Saturday, January 26, 2008

Accessorizing the Family Room

Accessorizing the Family Room
I've had such fun with our make-over of our family room. DH, well, he hasn't had quite as much fun, but is learning to live with it! We've had sofas with some shade of blue being the predominant color for over 15 years, so I felt a color change was long overdue.


But before I show you some of my new goodies, I want to show you an old one......the very first antique I ever purchased. My mother & I had gone shopping & stopped at a little antique & gift shop a few towns away, & I fell in love with this lovely little marble topped antique washstand. It is pine, has little towel holder racks on each end, & the prettiest little legs on it. But what really sealed the deal for me was the beautiful tiles on the backsplash. Yummy shades of yellow, aqua, & lavender. DH recently surprised me with the antique clock & cheesekeeper & I think they look so pretty there. The clock doesn't work, but it has gorgeous yellow roses & goes great with the colors in the backsplash. My sweet friend Vicki of All Bliss Be Thine asked for a closer pic of this washstand when she spied a corner of it in another post of mine, so here it is Vicki. Vicki has some exciting news, as she is starting another new tea blog, so take a peek here when you get a chance! She is one busy lady, as she is also starting a new bridal blog & you KNOW I love all things bridal, so please check it out here!


I still have a few finishing touches to put on our family room, but wanted to share some of the accessorizing I'm doing in there with you.


Who among you has a mania for handpainted plates? I certainly do, & now I have the perfect place to display some of them!


Handled cake plates are becoming a new favorite of mine, too!


My girlfriend Amy of Bunny Rose Cottage has given me her Spring Fever, so I bought this adorable little glitter feathered butterfly & perched it atop some of Amy's pretty handmade paper roses in a favorite teacup! Check out her Etsy store here if you ever need any of her gorgeous handmade roses!!


I also added a little bunny in a crystal goblet filled with Spanish moss, then sprinkled some teensy speckled eggs beside the bunny. I also added one of my favorite garden topiary birdhouses to finish off my new Spring vignette atop my church table.


Got these new beaded valances to coordinate with the new sofa & chair. They are raw silk in the palest of celery green.....AND they were on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond!


Haven't finished re-doing all of my bookcase yet, as I've been considering painting it a creamy off-white. The more I look, the more I like the contrast of the oak finish, so I may decide to leave it as is. In the meantime, I added a new little putz style church that I recently purchased, our daughter's bridal portrait, & a sweet bunch of roses arrangement from my PRH sister, Bertie of Aunt May's Cottage. She has the most beautiful Victorian inspired cottage just chock full of lovely items that she makes, so take a peek when you get a chance.
I'm still dreaming of the day when I can save enough pennies to buy hardwood flooring & a beautiful new area rug for this room!

Hugs,
Stephanie

Sunday, January 20, 2008

My New "Momma Bear" Chair & Sofa

My New "Momma Bear" Chair & Sofa
Last time I showed pics of our new sofa, this time I'm showing our bookcase, antique floor lamp, AND.........
My "Momma Bear" Chair......This one is all mine to cuddle up in!
I hope to soon make a new slipcover for my old ottoman, but til then the battenburg cover will have to do.
THIS is what really sold me on the set ~ all the special tailoring on the back of the chair. Muffin, our cat, just loves to lie in wait underneath & scare our poor little dogs to death as they unsuspectingly stroll by!
I had so many of you write and ask about the box on my coffee table that I decided to show a couple more pics here. It is extremely special to me, as it was one of the last things my dear daddy ever made for me.
I decorate for all the different seasons & holidays using this pretty glass-footed piece now. Right now two of my specially sweet friends & PRH sisters goodies are in it, an adorably sparkly lavender filled sachet ("stress buster" gift for my daughter's wedding for the nervous Mother of the Bride) from Katie of Rose*Breeze*Boutique, & a precious handsewn sequined felt heart & vintage bling bling brooch from dear sweet Rhea of Sweet N Shabby Roses. Rhea is having a giveaway so jump over to her blog to enter! And Katie doesn't have a blog, but run here to look at her ebay listings as she is making some adorable items for Valentine's Day & Easter!
Mary from Oh Merci made me the unique little pink Putz style paper church ~ I'm constantly amazed at all the detailing she puts into everything she makes! Daughter & her husband gifted me with the white bottle brush trees & I'm just not ready to put them away yet! I usually put out all my snowmen right after Christmas, but this year has been so unusually warm I just didn't get them all out......supposed to be in the lower 20's here tonight, so I just might drag them out yet!!
A closeup of my very favorite old crazed teapot on a tray that I painted & added fabric to.

Next time I'll be showing more pictures of my glass topped church table & some spring goodies!
Hugs,
Stephanie

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Sachets & Sofas & Santas, Oh My!

Sachets & Sofas & Santas, Oh My!


I have been a bit slow posting as of late, but I've had the fun task of re-decorating our family room! Finally got all the Christmas decorations packed away, & started on the search again for the PERFECT sofa & wing chair. This has been on going for the past year & a half at least........I'm so happy with the end results. Of course, I had to have new valances & pillows, but basically everything else was something that I already had. Just moved things from other rooms ~ "shopped" my own home, which made DH happy! Kind of like one of those entire room makeovers for under $500!! I'll be adding more pics soon, just wanted to give you a quick preview today.


My precious friend & PRH sister, Bertie of Aunt May's Cottage gifted me with some wonderful goodies for my birthday last month & I wanted to share those with you, too. She makes the most beautiful sachets & they are every bit as yummy smelling as they look!! Perfect eye candy!! Full of sequined medallions & dripping with pearls! Run to her website & get one for yourself or for a perfect Valentine's Day gift!
She knows how much I adore Laura Ashley's Isabelle Rose fabric, so L@@K what else she made for me!!!!!!! My very own custom made PINK SANTA!!!! He is all mine (I know this because of his adorable tushy tag that says so!!). He is so gorgeous that I will leave him out year round. He matches the fabric that we lined our armoire with beautifully!!


Plenty of bling & sparkles in all the right places to make me, the BLING QUEEN, blissfully happy!!! Much love & kisses to you, dear Bertie!!!


Till next time......


Big Hugs,
Stephanie


Wednesday, January 2, 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008 !!


Well, as usual I'm a day late, but I've been in self-imposed exile from my computer so I could get the house in somewhat back to normal order. But I did want to wish all my beautiful blog friends a very HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008 !!!

May you all have a healthy, safe, & prosperous New Year enjoying the good gifts from our Lord above!
Hugs,
Stephanie