A Cozy Place to Sit

 This little wicker love seat has been in our home for several years.  It was first a natural color and sat in our living room.  Our dog Joe was a puppy then and he enjoyed chewing on the legs and along the front.  That was about 20 years ago.  I then brush painted it with this blue and it has been on our front porch.  

Three cans of periwinkle blue spray paint, two large pillows I purchased a a garage sale last year and a lace edged cloth cover for the seat (it also hides the chewed on front). It now resides in our dining room and adds a cozy place to sit and visit.

 

The pillow on the left was purchased at the same garage sale and the one on the right I made.

Oh, and I picked another bunch of lavender yesterday.  It will be hung to dry.

I don't want to spend a lot of time on a permanent cushion cover until we decide that this is where our cozy love seat will stay.

I have another project I completed this week I would like to share with you

The picture below was taken by my brother in law Duane while he and my sister Lynda traveled around Europe. 

 

The picture was taken in Rotterham, West Germany in 1977. 

This photo hung on the wall in our home for several years.   I decided to update it a little.

I covered the mat in light tan linen.

Placed the picture back behind the mat.

Spray painted the frame "Whisper white"

I have always liked this photograph and I really like how the "update" turned out.

It was fun to complete two of the many projects I have been thinking about doing.  They weren't really on a list though, maybe I'll have to write them on a list so that I can cross them off.

I will be linking with Show off Your Cottage Monday  at The House in the Roses

and

Metamorphasis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

The New Year - Projects Completed

New Years Eve we have a tradition of going out to dinner with all of our children and grandchildren, those who live near enough to us.  Traditionally we go to Olive Garden but this year we went to Red Robin.  Our youngest works there and was scheduled that evening so he took his dinner break and ate with us. 

Don't we look like we are having a good time.

I started the first day of 2011 thinking about what I should do with a day with no pre determined plans.  Should I put the Christmas decorations away?

No not today.

How about laundry or maybe clean the living room carpet.

No not today.

Hm mm, I know I will stencil the beam in the kitchen, a project planned almost three years ago.  That was the best idea yet, so that is exactly what I did.

This quote by Charles Dickens is the sub title on my blog.

(click on the picture to make it larger)

This is the beam that divides the kitchen and dining room.

As you can see the decorations are still there and will have to wait a little longer.

After completing this project I finished a couple more

My daughter in law Michele's burlap purse, a December birthday present.

Two more little mice, one will fly off to Wisconsin and one to South Carolina.

I will be looking around the house for more incomplete projects before starting on my growing list of new ideas but all in all the first day of 2011 was relaxed, enjoyable and productive.

Blessings to you in the New Year!

I am linking to Metamorphasis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

Pretty Plates

I wanted to make a change in my home that didn't require a lot of time because we have been soooo busy!  My sister Laurie gave me some very pretty plates for my birthday in April.  I had a plan for them but they have remained in the china cupboard for a few months waiting patiently of course.  Well we finally hung them up.

Here is the wall before, not too bad.

Here is the wall now with my lovely new plates.

Another view froma a little farther back

A couple of close up pictures of the plates

My simple change really has made a bigger impact than I had expected.  Most people who enter the room notice the change right away.

I can cross another item off my list, yeah!

If the plates had not been on my list of things to do they might have been left hidden and unused for much longer than they were.

I will be linking to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.  Go take a look at the many, much more elaborate, transformations people have posted.