Friday, September 20, 2019

FMM - You May Want to Rethink Hiring Me as Your Decorator

I play Words With Friends and they have a weekly badge that you can earn if you score X number of points.  Usually I don't pay attention to what the badge is but when I saw this one I knew I had to be sure and earn it:
Heck yeah!  I proudly wore it until the next week's challenge began and the badge was sent to my inventory page.

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Diane, Jeff and I finally got to see Brittany Runs a Marathon - I think the movie came out a month ago but it took several weeks to hit our theater:
Photo tip:  we probably should wait to recline our seats until after the picture.

We all liked the movie.  There was the plot line with the main character, and then the plot line with her running, which of course I related to.  Not to give anything away - although I probably am - there was one scene with running where I thought "this isn't going to end well" and sure enough, it didn't.  But the movie made me super emotional when she ran her marathon (I don't think that's a spoiler since it's the movie title, haha).  They filmed it during the New York City marathon, and watching the actual runners take off and wave at the cameras throughout the race (I read that they were under the impression a documentary was being filmed), then later on watching some runners trudge on through the harder last miles, and finally to see runners cross the finish line - that will always make me a little teary-eyed.  It's a good movie and even if you're not a runner, I recommend seeing it.

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I saw this on Buzzfeed, and it's not Paco, but I realllllly want to do this with him:
Honestly if I got this airdrop request, I'd accept it.
Do all black and white dogs have this look?

Jimmymeow has a picture of his dog Chip that he's airdropped at races and in crowded restaurants.  Occasionally we'll all be sitting at Blue Baker when suddenly all of our phones will ping with an alert and sure enough, it's Chip:
Chip Charles, in all of his handsome splendor.

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You guys know that I like to do creative little centerpieces, or tablescapes, as they are now called in fancy circles.  And I like to use what I have around the house, pulling items from all over and seeing what works.  I finally removed my summer beachy centerpiece (I'd already taken the sanddollars from it for a display in my office - see?  everything moves around in this house).  I have two really beautiful felted pumpkins that my mom made last year and I wanted to use them.  I had that in mind when I went into Target recently and passed by their three dollar spot (because please, stop calling it the dollar spot - we all know you lure us in with that promise but everything cool is either three or five dollars) and I saw this basket that I thought would be nice for the pumpkin centerpiece:
After I brought it home I realized that I needed more than just the two pumpkins to create the centerpiece.  

Over the next couple of weeks - keep in mind that I can't shop very much at one time or my leg will be killing me for the next few days - I auditioned some small fake pumpkins and some small black and white fake pumpkins, and decided that I probably should just buy a few tiny pumpkins that the grocery store usually has this time of year.

Except that I can't do my mega shopping days like before - heck, even with all of the failed auditions, I would have knocked this project out in two days, tops.  Somehow I never ended up near the grocery store, so earlier this week when I was at Target yet again (I can't do a full Target shop at one time so I'll stop by after my PT appointment each week and hit a different section of the store) I saw this package of small pine cones and acorns and BINGO, this was perfect!
So cute, right?  Also,  I liked that this was real instead of plastic pumpkins.

Are you seeing the problem yet?  It wasn't until I got home and started to put the centerpiece together that I had my Homer Simpson DOH! moment - the basket's weave was way too open for the small pine cones!

At this point I could either give up the basket and pull out a glass bowl, use the pine cones and pumpkins and go from there, or somehow make the basket work with what I had.  I kept the basket and think it turned out pretty good, don't you?  See for yourself:
When in doubt, pull out some Fiestaware to round it out.

I went for the minimalist look here - do you think I pulled it off?  Snort.  I know, I know, it's far from complete.  I also need a fabric something underneath the basket, and I may have an old autumnal table runner that might work, but I'd have to bend down and sort through what I stored in a cabinet and that just isn't happening right now.  So.  Any suggestions that I could build on with this for next year?

One more shot of my beautifully decorated dining table:
 Photography 100:  learning perspective.

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Alrighty then.  I think my work here is done - I've covered my usual bases - activities with friends, knitting, dogs, and decorating.  I'm ready to enjoy my weekend, starting with the Renegades tomorrow morning, and then with Allie, who is coming home for the weekend.  And then surgery on Monday.

Have a great weekend - I should be back for a Wednesday post with all of the gory details about my operation.  Or just details.  You'll have to come back and see!

14 comments:

  1. shucks to the pine cones not working!!! My mind is working on how to line that basket on the sly so that it holds the pine cones. I’ll keep you posted if any idea pops into my head!

    Have a great weekend with the renegades and Allie!!!

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  2. That minimalist look is making me laugh. I'm pretty sure that by the end of today you will have added to it! Good luck with your surgery on Monday. I can hardly wait to hear how it turns out!

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  3. Good luck with your surgery on Monday. Try to enjoy your visit with Allie I can only imagine how nervous and excited you are at the same time.

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  4. Still want you to come decorate for me. :)

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  5. What about cutting a piece of chicken wire or window screening or some other mesh-style material, just big enough to line the bottom of the basket and partway up the sides, and keep the small pine cones inside, but not be real noticeable?

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  6. Thinking of you on Monday and sending lots of positive vibes.

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  7. A simple, or pretty, cloth napkin could work in your basket. That should keep all the pine cones in place!

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  8. I second Lynn's cloth napkin idea, especially if you find a nice print with the orange & blue in it. Or would that be too matchy-matchy? I am often accused of over-matchiness by Princess. That's what daughters are for, to keep us from embarrassing ourselves, right? Can't wait to hear how well everything went on Monday!

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  9. Two cents worth of decorating advice: weave limber twigs or twine or raffia through the splines of that basket...just enough to corral your doo dads. Best wishes for a speedy recovery from surgery!

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  10. Positive vibes coming your way for a smooth procedure and easy recovery!

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  11. Praying for a successful outcome for you today!

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  12. I second the suggestion of the fall colored napkin in the basket! Or, could you get larger pinecones from a nearby park? Hope all went well yesterday!

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  13. I am so glad you got to see the movie and liked it! I can't wait to see it! I read this article about it you may like - it talks about the logistics of filiming at the NYC Marathon https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/30/arts/brittany-runs-a-marathon-filming.html

    LOL at your tablescape ;) I know you'll make it look great! My snis has a home account now on Instagram and does all that stuff (sets up tablescapes and other stuff around the house). She does a great job with it, but it's not something I am good at AT ALL (or care about that much in my own home LOL).

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