My Chalk Paint Addiction. Weekend Projects Complete.

Posted by Barbara Techel

My Chalk Paint Addiction. Weekend Projects Complete.

If there is a chalk paint anonymous, I may need to start attending soon. I’ve really become addicted to this stuff. But I suppose there could be way worse things I could be addicted to – so I say this in fun.

The colors are endless and right up my alley in vintage and retro shades! It is also so easy to use, dries fast, and is non-toxic.

For some reason, I just want more color in my house than ever before. I’m calling the new look of my painted furniture. Bohemian Cottage.

The above photo is a table I made from a small pallet that our new Chiminea was shipped on. I thought it was perfect for our deck. John cut down some cedar to make the legs for it and after everything was painted, he put it all together.

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It does pay to have a handy, talented carpenter like I do living with me to help with these projects that turn into a team effort. WINK.

My other project this weekend was painting this table below in my living room. My sofa is a leaf pattern with greens, pinks, and mauve in it. Our living room tends to be dark, so painting the tables is helping lighten up the room which I’m loving.

The color is salmon coral which is a bit Floridian, but I do love it.  The table was originally a mossy green. When I sanded it a bit to get that distressed look, you can see a bit of the green comes through.

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What I especially like is that when and if I get sick of anything I’ve painted, well, it’s just so easy to paint over it again for a whole new look.

This week I know I’ll find myself looking around my house wondering, what, oh what, can I paint next weekend!  Look out John, Kylie and Gidget, you just might be next!

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Butterfly Hitchhikers

Posted by Barbara Techel

Butterfly Hitchhikers

Giggles galore were heard as we walked through the live butterfly exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum this past Thursday. And it wasn’t just the twenty or so children running among the oodles of butterflies who were with eyes wide open and shrieks and giggles escaping their mouths — so was I.

One could not help but to feel high on butterfly love watching all the wings fluttering above and below.

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It was one again my favorite exhibit that I remember from years ago enjoying just as much. And it had me feeling like a little kid again wishing with all my might that one would land on me — and when one did I squealed with delight!

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And as we carefully opened the exit door a few moments later so none would escape we were met with this sign–

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After doing a double check in the mirror we were clear to walk out the last door. Though I would have loved to stay as a permanent resident in butterfly paradise forever.

Creatures, great and small, God made them all, and I sure do enjoy being among them.

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Field Trips are Food for My Soul

Posted by Barbara Techel
Field Trips are Food for the Soul
Photo credit: Milwaukee Public Museum

In January John and I took a day off during the week to visit the Milwaukee Botanical Domes which included a pub and grill for lunch and an adult beverage on Water Street.

We enjoyed it so much we agreed that planning a field trip once a quarter was something we wanted to do. While this may sound easy enough, it’s not. We both love our work and it can be hard to pull ourselves away.

But life is short. Time away is essential. This special time with John and seeing different sites in Wisconsin is food for this gals soul. And field trips aren’t just for school kids you know!

Tomorrow is our spring field trip. We will be visiting the Milwaukee Public Museum. Their “Big” feature right now is the Ultimate Dinosaur exhibit.

They have three and half floors that will take us through Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arctic, South and Middle America, the Pacific Islands and a Costa Rican Rainforest. It will be like traveling around the world in one day! Whew!

I’m especially looking forward to the free-flying butterfly exhibit. I have a feeling I won’t want to leave this one.

But I do know that when the day is done, I’ll have a new rejuvenation pumping through my veins and inspiration to feel my soul until our next field trip in summer.

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