The First of Many Projects!

The Shirley Metal Kitchen. This was donated to me by David. It is an old (1940-1950) metal kitchen sink and cupboard unit. As you can see, it was seriously rusty and decrepit looking when I first saw it.

EWWWWWW!!!!!

I thought for about a nano second, that I might keep the original sticky paper that was on the shelves, just to keep it original looking , but decided against that when I saw the fifty year old dirt under the edges of it. Out it came!

I then spent a few hours sanding the whole unit down with various grades of grit, until the rust was all gone. Then I gave it a good washing with TSP and hot water, followed by a good long hosing down. Once it was dry, it got painted with 2 coats of self etching primer inside and out.

For some reason the colour I chose isn't showing up in these pictures at all, but this is the cabinet with two coats of sage green colour ( which mysteriously looks exactly like the military green tarp that its sitting on).

I found these cute handles at Home Depot. I guess over the years we have changed the standards of how wide our handles are for cupboards. The holes in mine were for about a two and a half inch spacing, but all the handles I found were three inch. So unfortunately, I had to ( get David) to drill an extra set of holes to fit the handles.

So, its pretty much done now. I want to build a small wooden frame for it to sit on as the doors catch on the ground, then as soon as the kitchen is painted, it will be installed.

All this work has aggravated my bulging discs in my neck once again ( 3 times in one year!) Each time it seems to take about 6 weeks to resolve itself. The last time it happened , I spent over a thousand dollars on naturopath, chiropractor, massage, physiotherapy and acupuncture. Nothing works unfortunately. They all say the same thing, there is nothing they can do for me, I just have to manage the pain and wait for it to fix itself. So a few Advil and a Demerol, then wait for it all to kick in and I have about 2 pain-free hours to work with with before it all wears off. I then have to wait an hour before I can take more and it takes about another hour for it to kick in. Slowly but surely, I am making some progress. I'm off to paint the kitchen now, wish me luck, I suck at painting!

How about you, would you have taken a chance on this old unit?

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Linking to Serendipity Chic Design
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Big Fish

Funny , I live on the water but don't give much thought as to what might be swimming by. This giant guy was caught upstream. Im never swimming in here again!

Big Fish Story

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Collections -Pill Boxes and Snuff Bottles

What is it about the human species, that we love to collect things? Some people just choose one thing to focus on but the majority of us probably have a few collections going on at the same time. I know I do.

 My books are probably my biggest collection. I would estimate I have around 3000 books ( and those were just the ones I kept, I've read alot more than that!) Over time I have built a library of self sufficiency. I have books on gardening, raising livestock, herbal medicine, off-grid living, alternative medical treatments, first aid, arts, crafts, survival skills, self-help, spirituality and alternative lifestyles. I'd probably have alot more but most of my reading has been online for the last ten years which has kept me out of the bookshops.

Musical instruments is another interest of mine. Years ago when I lived in a large home in town, I used to host music jams twice a month. I had as many as 60-70 people at my house all playing something. My weapon of choice was the hand drum and percussion instruments like shakers etc. At one time I had quite a large collection of drums but sold ten of the best ones to pay for my van which at the time I desperately needed for work. I still have a handful of drums and a large basket filled with shakers and noise makers of all kinds. I also used have 5 guitars ranging from 12 string acoustic to electric and bass. They have long  since been sold off and I am down to one crappy thrift store 6 string. I can't really play any more as the callouses don't go over well in my line of work ( massage therapy)

I also have collections of painted rocks, candlesticks, funky lamps, cherubs, dishes and bells which will be the subject of other posts once my renos are done and I can finish unpacking.

Today's post is brought to you by pill boxes and snuff bottles.

The other day I was looking on Craigslist and found an ad for 14 pill boxes for ten dollars ( the whole collection, not each). I couldn't resist a deal like that so went and picked them up. I have one of those old printers drawers with tons of cubbyholes and I was looking for something small to put in them. These seemed like a good a choice as any. I also had a few snuff bottles and other tiny containers kicking around so rounded them up for a photo shoot. Here's my collection so far, now I have something else to keep an eye out for when I am thrifting!


