DIY Wooden, Stenciled Floor Tiles

I saw some painted floor tile online selling for approx. 19 to 28$ a piece...so I thought I'd try some myself. I white-washed them with some watered-down Behr paint, used 2 shades of gray for the stencil, then hit all the edges with a belt sander to cause an uneven bevel, which I painted a terracotta color. I wanted them to look old or chippy. Not sure about how to lay or grout them yet! I've made 70 15.75 x 15.75", but I need 70+ more!
Then 3 or 4 layers of poly...

Garden Isle Divers

http://gardenisledivers.com/About_us.html

Lovely guy...he reminds me of a pajama squid I once drew!

Kauai Chickens

Emery will fit right in as the missing 'Domino' Rooster from Kauai!

Sunrise Shell

Searching for 5 years, beachcombing, always eyeballing the sand for the ever elusive, beautiful sunrise shell; look at this one! Not a traditional yellow, but a spectacular orange!

Almost a year later....

Crawling Kauai

Well, one could never do this on Bishop's Beach--brrr!

Must Baby-Proof the Homer Home!

Although he has somewhat of a guilty expression at the moment, Emery decides he will learn to cook on the Irish wood stove with these fascinating utensils...just as soon as he's tall enough. (And if someone puts in the wood or coal!)

"Moloka'i" and "Honolulu"

Since the relatives were out of town this weekend, I awaited the snow by spending Saturday reading Moloka'i, finishing it up and starting the book Honolulu, thus it was a productive weekend! I finished Honolulu when little Emery fell asleep on my chest Monday--I laid him down on our nest of blankets on the floor and read right beside him!
I think I enjoyed Honolulu more; I didn't feel right about reading Moloka'i without reading James Michener's version first--I couldn't help but feel that I was missing out on too many details with THIS leper colony book. But I wanted to read it since my daughter had lived on this island--and I smiled when a group of the 'colony' girls climbed up out of their hell to go to a party in Kaunakakai--the town Bail and Nate had rented a house...
but really--I liked Honolulu more--(maybe because it mentions Waialua and the Sugar Mill on Oahu first--where I got to stay when the kids first moved to the islands!)--alas....
I still felt something was missing and couldn't fully relate to the characters, (although there are some really sad spots)--so it was not the gripping, in-depth story that I would of liked...
I think I grow too picky.

Happy Birthday Brian!!!

A tribute to my brother Brian...the person who creates tons of awesome wood-worked creations (shown below if you scroll down a bit) and countless other interesting and awesome projects. Alas, Brian has had some difficulties with his feet and has undergone some serious operations and radiation treatments...and hopefully will be able to get back on his feet someday soon (but not too soon! not until you SHOULD!).
Anyway...Hope this week is a good one for you and things are looking up. LOVE YOU!
Me...and Bailey...(and Emery upstairs asleep)!

Bear Invasion of Privacy

When I was in Homer this summer I had remarked that I had never seen a dog roaming about the town unless it was with its human 'walker'. Sitting at the picture window reading one evening, I thought I saw a humanless dog leap out of the ditch across the street. It turned out to be..."A BEAR! There's a BEAR! A Bear!" I scream (remembering my camera is downstairs at this crucial moment).
We all poured out the east door and saw the black bear slipping into the trees.Bailey and Nate's backyard neighbor said she had lived in their cabin for 20 years and had only seen one twice!
My daughter saw the bear again last week--out the kitchen window while giving Emery a bath in the sink! It lounged around on one of their wooden walkways and meandered around the neigborhood.
Last night it was back and when Bailey thought she heard a strange noise--Nate saw a trash bag disappear around the corner.
Given the fact that they live across the street from a middle school--somebody had better scare off this intruder--PLEASE!

New Cabin Door!

Nate has created a new door for their cabin--where a sheet/blanket hung before. I am really glad, although there didn't seem any way for the previous cloth to drape over the wood stove...anyway, less drafts! Now for a bear-skin rug?

Cod Pots.

Nate worked for a while on a cod boat, bringing up pots (cage-looking contraptions like those on The Deadliest Catch) full of such delectable items as cod, crab, large octopi, and wolf eels. Blasting gray gulls from the sky with shotguns (not Nate), this was a boat full of 4 Captains, and no one else...the only boat that could boast this--according to the fishermen in the Salty Dog tavern. Bailey and I walked aboard--whew--fishy hold, slick floor, low sides, finger-crushing equipment. Glad the job's over, although Nate was indoctrinated with all sorts of eye-opening stories: "Back in the old days on Kodiak, we caught so many fish we bought a camp whore...."
Etc!

Building Another Boat!

Nate has been ambitious lately--planning out and constructing a boat that he started in the greenhouse--but moved his plans over the the guest house, so it would actually fit!
Here is the boat in a variety of stages...
Sorry, I will have to ask what this type of boat is called.

Sandman Cometh.

2 pics of the cabin floor being restored in Homer. Lots of elbow grease, and I'm glad they wear masks!

Bridge over River Kwai...

One of many wood projects in the yard...Better not slip off the icy wet boards in the winter! Also....Nate displays some silver salmon. Cooked on their Irish wood stove, I'm sure it was delicious.

Reinventing All Around!

The kids have the most awesome in-town place--yet wilderness abounds. Turkey, pheasant in their yard; creeks with several bridges in need of repair; goat pen, chicken house, barn, green house, shed, guest place-- and all filled to the brim with the last owners unwanted items. (See the TRASH page...)
Salvaging building materials, they are hard at work turning a house into a home! I am so impressed! I want to explore too...

Its Two at a Time Fish!

Last week's camping trip: fishing, berry-picking, 4-wheelering, drinking polar beer, visiting with friends and living in a "yurt"!

Gun Stocks

Cool Uncle Darrell (did I spell that right? Daryl? Yikes--brainlapse) gave Brian some coffeebean tree wood so he started some little gunstocks for a pistol. He said it was a very nice working wood--the little wormholes are added character!

Handmade Knife

Bri brought a little handmade kuhnifee back from Georgia--made from steel and parachute cord weaved in and out of holes. When I jokingly said I needed to shave my legs, he told me that it would--and it does. Seems pretty scary to keep knives so sharp; I think I've had to take Teg and Bail both to the hospital for stitches, Brig 3 times or more. It gives me the shivers!
More examples later...

Wamego Prom

I think I need to add a new inventor to the page! Last year Paula sketched out an idea for her prom dress and her and her mother created it last week. I really really appreciate those who are still willing to sew and create something time-consuming and elaborate! Kudos to them-it's becoming a lost art.
I took pics a few minutes ago and was reminiscing about all the dresses I had made...and am in the mood for another. I still love the wedding dress top from last summer that was created for Bailey...Anyway, here are Brigham and Paula on their way to Della Voce for supper. Whew--glad he picked a nice restaurant!