New Curtains...

I found this perfect fabric - perfect color, perfectly nubby - to make curtains for the dinning room patio door. But alas! there was not enough to do the job. I found it at a fabric outlet so I waited, thinking there might be some more showing up. I waited a year and no luck so finally decided to add another color. I've been intrigued by the striped curtains and decided to give it a shot. I'm mostly pleased with the finished results.

 I added ruffles at the seams - however, if I'd do it over, I'd leave them off.

Closeup of the nubby fabric.

The fabric was inexpensive, the ruffles were easy to do and all-in-all, I'm happy with them!

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I have a "change the furniture and house" bug!

It's finished but more pictures will have to wait till another time.

Lightening up Our Entainment Center

Our entertainment center has three sections - the center piece juts out from the two side bookcases on either side of it. Though cherry is not my first choice it is a beautiful piece but the shelf spaces are like an endless place of darkness and the decorations got lost in it. For months I was wanting to do something different that wasn't permanent, i.e., painting. This week I thought of a simple solution that was quick and easy. I measured the backs, cut bead board to fit (because I already had that), primed and decoupaged it with dictionary pages.

I'm pleased with the results. The shelves are adjustable and there was enough space for the boards to fit in behind the shelves.

 Our wedding picture and invitation under a cloche.

 The center shelf with old books and ironstone.

 More old books with flower frogs, a magnifying glass, antique eye glasses, a ceramic apple and wooden shoes.

 The two baskets on both side are children's books for the grands.

Since the backside is bead board, I can interchange it if I want but for now, I'm happy with this easy change!

Sigh...

...and sigh again!

I'm gonna be ruthless! Cross my heart...

On Cleaning...

 I love my Swiffer products for the weekly cleaning! The long one in the back is a dry mop and it does a fantastic job on wood floors to get all the dust bunnies that tend to run away when using a broom or vacuum.
The short one mops the floor. What I don't like about it is the chemical loaded cleaner that comes with it. Being a barefoot gal in the house, after a mop up, the floor felt sticky and 'chemical-ly.' I use my own solution of water and vinegar that I put in a spray bottle, spraying as I go, switching out with my new BFF...Meleluca. The floors feel CLEAN, CLEAN and I love the smell of Meleluca!
The blue and yellow ones are life major dust time savers...oh. my. word! My sister L introduced me to these. The wand is so thin one can brush behind, in and around hundreds of things VERY effectively. The yellow one is a 360 degree brush and can be 'elbowed' by a button and with an extender, which comes in so handily for out of reach areas without falling off a step stool.
After the kitchen remodel, I spent hours on my hands and knees with a knee pad, literally scrubbing the floor with a Stanley (the best!) scrubby and my new BBF.

Yep...this scrubby! The floor 'before and after' pic showing my clean-up. And yes, my knees paid for it, but my floors look all but new! (the true color of our floor is the first picture)

Last but definitely not the least, is Meleluca's laundry soap. It only takes one tablespoon or one pump squirt per load to wash. The fabric softener smells wonderful and it's all chemical free!

And yes, it suds! :)

       Here is a link to Meleluca if you're interested.

Here's to chemical free cleaning!

Edited Feb 12, 2012 - The swiffer mop broke soon after I posted this and I got a new one. The new ones are much studier than their first model...yea for 'new and improved!'

3+1= a bench

Before the remodel in the kitchen, we used it as an eat-in kitchen. Now we're eating in the dinning room and the three chairs that were used around the table no longer had a 'place.' As I did the weekly cleaning last week, I had this brilliant! :) idea to push them together as a bench in the laundry.

TA-DA!

  Like-like!

Our New Kitchen

I'm amused at how many things need to be 'just right' to go public with a new project...small details such as the right lighting and curtains to be put up. But here it is - at least more than a sneak peek! Yes, the Christmas greens are still up - our Christmas isn't over yet, we're having it this week end with our children...we number twenty-nine all together!  A completed post on the details will come next week.

The new...

and the old!

Needless to say...I LOVE my new, classic, fuss-free kitchen!

A Little of This And A Little of That

First off, I won this lovely giveaway from Wayside Treasures, full of Christmas goodies!
Thank you, Sandi!

This is happening today in the kitchen...so delighted how it looks!

Organized the fridge feezer - the before was EMBARRASSING! :)

 This is what I see from 'my chair' between four and four fifteen in late afternoon - peaceful, soothing light before the suns sets.

