Better than Smith and Hawkens?

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend. Ours was relatively low key so my husband found some time to make me a potting bench. We have talked about doing one forever but finally we got it done.

I told him what I wanted and he built it from scratch w/o a plan, as he always does. I think it turned out pretty well. I think I'll keep it natural for now but who knows.......I could change my mind again. LOL

My peonies are gone!

Looks like a bird hit my white chair! Dirty bird. LOL
Clematis
Peonies

My peonies were beautiful while they lasted. The strong winds and rain beat them to death. I also have some lovely clematis blooming. Here are a couple of pics from my yard. I love it when everything is in bloom.
What's blooming in your yard?

I posted my bathroom

Hi all! Well, it's been a while since I've posted. I hope you are well and happy. I am still plugging away at the new job. Bailey the beagle is all well and back to normal.

Our bathroom remodel is finally complete. I posted it on RMS (Rate my Space) yesterday. If you get a chance, run over and take a peek at it. Here's the link.

It has been raining here like crazy and some of our state is flooded and people have lost their homes. We've been lucky not to have much damage or flooding where we live. I can't imagine losing everything.

I watched the first episode of Design Star last night. It will be an interesting season. Any of you watch it? Actually, I'm most anxious for Sunday when Rate my Space, the TV show airs. I love getting ideas and offering opinions on decorating.

Gotta go...................Hugs!

Rub a dub dub.....out with the tub!

Several posts ago, I mentioned that we were thinking of remodeling our bathroom. Well, we are on our way! The jacuzzi tub is going away and we are doing a larger shower. Everything is moving around. We can't replace everything. I am thinking that I'll paint the cabinets and change the hardware. We'll add new counters, tile, lighting and shower. My husband and friends will do all the work.

We don't live in a big house. Hopefully, the new layout will function better for us.

Here are some BEFORE pics. Bye bye big tub. We don't use it very often and it takes up so much space. Bye bye Hollywood lights! Bye bye carpet in the bathroom! What were they thinking? (No, we didn't build this house.)

We thought this tub was a lighter weight material. Big surprise...............It is some kind of cultured marble and weighs 400 lbs! It took 4 guys to get it out today!

Pardon the mess!
Have any of you remodeled a bath recently? Any great ideas you'd like to share? Any tips on painting the cabinets? The cabinets will be in a single run on the wall where the tub is now. I don't know what kind of mirrors to do. Any suggestions welcome.

Different takes...............

I like to use things in my home for different purposes other than for what they were intended. My throw, in the picture below, is actually a wool drapery panel that I found on a shopping trip one day. I thought the color and pattern really complimented my throw pillow and my red accent wall. Red is one of my favorite things!


The light below is actually an outdoor light fixture. I find that they can actually be a lot less expensive than interior fixtures, especially when bought at a local home store as opposed to a fancy lighting store. I like the golden seed type glass in it. It gives a nice glow at night.

An extra wine rack holds a few of my magazines. I wasn't using it so I thought I'd try it with something else.
Over the years, I've had many different uses for things. I used a tablecloth with clip on rings as a fabric shower curtain. I've used shower curtains to make fabric wall art. I padded a fabric headboard with the smooth side of one of those egg crate mattress pads. Then I covered it with sheets that matched my comforter. I made art panels for behind the bed out of plywood, batting and fabric. I've used a heavy round trash can as side table by adding a plywood round top and covering it with fabric.

What different uses for things have you done?

I adore doors!

I'm not sure when I became interested in pictures of doors but I find them interesting. The one in the upper left was taken in Italy. No, I didn't go there. Darn. My friend did and he took this with the water flowing up to the doorway. It also has cute window boxes. The two center ones are from Spain. The upper right one with the lace curtains is from France. The lower left and right ones are from Italy too.

I have also collected some calendar pictures of doors that need to be framed.


The lace curtain one was the first one I bought at an art fair.
Close up in Italy.
This one came from an art fair, as well. I thought it was very unusual. My friends say it looks a little scary. The more I look at it, it is kinda scary. It's never made it to the wall.

Talkin' toile!

I love toile! BJ over at Sweet Nothings was talking about how she loved country French style. I have always loved the look and especially the fabrics. Here are a few pictures from BHG and Horchow using toile in different ways. Want to learn more about it?
Toile (pronounced twahl) means "cloth" in French.










