Our Old House

I'll be out of commission for the day - monday, so I'm leaving you this little post to read. I'm gonna have a few kidney stones blasted this morning. Most men ogle women because of their "chests" or "legs" or "rear end" but I got a guy who just can't keep his hands/eyes off my kidneys! Hah......Hoping I don't do anything "socially unacceptable" while under the anesthetic, chicks!

When we first thought of moving to this state it was just after the SF earthquake of 1989. We came up here and looked for a home to buy and there really wasn't much for sale at all. But we finally settled on this huge home. It was almost 5,000 s.f. with 4 car garage on a acre, most of which was on a hill. We later sold it as that much house for 2 people was simply too hard to take care of as we aged. This is the living room with a library off to the right, a huge coat closet on the left with a stone entry at the front door just behind that coat closet on the left. It had 3 covered patios, huge windows, large kennel and a large garden area. The stone fireplace took up an entire wall and had an indoor planter to the left of the fireplace. That room alone was about 19' x 26'.

This was the approach to the back entry and garages. We closed in the last garage for a tool shed. You could turn a huge Mayflower moving truck around in that driveway with no problem. We know because they did when our furniture arrived!

This is that driveway and our view from our back windows. An 80 year old couple lived in that house and thought of us as their kids. I loved that old couple.

This is what they saw when they looked out their front window. It was its own little neighborhood. There were 6 of us on this little road off another road. Turning off the street running in front of our house, up a very short incline you could go left or right. Left taking someone up around to our back. I loved the privateness of it. The 2 town doctors, a dentist, this retired old couple and a wealthy produce grower lived in this little area with us. A bit secluded but friendly.

Oh btw, a few people have emailed asking about my food storage and I thought I'd post a picture of how I had it in our old house we moved from 3 years ago. This was in our basement and you're looking at about 1/4 of the basement here. You're looking at about 1/2 or maybe a little more of the storage items since some of the items are out of camera range to the left. This is just canned and dried items. The freezers are out of sight also. Paper and household items are the third photo down.

Those buckets have dried carrots, onions, potato flakes, sugar, beans and flour in them.

Pink Saturday 12/27/08

Beverly at How sweet the sound emailed me recently to remind me of Pink Saturday and whether I was participating or not this week. Well, as things go I almost forgot about it until this evening!!! So while hubs was talking to his sister in Pennsylvania I grabbed the camera, turned out all the lights in whatever room I was photographing and snapped pix. He's used to it by now so he just kept right on talkin' to that chick and I just scurried around trying to find some pink things that you haven't already seen. This was a next to impossible task! But I'll post some pink "fluff" for ya because I do NOT want to disappoint Beverly. ;-)

While this isn't PINK it is lovely. I discovered it today while taking down our tree and putting ornaments away. (Yesssss, once the Christmas day is done that tree comes down to give us more room. BUT we have figured out a place we can put it next year to leave it up a tad longer.)

Anyway, this ornament was packed away in some soft cotton batting and I'd almost forgotten about it. Someone special gave it to me many years ago and I thought I'd share it with you. I didn't put it back in the ornament box but intend to hang it somewhere in my office or sewing/craft room. It isn't light but actually heavy and I'm sure it's fragile.

Look at those gorgeous grapes and the gold on this beauty. I absolutely love it.

A pretty pink box I keep my Sculpy in, a purple box I keep decoupage ephemera in, a pink toile box I keep my finished clay roses in and a pink rose box I keep "secrets" in. *Wink*

You may not have seen these little birdhouses I make. Not really for the birds but just full of barkcloth fabrics, "icing" and roses. I've never been successful at selling most of them and that's my gain as I place them around my house for my pleasure. "Their loss; my gain!" But they truly are a labor of love, intensive to make and absolutely stunning when seen in person.

This is one of the first I made. I started from the bottom up. I cut out foam board, glued it together and added all the lace, fabric, roses and stuff you see on here. It also is truly lovely. Ooooh, not because I made it but because of the lovely rose fabrics all over it.

This one was made with House Inc. fabric. Very very expensive - about $30.00 a yard but it never sold either. I added the pink "icing" and it looks so lovely with the Waverly polka dot fabric I hated to sell it but then it didn't sell so my gain again! I'm very philosophical about it. My interest in selling is to share some of these beauties, not to make money so it isn't essential that they sell.

