Tea for Two

Isn't this just the cutest little tea set you ever saw! It's a small teapot, sugar and creamer made for just 2. This is the newest addition to my dining room. I bought it from Karla at http://karlascottage@typepad.com. She actually had photographed it as part of the merchandise that she had for a show she was going to do for the holidays. I absolutely fell in love with it. I love the size and especially the beautiful carved flowers.

Time has recently been at a premium. With winter being here we have been really busy with

sick people at work. Getting Christmas projects, shopping, mailing and cooking has consumed an enormous amount of time. I've been trying to get some well deserved R&R over this week end. Though it was a pleasant holiday I'm really glad that it is coming to a close. Hopefully things will calm down a bit.

Jennifer is off dog sitting for a lady until the 30th so I'm enjoying having a little time to get some ME things done. Hope the new year will bring much health and happiness to you.

Moving Things Around

When I decided to put up a mirror in my dining room, I had to take down my wire shelf with all the blue and white dishes. I really like the wire shelf, so I decided to put it up in the kitchen. In order to accomplish this I took down the wooden shelves that were there. Then mounted the wire shelf. I tried to incorporate some of the things I had on the wooden shelves with the blue and white. I had to put the shelf a little higher than I would like due to the fact that the thermostat was on that wall. So I added some hooks to the bottom shelf and hung my little creamers down there. Do you think it looks OK?

I really like how it all looks. I Incorporated some things that had been on the wooden shelves. I love the bluebird platters that I bought on e-bay. Also, I kept the cookbooks and the tray that my Mom had painted over 35 years ago. Also several gifts from friends such as the butter warmer (on the second shelf to the right) The Droste box and the egg cups from my same friends' Mother. There are a lot memories displayed on those shelves! Some of the pieces were garage sale finds, such as the canisters that I got for $10.00 and the blue cabbage plate. Also some pieces I picked up at the thrift store and Marshall's.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

A long time ago I was torn about whether to put up the wire rack in the dining room or a mirror.

I bought an oval mirror that I repainted but eventually put it up in the hallway. It wasn't large enough for the room. My theory was that the mirror would lighten up the room and make it look larger. It would also reflect the crystal chandelier that I had assembled item by item. Last Saturday after fertilizing my grass, Great timing as it rained all day on Sunday) Jen and I hopped into the car to go to Home Goods. I rarely come home from there empty handed and Saturday was no different than usual. I found this large mirror that is somewhat antiqued, kind of a silvery brown finish. Any way I took down the wire rack and put up the mirror. I think it really enlarges the space. It goes well with the rusty sconces on each side, too.

On Sunday I finally got the wallpaper completed in the dressing area between the bedroom and the bathroom. I had ordered a double roll of paper thinking that it would easily do the job. I was luck that I didn't mess up any pieces and that it was such a small match. Believe it or not I only had a 15 inch piece left over. I was very pleased that I finally got it done. I feel as if I have been spinning my wheels for awhile. Another project that is all done now but the refining process. I was glad that I did it on Sunday because I ended up working on Monday instead of having the day off. One of our nurses was sick and I needed to fill in. This flu season is really got a lot of people sick and we get exposed to it several times a day. I guess it is an occupational hazard you just can't avoid. I am looking forward to having this Monday off.

I am contemplating putting a cream colored wash over it like I did in the bathroom so that it will flow more easily between the two rooms. Do you like it as is or do you think a lighter wash than the bathroom would look good? You can also see the mirror that I put on the vanity to replace my shell mirror. I think it goes better with the appliques that I put on the draw fronts than the shell mirror did and it's not falling apart!

November 10, 1921

Tomorrow, November 10th is my Mom's birthday. She's a little camera shy. ( More than a little) so I'll just show you something very dear to her heart. Her home. She loves to remodel, redecorate and redo as much or more than I do. I guess you can say the Acorn doesn't fall too far from the Oak tree.

