A day of Befores....

Okay, I know I haven't been keeping up on posting but I really need to show you what I've been doing.  So today is going to be a day devoted to "Befores"...

A WORD OF CAUTION:  The following pictures are not for the faint of heart!  Please understand that this is a fair and honest representation of the "BEFORE".  Yes, this is what our rooms look like after a move... They are in no way indicative of how I keep my house on a regular basis.  For the record, our bedroom door and closet door are kept closed to "visitors".  Now remember I told you these are bad.... but wait until you see the after pictures later on this week!

The walk-in closet (aka unsuspecting dumping grounds):

The master bedroom:

view 1

View 2:

View 3:

I warned you it wasn't pretty!  But I've been diligently working for the past few weeks and what a difference!  No, there will be no reveal today as we are still working on the living room and so my new mirror has not been hung (that and the fact that the wire broke...)

So now I am off to work again!  OH, I do need to say a special thank to "Megan" at Beauty in the Attempt and Gail at My Repurposed Life.  So many of my projects have inspired by their posts... like the cloches, numbered pillows, cool bird baths, etc.

I should have the "AFTER" published by the end of this week as long as there are no unforeseen complications!  Ha ha! 

Hope you have a great week!!

I was going to say it has been pretty quiet around here but then I realized no it is just really quiet now!  All three boys are home from school sick today.  I think it is just a case of being overtired, at least I pray such is the case!!  Chris will be out of town this week so maybe more work will be accomplished, ha ha!!  I kept thinking I would have more pictures to post of projects or rooms but not much was accomplished decorating wise recently.  Despite the number of hours spent shopping for "accessories" there is little to show which really is a good thing.  Okay, I did buy new chairs, a couple of carpet runners, and wall clings but they are all going back.  Once we got them home we realized they just wouldn't work.  I don't really mind though as it is helping us to determine what we really want, need, and like!!  I'm finding out the likes and dislikes of my children as well as their decorating styles.  All in all, its been a fun process!  I've found out Ian likes bold masculine colors with clean lines.  Sean likes modern with a twist of retro plus geometric shapes and Evan's taste mimics Sean's to a certain degree which works well since they share a room!

Sean and Ian have had a number of track meets recently so they have been keeping pretty busy.  Between new patient physicals, allergy testings, and track meets we have stayed more than occupied.  As you can see Evan and I have enjoyed our own bit of silliness while the others were out and about!  I would love to post some of the other pictures from our afternoons but was kindly asked not to!  So I will honor that request and only post this one.  We were having so much fun between flying paper airplanes, tossing rocks, and just being silly with the camera!

We are also discovering many little surprises around here.  We have a beautiful clematis in our backyard which I can hardly wait to bloom.  Lots of lovely birds... and a nesting mama!  Oh I love doves and she has chosen to build her nest outside our window!  She is such a peaceful little thing diliently sitting on her nest! 

And you should hear the beautiful red wing blackbirds... Pure heaven!  I love watching God's handiwork daily!!

Well I had better get a  move on and call the school to let them know my boys won't be in today....

ORB loveliness

Yes, I have now succumbed to the siren call of ORB (oil-rubbed bronze!) No brassy accents for me, just oil rubbed bronze, brushed nickel, and a touch of aged chrome. These lovelies were found recently at Goodwill.

For me their lines are reminiscent of colonial plantations in the tropics. Now the same ladies dressed in a gown of oil rubbed bronze.

All we need is a lamp shade and maybe some pineapple finials. Well, we shall see about the finials.

The only tragedy lies in the fact that my can of ORB is almost gone... The can of Oil Rubbed Bronze from my Goodwill Swag bag which is still conspicuously missing. Hmm...

Oh and lest we forget the Ding Dong "cake" aka pyramid from my sweetie's birthday!

 

A word to the wise, be VERY careful on how many candles you light.  The coating on the Ding Dongs begin to melt otherwise.  Ask me how I know.... :) hee hee!

Goodwill makeovers....

It is a beautiful day out but I decided it was time I start "showcasing" the Goodwill makeovers.  I must admit I haven't done much because while in a bronchitis/sinus infection induced stupor I "stashed" my Goodwill swag someplace "SAFE."  We still can't find it!! LOL  So after a week of intermittent searching I decided the time had come to move on.  So we are moving on.... I know it will be found and right now there are more important projects to complete so once the boys' bedrooms are finished the search will start again (if its still lost, ha ha!)
First in the line-up of makeovers is this loverly pillow.  I know some of you might like it but it just wasn't our cuppa tea. 

