Done, Done and Done!

Surprisingly this week has been a good one for getting things completed! Usually the summer months are a complete bust for weaving and blogging because I’m working in the veggie garden. Sadly, we didn’t have time to get the veggie garden developed in this new house, so I’ve had time to spare in the past few days.

The first project I’ve completed is the hand dyed cotton scarf that was woven in the spring. The scarf was lovely, but it just lacked something….and it was pizzazz!

I hauled it out and started beading and shirring it following the pattern blocks ~ the time was well spent because I think it looks wonderful!

The beads are studded along the selvedges and when the scarf is worn they pop up and glint in the sun….really special.

Last night as ‘Maillot Jaune’ powered past the finish line on the second to last leg of the Tour, I completed the actual knitting on my Tour de France cardigan.

I’ve just pinned it together and will do the final seaming tonight while I watch ‘The Boys’ sail down the Champs Elysées and complete the race. This project has taken me 21 stages to complete and even though I’m not thrilled with the wool quality ~ I love the cardigan. Fingers crossed that it fits once it’s blocked!

My husbands’ sister will be flying in from Australia in a few weeks. I’ve been working at relocating the stuff stored in the closet and making the room really pretty for her. I’ve been on the hunt for night tables that will bracket the bed but it’s been a difficult search. If I liked them they were either the wrong colour, too dark, too heavy or too big….isn’t that always the way!

Ngaire found these two plant stands and from there a project began. The scale, the price and the airiness were perfect ~ now to make them personalized and unique.
I wanted to bring some bold colour into the room, but to keep it in small amounts; so we decided to cover the triangular plant pots with a printed fabric.

This is the fabric we chose – boldly graphic, but still keeping it traditional for my French yellow and white room.

I made templates and cut out the fabric, then the fun part began ~ we used Modge Podge to affix the fabric to the metal pots. I couldn’t believe how easy and fun it was. We used two coats and it was all dry in one day.

Now my husband Michael stepped up to the plate and he made the table tops out of white wood planks. This was his first try at beveling edges and he did a fantastic job! We chose to make the table tops 14 inches by 14 inches. Michael made wood frames on the bottoms that fit into the plant stand openings, keeping the tops in place. He then sanded like mad and then two coats of pale green paint and one coat of polish and ~TA-DA, they are done.

They are completely fun and do the job without making the room feel too full of furniture and came in at just $40.00 each!  I took this photo in my foyer, it's the only place the light was right.