December

And some gingerbread cookies.

Curtains In

It's been a long time since I've posted. Sleeping only 2 hours at a time is taking it's toll on me! but finally finished the "bedroom curtains" project. I really like how the blue and yellow look together.

Bedrooms

Here are some bedrooms I have liked. I now have some gray/blue curtains that need to be hung in my bedroom. It will be great to no longer have the old red sheet as a curtain. I pin it up every day with safety pins to let in a little light.
Now I just need a curtain rod. I'm not sure if I should find something light, like painted wood, or dark, like iron. I've been looking at my collection of favorite rooms to get ideas. But it seems like curtain rods don't make much of a difference in a room, so I probably need to just pick something and go with it.

Stucco? A definite maybe.

well, if it isin't my favorite topic again? brick. brick brick yick. the paint looks painty. but the stucco looks - well, kinda interesting!

i think i will be hard pressed to find anyone else who would like this look besides myself. but then, since i might be in this house for, um, ever, i guess i'm the only one whose opinion matters! when i say "i" i do mean husband and self, of course. he is not too fond of this stucco sample...yet. i want to do a bigger patch before deciding. it is an enormous fireplace and so it is hard to get an idea what it might look like if the whole thing were like this.

i did this with "stucco patch." i couldn't find any other plaster-y material to work with. i like the color of the stucco. problems 1. it does crack, due to the huge amount of the glop i have to apply to fill in the enormous grout lines 2. i would need an enormous amount of the stuff to cover the entire temple of gloom. in fact, i actually wonder if the extra weight all that glop would add could be a problem?

A very unflattering, up-close shot of the stucco at night. it looks much better by day!

Boring Projects I Am Ignoring

I need to remove this very tight bracket support from the wall, fill the holes and sand, paint...Blah!











Water damage in Stella's room - to brand new wallpaper! sigh! need to sand and paint, and find someone to repair wallpaper. Luckily there was plenty left over.

Happy Halloween!

First, the actual house-related item...again, regarding hanging stuff on yer walls...do you like?












The Master of Disguise!

Picture Hanging, continued

AFTER
(Wish I could figure out how to reverse order of pictures...)



I think this looks fairly complete. Will probably stay this way for a while. (thank you, tina c. t., for the lovely haystack painting! and thank you, tara, for the beautiful peach watercolor!)








BEFORE

Playroom Update

The cozy electrical corner (not sure what to do about the cord issue, but thought these lanterns were so cool! from World Market)

Dress up and Kitchen area.

The rug I have had for a while. Only newer thing here is the coat rack, which I found at the Antique Mall.

Some of Today's Stella Thoughts

I am so sad to be without a camera, can't post pictures of what I'm working on at home, can't take pictures of baby.


But I can share the latest from Stella...


I was so entertained today by her recitation of different stories from "Free to be You and Me." She even closed a cupboard door for the sound effect of door closing.


She also had the idea that she and her brother, her mom and pop, should remain the same age forever. She said that this would mean we would wind up dying at the ages we are now, rather than dying when we are old. Interesting. She insists she wants to be a detective, combined with some other job. For example, Detective Cook, Detective Doctor, or Detective Sample Lady.

still no camera....sigh!

A Playroom?

Playroom.....hmmm, sounds extravagant, doesn't it? At least, I always thought it did... And having a guest room, that sounds extravagant, too. But, here I am now with a bedroom that is neither of those things. It is - just a wasteland of stuff!

Fortunately, or unfortunately, my camera is missing, so you won't get to see the "before" of what I have decided to designate "playroom." I'm hoping that if I can make this room pleasant and well-organized, toys and children will gravitate towards it. Thus, perhaps, my livingroom, kitchen, dining room, bedroom, etc., will start to seem a little more appropriate for grownups, rather than Lilliputians. I've grown used to clutter, I really have. And I know I will live with toy clutter for a long time to come. But, dare I dream to have a little bit less of it in every corner of my house?

I haven't found any fabulous playroom ideas, yet. Playroom storage stuff ranges from really flimsy and cheap to unbelievably expensive and Mod. I hope to find something in between. Well, closer to the cheap end, actually. I have a braided rug that is pastel colors that was in a different bedroom - that will be the color for the floor. I finally bought some paint. Stella and I both really like blue and green, and, oddly, she suggested the same wall color I had been considering - green on two walls, blue on other two. I am thinking red as accent. Had considered doing very stark white, like I have seen in some very modern rooms...but don't kids prefer color? I think so.

If anyone has any thoughts, has created a play place before, please share!

How do YOU arrange your objects d'art?

