100 of Something I still don't understand and a Mummy Makeover!

It was one of 'those' kind of weeks....most of the time was spent as Nurse Jacque after a lot of these:

While the grandkids were off doing a lot of this:

And I really wanted to be doing this:

Unfortunately I found myself sequestered in the sick ward.....and I have done my time in there you can be sure.  Luckily I have my hoard stash of projects so I worked on a few.

I wanted something easy to do in the 'no brainer' category so I would be able to finish it between appointments and nursing. 

I picked one of my projects which was to do an upcycle of these 80 pennies, 1920-2000, that I gave my dad on his 80th birthday.  It has long faded and some of the pennies were falling off so I thought it would be oh so fun to do '100 years of pennies' so I decided to get 5 years earlier and 5 years later than the 80 and have 100 years of pennies!

 

Little did I know at the time this project would launch my OCD and processing anxieties through the roof.....It started so simple - I took off the pennies from the 80's frame....put them in order...enjoying my coffee and the morning news shows......  check and done

On to step 2 with a smile!!!  I started laying out the pennies 10 down and 10 across starting with 1915 and was going to end on 2015 = equaling 100 years of pennies when I was done - right????

 I was totally thrown off by what happened....I had an extra penny and it was dated 2015.  I thought maybe I duplicated one, no, I thought I messed up the order - no, I double checked my math 2015-1915=100 yes 10 x 10 = 100 yes!  Why the heck did I have 101 pennies. 

I worked myself up into a dither - I had people on txt, email, phone, in person trying to figure it out....in the end only The Addie could explain to me and he could explain it but honestly I still don't accept it.....

So the only consolation to this was that I have 100 pennies - not 100 years of pennies and I am very sad because if I added 2015 to make 100 years of pennies it would throw my OCD into overdrive and I have enough going on.

 

The finished product does fill the space I wanted on the wall but I can't help to think it is mocking me every time I look at it.

Then I moved on a Mummy Makeover.....I got this mummy at the 99 cent store - I don't like scary mummies - I like happy mummies.  I knew I could make her over to enjoy being a mummy more!

 

I painted her ugly skeleton face white.....

 Re-wrapped her a little....and gave her google eyes....

 And when I told her about the 100 pennies - by the look in her eyes I could tell she was not happy!

 And if Mummy ain't happy ain't nobody happy.


 

My Muse.....and Fall-Ing

It would be an understatement to say I am particular....almost to a fault.

Living in CA for over 35 years and especially living in SD for the past 28 years I have always wanted a oil painting of the ocean for our house....sounds easy right - there are literally thousands to choose from and I have been to every art show and antique store to be found.

 

  Trouble is,  it has to be the ocean the way I see and enjoy the ocean...Artists do great paintings and their views are amazing but I did not want any that were....

 

 

 too fake like this one.....

 

 Or too grey like this one....

 Or too mean like this one.....

 Or too unrealistic like this one....

 

Earlier this summer on one of our many trips to OB Steve and I met this one, which instantly became my muse....I went back  several times so it could taunt me and we could get to know each other better and decide if we wanted to commit. 

I went with my bestie in SD, Annette,  and she loved it but I just wasn't sure....then another visit with Edie from AZ and she loved it and I carried it around the store for awhile but just could not commit....then back with my bestie Tracy from Florida who insisted I put in a bid on it and came to my house and scouted the area for me for a perfect spot.  She, nor I, could really find the perfect place for it so when I did not get a call back for a week I just decided to let it go...if you love it let it go and if it is real it will come back to you (70's poster flashback) 

 And like the lyrics from one of my favorite Eagles Songs....I got the call today.....

 and I am so happy I did

 My muse will entertain and make me happy for along time.....or until the next muse comes along...

 

 Although the calendar says September and I have called an end to summer the weather just is not complying with my demands! 

I decided to encourage fall to come by decorating just a little for it.  The summer lantern was looking faded as it should be by September!

 I had some fall items to up cycle so I took this wreath apart with some gourds I had....

 And put it out for fall to embrace....

 Oh and a little owl as well.....whooooooooo wants fall???? I do I do!

 Another up cycle project this week - repurposing this wreath, ping pong balls and Google eyes...

 Removed the fall décor and painted the wreath black....

 Glued on google eyes on the ping pong balls....

 Had a little help....

 And made this google eye wreath which I will take to the boys house in a few weeks with some fake spider webs on just for fun....

 It was fun to get out thrifting a little this week....I found these great bookends for my vintage baseball boys.....

 And this cast iron salesman sample stove....with all the pieces.....too fun and cute...

And the boys asked coerced me into yet another trip to the pond.....

I really love to go and watch them enjoy themselves....

And catch and release and catch and keep - only the big ones....but they hate to leave! They want to control when we leave and they can't!  They do not like to release control....they want to demand!

 Summer  also is hating to leave.....time to stare at my muse and my fall décor!

And accept the fact that the apple does not fall far from the tree!

Last of Endless Summer 2015.....

 

 

It's been a long, hot, wonderful, exciting, frustrating, beautiful, full, peaceful and chaotic summer.....we are worn out to say the least.....celebrating the last week of Summer 2015!

 

 Last bit of company rolled into town and we had a blast.....

 

 

 

 We laughed, cried, caught up, planned ahead.....

 We lunched, dined, swam, shopped and drove....

 I was temped yet again by this in an antique store in OB....it has tempted me ALL SUMMER.....I left a bid....but no call back.....yet....

 Our last trip to OB with summer tourists - soon we will have it all to ourselves (locals) again....

Brody's last belly flop of Summer - he ended up in a contest where he was named 'Freddie the Flipper from Omaha' by a really funny guy at the pool who started the contest and called the competition....Brody was the all star and got 10's from all the crowd!

Steve had his last fishing trip of summer in this plane mosquito....  

 

 And while he was doing a lot of this......

 

 

And this......

 

 

 

 

 I tackled my last project of summer.....this little beauty....

 Painting and sanding.....

 So happy to have all the original hardware to use for it!

 

 And dragging it up the stairs was quite the task!

 However - when I got it upstairs I had to transfer all the old desk stuff to the new desk....





 



Which then caused that light bulb above my head to revamp everything in the room............

 Move this, move that, shred this, file that.....I was under the false impression that I was organized and my paperwork was in order.....boy was I wrong in denial.....
 

 The end result.....I still have some changes to make on the desk top however I think she is happy in my little European inspired office....for now anyway!

 Yes, summer of 2015 - you were a ride that wore us all out.....

time for chillaxin - Dylan style!