Multi-purpose Furniture

Grandma and Grandpa’s latest building project will keep “Monkey” safe while helping in the kitchen. Now that he tried it out and enjoys it, we’ll tweak a couple things and paint it.

Items that have dual or multi purposes are necessary when living in a small space. Foot stools and end tables with storage, hide-a-bed, murphy bed, all those regular type things.

We’ve made some of our own creations when we can’t buy what we need, or if we can’t find the right size piece.

In my perfect world, I would be working with wood nearly every day because it’s my favourite hobby.

This latest piece might look confusing or overbuilt, but it transforms for four different uses.

In the top picture is it as a aid for my dish washing and baking helper. To grow with him it has four height adjustments.

The picture below it’s an adjustable highchair.

It also converts into an extra adult chair for at our table.

Plus, I can adjust it for a step stool when needing to access our high cabinets.

There’s building directions for lots of different styles of the four things mentioned  above on Pinterest, but I couldn’t find a multi purpose one. So, with a idea in my head, Mister and I started building this figuring out the arm system as we went.

Do you remember being little and standing on something so you could help in the kitchen?

Do you enjoy making things of any kind?

Feeling Guilty

After sharing the posts, “Roses Take a Back Seat, and Fresh Growth,” I feel it only fair to show my starkest flowerbed. Taking this picture made me realize even calling it a flowerbed is an exaggeration.

Out of nine planted beds, this one in our back yard is a struggle, a work in progress, an embarrassment. This is a current picture (not this spring), and I have fertilized twice this season.

Over-the years I’ve planted many different things here and just can’t find anything that will thrive or often survive the winter. It use to be mainly in the shade because of a large tree outside our yard, but that was taken down last fall. Now, the bed gets morning and early afternoon sun. Maybe, I will have to switch varieties. I prefer flowers that come back ever year (perennials), but I have also tried annuals here.

The bush seems to have thousands of surface roots, so the ground hasn’t been worked up good for years, which I’m beginning to think is the main issue.

It could also be the resident bunny who usually hides out under the bush, but didn’t show up on picture day. Many of the flowers I’ve tried seem to end up as bunny snacks.

Do you have a planted area that grows better or worse than another?

What is your favourite hardy flowering plant?

What I Do With Them

People always ask what I do with the seashells, driftwood, rocks, and sea-glass I love to collect. My mind is full of things to make, and “Pinterest” keeps that list growing. I’d be lying though, if I said I’ve found uses for all I’ve brought home, but I’ll share a few easy projects and tips.

To start, my collections are kept separated and marked where they’re from, because in reality, it’s not that I craft as much as I make momentums that with a glance we can recall a place and a trip.

The ornament pictured above almost made itself because I found these big shells stuck together. By gluing on a couple other tiny shells, and a candle holder this memory of Parksville, B.C. was completed and ready to sit on our shelf.

On our recent sibling holiday to Vancouver Island, my sister often combed the shores with me. She collected small driftwood for her own craft projects, but I noticed her drawn to pieces of broken blue shells. Sometimes she would admire them then put them down, but sometimes she handed me them suggesting, maybe I could make use of them.

Soon after we were home, I surprised her with the necklace and bracelet set pictured in the collage. It’s hard to believe at my age and with the years of collecting ocean treasures that this is my first attempt at making shell jewelry, but it was.

I researched, “You tube,” for what-to-use and how-to drill holes in delicate shells. A rotary drill, and a diamond tip bit while resting the shell on a cork just submerged in water worked great, none broke.

The coolest thing I learned though, was how-to restore seashells. Dip them for 3 seconds in (1 part Muriatic acid and 3 parts water) then rinse. It removes the white salt residue, revealing and enhancing their color. The difference on some was so amazing, I made Mister come in the bathroom and watch me do a couple.

But please, before trying this, check out a video yourself for the precautions and the process tips.

While in the jewelry making mood, and again getting hints from online videos, I tried my hand at wire wrapping. Finally, making myself a couple sea-glass bracelets.

