Decor – Page 7 – Skies of Parchment

October 28, 2010March 20, 2013

Brewing: Beauty Thoughts and Project Irreversable

Since My Faire Lady and her two festivals are now over [we did a second with a bit more success than the first – yay!], I have a million projects running through my mind for my house. Okay, so not a million. That sounds juvenile. :)

But a lot. As in, I lie in bed at night, before I sleep, there visions of interior design projects that run through my mind. I would love to be an interior designer. At least, that’s what I think from this side. But I’ve never had any formal training other than what I read and observe on my own. So perhaps it’s not as glamorous on the other side as what it seems to be, because I’ve heard interior design is hard work. But I just think it would be so fun to go into someone’s home and beautify it for them.

The thing of finding beauty has been something God has been teaching me, especially the past four years. My years before that were spent in a geographically gorgeous area; the past four years are really not what one would call gardens of any kind. Sure, there are pockets of geographically beautiful land scattered here and there, but one has to look for it. This subject was just brought up to me again within the past few weeks with a few friends and sisters, the subject of finding beauty.

I’ve grown up with an appreciation for beauty – whether it’s architecture [my father is a real estate agent, and as a child I remember driving around dramatic neighborhoods admiring the roof pitch, the color scheme chosen, the angles, the details], landscape, wardrobe/accessories, interior design, floral design… And it seemed that I was simply immersed in beauty for much of my life. I have an uncle who is a phenomenal artist who resides in New York City, I have relatives who are so incredibly gifted in creating beautiful atmospheres and homes and dinners…

Four years ago, when my husband and I moved 800 miles south, I wasn’t prepared for the geographical difference. Where is the beauty?? I would moan to myself. And sometimes I still long for the four dramatic seasons, for an autumn where there is a glorious changing of color, where there is crisp weather for hay rides and barn parties as in my youth. Somehow the 90′ weather of today doesn’t seem too much like autumn. And I really don’t want to run the air conditioner on Christmas day. I really really don’t.

And yet, God is showing me that there is beauty to be found. Granted, it must be searched for. And no, it wouldn’t win world awards or anything like that. Down by the islands, yes indeed.

But even more than that, I often think of the quote by Amy Carmichael, who said,

“In acceptance lieth peace.”

It is true, that as long as we are fighting the place that God has put us in, we will not see the beauty. But in the acceptance of His will, there is rest of heart and soul, and there are new eyes to see beauty around us. There is something about that soul peace, that quietness and rest within the depths of who we are, knowing that we are right with God and that we are surrendered to Him.

And also, in the seeking of God Himself, it seems that there are windows and doors that open within us and rivers that flow out of our very soul – expressing His beauty within our lives, and in the way we live our lives. I think this looks different in every person. For some, it’s pursuing dreams, for others, it could be as varied [but not limited to] as: teaching, MOPS groups, photography, orphan ministry, leading women’s ministry groups, interior design, culinary skills, a heart that always seems to notice when someone needs help and knowing how to practically meet that need, people that care well for others, inner city missions and ministries, children’s clubs and ministries, moms meeting together to pray for their public high school children, people who speak words of encouragement… There is an endless list, really. But it seems that is all flows out of a heart who is surrendered and at peace with God. It flows – it is not forced, and it brings blessing… It springs from a heart who is first seeking God; not seeking to be great at any of the above mentioned [and not mentioned] things.

All that to say, I am realizing that as I come to deeper places of surrender with God, that He places a fuller dimension of Himself within me. And it will always continue to be so – there will always be more places of surrender, and until Heaven, I will not experience and know Him perfectly. I wish, but I won’t. That’s one of the many things to look forward to about Heaven!

I think the giftings within us tend to simply flow out of us the more we learn to know God more. I loved this quote by A. W. Tozer that I read the other morning, speaking of that issue:

“Our gifts and talents should be recognized for what they are,
God’s loan to us,
and should never be considered in any sense our own.”
We have no more right to claim credit for special abilities
than for blue eyes and strong muscles.”

I LOVED this quote. Because there are soooo many varied giftings within every person. No two are exactly alike; not one is better than another. But they are all loans from God, to showcase Himself to the people and the world around us. That means EVERYONE has something to offer, no matter what the gifts. If they are from God, they are unique, they are of incredible worth, and they are given for a purpose of showcasing God. Not for any personal credit or discredit.

Those are just a few of my thoughts today…

———————————————————————————————-

And a project…

My husband called me on his way home yesterday…

I said, Um, I was working on a project today.
He said, Okay, what was it?
I said, Uhh, it’s a secret.
He said, Oh really? So what is it?
I said, It’s a secret. But I really hope you like it, because this is irreversible.
He said, Irreversible, huh? So did you paint the piano? Tear out drywall? Paint the ceiling?
I said, Oh no no no, nothing that drastic. But still, rather hard to undo.
He was nervous.

I’m telling you. This husband of mine is a brave one. And he’s really good about letting me act upon my ideas. Even though sometimes he won’t tell me for years later that he really didn’t like that curtain the hallway, and I wonder why he didn’t tell me because it really wasn’t a big deal!

This was my brewing Project Irreversible:

My music tree. I’ve been dreaming of it for months. I needed something beside my mantel and behind the baby grand. And I wanted a tree.

