Monkeys & Baklava

The past few weeks have been busy ones! 

One of the coolest things about living in a major metropolitan area is the huge variety of cultural events & fun festivals.  Last weekend we went to Houston's Greekfest at St. Basil's Greek Orthodox Church (http://houstongreekfest.com/).

Back story: my mom used to work for a Greek accountant who did the books for basically every Greek restaurant in Asheville.  When she would deliver paperwork to them, she sometimes took me. And due to a wonderfully generous food-sharing ethic (yum), they would feed us.  A lot.  So as a kid, I got seriously spoiled on authentic, homemade Greek food. 

It was also a great introduction to Greek culture, and my travels to Greece years ago cemented my appreciation for it.  I would LOVE to go back to Greece someday soon!

The festival was on the smaller side but very lively and fun - they had beautiful architecture:

 

Dancing:

And, of course, FOOD!!!  We had gyros - delicious!!!  And then had to go back for some baklava.  I also got a kourabiedes (a buttery nutty cookie covered in powdered sugar).  Both were SO unbelievably good.  Homemade baklava is absolutely divine. 

 (In fact I totally forgot to take the picture until I had already taken a bite).

Then last week I went to The Big D (Dallas) for work.  It was a great trip!  I got another training certification, which is always awesome, and got to meet a bunch of new coworkers in our Dallas office.  And in my free time in the evenings, I had a little adventure! 

Noel enjoys a show called "Fast & Loud."  Who am I kidding?  I enjoy it too.  :)  It's a show about a garage in Dallas that refurbish old cars into really gorgeous customs.  Noel mentioned to me that if I "happened" to go by their garage and "happened" to buy him a t-shirt, he'd be really happy.  So!  Because I am a kind and loving person who has a high tolerance for rush hour traffic, I totally went to Gas Monkey Garage and parked and stalked them while they made an episode of the show.  And bought him some stuff.  And also a shirt for myself. 

 

 

I even got a picture of Richard Rawlings, the star of the show!

 

 

 

We've been doing some work on the house too, including pimping out our pergola.  In case you weren't aware, Houston gets a bit sunny...and hot...  So we enjoying our beautiful pergola because it's unbearable.  But!  We refuse to submit.  So we made some linens to go on top, installed shower rails on 2 sides, and bought some pretty sheets to act as sun shades on the sides.  Success!!  We love it.  Makes it feel like an outdoor room now. 

And the outdoors are a-blooming!  Our hibiscus is now growing back nicely but is still only about 8 inches tall.  But our canna lilies are already blooming nicely! 

We also had a run in with a squirrel that was like a 3 Stooges routine.  Look at the size of this monster squirrel!!

So I tried to get a picture of him, but every time I would sidle around one side of the tree, he'd inch around the other side.  Then I'd go back the other way slowly, and he'd inch back around the opposite way.  It took...way too long to get this picture.  And of course, Noel was laughing at my inability to not try to get a picture of said squirrel, because I have in fact been bitten by a squirrel before when trying to feed it.

And because a blog post isn't a blog post without it, the requisite Cat in Box photo:

(Note - Poe seems to fit in this box slightly better than Sammy does.)

Blast From the Past

Remember this?

Seeing as how much we've moved this chair from state to state and have NOT worked on it in the past several years, we apparently didn't. 

However, we're in that kinda painful phase of the home purchasing process where we're stuck just waiting for the underwriting to be done.  For those of you who may not know, Noel and I are not exactly the most patient people in the world.  Ergo, this whole thing of "Hurry up and get us your bank statements and now....sit there and wait on other people to finish,"  we're not having an easy time. 

So we've already started packing!  Do we have a closing date yet?  Not so much.  But.  We're being proactive!  And also we're getting rid of a bunch of old junk like allergy medicine from 2009.  Nice. 

Also, to Barb's comment via email:  yes, it is a little wild that we gypsy souls are actually buying a home and settling in!  We like it here though, and figure that if we decide to travel for any long period of time again, at least we won't have to move our furniture into storage!  :)  Because seriously?  I am SICK of moving this furniture.  We've moved it, what...3 times in the past 2 years?  Too much.

