Around The House

Pictures taken with our new camera (the one I haven't learned to use yet!)  So obviously they weren't taken by me!

Twice Saved

Once, from a dumpster in New Orleans.  The company owners were ready to throw it out.  B.J. saved it and brought it home.

Second, from me!

Before B.J. could get this chair unloaded out of his truck, I had already decided to take it down to the street and let my "trash to treasure" become someone else's "trash to treasure". Here's why: (1) I didn't like it; thought it was ugly and looked way too clinical. (2) I didn't think I had a place to put it (3) And the main reason being that I did not want one more unfinished project under my carport.  My collection is already entirely too large!!  It's starting to rattle my nerves!! 

But... for one reason or another it never made it down to the street.  And... as if I didn't have one other thing to do last week, I decided to use it as a guinea pig for my newly purchased paint.   Here it is painted in Annie Sloan's Provence.

A close up with Annie Sloan's Paris Grey dry brushed on to soften it up a little:

I sanded, waxed, and buffed it until I thought my arm was going to fall off.  Here it is all finished:

A close up:

The chair is really old and worn, but I think it enhances the look.  You can kinda see what I'm talking about here on the seat:

Here it is again all embellished:

Not sure I would have ever purchased this chair, but I guess I'll not pass up free. Every bedroom needs a chair for putting on socks and this will fit the bill in my son's old room!

Linking with: My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Tuesday Treasures 

Knick of Time Tuesday

Coastal Charm - Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2012/02/wow-us-wednesdays-55.html

Flowers & Photography

First Azalea in our yard and B.J. learning to use the new camera:

What A Difference A Hook Makes

I made this chalk board a few years ago.  I bought the old door frame in an antique store and paid entirely too much for it.  Now I know better.  Someone had painted it mustard yellow and the section where the chalk board is now held an 80ish floral fabric that was puffed out with pillow stuffing. I'm not sure I did a good job painting an acurate picture of what it looked like, but trust me when I say it was U G L Y all over!!

I painted the frame black, inserted a board that I painted with chalk paint and then placed two hooks on each side.  I never really liked the fleur-de-lis hooks, but it was never on the top of my list to replace them either.

I was at Hobby Lobby today with a friend.  She was looking for some hooks for the chalkboard I gave her when we spotted the one I placed on the right side of my board.  She bought two and I bought two.  Hers didn't work but I love mine.  I think they fit better and even match the wooden decal on the top better. What cha think? Better?

Linking to http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/2012/02/potpourri-friday-25.html

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/2012/02/feathered-nest-friday_23.html

Making Tracks

Where have I been you ask? Or maybe you don't,  but I'll tell you anyway.  Making tracks.  Here:

And here:

I went on a little retreat for a few days leaving my job, house projects, and all that I do day in and day out and enjoyed a little fun in the sun; made a few tracks in the sand; and of course did a little shopping, OK, a lot of shopping!

And then came home to the task of emptying two rooms to get ready for carpet installation.  I've never considered myself a pack-rat, but honestly I never realized how much I had crammed into two closets. Four rooms in my house were stacked with the contents of two bedrooms.  It stayed that way over the weekend until the carpet was installed on Monday.  We spent all day Tuesday putting things back where they belong and I'm still working on it.  With my daughter moving home I've got to find a new place for everything I had stored in her closet. 

We've been in our house for 18 years so that's how old the carpet is.  It is a very good grade carpet and that's the only reason it still looks as good as it does.  But, there comes a time when all the decorating and all the cleaning is cancelled out with nasty and worn out carpet.  And it is now that time!

We replaced the carpet in the master bedroom and hallway with laminate flooring last year.  The two bedrooms have new carpet so we still have the family room and dining room to go.  Yes, I have carpet in my dining room!  What was I thinking?  Our plans are to install laminate flooring this year; as well as; open the wall seperating those two rooms.  I'm anxious about it and dreading it all at the same time mainly because we will have to do all the work ourselves. I went to work on Monday and came home that afternoon to new carpet, but that's not going to happen with these two rooms!  How nice would that be, but it's not going to be! 

So... the smell, the plushness, and the tracks in my new carpet make me happy! 

More tracks... Shopping tracks!

While on my little retreat, I went to all the familiar consignment and antique shops, but made few purchases.  I saw many pretty things, just not a lot of bargains.  I did find these wine bottle corks. There was no price on them so the young sales girl told me to just put them in my purse.  I couldn't do that so I offered $3.00 for them.

The ironic thing about my shopping weekend, was the fact that I spent most of my time and money in Kirkland's.  That's ironic because I am not a huge fan of this store.  But they were having a significant sale on picture frames and had some that I liked.  I bought several because I'm working on a photo gallery in my hallway. 

And last, but not least... bunny tracks!

Another stop on the shopping excursion: Pottery Barn!  I love this store, but only go in there for inspiration.  I was not disappointed!  They were all decked out for Easter...so much eye candy!  I came home and put this together keeping in mind one of their displays.  I already had everything: the rabbit, three tiered stand, and the ornaments.