She's an amazing woman. Very strong, determined and very, very talented! She's smart as can be. If she'd had the opportunity to go to college she'd probably be a lawyer. Her father was a lawyer and she has that talent from him. She's the best artist that one can imagine. When she finally got my sister and I married off and out of the house she started to paint. She's done decorative painting and a few portraits but her favorite thing to paint, believe it or not, is walls. She has a wonderful sense of color and sees each and every detail. She can tell you if some thing is level or plumb from 50 paces!!

Ever since I was a very little girl I remember her remodeling every place we ever lived. I mean tearing down walls, designing and redecorating. She tells the story of her first decorating job, it was wallpapering the inside of her Newfoundland dogs' doghouse at a very young age. She can tell you as much about construction as a lot of men and can paint everything that she sees. At 70 something she was up on her own scaffold rag painting the walls of her vaulted living room in her house in Arizona. She built a brick courtyard in front of one of her houses just from looking at the pictures in a book. She drug big flat field stones a half of a mile up from the creek to make the floor of a courtyard when she lived out in the country when she was in her late 50's.

She can grow anything she looks at, cross eyed. I mean roses the size of saucers and of course her famous hollyhocks from Arizona. Her favorites are peach colored roses. Anthing she tries to grow flourishes under her care. She has a great gift of landscape design, too.

When we were young she and my grandmother would sew our Halloween costumes. Though she wasn't big on sewing clothes she could whip a pair of drapes or a bedspread with perfect stitching and put up the rod with one hand tied behind her back. In fact she made the drapes in the picture above.

She is an excellent cook except for pies...That's just not in her repertoire! See the post about my grandmother a couple of posts back. I believe she inherited some of her artistic talent from my grandmother.

Not only that, but she raised my sister and I alone from the time we were very young. Put us through Catholic school and college. She isn't afraid of much of anything and if you tell her she can't do it, she'll just say " watch my smoke!!"

Any way November 10th is her birthday..She'll be 88!! Though her body has slowed up with age her mind is still sharp and she is still as determined as ever! To quote her "I don't know who that old lady in the mirror but it isn't me!!)

Happy Birhday Mom! We love you!!!!!!

Une Petite Vignette

This little vignette is inside the armoire in my bedroom. I have temporarily papered the inside of the armoire with old sheet music and some pretty boxes . Also some old baby shoes and a compote filled with silk and dried roses. I bought this compote in Maryland many years ago.

The top shelf of this armoire is filled with pretties and the lower shelves house my small TV and my DVD's and CD's as well as a small portable stereo. I open the doors to watch TV but otherwise everything is hidden from view.

A Glorious Morning to All!

This morning I looked out the window to my garden and saw such a glorious site. My Morning Glory vine was in full bloom! With the recent rains and some warming sun the vine has started to thrive. It is so wonderful for the drought to finally be behind us. It's a cool morning and promises to be a wonderful week end.
I heard from my wallpaper order and was told it should be on it's way in the next few days. I am anxious to get it put up and then that will be one step closer to finishing the majority of the bedroom project.
Wishing each and everyone of you sunshine and a glorious Saturday!

Sandy

SORRY I'VE BEEN AWAY SO LONG

The past two weeks have been pretty difficult! Our sweet Holly finally got to the point that she couldn't get herself up from laying on her side. Above seven years ago she slipped a disc in her back and has had difficulty using her back legs. At one point we thought we would have to put her into a doggie wheelchair but she regained use of her legs after several steroid shots and a couple of months of Rimadryl. Lately though she had trouble getting up and even going out to do her business. She was after all 151/2 years old. I think she has been senile for at least the past six months but she still loooooved to eat. Her vision was failing, too. So, as hard as it was, I made the decision to put her down. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it. We used to call her Hurricane Holly when she was young. She loved to play escape artist and you could chase her for blocks before you could get her cornered! Then there was the time she stole the roast off the dining room table...She was quite a gal!!

