Birthday Game

Six of these things belong together, one of these things just isn't the same.
Oh, which of these things belong together, come on now can you play this game?

Play this birthday game. ( Sing to tune from Sesame Street.)

In case you haven't guessed, everything in the collage is "55" except Justin Bieber ( and Finley ). Justin is the center picture in the bottom row, not to be confused with Bill's grad picture on the left. Check it out Justin, Bill had the hair thing going on waaaaaaaay back in 1974!

Here is Bill in his newest role as Grandpa. He kept Finley quite amused during their visit this week.

Happy Birthday Bill! I hope you enjoy your new Toyota Matrix!

Mellow Yellow

Mellow yellow...NOT!  Really, who would paint a bedroom bumblebee yellow? This is a progress report on the rehab of the room formerly known as "Sweet Sixteen".

Just in case you are contemplating any wallpaper removal in the near future, I am posting some pictures of what you may find lurking beneath.

On the plus side:

1. Somebody sanded most of the texture off the plaster ( aka CONCRETE ) finish before wallpapering, so we won't have to apply as many coats of drywall mud for a smooth finish.
2. No black gooey adhesive used to adhere carpet, so removal was relatively easy. Well, I'm guessing it was. ( Carpet removed by Mr.Ranger 911.)

On the minus side:

1. The bedroom furniture is now crammed into bedroom #2 and basement for duration of remodel.
2. Our sawzall wouldn't cut through old box spring and mattress ( yes, I tried ) so I could transport them to the dump in my Butchiemobile, so this is the view out the bedroom window...

Howard Street Hillbillies.

Next on the agenda:  chisel out all the cracks in the walls and ceiling, tape and mud,mud,mud.

You've seen the back yard, now for the front yard....

Beauty AND brains! You go girl!!!!

The Blue Room

Have you ever named a room in your house? In our previous house we had a room we called the Blue Room. You are probably picturing a room that looks something like this....

Ohhh, no. The room above was featured in Country Living magazine. This was OUR Blue Room.

The photo above has faded with age, but the wood grain paneling was a lovely shade of baby blue, accented with royal blue shag carpeting and floral foam insulated curtains. As only Phaedra ( Atlanta Housewives )  could say,"Mmm, hmmmm!" The room did have two redeeming features;  the original French doors and leaded glass window. We quickly learned not to close the doors at night during the winter months because if we did the paneling would have a light coating of FROST in the morning! Eventually, the room was remodeled and became The Den.

In our current house, we have two bedrooms that our daughters have graciously named for us. Today you will be viewing room number 1 aptly named......

Sweet Sixteen.

The room was obviously decorated for a young girl. It even has glow-in-the-dark stars on the cracked plaster ceiling.

I have been hesitant to strip the dated wallpaper because underneath I'm sure to find more cracked plaster! I have been dragging my heels long enough, so here goes........

Ba-bye lace valances.

So long 80's wallpaper. Hello cracked plaster, my old friend.

Progress will be chronicled in upcoming posts. I'm thinking I'd like the room to look something like this...

Photo also from Country Living.

Fashionista

Whatever does one create for the newborn daughter of a model/ hair stylist mom and photographer dad? A super stylin' Studio 911 sock monkey, of course!

Mira Eve was born on Christmas Eve, so I thought a monkey attired in winter wear would be an appropriate gift for the little babe. A pair of Rockford Red Heel socks, a few pieces of fur, some fiberfill stuffing, and a star is born!

Here she is outfitted in a faux fur swing coat and jaunty little hat she purchased at Oh,Sock Baby. ( the sock monkey version of  Oh, Baby! at Galleria ) The coat has a fabric flower that is SO this season! It even has an opening for her tail to prevent those oh-so-embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions that seem to plague all the celebrities these days.

She has been busy socializing with the sock monkey gang that resides on a shelf in in our basement, but will be leaving early tomorrow morning to meet her new roommate, Miss Mira. Here she is with her Louis Vuitton bag all packed and ready to go.

Her new friends are sad to see her go, but know she will be gloriously happy in her new home. (She has heard from her sources that a professional decorator has put the finishing touches into her designer room.)  



Congratulations Leah and Craig!!!

Treasure Hunt

Thank goodness one man's trash is another man's woman's treasure! This fall I found an old window at the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. When I first laid eyes on it, my heart went pitter-pat!! ( in the words of Norman Thayer, Jr.)

Then my common sense kicked in and I hemmed and hawed about buying the thing. After all, it is 7 1/2 feet tall and there was no way it was going to fit in the junkermobile. (We had already taken the kayak racks off for the season.)

Graphics courtesy of Picasa photo editing.

The clerk working that day was not to be deterred. He said, "I'll get that sucker in your car and sell it to you for 20 bucks." Now who am I to turn down a deal like that!

Well he pushed and he shoved and he twisted and he finally got the sucker in my car....sort of. It was hanging out the back hatch window by a good 3 feet. So, I paid the man, bought some rope at the hardware store across the street, and tied everything down. Still, I had to stop 3 times on my way home to tighten up the rope.

About that time, buyer remorse was starting to set in. What in the heck am I going to DO with this gigantic window?! Then I remembered a post I read in The Frugal Farmhouse blog where she turned a window into a mirror with spray paint. YES!!!

I had to order this paint from an art supply company, and with S&H three cans came to around $39.00 or so. I worked on this project in the basement ( winter) , but would strongly advise using this paint outdoors due to the toxic paint fumes. ( I did have windows open and exhaust fan going.)

I spattered some watered down black paint on the back side of the glass, let it dry, spritzed the glass with water, and gave the whole works about 6 or 7 coats of mirror spray paint.

This was my inspiration piece form the Pottery Barn Bible for around $500.

And this is my finished project.

window $20 + paint $40 = $60



Not bad, if I do say so myself!  It is a magical mirror for anybody over 50 as wrinkles, sunspots, and wily gray hairs can't be detected. As a bonus, the window sale included the screen I pictured above. It will be rehabbed into a wall mounted utensil/pot rack for Julie's kitchen. Watch for upcoming post.

Keep your eyes and ears open 'cause you never know where, when, or how that next treasure will find you. :@

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Rock-a-Bye Baby

  You don't have a rocking chair, do you?  Noooooooo.......

Off to the local antique store to pick up a rocking chair for the wee little lass coming for a visit. Just like Goldilocks, I had to find a chair that was JUST right. One was too small, another just plain ugly, and yet another too rickety. Finally, I found a misfit that was just creaky enough to be at home in our old house.

And yes , it came already upholstered in my favorite black pleather!  :@

Here are some shots of the little babe that got to take it for a test run.

Finley. Just starting to coo.

Peacefully sleeping strapped to Mama in her Moby.

She loved her kitchen sink bath!

Sleepy-time.

Counting the days 'till our next visit. We miss you already!