So anyway, back to the chair.

This was a chair that used to look like this:

It was an $8 Goodwill find, complete with gorgeous Golden Girls-esque Miami pastel upholstery.

And mold under the seat cushion.  Don't forget that!  So how does one reupholster a chair?  Well, for this particular one, we used a lot of disinfectant.  Gross. 

We took off the upholstery very slowly and carefully.  Why?  Because the old pattern pieces are used as the pattern for your new fabric!  So go slowly, pull out the staples, and don't rip fabric. 

Here are the pieces once removed from the chair:

Oh, and one other VERY important thing:  make sure to label the pieces as you take them off!  When you cut the new fabric, you'll label it as well.  This seriously saved us as we finally pulled this poor chair out of the garage and were able to figure out which piece went where, even though it had been years since we had looked at it!

We used crushed velvet for this chair.  Be sure when cutting your fabric that you lay out the pieces so the nap (the grain, so to speak) of the fabric is facing the same way on all the pieces.  Velvet in particular will show as darker or lighter depending on whether it's turned one way or the other.  It may not make much of a difference until you get the pieces beside each other, and then it's really obvioius.

I also labeled which way was up, for the same reason! 

So here is the nekkid chair, sans upholster and mold.

(Needless to say, we disinfected the fool out of this chair, because we're reusing the padding)

Another thing I can suggest when taking the upholstery off is taking tons of pictures as you go.  These will be super helpful when you're putting it back together.  You may also want to take detailed notes, because you'll be putting the chair back together the same way it was originally put together (which is often the reverse of the way you took it apart).



So here it is with the seat and one arm put back on.  Most of the time, you use a lot of staples and pull the fabric taut (but not so tight that the fabric is going to tear when you sit on it!) and staple it to the wooden part of the frame.

Please note, this is the point where we put the chair in storage.  The fabric pieces went into a bag and into the sewing closet. 

And now we come to present day, when we sit at home packing up stuff and wondering what we can do to keep ourselves occupied while we wait for the closing.  And so we said "why not reupholster some furniture?"  Because 'going for a walk' or 'eating a pizza' is just way too easy.

I took some detail pictures just to give you an idea of how these things go together.  This is a picture of the outside arm.   You can see the front of the arm here, along with the contrast piping.  See how many staples we used?  We attached the velvet part first, then stapled the piping on.  Once the outside piece goes on over it, you won't be able to see the staples.

The black at the bottom is sewn to the velvet that goes over the front of the lower part of the chair.  We used black cotton to save on velvet costs, and also because it won't rub the seat cushion velvet as much. 

You'll also see that the velvet that's stapled has lots of cuts in it.  You have to have faith in yourself and do these cuts, often during the pre-staple stage, to get the fabric to lay right.  If I didn't do these cuts here, the fabric would never lay flat across that curve in the frame.  This part is seriously scary, making cuts, especially when you don't have any velvet left (like us).

In this picture, you can see that we've gotten both arms and the wings done.  Major progress!  I was pleased that it only took me 2 hours, working by myself, to get from the storage stage to here. 

The fabric on the arms and wings were pulled through the frame and stapled to the back wooden part of the frame.

I then took the piece that goes over the big yellow foam piece there, and stapled it on to the same part of the frame, between the frame piece and where the wing was stapled on.  Then I simply pulled it over the top, pulling it snug and smooth, and stapled it to the back frame.

See how it overlaps on the top and hides any staples?

Nifty!

I'm glad to say that with only a few minor exceptions (small pieces I want to hand sew together), this chair is actually finished!  I'll take some additional pictures to show you what it looks like completed.  We're very pleased with it!  It has a cushion piped in the same contrast trim, and just to make it look more modern, we painted the legs a high gloss black lacquer.

Now if this weren't enough, we decided to seriously overachieve and reupholster our gold Victorian couch as well.  Woo hoo!  Noel stripped it yesterday down to the frame and the seat foam, and he painted the frame high gloss black lacquer as well.  We're going to reupholster it in gray velvet.  Swanky!