Secondly, we've had our flu clinic at work and that was 2 grueling days. I've been having problems with my left arm (I'm left handed and that is my mastectomy side) so I didn't do as much shooting as I did drawing up a lot of the vaccine. I guess all the painting and wallpapering finally caught up to me. I even went and had a mammogram of that side and an ultrasound of the area to be sure there was nothing dangerous going on. October is, after all, Breast Cancer Awareness month and I encourage all of you, if you haven't done it this year, to get your mammograms. It saved my life five years ago. I guess no matter how long it has been you always carry that little spark of fear around with you and especially if you have any disturbing symptoms such as I was having. Luckily, the tests were negative. I am so thankful for this.

The photo above is one of my Grandmother when she was 18. It is sitting on the chest in my bedroom. (It's on loan from my Mom). Beside the picture is a small jewelry box that I received when I was 18. Some pearls that were given to me as a child and a pin that I made from vintage buttons. My grandmother was a very elegant lady. She was an accomplished seamstress, knitter, cook and all things domestic, except she couldn't bake a cake to save her soul! Wonderful pies, biscuits but never cakes. My Mom on the hand couldn't make a pie......

Well, I FINALLY decided what to do with my dressing room. I chose the trellis wallpaper in one of the previous posts. I ordered it yesterday but will have to wait to see if they have it in stock.
So hopefully, if they do, I'll be able to put it up next weekend. So, keep your fingers crossed.

TEARS IN HEAVEN

Holly-Lu-Yah

March 13, 1994 --September 28, 2009

We love you baby girl!

Eney Meany Miney Moe!

Well, I have been wrestling over and over with what I like the best for the dressing area.

Above is the dressing area painted pink. I thought I could paint it the pink first and then if Idon't like it I can paper over it. Below is a picture of the other side wall, but I took some of the bedroom wallpaper and turned it sideways folding the stripe down. I'm thinking of cutting out the lower section of the paper so that it would look like a laser cut with the roses being the lower edge. I have enough wallpaper left over to do it. Am I just being cheap or will it look good?

I went on line and and looked at the border that matches and I need 2 rolls. It comes in 15 foot rolls and I need 16 feet. There are a couple of other coordinating papers that are available, too. Maybe they would be the solution. One is a damask that is predominantly the pink and the other is kind of a small x type paper with mostly the cream color (see above). Does this make it more confusing or do you think the answer is there?

I'm still not sure what to do yet. I want it to look as good as the other parts of the room and I'd spend the extra money if it meant "making" the project come together. Again, I'd like to hear what you all think. Thanks again.

OK, OK, You Win!

The past two week ends I've been working on phase 3 of the bedroom project. This portion is the dressing area between the bedroom and the bathroom. It is where my dressing table, sink and closet are.


This where I put on my face every morning before work and have breakfast with my two dogs.
You can see part of my shell mirror that is coming apart. After I took these pictures I took it out and put another mirror there that has some rose appliques at the top. It is currently white but will get a coat of the cream paint as soon as I am able. On the drawer front you can see a rose applique. I added one to the drawer and one to the panel in front of the sink. The beautiful lamp is called Queen Marie. She was named by my Grandmother. This lamp is another one of the lamps that I got to have that belonged to her. I love this lamp.



Here is a close up of the applique.

Now the question is what looks best with the bead board that I have spent the last 2 days putting up. I must admit that it was a challenge. It's not the first time I've done bead board but it is the first time I've put it up in such a small place. You ask why is that such a challenge? It required a lot of cuts. I used the small panels instead of the 4x8 sheets, they are easier to work with but cutting down the length with a jig saw is not easy. Trying to stay on the straight is not easy. I'm not really good with a saw, be it jig or circular. My main problem with circular saws is that they are too heavy for me to handle easily, so I tend to use the jig saw more easily. I'm trying to decide what I want to put above the bead board. I have three options.

First....the wallpaper in the bedroom.

Secondly, the wallpaper in the bathroom.

Thirdly, pale pink paint that I had mixed off of the palest pink in the rose wallpaper in the bedroom. (which is in the first picture above.) Which do you think goes the best? I'm kind of leaning toward the small print in the bathroom, but I'm going to keep all three of them up for this week to see if I still feel the same. What do you think?

