tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31244261911745694352011-11-12T16:00:51.278-05:00A look at the restoration of a 1930 Pennsylvania Bungalow from the closer-to-finished side of things. And the golden retriever who calls this bungalow home.Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.comBlogger2911100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-60956196139945585652011-11-12T16:00:00.000-05:002011-11-12T16:00:51.710-05:00

So, I woke up this morning with every intention of clearing a wide path through the dining room and living room. On Monday the piano movers are coming to take my piano- which I do not have the talent to play- to my grandmother's house. Nanny enjoys playing and my teenage cousin is a natural on the piano, so this will give both of them the opportunity to play. After all, it has just been sitting

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-82835935243215023242011-11-11T12:30:00.000-05:002011-11-11T12:30:02.813-05:00

Wow. It has been so long since I posted that blogger has changed! Well, I thought I'd get caught up a bit. We've been pretty preoccupied with family issues the past few months, but I think things are going to get back to normal soon. I have been working hard behind the scenes, doing some major clear out and de-cluttering. I feel very good about this. When I'm done, I can reward myself by

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-49038389002727048522011-09-12T17:50:00.001-04:002011-09-12T17:50:00.084-04:00

Dear Perfect Cheval Mirror-I dreamed of you, but did not think I would ever find one exactly like you, at least not in my price range! But mark my words: on payday, you shall be mine!And finally I will be able to see my whole outfit in the morning, right down to the shoes!I found my perfect mirror for the new bedroom at Lowes!p.s. Prepare yourself for golden retriever nose prints.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-12142955579835437152011-08-31T14:25:00.000-04:002011-08-31T14:27:20.353-04:00

The back bedroom has finally had it's makeover. Ta-da! I can't believe I started clearing out this room back in November 2009. Then we dropped the ball. Then the room accumulated more junk. And we were pretty much back at square one. Well, all that changed this summer. Sadly, our favourite mattress store has closed it's doors for ever. But we did get a terrific bargain on a king size foam

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-78745804190606862342011-07-25T20:00:00.001-04:002011-07-25T20:02:56.811-04:00

Can anyone guess what is happening here? This is just a sneak peak. More to follow soon!

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-53242165736924176322011-05-24T17:35:00.000-04:002011-05-24T17:36:23.509-04:00

Hello all! Blogger is back, we're back, all is good.We did have a few minor projects this winter, I'm sure I'll get around to telling you about them eventually. Nothing too exciting.But for now, we are working in the yard. Last week we had a yard of garden soil delivered.Oli is longing to dig into all that dirt!This helped us bulk up the garden beds along the house, and gave us more to work with

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Oliver, modeling his donut pillow. A wonderful alternative to the cone. This one is the Kong Cloud collar. He's tolerating it pretty well. We practiced for several days before the surgery. Short times, loads of praise and high-value treats made it all worthwhile. By the night before his surgery, he even fell asleep on his side wearing it.The vet was pleased with his surgery yesterday. They were

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-57553567887164305212011-04-13T11:40:00.001-04:002011-04-13T11:40:01.296-04:00

Here is my hairy golden retriever. He normally look like this, or even more hairy. But, he is having surgery next week to have a few lumps removed (nothing to worry about!) And those lumps are difficult to find under all that hair. We definitely don't want to put him through surgery only to miss one, so we took him to the groomer to get an extreme summer haircut. Now he looks like this. Can you

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-29111665120652405522011-02-03T13:50:00.000-05:002011-02-03T13:50:00.062-05:00

Hi, all. We're still here, we've just gone into winter hibernation. Not much to report right now, but hopefully things will pick up in the spring. For now we are just trying to keep warm. We've been working with Oliver off leash, which is easier in the snow because he tires himself out by leaping and bounding everywhere!See? He doesn't make footprints as much as body prints.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-11391655968250469672010-11-15T12:05:00.000-05:002010-11-15T12:07:16.042-05:00

Well, these made quite the impression. I can't remember what they tasted like at all. (So much for documenting and reporting- sorry!)Lewis says they were very meaty and delicious. They were easy to slice and had a wonderful aroma to them. They did seem to take forever to ripen. I do remember that they were very heavy, solid.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-44676795375972104872010-11-12T10:30:00.000-05:002010-11-12T10:31:36.184-05:00

This tomato was a real surprise. I hadn't really though to pick a tomato solely for the purpose of stuffing, but it suddenly seemed like a great idea when I was plant shopping.And it turned out to be a pretty good decision. Although we wound up with more of these guys than we could eat or give away. Our one Burgess Stuffer plant produced so many of tomatoes. This pink punch bowl probably holds

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-54991528037794559052010-11-06T08:10:00.000-04:002010-11-06T08:10:00.267-04:00

This is the Swirl Flowers from Bucilla. As I discussed way back in... oh my gosh, June? I decided to stitch this one in all black. I am so pleased with the results. This may be one kit where I should have used regular, divisible 6-strand embroidery floss, rather than my preferred cotton perle #8, which is thicker. The stitching is rather close and I'm afraid some of the details have gotten lost.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-31535641917285105232010-11-05T06:55:00.000-04:002010-11-05T06:55:01.102-04:00

I got pushed right out of my recliner the other night. Oliver completely took over. Doesn't he look comfy?

