... and I'm back!

Hi, everybody! It's been so long I feel like I need to reintroduce myself. I'm hoping I have at least a few of you still hanging in there with me.

I must admit, I've lost some of my stitching mojo. I guess we all go through that at times to some degree. I'm not sure why but it seems when summer starts to fade away and old man winter is looming around the corner, I get into a little bit of a funk. But it's time to snap out of it! Christmas is coming!

Although I haven't been stitching much, I wanted to share what I have been busy with. So to start, let me just say, I have the best father-in-law! He and I have been working on (translation ... I've been designing and he has been building!) a primitive step-back cupboard for my kitchen.

A little history ... when we built our home 22 years ago, which was before I really became interested in primitive/colonial style, I insisted that I needed a built-in desk as part of our kitchen. Pretty much from the day we moved in our home, I have regretted that. It was right in the middle of the traffic pattern from our garage and back door so you could never sit there, and because it was in the middle of everything it seemed to be where the daily junk collected and was always just a bit of a messy spot.

Since we began remodeling/redecorating a couple years ago, I have been searching antique stores for a cupboard to replace the desk, but I never found one that had the dimensions that I needed. I finally asked my father-in-law if he would be interested in building one. Now as I stated before, my FIL is the best and I love him dearly ... but, he is a perfectionist and I wanted this cupboard to be primitive and look as if it's been used, abused, and lost in an old barn somewhere for the last couple hundred years! I wanted to use rough cut pine for the wood, and I definitely wasn't worried about all the joints being squared up. This was a huge challenge for a man who prides himself in perfectly mitered corners and tightly fitted joints. But he listened and built the cupboard that I envisioned and through it all we're still friends and I'm still his favorite daughter-in-law! Disclaimer: my husband is his only son, but regardless, I didn't want this project to jeopardize my status!

After the cupboard was built, I distress painted it with a product I am addicted to ... Caromal Colours. If you are interested in reading about this product, just click on the name and it will link you to their website. Using this product is a process for sure, but it's fun! They have many colors to choose from that you can use in combinations or alone. I used a dark brown as my base coat and then a grayish green as the top color. You "distress" as much or as little as you like.

Here's a couple photos.

 

Lots of display space so I can add
 to my redware collection!

I am so happy with it
 and am so honored to have such a great piece hand-built
by my lovely father-in-law!

Oh, I should mention, my father-in-law celebrated his 80th birthday last March! Yep 80! To know him you would believe 80 is the new 60!

 

 

Here's a close up of the iron hardware we found ... I have always loved rattail hinges!

 

Now I'm dreaming of all the other pieces I'd love to build with him ... a new prim style vanity for my bathroom?!! Prim style cabinet for a flat screen TV?!! Whatta you think, Dad?!!!

 

On to my stitching. Confession ... I've put "Ann Dale" aside for now, and I'm a bit disappointed in myself for doing so. I still love her. Since I first saw her on the "Shakespeare's Peddler" blog, there was something special about her. But I don't really have a particular spot in mind for her and I have decided to concentrate on working on designs to create the sampler wall I've wanted for so long in our family room; Ann is not quite right for there. I know I'll get back to her some day, but for now, sadly, she's in the WIP basket.

 

I'm still working on "Frederick" and he's just a few hours away from completion. Holy smokes ... this one has taken way too long! Keep fingers crossed for a 2012 finish date! I want to get both he and "Fredericka" framed and then display them with my redware on my new cupboard!

 

 Here's what I'm stitching right now. A little La-D-Da Christmas ornament for my brother and sister-in-law. We don't really exchange gifts, but my SIL appreciates hand-made items so I want to stitch this for them as a little Christmas "sumthin-sumthin". I'll share the finish when I get it completed.

 

Well that's about it, my stitching buddies. Thanks for indulging my long ramblings after being away for so long.

 

I'm off to bake some of the girls' favorite treats and send them off in a "care package" for finals week. They'll be home for Christmas break in 10 days ... can't wait!

 

As always, thanks for stopping by ... until next time ... take care!