I hope that you all know how much I appreciate all the comments of my last post. It is nice to know that there are people out there who enjoy my blog. I have tried to take all your comments to heart and proceed from there. Thanks from the bottom of my heart!

I'm Sad

I 'm feeling sad. I've been blogging for almost a year now and I feel that I'm not able to continue. Other blogs are so much better. I'm not sure what I've done that wasn't right. I do feel that I've tried and I'm not wrong, I'm just not right. I looked back to see when I started last year and it was Sept. 17. I'm going to keep posting until then but after that I'm not sure what I'm going to do.
I have to say thanks to the few people who do read me on a fairly regular basis and those who leave comments. Please tell me what I can do to improve and generate additional readers or interest. I don't mean to be gloomy. When I first started people advised me to get a counter, and if not for that I would have quit a longtime ago, it shows me that a least some people are coming by even if they aren't leaving comments
There are so many talented people out there. Cindy at My Romantic Home has been the force that encouraged me to start blogging. Her site is so great and she has a zillion readers. Valarie, Penny, Mary Ellen, Jean and Cindy, thanks to all of you for your encouragement.
I had the privilege of corresponding with some great people. I feel like there are a few of you that I consider friends I don't want to list names for fear that I could leave someone out and hurt someones feeling, but know that I appreciate you ALL.
Am I being too sensitive? Too self-absorbed. Too DEPRESSED??? I really am a very upbeat person and try to be somewhat of a clown but I guess I'm not able to transfer that to my posts.
Anyway I'm going to keep trying until Sept 17...
thanks for listening to me ramble

One Picture Worth A Thousand Words!!

PATIO PAVERS 1 SANDY 0

Another Week, Another Project!

This weekend my project was to paper my bathroom. I worked Saturday on putting the last coat of enamel on the cabinets and then Sunday I wallpapered the room. Most of the bath is full lengths of paper. It took me the entire day. I sure was tired when I finished!!

Once I got finished I wasn't too happy with the way that it looked. The roses were too dark pink, almost red. After all that work I just wanted to rip it all down. So I decided that I had nothing to lose by washing it with white. I used a wet piece of cheese cloth and dipped in the cream paint that I used for the woodwork. I kept wetting the cloth occasionally to keep the washed look. It looks a lot better. I wanted it to look kind of old and I think this fills the bill. I may try a light brown wash on a scrap piece to see if will look even better. Not sure yet.

Some of the things on the shelf are just some of the things that were in other parts of the house.

The little chocolate mold I bought at my favorite antique shop and the little laurel wreath pin I bought at an antique shop at Fell's Point area of Baltimore Maryland several years ago. The pink plates and cup were gifts from a couple of my friends. The large silver bottle is from a big bath set and I like the way it looks. Evidently the humidity in the bathroom is wearing away the silver finish and I think it is beginning to look like Mercury glass. The little silver box is a garage sale find, too.

The shelf is one that I bought a few months back at Marshall's, it was only $34.00 and I think it looks a lot more expensive than that. It was a grayish color before and I painted it the cream of the woodwork and had fun decorating it. Do you think it is over decorated? I want an old timey look. did I do OK?

The little table next to the tub is a garage sale find that I decoupaged with old music and the flowers were cut from paper napkins. I then wiped the black legs and edge with some cream colored paint to tone it down. I don't have my shower curtain up yet, it is the same lace that I have for the curtains in my bedroom. It will help to soften the room even more.

I still have the dressing area to do and it is still in the thinking stage. I'm having a baby shower for one of the girls from work in a couple of weeks and I'm not sure if I can get it done before then as my house is now a wreck from a lack of attention. I guess I'll see how much I can get done. Sooo stay tuned for phase three.

Finally, Phase One Completed!

Well, it's been a while getting here but I have finally finished. It took several week ends but

I think it was worth all the work! Walls painted, woodwork done and wall paper completed.