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-61326637844354085562010-11-04T07:50:00.003-04:002010-11-04T07:50:00.478-04:00

Some time ago, mom bought this box of Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa powder. As you know, I've long been a fan of the box mix and a whiz at doctoring a box mix, so I don't often make cake from scratch. I'll admit, it is better, but I used to make cake more frequently than I do now. (They were baked goods fiends at my old job.)Well, someone in mom's office brought in this cake one day and mom just

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-47239929208895537492010-11-03T16:05:00.000-04:002010-11-03T16:05:03.603-04:00

Have you ever heard of not having enough zucchini? Sounds like I'm being sarcastic, doesn't it? Well, our crop was pitiful this year. As I mentioned earlier this summer, our zucchini crop wasn't doing so well. In fact, only two plants ever did anything at all. The others just died off.This one has a big bloom on it, but so far has not produced anything. I doubt it will because we just had our

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-65739649762532545042010-10-31T00:05:00.001-04:002010-10-31T00:07:28.992-04:00

Here it is, nearly November, and we are still talking tomatoes. November is the time to be talking turkey!Ah! My favourites, the black tomatoes. I am now determined to plant a black tomato every year. So heavy and flavorful and meaty, almost no juice or seeds. Just absolutely the most perfect slicing tomato. This is what the grandparents mean when they talk about what tomatoes used to taste like.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-66095957451455524412010-10-27T13:30:00.000-04:002010-10-27T13:30:00.612-04:00

Last fall, my friends and I visited the beautiful Landis Valley Museum, just outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is a really neat restored and recreated small village and farm, with tons of interesting stuff to see. I understand they are always doing demonstrations and things. The Union Army was there the day we visited. We could have spent several more hours exploring, but we were tired. As

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-6655868985067115562010-10-27T08:40:00.000-04:002010-10-27T08:40:00.981-04:00

I guess I wasn't sure what to expect from these, having compulsively picked up so many varieties of tomato at the plant nursery. As it turned out, they are a sort of cherry tomato. Sweet, yes, but the can't even begin to compare to my Sweet Millions.The plant is a heavy producer, we had way more of these little guys than we could eat. The were very pretty in salads and salsa, but you could easily

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-83345442201114661092010-10-26T09:55:00.001-04:002010-10-26T09:55:00.121-04:00

A bowl full of cherries!Cherry tomatoes, that is. Our all-time favourite sweet summer snacker, the Sweet Millions variety of cherry tomato is one we didn't even plant this year. But enough volunteers came up to keep us well supplied for tomato-basil-mozzarella salad. And we still had enough to share with our neighbor.But I can tell you, I will definitely plant this variety- on purpose- next year.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-64768857298418160612010-10-25T20:40:00.002-04:002010-10-25T20:42:13.358-04:00

Sorry we've been gone for so long. But we are going to get back into the swing of things. I have lots of pictures to post; tomatoes, embroidery, clean living room, and of course, Oliver.Oli spent as much time as possible on the porch this summer. He does so enjoy sunning himself. Even when it is too hot for the rest of us, he wants to be out. He particularly loves lying in wait on the front porch

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-58456246648283024312010-09-17T12:40:00.002-04:002010-09-17T12:42:33.411-04:00

I found it!http://americanolean.com/mosaic_design.cfmTurns out it was American Olean, I just overlooked it somehow.This mosaic pattern design tool is my favorite.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-66647026150712710762010-09-15T10:15:00.000-04:002010-09-15T10:16:59.351-04:00

My dear friend Josh is hard at work on his old house. His upcoming project is the downstairs bath. Tucked in under the staircase to the second floor, it is a tiny space. Currently, it has a sink and toilet, but Josh plans to steal enough space from the adjoining kitchen to add a shower stall.Josh also plans to revamp his upstairs bath in the future, so just like us, he is making sure he has all

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-17581841262138986282010-08-26T09:45:00.000-04:002010-08-26T09:45:00.342-04:00

Yesterday morning Oliver hopped up in bed with me, giving me kisses, nuzzling and cuddling with me. So sweet. He listened attentively while I told him this story:"Oliver, did you know that five years ago today, you came to live with mommy and daddy? Do you even remember that? Mommy remembers that day very well."It was my birthday, middle of the week, a Thursday, and we had nothing special going

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-62739587074503935532010-08-11T10:20:00.001-04:002010-08-11T10:30:43.816-04:00

This is the Violets pattern from Tobin.I did a pretty good job of using the thread I had on hand, and this time I matched my colors pretty closely to those recommended by Tobin. I think there could have been a higher contrast between the two shades of purple, though. And the green isn't a shade I normally use, but it worked nicely here. Overall, I am very happy with how this turned out.I used DMC

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-18752040912837808612010-08-03T08:20:00.000-04:002010-08-03T08:20:00.302-04:00

This is a little basket I sent over to my neighbor. She always loves my cherry tomatoes, but I don't think I'll have many this year. We had lots of volunteer plants, but I didn't purposely plant any of my favourite variety, sweet millions. That was probably a mistake.So, we have a selection here. One each of black heirloom and white beauty, a handful of tigerellas, yellow pears and sweet

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-35087381658476187012010-08-02T20:00:00.000-04:002010-08-02T20:00:15.897-04:00

