Nice day

Couldn't ask for a nicer day...as I always say...77 degrees and sunny. Outside moving dirt, geez this job never ends. We've made great strides in the dirt moving project. Removed about 5 loads of dirt so far. Have atleast 3 more to go. Next step is to level it off. This will be the tricky part...my dogs keep digging and messing up my nice raked dirt.

 Listening to classic R&B...

Mission accomplished!

ta da....

Under the sink looks just as nice

Tools of the trade...ha ha ha

Sink faucet.....

So far ....
Found the main shut off...good
Tom removed the two under the sink shut off valves...good
Tom showed me how to put teflon tape on threads...good
Tom kindly took mercy on me and replaced both valves....way good
Turned water back on....not good
Very tiny leak on cold water....not good
Tom had a real job to go to ... not good for me
He's like I gotta go....not good, again
He tells me do what I can .... humm
Next step take the old drain pop-up out....good
Ah, not good, can't get the darn thing apart....not good, feeling defeated and wonder if the original leak was all that bad!
But as my friend said, you retreat, so I watched a few "how to" youtube videos
I'm motivated once again.
Wait, I need a cup of coffee and some loud music
I'll keep you posted...

Dollar Theater...blast from the past

My brother & I decided to check out a movie at the dollar theater we used to go to years ago on Bell Rd.  It was the funnest thing we've done in awhile...the whole experience was like being in a movie ourselves.  No one is at the ticket windows...sign says go to concession counter to buy tickets.  It's no longer a $1 it's now $3.  The guy at the counter, well all the guys working looked like guys right off the street, no uniforms or shirts with logos.   The guy told us about the specials, food, popcorn, candy soda...he handed us a laminated sheet with the prices...cracked us up.  We got a combo, cheap enough, too.  Once we turned to walk to the theater area it all came back to us... the lights, the hallway, the old school look.

Texting our sister to ask her if she remembered this place.

 The fun didn't end there, as we walked into the theater, it wasn't the fancy stadium seating with rocking overstuff seats...it was old school all the way.  Could even hear the film projector.  It was fun.
btw, we saw Mission Impossible (whatever number it was)  Tom Cruise looked ridiculously old as he was running, otherwise a good $3 movie.
On Jason's (brother) birthday I took him to a fancy theater to watch Hunger Games...nice sound, nice seats, but lacked the character.

Things that don't fit....hummm

I've been on a roll to fix things.  (Did get the window screens all done and they look nice)Let's begin with doggie door.... it's worn out and been duct taped several times.  I decide it's time to replace the whole dang thing.  I measure and I measure and I measure again.  It's 10 1/2" by 17 1/2" opening in the wall.  We head to the store and we forget the measurements!  We buy the recommended size for our dogs...extra large.  The measurements seem right.  Now, remember this was my idea to replace the doggie door.  I take it out of the box, read instructions and what tools I'll need.  No biggie....ahh yeah a biggie...it doesn't fit.  Too wide by a 1/2" and to short by 2".  I read the box and there are two sets of measurements....cut out size and flap size.  Okay it's not gonna work, need to return and get the "right size" one.  This time I take the measurements with me so not to guess.  None of the doors will fit the opening we have in the wall of our house!   I go to the pet store and none of them will work either!!!  This really sucks..something I'm going to have to ask for help on...ugh.
Next, I got my eyes checked a few weeks ago and got some really cool expensive transitional eye wear.  Only problem is I can't see out of them...blur.  I'm thinking this isn't normal.  I got to eye Dr and they say most times it's the lenses being made wrong.  I go to optical place and they tell me lenses are correct with what my prescription says.  Their solution...I wear them too low and the blah blah blah optic blah blah blah is in the center where the pupil is suppose to be...I say well what are we gonna do about this?  They measure my eyes, measure my lenses, measure my pupils again.  Finally, it was decided they can remake the lenses to accommodate how I wear them.  Two days without them, tho.  Good think I keep my old glasses. 
After this, I take my soldering iron to the stain glass store to return the soldering tip they sold me that doesn't fit my soldering iron!  She takes a look at my soldering iron and says...we don't sell those here anymore, cuz we have so much trouble with that brand.  Turns out to be a bust...the nice lady did explain if I work harder on cleaning the soldering tip it should be fine.  She gave me tips on how to clean it.   Tried that but what the heck I'll do it again. 
Okay, I'm saving the best for last....
Our bathroom sink faucet has been leaking forever.  I decide, again to fix it.  I purchased a simple fixture which matches the tub stuff.  I read the instructions, a tillion times, I get the tools I need, I get a pan for any possible leaks, I clear out the cabinet and I'm ready. 

