My Favorite Room and Rooms

Just another reminder to visit my pinterest page once again. Currently there are almost 13,000 photos on there and all are quite beautiful. Join the 10,062 followers and look and drool. As I've said, I'll never get them all on this blog and I'd love for you to see them.
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This is my favorite room of all time. I've loved, loved, LOVED this room from the first moment I saw it. Just cozy and colorful enough for me. It was in the very first catalog given to me the first time I went into Ethan Allen about 20 years ago. I still have that catalog and now purchase just about all our furniture from EA. But I've put several rooms that I love on here and I'll do another post on more of them soon. So just sit back and relax.

The color pink will always draw me in, but this room arrangement, columns and the view from the french doors are a draw for me also.

I'm dazzled by what this homeowner did with the windows. How cute can it get?! This room overlooks an orchard so it's definitely appropriate.

While the colors are a bit muted for my taste, I love the stone wall with fireplace and the coziness of it all. A very inviting room in which to sit, read and relax.

I'm going to guess this is an English home and it is adorable. I love the colors of the room, the leather chair—a prerequisite for coziness in my book, and the tidiness of such a small room.

Chairs are a fascination of mine also in decorating. I love the one on the bottom right. The sofa is one I'd have in my home also. All-in-all a beautiful room with pink touches, stone walls, beautiful doors and windows and, again, coziness.

Another English country room, even if it isn't in England. Warm. Inviting. Cozy.

While a bit grand for my taste and budget, it's a totally gorgeous room. I love rooms with books in them since I'm such an avid reader. Actually, I read paperbacks and then go to the used book store and turn them in and get a discount on my next stash of books. It's rare that I'd only buy a few at a time. I usually get 15 or more at a time to keep me supplied. I freak out when I'm down to my last 2 books and have to go to the book store to replenish. My decorating books are kept in bookcases in my living room and office/computer room.

A bit prissy in the drape department but still a gorgeous room. I love the double-sided sofa in the room. Lots of chairs for conversations also. I really do like this room. I just couldn't afford it. BTW, those old steam radiators are the most efficient and even-heating ever. We had steam radiator heating in our last HUGE house and it was the best heat in the world. It was even throughout the house. There were radiators along the baseboards and not those seen under the window below, but I'd have the one below in any room in a heartbeat. They are great. No blowing air on you, just heat.

I'd love to have a room big enough for 2 or 3 sofas like this. Everyone could stretch out just fine this way and I think it's cheaper than a lot of chairs around. At any rate, I do love this room and especially the chandelier. Again, beyond my budget. ;-)

This is relatively close to the first photo on here and I love this one almost as much. I think it's the pink sofa. But I find it stunning and, again, cozy.

Yes, it's a grand room but I love it. Scale down those windows and ceiling height and it could be more affordable.

This one is just an average room but decorated stunningly for comfort, livability and coziness. The colors appeal to me also.

While it looks unattainable for most people, this room could definitely be scaled down to be affordable for most homeowners. It's the details that make this a gorgeous, rich-looking room: the coffered ceilings, the murals on the wall. Other than that it is elegant, beautiful AND affordable for some.

This room is one of the few modern rooms I like. It exudes comfort and coziness. A great view helps also.

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Linking up with Pink Saturday.

Pony Rides and Rambling 12/4/2013

I invite you to visit my pinterest to see all the beautiful rooms, gardens and eye candy I put on there. I now have 12,870 images and 10,030 followers. It really is quite delightful to visit there. I have absolutely nothing to gain by pinning or doing it, just the love of seeing gorgeous images and to dream. I just love looking at beautiful things as I'm very visual.
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As Alexandra Stoddard once stated in a pamphlet, "No one should deprive themselves of the joy of color because color choices, unlike most choices, aren't a matter of money. You are free to select the colors that put a smile on your face and edit out the rest. Living with refreshing, life-enhancing colors in your room, in the clothes you wear as well as the paraphernalia in your handbag and and the accessories on your desk can do wonders to your spirit. Color to me is one of the gifts of grace that is ours to select and a tool to help us live beautifully."
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My sweet little 3 1/2 year old great granddaughter is now doing something I taught her. When she meets someone, she is to shake their hand and say, "I'm dazzled to meet you." She picked that up real fast and people are astounded how well-mannered she is. That is NOT to say she's perfect because that little chick is a pip, trust me! She also was treated to a very nice surprise from a friend of mine who lives in Mt. Home, Idaho. She arranged for Caroline and Juliette (1 year old great granddaughter) to have a ride in a pony cart last week. Caroline loved it! She was in a cart that held 3 people and then she got to actually ride the pony. She had the most excited expression on her face and talked about it all night. When we got home Caroline told her mother: "I had a great adventure tonight, mummy."

