Living Room Tour...In Pictures

Five and a half foot wreath I painted on the ceiling.

Looking in from the foyer to the west. This room has 10 foot ceilings.

New entertainment center all decked out.

Desk rescued from neighbors trash. On desk is a clay model of our home.

The ceiling used to have a ceiling fan. I tied a string on to it and drew a circle to paint the leaves of the wreath. It is not a perfect circle because what wreath is? Then we installed a medallion and an antique chandelier.

Hubby framed an antique ceiling tin. Ice skates decorate the area for winter.

My collection of ironstone pitchers dressed with the snowflakes I made.

Tassels that I made. I will blog that another time.

Decorated for winter. Under the mantle is 5 foot high, so this is a very large fireplace.

Looking in from the dining room to the east.

Huge crown molding existed by builder. I painted the green 6 inch border on the ceiling to show up the crown better. Another corbel in our collection.

We took out the carpet and installed new walnut hardwood flooring.

We collect antique corbels. You will see them all over our home.

A pillow I made.

This wall is how it is usually decorated when ice skates are not in use for decor.

Both windows have window seats. I made the cushions. They are the same on both sides but I have one flipped over to show contrast. I made some of the pillows too.

Garage sale columns were sanded and stripped by me and hubby made the bases to stand on. Garden angel on top of each one.

Base of drapes I made.

I made the drapes and cut the wooden rods down since the windows have pull down shades and we didn't need the drapes to move.

(Note: click on picture twice to enlarge. Use your back button to return to blog)
I hope that you enjoyed the tour...Terry
Linking up to these parties:
Susan's Met. Monday
Carrie's Amaze Me Monday 
Cielo's Show Off Your Cottage
Kim's B & A Party Wednesday 
Gina's Transformation Thursday 
Wendy's Frugal Friday 
Meg's Everything but the Kitchen Sink Friday 
Cindy's Show and Tell Friday
Courtney's Feathered Nest Friday
Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday
Jane's Frugalicious Friday
Kate's Flaunt It Friday 
Funky Junk Interiors Sat. Nite Special

Coffee Table Challenge

Hubby and I found this coffee table at a garage sale for $5. We knew that we could restore it into something a bit less shabby. I know, I know, some of you like this much distressing, but this was a bit much for me. So while hubby fixed the top, I sanded down the legs then the top. I painted it in tones of brown and black and added a checkerboard in the center. Yes, we actually play checkers on it! Here is the final look as it sits in our basement media room.

(Note: click on picture twice to enlarge. Use your back button to return to blog)

I actually found the perfect complement to this table...red and black wooden checkers for a $1 at an antique mall in Wichita, Kansas while visiting relatives. So total tally is $6 for the whole project. Terry
I'm linking up to these parties:
Susan's Met. Monday
Carrie's Amaze Me Monday
Cielo's Show Off Your Cottage
Sassy's Trash to Treasure
Linda's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday 
Kaysi's Motivate Me Monday 
Cassie's Piece of Work Wednesday 
Kim's B & A Party Wednesday  
Maryann's Power Of Paint 
Kelli's ReStored It Wednesday 
Gina's Transformation Thursday 
Becky's Under $100 Party Thrusday
Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday 
Wendy's Frugal Friday  
Meg's Everything but the Kitchen Sink Friday 
Cindy's Show and Tell Friday
Courtney's Feathered Nest Friday
Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday
Jane's Frugalicious Friday
Funky Junk Interiors Sat. Nite Special
Kate's Flaunt It Friday

1880's Window Turned Mirror

While visiting family in Kansas, my sister toured us through an old 1880's farmhouse that was getting a restoration. There was a stack of old windows on the ground and I asked my sister if she could get me one. The cool thing about this window is that it has no nails. It is made with mortise and tenon joints...meaning they interlock with wood pins.

I also picked up three shutters for $1 at a garage sale that happen to be the right length as the window. I asked hubby to combine them with crown molding at the top and a shelf at the bottom so I could turn this old beauty into a wall mirror.  Here is how it turned out.

A split chair leg, 25¢ at a garage sale was used to embellish.

What did I do with the leftover shutter? Made it into a shelf.

Remember, you can click on each picture to enlarge. Click again and it will get larger to see the detail. Use your back button to return to my blog. Terry

I'm linking up to these parties:
Susan's Met Monday
Cassie's Piece of Work Wednesday
Kathleen's White Wednesday 
Gina's Transformation Thursday 

Cat Door

First, I must tell you that my hubby is a huge cat lover. Yep, not to many out there that I know. I enjoy the cats as well but after cleaning up hair all the time, I can't say that I am a huge fan, but I do love the ones we have. We have one indoor cat named Bella that is a beautiful calico. She is all declawed and I've trained her to not get up on the furniture. She stays on the floor or window seat. We also have two outdoor cats that are a lot of company when I garden in the three other seasons that are not winter. After visiting friends that had a hole in their basement door (from previous owners pets), I asked hubby to cut a hole in our basement door so Bella could go down anytime to eat or ...
He was happy to do this project. I knew that I would have to repaint the door after he did his work, so I decided to paint two scared mice by the hole for fun.
Here is the door. Remember, you can click a couple of times on each picture to get it to enlarge. Just use your back button for returning to the blog.

