My life is to make everything around me beautiful.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Pretty Buttons and Papers!

I did buy more things yesterday just didn't have time to list it all. So here are more goodies.

This little button box is a tin can I found in a shop when we lived in California. I keep lots - hundreds - of buttons in it.

Isn't it cute? I decoupaged that little "connie's buttons" on to it so hubby wouldn't take it for himself; although, with it being pink and purple I doubt he would, but you never know so I'm very cautious. Hah!

These little scrapbook papers are cute too. I think I'm going to incorporate them into a birdhouse. I'm in that mood again to make one. Got a vision, chicks!

Here is a close up of all the buttons. There are buttons I've covered with fabric, buttons of shoes, ballet slippers, bear paws(!), rhinestones, ladies handbags, sparkly ones, old fashioned lady ones, rhinestsones, diamond looking ones, roses, ladybugs, plain, frosted, strawberry - just lots of different ones.

Just another shot of them all. The ones in the jar are frosted. I think I'm going to separate them into colors; although, most of them are pink. But I'm saving my old pickle jars to put the buttons in to make them more visible and "eye candy" and we all know how I feel about "eye candy"! Love it.

Can you see the little flapper one in the left center? She's cute.


In this photo can you see the wooden one with faux diamonds embedded all over it?

Friday, April 4, 2008

Treasures I Found Today!! :-)

I went shopppppinnng today!!!!!! Take a look at just some of the neat things I got.


I saw these green glass stones in a mesh bag and then in a pretty container at the store and knew I had to have them. I love the sea green glass color. Jack said, "You're going to buy those rocks?" Yes, Love Bunny, I am and don't even ask why because I haven't thought on it yet, but they'll be gorgeous no matter where I, your wife, puts them. Well, then that necessitated a stop at Home Depot for some things he needed - screws, straps, pieces of this and that and some such stuff that definitely isn't as wonderful as MY stuff. I waited in the car and listened to the radio while he shopped. Of course I lost my cell phone in the car and couldn't find it but Jack did when he came out. Sigh............

Then I found this darling little birdbath with the little birds on it in this gorgeous verdigris color. That is one of my favorite colors. It looks like your outside copper hose outlet that has turned a tad green/blue and rusty. I know you've seen it but this is darling with some roses I put in it to photograph. I may add something else or maybe more roses.

This is a closer shot of it from higher.

Oh be still my reckless heart!!!! I love this little "window" and I got it for 1/2 off!! What an unexpected pleasure. Jack is hanging it in our living room over the couch in the morning. It's wood and metal with a verdigri medallion in the middle and looks so pretty with the metal scrollwork. Tomorrow more treasures!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Redecorating - AGAIN!!

Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm at it again! BUT I saw the most wonderfully organized and beautiful office in a magazine recently and while my office could probably never look like that, at least I can make it look less cluttered (which I've been thinking and thinking on for months now) and a bit more efficient. Of course, I'm not done but I'm recording my progress here. I do have to say it is definitely less crowded and I can actually walk through the room from the doorway to the window without fear of stepping around things or on things and breaking a leg! This is true!! Now, this room isn't large - maybe 10 x 11 ft. or so. The office in the magazine wasn't much bigger but even a couple of feet each way makes a huge difference. But ya work with what ya got! So read on, chickadees...............

This is the cottage style desk. It is very big and VERY VERY heavy so we can't move it around very much. It's pretty much stuck where it is because of all the things I have hooked up to it for my computer "fluff" and access to filing cabinet, printer, etc. In the very lower left hand corner you can start to see the "CLUTTER" that was in that room. Ooooh my, it was ridiculous. Couldn't even see the carpet.


This little bookshelf holds unnecessary items and my much needed computer books and a few other items, but that's pretty much where it's going to sty..............I think. No, I'm pretty sure it'll stay there. It almost has to.


