Getting Rid of Stuff

Another reminder of my pinterest page. There are now over 8,500 photos/images on there that are not necessarily on here yet. If you wish to view them, I suggest you go there and become a follower as I pin on a regular basis, usually at least a couple of times a week.
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We're still working on downsizing our stuff in this house. The other day I gave some solid oak dining chairs to a friend and hubs asked if I really wanted to get rid of them and I said yes very firmly. It seems like he likes all the stuff I've bought over the last 35 years, but there is just too much and at our age; it's time. I don't want to have my kids to have to do it for us if something happened. That's not fair to them and they pretty much don't want anything. They have their own "stuff" and don't need any more. I understand that. Just a few personal things will go to them and the grandkids. I'm just tired of having so much that we can't move things around in this house. My daughter is doing the same thing at her home in California.

Nice weather the past week. Today I asked hubs what the weather was going to be and he immediately pulls out his iPhone. He checks his iPhone for the weather every day. I look out the window and the thermometer on the patio to see what the temperature is. Much easier. He drives me absolutely nuts with the hundreds of apps he has on his iPhone. If I mention something, he has an app for it. Sigh. I may take up drinking and never be sober again!!
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It's so pretty today that it looks almost like this around here. Curtains billowing in the breeze, clear skies and a beautiful day.

Everyone loves stone houses and the atmosphere that it brings to a home. This is especially cute, I think.

Isn't this decorative egg exquisite?

Our irrigation canals around here for irrigating our yards aren't this pretty, but they can come close in some areas around houses here for being shady. But I love the flowers and bridge in the background.

A quaint little guest bedroom in the French style.

A rather plain little living room but it's kind of cute with the French feel.

I like the pink in this room but it looks almost like a setting in a furniture store the way it's set up.

This room certainly asserts itself. Fabulous.

I've always loved rooms like this: huge windows, settee, ruffled tablecloth, pretty curtains on a window and a chandelier.

This is absolutely adorable. Black and white with touches of red and pink. I could live in this porch or sunroom easily. Darling!

Just a sweet dining area in a kitchen done extremely well.

This room belongs in a warm climate with its monochromatic color. Very pretty.

A fancy entry way. Two different chairs done in the same fabric to pull them together.

A cozy pink, white and gold sitting room.

What a relaxing room to dream in. French doors to the patio and a chaise lounge to sit and read. Great room!

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Tidbit:

Henry Ford's son received his first Ford when he was 8 years old. He drove himself to the 3rd grade.
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Linking up with Pink Saturday.

Redoing a Vintage Chair

I bought this vintage chair at a local antique store several weeks ago. I wasn't sure where I wanted to put it but I knew I DID want to redo the cruddy seat! It was pathetic, I tell ya. However, since there wasn't any place else to put it except my sewing and craft room, I put it in there reluctantly—first because it was the only place I had left and second because I knew having it in my way would prompt me to get at it quicker. *Wink*..........

The seat is very hard wood with no "cushioning" and it had the most atrocious and filthy fabric on it I've ever come across. Three layers of crud. I took off the first layer of fabric that had been put on with tiny upholstery tacks. (This tells me it was put on there before the advent of staple guns and the rusted tacks proves its "vintageness"!) The second layer of "fabric" was a vinyl that was so old it "snapped" off as I was removing the tacks. *Sigh*.... The third layer looks like something out of the 40s or 50 at least. I had to go wash up once while doing this my hands were so dirty! The chair was in "scruffy" shape—can we say "shabby" here?! Just the right amount of "wear and tear" to call it that. Squeeeeeeeal!!! So I didn't bother painting it but did give it a dusting and wipe down. Yuck.

I then found a piece of shabby chic roses fabric in my stash. I put some upholstery fiberfill over the top and then added the fabric. I think it turned out quite well actually.

Then I added some roses decals to the back and voilà here it is. I don't think it's sturdy enough for a person to sit on it because one of the dowels in the back had to be replaced and while doing that Love Bunny noticed that a piece of wood on one of the back legs was cracked. It must have fallen off one day while in the craft room and evidently—I have no idea how this happened(!) Can I help it if phone cords and vacuum cords get in my way while vacuuming?—and got s*cked up in the vacuum which is a Dyson and s*cks up quite good while mutilating the wood piece. *Heavyyyy sigh here*! I emptied the Dyson and everything in there was dust or so tiny there was no hope to fix it. If there is then hubs will find a way. That man is a miracle worker. However, his time frame is not MY time frame here so I'm doing the best I can, chicks! I think it will go in my bedroom to hold books or pillows from our bed at night. I can always use another chair in there besides the 2 in there now. Right?!?!? *Sigh*........

