many reasons...

despite the fact i haven't eaten a warm piece of toast nor drunk a hot cup of tea since her arrival and despite the fact her favorite delicacy is 'chicken poo', there are so many reasons to love little olive.

i like the fact she doesn't keep count of how many times i go to the fridge to find a piece of chocolate during the day.

i like the fact she loves to play 'squirrel nutkin' whilst hoping used dog will play the role of 'old owl'.

i like the fact she has a sweet nature and loves to be silly.

i like the fact she never walks without her nose permanently stuck to the ground checking out all the lovely smells.

i like the fact she has really big ears and quite honestly, a rather silly body with her under belly covered in freckles.

i like the fact she does the 'dog' thing so well and that would be, loving us unconditionally.

but most of all

i love the fact she appreciates crocheted blankets and old thrift store pillowcases, and i am thinking to myself what more could a 'crafty' mama ask from her sweet new addition to the fold...

she is off to do a spot of thrifting tonight and thanking you most kindly for the 'color therapy' of yesterday ~ Tif

thrifty thursdays... branching out

i am still trying to combat my color fears.

this week i took a set of shelves i found out thrifting, that happened to be the same as my bathroom ones but in white and decided to boldly go where i have not boldly gone before with a paintbrush.

i bought a can of pink paint, not any old soft, gentle 'be kind to my eyes' pink paint, but bright, in your face, 'i glow at night' pink paint. (i fear i am losing it completely these days, must be the lurkingness of turning 41)

two days on i am still reeling from being taken out of my comfort zone.

made worse by my need to use the paint up, after all i had spent good money on the stuff. and so foolishly, i continued to wield my paintbrush on the inside of our dresser hutch... (trust me when i say the color is rather subdued in this picture)

i got so scared afterwards that i found my handy dandy staple gun and some lace to 'cover up' my 'battling with color' moment...

i see many fabulous examples here, but when it comes to my own space i appear to lose my way more often than not...

my lovely 'doubters' cupboard of last week only became it's soft shade of blue because i had left over paint from my utility room and our bathroom. having lived with this color for over a year i knew it was a safe bet, but having run out of leftover paint i felt the need to branch out and attempt a new palette.

my man commented "ummm, is that set of shelves new?" as he shielded his eyes from the glare upon entering the shed.

"yes, i painted it today... what do you think?"

"well..." he hesitated and then continued with the 'tone of voice' from one who is fearful to offend "it's quite bright for you isn't it?"

"i know!" i broke down, "i don't know what i was thinking, i was overcome by a moment of bravery, or some might say madness, and now i have a tin of paint containing fluorescent salmon pink and a shelf and dresser cupboard that scare me."

nothing for it but to live with my new 'scary' color for a while, not because i think the color will grow on me, but more because little olive has taken it upon herself since the kids went back to school to become a 'pickle of the utmost kind' and thus making sure any free time i might donate to painting and crafting be donated to her instead...

she is off to collect the eggs with little olive and used dog in tow, in an attempt to get out of the glare ~ Tif

school's in...

there's a kind of hush all over the shed,

with three children back in school...

save for one child, our #3 who is a 'silent' soul most days, and has a late start to his school day.

little olive in her basket with her chew stick,

used dog by my feet as i tippity tap,

doodle the mouse in her nest, lonely since the passing of noodle, quite suddenly last week.

speedy the tortoise, in his shell silently snoring,

bingo and linus the cats, in their usual spot on our #1"s bed,

two fish, nora and kevin doing laps in their bowl

and the chickens going about their daily 'peck' in the yard.

and so ten weeks of 'closeness with my clan' has come to an end, i am a wee bit sad but to tell the truth, i am also a wee bit 'gleeful' of getting a few hours of quiet time to myself.

my little etsy store is looking quite bare and so i have made a date with miss ethel.

we are officially back to work on september 8th, giving me a week to get myself and the shed, ship shape and of course giving little olive time to adjust to 'work life' in the studio.

she is off to 'paint' a treasure or two and thanking you most kindly for your 'cupboard' support of last week ~ Tif