Painting Kitchen Tile

I love my 1925 Pasadena bungalow with its yellow kitchen tile though I wasn't a fan of the jade green tile border.

Now that black bracket is for my little Ikea dish rack. Mo told me about it and it has been great in a kitchen with little counter space. So I got out my tiny brushes and outlined each individual tile without getting any paint on the grout. Be patient.

I painted two coats with Rust-oleum Painters Touch semi-gloss black, drying each overnight. Then I sealed them with Helmsman Indoor-Outdoor clear semi-gloss. Why? Because it was what I had on hand. No other reason.

I did this 6mos ago and I’ve had no problems with it peeling or chipping. Everyone thinks I’m so lucky to have gotten black and yellow instead of some funky color. You can’t tell it was painted.

Here’s the other part of the kitchen. Yes, that is a washing machine. It fits perfecty where the old "ice box" would have gone. Thomas helped me create a hook-up for it at my kitchen sink. I’ve been using it for a year and it has been great. I have a clothes line outside he put up for me. I love the way clothes smell when they have been on the line drying.

It’s a cute kitchen. I love my place. It has the greatest glass knobs throughout the kitchen.

Before they tore down my Grandpa Guse’s old house, I asked for some of the door knobs. I’ve had them in a box for years. When I moved here, I took off the brass ones that were here and put up Grandpa’s.

I’ll switch them back to the brass ones whenever I move but these have been the perfect addition. They are wonderful. Just like Grandpa. Xoxo

All About Little Ellie - Families and Children

I had the amazing opportunity in May 2010 to visit with my family in Oregon and see the baptism of Ellie, my new niece. She has no idea of how many people love her. We had a great time all together. My step-mom, Kathy, did a wonderful job as always planning everything.

I did a posting of this earlier and then deleted it because I thought it was too long. Well - - Monique wanted to know what happen to it so I've recreated it.

 

Here are some pictures of inside the church were Ellie was baptized. They had these huge intricate stain glass windows in intense blues, purples and pink.

 

The beams in the ceiling were so impressive. They just don’t make churches like this anymore.

Kathy arranged to get us all together to take a big family photo in this beautiful park with a great photographer.

 

Here is this huge tree at the park that had ferns growing from the moss on its trunk. There was moss growing in odd places everywhere in Oregon. Wish I'd taken pictures of these old barns we drove by with thick moss on there roofs. I had no idea it could grow so thick.

Loving parents.

Micah was busy learning how to become a photographer himself.

Gracie and Grandpa took care of Stout.

Monique and the orange chair. She looks like Kristen Stewart from the Twilight movies.

When we arrived home Noah entertained us with piano music which he likes to play really, really fast!

Micah worked hard at teaching dominoes to do tricks.

Gracie tried some too. Such a sweet obedient little girl. She’s really something.  

Brendon loved holding Ellie. Well, really we all did. I took every chance I could.

It’s easy to see that Mikayla is going to be an awesome babysitter.

Monique, Grandpa and Ellie. I love her little lips. I don't have any pictures of Kathy (grrr!).

Oh, and I turned 50. WooHoo!

Stout & Mikayla

There is something so amazing about the companionship of a dog.

They are always happy to see us when we arrive home no matter if we've been gone all day or left just 5 minutes ago.

They never worry about what they have to do tomorrow or if it might just be as boring as today was.

A dog is always ready. They are a perpetual "3-year-old" every day of the year. Everything is fun.

Garden - May 2010

Here are a bouquet or yellow roses from my garden. I'm still amazed that out of all the places to live I move in to a gardener's old place. I love the roses around my bungalow!


Here are a few pickings from the garden. Bunch of lettuce, strawberries, snow peas, and baby yellow squash. I'd let the squash get bigger but I'm leaving for four days and was afraid the squash would be too big by then.


Well I wasn't sure if the Sweet Peas I planted were going to come up since it was so late in the season but I guess they're okay. My neighbor let me plant them on the west side of her bungalow. I'm not sure yet if they'll get enough sun but they look okay so far.

Good-bye Summer Time!

Why is it we're so happy for Summer to finally be here but when its upon us we wish it wasn't quite so hot?

Hanging out in your blow-up kiddy pool nothing could be better than Mom throwing you in the air, laughing with you as you squeal with joy. You know you're the luckiest kid on the block and you've got the best Mom in the world.

Then all it takes are a couple cool September evenings to remind us of the things we didn't get to do before Summer was over.


Nephew Julian playing in his pool
in Huntington Beach.


Yeah, summer's good.


Do it again!

Lost Photos Found

Nothing like losing all your photos on your camera to make those pictures priceless.

Found a great program, well Thomas found it. I had my head in my hands after I deleted ALL the pics off my camera. Cost me $39.95 called Card Recovery - http://www.cardrecovery.com/ - so worth every penny. Easy to use too.