It gets a lot of laughs when people finally recognize what it is. It is also amazing how much fun kids have with this door. They like to crawl through if they are small enough...or at least stick their heads through for attention. Terry

I am linking up to these parties:

Susan's Met Monday
Cielo's Show Off your Cottage Monday 
Carrie's Amaze me Monday 

Sassy's Tuesday Trash to Treasure
Kathleen's White Wednesday 
Gina's Transformation Thursday 

Book Wreath & Snowflakes

I hope you had a wonderful and Merry Christmas. I was blessed with both my grown children here with me. It makes me the happiest and most complete to have them together.

I made a wreath out of a Styrofoam ring and mod podged it using an old book. I then added roses and leaves using the same book and some old sheet music.  It turned out like this (below).

I felt that overall it was cool but looked a bit plain. So I accidentally found a snowflake tutorial online from Quill Cottage, so I printed it out and decided to make some. Mine turned out like this (below). 

I got a new camera for Christmas, the first snowflake was taken with it so I will be able to show better pictures in future posts. Anyway, I enjoyed making these four snowflakes and added one to the center of the wreath (below).

A good winter look since I live in the Midwest. Terry

I'm linking to these parties:
Susan's Met Monday
Cielo's Show Off your Cottage Monday 
Carrie's Amaze me Monday  
Sassy's Tuesday Trash to Treasure
Kathleen's White Wednesday 
Gina's Transformation Thursday 

Years of Making Ornaments

It all started with my son...he was born in 1981. I started making ornaments for my family every year. I won't bore you with 29 years of ornaments. Thinking I could use my creative juices to come up with a different design each year. Some years I was poor and it showed, some years I was tired and it showed, and some years I was very creative and it showed. Here are the past 18 years of ornaments.

Handpainted wooden sled. All had different character.

Paintbrush santa

Large wooden tags handpainted with scrapbooking deer

Handpainted bells, one side a snowman, the other says, "I'll be home with bells on". All had different snowman scene.

Wooden heart handpainted.

My best ornament - old spoon handpainted to look like snowman, handle bent for hook. All had different faces and colored hats.

Glass ornament stuffed with feathers, snowman head made from clay. This one is a bit scary.

Twig star base with greenery and snowman head. My primitive period.

This year I must have been tired. Purchased metal stockings that I handpainted. Easy.

Felt and sequined Santa. A lot of hand sewing that year.

Quilted ball, no sew, lots of folding.

One of the scariest, Angel from glove and doily. Wonder if it was a bad year?

More hand sewing year, felt angel bear.

A tired or poor year?, battenburg lace stocking.

Gingerbread man made with glue then sealed after painting.

Some of my Cross-stitch phase.

Another primitive ornament made from muslin.

Windsock, Cross-stitch and ribbon.

Note: Each one is dated (usually on the back) each has the recipients name or initial and my name as the giver. Initially, I was going to do it for each child until the age of 18. My son is 29 and my daughter is 20 and they won't let me quit. I threaten to stop making these each year and my son says, "Mom, your ornaments are the only ones that hang on my tree". How can I stop with a statement like that? So I make 7 each year (my son has a family). Terry
Susan's Met. Monday 
Cielo's Show Off Your Cottage Monday
Kim's Boring to Better Party
Gina's Transformation Thursday

Antique Mall Table

Before

I came across this cute table recently at a local antique mall. The price was $16 and it was in good condition. I loved the lines of this table and the tall height would make it a great bedside table in my Other Guest Bedroom that you can see here.

I saw the potential in this as a painted piece. So I sanded and primed it. I painted it with two coats of white latex paint. Then the fun part...I sponged on blue and white across the top. I wanted this part very subtle and barely have the blue noticeable. I painted black stripes on the skirting and black silhouettes of branches and birds on the top, all freehand. There is a small blue design that I painted on the lower triangle part. You can click on each picture to enlarge. Then click again and the picture will get even larger so you can see the detail. Use your back button to get back to my blog. Terry

I am linking up to these parties:
Susan's Met. Monday 
Carrie's Amaze me Monday
Cielo's Show Off Your Cottage Monday
Cindy's Make It 4 Monday
Linda's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Sassy's Tuesday Trash to Treasure
Cassie's Piece of Work  Wednesday 
Maryann's Power of Paint Wednesday 
Kelli's Restored It Party 
 Kim's Boring to Better Party
Kathleen's White Wednesday
Gina's Transformation Thursday