This is the faucet & instructions, easy enough.

 First problem I have is I can't get the black thing off.  I swear I'm not gonna call Tom.  But it was on pretty tight.  He says (yeah I called) to use a channel lock wrench....do we have one of those, NO.

I got to the store and bought a channel lock wrench and got the black thing off.  No problem...but I couldn't get the pipe loose.  A different tool needed?  I get the pliers and yank on it hard....hummm I  break the pipe connecting the faucet to the water supply!!!!

As you can see it's broke! 

This is the piece I have to replace....

 I take photos, pipe and instructions with me to the store.  A really nice guy helps me out and I purchase the parts to replace the hot and cold shut off valves...he's talking about compression this and teflon tape that...I'm good to go.  AND I haven't called Tom. 

I didn't know Home Depot has video registers!
Notice I have on Home Depot orange!

Tom gets home tonight and I'm like ahh by the way if I ever needed to shut the water off to the house where would I find the main water shut off ?  He's looking at me like don't you know that, "omg Jobi please tell me you're joking"  At this point I must confess my plumbing mess.  He's kind enough to listen and not say much as I explain.  Main thing he said was .... YOU DO KNOW WHERE THE SHUT OFF IS?  I'm like of course I do it's by the bougainvillea plant out front...he smiles...(I'm thinking good guess).  So tomorrow morning after his shower I'm gonna tackle those pipes and stuff and get that faucet installed correctly.  Wish me luck....


BTW, while at Home Depot I saw this flooring....remember my bedroom headboard/wall idea?

Hard to see in this photo but it's super cool color with grey tones.

This is the color I was drawn too, but the other was different from what I've seen.

Today's my baby sister's birthday....

She came for a visit in 2008 and we took a road trip to the Grand Canyon.  When she lived here we went to the Canyon a number of times.  It's one of her favorite places to go.  We had a great time. 

Happy Birthday, Rhonda!

Nice day inside and out.

Even though it's a nice day outside, it's a nice day inside....windows opened, nice breeze and sweet windchimes putting a smile on my face today. I moved one of my work tables around in my craft studio...now I face the courtyard. Brings good mojo into the studio, don't know why I didn't think of this before? The window screens have been replaced and the view is so nice and clean. Been listening to classic rock music most of today...trying to get a playlist of music for Tom..he always complains about my music on road trips...so I'm making him his own playlist. The Who, Rush, Outlaws, The Stones, J. Giles Band, Edgar Winters, Bruce, Mott the Hoople, Zepplin, to name a few.

Came across this video of Mick and Bono...  Not really classic rock but sexy...


 
Tomorrow I'll be listening to R&B soul to work on a travel playlist for me & Melinda...

Stamping metal & more dirt

Remember the spoons I flattened?  Well their stainless steel and so dang hard to stamp.  I guess sterling silver or silver plated spoons work better.....now you tell me.  I got some cheapo spoons at Dollar Tree, maybe I'll have more luck.  I even decided to try my hand at etching some spoons, no bueno.  Tomorrow I'm gonna play with all the metal stamping options I can come up with.  I think I'm gonna etch some metal, too.  So, laundry, dishes and sweeping up the floors will have to wait another day.  I'm in the middle of replacing all the window screens and when I say all, I mean all five of them...haha.

I haven't been in the courtyard playing in the dirt this week. Got the first layer off and piled up. 

We tilled the whole thing before it rained this weekend.  We got lots of much needed rain, but it left it a muddy mess.  It's still wet!  We'll be back at it on Saturday.

Blog design??

I've been reading other blogs and notice how different they look than mine, nicer.  I really don't know much about blog design but maybe it's time for me to learn.  So far I figured out how to switched out the background color.  Easy enough.  I noticed my banner photo doesn't fit correctly.  So I'm going to do some learning and then I'm gonna update and redesign my blog.  Now I say that having no clue what I'm talking about.  I would like some font choices and some color choices.  How about a background?  How about a banner with a number of photos or some of my art?  How about a signature?  How about tags?  How about the little pictures/links of "you may like this" tags?  See I have lots to learn.  Another thing that makes me go..humm?  I have few comments from my readers, I wonder why?  Is it difficult to leave a comment?  When I say difficult I mean technically, logistically, etc.  Or maybe, no comments is normal in the blogging world?  I don't comment on other blogs...maybe I should.