So, here we have a colander of tigerellas (and maybe green zebras), in various stages of ripeness.The one at the far bottom, the red and yellow stripey one, is the most ripe and ready to eat.The red and green stripey one will be ready to eat in a few days.The ones at the bottom, the white and green stripey ones, won't be ripe till some time next week.And the three that are yellow and green

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-50277200920585265632010-07-30T11:15:00.001-04:002010-07-30T12:15:15.814-04:00

Oliver watched from the porch as I meandered around the yard with my camera this morning.My little cluster of herbs. I've got regular thyme and lemon thyme, French basil, sage, purple basil, and a tiny goldfish plant (not an herb).The lovely contrast of yellow and purple in the front crescent bed. I'm really enjoying these, I'll probably do something similar next year.A few more tigerella

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-39598761883685825472010-07-28T10:40:00.001-04:002010-07-28T10:40:01.002-04:00

The bungalow came with two of these light shades. One in the entry, one in the living room. I don't think they are from 1930, more likely the 60s, but I'm not sure. I think they were the only light fixtures in the whole house that I liked. When construction began, we carefully removed the shades and fittings and put them in a box. The box went onto a shelf where it sat collecting dust for

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-39593499150676204802010-07-24T22:15:00.001-04:002010-07-25T16:52:36.577-04:00

I don't know why you're laughing. All dogs lay like this.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-28897784799131370012010-07-23T12:45:00.000-04:002010-07-23T12:45:00.585-04:00

Installing a soaker hose in my garden this year has proven to be one of the best decisions I have made in a long time.It started out with just one run, then we added another and another, totalling 75 feet of soaker hose. This completely covers both beds along the house and the crescent bed. So unlike last year, if I am too hot or tired to stand out in the yard when I get home from work, the

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-7605181248986309602010-07-22T13:55:00.001-04:002010-07-22T13:55:00.077-04:00

Oli has a new cousin.she does have a tail- it is that blur behind her- couldn't get a picture with out her tail wagging!Meet Tara. She is a 3 year old golden retriever and just as sweet as can be. My brother's wife works with someone who was moving and needed to find a good home for Tara. I think she'll be happy. They have just moved into their first house, and they have plenty of yard for her to

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-572832557211770702010-07-21T11:50:00.000-04:002010-07-21T11:50:00.246-04:00

I've got plenty of gorgeous green tomatoes, but nothing ready to pick just yet.I have a sneaking suspicion that they will all turn at the same time and I'll be overrun with tomatoes! Mmm, I can't wait for blt sandwiches and fresh tomato, basil and mozzarella salad.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-636634638284811172010-07-20T13:05:00.000-04:002010-07-20T13:05:00.123-04:00

Three of the four pepper plants have peppers so far.I think this is my Golden Summer pepper, the first one to appear. It got to this size and has just been hanging out there. I couldn't tell when it would be ready, so I looked it up. It has been this color for a while, but I guess it still has some color changing to do. Golden Summer Bell Pepper- lime green to light yellow to golden

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-47637975953428539072010-07-19T19:55:00.001-04:002010-07-24T22:09:51.905-04:00

I completed nearly every task in my 34 step plan this weekend. Mostly on Friday, very little each on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.Oli was pretty good about staying out of the way for the most part. Except when I had the camera or the vacuum out. For the camera, he poses. For the vacuum, he chases and barks. It is a game.I won't go through it all because, well, that's boring, and I already bored

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-79283827614284021742010-07-18T14:10:00.000-04:002010-07-18T14:11:25.402-04:00

While this photo was taken about a week ago, my zucchini and summer squash plants have not really grown much bigger than this. As you can see, this is that last 20% of the veg garden that has not been weeded yet. Could the crab grass, clover and other weeds be the cause of my squash's slow growth?The zucchini are normally filling the kitchen table by this time of year. I bought plants this year,

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-38040217357333615172010-07-16T11:10:00.000-04:002010-07-24T22:05:49.733-04:00

I have a lot of furniture I want to move around. I've been itching to move things for a while now.The shuffling part comes in because there is no empty spot at the moment. Currently there is a piece of furniture in every place that I want a different piece of furniture. Make senses? If it does, don't worry, I'm sure I'll loose you soon.So here it is, my grand plan, in 34 steps:1. Organize

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-10002023535512675772010-07-15T11:10:00.002-04:002010-07-24T22:03:08.094-04:00

Two weeks later and I have finally gotten the porch tidied and cleaned the kitchen windowsill.I forgot to take a picture of the windowsill now that it is clean, and I wasn't brave enough to take befores of either the porch or the kitchen windowsill. Just take my word for it, this is a drastic and great improvement. Ghetto-porch-b-gone!I've also weeded about 80% of my garden, and now it is much

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-83214763568381456252010-07-13T17:10:00.001-04:002010-07-13T17:10:00.604-04:00

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary, Dar and Rich! I hope you enjoy sleeping on these as much as I enjoyed stitching them for you.This is the Gloriosa pattern from Tobin, available from JoAnn Fabric and Crafts. The first time I saw this pattern I thought it was just stunning. I still think so. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Unfortunately, my photography skills don't do it justice.The giant

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-6027556176953174852010-06-29T13:55:00.001-04:002010-06-29T13:55:00.694-04:00