But not a wallwords tree, not a fabric tree, not a painted tree. I wanted something unique. And because this is the music room, and because I dreamt of majoring in music once upon a time…

A very sweet friend sent me a beautifully ancient book of antiqued brown sheet music, and I bought a few more music books off of ebay for a few dollars, thus varying the page shades.

A MUSIC TREE.

[I do think I need to move that center bird cage… It hides her too much. And I need to move the paper balls. Leftovers from My Faire Lady that I don’t know what to do with.]

Now that she’s up, I’m not sure I’m quite as in love with her as I thought. [I call the tree a “she” because she is too delicate and fine to be called an “it”].

I’m rather afraid she looks like a giant spider spread across the wall behind my baby grand in the music room. Does she??

She sure was fun to make though. It only look me about two hours.

But like I told Husband, It’s irreversible. She GLUED to the wall. Taking her off would be a bit difficult.

I do like her. But I know what she is, a musical tree. I just really hope is that a spider on the wall doesn’t pop into people’s minds when they see her.

And directly opposite of her, above the desk is this…

Husband thinks it’s a slightly an overkill on the whole music idea. Too much of a good thing is too much, that reasoning? He is probably right. But he is very willing to bear with his impulsive wife. :)

This wall is just little strips of tape holding these sheets up. I rather like them. As for the desk underneath it, well, that best remains hidden at this point. Too much stuff to clear off of it for a picture. :)

And another little project yesterday: a halter-style kitchen apron. For sale on My Faire Lady on facebook. :)

And that’s all for now!

A lovely autumn weekend to you!

Camping is involved in our weekend plans. Wish me forbearance.
Rustic camping isn’t my forte. :)
But happy company is, so that compensates!

~clarita

October 14, 2010February 20, 2017

My Kitchen at the Cottage {before and after}

This house has been a dream come true for me. After renting a rather dark and what felt like gloomy house for almost four years, I have been so delighted to actually have our own little home! Yes, it’s little. Only two bedrooms, about 1500 square feet altogether. It’s little. But it’s oh, so cozy. And so full of natural light! I LOVE that. And there is no landlord that says what we can or can’t do. :) Poor husband, now that his wife is let loose!

I felt really stifled in that rental, but you know, I think it was really good for me. For one, it makes our own house so much more special. And two, I think I learned creativity and contentment in a whole new way at the rental house. It wasn’t a natural cute house, so it took a lot of effort to make it cute, without pointing out all the unattractive things about the house. It was a real stretch especially in being content. I can’t say that I mastered that area, but I do feel like the Lord really helped me grow in that. And I keep growing even now.

I think the kitchen in our new house is one of my very favorite rooms. Yeah, well, they’re ALL my favorite. :) But this is especially a favorite. A lot because our rental house had a very very tiny galley kitchen in the middle of the house – no windows, only an overhead florescent light, and if more than two people were in the kitchen it felt overwhelming.

My new kitchen still isn’t large, but most standards. But to me, coming from a teeny kitchen previously, it feels HUGE!

First impressions, though, weren’t very pretty. It was almost the exact colors that were in our rental. Yuck!

BEFORE:

In the middle of January, in 30′ weather, this was very depressing. I had a hard time seeing potential in this place!

Brown and yellow put together may come back one day, but I dare say it will not be for me.

We tore out some walls in between the kitchen and dining room and living room. It made the front of the house seem twice as big, and so roomy and spacious. The kitchen was probably the most work out of any other room in the house.

THIS was my kitchen inspiration photo. I think it came from Better Homes & Gardens. My colors and basic theme came from this.

Of course there are differences that and MY kitchen – they are two totally different houses! So here’s my version… That cool flooring went in a bathroom instead of the kitchen.

So this is AFTER!

Entering the kitchen from the living room and dining room… Ben added these beams, which came from an old house locally.

The hardwoods were refinished, along with the rest of the house. I love the painted floor look too, but it wouldn’t have worked well with our open floor plan.

I made these 12 X 12 burlap squares, thinking they would go by a fireplace, but they seemed to fit here. These are words that describe what I want our home to be like: lots of love and affirmation, peace and comfort and rest, and lots of fun and joy.

The chalkboard in the kitchen was an idea I had wanted since years ago – partly for looks, because I think chalkboards are awesome, despite their ever-growing popularity, and partly because supper time can often be a crazy time of day at our house, and I thought this would keep the girls entertained instead of following me around every inch of the kitchen.

If you look on the first picture, it says, “Let’s celebrate Ben!”, from his party back in August. (see how long ago I shot these pictures?) But it’s covered in little scribbles. So yay, my hopes for this area being child entertainment are fulfilled!

Plus, it’s one of the first things you see upon entering the front door, so it makes a fun way to welcome guests!

For the top of the chalkboard, I dry-brush painted two metal grates that I had found at an antique shop years ago, then tied jute string from one end of the other and clipped pictures of our friends onto it, wash-line style.

Entering the kitchen a bit more… Having a window above my sink is dreamy!

