Who needs Craigslist?

Who needs Craigslist?   I have Allenslist.   My older brother has just recently downsized from a large 4 bedroom suburban home to a beautiful 2 bedroom condo overlooking Oakville Yacht Club.  They only took an antique breakfront, a Chinese wedding chest and Al's art collection.   They didn't even take their dishes and cutlery ... talk about a fresh start!

Last night he delivered a chair for me ..... isn't it pretty.   The upholstery is in pristine condition.   I love it, and it looks perfect in my den. 

In the spirit of "if one thing comes in, one thing goes out" I am going to take my Grandfather's chair over to my younger brother.

When my grandfather passed away he arranged that all his personal belonging were auctioned off.   Everyone in the large extended family wanted this chair ... it is hard to think of my grandfather without thinking of this chair.   Unless he was in the barn, he was surveying his domain from that chair, so it was a hotly contested item.

My younger brother REALLY wanted the chair.  He was 12 at the time and when the bidding got over what he could afford, he just kept bidding it up, knowing that I also REALLY wanted it.   I finally bought it for $125.00 ... an exceptionally high price at the time.

I had it completely refurbished .... but it really isn't very comfortable. 

Since then whenever Bruce visits, he sits in the chair and keeps saying he is going to put a sticker under the chair seat with his name on it for future reference.  I tease that I am going to leave it to his daughter in my will with thet caveat that it can't live in his home.

So ... you can imagine how excited he is going to be when I deliver it.  I can hardly wait to see his face.

Red Paint for the Office Chair

I picked up paint for the office chair ... so it will get done this weekend.

Posh Red for my posh chair.

Before ....

After coming soon.

Kitchen Stool

I was cleaning out my basement storage area on the weekend and found this stool that I used in the kitchen of my last home.   The room was all done in yellows and creams and I had my blue transferware plates on the wall.

 I decoupaged a picture of a plate on the seat.    I had the picture done at a copy shop in order to get it large enough.

 It just made me smile when I saw it again.

New office chair

My office desk chair died.  It was a lovely old wooden chair, but it kept coming apart at the joints and I had to keep applying more wood glue and clamping.  I was sitting in the chair a couple weeks ago and the back fell off ... in pieces!!!!  So time for a new chair ...

I still wanted an old chair with character and a padded seat.   My sister-in-law, Donna,  was on the look out for one.   It was 'big' garbage day last week in Oakville, so she managed to pick up three options for me.   Last night I brought home a sturdy wooden chair with a shield back and a seat I can recover.

I added new foam and recovered the seat with the same toile that's in my office drapes.

I was thinking of painting the frame a dark red... but couldn't wait to do the seat.   I'm an instant gratification girl!!!

And here it is at work ...

Little being done here

I don't know if it is the spring weather, or I'm just lazy ... but I haven't really done any DIY projects recently.

I am continuing to paint my baseboards so they look a little fresher, and have put a coat of paint on some closet doors,.

As I walked in the front door yesterday, I did decide to take the screen door off.   I really dislike screen doors but this one was on when I moved in.  But now it's the front door's turn for a spiff up.

I just have to get motivated to do that because once I remove it, it means that I have to fill all the holes, paint all the trim, and change the door colour. Wouldn't cream trim and a shiny black door look nice? The door to the garage is right there, so it will have to be done also. You know how one thing leads to another. Of course in this case ... just a spring clean would help until I get around to removing and painting!!

It is going to be really warm this Easter weekend, so I plan to spend time in the garden cutting back some of the grasses and perennials and raking off the few leaves on the beds.  I might even get some edging done, or some patio chairs out !  The garden looks so sad until it's cleaned up.

Stuff is getting done ... just not huge jobs .... certainly nothing "picture" worthy.

Happpy Easter Everyone!!!!