I've inherited some pictures, and have collected some cheap art when I come across it, and I have been given some really special things from friends... I've always a little cautious when it comes to putting nails in the wall. Lately, been trying to be more brave.

I like the idea of groupings. I'm trying to group things in a more creative way... Not sure if it's working or not, but this is better than the blank wall that was there before! I like the idea of grouping things by color, either of frame or content. This wall is a work in progress (isin't everything?) It is still changing. Obviously, I eyeballed the placement of these pictures! But I like how it turned out. I plan on continuing to build towards the left.





How do you like to hang pictures in your home?
















This is a sweet arrangement. (love the wall color, too)
















Including objects in your arrangement, neat idea.




















Using same frame repetitively.




Oh, I also have started a wall grouping of family pictures in black and white. Don't have a picture of that yet, but will add it when the grouping is closer to complete.

Attic dream...

Apparently, lots of people have attic dreams. My sister says that in hers, she finds lots of neat old furniture, etc. In mine, it's usually, um, insulation and dust. I'm afraid of what that might mean! ha! Here is one silly theory about attic dreams that I found while googling the subject...


"The attic, being an upper room, shows you have lofty aspirations that you will have much difficulty with, but will win out to your goals after an extended period of time. If the attic is well appointed, and brightly lit, then you will have luck with either love or matrimony. The attic can also represent the mind, and if the attic is chaotic this will be a sign telling you to organize your thoughts for better living.

THE ROOF

Here is Roof before...

Finally! new roof time!
I took several pictures of attic beside upstairs bedroom. To me it was totally strange to see all this daylight coming into this space. For one thing, why did they not encorporate some of this space inot the bedroom? Plus, perhaps others can relate to me on this: lots of dreams about attic-type spaces makes this extra fascinating to me. The free and open bright attic is a nice thing to see compared to the creepy dark spaces I sometimes dream about.














Note in this picture: my roof is held up by a few leaning 2x4s. is this proper building technique??? Doesn't seem so stable to me.













yes, supporting the whole corner of my roof. nobody sneeze!













AAAh! That's better! I think the new gutters are going to make a big difference, too. A roof is such a sickeningly huge investment. I feel like it should do something besides just sit there looking gray. How 'bout some flashing lights. something?




Thank you to the roofers who did this. They worked so hard and so fast. They also were insanely picking up stacks of the old cedar shingles with nails sticking out everywhere while they had NO GLOVES ON. I was very worried about the workers and nails. I think a lot about how hard these people work, from 7am to 7pm, hammering away on roofs. Hard work. I hope they are paid well (doubtful)

Another call for advice on the Fireplace of DOOM

Brick painted white. I like this.













Here is brick that actually is nice. Generally, I have to say, I'm anti red brick. But in this house, it'salright.
















Another white brick fireplace.















Can you tell I'm getting close to painting it white?? Unless someone interferes with my evil plans, I will soon attack the brick with some primer! Okay, maybe not soon, since I don't actually have time to paint the fireplace anyhow.

Stella-isms

The latest from Stella:

"I'm not just ANY farmer, I'm a lonely kid farmer!"

"Get a grip, lady!"

I find Stella in her room, playing Leapster...

She raises an eyebrow at me and says, "What are you here for?"

"It's picture day. I came to see if your hair needs to get washed."

Stella, "It absolutely does NOT."

This is a picture of when the window in the bedroom was replaced. It looks so cool with now window. You can see the neighbor's nice pond in this picture, too.

Isin't this a nice entryway garden?













This picture is from Rafe's room. I love this wall decal thing I found on Etsy. You can pick the colors for the leaves and fruit. It's cheap and I think is so much fun.









Bedroom picture. See, I can't even be bothered to move the remotes for a picture. Too much work! ha! Anyways, I liked these lamps but Matt said that they were like alien's had landed next to the bed..... I don't know what he's talking about, but, whatever. We considered hanging some wall sconces but he made a big drama show about how impossible it would be to turn off the light while laying down on your back in the bed. For god's sake, man! the day you can't even sit up to turn off your bedside table light is a sad, sad day indeed.

At any rate, the bedroom looks diff now. Bed is in front of window and bedding is different. We badly need curtains as the red sheet held up with tacks (tacs?) is getting annoying.

The Prayer of a Perfectionist

"May the beauty of my decor

Compensate for the mediocrity

Of my personality."

- me

Stella's Mushroom

Stella says, "I like mushrooms, but think they are kinda weird. I like when they get really thin. I have to say, I like touching mushrooms. They feel like gooey. I found this mushroom in the yard. I left this in the ground for very long." This mushroom was 9" across!