The wire choices in craft stores is overwhelming, so I researched then took a guess and bought a 20 gauge, silver-plated German wire for these. It’s pliable and easy to work with, but trial and error taught me, that the proper beading pliers (which I got the next trip back into town) worked so much better than an average pair for making loops.

Things like my small shells, rocks and sea-glass I keep in display jars, but I wanted a few special pieces to be more visible than that. Window hangers were my choice for this.

The two I made are pretty basic, but if you want to get creative search Pinterest for ideas. Both these are done with wrapping (one is wire and the other hemp cord) not drilling. I worried about the shells holding the weight of the rocks between them on the longer one, and I also haven’t tried drilling sea-glass yet. I’m not brave enough to risk splitting them.

Another reason these hangers work great is, I can write on the back of the wood where they’re from and the year.

Bigger driftwood is something I collect while home at the lake. Ask Mister, I’ve got shelves of it drying in the extra shed. There’s a tub of dried pieces under our bed, long spindly or neat gnarly ones decorate here and there, inside the house and outside.

Most of my stock pile is for crib boards, which I make and sell. For them, I like the pieces to dry for at least two years. That way any cracks or rotten spots will show up before I hand paint and drill them.

Lamps, shelves, and picture frames are a few other projects on my, to-do-list, though. I love the beachy vibe of driftwood. It will be my wood of choice, and perfect for decorating the home addition we’re planning this spring.

Large driftwood pieces are scattered throughout our yard as landscape ornaments.

When my sister and her husband had a cottage here, her and I would go out driftwood hunting in our 2 person beach kayak. Too bad there are no pictures documenting how we would load that thing down. Sometimes, we barely stayed above water, and we got quite a workout padding the extra weight back home. If a piece was too large to get in or on it, and they were dry enough, we would drag them floating behind on ropes.

On a couple occasions we got the boys to follow us with the pontoon boat back to pieces we set aside, ones we just couldn’t manage with the kayak. Mister often joked he should have a loading crane on, Bella, (our boat) to get some of our finds up on deck.

So this is what I do with some treasures I gather.

Do you collect things while walking a beach or shore?

Do you craft with them?

Do you like to do any kind of crafting?

Lego, and The Kid In Me

No children were involved in the hands-on part of this post, LOL. That’s right just me and an afternoon of building Lego.

Interesting Facts, you may not know.

-A Danish carpenter, Ole Kirk Kristiansen founded Lego in 1932. He started by making toys and wooden blocks.

-In 1958 he patented and began manufacturing what we know as Lego today, and every block made since then can lock together.

-Lego is the largest manufacturer of wheels, out producing Bridgestone and Goodyear.

-If Lego figurines were real people, they would be the largest population in the world.

As a youngster, I loved playing with Lego. I often built a truck and livestock trailer for my farm-set animals. Oh wow, this might date me. Does anyone remember farm-sets? Maybe they’re still made, I haven’t been in a toy store in a long time. I had the tin barn kind with most species of plastic farm animals, choking hazard size or smaller. The figurines were poised and on platforms so they would stand. There was snap together fences, a tractor and field equipment. It even had rows of garden crops, tools, shovels, and tons of other tiny pieces.

Anyway, back to my main topic, Lego. What I had growing-up was about six sizes, in single or double row blocks, some platforms, and flat pieces. Most were red or white.

Using just these simple blocks meant projects other than buildings would resemble what you were trying for but they were rarely pretty.

In those days, Lego sets weren’t as specific, they simply came in different size sets.

You used your imagination to design things because building manuals didn’t come in sets until 1964.

I remember the excitement when black, yellow and blue colored pieces appeared and specialty pieces started showing up. Like curved corners, clear pieces, different doors and windows, and the little people.

Even back then Lego was a costly toy, so I had little of it, but my cousin often got the newer sets. During visits to his house, him and I would create and build for hours.

By the time, mine and Mister’s, kids were old enough and Lego returned into my life it had changed a lot. The son and daughter both enjoyed building things, and they started with what I had saved of mine and their collection grew from there.

They only got a few big fancy sets, special ones like, a large pirate boat, a castle, and a stable set, to name some favorites.

The kids and I, enjoyed great times together building for hours. It wasn’t Misters favorite thing to take part in because we usually sat on the floor surrounding a pile of pieces or laid on our stomachs propped on our elbows.

