Goats are named

... well mostly.

A friend, Stephanie Miller tried to post a comment on the blog and it wouldn't let her so she posted on facebook.  Her ideas were 'Brownie, Cocoa, and Peanut'.  Her daughter (Grace) suggested, 'Daisy, Lilly and Chip'.  And son J.P. suggested 'Buck, Paisley and Avery'.

Friend Rita Hayes suggested, Buster, Bahbs and Bitty.  And still another friend suggested, "Little Billy" -- unfortunately that one has been used, and used and used.

We actually wound up with 6 baby goats and one is kinda unusual so I'm not picking any of the above names for it (haven't sexed it yet so don't know if it's a billy or nannie.  But it's about half black and half white.  We had one like that years ago that Chuck named "Newsprint".  I'll try and get a picture of this one this weekend.

So, here's the names I selected for the original three - shown below.  The one on the left is a billy, so he's 'Buster' (that's one of Rita's ideas).

The little brown one in the middle is a nanny and is now Lilly (thanks Grace), I chose 'Onyx' for the solid black one - also a nanny.

The two additional additional brown ones (not pictured) were also both nannies, and I chose Peanut (that's Stephanie's offering) and Avery (from J.P.)

I've named so many goats over the years that I sort of hit a wall with these.  I have found a really website (goat farm) with a ton of names.  May use some of them in the future.

In the meantime, thank you Rita, Stephanie, Grace and J.P. for your help!!!

Second end table finished

The last post with the dog bed end table turned out too long I thought, so decided to keep this table for another day.  It's not nearly as exciting as the dog bed one, but it's sitting at the other end of my love seat and I think I'm gonna love it.

While it's all wood, it does have laminate, so that presented a whole other challenge.  I'm just hoping my paint stays on.  It was really scratched and banged up, but has two drawers.

Actually found this one first when I was looking for the dog bed table.  Bought it thinking if I couldn't find the one I wanted, I could remove the large drawer in the bottom and use it as the dog bed.

Then found the one I really wanted and decided this one would work great at the other end of the love seat.  The drawers are going to be a real bonus - I've already eliminated a lot of the clutter I had on top of my old end tables.  Found it at an antique store and here's how it looked.

So, like the other one - sanded (though laminate doesn't sand well).  Two coats of primer, cured for 7 days, 3 coats of yellow paint, 3 coats of Minwax polycrylic, cured another 24 hours, new drawer pulls, and 'walla'...

So, here they are together...

You can see, the cats think the love seat belongs to them.

The coffee table is in the works, had it's first coat of paint on the legs today... it'll be ready soon (I hope).

Refinished furniture - almost done

Both end tables are FINISHED.  So, here are a couple of photos - recapping the process (which was very slow - by my standards anyway).  So, here we go.  I found this ratty old table - and it was ratty.

Took the doors off and sanded... and sanded and sanded and... well, you get the idea

Primed with two coats of primer - let cure for 7 days, then 3 coats of yellow and then 3 coats of Minwax polycrylic on the top - which took more time and had to cure 24 hours.  Interior has upholstery fabric glued with spray adhesive, and stapled inside with the nail trim finish.

Emma Grace wasn't shy about trying it out.

So after the last coat cured, they were FINALLY ready to use today.

Instead of adding the custom cushion, I decided to simply move Frosty's existing bed inside it for the time being.  Thought he might be more willing to use it with his own bed.  Had to 'encourage' him at first.  And, Emma Grace is still curious.

So a little while after putting it all together went back in the living room and there's Frosty - I think he likes it :-)

This picture is the inspiration piece:

I'll post the before and after of the other table in another post - it's already being used also and I'm loving the bright color.  Did I mention my favorite color is yellow.

Coffee table starts getting paint on Monday.

Antique shop furniture in my house

These are projects that have been done for awhile - and I didn't go to all the trouble with them that I'm doing with the two end tables.  Just grabbed a can of spray paint and went at it.

And, in case you're wondering, I'm still working on the end tables.  Grandson said I should have posted progress pictures, but it's too late on the one - it's ALMOST finished.  Just waiting for the 'smell' to dissipate a bit.  Had to use spray adhesive inside the dog bed table and I don't think dog or cat will be interested until that smell subsides a bit.

