"You know you're in love
when you can't fall asleep
because
reality is finally better than your dreams."
- Dr. Seuss
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
The start of the beginning
What's today's blog post title even mean? Really, right? Well it has to do with my first meeting with a contractor to finish off our basement and to build my new and much larger Scrapbook Nook! I'll even get a bathroom that's adjacent to my scrapbook nook/creative art studio...now I'm living large! I'm giddy with excitement as we're to meet with a different contractor this evening- apparently my husband has several different contractors coming over this week to give bids on what we want done to the space that is now just a basement.
Our basement, currently it's just a big hole that contains the majority of my quilting and sewing goodies, the bulk of my beautiful fabric stash and of course ALL and with that I do mean my entire scrapbooking and paper crafting world! Everything I own in the way of creative mediums is either packed in cardboard boxes or plastic bins, ugh! Well with exception of my kitchen toys, they are on shelves.
The crazy life of a creative person such as myself whose mind is always percolating with ideas is a complicated one at best(insert laughter here). I'll have to pace myself so I don't overboard before we even begin on the space. I need to think about paint colors, yup that should keep me busy for a little while, LOL!
Now before I digress yet again... the real fun begins as I start with designing the actual floor plan for my new creative space. Where do I want the electrical outlets? Where do I want my work surfaces to be? And of course there's got to be cabinetry, lots and lots of cabinetry! I know that I want to do radiant heat flooring in there since my new creative space will be in the basement - I always say that warm feet are happy feet♥.
I'm off to have another cup of coffee and to look at my diagram and think about cabinets and shelves and a big island in the middle to use as a design/cutting table. Oh the possibilities!
Our basement, currently it's just a big hole that contains the majority of my quilting and sewing goodies, the bulk of my beautiful fabric stash and of course ALL and with that I do mean my entire scrapbooking and paper crafting world! Everything I own in the way of creative mediums is either packed in cardboard boxes or plastic bins, ugh! Well with exception of my kitchen toys, they are on shelves.
The crazy life of a creative person such as myself whose mind is always percolating with ideas is a complicated one at best(insert laughter here). I'll have to pace myself so I don't overboard before we even begin on the space. I need to think about paint colors, yup that should keep me busy for a little while, LOL!
Now before I digress yet again... the real fun begins as I start with designing the actual floor plan for my new creative space. Where do I want the electrical outlets? Where do I want my work surfaces to be? And of course there's got to be cabinetry, lots and lots of cabinetry! I know that I want to do radiant heat flooring in there since my new creative space will be in the basement - I always say that warm feet are happy feet♥.
I'm off to have another cup of coffee and to look at my diagram and think about cabinets and shelves and a big island in the middle to use as a design/cutting table. Oh the possibilities!
quote of the day
Believe in yourself!
Have faith in your abilities!
Without a humble but reasonable confidence
in your own powers
you cannot be successful or happy.
-Norman Vincent Peale
Thursday, April 05, 2012
Sewing my life away...
I don't know how to word it other than to say that I am in the throws of a creative explosion. I'm still sewing like there's no other thing in the world for me - you should see the guest room, it's a hot mess of thread snip-its and fabric scraps all over the floor. I've got loads of fabric spread out in heaps all over the bed, so much so that you can't tell that there is a bed in the room. While I was looking for a particular piece of fabric (to make a liner for a waste basket in my bedroom), I came across some fabric that would be great for lining the baskets in Hannah's bathroom. I tell you, my mind is just percolating with creative ideas today!
Now I'm off to deal with the cable guy and then the auto glass repairman...never a dull moment around here!
Now I'm off to deal with the cable guy and then the auto glass repairman...never a dull moment around here!
quote of the day
Cheerfulness, it would appear, is a matter which depends fully as much on the state of things within, as on the state of things without and around us.
Charlotte Bronte (1816 - 1855)
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
Hard work and Perseverance
Hard work and perseverance really does pay off!
