Ribbon fries, snow cones and downtown fun

 (From Wikipedia - "In the late 1880s, Fort Payne experienced explosive growth as investors and workers from New England and the North flooded into the region to exploit coal and iron deposits discovered a few years earlier. This period is called the "Boom Days", or simply as the "Boom". Many of the notable and historic buildings in Fort Payne date from this period of economic growth, including the state's oldest standing theater, the Fort Payne Opera House; the former factory of the Hardware Manufacturing Company (today known as the W.B. Davis Mill Building, and home to an antiques mall and deli), and the Fort Payne Depot Museum, formerly the passenger station for the present-day Norfolk Southern Railway. Today it serves as a museum of local history.^[4]"   

^{So today we took advantage of the beautiful weather and local entertainment and immersed ourselves in Fort Payne's annual "Boom Days" festival.  Good times!  Started at the home of Anne Hamilton, a local artist whose  "Grand Ol' Lady" Victorian home was transformed into a gallery for members of the Northeast Alabama Arts Council.  Lovely meeting her and enjoying the works of these talented artists.  Streets of downtown were blocked off for dozens of vendors, with great music of all kinds (bluegrass, rock, country,, gospel) being performed on 5 different stages, punctuated by the "clip-clop" of a beautiful horse-drawn carriage carrying festival goers from one end of downtown to the other.  Art show in the park, along with classic cars, dog agility demonstrations and pet parade; civil war re-enactors and hoop-skirted belles dancing the Virginia Reel to "When Johnny Comes Marching Home.  Crispy ribbon fries, sweet/tart fresh-squeezed lemonade,sugary funnel cakes, and the best strawberry daquiri snow cone(s) I've ever had!  (yes, I had two of them!)  Enjoyed stopping by the Fort Payne Chamber of Commerce to meet and chat with Carol Beddingfield, the Chamber Director.  A fun Saturday morning outing!  By all accounts, a great success - congratulations organizers and volunteers!} 

Ribbon fries - cut from a fresh potato using a drill to turn the blade!

Handsome hubby!

More countertop magic

Quick post, because some people ask me about the granite look-alike that I've done on countertops.  Here's an example from my Florida house (click to enlarge for detail):

Two words that changed my life. Changed. My. Life.

Continuing my ramblings about our ongoing kitchen facelift (see previous post, 9/7), I tackled the kitchen island countertop this weekend. My vision was faux carrera marble. Grabbed my paints, sponges, and brushes on Friday and went to work. Within an hour I had a near-perfect (IMHO) carrera marble look-alike, and I stood back pretty pleased with my first attempt at this technique. Then came the nightmare. My topcoat would not go on smoothly. No matter what I did, I had bubbles and gaffs that just were totally unacceptable.

I sanded, I used different brushes, I used a new can of topcoat, I cussed and I prayed. Nothing worked. As I went to bed, dejected, last night, I decided today to sand it down and repaint it completely and try again.

I think the DIY gods (and goddesses) were just in need of a good laugh this weekend, and used my frustration as cheap entertainment. But thankfully the really slutty DIY goddess - you know, the one with the bed hair, bad nail polish, and painted on jeans - whispered in my ear, "Honey, you know it works better if it's a little wet." Shocked at her innuendo in the middle of my dilemma, I scolded her for her vulgarity. Popping her gum and placing her hand on her outswung hip she smirked, "wet sanding, you moron!" I glanced down at the emery paper in my hand and saw printed there: "wet or dry". I swear, in that moment the seas parted and the choir began to sing! I ran for my spray bottle, spritzed down a corner of the countertop and began using that emery paper for all it was worth. Within seconds, the boo-boos and scabs literally melted away! A couple of hours later that countertop was smooth as glass and my feet haven't touched the ground since!

So, without further ado, here's the before as the previous owners had it (pics taken on first visit to property with realtor) and lots of afters of the Miller kitchen facelift!

Dining before

Navy blue and uninspiring (IMHO!)

AND NOW!  I am faux, faux proud!  Recap:  Changed finish on existing island light, changed finish on estate sale chandelier, painted shades on both fixtures, changed wall color from navy to soft gray, new rug under table, recovered chairs and barstools, New sink, new faucet, new matte black finish on perimeter countertops and faux carrera marble on island!

Faux marble on island! (click to enlarge for detail)

Better than before?

Dining after!

 . . . and now I rest - for a few minutes!  Next project!

Kitchen Facelift

Finally tackled a project that was actually at the top of my to-do list when we moved here . . . the kitchen.  When we found it, it had nice cabinets, good appliances, an acceptable tile floor, but navy blue walls!!!!  Just not my style. 

So, a couple of weeks ago I said "Hail and Farewell, Navy" and bathed the room in my favorite soft gray.  That light fixture got a great new look, too, as did a formerly-brass fixture (found at a local estate sale).  The facelift has begun!

Then I gave my old dining room chairs a flirty facelift of their own with new seat cushions and flippy skirts, made from painters' drop cloths.  Love painters' drop cloths!!!  (In this photo, you can see a bit of the great new rug I got for under the table, too!)

Never one to leave perfectly good laminate countertops alone (an oxymoron - yes, I think so!), last Thursday I grabbed my paint roller and "Iron Ore" from Sherwin Williams and went to work.  Because we had a brand new sink, still in the box, that we brought with us from Florida, it seemed like the perfect time to try out a dark countertop against the rich brown of the cabinets.  (I love the look of a charcoal gray suit with rich brown leather shoes - that was my vision here)  Anyway, I think it turned out pretty alright!  After 5 days of no sink and unusable countertops, we have arrived at this stage of the kitchen facelift.

What's left?  Island paradise, I hope!  I'm giving the kitchen island a faux-marble treatment - Carrera, to be specific.  I'll be eager to post pictures, I hope - meaning that I am optimistic that after doing faux countertop treatments in 5 houses, I should be able to accomplish this with acceptable results!  More posts on this one later!

Carolyn

I met her only months ago.  She was the first face we saw each time we went there . . . always offering a warm, friendly greeting in the midst of her busy day.  It was her smile that instantly put us at ease and helped stave off the fear and dread of going there so often.  I wonder if she knew what a difference she made.  I should have told her.

I liked her.  She was lovely and gentle, intelligent and interesting.  I hoped we could be friends outside the medical environment where we met.  I wonder if she knew . . . I should have told her.

Two Fridays ago we had a lively conversation, ending with her saying we'd handle the scheduling of Mom's appointment the following Monday.  But when I returned, her chair was empty . . ." back pain", they said.

A few days later, chair still empty, they said "Birmingham hospital".  The next time we saw her empty chair, they said "not doing well".

Yesterday we learned that her chair would be forever empty.  But just two weeks ago  we laughed and exchanged stories of childhood.  I am heartbroken.  I appreciated her.  I wonder if she knew.  I should have told her.

Worshipful . . .

There are places . . . special, magical, spiritual, emotional . . . places that speak to your heart. . . places where you are closer to what is real . . . sacred places.  Why I am fortunate enough to experience such a place 'right in my own backyard' is a mystery, but I am incredibly grateful.  Here . . . see if you feel it too . . . it's worshipful.