Finished projects

I have had several projects in the works, either started, or just formulated in my mind, and it was high time to get back at it. The rainy season is coming to an end, (you wouldn't know from the downpour last night, but...) and that means I've been outside on the patio. As I look around, I come up with things I'd like to do, I'd made this coconut hanging planter some time ago, but only recently brought it outside and planted in it. The plants were looking good, I just felt it needed a little something, so I painted it.

So when I moved this one, it left an empty spot, so I had to come up with something new...

The yellow pot is an old bleach bottle, and they are planted with discarded pineapple tops, talk about recycling!

We went to town the other morning and found a plant truck, SCORE! We bought several things for inside the house, and some for out. The beautiful bougainvillea was the star of this area, but the black plastic bag it was planted in was not cutting it, what to do until I can repot it? How about cover it up?

I had recently painted these sticks to make a hanging light, but my plan didn't go , well as planned...so I strung them together, and tied them around the black plastic bag, voila!

The last of the ugly faded old plastic pots have their new life.

And a trip by bus to Charapoto and the fabric store Wednesday got me inspired to get the sewing machine out yesterday morning and get new pillowcases made for the outdoor area. I picked up the patterned remnants for $1 and got two from each one. I decided to make the pillows reversible, so I would get more bang for my buck. 

The stars must have been aligned because I got all five large pillowcases plus the two small ones done without much frustration! Woot woot! That makes me happy, because now next time I think about bringing out the sewing machine, it'll be no big deal, I've been successful, not ended in a huff.

I have also been doing some sewing by hand, I remade a tshirt that was too tight into a tank top, and remade a skirt into a sundress. (And now that the sewing machine and I are friends, watch out!)

I also had been wanting to get the bottle koozies we've been using covered. I'd like to make new ones, just have to remember to look up wetsuit material in the translator...these koozies were given to us, and had advertisement on them, this is much better. (Esta mucho mejor!)

Whew! I've been busy! So glad I don't have one of those pesky jobs to take up my time! Today is waiting for the fruit truck, then lunch with friends, ordering beer and water for delivery and walking on the beach, what a perfect life. There's much more to come, so... Stay tuned, the adventure continues!

Change of plans

Today's post was to be about our recent Spanish lesson, and also our trip to the vet, but plans change. The young adult boys of our tienda owner Jenny said they would help us with our Spanish, both are in school in Portoviejo so could only do lessons on the weekend, after working the store. I found out last week they had come to the house but we had been at friends house that particular Sunday afternoon, so we made a plan for last Sunday. We even stopped in Saturday eve and reconfirmed...but Sunday came and went, and our teachers never showed, maybe they decided they didn't know how to teach? No se. (That's Spanish for I don't know)

Onè of the projects I worked on while we were waiting is this painted pot. The big pot has been finished awhile, I recently planted a sweet potato from Jenny's vegetable bin, and the little pot is finally finished, after many coats of stripes.

I have a rooted pencil cactus that will go in the small pot. But that reminded me I had other painted pots I'd not shared, so when plans change...you go with it.

Some empty ones just waiting for another trip to Sosote or Bahia.

A new sign I finished, it says The life of Leisure...that fits

An update on another project I finished some time ago. A cast off skillet of sorts, I removed the handle, drilled holes in the bottom and glued pieces of coral all over it. Made it a rope pot sling, planted it, most importantly hung it where I would not forget to water the newly planted, very shallow pot, and Voila!!

Our pup Shadrach has been ill, for over three weeks now he's had a cough, the cough has changed from wet to very dry and raspy, but even after 7 days of amoxicillin it was still hanging on, so I made arrangements for a ride to the vet in Charapoto. Of course the morning of the appointment, not a single cough, but better safe than sorry. The destination turned out to be a ladies house, and we never even made it thru the front door, her examination was done on the porch. She suggested another week of amoxicillin and maybe an X-ray in Portoviejo to check his heart. Since he is 7 years old, coughing could be a sign of heart disease, which a vet tech friend in California had warned be about too. Since his cough changed from wet to dry, I'm on the side of the fence that says he's getting better, and X-rays were not needed, and low and behold he only coughed once yesterday, so yippee! He's getting over it! Oh, and the cost of the vet? To see Shadrach AND another sick dog we took, who got a vitamin injection...$3 what would it have been in the States? Just for an office visit? $100, more?! 

One more picture, I really liked the shape of this Windex bottle, so I painted it white, then wrapped it with twine. I think it turned out great.

This week is busy, vet yesterday, having a lady come and do manicures and pedicures tomorrow, invited the residents of San Jacinto to come and get in on it, Thursday we are finally having some shade built, and Friday we will go to Bahia for an Art show at the museum. So, stay tuned...the adventure continues!