Sunday, January 31, 2010

Need Some Time Off

Hope you all are having a pleasant weekend... I personally am in need of some time off to battle this cold and cough that has consumed my body... The mind is not thinking too straight and the body is not creative..... These two combinations makes for very poor blogging so I will take some time and pamper myself with some R&R..... Blessings to all of you.....

Friday, January 29, 2010

Put A Smile On Your Face

I just must make you smile this morning as many of us struggle through our winter months.. Cassie a lovely blondie living in Minnesota was loyal listening to the radio for the weather advisories.... as she listened this morning they were saying 6-8 inches of snow and asking all residents to place their vehicles on the right hand side of the road for snow removal.... She immediately went out and placed her vehicle on the right hand side of the road... Then 2 days later they were calling for additional several inches of snow and asking the residents to place their vehicles on the left hand side of the road... Again she did as they asked....
A couple days later her husband was home late in the morning due to the bad weather as Cassie listened to the radio once again.. As they listened the power suddenly went out leaving her not knowing what to do about her car..... Her loving husband looked at her with understanding and said"WHY DON"T YOU JUST LEAVE IT IN THE GARAGE THIS TIME?"

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Would You Live In A Church ?







A friend of mine recently sent me these pictures of living in a church knowing I would appreciate them.... You see before I came to live here I did live in a church very similiar to this... It was quite a bit smaller than this however.... had the stain glass windows and all the lovely, lovely wood still in and large wood entrance way doors off the entrance and 2 bedrooms and a half bath in the loft...In the master bedroom it had a glass wall the viewed the very large stain glass window from the kitchen when you woke up in the morning. It was a wonderful place to live ..... I enjoyed my time there and dream of it often....
PS. I should have added the church was divided in half and was very efficient as far as central air and heat..... I lived on the front side with all the extras... main entrance ect....


Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Vintage Pillow Cover

Earlier in the month I found this sweet little pillow cover... I just hand laundered it and laid it out to dry as it is rather fragile. I had in mind to use it as a accent bed pillow or if I can find a vintage dresser tray that it could be framed in......to be continued....

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

More Canvas Totes





Joann's had 40 percent off the canvas totes again this week so back I went a purchased the next size larger than the previous size... I have shown the pillow seat covers that needed a redo.... I simply snipped the handles in half ... free handed letters in french.... house of luxury..... and inserted the old chair pillows.... for the grand total of 12.00 for 4 chairs.... I am seriously thinking of doing this outside on my decks for a bistro look this summer.... I am going to look at canvas drop painters cloths and see if I may make them work for a table cloth..... I am also thinking of buying 4 more large canvas totes and seeing if they will work for chair toppers and if not I can use them on the decks... to be continued......

Monday, January 25, 2010

Sharing A Lovely Give-A-Way

A lovely give-a-way is being offered at http://missgracieshouse.blogspot.com along with a new Etsy Shop.... It is a lovely place to visit and one of my favorites......

Longing For My Outdoor Space

Just a short post this late morning.... Have computer woes.... and will be running to town soon to take it in to computer hospital...I think it needs surgery or maybe even worse... Had a couple Trojans hit it....
As I sit and peer out my window it is very gray and gloomy... Some snow expected through tomorrow but not inches... I am really longing for my outdoor space today for some reason.... Well I am off to dress to take computer in... Have a wonderful day.... will be back later today or tomorrow with a hopefully more enlightening post....

Saturday, January 23, 2010


Last weekend when we went to Toledo to visit Tom's brother Dave I also got to visit with my girlfriend Barb while I was there . She was working at Re- Decor, where I found this Bourbon bottle. I was drawn to it aged silver filigree... and it does say bourbon in the silver but was unable to bring it out in the picture...
I am thinking of planning a special meal for Valentines day... and having the table all set with a lovely setting and candlelight.... Okay... so it will be mainly for myself, as I don't think Tom cares as long as he gets a meal... but I am going to plan one anyway...The lovely glasses I have featured with the bottle are Fostoriaware and were a wedding gift to my mom and dad when they were married... They are just lovely and treasured by myself....they are so thin and do they ever pass the ring test.... To be continued......

