The Old White Cottage

A Tangled 4th Birthday

2012-02-08T12:11:00.000-05:00

My youngest critter turned 4 years old yesterday and we celebrated on Sunday. We didn't have a big event planned with a ton of people. I just wanted to surprise her and I think I succeeded. If you have children and/or have seen the movie Tangled, this should all be pretty familiar.

The lanters on the window were 2 for $1 at the dollar store. I was pretty happy to find those. The window panels are actually inexpensive Ikea sheers that I layered over white curtains. (I got the sheers on eBay because I didn't have time for the trek to Ikea.)

The banners were printed from a free template I found here. I just cut them out, punched holes in the corners and connected them with a $1 ribbon. The little dress was a gift for the birthday girl but it did not fit the adult mannequin so I pinned it on.

The tower consisted of a birdhouse I painted with craft paints, a wrapping paper tube covered with grey paper and moss I already had, a cardboard base covered with green paper and a ton of hot glue. In all honesty, it collapsed the next day but I only intended for it to be temporary. I may reinforce it with a wooden pole and base screwed together if the kids are interested in it enough to play with it. The hair coming out of the tower was a few strands from the larger braid on the table.

I did buy some tablecloths as well, but I was really surprised by how inexpensively you can get them online. They're intended to be purchased in bulk for weddings, but you can buy them individually for only a few dollars in any color you want. I'll also be re-using them for my other daughter's birthday in a couple of months so they were definitely worth getting over the plastic or paper tablecloths from a party store that are nearly the same price.

Speaking of that braid ... I purchased 4 rolls of yarn that came bundled from the craft store. I spent a couple of hours one night unravling it all around 2 chairs spaced a few feet apart. Then, I cut one end, tied the other end and braided it. The flowers are just 4 dollar store flowers that I took apart and hot glued on. The table lanters are just craft paper with a sun I painted on.

In the kitchen ... I printed a sign from the pub in the movie on cardstock. I had a couple of extra pieces from the banner so I just attached them to the chairs. I didn't get a chance to take a picture, but I left out a crown and wand for each of my princesses in addition to Tangled activity pages from Disney that I tied together with ribbon found here.

Since it was Superbowl Sunday, we had snacks before pizza for dinner (birthday girl's choice). Some in cast iron pans, of course. The toothpicks were made from the same template pages as the banner above.

The cake with Rapunzel addition.

It was a wonderful day and I had two exhausted but happy little ones at the end of it.

Happy Birthday Sydney!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T07:06:00.002-05:00

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand, and for a talk beside the fire: It is the time for home.

~ Edith Sitwell, poet and critic

My table is set for dinner. It will just be our little four-some tonight. Tomorrow, we'd hope to visit my family but with unusually sick little ones our trip is in jeopardy. It's okay though. There's no place like home and I'm blessed to have a happy family this holiday if we don't make it out.

Wishing you a safe and peaceful Christmas Eve.

Time to cook!

P.S. I was lucky enough to have my Christmas tree chosen to be in an album on Country Living's Facebook Page. Check out all the beautiful trees here.

Feliz Navidad!

2011-12-20T14:22:00.000-05:00

Greetings!

Holiday Greetings!

I've been my usual MIA self in the blog world, but I thought I'd pop in and post a few pics of my house. It's been hectic as usual, but I've managed to do a bit of decorating.

My white tree is back. This year I though, self, what color would you be the least likely to try. Purple. So, that's what I chose for the tree. Not sure it's a color I'd use on a regular basis but it was fun to try and I'm happy with how it turned out.

I had some other art on either side of my armoir that wasn't exactly holiday-friendly so I put a doily in a frame. I've always thought they were snowflake-ish. I realized after I put it up that it's off-center but I've decided to consider it charming imperfection rather than fix it at this point.

A few things I had and a couple of things I acquired recently like the owls. The alabaster owls on the right came from a little antique store in DE (under $10 for both).

I wanted a couple of throw pillows to go with the purple on the tree. Imagine my surprise when they arrived and fabric was unexpectedly pleathery. Since it's just for the holidays and I got a good deal, I decided to live with it.

Entry ... The girls have been pretty eager to put milk and cookies on that dish.

In the dining room ... This large doily (maybe around $7) came from another small shop in Delaware that I stumbled on over the summer. I hadn't used it until now and I really love it.

My life has been pretty busy between work, shuttling kids between schools, in addition to my own activities (bellydancing and training for a half-marathon currently) so decorating has shifted a bit to something that I squeeze in now rather than the main hobby it used to be. There are only so many hours in the day!

This week, I'll be wrapping a mountain of gifts and baking dozens of cookies but I wanted to take a minute to say ...

Happy Holidays to all!

The Greenbrier

2011-10-11T19:40:00.004-04:00

Friends of mine recently went to The Greenbrier in West Sulphur Springs, West Virginia for a weekend and came back with quite a lot of photos and I wanted to share just a few here. The Greenbrier has been hosting guests since 1778.

I've heard about the Greenbrier, but haver never visited myself. After seeing these photos, I hope to change that.

Here's the impressive exterior ...

Chandeliers everywhere! I love how you can see a hint of color in each successive room but the chandeliers are the common element.

Another beautiful light ...

Here's one with green crystals ...

And yet another with the band of blue.

This makes me want blue stripes in my house (maybe with the chandelier above?).

I don't typically care for florals like this, but how beautiful ...

There's such an interesting contrast with the black and white tile floor.

Bolder space, same floor.

Nisha knows how much I love rhinestone pins. How much to I adore this?

I'm going to need a lot more pins!

Love the gold mirror and the white mantel.

Nisha looking right at home.

The exterior also does not disappoint. A peek from inside ...

And another with a view of the WV mountains.

A serene spot.

Gorgeous grounds and gazebo.

The happy couple. Thank you to Bryan for sharing the great photos!

Creepy Cottage

2011-10-07T18:01:00.003-04:00

Ah, Autumn ... Halloween is approaching and I thought I'd take a minute to share a bit of seasonal decorating I've done and a few things I picked up at Luckett's.

I got the two wall hangings on either side of my armoir at Luckett's when they had their September Design House. I first spotted these on my visit a few months ago in one of the rooms with a steampunk design, but it wasn't until my next visit that I thought they might work in my house. My husband and I spent our first anniversary in Paris and London so I found them meaningful. Plus, they roll up so I can change and store them easily. I'd been looking for art since I moved the botanical prints a while back. I'm so happy with how they look.

Loved the pillow as well and couldn't leave it behind.

Speaking of the botanical prints, here they are above my desk ...

... with an added basket of fall goodies. I got the owl pendant at a flea market and never planned to wear him, but he's quite cute and I plan to sport him on a long chain.

My console ... Two more Luckett's finds - the skeleton in the apothecary jar and the crown. Luckett's has the greatest match boxes that are fun all on their own and are inexpensive. I have several with different designs.

My entry ... Feathers and grass I had in a vase acorns from my driveway.

I added a few owls and pumpkins to the sideboard in my dining room and a fall-ish apron for Grace.

I don't have a large collection of postcards, but I am displaying a few that I have here. My one lonely Halloween card (they're rare and expensive) along with one of a funeral in the center and the beheading of Lady Jane Grey on the left.

That's it for now, but I hope to share more including the past 2 months visiting the Design House at Luckett's and a trip some friends of mine took to West Virginia where they stayed at an incredible hotel. Me = jealous.

More to come!

Back to School

2011-09-06T03:19:00.000-04:00

My oldest girl starts kindergarten today.

Where have the past 5 years gone?

Summer Recap

2011-08-28T15:02:00.003-04:00

Someone recently told me the sad truth - that I hadn't posted since April. Has it been that long?

Sadly, yes.

As always, I hope for unlimited time for numerous projects and plans but there are only 24 hours in a day. There have been little things here and there when I have a few minutes, but those precious few minutes are few and far between and with Fall nearly here I'm taking a couple of those minutes to give a quick summer run-down of where life has taken me the past few months.

In June, we added, a 3-year-old Snowshoe cat named Delilah to our family. It's been 4 years since our beloved dog Sally went to the Rainbow Bridge and my heartbreak had healed enough to consider another pet, but not a dog. With 2 active little girls keeping me busy, a dog seemed like too much to take on, so now we have Delilah and she's the sweetest critter we could have asked for.

In June, we also went on a family trip and rented an old country house in Vermont on a long winding dirt road with beautiful views of the mountains. The slow pace was the perfect start to the summer with our girls out of school and the warm weather just starting to heat up in Virginia. I don't think I'll ever stop dreaming of moving there, but I think experiencing the vicious bugs will keep me from actually doing it.

Along with homemade jam in the kitchen, the owners left us wildflowers picked from the property to welcome us.

For my anniversary in May, my husband got me a mom-daugther getaway to Montreal to use while he stayed behind with the kids in Vermont. The hotel was an old historic building with a little bistro on the first floor. I loved Paris when I visited so this was a sweet little reminder.

The beautiful room Mom and I shared.

So many beautiful gardens ...

... churches ...

and food! But, oh, so little time. A day later, it was back to Vermont, then home-bound a few days after that.

On July 10th, I ran (and walked) a 5k. I ran my first one in April but an injury held me back from running this one completely. I hope to run another in September.

My girls had plenty of summer fun ...

I have spent time with friends and done quite a bit of dancing as well ...

And, now summer is coming to an end ... or is it a new beginning? My oldest daughter starts kindergarten in a matter of days. She was diagnosed with ADHD this summer and while it's not a surprise to us and we have done as much planning for her as we can, my first priority is helping her adjust.

I still love my house.

I still hope for those precious minutes when I can play with a project.

Will I blog more? Maybe. Maybe not. Both girls will be in school this fall. I will actually have a little time without children. What I will do with that time remains to be seen. As for now, we are alive and well and living life to the fullest.

I can hear my girls squealing with delight outside playing with their dad. I think I'll join them.

Heading Out

2011-04-29T10:24:00.003-04:00

The past couple of days have produced dark skies and even dangerous tornadoes in the area, but today it's all gone and it's a beatiful perfect day. I have numerous projects waiting for me outside and I think it's a good a time as any to get started.

How can I resist?

P.S. Did you watch the Royal Wedding? So magical!

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T08:59:00.005-04:00

A very happy Easter from The Old White Cottage ...

