Ten Tasks/Ten Day Challenge

Update on The Shabby Chic Cottage Challenge:

I think today is day five, but don't bet the house on that...

1. clean back deck
2. stain back deck
3. hang new picture
4. clean and paint architectural thingy that's been in the barn for three years
   
5. recover the chairs in our bedroom
6. plant my 250 bulbs in the garden
7. finish painting my flowers for Christmas ornaments
8. finish three Etsy projects
9. finish painting bookshelves
   
10. Do at least one art journal page
11. Hang picture
12. Paint architectural thingy and hang (cleaned and oiled instead of painted)
    

One of the things that should have been added to my list was to hang my picture and paint my architectural thingy. After hanging the picture and cleaning the thingy, which appears to be the back off a buffet or dresser, we (hubby helped) decided to not paint it.  Someone left it in my barn for storage at least 6 years ago and then they vanished into the ether. I guess that makes it mine. Don't you?

as always - click on pictures to enlarge

After hanging the picture, the area to the left looked very, very blank. Off I went to the barn to do a bit of "shopping."  I found an old Home Interior shelf and headed to the bedroom to retrieve a vase that I've had for a gazillion years and dearly love.  The vase needed something in it so I wacked a few branches off one of my trees. That will do until I find something more permanent.

 

The crucifix on the right is a Capodimonte imported from Italy. I also purchased one for our church  kitchen and classroom area that didn't have one.

 

Next hubby and I slapped the stain on the back deck. It has gotten super cold very early this year and I'm hoping a slight warm up next week will allow me to stain the front deck before the snow flies.

 

This time we used a roller instead of a brush and it was waaaaaaaaaaaay easier than a brush.  He back brushed with a broom while I slopped the roller around. It only took 1 1/2 hours, which included removing the furniture. I had already taken off the potted plants several days earlier when I cleaned the wood.

 

Be sure and check out how Gina at Shabby Chic Cottage is doing on her challenge. PLUS, she has a gazillion great folks participating in Transformation Thursday.