And can you believe that Mr. Husband surprised me with this apron-front sink?? I could scarcely believe it when he told me. This is what I really wanted in here, but gracious, they’re expensive. So this is my birthday and Christmas and birthday and Christmas and birthday and Christmas gift for the next decade. :) We tried to justify the $$ because we really didn’t spend that much on the rest of the kitchen. :)

Ben added crown molding on the ceiling, and also on the top of the cabinets to make it look like staggered heights. This side is existing cabinetry, with the doors removed on the top half. We did order all new doors for the kitchen. [side note: we ordered them online instead of in-person, and they were way too “fussy” in real life. I would have preferred something a bit simpler had I known].

The chandelier was a $7 auction find.

A close-up of the apron-front. I love this baby! Not only does she look lovely and old and vintage-y…

… and fit so well with the butcher block counter top that Ben made out of old 2×4’s out of walls torn out of the house [isn’t that just precious??]…

… but it was perfect for bathing little children before the tub was hooked up…

… and it’s a perfect height for a little girl who loves to wash lettuce and is always asking to help in the kitchen.

One more peek at her. :)

Quite frankly, there is nothing I don’t love about this sink!

I chose the rainy-day blue color because I wanted a cool-feeling kitchen. The color is “Kittery Blue” in eggshell finish from Benjamin Moore, but we mixed pure white with it as well to soften it – the color was too bright blue for me.

It is so hot so much of the year where we live, and i didn’t want a “hot” color to where i’d feel like i was roasting along with my dinner. I think this is the reason I chose cooler colors throughout most of the house, which is quite unlike me, really. I have always loved COLOR. And now I still like color, but more splashes of color than rooms of color. Even though I still people’s bright colors and think to myself how lovely it looks and perhaps i should have done that too… :)

Details in the window cupboards… Wanting it to feel cozy, not sterile (though definitely clean!).

I love my open cabinets. It feels so comfortable. Not sure why, but it does. And guests know where my glasses and everything are. No opening five cupboard doors before finding the right one!

My open cabinets were inspired by The Lettered Cottage and A Country Farmhouse in particular, and a few other magazine sources.

I had so many white/silver/glass dishes, so I didn’t go out and buy many at all. I did add a few little things I found for a dollar or two at junk shops.

Fun little cups I picked up at my favorite little junk shop. These are our chocolate milk glasses. :)

These are my fave. So sweet and cute.

This mirror was randomly placed here soon after we moved, when we tried to clean up the house one day to get ready for guests. And what do you know, but I really liked it there. So it stays! I dry-brush painted this gold frame, and I love how it made the molding stand out. This is also my little picture board while I’m washing dishes. Seeing happy faces while I’m cleaning up seems to make the job happier!

This reads, “peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” [unknown] I so often need this reminder!

A container [found at Goodwill – does anyone even know how much I love Goodwill??] filled with glass vases. Sometimes this is emptied out and used at a salad bowl for company. And sometimes the vases are gone and scattered all over the house, holding various flower arrangements and buds.

And the third fireplace of the house is in the kitchen. Believe it or not. I can’t wait to use it in the winter! I think I will actually like cooking and baking then!

Little girl who follows me around the house while I shoot pictures. :)

And another look I’ve had on this mantel. It’s fun to change it around a bit, but I know I will not be one of those people who changes their mantels every single season. Because, with 5 fireplaces, that would be 20 different mantel-scapes, and I know is not going to happen here!

My baking corner. Pretty much all I need to bake with (pans, mixing bowls, ingredients, beaters, refrigerator) is within arms reach.

Ben also made this concrete counter top. Yeah, he can do pretty much anything he sets his mind to. It all started when we began pricing new counter tops, and were blown away with how expensive they are! My ever-frugal husband began thinking of alternatives to the classic counter tops, and decided to experiment with this. The only cost was a few boards to frame up the counter top and the concrete to pour in it. Very very inexpensive.

People that make concrete counter tops as a business must have formulas and things for different colors. We didn’t, so it was pure experimentation. He added some black dye in the concrete when he first made it, but it only turned it a light grey, and we both wanted a charcoal color. So he rubbed ebony wood stain on top after it was dry, and then sealed it. It turned to the perfect color. I think he’s a genius. :)

Now that we’ve lived with it for a while, I still LOVE it. However, we would go with grout sand rather than concrete sand. It would make a smoother finish.

We searched online for “DIY concrete countertops” and found various blogs and tutorials.

I love the practicality of it as well – my pans can come directly out of the oven and be set on the counter.

Ben took away the old yellow vinyl and replaced it with beadboard. I really like this look.

Bamboo and white tongs in one jar, black and stainless steel in another. I’m funny about that.

A flat-top stove! Very, very exciting after my vintage model at our rental. :) I kept trying to tell myself that “Hey, vintage is cool!” but I wasn’t able to convince myself. A flat-top feels so clean and I have been loving it! We did get all new appliances in the kitchen.

Can you believe that my dear friend Linda found this at a yard sale for TWO DOLLARS, and GAVE it to me?? I couldn’t believe that she didn’t keep it for herself!

And now after seeing my perfectly clean kitchen, looking like it’s never used, I’ll clear up that illusion and tell you that this is what it looks like quite often. Almost daily, in fact. Except without the cookies.

Ben made these cabinets on this side, but we ordered doors.