Lucketts - April 2011

2011-04-09T15:07:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, my friend Jeni and I made a second trip together to Leesburg, VA and it did not disappoint. On our previous trip, I'd fallen in love with some owl art and they were still available, but outside of my budget. These peacocks were very reasonably priced, but a little too small.

I loved this one as well but it was a little too big. The Venetian glass candleholder to the right also caught my eye.

Peacocks of a different sort here. This display couldn't be more perfect between the artwork and metal peacocks. Sadly, I never found my "just right" art, peacocks or otherwise.

Generally not my style, but you couldn't help but like this steampunk room.

One of the next projects on my list is to refinish my own pedestal table and I had to take a picture of this one to keep in my inspiration file. I like the rustic, unfinished quality of it.

Next, we headed to Beekeeper's Cottage.

Crowns and mercury glass ...

These stores are actually very old houses. This staircase was in Beekeeper's Cottage and I loved this idea. I've always wanted to have a runner on my stairs but I wonder if this might be a possible alternative.

My daughter has a mosquito net over her bed and I thought the flower wreath here was so sweet.

Here I am with a few of my purchases ... turquoise pots and a little nest (that shed ridiculously all over my jacket). I also purchased a crown that's now on my mantel.

So, those were the highlights for April. I plan to go back in May and can't wait to see what's new!

Parade of Homes 2011

2011-04-04T04:00:00.005-04:00

Welcome to the Parade of Homes 2011 hosted by Poppies at Play.

Note: A few of the images are recycled, but I'm presenting a complete tour so you can see my entire house.

Let's get started ...Here's the outside of my house.

Let's go inside. My entry ...

Decorated for Spring ...

My living room has in a new pale grey paint. I just finished painting it from the yellow it was previously. I love yellow, but I was ready for a change.

I also moved the botanical prints I had on either side of the armoir and rotated the desk 90 degrees. I'm pretty happy with my new blogging space.

The console got a little spring sprucing as well.

On to the dining room ...

As I previously mentioned, I added some green including green curtains.

The botanical prints on the buffet in the photo above are now on the wall in the living room so here's how it looks now. I picked up the Festival of Flowers wine last year on our trip to The Biltmore. It seemed appropriate and I may actually drink it when I change over to summer.

Grace, the mannequin also got an costume change.

Next, the Kitchen ...I love my new dish on the fan hood from Pier 1.

Oh, and I painted (again). The color is now a greyish green which is the color I wanted all along. The table is in dire need of refinishing thanks to the abuse it's taken from my kids so that's a job planned for the coming months.

Last stop on the first floor is the half bath off the kitchen. I have tiny bathrooms that are hard to photograph so I apologize.

Taking a peek outside just off the Kitchen is our Patio ...

Look a little further down and you'll see the shed I painted last summer.

Ahhh, I can't wait until it warms up and looks like that again. In the meantime, back inside and upstairs ...

The first room is our office ...

The closet in the office is a crafting space.

Down the hallway ...

The main bath.

The Master Bedroom ...

Master Bath

My youngest daughter's room ...

My oldest daughter's room ...

Lastly, way downstairs ...

Basement Family Room

Mantel (sorry for the glare) ...

Next to the fireplace is my mom's old sewing machine ... that still works great!

And, the play area ...

So, that's it for the tour. And, yes, my house is ALWAYS this perfect. I swear.

P.S. A huge thank you to Andy from Poppies at Play for including me. I'm humbled by your invitation and honored to be among the other participants.

Now, on to participant #3 on the list - Dear Lillie.

Going Green

2011-03-15T16:37:00.003-04:00

I'm haven't done much decorating since Christmas but now I'm putting away, straightening up and preparing for spring. Rather than the blue and white I usually focus on, I'm adding a few green accents.

My dining room is just about finished. Nothing new here. I just used a few things I already had and I moved the botanical pictures from the living room.

The jars are eggs from previous Easters and one jar is some glass vase fillers I had on hand.

I purchased these green curtains last year and I'm glad I'm finally able to put them up.

I'm glad to have one room done because I have so much more to do. After getting a paint sample, I settled on a paint color for my living room - Behr- Silver Drop. It's a very pale grey that illuminates the room and flowes with the adjoining dining room. I'm looking forward to finishing it.

Oh, and I also just got my Wisteria cloches and I'm thrilled with them but they are currently in my living room so I'll share them when I finish painting.

Novica Winner

2011-03-07T17:00:00.001-05:00

Congratulations lucky number 14 - Kay.

You win the Novica gift certificate. I'll be in touch!

Going Grey

2011-03-06T06:57:00.001-05:00

I'm not talking about my hair although I did find my first one a few weeks ago.

My living room has been yellow for about 4 years now ... an eternity for me!

I'm a big fan of yellow especially for a living room. I think it brings warmth, light and cheer BUT the rest of my house has taken on a cooler color palette and I really like the peaceful calm of the pale, cool colors so I've been thinking of extending that into my living room since it's where I spend the most time.

I asked Mr. T about grey last night and he immediately said "No." but that's always his response so like the considerate wife I am, I put two grey paint samples on the wall.

The darker color is the same color we used in our bathroom.

Mr. T wasn't the only one opposed because my daughter saw what I was doing and immediately gasped and said that she liked the yellow that was "like mac-n-cheese". Well, this grey was a definite "no" since it almost looks like the same color of the dining room. It also looks so much darker in the living room than it does in the bathroom. The other color is the pale grey in our hallway. Way, way too light. Not the look I'm going for.

I'm still on the hunt for the perfect color. More samples in the works ...

Saturday Morning Project

2011-03-05T13:48:00.003-05:00

Remember this tea towel?

This morning, it became a pillow.

I originally planned to put it in my bedroom, but for now, it's here on a chair in my living room.

Hoping to head out and find some springy things for around the house today and maybe some paint samples for my living room.

Enjoy the weekend!

P.S. Don't forget to enter the Novica giveaway if you haven't already. Ends Monday!

Novica Giveaway

2011-02-26T15:19:00.003-05:00

Not long ago, I was contacted by Novica for a product review. Novica is one of the leading fair trade artisan websites. They work with National Geographic to give talented artisans around the world a place to express their artistic talents and provide access to the world market. They have thousands of top fair trade corporate gifts and home decor items on our website.

A peek at their website didn't disappoint. I spent a good amount of time browsing because they have so much! I finally decided on the Cobalt Spiral Highball glasses.

I chose glasses because we were in desperate need of new ones. We're big water drinkers so we use them a lot and we only had a few left because of breakage. Well, these new glasses are far more substantial than our other glasses and I suspect we'll be using them for a very, very long time. They're handblown glass and were shipped directly from Mexico. I'm totally in love with them!

Now, the part you've been waiting for ... Novica is sponsoring a giveaway!
The lucky winner gets a gift certificate for $50.

How to Enter:
Visit Novica and post a comment with what you like the most.

Giveaway ends March 7th.

Novica has a wide variety of products including fair trade corporate gifts, green gifts, unique gifts and they even microfinance to help their artisans. Check them out!

Important: Be sure that there is a way for me to contact you if you win.

Good luck!

Giveaway Closed

Spring Fever

2011-02-25T06:53:00.002-05:00

I've been busy waking my sleepy home up from winter and transitioning to spring. A while back, I'd seen these cloches from Wisteria and passed on them.

I just went back to them and they are now deeply discounted. With a coupon code, I got two for less than the price of one at original price. I can't wait to get them! I thought I'd pass along the great deal to any other cloche lovers out there who might be interested.

Now back to decorating ...

Shopping in Leesburg

2011-02-10T14:55:00.004-05:00

On Sunday, I was in Leesburg, VA with my friend, Jeni. I'd heard that its great out there but I'd never been. Jeni shares my enthusiasm for all things shabby and vintage so when she invited me, I jumped at the opportunity.

Jeni snapped a rare photo of me with the caption, "Melanie done snapping pix. Guy with his hand on his head, realizes he can't fit all this stuff in his car." Pretty funny.

Rather than traditional antique stores that are entirely antique and vintage items, the stores we visited were a mix of antiques in addition to new items and refinished items so there was a little of everything.

The first shop we visited was called On a Whim.

Monogrammed guest towels ...

Not the best photo, but I loved this moss wreath.

These chairs had me thinking of my own chair that still needs reupholstering.

I almost bought this wire cloche. Since it was the first store we stopped at, I passed on it.

Next stop was Lucketts. I got my tea towel here.

I absolutely loved this chandelier!

Had to take a photo of this hobnail milk glass lamp. I like that they combined it with a modern shade, but the shade seems a little short. In any case, I wish I could have added it to my collection, but the last thing I need is another lamp.

Pretty blue hardware ...

I saw quite a few green displays ...

I'd love to do something like this for Spring.

How awesome is this room? The chandelier, rustic table, blue walls ... beautiful!

Another beautiful room in The Design House that is only open one weekend a month. I can't believe they actually redesign the entire house - 3 floors - every month. That mantle is incredible.

Another "almost purchase" was the tiny cloche. Unfortunately, both had cracks. While I don't mind imperfections, these seemed like they could have gotten worse and broken the pieces completely.

The blue sideboard (console?) and owl prints caught my eye here.

We passed these chairs to and from the Design House and I thought the shape was so unique.

I don't think my camera captured how beautiful the fabric was.

That was about it. We didn't have nearly enough time to explore and as it was I had to race to make it to my dance rehearsal. I loved it and can't wait to do it again ... hopefully, when we have a lot more time!

Hall Rug

2011-02-09T10:26:00.004-05:00

Back in September, I ordered a rug for my hall after a little makeover of the space. It was backordered so it was December before I received it. I just realized that I never shared it.

(Please ignore the wrinkles. I need to fix the non-slip pad under the rug.)

The rug was the final piece of the puzzle and I really think it completes the space. The paint, lighting and rug really make the space so lighter, brighter and more peaceful than it was before.

(Taken from the opposite direction from the photo above)

Last thing to do here is to paint those closet doors. They've been that way - primed but not painted - since we moved in 7 years ago!

EDIT: The rug is the Swedish Stripe Cotton Rug from Dash and Albert. You can order it from them directly but I got it from Layla Grace.

Greetings!

2011-02-08T16:35:00.000-05:00

Hello blogosphere ... Long time no blog. What can I say? Lack of time these days is a major problem for me. Also, the cold makes me want to hibernate until spring.

Anyway, over the weekend I was in Leesburg, VA with a friend visiting some antique stores. I took a bunch of pictures, but sadly, I left my small camera along with my iPod and coat at my dance studio because the cold apparently makes me even more absent minded than usual. I'm hoping to retrieve it but in the meantime I thought I'd share something I picked up. I absolutely loved this tea towel.

I think its far too pretty to use so I actually plan to make it into a pillow for my bed. I think it goes pretty well with my bedding and dropcloth drapes. What do you think?

We didn't have nearly enough time out there and hope to return ... sometime soon. Hopefully, this pillow project is simple enough that I'll be able to squeeze it in soon.

Cute Clock

2011-01-10T02:39:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure if I've ever shared this before, but my dad is a retired NYC sanitation worker. He's the one I credit with my love of junk. He brought home lots of great stuff (and some not-so-great stuff) when he was working and he still pulls out treasures from time to time that I've never seen.

When I was visiting for Christmas, there was a little vintage clock that my parents had been arguing over for a while. I guess it ticks too loudly for my mom and she'd banished it to the garage. This being the case, my dad gave it to me.

The two legs on the left are broken off so my dad taped a little block of wood to it, but I think its adorable and I couldn't care less about the minor imperfection. I also don't wind it because for such a tiny clock, it is loud!

Resolutions 2011

2011-01-04T20:48:00.004-05:00

I know a lot of people make and break resolutions. Not me! I love resolutions and the past few years have done really well with them. It wasn't home related but my only resolution last year was to get off the couch and try something new. One year later, I dance 3 days a week, started running, eating better and I'm probably the healthiest I've ever been in my life. Not home-related, but that was big for me in 2010.

On to 2011.

I have a longer list of resolutions this year but I'll stick with those that are home-related.

The shed project continues. We finished the exterior in 2010. Interior is on the list for 2011. I don't plan to buy paint. Since I already have enough paint to fill a paint store, I'm going to use the random gallons I already have.

Since its become a yearly task, I'll be doing something with my kitchen table again. I like the chairs, but the table-top is chipped and shabby but not in a good way so I'm going to do the entire set. Not sure on colors yet.

I have lots of paper constantly coming into the house especially kids projects and pictures. Time to organize!

I also have a bunch of aluminum blinds that came with our house when we bought it. I hate them and plan to replace those this year.

MAJOR PROJECT: Our house needs new siding. Every spring carpenter bees have a field day with the wood siding and its not in the best shape. We had it painted a few years ago as a temporary fix but its time is expiring. We also need a new roof, but the siding will likely be first.

That's it for the list. I think that's plenty.

Happy New Year!

Year in Review - 2010

2010-12-31T09:28:00.002-05:00

Happy New Years Eve!

When I started this post, I didn't think I'd have much to share. My girls are growing up and kept me busy this year so I didn't do as much at home this year as I did last year. Rather than the projects and decorating I've done at home, what stuck in my mind were things like the major snow storms last winter, the Victorian Tea on Mother's Day with my mom, our trips to The Biltmore house and gardens and our drive through Smoky Mountain State Park, New England, our time at the beach, and simply the daily hustle and bustle of life with friends, family and little ones. Truly, the things that mattered most.

However, as I looked back, I realized that I had accomplished more than I realized, so here it goes.

Office Makeover ...

Painted my Kitchen and the chairs.

Shed Exterior Makeover and Bistro Set sprucing.

Baby to Little Girl Room ...

Crib turned bench ...

Hallway Makeover ...

Chalkboard tray ...

Dropcloth drapes ...

My trip to the Martha Stewart blogger show was also a major highlight of my year ...

I also did quite a bit of decorating, but I have a confession to make. I did a major make-over on my Laundry Room, but abandoned the project when I was 80% finished because that was a "winter project" and spring fever hit me before I finished. Even in its unfinished state, its a major improvement over how it looked a year ago, but I need to go back to it and finish up for good.

As for our plans tonight .... My husband and I are celebrating 10 years together tonight and we're spending the night (child-free!) in the same place we were 10 years ago - Annapolis. We're staying in a historic hotel and I'm pretty excited about our plans since we haven't been out on New Years Eve since before our girls entered the scene and we've never spent a night away from them. Thank goodness for grandparents who babysit. Maybe I'll even get lucky with a midnight kiss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Here's to a memorable 2011! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Toys for Tots - 1 Click = 1 Dollar!

2010-12-28T14:38:00.001-05:00

- My sponsor Coupon Mountain needs your help! Through December 31st, for every "Like" they receive on Facebook, they are donating $1 to Toys for Tots.

I love this organization and love to donate to them during the holiday season. Sadly, not all children are able to get a visit from Santa, so Toys for Tots collects new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distributes them as Christmas gifts to needy children.

Simply go to: www.Facebook.com/CouponMountain and click on "Like".

Please pass it on. There are only a few days left!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T09:55:00.000-05:00

I know I'm a day early, but I'm busy spending today with last minute wrapping, baking and cooking and we're heading out early tomorrow to visit family so I wanted to wish everyone out there a

Very Merry Christmas

... even if I'm one day early!

Plan B

2010-12-17T12:10:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I picked up some roping to put outside around our front door.

Then, the bitter, frigid cold arrived.

I couldn't wrap my mind around going outside and feeling the sting of the cold on my hands while I decorated the house. I decided to just use it inside in the warm comfort my furnace provides. Its not perfect, but with a week until Christmas, I couldn't afford to be picky.

My paperwhites have faded, so they've been replaced with an amaryllis. This doesn't seem to grow nearly as quickly but it was fun watching the paperwhites grow every day and finally bloom so I'm hoping I have success with the amaryllis even if it takes a little longer. Fingers crossed!

I was like a kid with a snow day yesterday excited by our first snowfall. It doesn't make sense, but while I'm not a fan of the cold, I absolutely love snow. It wasn't much, but it was enough to be pretty and almost enough to make the bitter cold worthwhile.

This weekend, I'll be busy making lots and lots of cookies!

Any baking in your future?

Christmas Birdcage

2010-12-09T16:20:00.001-05:00

I added this little bird to my birdcage for the holidays. I have several white birds on my Christmas tree and in other places around the house. I'd love to do an entire tree of birds someday.

I've been a busy bird myself this week in the final days preparing for a performance this Saturday. Hopefully, next week I can get back to focusing on the holidays ... or at the very least getting my cards sent out.

Have a good weekend!

Christmas Entry

2010-12-03T16:25:00.001-05:00

Remember my paperwhites? Wow, have they grown!

In case you didn't see them, here's how they looked only 2 weeks ago.

I've since learned that they can grow very tall (obviously) but that this growth can be controlled. Until today, I actually managed to keep them standing on their own by rotating the pot so that they weren't always leaning toward the light. They finally got too tall and I had to use the ribbon to tie them today.

The poinsettias are also faux. I just painted a couple of $3 terra-cotta pots white and dropped them in. I used to buy white poinsettias every year but thought it was a little wasteful andI hated throwing them away when they inevitably get leggy and ugly. Plus, I couldn't tell the difference between real and faux without looking up close.

Next experiment ... amaryllis!

Linking to Rhoda's Holiday Vignette Party.

White Christmas Dining Room

2010-12-01T10:56:00.001-05:00

I want to have a pretty table on Christmas Eve and thought I'd figure out what to do. Last year, I did red accents, but this year, its all white and silver.

I changed things from the rustic look of fall ...

... to silver and white for the holidays.

I used some lace placemats my grandmother gave me, and added chargers I picked up at Michaels to thrift store dishes,$1 store dishcloths for napkins and my flea market jewelry.

My Christmas apron is back along with another flea market pin.

I left the sideboard somewhat simple.

Other than the apron and stacked milk glass on the table which has a few ornaments, there is nothing else that says Christmas so this will carry me through winter.

Do you decorate your dining room for the holidays?

Christmas Mantel

2010-11-30T14:33:00.005-05:00

I just finished decorating my mantel for Christmas and thought I'd share it.

Mercury glass candles ... I didn't have the easiest time finding mercury glass this year so this was a challenge to pull together.

I picked up this print of Notre Dame in Paris. They have these all over for tourists (like me) who like worthless things that are probably made in China. I love anyway. Love my glittery birds too.

Tree number two ...

I'm thinking about doing three trees next year and moving my new white tree to my dining room. I think it would make the house look magical. Just don't tell my husband. He isn't always as enthusiastic about my brilliant ideas as I am.

Linking to the Mantel Party on The Lettered Cottage.
P.S. Sorry the pics aren't so sharp. Black hole basement + non-fancy-pants camera + lack of photography skills = not so hot pictures.

White Christmas Times Two

2010-11-27T18:01:00.001-05:00

Last year, I was pretty excited to pick up a white Christmas tree the day after Christmas. I had originally planned to decorate it blue and white, but I changed my mind and went with silver and white instead. I really love how it turned out.

I haven't had an artificial tree in years and even remember my parents having fresh trees the last few years I lived at home. This was easy to put up and I actually think the lights (which I purchased separately) and ornaments look far better on the stiffer faux branches.

On that fateful day that I found my tree, my mom started to wonder if maybe she should get a white tree. She always copies! Since we were at her house for Thanksgiving, I decorated her tree as well. She decided on blue and white.

I love the etheral quality of my tree, but my parents' tree is beautiful as well.

Now if only I were done shopping!

Have you put up your tree yet? What are your plans and traditions for your tree?

Linking up to White Wednesday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T16:45:00.004-05:00

Hello blogland ... I've been so incredibly busy lately and today is no exception with Thanksgiving tomorrow. I'm taking a short break and sitting has made me feel like I could fall asleep in a moment. I've done quite a bit of decorating but I'm too tired to even consider the photos right now.

Like many others out there, I'm cooking today. Some of my favorite recipes like three loaves of my favorite Maple Pumpkin Bread ...

... in addition to Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones with (faux) Devon cream and Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. Obviously, I'm in charge of breakfast.

We won't be having Thanksgiving at home so I won't be making the bulk of the dinner, but I was informed that I need to make my favorite Martha Stewart Mashed Potatoes and Paula Deen Sweet Potatoestomorrow. So much for just relaxing ... and my waistline!

On the bright side, I've had a very productive day and managed to get a head start on Christmas decorating. I figure since we won't be home, why not? I planned to do a lot of white this year so I'm pretty happy with how things look so far.

I will be on the road bright and early to see my family tomorrow, so I wanted to take a minute to say that I am so very thankful for you, the wonderful people out there that I've been able to connect with simply because of this little blog.

Wishing you all the Happiest of Thanksgivings.

Paperwhite Progress

2010-11-18T12:05:00.000-05:00

I love having plants outside, but I admit that I'm terrible when it comes to any indoor plants. My house is where they come to die. However, the past couple of years, I've envied people I've seen who have success growing paperwhites. They're so pretty and unexpected during a time when little else blooms. I found a kit for about $5 and decided to give it a shot. I threw away the plastic container and just planted them in a milk glass piece I already had. I placed them by my entry and crossed my fingers.

I had no idea they would start to grow so quickly!

I can't wait to see them bloom.

We had a pretty nasty storm the other night and I think every single leaf blew off the trees. I know Thanksgiving is just a week away but between the bare trees and the fact that we aren't spending the holiday at home, I don't know that I'll be able to resist getting a head start on Christmas decorating. I normally start the weekend after Thanksgiving, but something tells me that I'm going to spend that weekend removing the blanket of yellow leaves.

Love this time of year ... time with family, shopping, all things sparkley and pretty and, of course,

eating, eating, eating!

Charleston Souvenir

2010-11-17T15:41:00.001-05:00

We had so little time there and managed to squeeze in a trip to the aquarium and a horse and buggy ride. I think I'd have to spend a month there to see half of what is there.

I thought I'd share a little piece of Charleston that I picked up. Anyone who has been there will be familiar with sweetgrass baskets. They're all over the markets downtown. They're part of West African culture that was transported by slaves and handed down for generations by the Gullah people.

I already had one that was given to me as a gift ...

I wanted a tiny one for trinkets beside my bed so this is the one I picked up.

These baskets are pricey, but my mother-in-law instructed me on negotiating the price. I'm not a fan of doing that, but I'm less of a fan of overpaying so I followed her advice and managed a fair price.

I wish I had more to share, but not only did I forget my camera, but with 2 rambunctious little ones in tow, I'm not sure how much I would have been able to use it anyway. It really looks like an amazing city to explore and I'm hoping to have the opportunity at some point in the future.

Rainy Tuesday Giveaway Winner

2010-11-16T17:21:00.002-05:00

Its a rainy day here today and I'm just getting back to normal after our short trip to Charleston. I just wanted to take a quick minute to thank everyone who entered the Ramsign giveaway.

The winner is #32.

I'll be contacting you to put you in touch with the Ramsign representative to select your sign.

Congratulations!

P.S. The winner of the Votivo Candle Giveaway was entry #29 - Anonymous with the e-mail address cel5099 at me dot com. I haven't gotten a response so if you're out there, contact me by Friday or I'll have to choose someone else. Thanks!

Dropcloth Drapes Finished

2010-11-14T08:32:00.055-05:00

My dropcloth drapes are finished!

Amazing that you can turn 3 of these ...

... into these. The end here looks a little imperfect, but that's because the dropcloth isn't perfectly square. That's honestly fine by me.

I love my lace curtains, but their light airyness feels better in spring and summer with my lightweight bedding and I wanted something slightly more substantial without being dark or heavy.

Looking for instructions, I came across a blog post on A Soft Place to Land that was a little different from plain panels. Rather than cutting and hemming them to fit, I just folded them over and used heat and bond to adhere the trim. I had a tough time deciding on trim, but ultimately chose this simple white so that they were still neutral and versatile.

I prewashed the panels and there was a good amount of ironing involved between the panels, hemming, folding the top portion and attaching the trim so it was a little time consuming, but it was easy peasy. I did have to cut one drop cloth in half for the smaller window so there was a bit of sewing involved, but if you don't have a machine, there's no reason you can't hem with heat and bond just like I adhered the trim.

I'd like some blue accessories in the room to accent the blue in the bedding, but I couldn't be happier with how these turned out. I think they work perfectly with the bedding.

~~ Enamel Sign Giveaway ~~

2010-11-11T05:59:00.015-05:00

As I mentioned before, I'll be in Charleston for a few days. Before I go, I thought I'd leave you with something fun. I was contacted by Ramsign to host a giveaway of one of their awesome signs.

I love this single number on a picket fence ...

And, this one above an entry ...

How about your name on the door?

I love this cobalt blue sign.

To be honest, I'm jealous of whoever wins this one. I would love this ...

... on my front door.

To enter, just leave a comment!

They have so many options to choose from and you can pick any name or number sign you want except for the exclusive address plaquet (the last one on the website with the full address). The giveaway ends November 16th.

Check out http://www.ramsign.com/ to see more!

IMPORTANT - Please Read: Make sure that there is a way for me to contact you if you win - either an e-mail address in your profile or within the post or e-mail me if you don't want to post your e-mail address. I have to delete comments without contact information. Sorry!

Good luck!

Giveaway Closed

Whitewashing Brick

2010-11-10T16:08:00.001-05:00

I painted my fireplace a year ago and since then, I've received several questions about how I did it. I've intended to do this for a while, but tutorials can be a little time consuming so I'm sorry its taken so long but here it is.

Here's what I started with before we moved in. The bricks look like they were recycled, but mostly they were still so dark and depressing and that's not the least bit appealing in a basement room.

I hated the fireplace and mostly tried to just pretend it wasn't there. I just thought that someday we'd just pay to reface it with stone, have it removed or something. Then, one day I thought of all the days I drove home from work through a certain neighborhood admiring the old homes. Some homes were brick and had been painted. Some of the painted brick homes had weathered paint and, some looked like some kind of chalking had given an uneven white appearance to the brick like on the house below. These houses were the ones I loved the most.

Inspirational lightbulb moment.
I loved this on the exterior of a house so why not on a brick fireplace wall?

Make no mistake. I'm normally gung-ho for paint projects but I was truly afraid to do this. In the house where I grew up, I watched my dad spend years stripping layers and layers of paint (red, white, blue) from a brick fireplace probably 1/4 of the size of mine so I knew that once I put a paint brush on that brick, it would be forever. Ultimately, I decided that if it went wrong, I could just paint it all out completely and I could live with it because I'd rather have a stark white wall over the dark hole it was. After I made peace with my decision, I went for it.

All I needed was semi-gloss white paint that I had on hand and a 2.5" brush. I have an angled brush pictured below and it will do the job fine but if you have the square type, its probably better. I did not paint the grout - Brick only.

Now, on to the details (on sample bricks):

~ Don't put too much paint on the brush at one time. I dipped the tip of the brush into the paint and wiped off a good portion of the excess.

You do not want too much paint. Starting out, I would suggest using less paint until you get the hang of it and find the right amount that works for you but keep in mind that less is more here. Too much paint and you're going to end up with a solid white brick or a glob. You can also come back later if you want to add more. This is the perfect amount ...

~ Next, brush across the brick, without putting too much pressure so that you get semi-even paint across the brick but you aren't getting solid coverage.

Then brush up and down blending out any brush strokes.

Its okay if its uneven because randomness is what you're going for. There is no exact science to this and it doesn't have to be perfect, but you also don't want it to be an obvious glob of paint or brush strokes. Don't worry about perfection.

This part is important!

~ Step away from the wall every few bricks.

Take a step away from the wall and see how it looks overall. The appearance of your work is going to look different up close than it will standing away from it when you look at an entire section of bricks and your technique will change without your ever realizing it. In the photo above, for example, there's what I think an obvious horizontal paint glob that I would blend more. I didn't notice this standing so close. When I worked on my wall, I found myself slowly adding more paint as I went across the wall and taking a step back helped keep things even.

This may sound scary and complicated. It really isn't. I actually think its easier than painting a solid wall because you aren't cutting in, doing trim or striving for perfection like when you paint a wall. Its been a while since I did it but I think it took about 90 min. for me to do the entire wall.

I know many people are anti-paint on brick and I completely understand that, but if you're like me and really hate it, its your house and you should make it something you love. I hope this helps for anyone out there considering this project.

Chalk Board Tray

2010-11-09T16:09:00.001-05:00

I picked up this tray about a year ago at a thrift store and other than painting it from its originial natural wood color to white hadn't done anything with it.

Chalkboard paint on trays is nothing new so I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me.

I had hoped to line it with vintage wallpaper, but unlike other people out there who manage to find the stuff, I wasn't quite so lucky. This was a fun alternative.

Don't laugh at my artwork. I never said I was an artist!

And the Votivo goes to ...

2010-11-09T12:09:00.000-05:00

Lucky #29 ... which happens to be anonymous.

You'll be getting an e-mail from me to arrange shipping.

Congratulations!

Thank you all for entering the giveaway and a special thanks for those of you that helped with voting. Saffron Dance is such an inspirational place for women of all ages, shapes, and backgrounds and they certainly deserve the recognition. I sincerely appreciate your help and have fingers crossed for the results.

There was a question about my upcoming show. If you're in the Washington D.C. area and interested in a beautiful performance, here are the details.

Tickets are available here.

Mom Decor

2010-11-08T06:58:00.028-05:00

I haven't had anything on my coffee table since my oldest daughter became mobile ... 4 years ago. At that age, she loved to either destroy things or put them in her mouth. I'm not the type to keep things completely bare like some parents I've visited, but for my own sanity adjustments were necessary.

I left the tray below with a few magazines and noticed that they stayed in pretty decent shape. I decided to expand my experiment adding some candles, books and one of my hobnail milk glass pieces.

This was a failure. I returned from work to find one of the tapers in 3 pieces. I can only imagine how much fun it had been for my 2-year-old to snap, snap than candle to pieces the second dad turned his back.

I decided on a modification.

The experiment has been in progress for a few days now and so far so good.

Its been so long that I've forgotten what I used to even have on my coffee table.

In my Giveaway post I mentioned the studio where I belly dance competing for two local awards. Today is the last day to vote and I would so appreciate it if you could help if you haven't already and don't forget to enter the giveaway while you're at it. Ends tomorrow!

Sunday Morning Project

2010-11-07T12:42:00.000-05:00

I normally do this on a regular basis, but its been a while since I went through my magazines so this morning I spent some time turning this ...

... into this. Eventually, I'll file them with the rest of the articles I keep.

But for now, my cabbages are waiting to be planted.

And, this beautiful iris is blooming in my yard. I planted it here in the spring not expecting it to bloom until next year. Fun surprise!

Have a good "Fall Back" day!

Drop Cloth Drapes

2010-11-06T08:36:00.000-04:00

I got a really great deal on some Simply Shabby Chic bedding that was marked on clearance at Target a while back. I wanted some curtains that would pick up the taupe color for fall and winter but I couldn't find anything that was the right color. Then I remembered the drop cloth drapes that were all the rage a while ago. I brought them home and I think the color is as close as I'm going to get. I also like the small bit of texture they have to them.

I'm hoping to do a little more than just hang them as-is. Now all I need is a bit of time to squeeze this project into my busy schedule.

Have a good weekend!

Heading to Charleston

2010-11-05T06:39:00.001-04:00

Next week, we're heading to Charleston, SC to visit my in-laws. We've slooooowly been getting back into road trips now that our girls are growing and its becoming easier. Its about a 10 hour drive for us so it should be interesting but I'm looking forward to it. South Carolina is one of the last states on the eastern seaboard that I've visited (the last being Rhode Island) and I've always wanted to see it.

Everyone I know who has been there has loved it. Have you been to Charleston?

Lampshade Love

2010-11-04T07:51:00.000-04:00

There was an unfortunate "slipcover incident" in my house not long ago that necessitated a trip to Ikea for a new slipcover. Ikea isn't around the corner, so I wasn't happy about this trip, but I figured that since I had to go, I may as well look around. As I walked through the lighthing, a lampshade jumped out at me.

Upon further investigation, I realized that like so many lampshades these days, this one did not use a harp. Instead it had one of those ring-thingys that slip over a socket. I stared at the lampshade, then the wall at Ikea that listed a million options for said lampshade except how to use it on a non-Ikea lamp.

I still wanted it. I brought it home refusing to be defeated and channeling Tim Gunn, I made it work.

This lamp came as a set with other lamps including the lampshades which is something we purchased as new homeowners. They worked to give us light, but didn't do much in terms of interest.

I think the new shade completely changes how the lamp looks. I think its a little small, but I can live with that since it adds a little life to this corner.

How did I make it fit? First, I removed the harp. Easy enough. I crossed my fingers and tried to place it over the socket. No luck, of course. The hole was just barely too small. I wondered for a while how I could make the hole in this plastic ring just a little bigger.

Then it hit me.

I called my husband at work and asked, "Where is the Dremel?" His response was "Basement, left cabinet. Okay, bye." After I got off the phone, I smiled because he didn't even want to know what I was doing. Using the little sander attachment I grinded away and after a couple of minutes. Eureka! Success.

Take that Ikea.

Notes

2010-11-03T06:47:00.016-04:00

Yesterday I mentioned picking up a few things a Pier 1. One thing on my list was a small notebook for my purse so that I can jot things down. Most people probably use their cell phones for things like this, but I'm not that "techie". I didn't expect to find these things at Pier 1, but I snatched these up as soon as I saw them.

The one on the right is just a little note pad. They also had a hot pink pad that said Keep Calm and Have a Drink with a little cocktail instead of a crown. The one on the left is a planner with a note pad on the right and another pad with just the days of the week. This is what it looks like inside ...

This exactly what I needed and I didn't expect to find it when I went into the store to browse the holiday displays. Lucky break!

Angel Wings

2010-11-02T14:03:00.000-04:00

I was out doing errands and I happened to be in the vicinity of Pier 1. I hadn't been in there for quite a long time so I decided to browse the Holiday displays. I'm really didn't intend to buy anything, but I couldn't resist these feathery little angel wings.

I've made the mistake of finding ornaments I love early in the season and going back only to find them long gone, so I got this one while I had the chance. Can't wait to put it on my tree.

I got a couple of other little things that I'll share tomorrow.

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE

2010-11-02T08:00:00.004-04:00

I hope you get out there and have your say at the polls today.

Happy Election Day!

Welcome November

2010-11-01T08:22:00.002-04:00

November 1st! Time to set my sights on this ...

Martha Stewart

November has really arrived with a statement. 30s here this morning and its my first day wearing a coat. Brrrrr!
I had a great time out with my girls last night and it was fun to see them so excited and happy.

How was your Halloween?

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T08:35:00.001-04:00

Looking forward to a fun day of dress-up with my girls and trick-or-treating. Since having children, I've become a child again myself and dress up right along with them.

Wishing you a Frightfully Fun Halloween from The Old White Cottage.

P.S. Happy 40th Anniversary to my parents!

Yes, they married on Halloween 40 years ago today. No, it was not a costume party.

November Approaching

2010-10-30T19:18:00.002-04:00

Halloween tomorrow! Its a little bittersweet because October is my favorite month and after all the trick-or-treaters go home and the candle is blown out of the jack-o-lantern, it will be over. I wish I could share my pumpkins, but they never seeem to make it to Halloween before they start looking not-so-good. The Virginia heat is just too much for them so I'll add some pretty with the photo below.

source

Leaves are starting to fall and colors are in full force but before long, the cold dark days of winter will be upon us. Thanksgiving is next. A day with my family and midnight Black Friday shopping to start the Christmas season.

Its something I look forward to but I will always have a special fondness for October.

New Party?

2010-10-29T09:08:00.001-04:00

We so often share about ourselves, but aren't we all so often inspired by what we've seen elsewhere? Those of us who blog, often do this already so it really wouldn't be something new, but what if we had a party to celebrate our inspirations?

Here's an example ...

~~~~~

I love wedding magazines, websites, etc. I've been married for 6 years so why do I like them so much? Do I want another princess moment? No. The answer is flowers.

Martha Stewart Weddings

This is a white astilbe wedding bouquet, but wouldn't that be beautiful as a centerpiece? I think it would look great exactly as it is laying flat vs in a container and surrounded with a few scattered votives down the middle of the table.
What has inspired you this week?

~~~~~

What do you think? Would you be interested in joining me for a weekly Inspiration Party? As in the example above, it doesn't have to be decor, or a DIY project (although it could be). Is there a recipe you'd love to try? Did you see something when you visited a shop that you just thought was beautiful? Is there something new you'd like to try? I'd really love to know. How does
Inspiration Tuesday sound?

Baby Bouquet

2010-10-28T10:00:00.002-04:00

I was outside doing some fall clean-up yesterday. Its a little frightening out there how things have grown and I'm slowly making progress. I cut down my massive spent mums but there were a small handfull left blooming and I didn't have the heart to toss them. I also managed to harvest the last bit of lavender from my enormous bushes as well and 1 baby food jar later, I had this ...

Especially perfect for my bedside table since lavender has soothing properties that help you sleep. Not that I need help with that these days. I solved my insomnia issues a while ago and am lucky enough to fall asleep the minute my head hits the pillow!

~~~~ Candle Giveaway ~~~~

2010-10-27T10:00:00.003-04:00

I'll get to the giveaway, but first I was wondering if I might ask you for some help.

The belly dance studio I attend Saffron Dance has been nominated for two local awards -

Best Place to Learn Something New and Best Performing Arts Organization.

Its a very exciting honor to be nominated and I'm hoping that I might ask you to please vote for the studio in these two categories? You can vote here and if you can help us out with a vote, when you leave your comment please let me know if you voted.

This isn't the first time I've had a sponsored giveaway, but Saffron is a part of my life so this is certainly more meaningful to me. Here is a little peek of what you're voting for.

Abbies Video 2010 from Carlos Valle on Vimeo.

On to the giveaway ... Saffron Dance is sponsoring a giveaway!

There's such a welcoming atmosphere in the studio when you enter and the delicious candles are one reason for that.

One lucky person out there is going to get a candle from luxury candle line Votivo - a $25 value.

Each Votivo candle is hand-crafted. Each tissue is hand-wrapped. Each pewter seal is hand-pressed. Each candle is specially made. They're famous for their ability to quickly fill a room with wonderful fragrances. I can attest to this. Even when the candles aren't burning, their scent fills the air. Just taking the picture above made me want to keep it because it smell so good!

To enter, just leave a comment. This time around, I'm giving you the opportunity for a extra entries if you share this giveaway on your blog, facebook, or twitter so if you share the giveaway, leave extra comments for each place you've shared telling me you've done so.

IMPORTANT - Please Read: Make sure that there is a way for me to contact you if you win - either an e-mail address in your profile or within the post or if you don't want to post your e-mail address. I have to delete comments without contact information. Sorry!

The giveaway ends at noon on November 9th at noon.

Good luck!

Giveaway Closed

Cozy Dining

2010-10-26T08:01:00.001-04:00

Hello all! I know I've been MIA (again) but I've barely had a minute to spare. This fall, I decided to veer from my usual blue and white and try some color but I have to admit that I'm already starting to miss it. I'll probably carry it through Thanksgiving, but you can be sure that I will be back to light and bright this Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, I know I can't be the only one getting Holiday magazines let alone seeing stores filled with holiday decor. I want to say, "Wait! I'm not even ready for Halloween yet and its THIS Sunday!"

Anyway, I came across the idea below and loved it. I've seen blankets used before for tablecloths, but its usually more colorful, and often a quilt. Love the textured but cozy white blanket.

(BHG)

Last but not least, I have to admit that one reason I haven't been a very good blogger lately is because this past summer I was lucky enough to be chosen for a student performance company at my belly dance studio and I'm preparing for a December belly dance show so I have busy evenings several nights a week. However, thanks to belly dance, there's some goodness coming up that I think everyone is going to love. Intrigued? Stay tuned.

Spooky Day

2010-10-11T16:34:00.000-04:00

We just got back from a fun weekend of pumpkin picking in Delaware. I have been so busy that I haven't had so much time to devote to decorating for fall, but I thought I'd share a really simple thing I did for the time challenged like me.

I've shared this console in my living room before ...

I moved the hurricanes I had on either side of the birdcage. Then, I added my old flea market Edgar Allen Poe books on the left and on the right, I used some frames I had lying around to print out the silhouettes.

Simple and a quick change. Perfect!

If you look around online, there are silhouette images everywhere, but I used images from the Martha Stewart website that are actually pumpkin carving templates. You can find them here.

Happy Colombus Day!

Hallway Makeover

2010-10-03T13:11:00.002-04:00

Its a beautiful, cool Autumn day here and I have a pumpkin candle burning next to me. Ahhhh ... Last week was one of the busiest weeks for me that I can remember in a very long time so the nice day with nothing to do is a relief.

I wanted to share some progress on my upstairs hallway. A while back, I'd purchased some lamps on clearance at Pottery Barn. It took me a while to get them up because I had to modify them to be hardwired and I needed some time to do this as well as put them up. Well, here they are ...

I absolutely love the lanterns. I also painted the hall the palest of blues. I still need to paint the closet doors and ceiling. Prior to this, the walls were the same yellow as our living room. I like the yellow in the living room, but I didn't like the feel of it here. I wanted a serene feeling when you came up to the bedrooms and I think I achieved that. Here's the "before".

More D.C. Big Flea purchases are two photos I picked up that were taken by a local photographer. National Cathedral ...

(Sorry about the glare!)

... and the Potomac River.

I had initially planned to just use black and white family photos in the frames above but after perusing all the beautiful photos this vendor had, I liked how both of these photos had the same serene blue feel with the little hint of orange from the sun.

I did end up using a couple of frames I had and printing some photos for them. I could have painted the frames to match those on the opposite wall but I don't mind the wood color or the fact that its different from the table.

This little vase was a gift from Pottery Barn that I've had for years. I've used it for flowers, and potpourri but I decided to fill it with sea glass.

I have to wait until December for the runner I ordered but I think it will really complete the space.

Now, back to my lazy Sunday. I hope this week is a lot slower for me than last.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Linked to Style Feature Saturday on Perfectly Imperfect.

Big Flea Bling

2010-09-24T13:31:00.001-04:00

I almost forgot to share my jewelry finds from this past weekend's flea market.

One of the stops along the way with Eddie Ross at the flea market was a huge table piled with tons of jewelery. There were people all around the table just digging and I couldn't wait to join them. Eddie shared how useful these items can be for other uses such as the napkin rings he embellished with earrings like these.

After the tour was over, I headed right over to that table and dove in to the mountain of goods. I would eventually like to cover the top portion of the mannequin in my dining room with vintage jewelry. There was jewelry of all types in every shape, size and style but my focus was on finding rhinestones and clear rhinestones in particular but I couldn't resist some of the colored items.

Not rhinestones, but I also got a couple of leaf pins.

The vendor gave me a discount for buying several pieces and she also had cases of more expensive vintage items but pretty and cheap were my preference.

Baby's Breath

2010-09-23T07:01:00.026-04:00

A lot of people don't like baby's breath. Those people are probably thinking of this ...

That's really not my favorite but I like baby's breath and think its misunderstood. Instead of using them as filler flowers, I just use them alone.

Its simple, pretty and inexpensive. These were about half the price of other flowers and it they will last forever because rather than wilting and dying, it dries and looks exactly the same. It did the job brightening things up here and I actually like they way they look more interesting than the roses I usually pick up.

I came across this wreath too. Love it! Maybe I'll make one of these sometime ...

Welcome Autumn

2010-09-22T10:24:00.002-04:00

The first day of Autumn!

Autumn begins today with a 90 degree day. Hardly seems the season yet, but I'm looking forward to pumpkin lattes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie ... pumpkin everything! Of course, there's Halloween and Thanksgiving. My favorite season!

Edit: I forgot to add ... Patience is not one of my virtues, but you all convinced me to wait for that runner. Is December here yet?

Rug Failure

2010-09-21T16:09:00.001-04:00

Isn't this beautiful? Its the porch of the blogger who writes Cote de Texas. Her home and blog are far more grand than mine but I came across this photo on a rug hunt. See the blue striped rug on the table?

I have been searching for a runner for my upstairs hallway and finally found the rug above as a runner. I thought ... Ooooh! Perfect! I excitedly ordered the rug immediately. Success, right? Not so much. I just got a phone call that its backordered until December! Now what? Do I wait or give up?

Blue Break

2010-09-20T07:53:00.000-04:00

My obsession with blue is well known, but for fall, I was hoping for a change of pace in my dining room. Last year, I stayed with the pale color palette but this year I wanted to try something different. In July when I was vacationing in New England, I purchased a couple of aprons. I just took off the first apron I bought and replaced it with this one which I intended for fall. This was the starting point.

I stared at it for a couple of days before deciding that I wanted orange curtains. I had to think about it because I wondered how orange would work with blue walls but a simple google search demonstrated that this color combination does exist and I actually like it.

Out went the green apples on the buffet and in came the pinecone filled cloche and fall hydrangeas which actually have a reddish hue up close.

I picked up the tablecloth from a vintage linen booth at the D.C. Big Flea over the weekend. Most of the booth was comprised of the usual white and pastel linens which I love, but I found this one at the bottom of a pile and couldn't leave it behind. I suspect its not vintage, but the colors were exactly what I wanted and I like the rustic quality of it. The beeswax candles came from a vendor at another booth.

I'm working on my hallway and finally hung my lanterns. They look beautiful! I'm doing a little paint touch-up but I'll be sharing that next along with more flea market finds.

D.C. Big Flea

2010-09-19T14:33:00.005-04:00

I went to the D.C. Big Flea several times last year but hadn't managed to squeeze it into my schedule this year until yesterday. I got there early and strolled up and down the aisles and picked up a couple of things before my meet-up time with Eddie Ross.

I apologize for the picture quality. I was in a hurry to leave in the morning with the usual child-created chaos in my house and I forgot my camera. My phone is the only reason I have pictures at all. Also, traveling in a pack of 25 through the crowded aisles, I didn't always have the best vantage point, but hopefully, you get the idea here. I'm actually glad I managed to capture these photos because it helped me remember what he said.

After checking in, we started at one end stopping at booth by booth. Below was one of the first stops at a crystal and glass booth. Eddie is holding a large bowl that had a separate pedestal. He spoke about all the uses for the bowl and the pedestal including using the pedestal separately for a flower arrangement. What was interesting to me was how he said that so many people go to a department store to buy gifts, but you can find so much more beautiful and interesting items at a place like this.

Talking about vintage quilts. Eddie mentioned the current issue of Woman's Day, which he is now a contributor to, having a whole section on vintage quilts. I need to pick this up!

Here he discussed making vintage scarves into pillows like he's shown on his blog. You would never think you could do something so pretty looking at how the scarves hang here.

He spoke about mixing dishes at a table and how you don't always need to have a perfectly matched set. Mixing dishes makes it more interesting and less like sitting at a "table at Macy's". I totally loved all these turkey platters. So beautiful ...

Eddie spoke here about postcards and old bonds which can be blown up with a photo copier then used as gift wrap and other uses. There was also a vintage map booth where he mentioned copying a map and using it to wallpaper a ceiling.

Really nice chairs ... Easy to update with paint and new fabric. I didn't get a photo, but there was also an upholstered chair he discussed. He said that stripping off the old upholstery and painting it before taking it to the upholsterer saves money. I definitely need to keep that in mind before I take a chair of my own that needs to be reupholstered.

My explanation and photos don't do justice to the whole experience. There was a lot more than I can share here. I love the flea market and like to go just to find things that catch my eye. However, it was even more fun touring it with someone who has so much knowledge and experience for a couple of hours. Eddie was also willing to help hunt for anything anyone in the group was looking for in particular. I would absolutely do it again if he returns. If you get the chance to go on one of these trips, I highly recommend it. And, Eddie and Jaithan are truly the nicest people you'll meet. I'm really glad I had the opportunity.

Oh, and of course, I'll be sharing the items I picked up shortly!

Weekend Shopping

2010-09-14T14:57:00.001-04:00

Over the weekend, I made a trip to Ikea for some new pillow covers and to browse the curtains. The windows in my house aren't the easiest to buy curtains for so I like that Ikea sells extra long curtains you can hem. I ended up with a sort of washed denim blue pair. I also took out my blankets and throws again. The nights are getting cooler and its nice to have them out to curl up with.

Previously, I had white curtains, but I felt like something was missing. I never took a picture (probably because I wasn't crazy about them) so I can't share a "before" with you. The blue seems to work with the other blue accents in the room and the adjoining dining room so I really like them.

I also did get pillow covers ... A pair of green and a pair with a pattern on it that has blue, green, and several other colors. The funny thing is that with fall here, I want some curtains that are a little more in line with the season so the blue is temporary. I'll probably take them down and save them for spring. If I'm unsuccessful with my curtain hunt, I'm considering the old drop-cloth curtain solution.

My favorite nook with a make-over ...

I just pulled out a new apron for Grace (my dining room dress form) that I purchased back in July while we were in Vermont. I'm doing a bit at a time and taking a slow approach for fall and I need to dress things up in my dining room a little more but I hope to have more to share soon.

Save the Walls with Purdy

2010-09-08T08:27:00.000-04:00

Its no secret that I'm a big fan of Purdy brush. I faithfully use all their brushes for my projects. The product review I did last year was posted recently on their new website where Purdy lovers can share their love of the products and at the same time enter to win a gift card to a home improvement store. There is a drawing every week and ... lucky me! I won!

I wondered what fabulous project I could do with my winnings but it just so happens that our leaf blower recently retired and with fall approaching, that's where we'll be using our winnings.

Have a Purdy story to share? Head over to http://www.youcansavethewalls.com/ and you may just be the next winner!

Labor Day

2010-09-06T17:37:00.003-04:00

We ended the summer with a cookout today. Since I have an abundance of herbs in my garden, I placed a few at each place setting.

(Edit: That stray mark on the plate isn't a hair. Its the same raffia tied to the stems. Thanks for pointing out the suspicious object Mom!)

My parents stole the hanging lantern idea from Pottery Barn who, earlier in the summer, was selling a rope thingy to hang lanterns. Their incarnation looks better than mine since they had a more rustic thick, nautical rope like Pottery Barn used on hand, but we had white rope so that's what I used.

Summer is officially over. I'm a little sad to see the season end, but there's always something new to look foward to. Fall is my favorite season. I hope everyone had a fun summer and a great holiday weekend.

Hmmmm, now where are those mercury glass pumpkins I stored away last year?

Date Night

2010-09-03T15:00:00.001-04:00

A couple of kind souls took pity on me and my husband and offered to babysit for us tonight. Nights out are usually few and far between for us without family nearby so we're pretty excited. I'm hoping that the cupcakes I made will convey my gratitude.

I saw Giada DeLaurentiis make this cake on her show ages ago and I've loved it from the first time I tried it. I decided to make cupcakes this time instead of a layer cake. Its simple since it just uses a store-bought mix, but the deliciousness lies in the mascarpone cheese frosting. Its topped with a chocolate-sugar topping. I omitted the hazlenut brittle in the frosting this time.

I hope they enjoy the snack ... and maybe I'll try just one.

I hope everyone out there enjoys their last weekend of summer!

Garden, Grocery Store and Thrift Store

2010-09-02T16:33:00.001-04:00

I decided to make a flower arrangement today so while I was grocery shopping, I picked up some roses. When I got home, I decided to put them in a milk glass compote I got at a thrift store but I didn't quite have enough to fill it so I just went out to my garden and picked some hydrangeas and ... Voila!

I think this is as good as florist quality and certainly a perk of having a garden. I have this nifty little item that holds flowers in vases that I picked up in one of the shops at the Biltmore that I'll have to share next time I arrange flowers. As you can see, it works like a charm but you can achieve the same thing with a tape grid or a piece of chicken wire on any vessel you use.

I'm participating in Fresh Cut Fridays on Rose Vignettes.

New Design!

2010-08-31T12:41:00.000-04:00

Well, my new blog design is finally finished. What do you think?

I've always wanted to do a simple design but only recently did I stumble upon Designer Blogs. After looking at their portfolio, I knew I finally found someone who would understand what I wanted. My designer, Lauren, did a wonderful job and I couldn't be happier.

I hope you like it as much as I do!

Still Here

2010-08-25T07:16:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone ... I know I've been MIA again but with the last few weeks of summer winding down I've been a little busy. Pretty soon both my little ones will be in school so life should be a little less demanding for me.

Most recently I was featured on Craft Gossip for my Crib turned Bench.

I was also just featured on Better After for my shed makeover!

Next month, I'll be joining Eddie Ross at the D.C. Big Flea for some shopping fun. I can't wait and you can be sure that I'll be sharing all about it here!

Some news ... I'm working on a new blog design so if things are a bit wonky, I hope you'll pardon the dust. Last but not least, welcome to any new followers who found me through the features!

Patio Changes

2010-08-08T17:28:00.004-04:00

When we converted my little girl's room, the front of her crib became the footboard and the back of the crib was the headboard. The sides and bottom were not needed after the bed was converted. A couple of years ago, when we got rid of the same pieces on my other daughter's crib, I realized that they might actually be useful. I couldn't use the ones I'd discarded (different design) but I eventually planned to use these.

So, here's what we started with ...

I removed one of the dowels and just slid the two side pieces together. Then, we used brackets from the hardware store to connect all three pieces together. Adding legs using large dowels, a couple of turnings for feet and more brackets and we now have ...

A bench!

This area is protected from the elements but the crib mattress is waterproof and the sheets are easily washable. I just added some outdoor pillows and now its the perfect place to curl up on a summer afternoon to read a book. The picture above the bench was $3.50 at a thrift store. I just painted the frame grey. The table to the right is the match for the other one that's now in my daugher's room that just didn't fit. There's a leaf knob on my daughter's closet that I'm going to swap for that rose. Perfect for outdoors!

You might also have gotten a glimpse of the mess the patio was in the first photo. I admit that I neglected it for a good part of the summer but I finally gave it some attention. I painted the floor, rearranged the furniture and added a new white umbrella. The "coffee table" is something that I've had for ages and used to use in my living room. I love it especially given the fact that its worn and rough and didn't want to get rid of it. I'm glad I didn't. Its perfect here and it provides extra storage.

I'm still debating painting the table and chairs. It doesn't look too bad here, but its not looking so hot. The table top in particular isn't exactly in pristine shape. I think painting it would not only make it look better but pull some of the brightness out into the yard. Maybe next year.

I've had this chair all over the house and finally brought it outside and added new cushions. I added a candle to my thrift store birdcage and hung it here.

(The curtains were blowing because a storm was coming!)

Well, that's it for now for the patio. Next on the list will be to finish my hallway project.

Linked to Metamorphosis Monday!

Little Girl Room

2010-08-05T13:04:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I shared a little end table that I refinished for my little girl's room. I was surprised by all the comments I received on that. I guess everyone appreciates some girly details.

I'm finally done with the room so below is what I started with. This room has been blue since before we had kids. I love the blue-grey color and never wanted to change it. I really didn't do much in here except add the new convertible crib and curtains ... and it shows. I know its messy here. That's reality people. You can see the little critter curled up there when we tried it out as a daybed. Pillows on the floor and side rail ... semi-useful but she still ended up on the floor several times as she busted right through that rail.

Time for a new plan.

Here is the room now. The crib front and back are now the headboard and footboard of the full-sized bed. We have much sturdier rails the little beast can't bust through.

The bedding and rug are all Simply Shabby Chic bedding that I purchased at Target long before the tot was remotely ready for a bed.

The pillows are lovely, but our little one wants no part of them. She just adores the Pillow Pet bee (See pic above.) that was a gift from her great-grandmother. These are actually pretty cool. They fold open into a pillow.

I did these same book shelves from Ikea in my other daughters room and they're so awesome I had to do them again. I repainted the dresser a long time ago - for my oldest, in fact. The little trunk was purchased from Target back when they used to do their Global Bazaar events. How I miss those and mourn the loss ...

I also painted this little vanity table last year. The milk glass lamps were a gift from my parents and they're perfect here. That chandelier was once black and I painted it. Its crazy heavy and awkward and I know my husband wishes I would get rid of it but I just can't. My family has had it for years and I actually like it. I've removed the frightening wiring and plan to remove the chain to the ceiling. I'm hoping to use it outdoors one day as a candelabra but for now it will just be decorative here.

The picture is from my favorite Renn Faire vendor. Of course, every princess needs a crown ...

One last thing ... The sides of the crib didn't go to waste. I'll be sharing that project soon.

End Tables

2010-08-04T15:55:00.000-04:00

I've had these end tables since I was single and living in my tiny previous home. I couldn't fit any standard end tables in my bedroom so I remember being happy to find these. Our bedroom is bigger now (though not by much) so we haven't used these tables in quite a while and I stored them to use eventually in our smallest bedroom which is now occupied by our smallest child. Of course, the color doesn't exactly fit with anything in her room so they went from this ...

... to this.

When I refinished the dresser she has, I purchased extra hardware for these little tables.

I have one more little detail to finish and I'll share the rest of the room.

New Lanterns

2010-08-03T09:31:00.002-04:00

I've got several projects going on simultaneously these days. One of those projects is my second floor hallway. I didn't feel like the yellow looked right there so its a very pale blue/grey now. The lighting that's there is the typical dome ceiling lights everyone has. I don't love those types of lights so I was searching for an alternative. I actually have a black outdoor lantern in our entryway that I love. Lanterns can be kind of expensive but rather than stick with indoor lighting, I just got an inexpensive outdoor lantern and I love it. It picks up the black in the iron of the staircase and hooks on the wall.

Back to the hallway ...

I knew I wanted to do lanterns again, but I wanted white or silver lanterns. Not so easy to find. At least not on my thrifty budget and since I was on a budget for these, I never even considered Pottery Barn but went to their website looking for ideas. I happily found these on clearance!

Sadly, the one on the right was sold out but that would have been my first choice. I liked the soft curves and that it was just a bit different from the shape of most lanterns. Not a problem. I ordered two of the one on the left.

I got them yesterday and was so thrilled when I opened the boxes. They are gorgeous. They are much bigger in person than they appear in the photos. The nickel elements are also very substantial. They're going to require rewiring in order to hardwire since they're plug-ins but that's not a problem. A little tidbit about me ... My first engineering job out of college was for a lighting manufacturer.

Can't wait to get these up!

Girl, Interrupted

2010-07-29T14:41:00.000-04:00

Thunderstorms have interrupted my outdoor painting projects today but I did manage to finally hang my patio curtains before the thunder started only to discover this ...

Shrinkage! I suppose its always a good idea to read the washing instructions before you actually wash items. Oops! They didn't all shrink, but luckily, they also weren't expensive and they give me a reason to go back to Ikea.

Check out my white floor though ... I love how its turning out. I have quite a bit to do out there but good weather is coming so I'll be back in business tomorrow.

More Blue and Green

2010-07-28T15:58:00.002-04:00

I mentioned in my previous post that I was going to search for a valance with blue and green that would tie the kitchen chairs in with the rest of the blue and green on the first floor. How hard a task that has been! My usual nemesis, brown, was everywhere, and I even found a few blue valances, but blue and green was elusive. As luck would have it, I went to Sears to have portraits of my 4-year-old taken and decided to take a stroll through the curtains. Jackpot!

Mr. T's reaction was that it looks like we've finally moved in. (Please ignore the extra blue cushion on the chair. That provides an extra boost for the tiny 2-year-old in residence.)

I was having such a hard time finding valances that I considered making some of the same fabric I used for my dining room chairs, but then I remembered that that fabric wasn't inexpensive ... and that the last thing I need is another project. The fabric of the valances is nearly identical to what is on my dining room chairs.

The valances have some buttons that were nearly destined for removal, but they've gotten a reprieve for now. I'm back to working on the list of projects earlier listed. I don't think its possible for me to work on one thing at a time!

Bistro Table and a Preview

2010-07-25T06:15:00.057-04:00

So, I painted my bistro table Heirloom White. When I took pictures of my completed shed, I realized that you can hardly see it. Plus, the black paint was faded and chalky so it really needed a fresh coat anyway.

I think it looks better than before ...

I got a few recommendations to make it red and that would have looked great but I just wanted to keep it neutral so that it would work no matter where I moved it to and I wanted to accent the white in the plants particularly because this is a very shady spots and it can use the brightness.

I've been getting a lot accomplished lately and I'm taking advantage of the momentum.

Projects I'm working on include:

~ Painting the second floor hallway a pale blue/grey.

The yellow in my living room currently goes through our entry and up through the upstairs hall. While I love it in my living room, its never seemed right in the hall.

~ Finishing up my younger daughter's room.

My strategy to crib transition with my girls has always been to wait as long as possible to make the transition easier and everything at home was fine but when we were in Maine, my poor little girl didn't have much room in her portable crib. So, it was time. Luckily, she is in love with her new bed. I have one piece to paint and I'll be sharing her completed ... and ridiculously girly ... room.

~ Rearranging the Patio.

The patio project includes making a bench from the sides of my daughter's crib. Besides that, I have quite a bit to do here including a lot of painting.

It really seems like summer is flying by and I feel like I'm being pulled into autumn. I've been searching for patio items and despite the fact that its July, summer items are gone and back-to-school is already here. Fall is my favorite season, but this year I'm actually enjoying the hot days and wish I could tell mother nature to slow down so I can spend a few more days in the sun.

So that's what's to come. Have a great week!

Delicious Doilies

2010-07-24T13:40:00.001-04:00

Last week, I received the most generous gift from a reader ~ Judy from Texas. Upon receiving them, I immediately put them on my dining room table. I love them!

She said that years ago she was given 3 embroidered doilies as a gift from a neighbor. She was told that the neighbor's grandmother in India made them.

They're really perfect with the yellow of my living room, blue of the dining room and bits of green in the kitchen and dining room. I also realized how great purple accents might look in my dining room thanks to these doilies.

Before sending these, she told me not to get too excited because they were nothing special. Well, Judy, they're special to me and I love them. Thank you so much for the beautiful gift!

Kitchen Color

2010-07-23T12:15:00.003-04:00

Back in March, I painted my kitchen changing it from tan to cream. If you followed my project you might remember how I desperately wanted green but I simply could not find paint that worked with the wood tone of the cabinets and the tan backsplash. Here is the result ...

I love blue, but blue has taken over my life from what I choose for my home to what I wear. I seriously need therapy for blue OCD so I'm really trying to make an effort to choose other colors. I've always intended for the main accent colors in my house to be blue and green. When the green paint failed, I thought of changing the kitchen chairs to green and several of you agreed. So, here they are ...

I'm considering aging these a bit with stain, but I think I'm going to leave them for now. Its supposed to be at or near 100 degrees here today and tomorrow and stain will be impossible to work with and will never dry.

I'm also considering a valance for over the kitchen sink and over the sliding door that has blue, white and green in it. I think that would finally tie the entire first floor together.

Pretty Pies

2010-07-22T15:55:00.000-04:00

When I was in Maine, everything was blueberries and lobsters. I'm not a fan of lobster but I love blueberries. My husband had to have some blueberry pie so he ordered it one day and I took a bite. What a delicous miracle! I'd never had it before ... I know, I'm clearly sheltered ... but what a delicious surprise it was especially with Maine wild blueberries. So, I found frozen Maine wild blueberries and made a pie today. The recipe I followed said to make a lattice crust for the top.

(source)

Next thing I knew, I was looking at all these really pretty pies ...

(source)

This is great ... but, seriously, I really don't have time for that.

(source)

I absolutely love this one!

(source)

Patriotic pie!

(source)

Mine isn't nearly as beautiful ...

... but I really made this pie for my wonderful husband who has been so supportive and understanding lately and I'm quite sure he couldn't care less what it looks like. I haven't tried it yet, but remembering the bite I had in Maine, I think I may have some trouble resisting eating the entire thing!

Souvenirs

2010-07-20T14:43:00.004-04:00

When I travel, I don't buy souvenirs like t-shirts or plastic key chains readily available in most tourist traps. I try to find something a little different.

This switch plate, for example, was from our honeymoon in Puerto Rico ...

Its a little imperfect and doesn't hang straight but its in our kitchen and every so often, I'll look at it and remember walking on the blue cobblestone streets of Old San Juan and finding this in a little shop the same day we had a fantastic meal in a restaurant with an open air courtyard. What a beautiful place.

The botanical prints on my living room wall ...

Souvenir note cards from my trip to Monticello a few years ago when pre-kids we traveled in a roundabout way to West Virginia to whitewater raft a treacherous river.

My most recent acquisition is this little teapot set.

We stopped at a little store on our trip to Vermont and while the typical tourist kitsch was in abundance, there were several of these little tea pots there. I have always wanted one of these so I decided to buy one. There was a beautiful one that I loved which had delicate flowers on it, but I ended up choosing this one instead. Why?

Even though we were in Vermont, the state bird of Virginia (where we live) is the Cardinal. The more I looked at it, the more it grew on me. I thought of Virginia and how I've had such a life here. Virginia has given me a great career, the love of my life, a house I've grown to appreciate (even if it isn't my dream home) and both of my girls were born here. When people ask where I'm from, my first reaction is to answer New York which is where I grew up and will always be where my roots are but Virginia has a special place in my heart no matter where I end up. Such deep thoughts for someone on vacation ... but I thought of all this as I perused the tea pots in front of me and of how often I see those Cardinals in my yard.

Sold.

Interestingly enough when I got it home and unpacked it I realized that, like the switch plate, it's slightly imperfect and the teapot does not nest perfectly on the cup. Just like so many others out there, I try to find value in items that people would consider flawed. It adds character, right? It seems the little teapot was destined to be mine.

On to a smaller project ...

2010-07-19T07:32:00.002-04:00

Yesterday when I was looking down at my shed and taking pictures to post here, I realized that the little bistro table there is barely visible. Its shady here and between the lack of light and the faded black color of the pieces, they're hardly noticible. The tabletop is granite and has also weathered.

I think some Heirloom White on the base of the table and the chairs might brighten things up a little more. One project ends but there's always another one waiting to be completed. It really never ends, does it?

Shed Exterior Finished!

2010-07-18T14:17:00.006-04:00

I'm FINALLY done with my shed ... the exterior anyway. I thought we'd go back in time to revisit the history of the shed. Here is our yard in October 2003 when we were househunting. I suppose most people might run screaming from a yard like this, not to mention the house with all the updating it needed. Actually, despite the fact that the market was hot, everyone did pass up this house. It sat on the market for a year before we bought it. Everything else we saw was either more than we wanted to spend, small or worse than this. I remember one house that had a garden growing out of the gutters. See the yellow patio support? That was the color of our house. You might say the traffic stripe yellow is whimiscal but it looked ridiculous on a street of understated white houses.

Back to the shed.
In 2004, I used barn red stain on it. Below is what the shed looked like back in April before I began painting. Not only can you see the shed improvement but there are actually live plants here now, some grass and the years and years of unraked leaves are gone. The stain has worn over the past few years so a new paint job was in order.

Here's the inspiration picture I started with ...

And, the finished product ...

The windows don't open like in the inspiration picture, but that honestly isn't something that would have been useful for us. Mr. T did such a good job installing those windows. Even the old milk cans (that we use as a barrier to keep little ones out of there) got a paint job. The white never did anything for me.

Speaking of the windows, I forgot to take a "before" of them, but they were just beat-up, old wooden windows with white peeling paint on them. My parents acquired a bunch of them and shared a few with me. I had no idea what I was going to do with them when they gave them to me but here they are in their new life. Since the white didn't work, with my plans here, they got a coat of red paint.

The window boxes were black when I purchased them. They also got some red paint.

I decided not to plant the plants in the window boxes. I've done this in the past and the window boxes tend to wear a lot faster. I purchased a few plants and just placed them inside for now. I'm hoping to find shallow containers that I can plant in and use as liners.

These side windows actually aren't functioning at all. I used brown paint on the glass (black would have been better, but I had brown on hand and didn't want to buy more paint) and installed them directly on the shed. I would have loved to install more windows, but we would have lost much needed shelving space inside. Initially, I had purchased iron trellises. They were too big so I exchanged them, but I also realized that they just didn't "fit" with what I was going for here. We ended up getting some simple wooden ones (that were 1/3 of the price), cutting them to fit and spray painting them a shade close to the trim green.

The inside of the shed is on the "to-do" list, but that's probably going to be a job for next year.

I've linked up to Metamorphosis Monday on Between Naps on the Porch and Project Parade on the DIY Showoff and DIY Day on A Soft Place to Land .

Beautiful Visitor in the Garden

2010-07-15T13:08:00.001-04:00

This morning as I frantically searched everywhere for my shed paint samples (still needed to buy 1 color) I happened to walk past one of my plants in bloom on my way to search the shed and saw this beautiful butterfly having a snack.

I approached it very carefully so that I could take pictures and not scare it away, but it seemed pretty occupied with its meal. I have no idea what kind it is but it was so pretty ... black with a bit of blue and white.

I did finally find the paint samples and have all my paint. Two days and no rain in the forecast so I'm hoping to be done today or tomorrow. I'm currently blogging while I wait for my littlest one to fall asleep. I'm ready to wrap up this project!

The Old White Cottage

A Tangled 4th Birthday

Christmas Eve

Feliz Navidad!

The Greenbrier

Creepy Cottage

Back to School

Summer Recap

Heading Out

Happy Easter

Lucketts - April 2011

Parade of Homes 2011

Going Green

Novica Winner

Going Grey

Saturday Morning Project

Novica Giveaway

Spring Fever

Shopping in Leesburg

Hall Rug

Greetings!

Cute Clock

Resolutions 2011

Year in Review - 2010

Toys for Tots - 1 Click = 1 Dollar!

Merry Christmas!

Plan B

Christmas Birdcage

Christmas Entry

White Christmas Dining Room

Christmas Mantel

White Christmas Times Two

Happy Thanksgiving!

Paperwhite Progress

Charleston Souvenir

Rainy Tuesday Giveaway Winner

Dropcloth Drapes Finished

*~*~ Enamel Sign Giveaway ~*~*

Whitewashing Brick

Chalk Board Tray

And the Votivo goes to ...

Mom Decor

Sunday Morning Project

Drop Cloth Drapes

Heading to Charleston

Lampshade Love

Notes

Angel Wings

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE

Welcome November

Happy Halloween

November Approaching

New Party?

Baby Bouquet

~*~*~*~ Candle Giveaway ~*~*~*~

Cozy Dining

Spooky Day

Hallway Makeover

Big Flea Bling

Baby's Breath

Welcome Autumn

Rug Failure

Blue Break

D.C. Big Flea

Weekend Shopping

Save the Walls with Purdy

Labor Day

Date Night

Garden, Grocery Store and Thrift Store

New Design!

Still Here

Patio Changes

Little Girl Room

End Tables

New Lanterns

Girl, Interrupted

More Blue and Green

Bistro Table and a Preview

Delicious Doilies

Kitchen Color

~~ Enamel Sign Giveaway ~~

~~~~ Candle Giveaway ~~~~