Bean there, done that

The lighting is bad, but here is the location of future beans. Andrew built the bed with wood that was just lying around, and the future bean poles are old window bars that were leaning against the shed. They probably were torn off after hurricane Katrina, so I doubt the landlord will care. The only cost was for topsoil and the beans.

Here is my frame!! I love it. I bought it at a random junky garage sale where everything he had had water damage. It was bare wood with a bunch of nails and staples in it and was kind of mildewed.
It took three coats of Honey Oak stain and then three coats of clear varnish to give it a nice gloss. I think the picture shows how gigantic the frame is- easily 3' x 3'. I think it is beautiful.
As you can see, it has lovely carved details on the outside edges. Andrew is going to paint a life-size portrait of the dog for it. I took the best picture on my cell phone, which I can't get to upload onto the computer. He is sitting in my green armchair on an afghan in the sun, and is staring at the camera with his tongue stickling ever-so-slightly out of his mouth. I love that dog, he is my baby.

Frame wrap-up:

Total cost: 20$ (5 for frame, rest for brush and stains)

Time I procrastinated finishing it: 13 months (egad!)

Actual time invested (labor): 3 hours

Satisfied!

Weekend goals and giveaway dress pics!

Look! Cheryl (my giveaway winner) got her dress and it fits and she likes it- how cool is that?

You can read her post on it here: beep!

I have been staining a picture frame that I bought at a garage sale last spring. It is on its first coat of clear varnish, so i hope I can finish it up this weekend and get some good pictures. It's a really awesome, seemingly hand-carved frame that's maybe 2 1/2 by 3 feet.

My blue striped dress is nearly finished. If I can find anything not-horrifically bad on tv tonight I will finish the hand sewing- sleeve and neck facings and the hem. It is definitely falling into muslin category. Since I screwed up and didn't cut the skirt front on the fold, the waist is extremely tight. I feel like a snausage. But I am learning about what to adjust for the final version, which I picture in a nice eggplant purple fabric with a lining. And I never do linings!

I also want to do the hand sewing on my cape. It still needs the armhole and neck facings sewn down and the bottom hemmed. This sounds like a weekend of hand sewing, which I dislike. Boo.

On a happier note, my frame is awesome and maybe I'll go to some garage sales. Plus, the students have exams this coming week, so all I need for Monday and Tuesday are typed up lesson plans. That is so much more free time!!

School happiness:

Not only will I have my own classroom next year and not move from room to room with my stinkin cart, I will only be teaching 6th grade!! Yay!!!! Or as my boyfriend puts it, half as much work for the same amount of money. Lol. Next year will be infinitely better! (9 more school days!!)

Well, that's my life for the last week. Hope yours is good too!