A sweet red bathroom. It looks tiny but still has space for a cupboard. See what you can do with small spaces? They don't have to be ugly and frumpy. They can definitely be gorgeous.

I don't think there's anything more enticing than ice cream with cherries or strawberries on top. I remember years ago eating them at our local drug store in Norfolk, VA. and having a Coke with it. Those were definitely th' days: drug stores with counters for shakes and even sandwiches.

I just loved this entrance with the curving of the door, the mailbox right outside and a bench to sit on. Gorgeous.

Snow coming soon. I can't wait. I wish it would snow a lot this season. I love snow and it gives me an excuse to stay home and be a slug!

Cute potting room. Maybe it's part greenhouse also. Just look at all those vegetables.

You do know I love sparkly bottles, right? Well, this owner has outdone herself. Beautiful!

Love the lace garment with ribbon/fabric flowers decked across a French wicker chair.

One of many colorful buildings in a foreign country. Looks to be like Italy or France.

A stunning dining room.

And a stunning kitchen. I love a white kitchen. Have you seen the new ranges/ovens that you can put in 3 big cookie sheets? I just saw one the other day in Sunset magazine and lusted for a bit. Just a bit though. Because if I had it I'd have to cook/bake more and that ain't happening!

I could live with this little beauty, but at the moment I'm very happy with the little footstools I've made over with duck cloth. Plus I saved a lot of money doing what I did.

Hold me back!!!! I love chocolate on chocolate on chocolate.

This is one of the styles of furniture I love. Isn't it gorgeous?

This looks like it's cordoned off so I'm guessing it's a display somewhere. But it is beautiful and I'd love having it in my home.

Now, I have to admit that this little beauty and this setting would definitely entice me to go camping. I shan't mention it to Love Bunny or he just might try to go out and find one so I'll camp with him again. But this is a beautiful dinner setting for a trailer.

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What I've Been Making

My granddaughter, her hubby and their girls are here visiting. Of course you know they're the cutest great grandgirls in th' world, right? ;-) But I've been busy just getting things ready for their arrival and departure. I've been de-stashing this house as you may know and a lot of it is going to their new home in Woodinville, Wa.

I've been collecting some Fancy Nancy books for Caroline. Also, I've pulled down from the plant ledge over my kitchen the little cute houses I collected for several years. They are really cutesy so the girls will get 4 each for their bedrooms. The little "C" below also goes to Caroline. Someone from a group I was in many years ago gave it to me and I've had it perched on the top of the archway going from our living room to our dining room. It's time to give it up also.

Then I decided I wanted a pillow for my new living room chair. You'll see it below. I have a lot of that drop cloth left over from other things I've done so I went with that for the pillow.

I have a back pillow for another living room chair but I didn't especially like it so I unzipped it and used the insides for the new pillow, not realizing that the pillow was feathers. When I opened up the covering, I noticed a color beneath the thick fabric and thought it was kapok or shredded foam. It was feathers so I knew I'd have feathers all over the sewing/craft room. I took out about 1/4 to 1/3 of them, sewed it back up and saved the extra feathers in a bag to use some other time. But drop cloths being a very loose weave I have to sew around all the edges to secure them from unraveling. When I finished stuffing the feathers in and was sewing the opening closed I noticed a few areas on the ruffle that could unravel at some point. I simply ran around the ruffle edge with a "sealing" decorative stitch. See the photo below where I show it up close and what it looks like.

These are all the little houses.

This is a closeup on the left.

And this is a closeup on the right. I think th' girls will love them. Caroline is at the age where she wants "glam" everywhere. Can you hear me squealing?! Yessss, I have a froufrou great granddaughter with curly BIG hair!!! I can hardly contain myself.

This is the chair the aforementioned pillow now resides on. I love the look.

A bit different shot.

I attached a pretty ribbon flower on it.

This is our last initial so it's appropriate.

Here is the decorative stitch I mentioned above.

Does it seem like I'm fixated on the laundry room right now? I love my laundry room and it is unique. Not large at all but very accommodating for the two of us. It's a walk-through room to our garage so you know what I mean. I made it pizzazzy!

This is my second all time favorite painting by Susan Rios. I love her art. I discovered it back in the 80s in California. I saw the lithograph in Martin Lawrence gallery in San Jose and immediately bought it. I think at that time it was $500 but well worth it to me. Another lithograph hangs in my living room and that is one of three of my all-time favorites of here. I have small paintings of hers on my living room wall also. They're prints on canvas actually, a very affordable way to have some of your favorites if you can't afford the originals. I can't! They go for tens of thousands of dollars. That's not in my budget, trust me.

I adore these little Green Gate tins. I'd love to have them but I'm just not going to spend the money or shipping charges from Denmark.

Isn't this fireplace screen gorgeous? This mosaic artist has a good eye for detail. Gorgeous!

