Early this morning I rolled out some cinnamon applesauce dough to make some ornaments for my primitive Christmas trees. I know it's July but I decorate the day after Thanksgiving and the fall is a busy and hectic time Behind My Red Door, so I needed to get these out of the way now. I mix enough unsweetened applesauce with cinnamon until I can form a ball and then I add a few squirts of white glue. I dust my dough board and rolling pin with more cinnamon and roll and cut them the same as sugar cookies. While I am doing that, I heat the oven to 200. Once I put the cookie sheet in the oven, I shut it off and leave them there all day. The house smells out of this world for days after doing this. Don't forget to poke a hole with a toothpick before baking if you want to string them.
After I shut off the oven, I took off for one of my favorite destinations, Sturbridge, to shop. I have been looking for fabric to cover the bolsters on my day bed for several months now, and I hit the jackpot today! FINALLY I found black and tan pillow ticking. It coordinates so nicely with my quilt and other fabrics in the room. I am hoping to finish this job tomorrow.
I also got some nice fall colors of wool to add to my small stash. I have so many things I want to make! Pillows, runners, wall hangings and wool is hard to find so I was thrilled to find some in colors I needed. For now, I am keeping in a basket right out where I can enjoy it. Humm- that green in the middle is a much darker green.
This is a table mat I am going to make. A friend gave me some old issues of Create and Decorate and this pattern comes from the October 2006 issue. Isn't it wonderful?? Did you notice the candle has bird seed around it? What a need idea for the fall.
And I bought this pattern when I got my wool. This should take no time to make once I get started. I love the patterns by Lakeview and they are made right here in MA!
Ever since I took my little colonial sewing box out of the dining room, I have struggled with my sideboard display. I wanted to showcase some of the wonderful pieces of stoneware I have by grouping some together on top of the black cupboard. But then it was top heavy and the sideboard didn't like right to me with the covered boxes I had put there instead of the sewing box. I have tweaked this for weeks now, put smaller pieces of my stoneware on top, and today I found a great candle holder and 3 beeswax candles, and now I am liking this much better.
I also spent more of DH hard earned money on a new birdhouse - the big red one joins some of my others. This shelf is over the front door. I had DH make it several years ago. I knew we needed something over the door on the tall wall and one day the shelf idea came to me. I have enjoyed decorating ever since. When I was running the preschool in a church, I started collecting church and school birdhouses. (I took this picture while standing at the top of our stairs.)
This is looking up the stairs - I am now standing under that shelf. Today I also touched up the dark red paint on the kick plates of the stairs - again. Seems it needs it every other month. It' much darker in person. If anyone can tell me why this happens to my reds, I'm eager to learn!
This was my dresser before I took the TV out.
And this is after. Much better huh?
So that is what I have been working on today. PHEW!! I am ready for dinner and a nap! How about you? What are you working on today??
Until next time - hugs, Linda
