A Melange of Sorts

First of all, I have to say this gloomy weather is killing me.
I am usually digging the gloom, but since June is reaching it's middle point, my brain is seriously confused. I mean, it's supposed to be warm, sunny even, umm, you know, summery.
No, luck though.
It's been overcast and rainy going on two weeks now, with no end in sight.
Oh well, another excuse to fire up the 'ole oven, and bake with abandon.

The other night, Sabrina casually mentions that the 4th/5th grade "Hoedown" is coming up, and would I be so kind as to pick up a "few" things at the market, you know, our contribution to the party.

"Coming up?" I ask, "What does that mean exactly? When do you need to bring this stuff to school?"
She looks away from my piercing death stare, and mumbles,
"Um, let me go get the note."
She hands me a crumbled piece of paper, and as I'm reading it, I notice the deadline to bring in hoedown items is today.
"Sabrina," I say "When did you get this note? The deadline was today."
"Oh," she says quickly, "It's okay, Mrs. V. said we could bring stuff in tomorrow too."
"Well, that's a relief," I say sarcastically.
Then she adds, "Mama, do you think you can make me some of those jeans with the patches, and a cowboy shirt?"

Okay, I love my kid, I swear, but this is Wednesday night, and the hoedown is Friday.
I am many things, but I ain't no miracle worker.
Not to mention, I have been working like a dog on a wholesale order I need to deliver soon.

I promptly tell her she's crazy, and there is no way I can produce an outfit with such little notice.

"Okay mama," she says in a sweet and gentle tone, "I understand."

Can you say, "bad mother"?

I of course, buy the hot dogs and lemonade for the hoedown, and proceed to descend into the realm of guilt, where even the best of mamas end up occasionally.

Yesterday afternoon, giving in to my guilty conscience, I attempt to produce a "cowgirl-ish" outfit for the hoedown.
I have to say, the fact that she would even want to wear an outfit made by me (she is almost ten, which says it all), is a victory in itself, and well worth the extra effort on my part, to sew it all at the last minute.
She looked adorable, and was so grateful, that I really felt like a heel for my initial reluctance.

Here's my girl:

Bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Love the jeans.

Ready to get down at the hoedown.

On another topic entirely, I have to give some props to Oscar for his transformation of my fabric cabinet. In a nutshell, I got the cabinet from Monica, who graciously gave it to me gratis.
It originally had glass panels, because I believe it was intended to be used as a china cabinet.
I kept the panels for quite some time, but since I used it to store my fabric, which most of the time, was not a pretty site, I longed for a solution that would keep everything inside, hidden.
I tried papering the glass, which was okay, but I didn't like it as a permanent solution.
Mirrors? Antiqued mirrors? It was brilliant, but I continued to drag my feet.

Recently, I asked Oscar if it would be possible to put beadboard in place of the glass.
"Sure," he said "No problem."
No offense to my lovely husband, but sometimes "projects" take a while to get done around here.
To my delight, a week later, he completed this project for me, and happily, I might add.

Here is the cabinet in its various stages of metamorphosis:

The original glass.

The papered glass.

The new and improved cabinet, with beadboard panels.

Ooh pretty.

Love the birdies.

One more birdie in flight, and check out those boss rose knobs.

I think it turned out well. You?
The knobs are from here, and the birdies, from here.

It's Friday, yay!
Enjoy.