What’s Your Style?

I love My Home Ideas.Com!     I found their web site sometime ago and get e-mail alerts from their site frequently.      Here is some kitchen eye candy I downloaded from My Home Ideas where the question was asked “What’s Your Style?”     I love seeing all different styles but after looking at the many pics I have in my favorites file, I have decided that I like a mixture of different styles:    traditional, a little country, and a little cottage.     What style would that be?     Well, whatever that is, here’s some pictures I think we can all agree are gorgeous:

    

     

    

     

There’s something about each picture that I love.    It might be just one thing, but I’d take any of these kitchens, wouldn’t you?

I’ve been tweaking my kitchen AGAIN (!!).    Let me give you a little background…..last fall I visited my friend Linda’s house.     You can see pics of her cottage home here.      Well, that started me wanting the all white look, a look I’ve always loved.    I had just had my kitchen painted Latte and was not about to repaint it the soft gray color she had throughout her house (which I think is Crushed Ice).    Linda came to my house and said I could just use all white stuff with the Latte and it would look great.     First I spray painted the chandy white, but then the shades on the chandy didn’t look right.    Got some old chippy white architectural pieces, and while that looked okay, I wasn’t really sold on how it was all coming together.    Several months went by and I would try and work out what was not working and what I was really drawn to.    My 3 corner cabinet had already been painted black so I painted the inside an aqua color…..still not working for me.      Then one day I was in Hobby Lobby and Kohl’s and saw all these wonderful oversized picture frames, some with writing, but all having tiny windows for pictures.    And boom!!! my mind started racing with using those  pretty frames (some in black, and some in white) with what I already had.     I re-sprayed the chandy using a color I found at Wal Mart called Oil Rubbed Bronze.    Haven’t put the little shades back on yet and I may not.    I distressed the black cabinet and repainted the inside a saddle brown color.     Started putting out my black and white frames, took the ledge I got at Scott’s back in January and sprayed it black and distressed it, and I’m liking what it’s turning into.   

I didn’t enlarge this picture because it cut off the window seat and 3 corner cabinet.   

 

You can see I didn’t “stage” this….hubby’s ladder is in full view in the driveway!  (bad blogger)

Here’s the chandy sprayed with the Oil Rubbed Bronze paint….I will definately use this color again!

 

  The white square frame is an unfinished one I picked up at Michael’s.    I used one coat of white paint I had on hand on it but I plan on using some crackle paint on it for a more distressed look.    This frame was really inexpensive, something like $1.99, but you’ll notice that it does not have a glass with it.    I’ll have to pick one up at Hob Lob.

 

See that white boo-boo?    That’s where I’ve spackled over an old nail hole but now I can’t find my Latte paint to cover it up!    I guess I’ll have to get small can of Latte to have on hand.    Also, last summer when we had the kitchen painted I wanted some crown molding put up.    Imagine my surprise (and shock) when I got home and the guy had used this cheap looking skinny stuff……that’s another thing on my list to change.     I want some wide crown molding!

This round black mirror should be called the “mirror of many colors”  because it started out white, then it was aqua, and now it’s black!

Love, love, love this frame I got at Dillards.    Don’t know who those folks are in the picture but for now, I’m leaving it until I can get some family picture put in there.

Of course I still have to add some things as I find them.    The wall with the big black frame and ledge needs something else….just not sure what.   But, I’m open to suggestions!

Well, this has turned into quite a post.     Guess I’m trying to make up for all the lost time my computer was out of commission!

Good Food and Good Friends….

Back in the day (of high school) in my senior year at the little private school I attended a “new girl” arrived.      Sara was a little shy at first but once you got to know her, you knew she was a “keeper” for a friend.    Not one to gossip but always a good listener.     After graduation, Sara and I stayed in touch over the years.    We even attended two class reunions together.      And as life got in the way, so did the times we talked on the phone or met up for a quick lunch.      I had not seen or talked with Sara for about 5 years when I recently got an e-mail from her.     We decided that our schedules would “allow” us to meet today for lunch and an afternoon of catching up.

 

Here we are after eating lunch today at Applebees (Sara’s on the left and I’m on the right).       

We had a  great time trying to catch up in such a short time.     We are both grandmother’s(!) and even have granddaughters named Taylor!    We have vowed not to wait another 5 years to get together.     We also are going to see if there is any interest in have a class reunion next summer (our 40th!!!!)…I can’t believe I told ya’ll that!   So Sara, if you’re reading this, I had a great time today and I can’t wait for our next visit!

On a side note, I wanted to thank all of ya’ll that commented on my computer issues.     My computer guy just left and I think he is now convinced (as I am) that Internet Explorer is not the right browser to blog successfully.     I am now using Firefox (thanks everyone for putting me on to another browser) and so far (finger’s crossed) it’s working like a dream.    I hope to be back to my usual blogging schedule in the next few days.

I’m Alive!

I think my computer is fixed…..more later!

I'm Mad Now!

Right now I'm seeing red! Don't know what's happening with my blog and I'm hoping these posts are going through or I'm just talking to myself.....I can get to the dashboard of my blog but I can't view my blog, read comments, post in Windows Live Writer, etc.!!!!! I was hoping I'd hear from my computer guy last night but he still hasn't called! The funny thing is I can see my header and stuff on the left side of my blog, but no posts and nothing on the right side! Has anyone ever had this problem? I've gone into Tools and Internet Options (as google recommended) and done everything there I possibly can. I know it's a problem on my home computer b/c I can see it on my work computer.