Below is how I used it in my laundry room to make the plain cabinets more interesting. I just took foam board and covered it with toile fabric. It's attached to the cabinet fronts with some removable poster mounting tape. When I get tired of the look, I can just take them down. I lined a couple of baskets with leftover toile and a check fabric.



(Sorry about the reflection of the mirror.)

Guest room view 2

On my guest room post, one of the ladies that I've known on line for a while didn't remember my guest room done in the blues. I rotate my look in there. I was doing animal prints for a while. I like to keep the walls neutral so that I can change the look often. I am thinking of changing it again. I have a quilt with pinks and green........so I may do that in there for a new look. I'll post it if I change it again.

Be my guest

Some friends and I were talking about what makes a guest room comfortable. I don't have a very big room for guests but I hope they are comfortable in it. Using a trundle bed allows some walk around room when I have only one guest. The trundle pulls out and up making a place for two.

A small spot in the closet or wardrobe for hanging or folded items. My armoire has a small TV in it and some fresh towels.
A place to sit.
A few soaps and fragrant items. I try to have a basket of travel sizes items like shampoos and toothpaste in case they forget something.


I need one of these. A luggage rack or somewhere to place a suitcase or bag.
Nice sheets, extra blankets, and pillows. Ironing sheets is nice with a linen spray. I usually sprinkle some baby powder into my pillow cases.
I think an alarm clock, a night table on which to place a few personal items, and a reading light are nice to have. Curtains or shades allow for privacy. I have a mirror on one wall. I like to clear my clutter too.

What would you like to have as a guest in someone's home?

Updated for the holiday

I changed out my glass candlesticks to something more Valentine's Dayish. (new word) You might remember that I had moss, snow, and little pine cones in them at Christmas. In searching the house, I found red hots and pearls and I thought, why not.
I found the cute little heart shaped dishes at TJ Maxx. Also, the checked place mats with red heart napkins. That's all the decoration I'm doing for this holiday.

A little remodeling

Window topper fabric.

Florescent light to rail lighting and pendant.

Dark to lighter paint and backsplash.

My brother is divorced and often asks for my input on decorating his home. He recently wanted to do an inexpensive remodel in his kitchen.

First, we got rid of the dark green paint. It was outdated and not a very good paint job. Patched the walls, primed and painted a lighter green paint. (He still wanted green.)

Then, we removed the florescent light fixture in the center of the ceiling. Patched and painted the ceiling. Replaced the fixture with rail lighting so that we could "spot" the cabinets. Added a red pendant light above the sink, as there was no lighting there before and you always had your back to the center light when doing dishes.

Next, what to do about a backsplash...........He wants to replace the counters down the road and we thought it was silly to tile the backsplash only to rip it out later if it didn't work with the counters. I found this pre-made backsplash that just mounts behind the stove. It goes up in under 10 minutes and comes down just as fast without damaging the wall.

Then, for a change, I removed the plates on the plate rail in the bay window area and I made some simple toppers. The green on the walls is in the fabric but it's hard to see here. I have some new fabric to cover the chair seats, as well.

Now, I'm suggesting some molding on the top of the cabinets and some simple accessories for above them.

Need some other accessories, maybe a chalkboard and something over the window toppers?

That's all the budget will allow for now. New flooring, counters, and oven/microwave combo will have to wait. I think it looks a lot better.

Our Christmas Open House!

Twas an Open House ………

Twas a few days before Christmas, at our Open House,

Not a space was undecorated, not even the couch.

The stockings were hung, including the dogs,

In the hope we would be visited by many other blogs.

The egg nog was made and spiked with some rum,

And put in nice cups for the people that come.

With me in my red sweater and my husband in black,

We hoped many people would stop for a snack.

When out on the porch I heard a bell ring,

So I jumped from my chair to hear my friends sing.

Away to the door I ran like a deer.

To greet a few guests and wish them good cheer.

The candlelight glistened as they walked in the door,

This was just the beginning of my Christmas décor.

When what to their wondering eyes should appear,

but a reflection of crimson and gold in the mirror.

With a cute little tree, all decked in white lights,

They knew they would enjoy my other delights.

With eager excitement, they ran through my home,

Finding red birds and Santas placed under a dome.

More rapid than Helio, the bloggers they came,

And I greeted and shouted and called them by name!

Hi BJ, hi Karen, hi Janet, hi Pat. There’s Boo mama and

Terri and Alice and Matt. Hi Penny, Manuela, Sherry and Julie.

Hi Rose and Dena and Robin and Millie.

To the office, to the great room, to the kitchen, and hall,

They wouldn’t stop looking until they saw it all.