So that's a super brief crash course in DIY upholstery!



Pictures! Yay!

Ok, it's time for some pictures! I haven't put any up in a little while, so here we go:

First off, a picture from a few weeks ago, showing the results of cabin fever and constant Butt-on-couch-itis. This is our driveway after a foot of snow fell, and I decided that I WAS going to get out of the house. It took me 2 1/2 hours to dig my car out and salt the driveway so I could gain precious freedom.


Also? It's not easy shoveling snow with a dirt shovel. Although the broom helped some too. But needless to say, I could hardly move for 2 days afterwards. But oh, sweet freedom.


It's been warmer the last few days, so today while out running errands, I took a few minutes to walk around a bird sanctuary at Beaver Lake, in Asheville. (It was cloudy today, so these pictures don't have a lot of color to them - sorry!)

There were some gorgeous trees.

With really cool roots.

And amazing bark.

Last weekend I broke my own fabric probation (yes, I know, I know). However. I found some fabulous medium-weight polyester from...oh....probably about the time I was born. 1 1/2 yards, and it was only $1! How could I possibly pass this up! See? It's so Sonny & Cher, I couldn't stand it.

It's awesome. You know what else is awesome? Sewing help of the feline variety.

I had to make some alterations, basically morphing 2 patterns into a dress. Here's the sleeve in progress:



And the final dress! This is a terribly unflattering picture, and doesn't show the dress well. Maybe when Noel gets back from TX (or when I go to visit) he can get a picture that shows it better. It's a simple dress with a V-neck, and the sleeves are slit on the outsides from the shoulder to the wrist. Very retro!

And all for $1! (Say it with me: "Can't beat it with a stick!") Pass the cosmos.

What else have we been doing here lately? Well, frankly, with Noel in TX working, life is pretty dull. I've been looking for jobs too, and doing a lot of sewing and knitting and writing and such. Oh, and handling The Adventure of the Dried Basil Leaf That Poe Tried to Eat. Speaking of, here's a pic of Poe when he came home from the vet!

(p.s. He normally doesn't look so surly, but getting a good picture of this cat is like getting a good eyes-open picture of the Loch Ness monster.)

He had to have a catheter, so they had a little bandage on his leg. This came off soon after we got home, because he kept chewing at it. He now has a little bald spot on his leg, but it's growing fur back quickly.

Also, he and Loki are chasing each other around the house, so he's obviously feeling back to his old self again. We are thankful. :)

What else have these guys been doing? Jostling for territory on my legs, while I listen to audio books and knit. Actually, in this pic I think we're watching tv.

Oh, and Loki's been doing a lot of this:

And this (This one cracks me up - he looks like Garfield collapsing from a Nap Attack. Can he breathe? Does he care?):

And this:

Awwwwww.....

Of Pickles and Melons

Happy August, everyone, and a very Happy Birthday to my dear sister!

(This is the post I wrote yesterday, by the way, that wouldn't upload - so if you see "today" think "yesterday" and also "Kelli is too lazy to change the post.")

Here in the Land of The Garden That Keeps on Giving, we've been busy putting away veggies, both by preserving (either canning or freezing) or by eating. We've been doing a LOT of eating.

Oh, and a lot of shucking.



I've put away over 80 ears worth of corn (mostly on cobs, but some as creamed corn). My mom came over and we also made some corn relish. Also, I got diligent one day and made more pickles, with Noel's help.

Important Safety Note: When you have a hot pot boiling on the stove, don't squirt rubbing alcohol on the stove top to clean it.

Why? Because THE STOVE WILL CATCH ON FIRE.

Ask me how I know this.



We've gotten over 200 cucumbers out of the garden, and the vines are still producing.

Our tomatoes are now finally turning red too, although some are holding back (these are roma tomatoes):



Aren't they a gorgeous color?

The okra is finally starting to pod as well, and it has lovely huge blooms on it.



Who knew that okra is pretty enough to be put in a floral bouquet?

The cantaloupes are also growing! We've got quite a few of them coming up in the cantaloupe patch.