I tried to take lots of different views. So enjoy!

The lamps on the bedside tables belonged to my grandmother. I rewired them and put new lamps shades that I covered with the lace from my curtains. I got this lace from my Mom, she bought it all at a mill ends place for $5.00 a yard. It is an embroidered lace on net.

The dressform I bought at a garage sale. The old wash stand I bought at an antique store for just $65.00, I have seen them for several hundred dollars.

The armoire was pine and it just didn't fit into the decor but it houses my TV and a few other things. It's not quite finished (blue tape still on hardware). I needed to bring the pink to this side of the room, too, so I papered the front of it with leftover wallpaper. I love the way it looks.

I hope you enjoyed the tour.

Next project: paper the bathroom and dressing area with the companion paper.

Stay tuned for the phase!

Preview...Stay tuned!

This just a preview of what is to come. Walls are painted, wallpaper is not up yet!

But this what it looks like........These are my old dolls from my ancient childhood.

Stay tuned..........

MIA

Well, I guess that I haven't posted for a while but I've been really busy! Lots of projects on the fire. Trying to get the patio back together after the deck was finished. I had a lot of the cement pavers to replace that we had robbed to put under the shed for a foundation. I used the pavers that they removed from where they built the deck to replace the missing ones. Then of course I had to move everything around a bit to look better. What a hot job!! Especially when it has been over 100 for several weeks here and we still are having a drought! I'm trying to decide whether to put in a water feature, what a where. We moved the little lattice gazebo to the other side, by my bedroom and I still haven't gotten out there to get it all straightened up after the move.

Next, we painted my daughter's room, that took 2 days as the first part we painted was too blue and we had to tone down the paint with some additional white. It turn out good and I hope she is happy with it. We still have the dressing room, closet and bathroom to do but that can wait for a while (I hope!)

Next I started painting the new screen doors and the doors they are on. They had been the same cream color as the body of the house but I wanted to paint them blue. That took two days, also. But I think they turned out great. I have gingerbread on my porch and I am thinking of painting the little balls and some areas of the posts to look kind of like the painted ladies in San Francisco. I painted the shutters blue, also but need to pull the blue completely across the front to balance. I haven't painted that part yet. Guess that will come, maybe next weekend.

In this picture you can see the gingerbread and do you think it would look good with a touch of blue? I love the old fashioned screens, I got them in Alabama last year and carried them home on my X-terra. The didn't have them at my Home Depot here so I am glad that I made the effort to get them there.

Sorry this picture is sideways but it had uploaded before I realized it was on the right way. I washed my sheets today so it was a perfect time to do more work on the bed. I bought some apple green paint to paint it but it looked neon when I started putting it on so I decided to go for a rusty look. The wall paper has large pink roses in it with green leaves (it's a Laura Ashley design) but I need to get the walls painted first. The pattern is so large that I am only doing the wall behind the bed. Hopefully this will give a sort of garden look and the bed will look a little like a rusty gate. I guess that will have to wait for a future post. I used several colors of paint to get the look. I'll live with it for a while to see if this is exactly what I want.

I painted it with green, cream brown rust and a touch of yellow then I took my electric sander and roughed it up for that aged look. We'll see how it goes. Any suggestions????

IT'S DONE!!

I came home from work tonight to the completed deck. Being the nut that I am I had to get busy and decorate it. I tried to use what I have out there so there will be some more things changed around but I just had to share how it looks! I love it!!! ISN'T IT FABULOUS!!!!!!!!

#%$&@# Internet

Sorry I've been gone so long but I have been without my Internet for almost a week. I have been on the phone with Time Warner so many time I can't even count .........It's really frustrating. It would connect on both computers then if they get turned off it's gone again. So I'm going to post this so if I get knocked off again I'll give you something new to look at.

This is one of the day lilies that I got from my old neighbor. Isn't it just the most beautiful lily! It's name is Web of Intrigue! I love it!