Why am I writing about Lego you may wonder?

Because, knowing how much I enjoy building Lego, the Son and his Girlfriend got me a unique set for Christmas.

I was waiting for a chance to build it with him during a visit, but that hasn’t worked out. So yesterday being a cold blustery day, I selfishly built one of the set’s options and enjoyed every minute.

Have you ever built Lego?

P.S. – Dropped or forgotten pieces of Lego found by stepping barefoot on them is still as painful as it used to be.

Country Life

What’s that noise?

Faint rustling followed by squeaks and gurgles of a baby fussing came from the feed and tack stall next to the booth where Mister and I sat at the horse event. Exchanging an knowing glance with my husband I went to investigate.

Pictured above is what I found. Our daughter with this sheepish look sprinkling hay on her little brother who was supposed to be asleep.

Our family often jokes about the saying, “Were you born in a barn.” Although not born in one, our kids spent a good portion of their childhoods in either a barn, an arena, or outside and nearby while we did our chores.

Four legs, manes, tails, and everything horse best describes our daughter’s likes.

For a few years, a spring horse took center-stage in our bay window. She spent endless hours in that saddle, her stare focused outside, and her eyes glazed with little girl daydreams.

The toys that entertained her while indoors were all horse related. My Little Pony’s, Lego stable sets, and the jeep, horse trailer and horses for her Barbie’s. Even the multi story, upright, Barbie house Mister made her, of course, had a floor level barn included.

She was happiest outside, even if just watching the horses eat or roam the pastures. As an adult, she still spends her spare time outside with her horse or in the barn.

She recently posted this picture and description on Instagram. (@candie214)

Pretty sure this is why I like watching people ride, I spent hours on those tires.

If you look close, you’ll see the small child saddle I’m riding in so I could take the edge off “Dr. Pepper” before she rode.

In her I see the younger me. Doing barn or farm chores was, and is, rarely considered work and when given a choice they trump household chores.

To us horses aren’t a hobby, they are a lifestyle. Location has changed this for me since I live at a lake resort now, but it’s still her way of life.

This is “Nugget” Her current, young, Quarter Horse Gelding she’s training.

We were blessed as parents to have children, especially teenagers, whose passions meant they were happy at home.

Our son’s interests changed from horses over time and if you haven’t already, check out my post, “Our Version of a Norman Rockwell” for a glimpse into what makes the male’s of our family tick.

Did you have a childhood passion?

Do you still enjoy it?

DIY Game Board Craft Project

If you enjoy playing board or card games, you might want to try “Jokers”. It’s similar to the game “Sorry” the main difference is you use cards instead of rolling dice.

It’s an easy DIY project. Cardboard, poster board, cloth, plexiglass or wood, are some options you could use to make a board depending on what medium you like to work with. Paint or mark squares or drill or punch holes for game play.

Objects used for player pegs or pieces should be paintable or come in a variety of colors, you need a different one for each player.

Player pegs can be golf tees, cribbage pegs, thinner wood doweling cut to lengths, skewers cut, toothpicks, colored straws, tree twigs, or be imaginative.

Player pieces can be made by cutting thicker doweling into discs, paint tiny rocks, checker pieces, or pennies, use buttons, marbles if you drill indents, the choices are endless.

I enjoy working with wood and drills so no surprise I used plywood to make our game. A board can be specifically for 4, 6, or 8 players, or put a combination or all three on one playing surface. I put the 4 and 6 player versions on the one pictured in this post.

Material’s I used

-2′ foot square of 1/4″ fir plywood

-30 cribbage pegs, 5 for each player

-6 different colours of paint

-clear coat

Making a Board

As templates, I cut six strips of cardboard with the number of holes needed for each side, and spaced for my pegs. Then I centered and spaced them how I wanted them on the board and made marks. Mister cut the corners off giving the square its shape afterwards.

Sections on the board don’t have to be coloured as long as players pegs or pieces are. I outlined strips to match peg colours though. If drilling holes lines aren’t even necessary but I like to paint.

