Where Bloggers Create II

Ooh . . . so much fun! I've been working on my space, which I, in my heart of hearts want to call my studio . . . but in reality it's really still a storage room . . . with it's previous incarnations as first our daughter's room, then after she married, our youngest son moved into the larger-than-his bedroom. I kind of have a rule . . . it's still their room until they marry . . . then I can use it. After last June, all claims are off . . . however, we now find ourselves with three empty bedrooms!

Hopefully, one will become a family room this Summer . . . I hope, I hope, I hope! It is well positioned downstairs, sharing a wall with the dining area, which we plan to remove . . . and oh, the hopes and plans I have for it. Could I but afford to hire Linda Applewhite! {click on her portfolio!} I am crazy about her designs and most especially her signature whimsy! We really are hoping this is the year it happens!

The second bedroom isn't really empty at all, it is lovingly called The Museum, especially because of the rocks, shells, twigs, bird and wasp nests housed upon it's bookcases, but it properly functions as a Guest Room. It is the room in our house where my heart resides . . . contented sigh

But Number Three married last Summer, and with high hopes of taming the creative clutter that generally wriggles it's way into the kitchen, and inhabits the dining table, we have begun the process of claiming the vacated largest bedroom, because it is the one with wood flooring, which is very practical, indeed, when one needs to clean up after cutting glass. Don't you think?

Soooo . . . drumroll . . . I am hoping to have that room as nearly finished as I can, for it's ultimate debut on June 19, 2010 when I participate in the Where Bloggers Create II event!

{Hosted by Karen Valentine at My Desert Cottage}.

You must, you really, really must hop on over to her blog to read the story of Where Bloggers Create I, and what a wonderful blessing it has been in her life! Seriously! You should go see! And stop back here, June 19th! We'll just see if I'm able to pull it off!

At the very least, it will have some gorgeous and wonderful progress! I just know it will!

~ much love!

Roses, beautiful roses

Every now and again, I get to feel like I lead a blessed life.

You know it's going to be one of those gorgeous days when a trip to the grocer yields . . . seafood, cheese, a baguette, fresh strawberries, a lovely hot-off-the-presses shelter magazine . . .

and my kitchen counter looks like this.

Ahhh . . . bliss . . .

And you know what this means! Somebody's getting married tomorrow!

. . . swoon . . .

I have found my perfect place on Earth!

I even sent this photo to all of my children this morning, with this message,

"Oh, my Goodness! The room of my dreams!

. . . . . . sigh . . . . . . I knew you would understand . . . . . . ."

and they did!

I can't get over it, and I keep going back to look at it! Besides the obvious . . . do you want to know the other attributes that this room possesses to make it the most wonderful single room in the world?

It's in Paris. Enough said? But there's even more! It's for rent! For holidays.

If you go, you'll inhale it for me won't you? {Click on the photograph for a link to the website where it is listed.}

Oh, and I didn't find it, I can not take credit . . . somebody else is planning a trip, and she didn't even know she was speaking to my heart . . . I ran across it here: The Bohemian Season. Smart girl. . . .

. . . and when I recreate this room in my house . . . sigh . . . I'm going to include perfectly aged objects like these, don't you think? . . .

. . . from my daughter's Etsy shop. Letter Slot from England, which makes it especially romantic to an anglophile lover of books and letters like, moi . . .

. . . I don't even know where she is finding these amazing sign letters . . . but I love 'em.

{I've included direct links in the photos, in case you wanna check 'em out.}

Meanwhile, I'm going to print that top photo and dream about it. :)


~ much love!

Unabashed DIYers

My house is far from perfect, but of course, I have no intention of proving that to you. ;) However, there are parts of it that I just love. The guest {ahem} water closet, strangely enough, is one of them. There isn't a lot to it, but it pleases me.