I had the three big tasks I wanted to get done: clean the garden window in the kitchen, weed the garden and tidy the porch. Yeah. Mostly I just hunkered down in the air conditioning and watched the last season of Six Feet Under on dvd. I sobbed during the finale. Sobbed, I mean great big gushing weeping. I'm really glad I was home alone.I got some laundry done and keep up with the dishes. I did

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-79385892555895335662010-06-25T12:40:00.002-04:002010-06-25T12:43:29.150-04:00

Thanks to some volunteer tomato plants- around 15 I lost count- and some volunteer malva plants, my crescent bed is getting a bit unruly. I spent a few minutes yesterday pulling out some of the crabgrass and a few volunteer tomato plants that didn't yet have fruit. I'm hoping this picture is going to become a "before" and that I will have a nice looking "after" to show next week.This bed is in

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-26049663309326921872010-06-23T09:25:00.002-04:002010-06-23T09:27:29.459-04:00

My little tomatoes still aren't ready. I was away again for a couple of days, and was hoping for a pleasant surprise when I got home. The tomato plants have gotten taller, some of the flowers have filled out a bit, but I still have nothing to harvest. I know, I'm being impatient.The bell peppers have sprouted more peppers, but none of those are ready yet, either. I'm really looking forward to my

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-85916274705097331422010-06-19T09:40:00.000-04:002010-06-19T09:40:00.462-04:00

This is the Blue Daisies pattern from Tobin.I think this pattern is just so lovely. I am mostly happy with it, but I don't care for the dark blue that I chose. Again, I was trying to use colors that I have on hand, but I think the dark blue called for in the pattern would have been better- more of a cornflower blue, not quite as dark. Oh, well. Next time.I used DMC cotton perle #8 in these colors

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-22164742301131263362010-06-17T14:05:00.000-04:002010-06-17T14:05:56.320-04:00

Our first pepper appeared this weekend: It will probably be several days before it is ready, but that's okay. Our pepper plants seem to be off to a good start.I think mom usually buys "gypsy" bell peppers for me. Mom and John plant tons of peppers, both bell and hot, but I'm not interested in messing with hot peppers. Besides, if I should need one for something, I know I can just get a pepper

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-66085078124778015872010-06-16T08:45:00.000-04:002010-06-16T08:45:34.122-04:00

Last year Lewis and I fell in love with heirloom tomatoes. Their smell and taste! Like tomatoes are supposed to be, like the tomatoes our grandparents grew up with. Not your grocery store variety, although we have seen a tiny selection of "ugly tomatoes" at our local Giant. And we were able to pick up some at a local roadside stand last summer.The guy at my local nursery gave me a few sad tomato

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-1955946729921748952010-06-15T13:05:00.000-04:002010-06-15T13:13:48.506-04:00

My beans sprouted while I was away for a long weekend!Those are volunteer marigolds or possibly cosmos growing behind the fence. Not sure how they will do. Then the row of beans in front of the fence, and nasturtium seeds were planted in the 4 circles in front of the beans. Volunteer cosmos to the left, at the end of this bed. Good to prevent soil erosion, bad because it may overshadow the beans

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-20715259806978660042010-06-14T14:05:00.001-04:002010-06-14T14:05:00.096-04:00

lime green, lime green and tangerine...Eh, sorry. I've got The Cure stuck in my head.Since we 've been on the topic of wrong numbers, I thought I'd share a couple of other frequent, but far less irritation wrong numbers we get calls for.My home phone number is very similar to that of my grandparent's business, a number I've known my whole life. In fact, only the last digit is different. I figured

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-76364474790117457482010-06-11T10:50:00.000-04:002010-06-11T10:55:49.212-04:00

Gratuitous Oliver picture.This was taken early one morning last week. I don't think Oli was quite awake yet.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-81342371553395393342010-06-10T11:05:00.000-04:002010-06-10T11:05:00.554-04:00

I started several malva seeds in pots last year, then planted them in the yard when they were ready. They didn't seem to do much, so I gave up on them. They are a perennial, but I figured if they didn't do anything the first year, they wouldn't be back. I was wrong.It seems they self-seeded and I now have a ton of them coming up along the back of the crescent bed. That is good, right where I want

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-87525839900558279832010-06-09T08:40:00.001-04:002010-06-09T08:46:14.525-04:00

Incidentally, before the storm Friday night I tried to take Oli for a walk and it didn't go so well. I knew he was bored and I knew it might rain in a little while, so I saddled him up with the Easy Walk Harness- which works great, but he doesn't really like it. Turns him into stiff doggie. I think it is because he knows that he can't pull when he's wearing it. He also knows that harness =

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-34206451088969427332010-06-08T08:05:00.004-04:002011-03-31T13:48:17.582-04:00

See the shiny spots at the top of the roller? Yeah, that'd be rainwater! It seems to be coming in from the top of the window and running down between the frame and the header trim. Seems we may be missing some flashing or caulking or both. At least we finally know where the water is coming from. When I bought the house we soon discovered that there was a sheet of plywood under this set of windows

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-80174061790464435522010-06-07T18:00:00.001-04:002010-06-07T18:00:56.956-04:00

I'm a sucker for cotton muslin.I ordered this set of antique pillowcases from ebay. One was completed, the other barely started. The finished case is much whiter than the unfinished one, but I had no way of knowing if the unfinished case would wash up after it was stitched. It didn't. Actually, it is a bit better, but not much. I don't think I'll ever do this again. The fabric is far better than

