Capturing Nature

I love this photograph. It reminds me of another one Isaved a while back that I just searched several folders for on my computer and couldn't find. I love things from nature collected and captured in glass containers. I've started a collection of butterflies I had found laying permanenty asleep around our house. They look lovely in these little jars I got from a craft store. I also have a birds nest that someone found while working on our house. I want to put it in a glass container of some sort, and possibly even purchase fake robins eggs to go in it. I could have groupings of my collections on our bookshelf that will be built soon. Also on a shelf above the built-n bookshelf, will be my globe collection. Vintage camera collection will be dispersed among the old books. I am very much looking forward to having my living room complete.

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photo from Wabi-sabi found via Aesthetic Outburst

My House To-do List

THINGS I CAN DO ON THE HOUSE TO MAKE IT LOOK MORE COMPLETE:

1. LINEN CLOSET: PAINT INSIDE GREY, PUT SHELVES BACK IN, DO TOUCH UPS WHERE PAINT WILL GET SCRATCHED OFF, PUT LINENS IN AND STACK ON SHELVES
2. PAINT BEDROOM DOOR TRIM
3. PAINT BATHROOM CEILING
4. LAUNDRY ROOM: MUD, SEAL GROUT, SAND LAUNDRY ROOM, PRIME LAUNDRY ROOM, PAINT, FIND A RACK TO HANG CLOTHES, GET THE IRONING BOARD CLEANED UP, PUT BACK IN, MAKE A COVER FOR IT
5. SEW SHOWER CURTAIN AND BATH CURTAIN
6. WORK ON PANTRY-CLEAN OUT FIRST, CAULK, PRIME, PAINT INTERIOR, PAINT EXTERIOR
7. CAULK AND PAINT DESK AND CABINET ABOVE DESK
8. RILEY’S TO PICK PAINT COLOR FOR KITCHEN, CABINET AND WALLS
9. FIX FOAM BACKDROP OF CABINET
10. MAKE SLIP COVER FOR AUTOMAN
11. CLEAN OFF LIVING ROOM FLOOR
12. TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS FOR ABOVE OUR BED
13. TEAR OUT BOARDS FROM THE BARN AND WORK ON BUILDING US A NEW HEADBOARD AND FOOTBOARD.
14. PAINT THE LIVING ROOM WALLS.
15. PAINT THE LIVING ROOM FLOOR WITH A PATTERN.
16. HANG CURTAINS IN BEDROOM
17. CLEAN OUT TUB
18. DESIGN OTHER BATHROOM

Skelies

This is the begining of my skeleton key collection. None of these keys open doors anymore, except one of them. It will someday open the door to my art studio when my hubby can build it for me.

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There will be at least two more keys. I bought a couple new gold colored ones from a hardware store, but I don't like them looking too new. Matt suggested I bury them in the yard to age them faster. I got impatient and just threw them out the front door somewhere to weather, and will remember to hunt them down again someday later.

Whittling Whales

Having been without the internet for the past few months, I've desperately missed looking at art blogs. Now every free minute I have, I spend on the internet getting caught up with the blog world. I also find it so very inspiring to look at all the neat things other people are up to everyday. This fun whale is done by the talented man at Ready for the House. First he whittled it in wood, then had it cast in brass.

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Can't you imagine it in a little boys room, on a dresser as the drawer pulls? It would be so charming.

A Rustic Mississippi Christmas

I saw these lovely little fabric birds with button eyes on one of my favorite blogs... Lobster and Swan. I want to make a big grouping for Christmas this year. There could be so many variations with different beautiful fabrics and sweet little buttons

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I think this year I would like to have a Christmas tree with a rustic twist. I could sew lots of little birds like these, have a string of cranberries, and some ornaments that look like they're carved out of wood. I could take small pine cones, dip them in a paint, or shimmer, or polyurethane. They could add color, shine, or just an extra outdoorsy feel.

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I would also like to make some ornaments like this star one above. I made an attempt at it last year but never actually put them on the tree. This year will go better. Maybe Matt would even want to make some with me. They're made using a flour salt mixture.