This one I went over the top with!! I added so much stuff just because I wanted to - tiny birds, paper roses, buttons, vintage lace trim and vintage fabric, leaves around the bottom with little flowers. Adorable.

Just because I thought I'd add one more "PINK" item for you to see. Hah. Have a wonderful day, my sweet chicks.
Beverly, I DID it!!!! Now to sit down and chat with the hubs..... *Sigh*..........

Greenhurst Nursery #13

The nursery has a small boutique area with lotions, colognes, creams and some feminine items like stationery, casual slip-on shoes, aprons, bags, belts, office accessories and that sort of thing.

Another one of their unique and fabulously gorgeous lamps. This one is more modern and fit for a diva's bedroom.

I absolutely loved the "whiteness" of this area! Exquisitely serene.

Beautiful and unique handbags.

More aprons in the next 2 photos.

Squeeeeeeeeeeeal!!!! I loved this roses apron.

And of course, more beautiful ornaments.

I could definitely love that white storage chest in my bedroom.

Lovely Christmas gingerbread house. Mine never looked this good!

Just oodles and oodles to see in this place and we haven't seen it all yet either, chicks.

I wanted a pair of these soooooo badly but they didn't have my size! Sob.....sob.....sob

I tell ya, everything just sparkled and twinkled and seemed to just say "Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays"!!!

Until the next installment......... :-)

Changes in Where I Create

If you have read my blog for any length of time you know I've been painting my house pink but especially my sewing/craft room and my office/painting room. They're pinker than the rest of the main rooms are going to be but everything will still be pink. In doing them one at a time it gives me more time to take everything down and put it back up without a HUGE mess in this 1800 sq.ft. house. I don't like having chaos in my life if I can, at any cost, avoid it.

In doing that I haven't put everything back on the walls yet. I'm "thinking" on it before I do it. Well, I did put a few things up and I'm "rethinking" them! So indulge me a minute, please, and let me digress for just a moment.

I was at a blog site a day or so ago and saw a couple of gingerbread houses—the regular small ones. I thought of a friend of mine whose hubby makes them and asked her if I could show you a couple of them. She agreed so I'm putting them below for you to see. NOW, we're talking GINGERBREAD houses!! Yes, these are huge. The one in the second photo is 85 lbs, chicks. He has won 3 awards and is on his way to winning another one this year. Have you ever seen anything like this? He's meticulous in doing this and I think quite an artist.

Not sure what this is a replica of but look at its detail.

St. Ignatius School in Ohio.

This one is a replica of a chateau in France owned by Yves St. Laurent's. That's supposed to be ivy on the front. Isn't that spectacular?

This one is a Masonic Temple in Ohio
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Now on to my office/painting room. I'd call it an office/studio but I'm not good enough of an artist to call my humble abode "studio." Anyway, I had the roses paper lanterns over the vintage school desk but someone said they thought they would look better over the window seat. I think I've always agreed with that, just been too lazy to change them and waiting for more inspiration to "HIT" me. It hasn't yet! But I did change them from one side of the room to over the window seat and I really like the way they look.

From here to............

Before

.............After

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I think it was Sharon who was recovering a footstool she bought for $1.00 at a garage sale. It was a leather one and wasn't as bad as one I redid. Okay, now, I don't want to steal anyone's thunder and I certainly don't want to be described as someone with bad taste but I think I absolutely deserve the prize for "most drastic or dramatic change" in refurbishing. Take a look at this footstool in our family room and I can't even claim I bought it at a garage sale to redo; I actually had the "bad taste" to have bought this and a chair like it in the early 70s. I plead "tastelessness" for even considering buying such a piece of work! The things we do when we're young! Sheeeesh.....

Underneath
Refurbished with my cover on it that I made a couple of years ago.


I also received another MEME to post. This one has come from Miss Linda and she wants to know six random facts about me. I think you'd love visiting with her also. She has lovely white furniture with cats! I can't believe it but she does. So again I want anyone reading this to put six facts on their blog and notify me when you do so I can come and read your "deep, dark" secrets also. :-) Please don't be shy. I truly will read your posts and leave a comment if you let me know you've done this.

Fact #1: I memorize numbers. When going down the street I'll look at license plates and try to remember them so I'll know my friends when I see them in their cars and can wave hello. I think this is a symptom of my OCD!!

Fact #2: I got sick one night and threw up all over my hubby's chest. Yes, I did. But he's such a sweetheart he just cleaned me up and put me back to bed.