And now you know that I live in a real world. :) Yes, I realize it does not look safe for my children to be on the counter. But if you only knew how happy they are to be up there with me, you’d allow it too. And yes, I do stay close by. Except when taking pictures. :)

Once more, before:

And

After!

[I think a round jute rug would look so very cozy right in the center of the kitchen, but where do I find one for super cheap??]

Thanks for taking my little long tour!

~clarita

Sources:
Farmhouse Sink: signaturehardware.com

Blue wall color: Kittery Blue; Benjamin Moore, in eggshell, mixed half/half with pure white trim paint [edit: this is discontinued. the closest thing I could find was ‘Harbor Fog’ by Benjamin Moore. This Harbor Fog would not need to be diluted or altered; it’s the closest match to the finished wall color that I could find.]

Butcher Block Color: Waterlox (a food-grade sealer), multiple coats, no poly

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about the butcher block countertop through messages, so I’ll answer a bit here:

The kitchen butcher block countertops are made from reclaimed Antique Southern Pine. We then used only Waterlox, multiple layers (like 4-6!) because poly isn’t food-grade safe. The Waterlox does give a water-proof sealant, and also a bit of natural color although it’s not considered a stain. We didn’t use any color/stain on the countertops. The amber color came because of the Antique Pine and combination of Waterlox.

Cabinet color: Dove White, by Sherwin Williams

Floor Stain: Dark Walnut; Minwax

Cabinet doors: cabinet door world

October 8, 2010March 20, 2013

My Faire Lady

Well, we did it!

We went and had our first debut into the big wide business world of pretties and cutesy little things!

Thanks for all the sweet words and comments on the last post. Actually quite a few of the last posts! Sure is a great vote of confidence! :) You all make my day with your comments! Thank you all!

Back to My Faire Lady…

As usual, I only took a couple hundred pictures. :/ So to try to decide which pictures to post was a bit challenging. I decided on showing a lot of pictures rather than just a couple.

That’s your warning that this is a really long picture post!

As I said last time, this was a brainstorm I had a few months ago – to make some pretties and see if we could sell them at a local festival day. We thought it if does well, we’ll be excited and have a little extra money. Housewives always like a little extra money, you know? And if it doesn’t do so well, then, hey, at least we tried it!

So, at the end of this post I’ll tell you which of the two it was. :)
Until then, here is

My Faire Lady

itself!

The grand debut!

Thanks for coming and visiting! :)

The little booth… [and I could elaborate about how the setting up the tent the night before was a near-nightmare experience and how we ended up going and getting this nice new one last minute… Whew…]

Linda and Veronica showing our wares. :) It’s the beginning of the day and we’e super excited!

Our little sign, which I painted on an old panel.

Peeking inside the tent…

And inside! Some of our pretties!

VERONICA’S PRETTIES:

….she made the cute little pillowcase-style dresses on the bottom of the rack.

closer up…

… she made an assortment of cute little flowers…
and if you look on the bottom right of this picture there are ribbon headbands that she made for little babies, with a bit of elastic at the bottom to fit all size of babies heads….

…more of those ribbon headbands…

… and just clip one of these flowers onto it and your baby girl will be good to go!

Ribbon Pacifier clips, in white, pink, and blue.

LINDA’S CREATIONS:

Absolutely darling cream bags, with a homemade champagne flower. I could hardly resist buying one of these!

Really cool pillows.

Monogrammed kitchen hand towels.

Diaper Clutches, which hold a slim wipes box and 2 diapers. This is one of the greatest investments you’ll make as a mother! Trust me on this!

And a grand assortment of many colors and styles.

Chalkboard and Jute vases. Shown with a lovely fall arrangement.
ORIGINAL idea by Linda herself. Please congratulate her. I think they are sooo cute!!

White window panels. These are very similar to the ones I made for my dining room, but lighter weight, and with ruffles on the top and bottom. Just precious.

and
CLARITA’S COLLECTION
[that would be me. :)]

Kitchen aprons…

Lots and lots and lots of paper balls.

Clipboards in small and large.

Baby Girl burp cloths…

…sold in a set of three.

Baby Boy burp cloths…

…also sold in a set of three.
Whew, I was glad to be done making these. I love how they turned out, but they took soooo long to make!

Hair pretty holders in pink…

and brown.

and they were signed. Just for when we’re famous, you know. :) Ha ha!

Pillows – in white…

…and in charcoal.

And in some numbers. Copying Pottery Barn a bit here.

And flowers. I can’t forget the flowers.
This was a really fun experiment. I found tha the more sheer the fabric is, the better it curls.
I like the curly, cottage-rose look.
Some of the satin-y fabric were really pretty too…

Tiny 2″ flowers…

4″ flowers displayed on a tree branch.

These were headbands, with approximately 4″ flowers.

…adding some feathers…

…adding a little bit of vintage-y lace…

And the prettiest thing there – though not for sale! – my little sweetie, who got her first face painting at the fair!
She was so proud of that little cupcake. :)

And that is a glimpse of our little booth at My Faire Lady!
Of course, real life is much better than simply a visual tour, but thanks for visiting anyway!

Because, see, it was such a fun day, and we were glad we did it!

But see, we discovered too late that we were rather out of our league that day.