Dolly's Valentine Swap

I received a package from my swap partner from Dolly's Valentine Swap. When I opened the package I thought it was full of those little candy hearts with sayings until I realized it was the paper wrapping. How cute is this?!?!

Inside was this little heart shape rose box filled with goodies.

Ephemera, note pad, valentine nail file, a valentine tea towel (which I am in need of badly!) and a sachet.

Then a box of chocolates.........squeeeeeeeeal!!! I loooooove chocolate......

This darling little heart shaped roses wreath. I adore this. It is going in a place of honor in my romantic cottage, chicks. Maybe my office or crafting room or maybe even my kitchen so I can see it every time I cook. But it'll definitely be hung where I can see it every single day.

And lastly, this little demitasse. I think it'll allow me to have more cups of hot chocolate. :-)

I have been truly blessed by Deb.

Enchanting Windows Party 9/8/2008

Cielo is hosting an Enchanting Windows Party. We are supposed to post a picture of our favorite window. Well, sweet chicks, I have 2 favorite windows and it was difficult to decide so I'm showing you both of them and I'll explain my reasoning.

This is my bedroom window. I absolutely love my bedroom. It isn't the room we stay in much because it's our bedroom .....bed-room......for sleeping and.......well, you understand. It's not for kids; although, they are grown. It's OUR bedroom. No one else's. Our private room in the house. I have lace on every single window in this house except for the bathrooms and those might get the lace treatment when I have enough time to put something on there.

At night the light emits a soft glow, which I absolutely LOVE! Also the view outside is the east side of our home and the trash can and a/c unit are out there. So I especially liked the lace curtains to soften that view, but it's still lovely with a peach tree growing out there.

My other window that is a favorite is my family room window - mainly because it looks out into our back yard and I see green grass. I love grass! Being that this house is a recently built one and not at all plush or posh the windows are nothing to be excited about. But how we "treat" them is significant in setting a mood.

Yep, I experimented again with the camera and got this interesting picture. I kinda like it, gals. I also try and "lift" the curtains up with some handmade ribbon roses I've been making for years. I just gather up the lace and pin it with a safety pin. No one ever sees it because it's hidden but it makes a significant statement to all who see it. Besides, I love it and hubs loves it and that's all that matters to me.

Now, my little chickadees, let me finish with this.

Cielo sent me an invitation to join and I took several days to accept it because I get so many invitations to join things and just cannot physically do it. Just not enough time, dear sweets! So I acquiesced to my vanity and relented at the last minute sunday night and emailed her back to include me. That was in no way fair to that sweet lady, but I wasn't going to do it. I decided at the very last minute to accept and she was gracious enough to let me. I sincerely apologize to her for the last minute RSVP!!

Do you have any idea how many pictures I took this evening - sunday - to post this in time for Cielo's party???? Thirty five shots......yes, that's 35 to get the picture I wanted. Thank goodness for digital cameras or I would have spent a small fortune on film and developing these photos!! So see what I'm talking about. Take lots of shots for your postings. It definitely is worth it.

When we were in Ireland, Love Bunny was too cheap to pay the man at Blarney Castle to take our picture. We bought a new camera for the trip and he wanted me to capture the "Kissing of the Blarney Stone" on film for him. When we had gotten back to the hotel and looked we realized that hubs had put the film in wrong and it didn't "wind" properly! Hence, his kissing of the blarney stone was gone forever to never be caught on film again. To this day he regrets his decision! ;-) Remember this the next time you're too cheap to have it done by a pro!! And take lots of photos for just one picture. I'm telling you that you will NOT be sorry you did, but you'll always regret that you didn't. That's my motto for every single yard sale I go to also!!! LOL
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And now a treat for you gals! A long time sweet friend of mine has come up with such an original idea for tea that I told her I'd tell y'all about it. Katie has put up these "tea bags" for sale. Go to her blog APetalApart to see them and you just might decide you can't live without them. They really are unique. Actual tea bags inside handmade paper roses. A feast for the eyes also!!