A little of everything...

John and Jesse riding across the Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Tour De France has taken on a whole new meaning since my boys started cycling this year.  They have been glued to the TV!  The picture above was taken this morning at about 9:45 on the Blue Ridge Parkway Viaduct.  The fog was patchy at that altitude, but no fog lower down near Blowing Rock where they started out.  My daughter took the shot leaning out the car window!  We took a lot more pictures but this was the shot!  I wish I had polka dot jerseys to give to my boys... they were both Kings of the Mountain this morning!

Maddie and I stayed in Blowing Rock from Wednesday to Sunday.  The boys came up Friday night afterwork and left a little earlier than I did.  It was so wonderful to be in 58 degree weather versus the 100 degrees when we left Gastonia on Wednesday.  I forgot to pack warm cloths and had to go out and get a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt.  We read a little, stitched a little, watched a few movies, and tried out my new chalk paints.  Yes! I ordered Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in old white and aubuson blue last week.  I took several small things with me to the mountain house to try it out on.  I used the blue on a quilt rack and the white on an old jewelry box.  Both came out very well.....I love this paint...just like everyone else I have heard use it!

Now lets talk about the major mess I made with the old white chalk paint.   Some how some way, I knocked the can off the kitchen table (of course the lid was off).  It went everywhere including upwards!  My first thought...i just paid $35 dollars for this quart of paint!  I have to save as much of it as I can!  I was using a spatula to scoop up paint and put back in the can.   My second thought.....if this stuff dries, I will never get it off!  Keep in mind that It was all over old pine wood floors, dark wood blinds, an antique pine table, the wall, and two of the old pine ladder back chairs.  The paper towels were already on its last few sections, so they ran out quickly!  I used sopping wet bath towels to finish the clean up job.  After 45 minutes, the only tell tell signs of the paint were in the groves of the pine floor and on Maddie and myself.  Oh, and now I have to buy new towels!

After trying the paint, I knew I wanted a few more colors.  I googled chalk paint in NC and up popped "Periwinkle Pass" blog.  Tammy is an artist and stockist in Banner Elk, NC which makes her local for me while in Blowing Rock.  I called the number and left a message about the possibility of picking up paint from her to save the $20 on shipping.  Before she could return my call, I actually ran into her at The Banner Elk Community Art Show!  She had a booth selling her art work.  Low and behold, she has a shop in Elk Park that she uses as her distribution site for the chalk paint.  I was soon heading for the shop!  I bought a red and the bright green along with the clear wax.  The shop is cute...more of a thrift store than anything but you can see pieces that have been chalked.

I am going to work on an old rocking chair tomorrow!  Pictures when I am done!