Friday, January 22, 2010

Little No Cost Changes




I worked with the little piece of my muslin from my stash... I free handed .... Mosers French Dining.... Diner de Francais de Mosers ... No 3... on it...
I translated the English to french on BABEL FISH so I would know the correct french lettering.....
I added a lovely hand towel created by Teresa http://teresaksheley.typepad.com She has some lovely towels to offer on her etsy if you would be interested... If you haven't stopped by her blog lately it would be wonderful to do so... Teresa and her husband Dave are enduring some pretty rough times and have been for a few weeks now... I am sure she would love a few words of encouragement and if you are interested in some towels... that's the place to visit.....
My wishes for all today to enjoy your day as much as you possibly can..... Life can be wonderful and it can have some very tough times.... Enjoy the good ones......Don't let them pass you by.... and not realize them......



Thursday, January 21, 2010

Potential




This morning I went searching in my stash in the cedar closet... hunting for a piece of fabric I may have had left over from a past pillow project... I found a embellished piece of nice quality unbleached heavy muslin that I had made and used as a dresser scarf.... I am thinking it is somewhat fancy but I still have Victorian I am working with and I can free hand some french onto it ... with the fabric marker and make it work as a skirt on my little antique server.... to be continued.....Oh staying in a calm state when trying to create little redo's in your home can be a good thing.... I guess if we give our self time we can realize potential for many items... I need to do this as spending too much money can become a issue.... I rather like the idea and almost the thrill of the challenge for transformation at NO COST. After all I am not wanting to rid of many of my loved objects I have in my home... Just wishing to give them a different appeal and of course... some different eye candy for me to enjoy.... Keeping a open mind , many items may be arm's reach and speak to us. Just being able to realize the objects potential will make it a one of a kind... allowing it to have somewhat charming roots.
I just so enjoy a interesting place to come , sit, enjoy and retire... To achieve this and being able to feel the homes soul is key for making it charming for one's self and for friends to come and share.... Not ever having the desire to live in a mansion makes working in our modest little home so appealing... Close to town but yet a countryside setting so wonderful... I have come to love and feel every comfort within these walls. A warm and loving atmosphere fills the air here... How divine........
PS. And to think I was going to make pillow inserts for my budget totes when all I had to do was go to my stash... I have had 2 pillows like the one I took a pic of for a couple years and there they were waiting to make the totes all plumped out with the perfect look... Oh my gosh ladies... search your stash... Your hubby and your pocketbook will love you......


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Indulgences

I think for many... we like our lives to be pure, sweet and simple... I also appreciate a home with this feel.... connected with passions for the unusual loved objects... It is a gift to be able to achieve this desire... For years women have been realizing their dreams.. we all enjoy sweet token of affections and confection... many times we must realize these may be obtained through one's self... We will be very disappointed if we are always looking for someone else to create our happiness and entertain us.... We will be pleased if we learn to create contentment for one's being...
For many it may be what you are wearing on your back... For myself it has always been the sharing of my home... Whatever it is for yourself... follow your dreams... I, at this stage of my life... have many illustrations of loved objects for my home running through my mind...but there remains a small problem that must be completed on a very tight budget... Although it can be challenging, it can be accomplished.. A beautiful complication of old, timeless, simple and lovely always works for me...
A blustery winters morning has a way of setting back one's dreams unless we learn to make the most of it... We then must dwell in our warm homes... sitting a mood can become a wonderful experience... Gentle flicker of candlelight and a warming fire and the warmth of a hot beverage can enhance any winters day.. Even a winters freeze , we can pamper and rejuvenate our spirit and gather inspiration.. and make treasured moments with many small luxuries we have in life... We just must simply take time to enjoy....
Do something special for one's self today... utterly romantic little indulges... They really never fail to charm.......



Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Budget Friendly











Yesterday I was at Joann's Fabrics to purchase some jute twine for little projects and ran across these canvas totes .... medium size.... for 2.49.... I thought they may be good to work with to see how fabric marker would take on them.... I free handed some french lettering on them... cut the handle in half..... stuffed a old pillow I had around here to plump them out for now to see how they would look.... I think I will make a couple pillow inserts with some old linen towels I have here so some of the pillow insert tucks out where I tied them shut with the handle.... I really wanted to see if I would even like the grain sack look in here... My plan is to use these outside on my little iron bench this summer to take a bit of the french outside..... It really turned out to be a cheap... cheap ... project and will look cute outdoors.......I now feel better about spending more money on a grain sack or a pillow..... I looked for fabric that would work for a skirt for my little server as I now have a lace skirt on it and would like to knock down the look....... Unbleached muslin would work if I free handed some lettering on it.... if I can't find anything at a reasonable price.... To be continued..... I am still searching.....