Well, I'm off.  Got to make some more tracks!  This time around the homefront!

Downtown

Grew up LOVING this song.  And I still love it. 

To My First True Love

I'll never forget your freckled face mainly because it reminds me of this freckled face:

I remember your fiery red hair and you being extremely tall and lanky for a kid your age. You were my number one admirer and never made a secret of it.  The entire class knew and as if that were not enough your love notes were quite clear on the matter.   "I love you.  Do you love me? Circle yes or no."  I always circled no. 

I spent much of that year red faced and trying to run from you.  Your Valentines cards were completely over the top.  As a matter of fact, they were probably the very thing that ended this one sided romance. 

I snapped one day and took your notes to the teacher explaining that it had to stop.  I wish I could remember my exact words to her.  I am sure it was a conversation she did not soon forget and one she was quick to share with her other teacher friends.  Oh my goodness, who is the red-faced kid in the class now?

I never knew if it was your fear of the teacher or your anger towards me or maybe both, but almost instantly your undying love ...died.

So nearly 43 years later, Stephen,  I hope that at some point in your life you found your true love.  I hope she cherished your love notes and never turned them in to the teacher.  And I sincerely hope you were able to forgive the one who did not appreciate your admiration those many many years ago in elementary school.   

Happy Valentines Day, Stephen.        

Waste Not Want Not

B.J. came into the bedroom this morning and told me it was time to stop buying for the house and to buy something for myself for a change.  He was referring to my make-up.  Yea, make-up!  Because this is what he found on the bathroom counter:

I  had to explain to him that it wasn't really for the lack of time or money but rather from my inability to throw away all the makeup left in the container after I can't squeeze anymore out of this: 

OH, NUTS!!

There is a thrift store near where I work. ( which is approx. 30 miles away from my house)  The name of it is Nuts, actually it is a Good Samaritan Center.  I stop in from time to time on my way home because every once in a while they will have a piece of antique furniture or something else in there that interests me.  Last Wednesday (my last day to work for the week) I ran in and found a red leather ottomon.  The price: $10.00!!  I could tell by the legs that it was an antique.  The leather was extremely worn, so much so that it kept me from loading it up. 

For the rest of the week and all weekend I thought about that red leather ottomon.  It looked kinda like the one in this picture in front of the chair except the legs were a little different and they had little casters on them.

I couldn't wait to get back in there on Monday because if it was still there it was going to be MINE!  But wouldn't you know it, GONE!  You would think I would learn!  OH NUTS!

SLAP HAPPY

That's what I got last night with a paintbrush, slap happy.  With my headboard.  We bought this old barn door last year at a flea market for a great price, brought it home, and B.J. added some legs to it so we could use it as a headboard.  It is the perfect size for our king size bed.  It was already painted this kind of aqua color when we bought it and I liked it at the time, but for several reasons have changed my mind (imagine that). It looked good in a few places, portions of it looked spray painted, and other places where the raw wood was showing just looked dirty.  I was also having a hard time finding bedding to go with it.

I didn't take a good pic because my room is still in shambles from painting and sanding this silly thing in the wee hours of the night.  Which, by the way, was a VERY stupid thing to do.  Could I wait for B.J. to come home and help me take it outside where I could paint and sand without making a mess in the house?  Oh, no!  I got a wild hair that couldn't be tamed.  It still needs some work, but I've got to wait for some help to get it outside.  Because as Popeye would say, "I can't stands no more."

Even with more work to be done, I still think it looks better. Don't you?  My curtains are being made as I type and not by me YAH!  Hopefully I will have a room reveal before too much longer.

Links: http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2012/02/wow-us-wednesdays-52.html

My Weekend

Here's how I spent my weekend.  Hold on to your hats.  It got a little wild and crazy!

1 - Hung my newly framed vintage placemats.  They are in my bedroom where I created a sitting area/reading nook underneath them.  I will do a bedroom reveal as soon as I get a few more things finished in there: curtains made and hung, bedspread bought, everything out that belongs in the other two bedrooms (replacing carpet in those two rooms and had to move furniture out), and last but not least as soon as I learn my new camera so I can take some better pics.  I've had the camera since Christmas and have still not learned how to use it.

2 - Repainted the dresser that will go back in my daughter's room, actually I only painted the drawers.  It was already aqua.  I am going to dedicate a post to this dresser very soon.  It has an interesting story. 

Think my daughter will like her room?

3 - I like to paint trim.  And it's a good thing.  I have spent two weekends in a row painting baseboards and door frames. Last weekend at my MIL and this past weekend in daughter's bedroom.

4 - Cleaned and replaced her blinds.  Goodbye wrapping paper.

5 - The hubster painted three doors and replaced knobs.  For some reason the knobs on our three bedroom doors had gotten replaced in the past years with knobs that didn't match the rest of the house.  And my OCD kicked in and wanted them to match. 

6 - I also got caught up on laundry and ironing while the hubster replaced the wax seal on a toilet and replaced the filter on the ice-maker.  OK I think I'll stop here.  The excitement is getting too much for many of you to bear!

