It's been a while.

Just dropped in for an update.

I'm reminded of the old serials. "In our last episode..."

In my last episode, I had just returned from a solo vacation in Utah. This wrapped up a challenging summer during which I tripped from caring for an injured dog to three-day-a-week Grand Jury duty to trying to fix up a nest for myself at home.

In this week's episode...


Dodger seems to have recovered pretty well from his broken legs. So, well, in fact, that my husband has a hard time walking him. He isn't very well trained (the husband, not the dog) and doesn't INSIST that the dog behave himself on walks. So, the dog pulls DH around with those new-and-improved legs of his. Anyway, as you can see, he is back to his old self.

The Grand Jury experience ended with a half-day on the last day. In the last case we heard (and we heard over 200 cases) testimony included what had become our favorite line: These aren't my pants. We said goodbye over Black Angus burgers. I'm still facebook friends with a couple of the jurors but - as in most lifeboat situations - don't really expect to see any of these people again.

I'm very pleased with how my room turned out and will now bore you silly with my before and after pictures.


This space...

and this space...

...now look like this.



My work space has moved to the other side of the utility cabinet like this:

And continues around the corner into my scrapbook work space.


This space


now looks like this

and like this

I've really needed an "operations central" space, a space to leave my purse and tote overnight. A space to keep my glasses, keys and watch together so that I don't waste ten minutes every morning trying to track them down. And a space to keep the flotsam, stuff that I intend to deliver to family members the next time I see them. That's what these boxes are for. I have one for my parents, one each for my brother and sister and their families, and one for my son and his wife. So far this has worked out beautifully. As long as I can remember to check the boxes on my way to the car, I can get the stuff to its rightful owners.

Chiloe, see my fairy? I love the way she looks here and am still grateful to you for introducing me to Nimue.

This space (over the new scrapbooking area)


now looks like this.

I haven't finished filling and arranging the cabinets, yet, but I'm really enjoying having My Pretty Things behind glass where they aren't being covered in dust.

I must take this moment to brag unashamedly. I did virtually all the work on this room myself. My son did help me hang the corner cabinet (yeah, IKEA!) because I couldn't see the bolt holes in this oddly shaped box. He also painted the space over the cabinets on the other wall because I couldn't reach it. Everything else I did and I'm especially proud of these cabinets. I think they look fantastic, especially against that gorgeous green.

A few things I like a LOT:

I really like the way my white fairy house looks against this green paint. (I do wish, though, that the person who made this had been more careful with the mounting hardware. The wall screws are on the level but the hardware is not so it hangs a tad crooked.)

I finally got my hummingbird framed. The original of this piece by Kory Fluckiger of Ogden, Utah, took my breath away when I first saw it. There was no way I could afford the original, so I had to wait not-so-patiently for it to sell, then for Kory to make prints. I was lucky, though, to have communicated with him early so that I scored the first in the limited edition. As always, I wish I was a better photographer. This photo does neither the art nor the framing justice (the mat is a gorgeous green, not that washed-out taupe).

I love this shelf inside the utility cabinet.

All of my chargers are together and their nasty cords tucked away.

There is plenty of room in this cabinet for my warmies, my binders of audiobooks and photo cds, my Disneyland lanyards and pins - just all kinds of goodies.

For storage...


...I used these white, assembly-required storage units throughout the room. These are stacked underneath and supporting the scrapbook workspace. There's another stack on the side of the bed serving as a nightstand. LOTS of storage. In fact, I have empty drawers! I covered most of them with glass so now I don't have to worry about where I set my water glass.

Finally, I love my Disney prints (although, sadly, because of the cabinets I ran out of wall space for my Disneyland 50th print by Thomas Kinkade.) I was able to use my Tinkerbell print (I framed it myself using the cover of a book on faeries. I messed up the mats, but fell in love with the wonky arrangement so left it that way.) The other piece is an original by my daughter-in-law. You might recognize a stylized Minnie Mouse with a distinct Japanese flair. I am so inspired by this piece, and flattered that my DIL would take the time to create something so intricate for me.

And that completes the tour. The puppy hangs out with me a lot in here and - since the day I cleaned the carpets two weeks ago - has defiled the carpet by grinding two snails sneaked in from the garden and throwing up on it four times. Other than that, the room is working out perfectly for me.

There are a few things still to do.


I've decided to take this window out of here. I'll replace some of the dried out used-to-be-pink rosebuds and replace them with autumn flowers, then hang the whole thing in the family room.

Bragging again, but I love the way my birdies turned out. Design by Valerie Pfieffer.


I won this watercolor of Matilija Poppies for $60 - framed - at a Democratic Party auction a few years ago. When I finish Firefly Faeries, the poppies will move down into the empty space and the Faeries will preside over the room from the upper space.


There's also a space for this when it's completed:

All things considered, I'm pretty proud of what I accomplished this summer in spite of all the pitfalls.

Please help me think good thoughts for the year to come.