As they ate and they drank, they noticed there was more,

A village of houses with a church and a store.

So away to the village they flew like a flash,

Like kids in a candy store they did a quick dash.

And then in a twinkling, I heard someone say,

We have more blogs to visit so we must be on our way.

They sprang to their keyboards and entered more sites,

And I heard them exclaim as they took their last bites.

“Happy Christmas to all my blogging friends

and to all a good night!”

Welcome to our home.
The lights are on.
A peak at the window.

A decorated sled greets you at the door.
Bubble lights in the windows.
Candlelight.
Candles on the curio.
Stockings, including Bailey the beagle's.
The crimson and gold tree. Small but shining.


I like this poinsettia gift wrap.
Close up of the poinsettias on my tree.
A new ornament from a friend. It plays silent night too. I love it.
Lots of crimson and gold balls on the tree.
I've been adding picture ornaments of the nieces and nephews.
These balls are red and green but look like pink and green.
My round little wooden Santa.
Santas under my cloche in the kitchen.
Would you care for a cookie?



My Santa Chef!
Would you like a cup of tea? It's not exactly Chritmas but the colors worked.
New kitchen dishes on the plate rack.
These are my cardinals under my cloche on the coffee table.
Santas, Santas everywhere. I love all kinds of them.

This one has a great beard.
This one too!
I like this one's curly beard and eye brows.

A night picture.

I like how the red awning in my picture kinda frames Santa. He looks like he's had a hard night.
This one is by the baker's rack.
This is my little red chair from when I was a child. I'm sitting in it on my sidebar photo. Wouldn't get my butt in it now, I don't think.

These are my vintage skiers, skaters and sledders. All the ones displayed are actual 1950's ones that were under my husbands Christmas tree when he was a kid. My MIL was sweet enough to give them to me. A couple of years ago, I was lucky to find some reproduction ones to add to it. You can see the boxes in the background.

Please bring your bags and stop at the hotel for the night. Then you can spend an evening at the theater on the left. We'll bring a horse drawn carriage to escort you through the rest of the village. So grab a blanket and hot chocolate and enjoy the ride.
Here is the hotel during the day.
Here is my baker's rack filled with my village houses. I have been collecting them for years and I actually have about 60 houses but only a third are out right now. I try to combine some of my early ones with a few newer ones. I am a Dickens purist, you might say. I actually have a train, train station and all of that as well but we didn't get it all out this year.
The house on the left was a new purchase this year. It's the university. You can see the graduates on the bridge. Off to the right is the solarium with all the people that actually move and dance around.
The left house is the brewery. Every town has to have it's local brew pub. And, of course, stop by the poulterer's for a chicken for dinner.
Make a stop by the coal merchant to stock up on fuel for the winter.
These are a couple of my early houses. The one on the left is a toy shop and on the right an antique shop. The early houses were much smaller and less detailed than the houses today.
This is the East Indies trading company.
Of course, a doctors office, on the left, is important to any town.
My vintage tree in the office with ornaments from Mom and some vintage looking postcards.



My Barbie and Ginny doll and a toy I bought to represent my beagle, Bailey.
I just love the movie/book "Scrooge" or "A Christmas Carol". I had to have Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and Scrooge himself. A couple of carolers also stand in front of my Christmas Carol book in the office.
This is my husband's Indianapolis Colts Nutcracker in our home office.

This is the Santa in my hallway. I think I like his face the best of all my Santas. This is about the only wallpaper I have left in my house. I always kinda liked the books.

This is my dress form in the guest room with red lights. I know they look pink in the picture.

The little stocking is hanging on the armoire in the guest room. It's the one I made from my sweater. You may have seen it in my previous post.

These are a couple of Santas in my guest bath. I like the picture the best since it's a little more old fashioned looking. But I've never met a Santa I don't like

This is a hand-painted ornament from St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. We went there last year on a vacation. Our friends live down there and this reminds me of them.


This is my little blue tree in our bedroom. It's one of the few places where I actually have snowmen. Our bedroom is mocha colored with blue and turquoise accents. I love snowmen, but I have a passion for Santas. I just love all their facial expressions.
Most importantly, the reason for the season!
I love my hand-painted nativity. I have it displayed on my dresser.
While religion is not part of everyone's Christmas, hopefully peace on earth and good will toward men will be. Have a blessed Christmas and be thankful for family and friends. I'm thankful for you.

Your friend Nan from "On my Porch".