So, back to my post... was looking for something to go in this spot right inside the door of my bedroom.  Originally had a dark wood tiered shelf like thing that had been my mothers.  Never did like it, didn't show things well.  Found this little bookcase on one of my daughter's and my antiquing trips.  It's solid wood, was already painted white and needed a repaint (which I did).  I love the fact that it's white, and it inspired me to add a lot of other white to my bedroom.

This little chest was green when I got it.  Remember the old 'antiquing' paint.  That's what it looked like.  I originally got it to use as a night stand for the big king size bed.  It was tall enough and exactly fit in the spot between the bed and the wall.

When I got rid of the bed it was way too high for the new platform bed, but I liked it and didn't want to get rid of it.  SO, decided I liked the white bookcase so well, I'd paint the little chest white. I do like the white - doesn't show the dust as well :-)

I've had the little stool since my grandkids were little.  Kept it in the bathroom so they could stand on it at the sink.  Now the cats use it to jump onto the trunk under the window. 

Furniture refinishing update

I've added a coffee table to my projects!  And no, not nearly finished with the two end tables.

Here's the coffee table sitting on saw horses ready to be sanded.

I'm pleased with my coffee table find.  It's pretty rough and beat up, but solid wood and I paid practically nothing for it.  Since it's not a family piece I am comfortable doing 'whatever' to it.  Plans are to stain the top and paint the sides and legs - haven't decided on a color yet... something to coordinate with my living room.

I sanded it this morning - and about did myself in doing it.  I didn't get the entire top down to bare wood like I wanted, my back gave out first.  Will get the primer on legs and sides later this afternoon after I recover a bit.  Then it sits for 7 days and I'll be able to work on the tables.

The primer on the tables had to 'cure' for 7 days so the first ones have just been 'sitting' and waiting.  Got the first partial coat on the dog bed table this morning.  Partial because the table is upside down getting the 'underside' of everything painted. Second coat goes on that later today.

These projects were much easier when I was younger :-)

Baby Goats - Help me name them

There's nothing any cutier - and I have 3.  Born last night.  Two little girls and a little boy and they're tiny ones.  All three have diarrhea and had to bring the little boy in this morning and clean his little rear.  He was good though - I'm sure it made him feel better.

I've been naming goats for 20+ years and have long since run out of names.  Grandkids have named some of them - but the grandkids are bigger and not as interested these days.  SOOOO, how about some naming help from my friends???  A contest maybe.  Of course, I'll have to come up with a prize.

So, here's the little boy.  His mama is a really young mama and I heard her crying when I let Frosty out at bedtime.  The baby was born by the time I could get on shoes and jacket and get son and DIL to go out with me.  So thankful - when I heard her crying I was afraid I was going to have to help - and that wasn't exactly what I wanted to do at bedtime.  He has a black strip down his back, just like his Daddy.

The first little girl.  Looks like her mama - except the mama has a little white patch on one side.  This little girl is ALL black.

And the other little girl - her twin

And here they are, all together

Now, who has names???  I'll feature you and/or your site on my blog and Iris Originals facebook page.  Not impressed you say? Oh well... at least you can enjoy the pics of these adorable babies.

Frosty has a New Raincoat

Frosty is a working dog and has to look good.  He's got a better wardrobe than I do.  Isn't he adorable???

This will be his 'winter raincoat' as it's heavier and has a hood.

This picture makes him look bigger than he is - he's wearing a sweater under the raincoat :-)  I gotta say, he wasn't real enthusiastic about the hood, and it comes down over his eyes if I'm not careful.  

It's a pretty purple color, lined and trimmed in pink.  It's okay, "Real Men wear Pink".

Our 'boss' gave it to him.  We work a couple of days a week in our local cross stitch shop.  He's the "greeter, guard dog, and all around conversation starter" and he takes his job very seriously.  

He always thinks we're leaving for work when I put a sweater on him, though he wears one most of the winter because he's so little and gets cold so easily.

Here's Frosty taking an outside break at the shop and sittin' in Rita's lap (note the sign in the window);