I'm not sure if any of these are worth anything, but of the bunch these two looked the oldest

Here's the rest in the box they came in

This one is inlaid abolone shell ( or Paua shell if your from New Zealand) and mother -of -pearl

A teenie, tiny cloisonne apple that opens up

A beautiful tigers eye set in a heavily carved box that I don't think is gold, but it doesn't look anything like modern day brass

A small wooden box with a ship painted on it

The tigers eye again

A sea shell with a tin top

A beautiful enameled box

A very tiny woven basket

 This one is my favorite, a small silver box with abalone lid

Mother of pearl

Mother of pearl and abolone

A painting of a seated woman

Not sure what this stone is, Jasper maybe?

I noticed when I tured it around that the natural markings in the stone almost look like a painting of mountains and a valley

 This is the bottom of the same box, very heavily etched

A silver box I bought in China, love the heavy relief carving of dragons!

A bone snuff bottle that I have owned for over thirty years. If it wasn't an antique when I bought it, it's on it's way to becoming one

Bone and silver snuff bottle found at the thrift store the other day

A tiny container carved from a tagua nut

Small brass and enamel boxes with creme perfume in them

Now just have to find that shelf so I can display them all!

So what do you like collect? and why?

Linking to Cindy's Show and Tell Friday

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Lessons from Nature

I have always felt a deep connection to nature. I am happiest in the forest or near any body of water. I feel so especially blessed each time I am able to sit quietly and watch the wildlife carry on its business in their natural surroundings. Living on the river has given me many opportunities to observe the local flora and fauna as they go about their day. Many of them seem to have adopted us or at the least they tolerate us mucking about in their sanctuary.

Yesterday, I awoke early and went out on the front deck to soak my aching bones in the hot tub. It's a different city at that hour of the morning. The traffic hasn't started its mad rush into the city, everything is quiet and the morning air is a clean, crisp prism that makes everything pop like a 3-D movie. The intoxicating scent of a fresh day sashays through the wildflowers,adding overtones of sweet promises of new beginnings and infinite possiblities.

Into this perfect stillness, a large blue heron glides silently through the honey scented breeze and lands ever so gracefully and softly on the river bank just a few feet away. He takes a moment to ruffle his feathers and adjust the fine silky down that drapes his shoulders, then pulling himself into a dancers elegant pose he begins a beautiful slow tango in the shallows.

Head held high, chest out, neck long, he glided one halting step in front of the other. At the end, he does a few vogue moves, holding himself still as a statue,the only perceptable movement,the wind caressing his downy mane. He slowly marches back to the middle then holds a pose forever, not even a heartbeat to differentiate him from the rest of the floatsome and jetsom nearby.

In the blink of an eye, he bends forward in a great bow and then stretches his neck to the sky, a tiny flash of silver his prize for being able to still his body and mind enough to become one with his surroundings.

Adjusting his silky mantle he ends his dance by spreading his impossibly large wings and lifting towards the heavens like an angel being called home.

Today, I learned to be graceful, patient and present in the moment to reap what this world has to offer.

Thank you beautiful heron for your graceful peformance and timely message.

(PS. These are not my photos, as I was in the tub at the time, so I borrowed some from the internet to illustrate what I was seeing)

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Reflection

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Pictures of Home

Do you ever get bored of where you live and wonder what it would be like to live somewhere else? I grew up a military brat and for the first half of my life I moved almost every year. Some places I loved, some I hated,and some I was just passin' through. I still tend to change residences fairly often but have managed to make Vancouver BC my home for the last twenty years. I get itchy feet now and again, but then I see a video like one of the following,and it makes me see my city with fresh eyes and I am inspired and awed all over again.

This is a beautifully done time lapse of the city

This one is 24 hours compressed into one minute taken from KatKam. KatKam is a cam that a lot of us locals use to check the weather, as it faces towards the ocean and we can see what we are in for. The land in the far upper left corner is the grounds of UBC and on the far water side of that is the best beach ever. Checking KatKam lets us see if the clouds are going to be rolling in to spoil things. This particular day was two summers ago on the day of the South African fireworks for the Symphony of Fire fireworks competition. God decided to enter the competition himself and put on his own show. Even though we live in a rain forest and get tons of rain, we rarely ever get thunder and lightning with it. This day was wild! The sky turned the most amazing colour of orange and there was a huge lightning show, followed by the fireworks show, you be the judge on who put on the best performance!

This is some more footage of that same night taken from a different viewpoint






Not a bad town, I think I'll stay awhile longer. I truly am blessed to live in such a beautiful, peaceful part of the world. I hope you enjoyed these glimpses of my home town.

How about you? Are you happy where you live? Do you take the time and look around and see the special beauty that is your hometown.? Tell me what makes your hometown special to you.

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