Fact #3: I look in the mirror and at my driver's license and see my motherrrrrrr!!!

Fact #4: I absolutely love LOVE LoVe donuts and pastries! If I could live on them I would but I'd weight 5,000#! Don't even tempt me. I ate chocolate covered donuts when I was pregnant with my daughter and gained about 40# with her.

Fact #5: I am not a party girl or social animal but am married to one.....uuuuhhhh, a social animal. He loves parties and socializing and I hate it. I'd much rather be at home reading, blogging or crafting or even doing housework than socializing. I do love lunches with a few people though.

Fact #6: I hide my hubs' magazines regulary and don't tell him. I usually make him look for them, but I have been known to forget hiding them and then they're discovered weeks or months down the road! I have to be extra special to him for him to forget my lapse!

There you have it: The Life and Times of a Boring Housewife! Hah........

Greeenhurst Nursery #11, Pink Saturday and An Award

Last post was my tale of woe with the computers so I need to apologize to Queenie of Somewhereintime blog for taking so long to respond to her sweet award to me. She's given me the "A Perfect Blend of Friendship" award. Queenie/Christie always posts pictures of her family, state, home and gardens. I thoroughly enjoy visiting her blog because she exhibits her love for her family in her blog. And that's what is all about: family. So thank you, my sweet cherub.
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Do I have the same friends from childhood? Nooooo, I was a military brat and traveled and lived in many states. I know no one from my childhood days. Memories, yes, but actual relationships, no.

What do I value most about my friends? That would have to be their ability to put up with me! I'm very opinionated and never hold back on stating those opinions. ;-)

Are my friends sounding boards? You betcha!!! But hubby is my best sounding board because he doesn't put up with my "theatrics or hysterics" and lets me have it with both barrels. This is done lovingly and with an attitude of trying to help.

What is my favorite activity to share with friends? Eating!! Going out to lunch and just chatting with them. Feed me and I'll follow you anywhere, chicks!

Now, I'm not selecting just one person; I want all who read this and want to answer the questions to do so. I love hearing about other people. My only request is that you email me through the email link on the profile page and let me know you've answered the questions. Yesssssss, I DO care and will be waiting for your answers! Just let me know.
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Now, for more treats from the nursery.

This is their "bar and spirits" area. I'm not a drinker so I only got a few shots here because once you've seen a bottle of wine you've seen them all. ;-) Truly it was just a small area though. I love that chair though and those little things hanging on the table are relaxation disks. Beautiful music is played though out the year in this establishment. No rock here, just classical.....for the plants, I'm sure, but I love classical music.

Look at that gorgeous lamp - one of so many in this place.

I love aprons and this one is one of the cutest I've ever seen. Red polka dots! Look at those lime green totes also. Dahhhhling......

More Christmas dolls.

These are adorable also.

This is the wall leading into the "kitchen" area! It is so colorful with red and lime green. Are those this year's Christmas colors??? Hmmmmm???? I wonder....

This is the "french country" area. That satin quilted table cover has feathers on the bottom. My friend, Stephanie, would love that! Blingggggg!!!! Stephhhhhh, smooches for our mum!!! Make sure she reads this one. We share a "mum" but I think Mum loves me the best!! Hah.....

The french farm house table. I doubt that it is an antique but it is gorgeous!

Just more "eye candy" down an aisle.

A wall in the "kitchen" area. Aprons, dishes, unique ornaments reminiscent of olden days.....fantastic.

Now, I thought this was a fantastic idea. Remember the paper chains we used to make in school? Well, they've taken it to new heights with pretty papers, not just the construction papers we knew as children, but delicious polka dots, plaids, stripes in pink and greens. I loved this idea for even a fireplace or across the top of a door or window.

And here is that little apron in the above photo unfolded. Black and white checks with pink trim. Squeeeeeeeeal!!!

Shot of standing at one end and taking picture of other wall of "kitchen" area. The wall with the colorful red and lime green gadgets is on the other side of the right side of this photo. Just to give you a bit of perspective. This area looks like "Candy Land"!!

That stove is an antique. You're just seeing the door. I'll have the full one in another group of photos. As I've said I got over 200 photos that day and I'm taking them as they come mostly. Aren't those dishes cute? And the "popcorn" balls? Nope, nothing is real. Nooooo, wait, those little lollipops in the bottom of photo are real.