 December has been mild, mild and the flowering kale is loving it. Today is frigid!

 Mr D is in puzzle heaven...I like to help with the last fifty! :)

I'm liking the pace of January...the cozy, early darkness with the winds howling out doors and being snugged inside our little haven from the bustle of life.

We are blessed, blessed and wish you the same!

Kitchen Sneak Peek Three

I know, I really thought it would be a complete show; however, we ran against time and other plans for the week end. So I'm back to another tease!

The tile is coming next week - yea for that!

Kitchen Sneak Peek No. Two

It's coming together, people...it's coming together!

Kitchen Sneak Peek

The kitchen is coming along as scheduled - yea! Being without water in the kitchen hasn't been bad at all; it does reminds me how blessed we are in having running water at our finger tips. The worst of the dirt and dust is passed for which I raise a hallelujah! Being a barefoot gal in the house, walking on a clean floor is wonderful again! Here's a few pics and what needs to be done yet.

These are the hardware that will be used on the drawers with matching knobs for the doors. This is another piece that will be in the kitchen that has been transformed from a sad-looking cupboard.

In the meantime, at the suggestion of our contractor, the 'knobs' are designer knobs, made out of painter's tape...they perform well! :)

What's happening on Monday:

• the counter top is coming - yea!
•  the hardware goes on
• a light needs to be moved
• the plumber will be here

What I hope will be happening next week:

• the quirks will be fixed
• the electrician will wrap it up
• the crown molding finished
•  missing shelves will appear

In the meantime, with the kitchen out of commission, there's time to tinker around with a few Christmas crafts that I'm working on.

I'm blessed!

Kitchen at the End of the Day

The carpenter.

The plumber.

The surprise.

The origional wallpaper (EEK!!).

12:00 noon.

4:30 PM.

The electricians at 7:30 AM this morning.

Things are moving right along!!

Old Mother Hubbard...

...went to her cupboard.

But when she went there,

her cupboard was bare!

Out with old - in with the new...TODAY...actually, this week!

A Lovely Coffee Filter Project

I saw this on a blog and loved the idea (oh help! will my blogger friend contact me to get the credit!)! Several days later I found a stamp at our local thrift shop for a buck fifty and even though it isn't in French, it is a lovely script and a lovely verse. Needless to say, I was delighted! All it takes is a brayer, ink, coffee filter and a stamp. It's the first EVER stamp project for me! I discovered it's easier to ink the stamp and press the coffee filter on it with my hands, centering it, then doing the outside edges. Easy-peasy!

PLEASE, do not leave this unattended! The paper gets warm and the votive hot. The candle was in the votive already and it's possible a tea light may not get quite as hot - just don't leave it alone. Such a lovely idea for Christmas!

Edited: Cottage Living suggested battery candles which is a great idea! Thanks, Mariaelena!

Featured!

Speaking of Christmas...I was at Wal-Mart this morning and Breath of Heaven was coming over the speakers - LOVE this song!

Linking to:

Treasure Hunt Thursday, Under $100 Linky Party, Time Travel Thursday,

Thriftin' on a Thursday, Transformation Thursday,

White Luncheon

Tuesday I hosted a luncheon for seven in our home. I love the cleanness of white and chose to use the painted white pumpkins and plastered roses with clear glass candle sconces. The tablecloth is bleached drop cloth from HD. The table was pretty but the guests were lovelier!

This is my Thanksgiving tablescape and the last meal served to guests until the new kitchen is in, which will be just in time for Christmas week!

I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Bathroom Re-do

I was of two minds whether I wanted to give our bathroom a re-do because I did really like the 'flowery-ness' of it. But it was time for a change, especially after giving the bedroom a new look. I used the same wallpaper for both rooms, though I had to do some fancy piecework to get it done!

I needed to match a border to it and am very pleased with the the results!

I switched a larger mirror for the smaller one that had been there.

New towels from Target and Kolhs hung on simple black screw-in hooks.

This is my first sign though this one is the second time around! I simply flipped it over and used the other side. Other than the obvious, I chose this word because it has a 'dressing room' connection, aside of the fact that it's different and a french word!

- before pictures -



Link parties:

Treasure Hunt Thursday, Time Travel Thursday, Transformation Thursday, 

Under $100 Linky Party, Creative Things Thursday, Potpourri Party,
Days of Chalk and Chocolate,Frugal Friday, Farmhouse Friday,
Funky Junk SNS, DIY