(Just calling it a cantaloupe patch tickles me - makes me feel like Linus, except I'm waiting for the Great Melon. Not to be confused with Dolly Parton).

Today, surprisingly, we had a ripe one already! We went ahead and got it out of the cantaloupe patch (sorry, I just like saying that).



Yeah, it was huge. Don't be afraid. It won't hurt you.

I was worried it wouldn't actually be ripe on the inside, but if anything it was over ripe! Still, it tasted good.



Also, incidentally, I think we accidentally invented the Single Serving Cantaloupe. Now taking orders!

And not specifically garden-related, but still Growing Things related, we have been graced with that loveliest of wildflowers, Queen Anne's Lace:



This one was particularly striking, like a lacy snowflake!



Interspersed with the lace, there was a nice juxtaposition of something prickly - Scottish thistles! (Ok, they might not actually be SCOTTISH, but they look like Scottish thistles, and Noel and I both have Scottish blood, so therefore we're going to go with it.)



In other news, I've been working on some new crafting/art projects. I don't want to show too much yet (I'm hoping to get these into some area shops, and don't want to give away my ideas!), but this should give you a taste of what's in store (or hopefully soon to BE in store!):



Anybody own a gift boutique out there? :)

Oh Play Me Some Country Music!

As you may have guessed, we've been extremely busy here at the house, working, working on the house, and...working.

This weekend though, we thought we'd take some time to kick back and relax and even go out and enjoy some local events! We ended up seeing so much (and yours truly took so many pictures), that our weekend in review will actually take up a couple of posts.

(Also, forgive me if I have to take breaks occasionally, as my lap is currently occupied by a rather demanding, but cute, cat in desperate need of petting.)

First things first though. House updates!

My sewing room was a DISASTER AREA, so I had to purge some fabric (and will donate a big ol' box to a local group/theater/school or something). I also organized stuff, which took a while. Noel put some shelves in the closet so I could store things in there too, which was very helpful. I don't have the room totally finished yet, but major progress has been made. I can actually use the room for (gasp!) sewing now.

Here's a picture of my sewing room closet, most of the way full. Please note the "Organizing Professional" doing a thorough examination of one of the higher shelves. He is so helpful.

And here's the view from my sewing machine. Don't hate.

I didn't take a picture of the room itself. Huh. Well, I'll do that in the next week.

We've also been working on other things, like cleaning the window sills and other such fun stuff. Poe has found his Happy Place.

Considering that they're covered in black fur and we don't have A/C, they seem to enjoy the sun a lot.

I've been doing a lot of cooking lately too. Guess this whole Big Kitchen thing is more exciting than I thought. Dinner the other night: meatloaf, salad, and homemade bread.

Noel cut himself a path to the little creek by the house so he could have a Deep Thinkin' Spot. He put a bench down there and everything!

It is a pretty little spot. Particularly with the wild daylilies.

And the wild roses!

And also stinging nettles. I didn't get a picture of them. Which I should've, so y'all will know what they look like so you can avoid them like the plague. My mom brushed her arm up against one and it came out within seconds in big painful welts. Looked like a jellyfish sting! Noel wonders why people don't plant them in their window boxes, because they would certainly be a deterrent to people trying to sneak into your house. Brilliant.

We also swung in our tree swing the other night. It was cool out and the fireflies were dancing all around. (Again, don't hate.)

I took a picture of the tree (Thing In Sky!), just so you can vicariously swing too. Just sit back in your chair, look at this picture and move your head up and down slowly.

It's like you're right there! Except without the breeze. Or the fun.

So on Saturday we went to Hot Springs, NC to a bluegrass festival there. The bands were AMAZING. I also loved that they had old quilts hanging behind them as they played.

There was a group of cloggers who performed too. These kids were from the local school system and were the state champion clogging team! They were impressive. There was one little guy with red hair who couldn't have been a day over 8, and he was tearing the dance floor up.

We had bbq from the local volunteer firefighters tent, sat there and enjoyed the music, and had a wonderful afternoon.

We had a great evening too, but that'll have to wait for another post (too many pictures for one!)