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-27556436752917571072010-06-06T15:20:00.001-04:002010-06-06T15:20:00.056-04:00

This is one of our favourite side dishes. So simple. A little dash of olive oil or a pat of butter, bit of diced onions, a sprinkling of Mrs. Dash, and a bag of squash. Saute until the squash reaches the tenderness you prefer, and done! So hopefully next winter we will not need to buy any squash from good 'ole Hanover Foods (don't worry, we still buy lots of other frozen veggies from you, Hanover

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-84419979653731392010-06-04T09:00:00.000-04:002010-06-04T09:30:47.098-04:00

I got a gorgeous black and blue salvia at Noggle's Nursery yesterday. It is now the centerpiece of the crescent bed. I also got a couple of smaller blue and white ones to put around it. Someone had been letting their dog pee on the one Swiss chard plant that sort of made it from last summer. It had been intensely interesting to Oli for several weeks, but I eventually pulled it out. It was stunted

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-68788738134264146362010-06-03T09:50:00.000-04:002010-06-03T09:50:23.157-04:00

Way back in March I had big dreams and a carefully thought out garden plan. And for the most part, I've stuck to that list. Pared down a little here, got a few unplanned purchases, but that is to be expected. I'm glad I went into the nursery with a plan. Sometimes I get in those greenhouses and, I don't know if it is the heat or the riot of color, or both, but I just get impulsive.That is one of

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-84331360056073368542010-05-28T10:10:00.008-04:002010-05-28T10:10:00.205-04:00

Yesterday I mentioned all the telemarketing calls I've been dealing with, mostly at work, but sometimes at home, too. My new easy solution is to simply put them on hold and wait until they hang up. Simple, fun and a little devilish.But how about those creditors and collection agencies, huh? Wait, wait. I pay my bills. We have $0 left at the end of the month, but the bills are all paid on time,

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-27703677063175202292010-05-27T10:35:00.002-04:002010-05-27T13:01:01.466-04:00

Is it just me, or are the telemarketers getting really lazy? Lately, nearly every time I get a sales call, it is a recorded message asking me to hold for an important message! Yeah, right. Um, you called me, dude.I hate being put on hold, no matter what, but I am certainly not going to sit around and wait to be harassed by an automated message or, possibly worse, some poor sap who barely speaks

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-90890908882519619822010-05-26T12:35:00.003-04:002010-05-26T12:38:18.129-04:00

Enamel Colanders- Martha Stewart blue, originally sold at Macy's, now available from Amazon.Dish Towels- fun and funky dots and stripes from Crate and Barrel.Glasses- in bright colors from Libbey.Cake Stand- in blueberry, from Dillards.Salt and Pepper Grinders- adorable, looks like bunny ears to me, made by Chef'n, sold by Sur la table.Serving Tray- fun swirly pattern from TargetStoneware Mixing

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-1323966532286779292010-05-19T14:05:00.004-04:002010-05-24T17:50:48.109-04:00

We saw the shower curtain while shopping at Target one day a few weeks ago. I could tell Marc really liked it, so I scouted out some other pieces. As it turns out, Bed Bath & Beyond has an almost identical bathroom ensemble. I can only imagine that they were made by the same manufacturer for the two different retailers. The colors are all the same, the difference seems to be in the width of the

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-6776506710388494192010-05-17T18:20:00.000-04:002010-05-17T18:29:38.359-04:00

Just for fun I decided to see how far I could push Marc's adventurous design taste and I developed a whole kitchen design board around the boysenberry-color Kitchen Aid mixer.Surprisingly, he didn't hate it. But I doubt he'll be going this direction in his kitchen. I was also surprised to see how many kitchen objects I could find in this shade of purple. Of course, I mixed in a good dose of olive

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-20600565073051378272010-05-15T13:55:00.007-04:002010-05-15T13:55:01.411-04:00

There were a number of great elements from the citrus kitchen that I really liked, but I just couldn't pull it all together with the mix of coppers, oranges and yellows. This time I focused just on that rich, vibrant orange. Persimmon. You know, the stuff that just popped!Once again, the tin signs are from Classic Kitchens.The art poster of the Supertramp album Breakfast in America.The Kik Step

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-73466677791099383982010-05-14T08:20:00.000-04:002010-05-14T08:20:00.202-04:00

I was going for a theme of rich, vibrant citrus colors, but I think I kind of missed the mark on this one. Still, some of these things were so great I decided to do an orange kitchen idea board, too. I'll post that tomorrow. Some favourites from this board are the salt and pepper grinders from Zak Designs, the step can by Simple Human, the tin art from Classic Kitchens, the Kik Step, the Kapoosh

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-30749381929843858932010-05-12T16:55:00.001-04:002010-05-12T16:55:00.682-04:00

Revere Ware. Copper Clad Revere Ware. It is what I learned to cook on. My mom had a full set. Both grandmothers had several pieces. It is pretty much all I've ever used. When I try to use other types of cookware, I usually burn or somehow overcook the food. See, the copper helps distribute the heat more evenly than non-clad pans. And I'm afraid of non-stick coatings, so those are out.So when I

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-83232349595756412662010-05-11T09:15:00.000-04:002010-05-11T09:15:00.463-04:00

