Monday, December 03, 2007

Accomplishments and Ashtrays

I've had a very busy week. I painted Ashlyn's bedroom:(It's just painted, not yet decorated.)



Today, I painted the baby's room:

I also finished THE BABY'S QUILT! Though I'm still not really prepared with everything for the baby at this moment, he/she is now allowed to be born (you know in 3 weeks when he's full term.)



close up


I chose to make the quilt based on fairy tales, more specifically Grimm's fairy tales, in honor of our "German baby." I represented 5 different tales here, how many do you know? I am mostly happy with the quilt, though I think that I could have made a few better fabric choices.

And, what do we have here? It seems that Ranger and Armand are part of this fairy tale!

As far as the ashtrays go, we've been living in one. We have a large basement room that is basically our "family room," where playroom, office, and art room all come together. We didn't have any seating besides uncomfortable table chairs, so we decided to borrow some furniture from the Army. We also weren't able to find a bed for Ashlyn that we liked, so we borrowed furniture for her room as well. When they dropped it off last week, I noticed a smokey smell, but I thought it was just the delivery guys. It was the furniture (and the delivery guys.) As soon as I walked into our basement after they left, I noticed the smell. It was awful. I called right away, and they were very apologetic, but I had to wait until today for new furniture to be delivered and the smoke infested stuff to be removed. If I spent even ten minutes down here, I would be choked by the smokiness. I don't just hate the smell. I can't breathe in it. My throat starts closing up and I get congested or a runny nose. I kept trying to leave the windows open, so it was semi-acceptable. Allen kept complaining that I was leaving windows open when it was just above freezing. Wimp. Wear a sweater. At least we can breathe.

On Saturday, I started moving some of Ashlyn's clothes into the borrowed dresser. As I opened the drawers, I realized that it reeked as well. Unfortunately, I couldn't call about it over the weekend, so they wouldn't even pick it up when they took the other stuff. I don't even want a replacement for it, just take it away. The delivery guys probably thought I was nuts as I put my nose to the new furniture before I would let them take them inside.

21 comments:

Unknown said...

The quilt is wonderful. To have such talent! Ugh, I'm envious!

A true procrastinator would have never finished the quilt.

Furniture: YUCK.

The housing department here is horrible. They've delivered obviously broken, mildewed, unrepairable items to us. Also a hard-as-rock bed (and I've slept on bad beds - this topped all of them. Though, Matt thought it was great).

When I called to complain the response I got was as follows: "we don't have enough funds to clean items handed back into us. You'll have to do it yourself."

Yeah, right. Total lies b/c when the commander got called to take care of it, we got new stuff immediately.

Good luck. I react the same way to smoke. So, I feel your pain.

Harrisonjoy said...

Angela...the quilt is beautiful! Even I (with NO artistic ability) noticed the fairy tale theme! :)

Seems to me that the mother in the quilt is reading to a little BOY...hhhhmmm....my little granddaughter will think that is rather odd when SHE notices later on!!

You did a beautiful job painting...it is very cute! Again...nothing that I could or would ever attempt!

GREAT pictures!

The Dunns said...

Angie, Ashlyn's room is beautiful! I wish I had that creativity and motivation. I love it. The quilt is a definite heirloom. Great job!

The Weyhrauch's said...

Angie....WOW! I cannot believe the quilt. Was that all your own design? I am feeling rather uncreative these days...you are something else!

Anonymous said...

The quilt is unforgettable! i love the theme. A beautiful work of art.

Anonymous said...

Are those all German fairy tales? My guesses are Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, the Musicians of Bremen, Red Riding Hood and...the Pied Piper? How totally, totally awesome. And, yes, you are such a procrastinator, my goodness. Angie, I couldn't get as much done in a year as you do in a week. Much less with awesome handpainted flowers on my daughter's wall.

I, a former evil smoker as you remember, now sympathize so much with the whole smoke-infected furniture thing. Kelly's sinuses go haywire from the smell of smoke, and when my mom gave us a gorgeous old family chair, which we were thrilled to have, it took us a few hours to realize where the horrific smell was coming from. It lived outside until it could be cleaned. Like you and Ashlyn and the baby need to be dealing with smoke smells, of all things.

Since I don't smoke anymore (it's been several years), I can smell again and the smell is AWFUL. I feel like I should do penance for all the people that used to have to smell me. Eeek.

Angie said...

Joy, I know it's a boy, but I figured it was better for our daughter to have a boy on her quilt than our son to have a girl. Allen's suggestion that I finish the quilt after the birth was just silly. Talk about procrastinating!

I didn't say that smokers were evil, Amanda, just stinky:)

Angie said...

And Amanda, you were exactly right on the fairy tales. They are all from the Brother's Grimm, but my understanding is they didn't write orginal tales so much as just assembled them.

Anonymous said...

LOVE the quilt!

Grandma Vicki

Katie said...

Holy Moly! I cannot believe you did all that yourself...pregnant...with a two year old. You're making the rest of us look bad!!!

The paint jobs looks awesome. The quilt is phenomenal! I love it! Was it from a pattern? OR you do just come up with it yourself?

Angie said...

The quilt is my design.

Anonymous said...

No, no...the "evil" appellation was my own, not yours, Angie.

We're getting excited for you in Arkansas!

Sharon said...

The quilt is amazing Angie! And, I agree with the smoke smell 100%!
I have one lucky little nephew on the way =)

Smitty 1, 2 , 3 and 4 said...

YOU ARE SO TALENTED!!!!! It is beautiful!!

The Matthaidess' said...

I love Ashlyn's room -- it's spectacular! And the quilt is amazing -- I could never do that!
I understand about the stinky furniture. I can't believe that they would send something like that to the house. At least you were able to get rid of it.
Kellie

sara said...

WOW! Ashlyn's room, the baby's quilt, they're absolutly beautiful! I know there are more descriptive adjectives I could use but I am in awe! Wow!

Unknown said...

Your quilts get better and better, which is amazing, as the first one was superb. You are a gifted woman.

Lysandra said...

Holy shit! That is one awesome quilt!

The Capozzoli Clan said...

I love the painting in Ashlyn's room....too cute. And, the quilt is beautiful! You do really good work! Hope the last month goes well. Miss you.

Tracy

Anonymous said...

I love your quilt Angie. It makes me wonder if you know something that you aren't telling us though! :) Which is completely your right anyway, but just a question mark....? :) Ashlyn's room, too, is beautiful. She's lucky to have a mom who gives her such a great environment to live and play in. You must've had your second wind or something, to have all that energy to accomplish so much in such a short amount of time! Now's the time you need it I guess! I know, it's that nesting sense they talk about in all the mommy books! Well, great job, and I woudn't call you a procrastinator at all.

Angie said...

Oh Heather, we are definitely not that good at secret-keeping. If we knew what we were having, you would all know!