I had this vision of what I wanted for our en-suite bathroom. I wanted to incorporate feelings of relaxation in the space, yet have a fun and energetic vibe happening at the same time. Finding the right color for the walls to make the space feel large and open. The previous owners had a dark dusty purple color on the walls and dark brown (the oiled bronze look) bathroom fixtures which soaked up all of the light and made the room feel small and drab. Sometimes people have an idea of what they want for a space but don't know how to make it all come together. Whatever the previous owners were trying to do (and I'm not condemning them), it looked more haphazard and thrown together. I know that I see things differently, that I can look at a room and be able to transform the entire space in my mind; Changing it all together into something new and completely different as if I was waving a magic wand. Being able to pull colors, textures and patterns together out of the air is something that most people have great difficulty accomplishing and they usually end up throwing in the proverbial towel. Now for me, it's been something I can just "do". I've always felt a little frustrated that others can't see what I see, until I learned that most people are blind to change. But I digress...
Our en-suite bathroom is now being transformed into a tropical paradise.My inspiration comes from a trip we took to Hawaii a few years ago. The experience left me with ideas for a future project. I wanted a room full of energy yet one that gives you that take your shoes off and stay a while feel. I'll take you through the process with a photo spread detailing what was done once I finish my sewing and take pictures of the "almost" finished space. I'm still deciding on some artwork (actually I have it all in my mind what I want- you all know how that goes). I'm on the lookout for a cabinet to go above the toilet for storage space. What I like about the master bathroom is that the toilet is in a separate little room with a door. Now we'll be closing off the bathroom adding a small wall and doors. Currently it's a open space concept bathroom minus the little room for the toilet. We're going to be working on that very soon- look for pictures and even patterns in the very near future!
I had this vision of what I wanted for our en-suite bathroom. I wanted to incorporate feelings of relaxation in the space, yet have a fun and energetic vibe happening at the same time. Finding the right color for the walls to make the space feel large and open. The previous owners had a dark dusty purple color on the walls and dark brown (the oiled bronze look) bathroom fixtures which soaked up all of the light and made the room feel small and drab. Sometimes people have an idea of what they want for a space but don't know how to make it all come together. Whatever the previous owners were trying to do (and I'm not condemning them), it looked more haphazard and thrown together. I know that I see things differently, that I can look at a room and be able to transform the entire space in my mind; Changing it all together into something new and completely different as if I was waving a magic wand. Being able to pull colors, textures and patterns together out of the air is something that most people have great difficulty accomplishing and they usually end up throwing in the proverbial towel. Now for me, it's been something I can just "do". I've always felt a little frustrated that others can't see what I see, until I learned that most people are blind to change. But I digress...
Our en-suite bathroom is now being transformed into a tropical paradise.My inspiration comes from a trip we took to Hawaii a few years ago. The experience left me with ideas for a future project. I wanted a room full of energy yet one that gives you that take your shoes off and stay a while feel. I'll take you through the process with a photo spread detailing what was done once I finish my sewing and take pictures of the "almost" finished space. I'm still deciding on some artwork (actually I have it all in my mind what I want- you all know how that goes). I'm on the lookout for a cabinet to go above the toilet for storage space. What I like about the master bathroom is that the toilet is in a separate little room with a door. Now we'll be closing off the bathroom adding a small wall and doors. Currently it's a open space concept bathroom minus the little room for the toilet. We're going to be working on that very soon- look for pictures and even patterns in the very near future!
quote of the day
Always bear in mind
that your own resolution to succeed
is more important than any other.
-Abraham Lincoln
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Spring Cleaning wih a twist
It's in the air...Spring. Sure, the weather might be unpredictable, right now it looks like it could start raining any minute but that won't stop me from my latest project. Now what action or should I say annual event do we associate with Spring? It's Spring Cleaning of course!
My thoughts are with reorganizing my kitchen. The cupboards and pantry were in dire need of some serious help. As it is with any kitchen, things get stored in a certain order and then over time things fall out of order. Every kitchen needs to be gone over every few weeks, mine is no exception.