Okay, this is most of the stuff out of that office/computer room. I've "re-put" it in the sewing room. There are 6 sets of shelving in here and all are pretty much full, but I'll be working on de-cluttering in here also soon. It's just a jumbled up mess in here at the moment. I'll have to "think on it" about how to do this room.


Some of the stuff from the other room is on these shelves and I like them because they are steel and are able to hold much more being 5 instead of 4 like the plastic ones that sag.

I took some old quilts and fabric that I don't use much (which are on the floor now waiting for Jack to put them in a box and up in the attic space over the garage) and put more craft supplies on 2 of the shelves, but I'm going to have to free up more space o those shelves also. Will this never end?!?! If the fire dept. ever saw our attic garage they'd probably fine us for "bringing the neighborhood down"!!

This was the room at one point in all this rearranging. Taking shape but still not done.

Now we're getting closer. In the corner is a little melamine shelf I found in my neighbor's garbage pile when she sold her house and was moving out. Daughter and I made a "midnight run" out to the curb in the stealth of night with black clothes on and our faces smudged with black ash...........no, not really true about the clothes and faces, but it really was done late at night stealthily! LOL

Anyway, we got the little shelf and I just had it sitting in the room until I put it in the corner. I stole, oh excuse me, I mean confiscated, a piece of plywood that Jack had in the garage from working on his "model train room" and laid it on top and covered it with a vintage lace cloth. I've tacked the cloth to the wall as the backdrop for my photo shoot for selling my items on ebay or wherever I put them. I still haven't found just the "right" items to use for that space for the photo shoot. I like roses and will use them but I think it needs a bit of greenery also or maybe a teacup? Hmmmm, have to think on it. But more items will be added to the wall. I just love walls with lots of "eye candy" on them!

As you can see it's still not completely decluttered of some items, but I've got to find space in the sewing room. I love my little window seat in this room. It faces the street and I can see my front yard and the rose bushes. It's not especially comfortable to sit in that window seat but it adds so much to the room visually that I truly love it.

Enough about the room now..........I'm tired already. But this is a little antique cake cover/server I found at a garage sale. It's kind of unique in that the bottom has a lever that you move to release the top from the bottom. I'm putting this on to show you the "before" picture because I'm sending it to a friend, Rhea, to paint for me. I just took it down from the soffit in my kitchen and didn't even dust it for this picture. Yep, that is truly dust on it. Rhea, I will dust it before I send it, honey!!

See the little release lever on it? Plus the top looks like copper and the bottom is aluminum. I've never seen one like it but it is in great shape with only one little dent in the cover.

I made this little bird nest about 20 years ago and decided to give you a bit of "eye candy" today. It is adorable! The little teapot in back I got at Macy's probably 20 years ago also and is one of my favorite things.

I'm giving you a preview of a little shelf in my bedroom that will be redone soon also. Will I never stop working on this house?!?! Anyway, there is a little doll that I've had since I was a baby. It's a little indian doll that my parents bought when we were traveling across country and is over 60 years old for sure but I just love displaying things like that. The little basket was made by my son in scout camp so it's over 35 years old because he's 45 tomorrow. I may put this in the office is why I'm showing it to you. But then I'll have to find something else to put on this wall.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

My Chick and Roses Plate


I gave away one of these plates recently but had one for myself. I just finished it and hung it in my kitchen on the soffit. It is sooooo pretty in person.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

New Chandelier Shades

I got a new chandelier last year and hubby didn't think it would go in our little humble home (or cottage as I affectionately call it) when I bought it. Little do men know!! Anyway, after putting it up and adding my decorations he finally said it looked beautiful in there - without me even asking what he thought! So I've been trying to find just he right shades for them. I finally did on Bertie's website. They just arrived this morning and I put them on and WOW do they make a difference in the room. They have little roses, lace and beads, but what makes them truly unique is that they are made from vintage wedding gowns. Oh, my are they stunning!! It is very difficult to get good pictures in this room at this time of day (morning) but you get the idea. Thank you so much, Bertie!! I truly do love them.