See, there was this little plastic pumpkin stand directly behind us. Not real pumpkins.
Plastic.
Yep, sure were.
From Walmart, we think.
“Wow, sure are cheezy…” I thought to myself. Shhhhh. Don’t tell.
And then little leaves and scarecrow faces were drawn on the plastic pumpkins.
And people’s names; last name, then all the family members.
“Definitely not my front porch item,” I also thought.

Well, what. do. you. know.

But that little pumpkin stand was cranking out the pumpkins and scarecrows and leaves just as fast as they could write/draw on those little plastic pumpkins. They were quite amazing in their speed too. I was quite impressed.

And by the end of the day, the three of us [Linda, Veronica, and I]
laughed ourselves almost silly because the plastic pumpkin stand was almost wiped out
and here we were, with nary a thing sold from our darling little booth.
Well, almost nary a thing.
About enough to pay for our booth fee.

No kidding.

Of course, we were prejudiced, beings that we made everything and all.

But seriously, plastic pumpkins over cutesy little beautifuls???
It really was quite funny.
And quite sad.

So, now, I have 5 years worth of gifts left over. :))

OR,

you can check out our page on facebook –
My Faire Lady –
and buy anything that you’d like!

[That’s just my little plug]

:))

~Happy weekend to you!

How can it be anything BUT happy when the weather is the most glorious 70′ since over half a year ago?!
Shrimp saining for us tomorrow on the islands!

~clarita

September 23, 2010March 20, 2013

Making Pretties

My online time the couple of months has been greatly limited, due to a three main things.

1. The daily joys and challenges of being a wife, mother, household-keeper, laundress, chef, grounds-keeper, teacher-of-how-children-should-get-along [to one’s own children]…

2. The weekly involvement in a Bible Study with four girls from our church’s youth group. I LOVE LOVE this… even though finding the time to studying amidst #1 can be challenging some weeks.

3. The preparation for My Faire Lady!

This was a brainstorm that happened upon me a few months ago – the idea to have a little booth at a local festival, exhibiting a few little things that are homemade. Cute homemade. ;)

[ruffled pillows, in charcoal and [not shown] in white]

So, after talking to 2 wonderfully talented friends in the area, the three of us decided to try to make a go of our idea! I am sooo excited to be doing this with Linda and Veronica – both amazing seamstresses and talented women!

[covered clipboards in small and large]

We are all having our own little niche, certain things that each of us are doing, and then we’re overlapping a bit too, in what we’re doing. Our little things include [this is all of us, not just me]: window panels, shoulder bags, diaper clutches, pacifier ribbon holder, burp cloths, clip boards, hair flowers and pretties…

[whoever knew there is so much COOL fabric out there. i want to start sewing for my girls next!]

[ruffled half-apron, in the making. Can you tell I’m in love with anything ruffly (??) right now? :)]

[Zoe, age three. Loving to be involved, and is constantly saying, “I want to WATCH you…”

So, in a little more than a week, we will be full-swing into

“My Faire Lady – an eclectic assortment of things beautiful, vintage, and feminine.”

[a sneak peak into the burp cloths]

[hair flowers. these are called ‘lollipop flowers’ – i googled them on youtube to learn how to make them]

It’s either going to be a grand success, OR I will have five years worth of gifts left over!! A little nervous about that. :)

So, these are just a few of the many things that will be [attemping to be] sold at our little county festival! If you’re local, be sure to come and check us out!

Happy weekend to you!

-clarita

August 25, 2010September 5, 2013

Dining Room {before and after}

Or perhaps I should name this, “Dining Room Before. And After: Prepared for a Dinner Party”. That’s too long for a title anyway. But that’s the gist of these pictures. I was going to do before & after pictures of this room anyway, and then during preparation for my husband 30th party I snapped these pictures. And no, my dining room is not set up for a dinner party every day! :)

It has been SO FUN to decorate this home on a budget. Other than blinds/shades for the windows, and light fixtures, I tried to not buy much at all to decorate with in this house. Unless I made it myself, then I allowed myself to buy items to make it with. Or found it at Goodwill, or a cheap antique shop, or something. You know, where I could justify it. :)

I was thinking the other day, and wondering what this house would look like if I would have had unlimited resources to work with. But then I thought some more, and said to myself that I think it would not look much different. I might have shopped at high-quality, high-dollar antique stores, maybe. But I think the basic look would be the same. But then that’s today. It seems like “my style” [whatever that is] is always emerging, developing, changing… :)

Because, I like uniqueness. Originality. I like it that I didn’t just walk into a store to buy my stuff, and that a lot of things here are unique to me, and to this house. I like to make a lot of things, because that makes it more unique. More one-of-a-kind. That’s just what makes me tick. :)

So, not sure why I said all that before a dining room, because there’s only so much a girl can make for a room like that!

But here, it is.

Welcome to Room #2 of the house tour.

BEFORE:

There were walls everywhere. These were the first to go. The rooms are quite small even without the walls now, but it makes everything *feel* so much bigger. If you can trick your mind like that your comfort level is much higher. :)

Behind that wall in the first picture – in the tearing out process.

Fireplace #2 of 5 in the house. Blue paint is not original to the house, so I didn’t ruin historic value in this century-old house by painting it!