I took everything out of my 2 pantry areas, my appliance garage and even the storage cabinets that I need to stand on a chair to see into. Now that I've rearranged everything I seem to have even MORE space then I did before :) Life is Good!
My thoughts are with reorganizing my kitchen. The cupboards and pantry were in dire need of some serious help. As it is with any kitchen, things get stored in a certain order and then over time things fall out of order. Every kitchen needs to be gone over every few weeks, mine is no exception.
I took everything out of my 2 pantry areas, my appliance garage and even the storage cabinets that I need to stand on a chair to see into. Now that I've rearranged everything I seem to have even MORE space then I did before :) Life is Good!
quote of the day
We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
-Joseph Campbell
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Up-Cycling!
I'm a scrapbooker, a quilter, a foodie/gourmet cook, a gardener and now I'm a self proclaimed up-cycle queen!
I am all about giving item a new look with a little paint and maybe a few alterations to their original design. Take our master bathroom- we're giving it a fresh new look. I bought some spray paint and we went to town! The original color of the hardware and light fixtures was a dark brown almost black and we switched it up to silver with a hammered texture. The dirty purple walls are now a lovely serene aqua reminiscent of tropical ocean waters. I decided to go with a Hawaiian theme as I have fond memories of us spending our 15th wedding anniversary in Hawaii. By using exotic tropical flowers such as orchids (real ones) along the wall by the jetted bath tub, I've managed to give the room the feel of a tropical garden. I purchased fabric from a quilt shop in Hawaii for making window treatments and basket liners. The floral print is an authentic Hawaiian print, one that's full of Orchid, Plumeria, Hibiscus and Antherium blossoms as well as a few varieties of green leaves. I hope to find a large leafy plant for the bathroom to round out the tropical garden feel.
While I was out scouting around in my favorite consignment shop, I found some great things to work with...there was this small half round table that I HAD to have! With a little bit of sanding and a fresh coat of paint and it'll be perfect for our half bath! I'm very much into Pinterest- if you haven't joined yet, then you must! I'm always finding things I like, things that inspire me and things that I want to make or recreate for our home. Another one of today's great finds was a wicker picnic basket- I am going to gut it and make it into a Pet Bed for my spoiled cat. I'll make a fabric liner with Velcro tabs so it can be easily removed for washing.
Now to look at some fabric for my kitty's new bed.
I am all about giving item a new look with a little paint and maybe a few alterations to their original design. Take our master bathroom- we're giving it a fresh new look. I bought some spray paint and we went to town! The original color of the hardware and light fixtures was a dark brown almost black and we switched it up to silver with a hammered texture. The dirty purple walls are now a lovely serene aqua reminiscent of tropical ocean waters. I decided to go with a Hawaiian theme as I have fond memories of us spending our 15th wedding anniversary in Hawaii. By using exotic tropical flowers such as orchids (real ones) along the wall by the jetted bath tub, I've managed to give the room the feel of a tropical garden. I purchased fabric from a quilt shop in Hawaii for making window treatments and basket liners. The floral print is an authentic Hawaiian print, one that's full of Orchid, Plumeria, Hibiscus and Antherium blossoms as well as a few varieties of green leaves. I hope to find a large leafy plant for the bathroom to round out the tropical garden feel.
While I was out scouting around in my favorite consignment shop, I found some great things to work with...there was this small half round table that I HAD to have! With a little bit of sanding and a fresh coat of paint and it'll be perfect for our half bath! I'm very much into Pinterest- if you haven't joined yet, then you must! I'm always finding things I like, things that inspire me and things that I want to make or recreate for our home. Another one of today's great finds was a wicker picnic basket- I am going to gut it and make it into a Pet Bed for my spoiled cat. I'll make a fabric liner with Velcro tabs so it can be easily removed for washing.
