Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures!

Since I am trying very hard to stay at home these days, I have once again been looking at my "to-do" list to stay busy. Except that, the same problem persists...I literally have enough things I could be doing to keep me busy for many, many months. The problem comes with the fact that I have got to want to do something before I can really get into it. Some days, that may be washing and waxing floors (which I actually did last week), cleaning baseboards, cleaning gutters, raking leaves...well, you get the idea. They are often hard and long jobs, but once I get it in my head that I want to do it, it gets done. The same can be true of the opposite. The chore can be as simple as straightening up my closet, cleaning a sink, etc but, if my head isn't wrapped around it, it isn't getting done!

And so, with an unknown amount of time looming before me, I was hoping some of the large projects would spur me on. The only one that has bonds me with this little friend...for days...and days!

Don't ask me why, but I love pressure cleaning! It is a long, tedious job that requires almost every muscle in my body and literally seven hours at a time...and still, I love pressure cleaning. Once I turn that hose on and see the first bit of difference, I know I am hooked until I can stand no longer.

I usually start at the front of my house and do the circular drive, the straight drive, the brick walk, the shutters, the porch and any other algae that may be on the house or gutters. Since a lot of this area is draped with large live oaks, there is usually plenty to be done. That was my Sunday.

Then on Monday, I headed to the back. That involves all of the brick walkways, the brick walls on the gardens, the pool deck, the stone patio and, this year, the wood privacy fencing. I know you aren't supposed to put pressure on wood but, I could not look at the stained fence one more minute. I did just give it a bit of a light rinse so it isn't totally clean but so much better than it was. Of course, we have almost 3/4 of an acre and the entire back and side yards of our home are enclosed with this fence so I couldn't get it all done on Monday.

I will say that the deck cleaned up so easily this year offering me a bit more time for the stone patio...which was a nightmare. The entire patio is under tree canopy and gets a fair amount of the irrigation system without completely drying so, the algae grows fast and thick! That was Monday.

I still have probably 4-5 more days until I get everything completely done but my back was screaming for a break so I thought I would tackle Tuesday with a project I could get off my list. But, no, nothing was of much interest.

And so, I resorted to my first love-crafting. Except, I really didn't have anything I was still wanting to do nor could I head out to get supplies. And, even though I have a ton of stuff here, none of it was really what I wanted.

But, I didn't let that stop me and have succeeded at making one thing I'm really not fond of and beginning another that I really don't think I will like. I know right, what is wrong with me? Am I really happier doing these things than a chore that is waiting to be done? Yep, I am.

And so, I am sharing. The first was a whim that I saw totally differently in my mind. I am not crazy about it but it will probably find some pretty flowers and be OK sitting on a shelf somewhere. Lol

I knew I had a plain canning jar (no raised wording) and some cute napkins so I thought I would do a napkin decoupage vase. 

I probably should have stopped about here but I decided to add some chalk wax and "grunge" it up a bit. Once I did that, it got way darker than I wanted but trying to remove some of the wax was also removing some of the napkin which lead to a major patch job and it continued until I finally called "uncle".

Definitely not where I thought I was going but...

it is looking a bit better with some old flowers that I had laying around.

Like I said, I am sure it will find a shelf to sit on somewhere. Lol

And then, I decided to start on this...because I have all of the needed supplies and because I can.

I'm not quite done with this yet so I will save the unveiling until tomorrow. Stay tuned.