Gala dinner in Monaco

 

Here are just a few pictures.  They are from the official photographer and I just copied a few to show you. They are a bit small.  I know mom, I need to stand straight!  This is at the Hermitage Hotel.

Here are a few policemen from  France. I thought you might like to see the uniforms.

Pierre giving his speech.  The other men are the IPA Monaco commitee members.



New kitchen shelves

 

I have had this shelf thing for about ten years in the kitchen to utilise this "lost" space between the last cabinet and the fridge.  The space was actually not being used to its full potential because it is actually much bigger than this furniture (deeper)

 

So I took it out and hung those metal things on the wall where you hook shelf brackets to. I express myself well don't I?  I should have taken more pictures but I forgot.  You will see better in another picture. I had the boards cut to size and I painted them white. The top two are for cook books, then I was able to put the microwave on the next one. That is so great because I cleared a huge place on the counter.  The next shelf holds breakfast stuff and the last is for dirty dish towels and other stuff that has to go down in the basement. At the bottom we can see the wires for the fridge. I always thought I had to have a special thing made to cover all that but I am wiser now!!

 

This little curtain works just fine.  I think it took me all of 20 minutes to make it, even with hand sewing the heart on! I used sticky back velcro tape to stick it on.

The top of the fridge got a new look too. The wooden pot was an antique that my in laws gave me when they moved.  And I just love to look at that iridescent luncheon set that I got in an antique shop while visiting Astoria, Oregon with my dear sis last summer.

 



I think I went a bit plant crazy.  I wanted something to put on the bar so no one could put their junk there!!  So far it has worked.  The plant on the floor was supposed to go on the fridge but was a bit too tall.  The other one works better.

 

 

And here is a happy rainbow we saw next to the house the other day!

My new evening dresses

 

This is my favorite and its even very comfortable. I had to add a little black lace piece to the front for obvious reasons....

 

the top, waist and sleeves are made of a stretchy material and the skirt, collar, and cuffs are like a soft taffeta. Its nice and twirly

 I am going to wear this one for the Gala dinner in Monaco.  Pierre is wearing his dress uniform. 

 

 



 

It is made of chiffon and has a satin waist.  The top part that is covered by my little sweater is..well, non-existant, except for some little straps.  Its a shame because it isn't at all becoming and the dress is otherwise very pretty.  I found this little sweater and made a few alterations and now it looks really nice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Guess who else can wear this dress?? She is growing up too fast!

 

 

 



Fall colors

 

 

Darla and her family came over for lunch last weekend and she brought me this pretty arrangement she made.  Inspired by Michelle's granite decor idea I went outside and found this pce. of slate left over from some projet.  I have since transplanted the plants to an oval planter because the pumkin started to go very soft...

Little chef

 

Bridgit went to a birthday party and they made these little breads to take home.

It is a sweet bread dough and after the first rise you divide it into 8 pces then roll into little logs that you make into a knot. Brush them with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake and EAT!!!

She had fun making them with one knot then adding another one on some of them.

 



 

Yummy!

Kitchen light and a new curtain

 

Here are the new lights in the kitchen.  It is hard to capture the real colors  with the camera, it is red and gold glass mosaic.  I love it!! Nic says he can see his breakfast real good in the morning!

 

Then , I had to change the curtain on the door of the kitchen because it had faded and when I washed it the red bled on the green leaves appliques.  So this is actually a tablecloth, becasue I could not find anything else I liked.  I won't go into all my complaints about that...... So I asked MA to draw me a neat tree.  We found a cool image on google and he just went to town.

He used a fabric marker for sewing so I bought another one that is for painting on fabric and some gold fabric paint to go over it.  That hasn't happened yet....

 

But I can still use it.  More pictures to follow when he has finished.  Can you see it okay in the picture?

Bean Bags

 

I got it in my head to make a bean bag for the boys' bedroom.  I found this pattern on internet but it turned out to be for a small child. Anyway, here's what I did.  This is the pattern piece that you have to cut out 6 times (plus another 6 times with a lining fabric) with your fabric on the fold then folded again the other way to end up with...

 

this shape.  Then you sew it all together and stick little round appliques on the top and the bottom.  I filled it with 100 liters of styrofoam beads and to get rid of all the extra fabric ( I used a huge duvet cover that I didn't need anymore) 

 

 

I made this pillow and stuffed it with all the scraps.  Then I put it into the bottom of the bean bag. This way you save on the styrofoam beads and don't have anything to throw away.

 

 

 

And here is the finished project.  It is too small for the guys but the girls took it in their bedroom. I covered it with another fabric that matches their room.  I should have taken a picture, sorry.  I used a quilt that I had bought a long time ago and never really used.

 

 

 

 

I did eventually make an enormous bag for the boys.  I used another pattern and two old denim tablecloths.  This one is stuffed with 300 liters of packing peanuts.  It works great.  He looks happy, don't you think???