I was unhappy with the contractor spray on wall texture that we all must endure if we buy a prebuilt home in California {it's a widely accepted disguise for irregularities, poor workmanship, and lack of pride in workmanship}. My self confidence seemingly knowing no bounds . . . I thought that certainly, I could texture the walls to a more attractive finish. And if I do say so myself, I certainly did. :) {My vanity apparently knows no bounds, either.} Into the heavy, wet joint compound, I pressed sprigs of rosemary for the look that you see in the photo above. I did a similar treatment with various leaves in the master bath . . . {maybe sometime I'll show you.} I really love the finished product. I wonder if I have the wherewithall to do it in the entire redo of the family-famous, never-to-be-finished/started family room?

On the opposite wall {directly over the, er . . . accommodations}, a cabinet is mounted, the door fashioned from an old window . . . by my Super-duper He Can Do Anything Handyman Husband. I'm going to keep trying, in different light to see if I can get a better photograph, but in the meantime, this will have to do . . . {I think you can get a pretty good idea.}

When we had our little store, just as quickly as he could finish these, they would sell.
I know!
I'm so proud of him. I wonder how many of them are wandering around our area?

Do you ever wonder that? . . .when you sell the things you make? Like, do you ever . . . say, go to the mall and see a woman wearing your jewelry? How cool would that be?

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be totally and unabashadly brag-idocious.
Ah, well . . . nobody's perfect. :)

Little Sewing Box . . . {and dear talented friends}

She's a lovely little sewing box, isn't she? I've had her for years . . . and she was old when I brought her home. {sorry to say, dear . . . but it's true. You know it is.}

She is the lovely keeper of my embroidery and tatting . . . {which have been as neglected as little sewing box.}

But we think she deserves better!

She is kind, and unassuming, and practical, and there when I need her.

How many people can we say that about, afterall?

So I took kindly little sewing box to visit a dear friend of mine who is a master of makeovers!

Like most females . . . add a little paint to her face and she feels beautiful . . . just has a whole new outlook on life!


Fairly scampering about the house and yard . . . she is downright giddy!

I think she deserves it.
Don't you?



Rhonda, of Sue and Rhonda Wall Design is the friend and artist who has brought about this amazing transformation. Part of it before my very eyes over a glass of iced tea, just yesterday! I have wished for Rhonda to paint something for me for a very long time! Finally, the right piece peeked out at me from behind the overstuffed chair, and I noticed, and the decision was made. And I love it!

You will have to look at their new website! They do some pretty amazing work! If a homeowner or business around this part of the state wants gorgeous decorative painting, Sue and Rhonda are the ones they call. You'll see why! Scoot! Shoo! Go see!

May Flowers

April Showers, did. Indeed they did! April showers have wrought the most

wonderful, beautiful May flowers!

And in the best old fashioned way . . . I was gifted with a paper cone filled with the most delicious pink roses.

Decorated and delivered by the cutest four year old boy! Imagine opening the front door, and there he stood, reaching up to hand deliver his treasure, delight shining from ear to ear!
{His Mommy may have had a little hand in it. But I don't know . . . he's pretty precocious!}
I wish you could have seen him!

And the roses! They are luscious and fragrant! You know how you'll sniff some rose scented fragrance, and think that roses don't really smell like that? These do! That's the scent! They smell just like childhood. I love them! I'm pretty crazy about the delivery boy, too. ;)


Thank you, Christian!

Stawberries, Lavender and Pearls

I had the most perfect morning! By 11:00, I was home with my treasures. The first stop was in a barn looking over an antique dining set {which didn't make the cut }. That is not to say that it wasn't a perfectly lovely time.

I spotted a Lavender Ranch on my way out . . . and the ranch happened to open for the season just yesterday. They were absolutely swamped! The women in our community were obviously starved for some beautiful activity. They certainly found it there.

Then there was the quick stop at the strawberry stand for those luscious ripe berries {which became strawberry lemonade in the afternoon} and sweetpeas. Yup. Perfect morning. Just perfect.

The entirety of the day was spent on my first pearl commission. Oh my Goodness! I did not expect it to be so difficult! I think I made about $2.00 an hour. {Probably closer to $1.50} Ah, well . . .

It was still a lovely way to spend the day . . . and it's finished. Gotta love that.