Lovely blue trim. And I didn’t get a picture of the ceiling, but it was a light sky blue too. Someone really liked blue, is all I can say!

And AFTER!

[if you remember from the living room post, this is opening from one side of that room]

I found the bike/bakery shop/flower pictures before we got married at Michaels or A.C. Moore. My grandmother framed it in an inexpensive frame, then had a friend glaze it to make it look like an oil painting, but it’s really a cheap poster.

We painted the fireplace mantel and brick under it a pure white, and I love the fresh look that it gave!

A few antique-joint finds on Saturday…

These paper balls were hung especially for the dinner party. My theme in decorating was “Garden Party Indoors.” I looooove outdoor parties, but it’s just not possible here most of the year. 100 degrees and 100% humidity for an outdoor party just isn’t very enjoyable. I tried it one year, and dripping sweat and buzzing mosquitoes just wasn’t very pleasant. Trust me on that one.

This was a little challenge for me to know how to pull off my theme without it being too girly for my husband 30th party! Afterward I kept asking him, “This wasn’t too froufrou for you, was it? It wasn’t too girly?” And he kept assuring me that no, it was good. :) Although when I mentioned keeping those paper balls up there permanently he got a little scared and said he might have to find another place to stay. :)

Martha Stewart gets the credit for the instructions on how to make these balls. I had read tutorials online, but was thoroughly confused. Martha Stewart to the rescue. In three easy steps I had made these balls and was so delighted! I would have made hundreds of them by now if I would have known how easy they are!

This girl has made something similar, only in flower shape, that are so beautiful. She was a main inspiration for me wanting to make these in the first place!

These window panels were inspired by Pottery Barn Teen. A few friends and I were looking at a catalogue one day and said, “We have got to make these!” I found fabric on clearance for $1.50 a yard, so spent about $20 for fabric and thread. I made these with a different twist than the ones Pottery Barn sells, but got my idea from them.

The Pottery Barn price was $68 per panel. Unbelievable difference. :)

The wide trim was present in the house when we bought it. I LOVE it.

I cut bamboo rods for curtain rods for these panels, like the ones in the living room. This saved me about $50 doing that, because these were free from our old backyard. I did have to buy the brackets to hold the bamboo rods, which ended up being about $10 at Home Depot.

The bamboo Roman Shades come from Kmart. I love this purchase. I think it really dresses up the room, and I love the different textures and media.

This old door was in the house as a laundry room door when we bought it, but in too poor a condition to actually use. I couldn’t bear to throw it away, and one day had the inspiration to put it in here. The chalkboard dresses it up a bit, and is a fun place to write notes, menus, or inspiring quotes.

[yikes, should have pulled the dead leaves off my “friendship plant!”]

This chandelier was a bargain I found on craigslist. (I know, right?! Who could even bear to part with this kind of beauty?) It’s the Pottery Barn ‘Celeste’ which was selling for far less than store/catalogue price. I was one happy girl to pick this baby up! And I was trying not to appear over-eager as I handed her the money and drove off, totally beaming!!! This was one deal I couldn’t BELIEVE I actually found on craigslist. I loved the bit of glamor it added to the older historical elements in the room.

Dinner Party Details:

The centerpiece was three simple green arrangements. This was just an elephant ear leaf in a milk glass vase. I love milk glass. My Aunt Grace has collected them for years, and the past three years I’ve picked up pieces as well when I find them cheaply.

This potted arrangement was given to me after a dear friend’s wedding. Isn’t it beautiful?!

The vase in the background is filled with magnolia leaves and an old magnolia flower pod. Also in milk glass.

More paper balls:

Place settings:

Silver chargers were found at garage sales and discount stores, for around $1-2 each.

White place settings: Pottery Barn outlet, on sale. They’re called “Suppertime.” I purchased a set of 10 dinner and salad plates with a gift card given by husband a year and a half ago. I LOVE these. They feel special for everyday, but for a more formal dinner they look the part as well. And they hold up splendidly with years of use.

Goblets: you can find these for $1 each at Dollar General. Walmart, Pottery Barn, and other places sell them as well, for a bit more money.

White cloth napkins: found at garage sales, goodwills, re-use-it shops.

Mix-matched chairs. The table set was a wedding gift given by my parents, but for a larger party I have to pull out every chair I have around the house!

And can you believe that I forgot to take any pictures of the actual party?! No food or people pictures. Sad sad sad. I was feeling very scatterbrained at the last minute. That’s my excuse. :)

Here’s the final before:

and after:

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

Wishing you all a lovely day, wherever you may find yourselves… Feeling a bit somber this week, thinking of my sweet friend who suddenly lost her father a week ago. Tragedies like that always remind me to hug a little tighter, tell people that I love them more often, and just put life in perspective so much. I ache for my friend, who has to find a new normal, and learn to live without someone who has always been part of her life.

And while I hurt for her, I’m reminded, for myself, to treasure today. Even if my kids are cranky. If they spill pink nail polish all over the floor. If they cry over every little thing. If they won’t take long naps. If they put flour in the sugar container and sugar in the flour box. If it feels like I just can’t sweet my floor enough, it’s always dirty from kids’ crumbs.