Now the new look! 

You should hear my family clamoring over this pillow... Evan wants his own, Ian wants the number 29 on his, Chris has asked for either number 1 or 72, and Sean, well I don't think he has voiced an opinion.  Oh, yes he has... He thinks that we ought to have 5 pillows with the numbers 1 thru 5 denoting each family member.  Well I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  I am off to hang sheets on the neighbor's clothesline... She called and left a message this morning saying they would be gone all day so I was more than welcome to come over and use it!  Trust me, that is one of the most thoughtful things she could have done!!  I just heard the washer finishing spinning so its off to hangs linens! 

Now to leave you with a little bit of spring!

Foto Friday: Blue

I would like to say thank you for all the well wishes!! I can say that even though it has been a trying few weeks we are on the mend, both physically and mentally!! For those of you who do not know our little dog Caleb was hit by a car just over a week ago... We do miss him terribly! He was a faithful companion, loving, a friend to all but in his death we learned some valuable life lessons. One of which is our disobedience not only affects us but those around us as well. i.e. Caleb worked his way off his cable to go where he was not allowed, across the road. The result was his death, sad friends, family, and puppy (our other dog!) How often are we disobedient to God yet think our disobediance affects no one else other than ourselves!! Okay off my soapbox!! :)

Now on to Foto Friday... Oh how I've missed this! I must say I have thoroughly enjoyed everyone's post in the past weeks... This week it is blue. We have all enjoyed the glorious sunshine, blue skies, and warm temperatures here!!

Blue skies, nothing but blue skies from now on...

Old blue tiles from Europe, cracked yet loved.

Modern French Impressionism.... makes me long for the Mediterranian coast of France. Never seen it the Med anywhere but Italy.  Ah... childhood memories!

Beautiful baby blues.. the only ones in our immediate family!! Don't they just make your swoon!  I know they make me swoon!!!

I love to see how they light up when he laughs!

The building blocks for Chris' 40th birthday cake.  A pyramind of 40 Ding Dongs w/ 40 candles.  Its what he asked for!  I love that man!! 

Please join us over at Rebecca's for more Foto Friday!!

Next week: Yellow!!  Umm I love yellow! and orange, and lime green, and chocolate brown and... Do you think I like color? Ha ha...

A week long break....

I really hate to do this but I am going to have to take the better part of this week off. You see last week I injured my right shoulder/neck (moved something I ought not have... you know how it goes!) and typing aggrevates it! So I am going to give it a little time to heal... I've discovered it really is aggrevating to have to move your whole body to look to the right, ha ha! That will teach me to move insanely large boxes filled w/ books! I mean I have men in the family!! As you can tell patience is not one of my strong points but I am relearning the meaning of the word right now!

So enjoy your week and I will see you in a week (maybe earlier... hee hee!)

A sneak peek...

(view standing in opening to dining room)
Well, we are FINALLY starting to see progress as we settle into our new home. So, I decided it was time to give you a peek at our progress. The books cases are empty for the moment but it feels so good to have a pretty room in which to relax! See the area rug... Thank you very much Goodwill and Becki at infarrantly creative! You had no idea what an impact it would make on our living room, did you? And the lamp? Oil-rubbed bronze from our swag bags! I was surprised at how much Chris LOVES it! He started naming off all kinds of things he would like to see spray painted. I love that man!!

(front door view)

You know how I sometimes reference our dogs... Well the behemoth you see in front of the sofa is Lily, our "puppy!" And no she is not standing on anything aside from the carpet, big moose of a dog that she is. At 22 months old she hasn't reached her full size. A couple more inches, a few more pounds and another year will bring her to maturity! Who knew that a Newfoundland/Malamute mix stayed "puppies" for 3 years? We didn't but we sure do love her just the same (I say this now when I am not frustrated beyond belief with her! ha ha)

Does anyone have any ideas for window treatments? I DO NOT LIKE THESE DRAPES! I know we have a table and sofa in front of the window but just couldn't figure out how to make it work any other way. We wanted a defined "entry way" plus open access to our room and the dining room. I really appreciate any ideas you might have.