I love cute mugs but since we don't drink coffee it would be a waste to have too many. Hubby drinks a cup of hot chocolate every night; I drink one every once in a while.

Beautiful and colorful flowers.

No, this is not my bathroom, but it's definitely gorgeous and I'd love to have it.

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Linking up with Pink Saturday.  

Just Jabberin' Today 11/19/2013

This is my laundry room just above the washer and dryer. For years I used a large box of Tide with a handle on top and one on the side to pull it down to use when I'm doing laundry. Well, I've had to tape it with very strong duct tape to hold it together as it's getting a bit flimsy. So I tried a pretty box that was strong to put my detergent in. After a while I thought it might break the small metal handle. So I looked around the internet and found this metal one at Pottery Barn for $29 and hubs said to go ahead and get it since I just couldn't make up my mind. So here it is and it may get painted white and decals put on it. We'll see. But it fits there perfectly at 8" X 8" square, very strong and not so tall that it wouldn't fit in there. Score!!! I love it; however, I didn't throw away the old Tide box. Why do they change styles on things that we love and worked for us? I don't think a mother/woman/executive would design like men are doing now. No, I am not a feminist but women do have a different view as to what works for woman who are homemakers. I absolutely love being home all the time.

Okay, this is my very first foray into buying Cath Kidston. Squeeeeallll!!! I've always loved her style but especially her dishes. So recently with a coupon and free shipping I bought these 4 gorgeous little bowls...

and these 3 cups. Hubby has his own favorite mug to drink hot chocolate out of so I just got three for me. I'm telling you they are simply gorgeous in person. These are called Stanley mugs and are much bigger than one of our "regular" mugs here in the U.S. They had a Crush mug but it was a bit smaller I think and a bit different in its shape. But I chose these Stanley mugs and love displaying them in my kitchen.

I really do like the look of some French things around my house, but I'm not one to go all-white. I love pink and that's what color my home is. I just couldn't have all white as I'd find it too boring. I love color! So after making over those little foot stools with drop cloth fabric (see that post here), I'm also going to make a pillow or two for some chairs. I have so many beautiful pillows I've bought over the years and hate to get rid of them but it might just have to happen. Granddaughter will have first choice when she's here for Thanksgiving and then the rest might go on eBay. Many are feather-filled pillows. Some are beautiful European prints. All are gorgeous. If any of you are interested, send me an email and I'll take pictures of all of them and you can make your choice. I'm not going to bother putting them all on here. I'll just take some pictures and keep them for any inquiries, but I doubt you'll be disappointed in any of them.

I actually love the look of things like this out in the open. I don't have a large kitchen, in fact, it's small, just the size for senior citizens (that's old people to some of you) and people who don't like cooking everyday and love eating out (that's ME!). I don't have enough space in my kitchen to do this, but I have vases and beautiful pitchers holding kitchen utensils in my kitchen.

What a delightfully colored chandelier.

I like the look of this mosaic table but I'd paint it white. I do love white furniture.

Another squeeeeeallll! Isn't this adorable? I saw it on the internet and have no idea who did it but I'd love to have one to hang on my porch.

See what you can do with a plain ol' chest! Jazz it up with stencils. I find it darling.

Now this? Ooooohmygosh. Of course, I love Christie Repasy's art but she outdid herself with this little gem. I'd love to have it but I'm not willing to pay high prices this probably got. My hubby would probably faint if I spent money on something that looks like it's falling apart. He just doesn't get it and never will. ;-)

I'm going to make one of these to hold...something, just haven't figured out what. But if it turns out cute then I'll make one for a giveaway. Wouldn't you like something this cute to hang in your laundry room? I already have 3 darling ones I made hanging in mine but there's always room for a few others. :-)

Yes, I also like these little baskets but I don't have room for a lot of "fluff" around here. I would dearly love to have one though as I'm very visual and just looking at gorgeous things makes my heart flutter and my eyes glaze over.

I'm old enough to remember these drying frames and love seeing my whites hanging on a line drying. The sun actually bleaches them naturally for you and just seeing them out there brings back memories to me. I recently found some indoor drying racks on a pulley system in the UK but they were several hundred dollars and that ain't gonna fly with this chick! They were really nice looking and would be great to have for winter time and if you didn't have a dryer.

I'm not this organized but I love looking at it. I rarely give gifts so I don't wrap a lot of things. But when I do wrap it's on the kitchen table. I hate wrapping packages. I really do.

And I love looking at white linens. That reminds me that I need some new sheets. I have some Lily Pulitzer pink patterned ones and I love them but apparently she isn't selling sheets anymore as I cannot find any. I also love very high thread count sheets and will only sleep on great sheets. I feel the difference actually. My daughter bought 600 count sheets just for her spare bedroom for when we visit. She was taught well by her mother! That would be ME!

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