We started some new projects here this week. At last I got my old fashion screen doors put up (finally) I have had them in my garage for over a year! I bought them back with me from Alabama last year but haven't gotten anyone to put them up until now. I got one of them primed today but still have the others to do. (there are 3 of them) Also we cleared an area on the patio (on the yard with my gazebo) to start the deck. The problem is that there has been several big trees planted in that area and the stumps are too large to dig up so I'm having a low deck built over the top of them. The stump area was covered with rock and that area sits right in the middle of the patio so it limited the usable area. If you go to my last post and enlarge the picture of the gazebo you can see the edge of the rock and see how my table and
chairs have to be crowded over to the side. When the deck is done I'll be able to put the table in the middle and not be crowded. Also we are going to add some benches to perimeter at least on the far side so it will give me added seating for guests.It will give me a nice large flat surface 12x12 which will be all usable space. I want to paint a large square rug on the top. The carpenters have taken up all the concrete pavers and set the posts. On Monday they start the base. Can't wait. That tree, then the stump have been a big pain to me since I moved in here. Next post I'll show you the deck, that is if I can keep my Internet........

A Tour of My Sun Garden

I tried to delete these pictures up here but I can't seem to do it...no matter what I try. I know that some of you can relate. So you'll just have to see them twice..sorry, wish I could figure it out. I've been working for over an hour trying everything but nothing works.....So be patient with me...'cause I have no patience left!!!!!

I've been working on my garden a lot this spring. I've only lived in this house for less than 2 years and this is my second summer to work. One of the flower beds was already here but I've extended it and added a second one on the other side of the yard. My house has two small yards, one on the living room side and another off my bedroom. The garage is in the middle of the back of the house and you enter off an alley. The driveway divides the two sides, therefore leaving two long narrow yards. The fence comes off the side of the garage and behind that I've covered the area with weed cloth and river rock to cut down on the maintenance.

The picture above is of the living room side of the yard. I am working on the other side but not ready to show it yet. It creates two gardens, because of that I have one sun garden and one shade garden. It is kind of fun to have one of each, it gives each its own look.

I got these double purple coneflowers a couple of weeks ago at Lowe's. I've seen them in the magazines but never found them until then. Best of all they were gallon size plants marked down to $3.50. I went back a couple of days later to see if any were left but, no they were all gone. Aren't they beautiful and so unusual. If you're interested they are called Double Delight.

This is Mr. Peter Rabbit. I saw him at the nursery one day and fell deeply in love! He was quite expensive so I resisted for quite awhile but I finally gave in. After all he's concrete and will last for a long time..... I just love him!

I am partial to pink flowers but try to incorporate some other colors. I have some day lilies that a former neighbor gave me . When I got them they were dry and had been shipped from her Mother's home in Oregon. I didn't know what color they were but FREE is good enough! I have some dark ones and a peachy one and one that is a cream color. The cream one is blooming today.
And so is the peachy one. They are repeat bloomers, too. I moved them from my other yard when I sold the house. Wish I had taken more of my plants as the young couple I sold the house to have taken out a lot of my plants. I guess they are not gardeners. I can't bear to go by the house anymore as they have changed it soo much and taken out a lot of my

plants. It makes me really sad.

I have a gazebo that I did bring with me. The one I left ended up torn up on the ground and it was only 1 year old. Oh well. The one I bought is an 8 foot one that fit on my side patio at the other house. I had it for several years and the canvas was gone so I added white lattice to the top and sides. It cost me more than replacing it with a new one but this will last for a longtime so I felt it was worth the expense. It isn't waterproof but does provide nice filtered shade. I think it has more ambiance than a stock one.

I covered the two chairs out there with a cornflower blue vinyl and that makes them somewhat waterproof. I like that it brings the blue from the living room out to the patio. I had a fountain that I used with it at the other house too, but even though it was cute it was constantly evaporating the water. So I drilled holes in the bottom for drainage and put some asparagus ferns inside. It still has the fountain look without the hassle. Here's a picture of the gazebo.... and one of the greenhouse,too. Hope you enjoyed your little tour!