At least I can keep up with reading other blogs. While it's very frustrating to not be able to see my blog and read comments, I am getting some things done around the house. Hubby is working a softball tournament this weekend and that gives me lots of free time. Tonight my mom and I have a "date" to go out and eat.

Hope to be back soon!

I'm Down But Not Out!

I thought my computer issues were resolved but for whatever reason, I'm not able to view my blog. I've tried to fix the problem, but have been unsuccessful. My computer guy is working on the problem and I'm hoping to be back soon!

Giveaway at My Sweet Savannah!

When I hung out on Rate My Space, this lady left a lasting impression on me and many others with the photos she posted of her home.     She now has a blog which I shamelessly troll several times a day!     Today she is listing 3 items to be given away….

Please go over to Melaine’s blog and check it out….you won’t be sorry you did!

I’ve Got A Worm!

My computer has a ‘worm’ so I’ll be MIA for a few days.     Just as soon as Mr. Worm is removed, I’ll be back.    Keep your fingers crossed my whole system doesn’t have to be removed.

I’m already missing ya’ll!

My Mom the Movie Star

My mom is Kathleen Turner!     No, not THE Kathleen Turner, but she’s a star to our family.    She turns 89 years young on June 23rd and we’re celebrating this weekend at her favorite place on Lake Martin.      Since the temperature here in the good ole South has been reaching the 3 digit range this past week, hanging out at the lake will be wonderful!

Ya’ll have a safe and happy weekend…..

Design On A Dime Drapes!

I'm joining Susan for her Met Monday party....please be sure to see all the other creative posts on Susan's blog!

Since my re-do of my dining room I’ve been in a delimma about what to do about window treatments. I got some great suggestions from blogland and all of them were helpful. Of course, as always, budget was a factor but I didn’t want to “make do” or “settle” and be unhappy. I even bought a pair of gorgeous triple-width, lined and weighted silk drapes, hubby hung them, but they didn’t feel right. So down they came and back to the store they went.

After seeing how others have used the drop cloths as drapes, I thought, why not? I’d only be out of about $20 for a pair of them and I can customize them for my decor. So off to Lowe’s I went for my 6x9 drop cloths at about $9.00 a piece. I also replaced the “fat” curtain rod originally used at that window with a nice skinny black one. There was nothing to hanging them once the rod was installed, just used about 10 clip rings per panel and clipped the panels to those rings. While they looked good “plain” I wanted them to have a little more style so I bought a full size flat black sheet to use as a border. In the end, I cut about 30” off the drop cloths, made a 20” border for the bottom, and sewed them together. I didn’t even sew a hem but used good old stitchy witchy for the bottom and sides of the border. Since my sisal rug has a black border, I wanted to use black as the accent on the drapes. When hubby got home, he was real impressed, not to mention the total cost for this pair of window treatments ran me about $28.

Tell me what you think of my customized drop cloth drapes….

The dog likes to chew on the window sill. We’ve had it scraped and painted several times but she still chews on it!

The texture on these panels is very much like linen….another plus!

Here you can see a corner of the sisal rug with the black border

Hubby found the architectural piece over the window on the street and brought it home…..he says he’s “too good to me!”

I went ahead and set the table using a coastal theme for the summer.

The aqua star fish plates came from T.J. Maxx. The crystal are pieces we’ve picked up at auctions on the cheap!

I love the mix of creams, whites, and that yummy robins egg blue

The silverware came from Big Lots, on sale of course!

I also have used this same window treatment in our bedroom and plan on customizing them with some kind of border as well. You know you’ll be seeing those down the road!

Happy Monday!

Judy

Thank You and A Teaser

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who is a “follower” on my blog.    It blows me away to think so many of you are interested enough in my teeny, tiny little life to follow me around!     Ya’ll are awesome!

Also, remember a few weeks back when I posted about my to-do list of things to get around to finishing?     If you missed that post, you can read about it here.      I’m slowly working my way through that list and it feels great to cross off each item one by one.     It may not be anything more than changing out a switchplate for a light fixture, but that’s one less thing I’ll have to do.      S-o-o-o, with that being said, I’m going to leave you with a little peek at what I’ve done in my dining room for the window treatments…….

You’ll have to check back on Monday, June 8th when I join with Susan for her Met Mondays!      I think you’ll likee!

Judy

Coastal Artist

Recently I was contacted by someone who reads my blog who wanted me to check out her coastal inspired watercolors.      Once I looked at her pictures on her ETSY page, I couldn’t wait to share her work with ya’ll.    

Below is a sampling of her water colors:

 

 

Sara Tetley is the talented artist behind these “beach house inspired watercolors.”     I’ll let  Sara tell you in her own words about her passion for the coast:

“I’m an architect who loves the sound of the sea and the play of light on vintage cottages.   I hope my prints will bring a little piece of the coast to your beach house no matter where you reside!”

You can find Sara by checking out her ETSY page here http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7285618.

I think you will agree with me that she has captured the beauty of the coastal look and her prices are very reasonable.   If you buy anything from Sara, please be sure to tell her you found out about her from me!