man cave #2 becomes paigie studio #1!!!

Soooo.... When I returned last Wednesday from my wonderful visit with my Mother, Sister and adorable Nephew, Gabe, I found Mikey's Man Cave #2 cleaned out!  He told me at Christmastime that he'd let me move my stuff into his room and make it my studio!  YAY!!! He was waiting for me to get my stuff ready, however, my stuff has been ready to move and I was just waiting for the room to be ready for the transformation.

Man cave # 1 with most of the stuff removed and what's left was moved to the center of the room after I have taken most of the staples from the sub floor after we removed the old carpet a couple years ago. 

I had to now remove the staples from the perimeter of the room plus the tac strips that held the carpet in place years ago.

Staple removing progress... see the staples I've removed?  This is like 10 percent of all the staples I removed that day.  It took a whole afternoon to properly prepare the floor.

These are the tools I used to remove the staples plus the tac strips the ran the perimeter of the room.

Here we have the room with tac strips removed.  It doesn't look like much but... we're getting there.  At this point I still have to remove pictures, mirror (see pic below), face plates, window blinds, and tape around delicate features like the intercom (which works!  still!).

OOOHH... We need to do some caulking, Momma!  Check out that funky wall!!!  So I proceed to caulk and prep that room.  This is before.

This is also before.  See the funky wall color and look at that beam, Irene!  I think that color is original to the 1958 building of the house!

Ho!  We've got new paint!  I chose what looks like white, but is called 'white clay'.  How fitting, don't ya think???

Nice and clean and bright!  I need brightness for me to create greatness! (although the closet doors and beam don't scream clean and bright quite yet!)

Oh, Look at that corner, now!  We're getting somewhere!

That ugly-ass beam has been transformed!  As has the closet and trim!

Oh and we have some floor paint going down!  Holy Moly!

It's looking good and feeling good!

Look at that corner now, Momma!  It's tight... and bright!

All finished now!  I get to keep the corner chair for my meditation and contemplation.

We'll also keep the TV.  I'll have metal shelves along this wall to place the TV on with all of my tools and stuff.  I like to have some background noise while I work.

PS... Look at those floors!  We used porch paint which will work fine for the purpose of said studio.  I think they look great!

Here is Mike's desk, which I am going to use as my work table.  I learned a new trick with my school studio of making canvas table toppers.  I'll make one for this table so I won't damage the desk, can still work clay on it, and remove the topper when I want to paint, sew or wrap packages!  Sweet!

Also, check out the nice window!  Good lighting is a must in a studio!

PS... the wine bottle is not mine but a left over from when Mike didn't know me... I like my wine and all, but don't want Y'all thinking I've been drinking that big ass bottle of wine all week!

One final look at the studio!  I'm off tomorrow to procure shelves and start moving my stuff from the guest room so we can make it a real... well... guest room!

So, that's what I did the last half of spring break last week!  It was a lot of work but totally worth it!  I am so excited!  YAY!  Keep posted to see more progress and hopefully some creative projects coming late spring and this summer!  

Have a great weekend! 

-P

spring break... part two!

With the help of my dear friend, Miss Cassie, I was able to re-size my cannon photos for this illustrious blog.  Enjoy!

Oh... and I am trying to figure out how to sequence these pictures... to no avail!  Oh Well...

Here is Gabe at the park with a 'cracker' which he pronounces as 'carrr' I think.

He's got a little goobie on his lip!










Here he is eating strawberries at Ms. Margaret's house before he went to the park.  You see, I wanted to put this picture before the park pictures but it wasn't happening... oh well.  He's pretty cute though!

Now we're back at the park hanging out with his Momma, Liz and Ms. Harriet (I think).

He really likes his truck!!!!

Now, this is earlier in the day, before the park and visit with Ms. Harriet.  He was loving on his 'B'.  Oh how cute!  Lynus re-do!

And here we have Gabe eating strawberries with his Momma, Liz, before the park adventure!

And... Now we're back at the park with Momma, Liz!  This is a good one! (ps... she snuck in my closet and borrowed my shirt!)

Finally back home, We have Momma... in all of her pride and glory!  Surly happy to have her girls and grandbaby with her!

... At least we hope!

And after all of his adventures that day, Mr. Gabey was sure tuckered out!  He was sitting in my lap, almost falling asleep, even before dinner, just wanting to go to sleep!  I will remember this forever!  Love you , Gabey!