My friend Marc is about ready to take that leap and get his first apartment. We've had much discussion of how to decorate. I'm lucky- I get to design for someone and spend his money!This is just the first of many ideas for a kitchen. I figure the red and other bold colors would perk up an all-white rental kitchen.Most of the items are from everyone's fav, Target. The glass plates and drinkware

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-25298790997090536722010-04-21T14:50:00.002-04:002010-04-21T14:54:14.625-04:00

I was very tickled with myself yesterday. See, a few weeks ago I signed up with Bruster's and they send me an email when they make my favourite flavors of ice cream.One day last week they made Mint Chocolate Chip (and theirs is the best I've ever had), so I sent Lewis a text message, and he picked up a pint for me. It was waiting for me in the freezer when I got home from work. Nice.Yesterday I

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-48584003347727361292010-04-15T09:40:00.001-04:002010-04-15T09:40:00.101-04:00

This is my first foray into the land of embroidered towels. I was a bit worried about getting all the thread tails secure because the back is exposed and I figure that towels get a lot more wear and tear than pillowcases. I think I did a sufficient job. This pattern is from the brand Tobin and I purchased them from from artscraftsusa.com. I've become a big fan of Tobin's patterns, but they are

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-13080131202723767172010-04-10T08:55:00.002-04:002010-04-10T08:55:00.181-04:00

The forsythia and the purple leaf plum are both in full bloom this week. Usually the plum would bloom a little later, after the forsythia blossoms start to fade, but with this April heat wave we had this week everything is blooming!

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-85476008255846637682010-04-09T16:05:00.001-04:002010-04-09T16:05:00.246-04:00

My cousin Nikki is expecting her first baby next month, so I made these for her baby shower gift. Along with Dr. Seuss' Sleep Book, an all time favourite of mine. That is part of my standard baby shower gift these days, since the old standby baby ear thermometer is too expensive now that the bungalow takes all my money. But back to the bunny and doe.The mommy-to-be selected sage green and brown

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-11856803841427040982010-03-24T17:20:00.001-04:002010-03-24T17:22:05.572-04:00

This year I'm sticking to the list. No extras, no impulse buys. No growing things we don't eat. Too much wasted money, time and energy. Let's see how resolved I am when I'm in the greenhouse, shall we?The Veg:-Heirloom tomatoes only this year, varieties to be determined by plant availability-Sweet Millions cherry tomatoes, a fav-Chocolate Cherry tomatoes, if I can find a plant-Cucumbers, only 2

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-67908074799469973322010-02-22T22:45:00.001-05:002010-02-22T22:51:16.297-05:00

I made another layer cake last week. I was watching The New Adventures of Old Christine, a re-run, where new Christine had dumped Richard at the altar, and when Matthew and Barb go to check on her, she feeds them huge pieces of wedding cake and a bottle of champagne each. The cake looked really good. A four layer white cake. Suddenly that was all I could think about. Mmm, a nice white cake. Gotta

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-14748247475062912010-02-17T15:45:00.003-05:002010-02-17T17:04:18.626-05:00

I took Oliver to mom's house this weekend to play in their backyard. They are out in the country a bit more and since he is being so timid about the big snow, we decided to let him run off leash. John had several paths plowed and shoveled, so there were good places for him to run. He did briefly venture into the deeper stuff, but it was pretty tough going, so he turned around and headed back to

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-73843856693177268472010-02-10T19:55:00.000-05:002010-02-10T19:58:39.345-05:00

Our view from the porch this afternoon. Not much but snow as far as the eye can see.Snow level with or higher than the porch. Fire hydrant almost obscured.Once there was a narrow path here. Gone in three minutes by the work of a bobcat clearing snow for Lewis' parking spot.Well, best to just dig in.Even Oliver is a bit overwhelmed. Thankfully our neighbor with the snow blower took pity on me

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-8649330285731036852010-02-08T20:00:00.001-05:002010-02-08T20:00:51.839-05:00

Mother Nature must be mad at us. She neglected us the last two winters, they were fairly mild and we got off easy. Now she is making up for it. It started late Friday afternoon and continued until early Saturday afternoon. I'm guessing we got about 30".I cleared everything as soon as I got home from work Friday evening, around 7:00 p. There were only about 2" at that point, so it went quickly. I

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-61424597808138396372010-02-05T15:10:00.001-05:002010-02-05T15:10:00.530-05:00

Oliver went to the groomer last week. He had a grand time. He got trimmed a little shorter than usual, but that's not too surprising, since he was described as having been "very wiggly" when Lewis picked him up. They usually put a cute bandanna on him when he leaves, but this time he came home wearing blue Mardi Gras beads! And while that is very creative, I'm not quite sure a chain of plastic

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-81171821747957348702010-01-27T10:50:00.000-05:002010-01-27T10:50:00.847-05:00

Speaking of Christmas decorations, I have to tell you, I saw the most stunning tree at Target this year. It was an all white tree, and they had it decorated with these beautiful aqua ornaments. Just one color, various shades. I wanted to take it home with me that day. I checked out the other stores' trees while Christmas shopping, and found the best price at Sears. But even on sale for $90 was

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-42950502501842500102010-01-19T15:10:00.001-05:002010-01-20T09:09:20.673-05:00

