When I have a porch...

This chair asked to come home with me a couple of months ago. 

The stain on it had become so dark it was almost black and the finish was crackly like alligator skin.

It had paint spatter on it and some obvious repairs. - like a metal bar screwed all the way across the front.

But its a very cool old school recliner. 

:-) 

There's a metal rod that you can adjust to recline the chair.

I was going to paint it white to match the rocker that I like to sit in...

but it's for Mike to sit in on our porch so I refinished it instead.

I wanted to keep some of the original patina. 

Stripping and sanding it down to new would be like disregarding it's whole storey. 

This chair has earned every dent and chip. 

It's still an old chair and I love it. 

Glad I didn't paint it.

I still have to find the right cushion. 

When the porch is finished, I'll be ready! 

p.s. you can see some green in our very grey lawn - come on spring, you can do it!

<3 p="">

Karen 

Kissing the Blarney Sone and an Irish Blessing

To celebrate St.Patricks Day, some photos of our trip last year to Blarney Castle. 

According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of gab or blarney; the ability to flatter and persuade with the highest degree of eloquence and wit.  

Even though the parapet is fitted with iron rails to prevent folks from slipping through, I'm too afraid to hang upside down from the top of the castle to kiss the blarney stone 

I can barely even walk by myself.

 Thanks Mike for the hand :-) 

See how high up we are?

Wishing you a rainbow

For sunlight after showers -

Miles and miles of Irish smiles

Fore golden happy hours -

Shamrocks at your doorway

For luck and laughter too,

And a host of friends that never ends

Each day your whole life through!

<3 nbsp="" p="">

Karen 

On the Needles

 I LOVE Knitty free patterns.

 I've been working on this sweater for a while.

Small needles...

and small yarn.

I love how it's knit in one piece.  Pretty nifty! 

I feel like I've been knitting and knitting and knitting - and my sweater's not getting any bigger.  

Frown.

So I started a smaller project with bigger needles...

 and bigger yarn. 

Instant gratification.

Smile.

It'll be an eternity scarf.  Hopefully I'll finish before the weather turns warm.

I'll take that back - hopefully it's too warm to wear it by the time I get it finished this week! 

I usually work on one project at a time, but I'm impatient. I think it's a symptom of a long winter.  

I wanted to feel like I'm making progress. And now I do. 

 What have you been crafting up while waiting for Spring?

hugs, K