The end...
-P

spring break... take one

Well... It's been an event full Spring Break this week.  I started out by going to Baton Rouge last Saturday morning to see my mother.

Here she is in all her glory!  Love that woman!

Much to our surprise... My sister, Liz and her son, my nephew, Gabe decided to come and join the festivities!  What FUN!!!

Here are a couple pics of Liz and the Gaber!  What a cutie!  He's got his Monkey and his 'B' (that would be his blankie) with him!

And here is a lovely pic of Ms Margaret with her grand baby, Gabey!  What a cuteie!  (that would be Miss Lucky in the background.)

And we have a nice close-up of the Grandmother with the Grandson.  How adorable!!!

 We had a wonderful trip.  We ate crawfish, Chicken Shwarma (which is a Greek chicken version of Gyro which is not available in Dallas... at all!  It is most tasty and I crave it.  I can't get it here so I requested it while in Baton Rouge), Raw oysters (Yum and on my diet!  YAY), and Momma made her spaghetti!  Yum!!!  What a wonderful visit!

Alas, I have more pictures... however I cannot figure out how to re-size them on my new MacBook Air from my nice Cannon camera.  I'll have to ask my friend, Cassie to help me with the re-sizing.  Not a big problem,  just will take another post to get the good stuff going.

The rest of my break was awesome with me remodeling Mikey's Man Cave #2 into Paigey's studio #1... A post will be following as well... Stay tuned!

Have a wonderful Sunday night... I'm looking forward to an event filled week starting with lots of art filled activities!

-P

gabey dancing

When the Neveau's were in town last weekend, I was able to capture this adorable video of my cutie pie nephew, Gabe Neveau, as he was dancing to the music on 'Prairie Home Companion'.  It's a cute video, save my voice in the background.  If you listen carefully, you can hear Gabe say 'dogie' towards the end of the video.  Watch and enjoy!

This weekend, I am heading to Baton Rouge to see my sweet Mother, Miss Margaret.  I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and share with you next week... which is spring break for me!  YAY!

Till later!

-P

Neaveu's visit

The Neaveu's came to visit this weekend.  Charley, Liz (my sister) and Gabey came to see us in Dallas this weekend.  I took a bunch of pictures.  Gabey's the star in most of them and I just have to share them with you.  

This is Charley and Gabey... right before bed the first night.  G's such a cutie!!!

This is me and Gabey.  LOVE!

This is Me and Luke, my treeing walker coonhound.  Ruby, the redbone coonhound is also in the picture with her devil eyes.  This is not really related to the Gabey's visit but whatever.

Here is sister, Liz with the Gabe-ster wearing his monkey leash back pack going on.  Ha Ha funny!

We went to Dodie's cajun restaurant on Lower Greenville for lunch Saturday.  They have the best cajun fries with gravy (OMG!!!).  My late good friend, Joey Larsen, turned my on to Dodie's back in the late 80's.  It is so good and authentic Cajun food.  It is as good as what you'd get in Baton Rouge.

Plus there are a lot of pictures and signs from the BR/ NOLA area to take you back home if you're a Katrina evacuee.  Good stuff!

Gabey is eatin' a fry with gravy.  Yumness!

This is the before picture of the 5 lbs of crawfish we ate.

This is the after shot.  For the record...  Liz and I ate 2.5 lbs and Charley ate the other 2.5 lbs.

Here's Liz showing off the finish.  We ate it all.  After lunch and a visit to the Farmer's Market, We took Charley to the house so he could study... We then took the Gabe-ster to the park to play.  We went to Tee-Pee Hill at White Rock Lake.  Little did I know in my 40 years of being on this Earth, Tee Pee Hill is really T & P Hill.  Really??

Here's Gabe on the swing!

Running around...

Liz and Gabey...

Back at the house, we were listening to  'A Prairie Home Companion' on NPR.  They had some great blue grass music which Gabey loves.  I got some great pics... but better yet, I 've got a great video... That I am having problems posting.  It is coming tomorrow...

Gabey playing and dancing...

Charley having dinner after his study session...

Gabey looking good!

Oh Yeah!

Nite Nite!  Time for bed.  We read a book together and we put him to bed.  They left this morning.  I loved the visit and the photos don't do the visit justice!  All I have to say is... 'AWWWWWW'

-P