Beating the January Blues...

Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?? :)

My Kind of House

If I could have any house I would want, I think these would be it! I've always dreamed of living in a little cottage with loads of charm, window seats to read on, old wooden floors, a fire in the old stone fireplace, a garden with tons of bright flowers spilling everywhere....this is my kind of house!

Just looking at these houses makes creative wheels start turning. To have a rounded door like that!?

I don't care so much about the size and practicality of a house, as much as how it makes me feel. Old homes just have a spirit and character that can't be replicated in newer, larger houses. And, although they take a lot of time and effort to maintain, seeing the transformations that can take place when you love and care for your house is worth it!

Enjoy your weekend!

More Bedroom Makeover

So here are some more pics of our bedroom. Above is the door to our pitifully SMALL closet! (don't you just feel sorry for me??) :) And I only get to use HALF of it! (whine, whine...)

This is the material I used to make a cushion for the chest. I bought it at Joanne Fabrics.

Vases from Ikea...

I had these old brass curtain rods ever since we were married (almost 9 years), so instead of buying new ones, I just painted them black with a hammered finish. I was happy with how they turned out - especially since they didn't cost anything! I bought the curtains, which are Waverly, at a fabric outlet for 30% off - cheap!

Pillow shams & bedding...





I had so much fun working on this project!

Next on the list:
-Pantry
-Downstairs coat closet
-Laundry room
-etc.
-etc.

(in my world, the list NEVER ends!! and that's just how I like it!)

Bedroom Tour

I'm finally posting pictures of our master bedroom that I've been working on for a few months...
The reason it's been taking so long is because I've been doing it the "thrifty" way! (you all know what I'm talking about!)

Our bedroom furniture is very traditional and dark, and I couldn't replace it or paint it since it was a wedding gift from my parents, so I decided to use this canopy over the bed to soften it a bit. I had gotten the canopy as a gift a few years ago and finally was able to use it. The Ikea duvet cover and shams were a Christmas gift.

I painted the wall a light blue/gray called Cumberland Fog by Behr. Sometimes it looks very blue, and sometimes more gray, depending on the light. Blue is most definitely not my favorite color, so I went out on a limb with this, butI really like how it turned out.



The cabinet pulls on the dresser had a shiny brass finish, so I spray painted them using a brushed nickel paint. They actually turned out a lot nicer than I thought they would! And instead of paying $120 for the pulls I really wanted, I ended up just spending about $3 for a can of spray paint! You would never know they were spray painted!

I had this hope chest since my high school graduation but it was never stained or painted. So I decided to just paint it a creamy white, and I made a cushion for the top.

This mirror is made from an old picture frame that I bought at a yard sale a few years ago. I painted the frame, took out the print that was in the frame, and had a mirror made to fit. It probably cost about $15 total.

I bought this tree print with the matting at Ikea on clearance for $5 and I framed it with a frame I already had that I painted black. I really like how it came out!

I bought 2 lamps at Goodwill for $4 and replaced the very ugly brass finish with a dark brown finish using....can you guess?? Spray paint! And I got the lampshades on sale at the Pottery Barn outlet for $15 each. It was a little splurge for me, but I really like them!
I hope you enjoyed the tour! I'm never completely satisfied with my projects, so I'm still working on the room, but I like it so much better than before! I wanted it to feel peaceful and calm, and it really does feel that way to me.

My Little Lady

She's sniffling and coughing away with a cold - so not fun!

Lack of sleep = grumpiness by all involved.

Fireplace Makeover

The other day I suddenly decided that I'd like to paint the fireplace...and hubs agreed! :)

Here's BEFORE:

The fireplace always bugged me because the brick looks sooty and dirty.

And AFTER:

I like the fresh, clean look that the white paint gives it.

I'm looking forward to changing the mantle decorations from fall/winter to spring/summer, but I need some ideas. I'm ready for easy, breezy summertime!!

Snow Day

(The tree in our front yard)

The snow is falling and it looks so beautiful outside that I just had to take some pictures!

I spent the day shopping for bedroom curtains (I'm almost done with the bedroom project and can't wait to show you!) and of course I did some painting - I was working on painting old brass curtain rods that I had. I'm using a black paint with a hammered metal effect. 

Hope it turns out ok! It's a cheap alternative to buying new rods, and I already had the paint from a previous project, so at least it's not costing me anything!

Just Because...

...he loves me! Aren't they pretty? I love yellow roses!

Bitten

Did you see the Oprah show about Sarah Jessica Parker's new line of clothing called Bitten? I'm not a big fan of SJP, but I really liked these clothes and all the pieces cost less than $20, which of course I love!

I gotta check out Steve & Barry's sometime (never been there). There's a new one at Rockvale Square in Lancaster...
This is a bad picture, but I really loved this cardigan - kinda Victorian but casual.

Love This House!

Can you believe this kitchen???

My styles constantly change, and this my current favorite for a dream kitchen!

Love, love, love the dark hardwood floors, open glass cabinet doors, open shelving, huge island....everything!!

I recently saw the movie "Something's Gotta Give" and, although I didn't care for the plot (sorry, but I think Jack Nicholson is kinda creepy), I absolutely fell in love with the house where the movie is set! It's in the Hamptons and is very beachy, lots of calming colors, open spaces, and still cozy and comfortable.

Here is the kitchen (similar to the photo above)...

The family room...

The great room...

The dining room (love all those plates!)...

Sometimes it's just fun to dream, you know? :)

Is My Domestic Side Showing??

I decided it would be really handy to have some canned chili soup on hand, so that's what I worked on today.

I never canned much before (except for my fabulous homemade grape juice!), so I gave it a try and the chili seemed to turn out ok.

Lots of mess, but, oh so worth it!

Things I'm Thankful For...

I know, I probably sound really shallow to start off my "thankful" list with this, but I don't care...

CHOCOLATE CAKE!

MY FAVORITE LITTLE LOVE - AVERY BELLE

MY FAMILY

(my dad & mom)

OLD FRIENDS

(Hubs & I with Kent & Sheila)

(me & Mary)

AND NEW FRIENDS

(my small group buds)


TRANSFORMATIONS

(our family room when we moved in)

(family room now)

(another view of family room before)

(family room after)

HUSBAND WHO STILL LOVES ME DESPITE ALL THE PICKLES
I GET MYSELF INTO

And there are many other things I'm thankful for - those are just the ones floating in my head right now!