The Beginning of My Love Affair with Trash

From my earliest youth, I have always found pleasure
in giving life to old objects who have lost their usefulness,
in delivering them from obscurity and transforming them
into objects of art.
                                                    Jose de Creeft

This quote brought a rush of memories and emotions
with it.  Does that happen to you?

Wall of Amateur Art

 
Now, I wouldn't call any of my crafty
work "objects of art" but I can recall digging through
our elderly neighbor's, Aunt Minnie, trash.  A tin can, a half
gallon carton of milk, or some other trashy treasure.
To be lovingly rinsed, dried with care, and made
useful again.

 Happily engaged for hours. Hours of solitude
flooded with contentment.   Joy so authentic and
pure.

My love affair with trash, old houses, dirt and cottage gardens
began at 424 Purisima and continues.

Powder Room Refresh

Pumpkin Cottage requires a refresh.
She needs a little sprucing inside and
out.  Progress is slow.

It would be wonderful if everything
were completed prior to the winter
holiday season.

Before:

The lovely ball jar light fixture is from LampGoods.

There is a bit of a romance with faux finishes
here at the cottage.

Holly and I are painting a faux rug.

The rug may need some tweaking.
I had originally wanted to paint tassels and
it may still happen.  The walls are painted
a pale yellow. Ceiling white.

My mother gave me the mirror above the sink.
It was salvaged from her beloved
Hollywood Court cottage
before they were renovated.  

We just found the little shelf.  It's a bit dingy,
may just need a good old fashioned washing.

What's next:

1. Baseboards.
2. Paint clouds on the ceiling.
3. Paint the back of the purple door with
    chalkboard paint. Old school green.
4. Put up the trinkets of the room.

Weekend Wrap Up

Do you ever have those weekends when time stands still?

Last weekend started with Doris Day
and Please Don't Eat the Daisies on
Friday evening.  Singing, kids,
and cute interiors.

Book reading, finished Signals by
Joel Rothschild. There are times
when a book must be read in
small bites.  I started this
book months ago but couldn't
get past the second chapter.
I simply was not ready, a
week ago the book started calling
me and I had to read through
to the end.  It's a three hankie
read.

Over the years, I have learned
to be patient, to accept, and
know the proper time will
present itself with books and
in life.

While Mr Lee, demolished our
powder room, I worked in
our urban garden, it had
become a jungle. The perfect
spring day and my awareness
of my mother in the garden
are soul quenching.

In this tiny garden is where I feel closest
to her.  The plants she lovingly planted.
The fig and strawberry guava trees
she started.

The kale Uncle Joe planted with her seeds.
Roses from her collection.
In the garden, I am inspired to push
through the pain to be enveloped
by her embrace.

Watched TV.
At Home with Venetia
Pioneer Woman

Mark, our oldest, is painting while we
visit Prescott, AZ.  Mr. Lee had to cut out
damaged drywall from a leak
under the sink.