With projects like this, I paint lines, and apply clear coat before drilling holes, otherwise clear coat drips into holes and you often have to drill again to clear them.

Playing The Game

Objective is be first to get all your pegs from the start cross into your home line.

Played in teams, whether 4, 6, or 8 people.

Shuffle together 3 card decks, including jokers, and deal five cards to everyone. (If 8 players use 4 decks.)

Card Count

You need a King, Queen, Jack or Ace to come out of start spot and begin play. (Jokers work to do this, but I’ll explain their full move later)

Once pegs are on the game part (and you can have more than one in play), a ten card along with Kings, Queens, and Jacks are worth ten.

Ace counts as one.

A Eight card means you always move backwards (which if you are in your start hole moving back means you are close to your home entrance, but you can’t back into home)

Seven card can be split in any forward combination between two of your pegs, (good for moving up in home line)

A Joker can make any one move to take out another players peg, even if your peg is still in the start.

A Players turn

Pick a card from the pile of undealt cards, from your hand lay a card face-up, moving a game piece in accordance to its value. (If you can’t move, maybe you have no pieces out of start yet, a card still must be discarded.)

Basic Rules

You can jump past another players peg but not your own.

Landing on a opposing player’s peg sends them back into their start place.

Landing on your partners peg sends them to the base of their home line.

You need the exact cards to get into and move within home slot and cannot jump a peg.

Once all your pieces are in your home slot, you help your teammates get theirs home.

Rather than making a board there is also a slat style. You can Google or search Pinterest for ideas on that type. Some other names to use when searching this game are, Marbles and Jokers, Jokers and Pegs.

There are lots of internet sites with more detailed game play rules plus strategies.

I hope you enjoy this game as much as we do.

Have you made any of your games?

Our Version of a Norman Rockwell

Wrenches and grease, are items often involved when Mister and our son are bonding. That’s what I call the time they spend hunched over or laying under a vehicle as they solve an issue or replace a part.

In our family a picture like above would make a more realistic Norman Rockwell scene.

Mister and the son share a fascination and knowledge for anything motorized. Finding the right word to describe their hobby is tricky. Even, hobby, by its definition is misleading, because many things they work on out of necessity not choice. Sometimes the chore is physically taxing, and by their muttered words they don’t always enjoy what they’re doing.

What I know, is they can often listen to a sputtering engine, guess what’s wrong and fix the problem.

They can recognize a vehicle’s make and model with a glimpse of the grill or taillights. Mister more so with the older ones while the son has a keenness for exotic cars and newer models.

They dream and envision building the perfect shop, like the daughter and I do an extravagant barn.

The son drove tractors, lawn mowers, etc. long before having his licence. Behind the wheel of the family 4×4 truck he used gallons of fuel as he practiced in the field while Mister and his father baled hay.

Having children in high school can cause parents stress, but we were fortunate because of this interest our son developed. Instead of wondering if he was partying or getting into trouble, we could look out the back window up towards the shop and know him and his friend were inside. The distance between neighbors in the country allowed their music to play and the shop lights to burn long into the nights while the two of them tinkered on vehicles.

Our sons car which he’s had since late high school. Mister and I were on a trip when we got a call that him and his oldest sister found it for sale.

This is once it was home, and they removed the worn engine.

Then on a cold snowy winter night, as a family, we pushed and loaded the car onto our flat-deck for its ride to the high school the next day. There the son and his friend put a new motor in as a grade 12, Shop Class project.

After a few more changes, and additions this is how it turned out.

As silly as it sounds we’ve always named our vehicles, the son calls his car, “Sueño Azul,” “Azul,” for short. That’s Spanish for Blue Dream.

You know you have a car guy in the family when a picture of his daily driver, above, is enlarged and showcased on the wall of his home.

Encourage your children to have an interest or hobby and be grateful and embrace the opportunity if it is one you can enjoy together.

Does your child have a interest or hobby?

Did they pick it up from you or your spouse?

 

Habits, Good or Bad

Does anybody else have their next day planed before going to sleep? How common is it being a regimented planner, or do most people get up and let their day simply unfold?

I can’t imagine doing that, not even on vacation.