Because those are all just inanimate things. Just things. And these years of raising children are such a small part of the time span of my life. So love them well, Mrs. Yoder. Kiss them, and hug them, and laugh instead of getting upset, and take time to read that same book for the hundredth time. You don’t know how long you will be able to hold them, and cuddle and kiss them. You don’t know, so treasure today…

~clarita

July 19, 2010March 20, 2013

Living Room {before and after}

Quite a few people have asked to see pictures of our house – before and after.

And while I LOOOOVE our little house, there are parts of me that are hesitant to bring it public.

Like, when you do that you really make yourself vulnerable.

What if people don’t like my style and think it’s cheezy? Wonder what I think I am, posting pictures of our house? Like, if I post pictures I must think it’s cute but what will people think of that? And, what if people think I’m shallow and self-absorbed if I do a little house tour? What if they don’t like my projects and don’t like me?

But, for the sake of my friends who have asked, and because this house has been such a blessing from the Lord, and an incredible gift to us, I want to share it. Our four years in a rental house where we could not do anything to fix it up was all part of God’s plan, teaching me to be content, and now, everything feels like such a HUGE gift! I am so much more grateful for this house because of having lived somewhere for several years where my hands felt tied. So how can I *not* share what God gave us and what my husband did an amazing job restoring?

Perhaps I should give a little background as to why I love to take time in my home…

Back before I ever got married, I made a list of things that I want my home to be like one day. This is one of them from my
Mission Statement 2003:

“… I have a heart to create a “heaven on earth” for my family: be for my husband the “home of his heart”; wholeheartedly love my husband and support him; love my children; create an atmosphere that promotes intimacy with God and a hunger to grow and learn; prepare my children for their destinies…”

“… I have a desire to serve others in an atmosphere of beauty in my home…”

And I would tell my newly-married husband five years ago that I want him to come home to his throne. :)

So that is why I do what I do in my home… This is not for everyone, but this is for me personally.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Little House Fun Facts:

– Was built in 1906, so it’s a little over a hundred years old. Just what Husband and I both LOVE!

-This house was a foreclosure when we bought it. TERRIBLE condition, and thus had been on the market for quite a while.

– Ben bought the house when I was out of state for two weeks, so I never saw it beforehand. He told me about it, of course, but I had to trust his judgment! This is the 3rd house in 2 different states we’ve lived in since we’re married, and I didn’t see any of them before we rented or bought them.

-1300 square foot is what the contract said the house size was. Very small. But I think they forgot to add the room in the back, which would add another 300 sq. ft., but still keeping the size around 1600 square foot.

-hardwood floors throughout the whole house, except tile in the laundry room which we added.

– 5 fireplaces. Yes, five. That is not a typo. One would be fun. Five? Well, it sure looks cute, but it’s been challenging for me to decorate all five without them looking the same, and like I ran out of ideas (which I did).

– 2 bedroom house, and we added a stairway with the intent of adding 1-2 more bedrooms upstairs sometime in the distant future.

-Ben worked for 3 months straight on this house, restoring it, replacing floors, tearing out walls, fixing it up… Can you say ‘genius’?? His work is incredible…

-I have a laundry room INSIDE my house!! Haven’t had that for four years! Excitement reigns!

So that gives you a little bit of background into the house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The room I’ll show you today is the living room. You walk in the front door and this is the room you come to.

Before:

Tiny room, tiny doorways, very closed-in feeling. I was seriously
depressed for 3 days
after I saw this place and realized what we were in for!!

the way it looked when I first saw it. the dead of winter and freeeeeezing cold.

After:

Tore out the bookcase,
tore out the fireplace insert then made the fireplace workable,
tore out two walls,
added the wood beams,
tore off the old brick on the fireplace and had new antique brick installed,
added crown molding,
refinished wood floors…
Still waiting on the fireplace mantel! :)

new brick on the fireplace

Ben tore out the wall with the tiny doorway and opened it up, added the beams, I freehanded the verse. I used this font, because I love serving my Jesus and having Him as my Life, and don’t want it to look like a formal, cold thing!

looking into the dining room, no peeking!

by the front door – purse holder, key-catcher…

When I get started on something, I kind of become a broken record. Here are some

Silhouettes: Take Two

Making pillows this time. Used my same pattern from before on black fabric.

After it was cut out, I “painted” all the edges with clear nail polish so they wouldn’t fray. There’s probably some “real” stuff to use, but hey, this is what we used to use on pantyhose and it worked to stop runners! Ha!

Glued it with fabric glue to white pillows I had already made.

Once again, slay me, oh, slay me!

Olivia’s silhouette

Zoe’s silhouette.
The frames I had before and come from Walmart – $3 each. They’re plastic, but when you group them it hides the cheap look. :)

And
Canvas Mats: Take Two

See, I kind of get stuck on something and can’t leave.

16×20 stretched canvas – 2 pack at Walmart for $9. These aren’t the greatest quality, because the staples show on the sides rather than being stapled on the underside. But they worked for what I needed them for.

I painted the sides and on the top a certain width to make my “framed” look. And covered up the staples to where you don’t see them.

And glued 12 x 15 pictures on top… Cheap frames for such big pictures! Gives it a “drama!” look with the big black edges.

