~*Unfinished Before & Unfinished After*~

Hello Dear Friends!  It seems the winter snowfall is going to attack us in just a few short BIG storms.  We had one last week of 9" or so... and another yesterday of about 6" more.  The kiddo has been happy to have three snow days... and even an early release yesterday.  It is nice to have him home.

I have been keeping busy too... being snowed in!

You may remember me talking about my weaving loom.  (Sherre, I know you asked.)  It was an anniversary present from my dear husband last year.  I've only made one rug on it... but I will make more!  Besides being super busy with oodles of other things to make or do... my loom is stored in our rather undesirable basement.  Our home is a simple ranch... no bells & whistles.  We do love it though!  Our basement, I do not love.  Finishing it off would be very expensive... and it certainly isn't a necessity.  So... I decided to make the best of it.

I had this idea at the spur of the moment ~ re-do the loom area!  I asked my dear Mom if she had any leftover paint she didn't want or need any longer... thinking I could just mix some partial cans together to make~do for this part of our basement.  Oh she seemed so happy I asked.  She had several cans she really wanted to get rid of.  They are difficult to dispose of... and were taking up too much storage space.  To my delight, I took them all.  One can was 3/4 full of exterior 'Moth Gray'... and was used for my re-do.  The other cans I will hold on to for some furniture painting.

Here is the catch-all, yucky area before...

 That mural on the far wall was painted by the previous owner.  There was once a wood burning stove in this spot.  It was probably pretty sweet at the time... but I was ready to make the change.

 Oh.... all this clutter!  YUCK!

The finished spot is still an 'unfinished basement'... but more bright, clean and cozy...

 I plan to pick up a few pieces of simple, common paneling this next weekend at the lumber yard.  There is a triangle under the stairs that needs covered... and I really want to replace the old paneling that follows the wall going up the stairs.  This curtain is made from some hand-me-down decorator fabric (also from my Momma).  I made it yesterday to cover the doorway to my Sarah kitty's 'potty room' (litter box).

 Do you remember the bench Tony made me last summer from an old bed frame?  Now I have a spot to put it!  *smile*

 Part of the basement floor is painted... and part of it isn't.  One day we do hope to fix that too.  In the picture below, it isn't painted.  That big box?  It was an auction find last summer.  It holds TONS of Trinity's toys!  (So he will enjoy this clean up too.)

 I can also display the antique spinning wheel that was given to me as a birthday present from my Mom & Dad...

 A few other treasures have been finding spots for display here too... a needlepunch pinkeep made for me by Ginger...

 and some sweet cross stitches made from Patti and Lori...

The spot isn't completely finished.  More things will find places for decorations here over time.  But it does seem so much more welcoming now... and somewhere I can sit to enjoy my loom.

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty