September 30, 2008

Tag, You're It!

I've been tagged by Blessed Mama to tell 7 random or weird facts about myself....I've never done this before so here goes.....



1. I am extremely claustraphopic. I think I got this way because when I was a little girl, I cut my head open on a swing (I walked into someone swinging on the old metal swings we used to have). When they took me to the hospital for stitches, I was wrapped, mummy-like, in a sheet so they could sew up my head....it gives me chills just typing about that!


2. I am a BIG procrastinator....I have all these big ideas and projects but tend to put them off until.....sometimes I never get around to doing them.


3. I am a decorating magazine and book-a-holic. I'd probably spend my last dime on a good decorating magazine or decorating book.


4. I love being by myself. It's not a problem for me if I have a day or night to myself to just putter around and do absolutely nothing except what I want to do when I want to do it.


5. I love to read. I usually have at least two books that I'm reading at one time.


6. I always think every season change is my favorite....when spring comes, I love the planting new things and seeing all the lush plants come alive after the dead of winter; when summer gets here, I can't wait to go to the beach and spend time outside; when fall arrives, I think it is the most gorgeous time of year and when the winter finally comes, I get all excited thinking about the upcoming holidays.


7. I love watching Everyone Loves Raymond!


Now you know my dark little secrets, not very exciting, I know!



Now I'm going to tag the following bloggers:



MiMi Lee at Fleur-De Lees

Tam at Gypsy Corner

N.M.B. at Monogrammed Life

Santa Maker at Santamakersjourney

Debra K. at The Bunnys Bungalow

Mrs. Cherrylicious at Cherrys Jubilee Home

and Julia at Hooked On Houses

September 22, 2008

Kitchen Update


Last Friday as I was walking through the Wal Mart parking lot I heard someone call my name. I looked up and saw my friend Linda coming through the parking lot so I stopped to talk to her. Linda is a very talented lady who has a couple of booths at the antique mall where I used to have mine. We got to talking and I was telling her what changes I was making in my kitchen. I told her that I had tried to use a lot of what I already had and that I was using a pedestal table base and glass top that was not really working for me. Not only that, but I could just imagine my little grandchildren and their Cheetos sticky hands on that glass top everytime they come to visit! I told her what I wanted was a dark wood old farm-type table. She said she had one at home she thought I might be interested in and I was welcome to follow her to her house! Well, duh, of course I did! The table had been stripped and sanded but when I saw the barley-twist type legs and the beauty of the wood, I knew I'd found my table......we got it loaded up (with a little help) in the back of hubby's truck (which I've been driving due to high gas prices) and she told me to use this great stuff to refinish it.......






I headed off to the local paint store which carried this product and let me tell ya'll, it is one of the best stains I've ever used and so easy. I just rubbed it on with a regular sponge (which Linda recommended I do) and look at how that table shines! It is Old Masters Gel Stain and the color I used is Dark Walnut.



See the black frame with "Love" spelled out? This was a very inexpensive frame I've had....took the mat out and sprayed it white and taped scrapbook paper to the back. That will do until I can put some black and white photos in there...



I'm loving the dark wood with the white slipcovers! They are being sent for monogramming this week. I have decided to just mongram them in white so I can use them with anything later on. Plus, the white-on-white is so classy, don't you think?





I whipped up these little zebra pillows Friday night while waiting for hubby to get home. I only had pillow forms for two chairs but I'm thinking I might not do all four.....do ya'll think two or four?




Then Saturday morning before we left for the Auburn-LSU game (don't want to talk about THAT!) the cabinet guy and painter were here to work their magic. When we got home Saturday night (after midnight) the cabinet had been installed and painted. I bought brackets to use under this cabinet and also some really neat scrolly (is that a word) ones for under the plate rack. It really makes a big difference and makes them look like honest-to-goodness pieces of furniture. The paint color I selected is not black but bronze. My decorator friend at the paint store suggested we use the bronze color vs. black and I'm glad she did.




I wanted to use cremeware in the newly installed cabinet and I had most of this stuff around the house already.



These two tea/coffee pots were part of a set we picked up last year at auction. It came with a tray (which is now on my dining room table) these two tea pots and a creamer. Someone had used a craft kit on them trying to make them look like old copper but they just looked yuck! So I got out one of my favorite spray paint colors - Heirloom White - and here's the result.





Got to do a little work on this lid....you can see it doesn't close completely

Put a little fall punkin' on my NEW cake plate. I love this cake plate! I've been looking for one that I could thread ribbon through and use for different holidays and celebrations. This one came from QVC with 4 plates and a bread basket-type thing. Won't this plate be pretty at Christmas with ribbon threaded through the holes?






Here you can see the brackets we added.



Speaking of my friend Linda, I'm hoping to go back to her house this week and take some pictures.....her place is to die for! She is so talented and sweet. I also plan to take pictures of her booths at the antique mall so ya'll can see how pretty that is as well.

Until then, ya'll take care......

EDITED TO ADD: Some of you have asked about the bronze paint color. The paint is by Coronado. It also has on the can "Rust Scat Latex Satin Enamel; 80-424 Duronodic Bronze." I hope this helps!



September 15, 2008

The Women

Sunday afternoon Shannon picked me up to take me out to eat and a movie for my birthday. I had seen the previews to the movie "The Women" and it looked so cute..... a real chick flick! I couldn't tell you last time hubby and I went to a movie....first, there's not much out there worth seeing! And then the cost is sky-high! We usually go to a matinee. They keep the theaters so cold that it's almost unbearable....of course, you have to have popcorn and a drink (about $20 for two to eat, and that's the "small" size). Anyway, I digress....

Run, do not walk, and take thyself to see "The Women". The cast is wonderful and the story line was easy to follow and rated PG13. This is a great movie to see, I highly recommend it.

By the way, I think there were two guys in the whole theater!




September 12, 2008

Birthday surprise and other birthday goodies

This morning when I came stumbling in the kitchen trying to wake up I saw this on the table. A card from hubby and what was unmistakeably a jewelry box! Boy howdee, I couldn't wait to open it up...







Whoopee!


Can't show you my fingernails cause I need a manicure


Thanks sweetie.....you did good!!!!









Yesterday the coil in our air conditioner went out! Now for those of you not familiar with the humidity in the deep south, let's just say it's like sitting in a tin box left outside in 100+ degree weather.....I stood it as long as I could and decided a little outing to someplace air conditioned would be a good thing. Hubby said to stay gone until the AC man got it fixed s-o-o-o-o.....I dropped by Lowes "just browsing" when I spotted this seagrass rug. It was only $49.99 for
a 5 x 7 and I thought it would look great under my table in the kitchen. I brought it home to see how I liked it. Hubby says he likes it (sometimes I think he just says he does so I will stop bringing stuff home which might cost more $$)....I've put the rug and table on an angle in the kitchen.....think I'm gonna keep it.




(Gotta iron those slipcovers!)


Picked up this pretty iron candlestick recently. I wanted to add some height and drama to the tablescape....I love it's lines and color






I haven't put the TV back on the 3 corner cabinet yet and was just playing around with my shells. These will be so pretty next spring but I will be putting them up soon in favor of my fall decorations











MORE RUGS!

Also spotted this 8 x 10 jute rug in Lowes. It has a black border and is very much like the rug we custom ordered for the dining room. (Go here to read about that).

Again hubby says he likes it but I'm thinking it is too light. It does brighten things up and the darn dog hair won't show as bad. Haven't decided on keeping this one or not.....


Here's my fireplace and mantle (or mantel?). I want to paint the brick and possibly the little mantle shelf. Has anyone painted brick and if so, did you have good results? Did the paint adhere after using the fireplace? Please help me decide on a paint color for the brick and mantle!!!





PAINT SAMPLE
Now ya'll know no post is complete without me showing you another paint sample for another project! Sometime back we converted the grandkids baby bed into a day bed and I painted it a real pretty green. It was hard work but I finally got it done (read about that here). The room just isn't working for me. My desk is painted black and distressed, the walls are a chocolate brown, and I'm using black and creme toile on the day bed. Not a pretty sight plus it's dark in there at night. I've decided to paint the bed black and lighten up the walls. So many of you are using the pretty blues and aqua tones and those colors look pretty with black. So here is a sample of what I've found that I like....



It's called "Greek Sea" and it's a Valspar paint at Lowe's. Alright, now I need some feedback from all you talented ladies out there......is it too bright?






I want to thank everyone who has left me birthday wishes. How exciting to get all this birthday love! I also got a phone call this morning from a friend that I used to work with . I had no idea she even remembered today was my birthday! We worked together at the same law firm for about 14 years.....we went through many highs and lows together.....the death of her first husband a week after he turned 30.....my divorce upteen years ago, her children growing up, my children growing up......what a surprise and joy to hear from her! BAH, I love you!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Today is my birthday! I would like to thank every one of you who has made my entry into the wonderful world of blogging such a great experience. When I started my blog last year, I had no idea how many wonderful folks I would meet and come to "know." You all have given me a gift I will never forget - the gift of friendship! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I look forward to many more wonderful times of sharing, caring and just having a good ol time together . Ya'll are the best!






September 9, 2008

The Cable Guy and Fall Decorating

Right now you're probably saying to yourself - "Self, how can fall decorating and the cable guy even belong in the same sentence." Well, let me tell ya....



Apparently we have been experiencing some "technical difficulties" with our cable and tv's (according to my husband) so he called the cable company to send someone out. Cable Guy was supposed to be here between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. He finally got here at about 8:30! THEN he wanted to go up in the attic where we store most of our holiday decorations. I've been putting off going up there to get my fall decorations because...well, you'd just have to see my attic to understand why I've been putting it off! Anyway, HE climbs up in the attic and hubby is right behind him. I jokingly said "maybe ya'll can get down the fall decorations while you're up there." Well, they did - both of them! I was not prepared to be handed all those boxes and bags and right now they are just sitting in the messy office which of course will force me to get stuff put out before I'm ready.








Well, that just lead me to surf the net for some inspiring fall decorating ideas and here's some of what I've found:



(Cottage Living)



(Cottage Living)


(Cottage Living)



(Cottage Living)
















Isn't this just the cutest idea ever ? You put this out on your porch so little goblins can get a lollipop!!



I actually had two urns with pumpkins in them like this on my back deck last year....it is a wonderful look. (I use "artificial" pumpkins so they last from year to year).

(above photos Better Homes & Gardens)



I hope you get a little inspiration from all these beautiful ideas. I know I did!