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD

OR IS IT????

I've been wanting to write this post for a while now.  Just not sure how to word it.  I know what I want to say but sometimes the right words never make it from my head to my fingers on this keyboard (MY keyboard, not this one) and then onto this blog. 

I strive (and unfortunately fail quite often) to live a balanced life.  I understand that there are issues in my life, not to mention in this whole wide world, that are way more important than what color lamp shade I use or whether or not to use the blue pillow or the brown one or should I hang the sheep picture in the bedroom or the dining room and so forth!

However... Decorating... It's what I love to do!  But it is also a constant balancing act.  Balancing time and money spent on decorating; as well as, staying out of traps: The "trendy" trap; the "deal" trap; and the "covet" trap. The deal and covet traps are simply being careful not to make unnecessary purchases or decisions based soley on something being a bargain or because someone else has it.  The trendy trap is a little more complex and it's where I want to camp out for a few minutes.  

I guess in a way it correlates with the covet trap because we're doing what the designers and decorators are telling us to do.  We buy magazines and watch HGTV to find out what colors, fabrics, and accessories are in so we can stay on top of the latest trends.  The trap is when we completely replace common sense, responsibility, and our own personal taste with what the designers and decorators tell us we should do or like.   



I ran across a blog this week that is a perfect example of what I am trying to say.  The lady posted a pic of her newly decorated room and apologized because her gold door knobs were showing, promising to have them all replaced and to update her pics as soon as she did.  She's caught! In the trap!  

The trend is not gold finishes, it's bronze or silver or black ones.  The trend is not colors, it's neutrels.  The trend is not ceiling fans, it's chandiliers...   

Guess what? I have gold door knobs (well not real gold, brass acutally).  I have color in my  house.  And I have ceiling fans.

Here's where balance comes in:

I love bronze, silver, and black finishes.  Does this mean I will spend the money to replace all the hardware in my house? No. I could paint them.  They make special paint for these types of projects now.  I'm not going to do that either.  I'm OK with gold.  And besides, as soon as the designers tell us that gold is back in style, all those who have one of the other finishes will want what I have!   

I watched a program on HGTV this week.  They featured a house that had multi-million dollor rooms in it.  Their dining room table alone was worth $300,000.00.  And no I didn't put in too many zeros.  Three hundred thousand dollars!   The people who had the house built loved gold.  There was gold everywhere and it was breathtaking.  My guess is is that gold fixtures will be back around sooner than later because of publicity like this!  

Neutral rooms like this one:

I love them!  But I also love color.  I have both in my house. Balance.  Remember these rugs?  Fun and colorful!  

Ceiling fans.  I have them.  I also love chandiliers.  I have both.  Will I ever get rid of my ceiling fans?  No.  I am convinced that the designers who tell  us to not like them anymore do not now nor have they ever lived in South Mississippi!  

I do not have the most up-to-date fans like this one:

Mine look a little more like this one, except they are brass.  I have, however, replaced most of my lamp shades in an attempt to give them a more up-to-date look.  But quickly realized that for the prices of those shades I could have easily afforded to replace the entire fan!

 There are some trends out there that will never tempt me.  Like the retro look. 

And I'm not terribly fond of Victorian decor:

Although you'll find touches of it here and there throughout my house along with a little Traditional, Asian, Contemporary, Country, French, and Coastal.  You will also find neutral and color, as well as, old and new.  You will find painted furniture and stained furniture.  You will also find things that no one else would want and yet are priceless to me.  And, oh yes, you WILL find gold!  Well, brass, but you know what I mean.

Balance.  Keep what you love. Buy what you love. Decorate with what you love.  Don't get caught in the trap.  All that glitters is NOT gold and yet sometimes it IS!   


Linking to 2805



THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER THING

For the past couple of weeks I've been working towards getting a few projects finished.  Notice I said TOWARDS!  Because I just can't ever seem to get there!   I bought these four placemats along with four coasters a few weeks ago at a consignment store in New Orleans for $20.00.  I picked up the placemats from the frame shop this week but they STILL need to be hung.

  Here are two of the coasters.  The backs of both the placemats and coasters have green felt on them.  I couldn't get a good pic, but it says: Lady Clare.  I'll post a better pic of the placemats after they get hung.

Another beautiful window treatment: (This is in my daughter's room.)

To match this one: (Yep!  My windows STILL look like this.)  I purchased the shades and fabric and that's about as far as I have gotten.   

I have a list a mile long to do in my daughter's room, but STILL have not gotten one thing finished.  I ordered carpet this week and almost backed out as soon as I found out what it was going to cost to carpet two 12 x 12 bedrooms.  But so glad I didn't when we pulled the old carpet up today.  Here is what was under it. This is sand, paper, and pieces of the carpet pad.  I was not brave enough to post a pic of the stained carpet.  One word: Disgusting! 

       

I feel like I'm spinning on a merry-go-round.  Going nowhere fast!