished when S came up to watch the womens hockey game overtime for gold. Wow that was so sad for them to lose after OT, a 5 player shoot out and finally 1 at a time.. but silver is ok too... or not ;(

projects finished up

Poor Lex had a hard time getting comfy to sleep  as did I. I was watching YouTube and getting dozy at midnight, shut it off and then was awake for hours. I tried moving Lex to a bed of blankets on the floor but no go eventually she was back up and stayed close to the end so not to have to move much.

Coffee started the morning with Britt joining in soon after. S caught up on online work while I went out and sanded the coffee table top and painted it black, clear coated the dresser top and added dark wax to the wine box. B laid on the couch with the dogs ;)

I moved stuff around at the base of the stairs in my "store" area then had S help me move the antique dresser down to K's room to store. Time to haul in the blue one that I had put the hardware back on, take photos and write up a sale post.

I took a video of some of the items for sale to post to. B ran to town for an hour to print photos and run a few errands then worked on changing out her photo wall then was back to Netflix curled on the couch with the dogs. She did take a quick stroll out to check the horses when they came for water. S napped while his skid steer charged up and at 4 he went out to push snow for an hour. He kindly shoveled the front step and sidewalk too.

 Now the coffee table top was dry I sealed it with black wax and had S help me move it inside to dry and will stage tomorrow after I vacuum dog hair off the black/grey rug ;)

Thanks to grama Pat sending frozen cabbage rolls I added soup and put them on for supper, yum. B loaded up the dogs once we ate and was off for the city at 7. S watched Olympics and hockey while I wrote blog posts and posted on more for sale sites. It was not long after I posted on Varagesale - a selling site I rarely use when I had an interested person who wanted the new dresser. She seems very interested , yeah.

Make work Monday

First order of the day, call this awesome guy to wish him a happiest of birthdays! XOXO

I had what turned out to be a productive yet make work day. I sanded the coffee table top and put another coat of black on, it was looking good so far but stay tuned. Moving on to dresser, I decided that all the work into it so far why not keep going. To camouflage the dings I went with texture powder added to 2 fun colors, a mint green and my fav turquoise, then more navy then sanded and washed with navy then touched up and more wee bits touched up. This is a hard technique for OCD folks but I kept tweaking. The cleaned hardware seemed to bright so it got sprayed black, yes much better.

Having the navy out I used it to try the new stencils on the white stained growth ruler. It was easier to do but requires more clean up ;(

 and with all my touch ups on the dresser and washes I used this paint tub to the very last drop




Now the coffee table was dry and it looked really good in areas but not in one area so I tried touching up with a black oil pen and more stain but this did not look good and the previous shellac blisters bothered me so it got hauled down and power sanded but no real success as the soft stain gummed up so yet another experiment.. wall sickle to “skim coat” and let to dry.

I had originally thought milk paint on the dresser and found a couple colors in the fridge. Just so happens I was wanting just a small amount of milk paint for a couple projects I prepped in the past. The wood wine box was milk painted 2 whites, sanded then hemp oiled.

Two little boxes I had used extra stain one were milk painted too and then dark waxed.

Britt had the day off of course for Family day and took in the Flames game much to Sheldon’s envy. She and the dogs arrived around 7:30 just as I was finishing up goulash for our supper. We hung out while the dogs played, Lex actually hurt her "arm" while playing and limped for the rest of the night. Prince rolled in after 11 having to clean snow off the car again before he could drive.