I just realized today that I never posted any pictures of our Christmas decor. I didn't go all out this year. I keep meaning to, just can't find the time. So we only put up the silver tree again. In fact, I need to take it down tonight because Sheri is coming to clean tomorrow, and since Christmas was like four weeks ago, it is past time to take the tree and gift wrapping supplies back to the

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-39574096024104963762010-01-14T16:30:00.001-05:002010-01-14T16:35:51.710-05:00

Okay. So, remember all that lovely progress we were making in the back bedroom? Yeah. Well. We've kind of stalled. There are a couple of factors:1. I am lazy.2. We couldn't buy the mattress because we are very broke and recognised that we shouldn't go further into debt at this time.3. Kelly wasn't going to stay with me over the holiday (but in the end she did stay a few days).4. I've been having

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-44673632710344670222010-01-06T09:25:00.001-05:002010-01-06T09:29:30.993-05:00

Even though we keep the temperature down, the heat still manages to make the house pretty dry. To combat that, we use a combination of devices.First, these beauties. My trusty humidifiers. I couldn't get through the winter without them. If I get too dry, my sinuses dry out, then my allergies flare up. It's just bad all 'round.We just got this little guy over the weekend, the Vicks V3500N. I think

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-74014809264982328412009-12-23T13:35:00.002-05:002009-12-23T13:35:11.366-05:00

Our little helper.Snow shoveling is great fun. Puppy gets to bark and "dig" the snow from the shovel. All that hard work wears a doggie out. Poor guy can hardly keep his eyes open.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-67461949558394235942009-12-19T12:45:00.000-05:002009-12-19T12:45:08.637-05:00

Many years ago I was crazy about this new craft I had discovered. Glass painting. I was obsessed with painted Christmas ornaments. It was a lot of fun, experimenting with different colors and textures. It must have been a hot new craft at the time because there aren't as many kits to choose from now as back then. Fortunately, I had stocked up. Well, I guess really I bought more projects than I

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-41081938019363114872009-12-16T09:25:00.000-05:002009-12-16T09:26:20.281-05:00

Here is the new tv stand in place.I finally got brackets for the bookshelves, and moved the second one from the dining room to its permanent location, flanking the tv. Since we don't have a fireplace in our humble bungalow, the tv goes in that spot. I've always felt it would be lovely to have built-ins along that wall, but I can't afford them. So for now these three pieces will have to stand in.I

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-14767722471606045872009-12-14T20:55:00.000-05:002009-12-14T20:55:00.605-05:00

This his and hers set of pillowcases is a stamped set from Bucilla, called Bridal Bouquet. I'm not sure what is going on with their website, because the colors in the photograph are garish, but in real life it is quite soft and lovely. Unlike usual, I followed the recommended colors. Except for the words His and Hers. The pattern called for one of the greens, but I decided I wanted them in blue

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-51297892328054920122009-12-12T14:45:00.002-05:002009-12-12T14:45:00.385-05:00

Our steam radiators keep us nice and toasty in the winter. Well, they could. If we turned the heat up. But we are being frugal. Two winters ago was really the first time we had the house back together. Before that, there was still construction happening on a minor scale, and the old boiler kept failing. I would often come home to a cold house, get the boiler up and running and it would have to

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-60547155801782276592009-12-11T13:10:00.001-05:002009-12-11T13:10:00.135-05:00

We are replacing my very sturdy, but in Lewis' opinion "ugly" shelves that hold the tv with a new tv stand I found at Just Cabinets. I think I got a good deal, if not a bargain. The regular price was $180, on sale for $120. I wasn't planning to buy anything right away, we were just right next door, so I made my friend Marc go in with me, just to see what they had available and get sizes and

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-37911722813407496052009-12-10T14:25:00.000-05:002009-12-10T14:26:14.429-05:00

Jessica came over on Sunday and we spend a solid 4 hours clearing out the clutter. I know, there is still a lot left there, but we are nearing the end. I could have worked longer, but we stirred up so much dust that both of us had headaches, so we called it quits. I took a nice benadryll at bedtime. That did the trick. Too bad it leaves me so groggy. I could have taken one and kept working after

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-46003514788609846802009-12-06T18:45:00.001-05:002009-12-06T18:45:00.390-05:00

With my self-imposed deadline fast approaching, and my decluttering progressing with many stops and starts, I realized that I had better get Lewis to the mattress store so we can make our selection. So Thursday night we met for dinner after work, then drove over to Lemoyne Sleeper, a local mattress manufacturer with a showroom next door. Two years ago I purchased an all foam mattress from them,

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-18489042745006501902009-12-05T11:10:00.008-05:002009-12-05T11:10:00.420-05:00

So I dug out the handy-dandy Sherwin William paint fan last night, just to see if I could find a suitable color. Somewhere in this range is my perfect color...After flipping through those, I've narrowed my choices to Sherwin Williams' Halcyon Green or Drizzle (just above my thumb).In person last night the Drizzle looked okay, but when I looked at them again in the morning light and in this

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-18019860189988885482009-12-04T08:45:00.006-05:002010-06-30T09:05:46.515-04:00

So the comforter set I ordered from JCPenney on Friday arrived on my porch Tuesday. It was much lighter than I had expected. I'm well aware that colors can't possibly be accurately represented on the monitor, there are too many variables. I understand that. And this color isn't actually bad, it is just lighter than I had hoped. What I find ironic is that the paper label that came in the package