Since grade school, I’ve made daily, weekly, monthly, even seasonal lists. My theory for how this started relates to my horse competing and training days.

Oh so long ago, at age seven, I got my first pony. Star, and I are pictured above.

My parents didn’t have a horse background. Check out my Bio Page for how this came about. Our family lived in the city, so the little gelding was boarded at a local stable.

I fell in love with everything horse, and by age 10, I entered my first Barrel Racing event.

Passion kept escalating, and it became apparent I wasn’t going through a phrase like people suspected. In a few years I out-grew the Shetland, and a slightly bigger gelding, an ex-chariot racing pony replaced him.

There never was money for riding lessons, so I read all I could, listened, observed, and studied others who rode at the stable. Occasionally, I would ask an experienced mentor at the barn questions. With trial and error, I began the self-taught venture of re-training my racy mount and honing my horsemanship skills.

Learning this way came with great benefits, I gained a feel, or understanding of horses. Often, I could sense changes in their behavior before they became issues.

Together, the feisty Welsh-Thoughbred and I became accomplished at showing in Western Pleasure, Equitation and Trail classes.

As a teen I worked part time and saved for a young, unbroke, registered Quarter Horse. My parents surprised me when they paid the remainder owing and had him delivered on my fourteenth birthday.

For me, this is where planning and setting goals really began. Still, without outside help the gelding and I worked hard. Together we learned, and became a very competitive and successful duo in Western and English flat classes, Jumping, Driving and even gymkhana events.

Many other horses and breeds followed in my almost 40 years of showing and training.

I believe daily goal lists began because of the need to plan and schedule conditioning and fine tuning between shows. It was vital to have horses peak at the right times while giving them their deserved down time too.

I may no longer strive to perfect a horse’s training but the habit of making, to do lists, carried into all aspects of life.

I thought this behavior might ease when we retired at the lake but it hasn’t. What has changed are items on my, to do list. They’re simpler, mostly hobbies, crafts and chores. I’m not as structured, getting distracted from a chore happens often and is no big concern. Some things remain on a list for long periods before getting checked off.

But a day without getting even the smallest thing accomplished feels like a wasted day for me.

Do you plan your day or week in advance?

When It’s More Than A Hat

For people living with Alopecia (complete hair loss) or the effects of Cancer treatment a hat provides warmth, comfort and can even help with confidence when out in public.

Fit can be complicated. It shouldn’t blow off in the wind but it shouldn’t be uncomfortably tight either, and the wool needs to be soft so it doesn’t itch and irritate bare scalps.

Many women like their earlobes to remain uncovered so they can wear earrings, and the brim can be annoying if it rides low and rubs off penciled on eyebrows.

Proof that persistence pays off.

After my “Proclaiming Defeat” post, the above yarn and pattern sat on the arm of the couch, taunting me.

Days later, I picked it back up and my seventh attempt was the charm. By changing hook size and altering the number of stiches and rows here and there it’s no longer a place mat but a wearable beanie, a style our daughter prefers.

She developed Alopecia a couple years ago. It came on fast and was traumatic to go through, but her courage and how she handles the situation makes us proud. She’s still the same beautiful person without hair as she was with hair.

At first she hid the condition from friends and co-workers by wearing wigs, but after mere months she came to terms with her new look, as much as a young woman can. Since then, she mostly wears caps, beanies or goes with nothing depending on weather.

She enjoys having a variety of colors, weights, and styles of head coverings, and I’ve been having fun making her favorites, wool beanies. This particular pattern was an exception, but now that it’s done I’m pleased with the result.

Have you heard of Alopecia?

If you enjoy crocheting or knitting and don’t know what to make consider a hat to donate. Many medical centres accept and appreciate these as they offer them free to people in need. 

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“Saddles to Shorelines and Life as it Come” Blog

      

Read about the world, past and present, seen through the eyes of a retired equestrian. A wife, mother, grandmother, and don’t try to guess my age but a young great-grandmother.

This Blog is where I write and share weekly posts covering, country living, family, friends, lake living, crafting, and life as it comes.

Thanks for stopping by, I’d love to hear from you.  

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