Now to look at some fabric for my kitty's new bed.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
quote of the day
There's something almost perfect in the ugly duckling syndrome. Because a sensitivity is tattooed on a part of you no one else can see but can somehow guess is there.
-Stephanie Klein
Friday, March 02, 2012
Crocs with Socks
For as long as I can remember my Mom can make me see myself in a way that no one else can. She can make me frustrated, annoyed, cranky and sad, but most of all she can have me laughing and seeing the silly side of things.
Oh my word I laughed so darn hard I almost peed myself, twice!
We talked about bedding...this is something I'm a stickler about. You see, I like solid colored sheets, in colors that compliment the quilt or comforter on the bed versus ones that fight for visual attention with the bed covering. All my life my mom has been obsessed with patterned sheets. There were at least 15 different sets of printed sheets for our beds! From those wildly colored floral prints to one set with what I thought of as an insane geometric pattern to those crazy Asian inspired bird sheets right down to Christmas themed sheets. Believe it or not, that sort of thing drove me crazy as a kid. My mom and I had a good laugh about the time I begged her for solid colored sheets. Apparently normal kids don't ask for sheets for Christmas or birthdays (who knew?).
She had me laughing about life's little things...when she would be so thick into a sewing project that she would "forget" to make dinner for us. Oh yeah we called it "fend for yourself night". If she was into a sewing project, we'd be going hungry. My family has a similar thing going on when I'm into a crafting project, they call it "cheese and cracker night".
My mom had me seeing how we are the same but also very different. She made me laugh with my obsession with dishes. Growing up, I remember my Mom and her love of all things Corelle. I remember how she would buy a new set of Corelle dishes and just add it to her existing set. There must be 30 or more Corelle dinner plates of various patterns stacked in her kitchen cabinet! We laughed pretty hard at that. She poked fun at me and my huge dislike using paper plates. I can't help it if I'm a little odd. We all have our hang ups and mine is disposable dinnerware. I did tell her that I used disposable stuff when we had the house warming party (it was plastic and I was able to recycle it all, which makes me feel better about the stuff).
There are so many things we laughed at, for example- how I wear Crocs with socks and how she wears socks with sandals.
Silly is as silly does.
Oh my word I laughed so darn hard I almost peed myself, twice!
We talked about bedding...this is something I'm a stickler about. You see, I like solid colored sheets, in colors that compliment the quilt or comforter on the bed versus ones that fight for visual attention with the bed covering. All my life my mom has been obsessed with patterned sheets. There were at least 15 different sets of printed sheets for our beds! From those wildly colored floral prints to one set with what I thought of as an insane geometric pattern to those crazy Asian inspired bird sheets right down to Christmas themed sheets. Believe it or not, that sort of thing drove me crazy as a kid. My mom and I had a good laugh about the time I begged her for solid colored sheets. Apparently normal kids don't ask for sheets for Christmas or birthdays (who knew?).
She had me laughing about life's little things...when she would be so thick into a sewing project that she would "forget" to make dinner for us. Oh yeah we called it "fend for yourself night". If she was into a sewing project, we'd be going hungry. My family has a similar thing going on when I'm into a crafting project, they call it "cheese and cracker night".
My mom had me seeing how we are the same but also very different. She made me laugh with my obsession with dishes. Growing up, I remember my Mom and her love of all things Corelle. I remember how she would buy a new set of Corelle dishes and just add it to her existing set. There must be 30 or more Corelle dinner plates of various patterns stacked in her kitchen cabinet! We laughed pretty hard at that. She poked fun at me and my huge dislike using paper plates. I can't help it if I'm a little odd. We all have our hang ups and mine is disposable dinnerware. I did tell her that I used disposable stuff when we had the house warming party (it was plastic and I was able to recycle it all, which makes me feel better about the stuff).
There are so many things we laughed at, for example- how I wear Crocs with socks and how she wears socks with sandals.
Silly is as silly does.
The time to purge is now!
