How to Redecorate a Living Room in a Day with No Money

When we lived in Santa Fe, our house had a 27 inch door through which anything we took into the living room or kitchen had to pass. We really wanted a sofa but there was no way we could get the one we wanted through that door. Our solution was to buy a futon. That has worked out pretty well as we have used it for a guest bed several times. The cover I ordered for it was green. I mean really green. I had wanted a forest green but this one is bright Kelly green. That was OK in our tiny Santa Fe place but we didn't even want to try it in our current living room. For a while,we just left it off. The natural cotton didn't look that bad. However, a dog and a light colored couch is not a great combo and eventually, something had to be done.


A few years ago, I fell in love with a discontinued Ralph Lauren bedding fabric and found a canvas duvet cover on eBay. I never quite got use to using the duvet cover and finally just gave in and replaced it with a comforter so I had the duvet just hanging out on a closet shelf.

I decided that it would make a great cover for the futon.
It looks a little bit off the stripe in the photo but that has been corrected now that we have been sitting on it for a few weeks.

There was enough fabric left over (the duvet was queen size and the futon in full size) to cover the rocking chair.I also made pillows for the ends of the futon and a small on to go on the cedar chest where I also put a small rug that I had been using on the table next to the futon.


I took a runner out of the closet and put it on the table along with some cut flowers.


I had chosen the fabric pattern in the first place because I thought it looked great with this poster by one of my favorite artists, Donna Howell-Sickles. I bought it in Telluride in the early '90s. Of course, I moved it from the bedroom and put it over the living room mantle.



The whole project took 7-8 hours. I did it in 2 afternoons but could have done it in a day if I had started early enough. Since I already had all of the materials, this project cost nothing.

Pagosa Springs

For those of you who haven't heard, Stephen got a fantastic job in Pagosa Springs, Colorado and we moved up here last month. I look forward to developing a massage, craniosacral,Reiki and bodywork practice here.

I am not going into the reasons that I have neglected blogging for so long. I will say that I am making an effort to post positive thoughts here and I just couldn't get there in Santa Fe. I will always view Santa Fe as a great place to visit. It just was not a good fit for us on many levels. 'Nough said.

I am really loving Pagosa Springs. There are a suprising number of live music venues here for a place this size. Fall here has been beautiful and I have taken several drives through the mountains. The aspens are amazing to see.

The people Stephen works for/with are very cool. He is working for Parelli Natural Horsmanship,Inc. in their tech department. I have to say that I was a little bit skeptical of Pat Parelli when Stephen started considering applying for this gig until I his bio and learned that he has studied with some of my all time hero horse trainers. I was immediately won over. I have yet to meet Pat and Linda Parelli (they move their operations to Florida in the winter). I am looking forward to making their aquaintance.

Music, horses and mountains. Three of the great loves of my life. What more could I ask for? Some massage clients, for sure.

2010 and a New Blog

HAPPY New Year, everybody.

3 years of blogging.

Be sure to visit my food blog, Not Just Any Dish

No More Anonymous Comments

I like getting comments, I really do. However, I have gotten really tired of anonymous comments directing readers to commercial sites. Therefore, I have disabled anonymous comments until further notice.

Making Crystalized Ginger II

I have decided to make crystallized ginger again. This time, I am going more for the syrup than the ginger. I am making bread pudding for Thanksgiving and I think that a ginger syrup glaze will really put it over the top. Thanks to Minstrel Boy at Harp and Sword for the original recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds fresh, peeled ginger, cut into medallions (should be about a quart by volume)
3 cups sugar
1 lemon, sliced thin and seeded
1 cup light Karo® syrup (usually when I use a brand name it is because I've tried another label and not have had good results. Go ahead and use an off brand if you want, but there's something about the Karo® that works in this one)
large granule sugar for dusting


It takes four or five days to make this and I will do it in three this time by doing a step every morning and every evening.

Greyhounds Needing Homes

I got this information from one of my Facebook/blog friends. If you or anyone you know is in a position to help, please do so. Also, feel free to pass this on.

Dairyland Greyhound Racetrack in Kenosha, Wisconsin will be closing on December 31, 2009. 900 Greyhounds need to be adopted or they will be euthanized. Please help me get the word out; there is only 6 weeks to get this task done. Contact Joanne Kehoe Operations Director P: 312.559.0887 Or Dairyland Race Track Adoption Center direct at (262) 612-8256

Questions

I try to keep it positive on this blog but the men in Congress carrying on about abortion are pissing me off. I have some questions I'd like to hear them and any other men who think they should have a say regarding this issue answer.

Have you ever had a one night stand?

Have you ever convinced a woman to have sex with you and then never called her again?

Have you had sex with a woman without it ever crossing your mind that she might become the mother of your child?

Have you had sex with a woman with whom you would never want to have children?

Do you know a mother who has had to take the father of her child to court to get child support?

Are you capable of carrying a child in your body and going through all of the discomfort of pregnancy and childbirth?

Are you naive enough to think that making abortion will stop it from happening? Have you ever heard of back alleys and clothes hangers?

As long as you can have sex without thinking about any of these things, how can you think that decisions regarding pregnancy and its management are not yours to make?