Monday, January 18, 2010

Looking Within

The days of winter offers time to be spent in the comfort of our home. I have been more thankful than ever before after the devastation we have viewed that is taking place in Haiti. What person should not be ever so thankful and content when you have a warm home, a family that is safe, and food to eat and a place to rest... I have stated many times in the past I am the most happiest when I am in my home... I love dreaming of accessories for my home to make it all the more a place of comfort for myself... I think many bloggers accessories added in our home fills our passion... Many of the vintage we seem to love so much were made by gifted hands.. I love viewing and sharing passions causing total bliss... It is a way of encouragement, inspiration and to fulfill our own dreams... As we travel through January... and we don't seem to venture out as much... it seems to be a good time to look within one's self......

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Little Changes











Oh my... it is close to noon already.... I arose at 6:00 this morning for Tom to tell me a Trojan came in on the laptop he uses last eve... We recieved this 2 months ago and now again.... My son had to have a 200.00 repair... I worked on it for 2 hours before church and came home and worked another hour.... and finally think I got it out... it is up and running again... I placed a beef roast in the oven about an hour ago.... folded one load of laundry... another in the dryer and made us breakfast of bacon... eggs... fried potatoes and toast... and all I really wanted to do was place my post on my blog....
I have still been changing things around and reusing in different areas... Will share a few more pics.... I have more to complete on the felt dress form area in one of the photos... That vignette is right as you enter in the front door of our home.... The little vignette with the suitcases has a redo of my little mini chandelier... I added aged papers and twine... The aged paper page was a saved embellishment on some packaging I purchased from a fellow blogger a year or so ago... I save anything that can be used to scrap with.....
Yesterday Tom and I went to Toledo to visit and eat out with his brother... I was looking forward to looking in a fabric shop there , hoping I could find just the right look for a grain sack look to do some handwritten letters on... Well... when we pulled in the store was no longer there.... I was disappointed... it is very hard to find fabric stores in my area anymore... Guess sewing is also becoming a lost art.... I am still on the look for something that will work....
I received my Jeanne d Arc Magazine a couple days ago and have a couple small projects I would like to try.... To be continued.....
Well.... I am going to read some other posts and then back to the kitchen to make dessert for our supper tonight.... I am having a large pot roast of beef ...carrots and potatoes and dessert is going to be home-made cream puffs and scratch pudding filling with whip cream on top... Yummmmmm.......
Today's post really was a punch of mussings ...wasn't it... Hopefully tomorrow I can add a bunch of class.......




Friday, January 15, 2010

Little Serving Piece Redo


I have a smaller wood server that fits wonderful in this area next to my pie safe... I am always changing it out.... I had purchased this tray on ebay several years ago made from a frame and added handles and mixed french papers... It can be my touch of French....My glass compote purchase at antique store has a stark little wreath below it that is lite with very small rice lights and looks great at night.... I would like to make or find a grain sack instead of the old white runner I have on here now.... We'll see how the hunt or the creating goes... I am going to hunt for some fabric.... Tracey @ http://frenchlarkspur.blogspot.com posted a lovely little table setting she created for a friend and her and to have a lunch.... She mentioned she had found a linen panel at Target and she made it look great.... It's just a matter of those creative moments ...... I am off in a couple minutes to wash my front living room picture bay picture window as we are having a high in the mid 30's and I despise looking out of windows that haven't been washed for a couple months..... I am off to get this done and some more creating different looks in vignettes....

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Pie Safe Vignette

I am having a cleaning day and starting to change Vignettes this morning.... This may take awhile... thought I would share my first change with you this morning..... This vignette is placed a top a wonderful early 1800's pie safe.... one of my favorite wood pieces I have.... I have loved this piece for many years in my home....I placed aged silver pieces and of course my lovely mercury glass dome with french printing from Jeanne d Arc..... It is my touch of France in this vignette.....Personally I love the Victorian and french together... for me it works..... ok.... I am off to the wood server piece that stands next to the pie safe.... Wishes for you to enjoy a lovely day......