What do you do when you have lots of stuff that you keep for sentimental reasons but don't use? For me, I keep it all packed up in boxes. Today I'm going through those boxes and am making myself part with those items.
I have openly admitted that I am a dish hound, well I've got a few boxes of dishes to go through and weed out. Who am I kidding, it's A LOT of boxes! I've decided that it's just plain nuts for me to keep dinnerware that we don't use. I thought about saving it for my kids...what a joke! I can wish as much as I like that they could appreciate quality made in the USA dinnerware but it still isn't going to happen (insert small chuckle here).
At the same time, it's also insane for me to keep dishes that I never liked, even if they were a wedding gift. This is a different set than the ones I was just talking about. Now it's been over 20 years and we've been dragging this stuff from assignment to assignment and state to state. At times it was in permanent storage (one of those out of sight out of mind sort of deals). Well the time to purge them is now. Seriously, why am I keep something that's been stored in cardboard boxes for years? I should not feel guilty for wanting to get rid of something that I don't ever use- but yet I do. Is it because it was a wedding gift? I need to move past that. I just need to get rid of it all right now, kind of like tearing off a band-aid off in one swift yank!
I have openly admitted that I am a dish hound, well I've got a few boxes of dishes to go through and weed out. Who am I kidding, it's A LOT of boxes! I've decided that it's just plain nuts for me to keep dinnerware that we don't use. I thought about saving it for my kids...what a joke! I can wish as much as I like that they could appreciate quality made in the USA dinnerware but it still isn't going to happen (insert small chuckle here).
At the same time, it's also insane for me to keep dishes that I never liked, even if they were a wedding gift. This is a different set than the ones I was just talking about. Now it's been over 20 years and we've been dragging this stuff from assignment to assignment and state to state. At times it was in permanent storage (one of those out of sight out of mind sort of deals). Well the time to purge them is now. Seriously, why am I keep something that's been stored in cardboard boxes for years? I should not feel guilty for wanting to get rid of something that I don't ever use- but yet I do. Is it because it was a wedding gift? I need to move past that. I just need to get rid of it all right now, kind of like tearing off a band-aid off in one swift yank!
quote of the day
Men are like wine - some turn to vinegar,
but the best improve with age."
Pope John XXIII
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
quote of the day
The basic principle behind behavioral therapy for OCD is that you cannot be bored and scared at the same time.
~Fred Penzel
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
quote of the day
Computers are magnificent tools for the realization of our dreams, but no machine can replace the human spark of spirit, compassion, love, and understanding.
--Louis Gerstner
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
color, design, texture and fabric
This is my formal living room. I've got a lot of color and texture going on in here...and I love it!
I finally found a lampshade for my Burleigh Lamp. I went to a shop that specializes in custom fitting lampshades to lamps- it was worth every penny!
Here's a close up of those antique brass pineapple finial drapery panel holdbacks. Ever have an idea if what you want and then spend months looking for it? This is that very thing from to life!
I simply LOVE the finial! The shop owner at the lamp and shade store picked this out and it was perfect for this lamp! Its the intricate design that sold me on it!
The whole room plus the cat. Apparently my cat loves this rug.
I'm always rearranging stuff in this little corner. Antique milking stoll, Polish Pottery crock, some small American flags and some Americana themed Longaberger Baskets.
Looking into the formal living room from the foyer.
a deeper look...
Looking out into the foyer
I'm always changing out my displays. I received these lovely Burleigh cannisters as a farewell gifts from my closets girlfriends when we were stationed in England.
A view from the foyer ,,,now to take you into the half bath...
Looking in- it's pretty enough but I'm not really into wall paper. Now the Kohler toilet and pedestal sink are rather cool.
So here's the True color of the wall paper and yes the ceiling is painted some sort of grayish green. I have plans for a reno in this bathroom and will be shanging it to fit my ideal New England half bath.
a deeper look...
A view from the foyer ,,,now to take you into the half bath...
quote of the day
Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.
-C. S. Lewis
-C. S. Lewis
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