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-22490594381041329672009-12-03T10:05:00.000-05:002009-12-03T10:05:26.042-05:00

I tried to combat the post-turkey fatigue on Sunday by attacking the back bedroom again. But I got sidetracked.On the bright side, the side bedroom hasn't looked this good in ages.Here's the problem I was running into: many of the remaining boxes in the back bedroom have office supplies in them. Tons of little stuff with no home. So, I started to get the side bedroom organized to make homes for

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-16185602244820253962009-12-01T13:35:00.000-05:002009-12-01T13:35:00.506-05:00

I did these three little kittens for my Aunt Lu, who has a beautiful black kitty, a new addition to their family about this time last year.I "borrowed" the pattern from a pattern I saw somewhere. Don't ask me where now, I should learn to make note of such things, but I'm always sure I'll remember. It wasn't my best project, I'll admit, I envisioned them turning out a bit differently. But Aunt Lu

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I worked on the back bedroom a bit more this weekend. Several days passed when I didn't even want to look at it. Friday I thought I'd motivate myself a bit by ordering the curtains and comforter. It helped a bit. Saturday my dear friend Jessica came over and we went through my give away pile. She happily took several things. That was the kick in the pants I needed to keep going after she left.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-82369812908324893832009-11-23T11:30:00.001-05:002009-11-30T21:43:30.150-05:00

I worked on the messy bedroom for a few minutes on Friday night and was able to sort and store four bins of clothes I probably should get rid of, but am not ready to part with just yet. That didn't make much of a dent in the pile.Sunday I spent several hours in there, made a big mess in the hall, and it still doesn't look much different. I filled a trash bag, found several empty boxes to recycle,

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-52183078317978149672009-11-21T11:20:00.001-05:002009-11-21T11:20:00.163-05:00

When I bought the house there was no source of heat on the second floor. Just gravity. I thought I would give it a try, and I froze the first winter. So I asked my dad and grandfather to put radiators in the three bedrooms. My dad looked around and eventually found four steam radiators. He got them from some guy he knows who hoards junk. Apparently hot water radiators are easier to come by than

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So, here are my two dressers in the back bedroom. Please excuse the mess. Actually, since this may be my next big project, maybe you'd just better get used to seeing this mess!What do you think? Could I make it work with yesterday's idea?I also gave the sheets some more thought. I could always embroider some seashells, starfish and sand dollars on the hems of two or three sets of pillowcases. A

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-54528481945515844982009-11-19T16:35:00.001-05:002009-11-19T16:36:19.158-05:00

On this gloomy November day in Pennsylvania, I am dreaming big. I'm dreaming of a new bedroom. I need to reclaim the back bedroom from the boxes, baskets, bags and clutter. We need a king size bed.The bungalow is generously sized, but the back bedroom is the only one big enough for a king bed and furniture.We know what kind of mattress we want, another foam mattress like the one in the front

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-26451434615174494832009-10-30T13:10:00.000-04:002009-10-30T13:10:00.144-04:00

I saw this beautiful and very simple art nouveau pattern in a pattern book I purchased at JoAnn Fabric. It was one of those impulse buys. I was waiting in the world's longest line, which was not moving, for no apparent reason. But I amused myself by browsing through the book rack next to me. Always dangerous. I have a serious book addiction. But this was a seriously good pattern book, so I bought

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-78990274349825447152009-10-27T16:05:00.000-04:002009-10-27T16:05:00.666-04:00

See? We really did have a garden planted this year, honest. Here was one of my nightly bean harvests. I love, love, love string beans. I will definitely be planting more beans next year.

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-40240447580526472382009-10-26T10:15:00.004-04:002009-10-26T10:15:00.726-04:00

This kit is called Whimsical Butterflies and it is from the company Dimensions.I love how each of the critters turned out, so full. But I did have a little difficulty getting started with the contrasting edges. I couldn't figure out if it worked best to do the edges first then the fill, or the other way around. I don't think I ever decided. The puffy satin stitches makes such a neat texture. A

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We had a lot of gorgeous sunflowers this year, as well as some other really nice flowers. The garden got started so late because of all the rain, then I neglected my plants because of the major life upheaval. The plants were lucky mother nature was looking out for them, raining a bit almost every day for most of the summer.Unfortunately, since I was too tired to tend, weed, or even water the

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-65515639331637412572009-10-24T10:50:00.000-04:002009-10-24T10:50:00.080-04:00

Ta da! There it is, all shiny and white, making all the sidewalk around it look bad. John and Bart really did a good job. The town inspector said it was one of the best in town, and you know he has seen a lot this season! Many of the sidwalk repairs were done by professionals, too.The guys put a shiny 2009 quarter into the cement before it set. See that little smear on the right there? That was

Oliver's Bungalowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14098874510166931749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124426191174569435.post-28712104972983850382009-10-23T09:35:00.000-04:002009-10-23T09:47:47.747-04:00

At long last, we finally got around to mounting the new house numbers on the front porch! We've only had these pretty metal numbers for the last four years, and since we installed the new old door last August we've been completely without house numbers. This became a big problem a few weeks back when I was expecting guests who had never been to my neck of the woods.So, my friend Marc got roped

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