Stuff I do to avoid doing what really needs to be done.

Well it's been another busy week here at Casa del Verde. Wait, what? It's only Thursday? Good grief, I've wasted a week's worth of time in only 4 days. I'm even more awesome than I thought!

Let's do pictures again so I won't get too wordy.

A couple of weeks ago this was my system for storing lace and trim. I outgrew this system with one eBay purchase.

This is my new lace storage system. I wanted something that would organize *and* display my trims so this works for now. I do tend to change things up quite often.

I've ordered a center support for the curtain rod and I need to collect a few more vintage brooches so I'll have one on each hanger.

Been eyeballing these dead cow skins at IKEA for about a year. The other day I noticed their stash was looking sort of picked over so I decided I'd better grab one before they're gone. Naturally, the one I wanted was on the bottom of the pile that I could not lift on my own. I enlisted the help of a couple of muscular gay guys who were doing some Sunday afternoon shopping.

I put the dead cow skin in my reading nook and I absolutely love it.

Remember this shelf I bought at a thrift store when we first moved here? It's nice and heavy but it was missing the glass shelves that were supposed to be used with it. I suppose I could have had some glass cut to fit but that would have cost more than I paid for the whole thing. Plus, that's just boring.

It's taken me almost a year but I've finally collected enough trays to fill the slots. I would love to have all vintage silver plated trays but was unable to find any that fit within my tight tolerance. The trays had to measure between 15-3/4" and 16" in diameter. Not a fraction more, not a fraction less. And they had to cost under $10 each. It wasn't easy to find trays I half way liked that fit within my specific requirements.

I loaded the shelves with little knick knacks, travel souvenirs and collectibles that I've gathered over the years. What I really need is a curio cabinet but I haven't found just the right one yet. When I do I will once again repurpose these shelves.

While doing some spring cleaning I came across our deceased dog, Pongo, whose remains have been misplaced for several months. When our dog Snappy died at Christmas we had her cremated and she came back to us in that lovely urn on the right. I never had an urn for Pongo. He's been living in a ziploc baggie all this time, bless his heart. Shortly after snappy died I found a container that would make a perfect urn for Pongo but I couldn't remember where I put him. I recently found him safe and sound in Harry Potter's room (the room under the stairs) where I had put him. That's him in the copper coffee canister on the left.

Going back to IKEA tonight to see if they still have this adorable linen cabinet that I desperately need. I didn't get it while I was there over the weekend because I was by myself and there was no way I could have gotten it into the car on my own. It's a discontinued item so it's half price and perfect for what I need. I'm just praying it will still be there tonight when Jayson gets off work. I don't know whose pasty leg that is reflected in the glass. It's certainly not mine, that's for sure.

Also at IKEA I picked up a couple of pairs of really cheap sheers for the family room windows. I miscalculated so I'll grab another package tonight. They're $4.98 for a 2 pack so I might grab extras just in case.

Since I was in a window treatment mode, I changed up the one in our bedroom. I took down the glove valance that nobody but me liked and replaced it with a decorative rod and a long piece of fabric that I got at a thrift store a while back.

I used a pair of gloves and a vintage rhinestone brooch for the tie backs.

The rest of the gloves are now hanging over the window in the back door. I need to pick up a double rod so I can hang a curtain then use the gloves as a valance over it. I like them, dang it, I don't care if no one else does.

This jar began it's life with spaghetti sauce in it but after painting the inside it's now a lovely vase. Taylor's room has a beachy theme so it will go well in there. I made the flowers out of coffee filters that I dyed pink with avocado skins.

I'm making some dictionary page flowers but don't have any immediate plans for what to do with them yet.

These are coffee filter hibiscus flowers that I'm still tweaking.

Hung these little shelves that I had sitting around so my buttons would have a place to live.

We're having house guests next weekend so I'm not going to start any big projects until after they've gone. One thing I need to do is clean out my garage. I know, I keep talking about it and not doing it. I also have a storage cabinet in my art room that is just sitting there empty. That is not acceptable. I need to put it to good use but it's too ugly in its present condition so I'm thinking about painting it or maybe covering it with dictionary pages or fabric or something. That has to be done outside so I just need about 4 days in a row with no rain. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so.