These three pictures are compliments of Claudia Barkman Photography. :)

I LOOOOVE this poster. I saw it in a magazine and ordered it on Etsy. Isn’t it perfect for a mother with two young children?! There is a cool story behind the poster too, has to do with Britain during WWII and posting these signs all over to keep their citizens from worrying about invasion.

These numbered pillows inspiration comes from THIS talented woman… She’s just got creativity flowing out of her veins, I tell you.

I like the red pop of color against a mostly neutral room. “That really makes a statement!” Husband said. Yes it does! This mom-who-is-sometimes-frazzled needs a statement like that to grab me all day long. :)

Outdoor greenery brought it. A little hard to decorate this without the mantel in place.

One of the doorways that got opened up and wall removed.

So, that’s the living room! Once again,

BEFORE

and

AFTER!

Bamboo curtain rods are cut from our old backyard.

Those silhouettes of my daughters flanking the fireplace just are too much for me… okay, okay, enough already! I’ll try to not bring more silhouettes to you in the future! :)

Rug comes from Craigslist, which comes from Pottery Barn. WHY someone would sell these to buy Persian rugs is beyond my comprehension…

And that’s the living room.

Cheers if you stuck with me. I didn’t think there would be so many things to even show about the living room!

But didn’t my husband do a PHENOMENAL job?!

I think he’s incredible!

-clarita

July 15, 2010March 20, 2013

Making: Silhouettes

We’ve been living in the new-old house about 6 weeks now. That’s given me time to work on some projects, get the main decor up in the house, and F.I.N.A.L.L.Y. put the last of my boxes up in the attic. With no boxes sitting around anymore, it finally feels like we are settled in. At home. And wow, does that ever feel good!

I am able to just be at home most of my days, without running what felt like a million different places each week… My kids are able to be on a normal schedule, take normal naps (not just in the car running to and fro), and does that ever make for happy children. They held up very well through the busyness of restoring the house, but now that we’re settled, they are just so happy. Sweet babies. I’m so glad life is a little more normal for them again.

Getting settled in… Sure, there are so many little fun details to add so many different places, but the main house is set up. Ever so fun. Seriously, ever so fun. I’m like a little kid in a playhouse, I tell you. :)

I’ll get an idea and then can hardly sleep until it’s acted upon and up on my wall or wherever it’s supposed to be. Husband laughs at me, because we’re very opposite. I get an idea, I act on it within minutes if possible; he gets an idea, he stores it away for the future. :) It’s good, we balance each other out, and he keeps me from overworking!

This week I’m having time for fun little side projects. And somewhere I got an idea to make silhouettes of my girls for a certain room that was lacking an eye-catcher. And I couldn’t stop smiling, because I saw the finished product in my head and thought it would be soo stinkin’ cute!

So I took some pictures of the process, just in case it turned out. And I’ll let you judge. I’m the mother of the silhouette children here, so my opinion is completely and unashamedly biased. :)

I took a side profile picture of both of them, put it on the computer, then enlarged it to the size I wanted. Then I traced the head shape onto copy paper…

Zoe is at the age where she is wanting to be involved in every project I do. Sometimes it’s a little much, but I really want her to learn to love to do creative things, and she’s only going to learn that if I let her work with me and make it a fun time…

Olivia doesn’t want to be outdone by her big sister. Even though she is disaster in a 12-month old body when it comes to stuff like this. :)

Then traced it onto black cardstock paper…

Then glued it onto these canvas boards. They come 3 in a pack for $6 at Walmart. I used the flat instead of the raised canvas because they were cheaper.

Nailed these tacks on the back to hang it on the wall, and wound wire around them. Added two on the bottom as well so the whole mat will stand out from the wall and give it more of a 3-D look.

But then it needed a little edging. The wall is colored, but the white mat board against the wall needed a little “umph” to let it make the statement I was looking for. I looked in my ~~messy attic~~ piles of boxes but I didn’t have 2 – 11 X 14 frames to put them in. And I’m trying to decorate my house with not spending much money at all, so I didn’t want to spend $30 to buy the frames…

So I just taped the edges and painted about 1/3” on the sides and bottom to give it sort of a framed look.

And put them in the Candy Shop bathroom – it’s the one the girls use. We call it that because of the colors – so many people have walked in and said, “Oh, this looks like a vintage candy shop!” We chose the tile because I wanted a more vintage-y look in there with the clawfoot tub. This room was a mere shell that was part of the laundry room… Before & after pictures another time!

Zoe – age two. Love this so so much. Her open mouth makes it look like she views the world while gaping. Her tousled hair…

Olivia, age one. Little tiny nose. Little tiny head. Little hair forever falling down across her eyes.

Can you say darling?? I stood in the bathroom with my hand over my heart after they were hung, making all sorts of ooo-ing and aaaa-ing noises. :)

Zoe’s finished product. She wanted it right up there with the big girls.

Slay me, oh, slay me!

Silhouettes of my two girls are more than I can take in cuteness levels!

Button-nose girlies, do you know how much I love you? Your silhouettes are darling, but YOU are what makes them darling!

And perhaps one day you’ll stand with your hand over your heart, being slain by the cuteness levels of one and two year old silhouetes, thanking me for these heirlooms.