Coffee bean bags....

Kathy, my Sweet Salvage shopping friend, made this tote bag...isn't it cool?  She's pretty clever.  She uses coffee beans bags, recycled neckties, leather strips, even fur to make these bags.   She let me pick one out and this is the one I chose.  Lucky me!

Kathy then gave me a pile of my very own coffee beans bags to do whatever I want to do with them!!!  I just love them. 

The possibilities....

(oh yeah, remember the ottoman?)

Sweet Salvage Sale

My friend Kathy and I hit the Sweet Salvage Sale last Thursday, the first day of their monthly opening.  It was fun and boy do they have the neatest things.  What I realized is I have some of the same treasures.  It opened my eyes to repurposing and rethinking the things I have hidden away in the deep corners of my garage, shed and attic!  The same type of windows, mirrors, frames, brokenwing angels, bottles, ribbons, etc.  We had a blast.  They were happy to hear I was blogging about their shop.  Well worth the time, loved it.

This is what you saw as you walked around.  You needed to look up, down, underneath, beside, on top of, behind and right in front of your eyes. 

1. Religious statues and iron gates.

2. Neat piece of furniture.

3.  Wanna make this sign.

4. Coffee bean bag covered ottoman.

My treasures....

Details of the little metal box...I have this thing about metal boxes

 Believe me there were many unique and amazing things in this shop.  Don't get me wrong I wanted to buy up every "can't believe it" kinda stuff.  I truly wasn't prepared to figure out where it would go if I bought this or that.... next time I will be.  Kathy found a bird bath for her back yard.  What a find.

While I was in this area of town, which has many similar shops, I stopped in one more.  Check out my finds....

Isn't this cool?  I want to use it in the bathroom with fancy hand cloths and sweet smelling stuff

The details and worn age of it

You ask what it this?  It's an umbrella stand
But, I'm using it for my precious papers stand.

XPS Laptop....

Working well!  Actually, working better.  Let's hope no more calls to Dell Support Center!

Sweet Salvage Sale!

I read about this shop here in Phoenix that opens for 4 days out of the month.  Tomorrow is first of the 4 days.  The other days of the month they shop for this monthly 4 days sale,  The shop is called Sweet Salvage.  I'm meeting a crafty friend there tomorrow!!  I'm so excited to get some unique finds.  I'll keep you posted.  I'll even take some photos!!

Boring Boring Boring

This is my boring Kindle Fire cover and I mean boring.  Not good enough to get anyone's attention to read a book, surf the net or post on Facebook.....

Gotta prime the cover with gesso.  It took two coats...done. 

 Purple was the perfect choice.  But not one shade but several...nice.

 Added some designs and a place to add a title.

 I remembered a saying from a book plate from a long time ago.

Books fall open...you fall in... 

Ta da... a new cover

Way cool!

Note*  The paint chipped at the creases, humm

XPS Dell Laptop (continued)

Today a very nice Dell tech support guy, can't pronounce his name let alone spell it.  Anyways, he was very nice and patient with me.  He was able to take remote control of my laptop which was both cool but eerie.  He made all kinds of changes and explained in layman words to me.  All got fixed except for the USB ports which another tech guy will have to come and replace (again).  Also yesterday's tech guy didn't get the left click button in right and it sticks!  So they will fix that too.  I was on the phone with the Dell tech guy for a long long long time, almost two hours!  So I thought what the heck, ask him some questions, too.  He was in India, the southern part.  It was 1am there, it was 1pm here.  It was Thursday there, it was Wednesday here.  It's hot there and the center is 24/7, always available to Dell customers.  I wanted to ask him if was full time?  if he was married? he sounded like late 20's I wanted to know how much he got paid per hour?  I wanted know how much training he has to go through?  But I didn't ask since I recall the conversation/call is recorded.  At the end of the call his supervisor asked to talk to me, YIKES I wondered if I got him in trouble.  I told her nothing but good things about him...good review from me.  Now lets hope my laptop issues are better.  ....... to be continued