Visiting Friends and Beauty In The Everyday

My Fairy Blogmother (even though I'm older than she is, but with fairies you never know how that's gonna work because age is not relevant) was sugar-sweet enough to invite me to blog over at her delightful bloggy-land today. Come visit me here:REMODELAHOLIC and check out ALL of her other extreme GOODNESS in her archives. She is the best Fairy Blogmother EVER! I heart Cassity!

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we will not find it. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I'm still tweaking the shelves of the built in...I don't want too much clutter because it's a bit busy with the walls in their modified SALON fashion. My father had picked up this crystal door knob set at an antique fair...(OH MY GAWSH, I just remembered the FUNNIEST story, I'll include it at the end, YOU MUST READ IT) he was hoping it would fit our antique pantry door because the crystal knob mechanism in it doesn't work, so it won't latch. Not really a problem until you find Mr. Pudgie McPudgerson (that's Cosmo's other name) with the lid up on the dog food container, going to TOWN. ANYWAY, it didn't fit so we've had it sitting around a couple weeks waiting for inspiration to strike. The other day I walked it over to one of the more sparse shelves in the built in. I twisted her little body and she sat up in there like a lovely piece of industrial vintage sculpture, if I do say so myself. And. I. Do.

Look around, beauty surrounds us in the most simple things. The way the light glints off the mercury glass candlestick. The sweet curlicue's of the flower frog on top of the rusty old scale. Shop your house with a new eye. Find some goodies and move things around. It doesn't cost a thing and it's FUN!

Funny funny story, or at least I think so!  My father has been restoring an antique Packard.  It's a HUGE old car like you see in the movies about gangsters and prohibition.  He's almost done and has recently traveled far and wide for specific parts or pieces he needs to make it as authentic as possible.  A few weeks back, a friend excitedly called him to tell him about a Packard Show he saw on the Internet at a County Fair Grounds in West Virginia.  Now remember, we live in Maryland and Northern Maryland to boot.  My father and the friend Google directions to the Fair Grounds and set off early on a Saturday morning.  They finally arrive SEVERAL hours later and hastily park and make their way into the Show.  The Fair Grounds unfortunately did not have a PACKARD in sight, however, they were FILLED TO THE BRIM with ALPACAS! 

LUCKY LADY and man I'm getting freckly!

I've been SO extremely fortunate lately. You know how EVERYONE always says, "I never win anything", I really am that person. However, my LUCK has changed! From the incredible www.annettetatum.com duvet cover a couple months back to the two fun and wonderful treats in the past couple weeks. Stephanie Lynn Under The Table And Dreaming, had an awesome giveaway from One9Designs. I also won a signed copy of the uber fab FLEA MARKET STYLE with Ki Nassaur sweet message in it plus next springs copy as well! I am so LUCKY, HAPPY and BLESSED!

The necklace I chose is special to me. It's a hand hammered silver disc with a sweet little bird (I LOVE birds) and it says SOAR with the birthstones of my three children. It symbolizes that I want them to be ALL that they can be!
Kristin from One9designs was so sweet to work with and added those delightful little birthstone crystals at my request. She has GORGEOUS handcrafted artsy goodies in her ETSY shop. Check it out, it's just wonderful! My current issue of FLEA MARKET STYLE is so dog eared and tattered because I've looked at it so many times and a couple friends have borrowed it. It's so awesome to have a PRISTINE copy with the JUNK REVOLUTION GURU Ki Nassauer signature right there inside! THIS one is not getting passed around! ;-)

Thank you Stephanie, Kristin and Ki (Margo from the blog too) for my wonderful LUCK and goodies...I'm smiling ear to ear!

BTW, the husband took the photo on my neck and it's kinda hard to see the sweet bird but it's there. MAN I'm getting old...look at that skin! BUT if you look real close I have a freckle shaped like a heart..that's kinda cool!

yummm!

This just screams SUMMER to me! The 4th of July is right around the corner...hamburgers and hot dogs and potato salad, OH MY!

Books as cheap decor!

I don't know about you, but I feel like I have more books then a small town library. Most of the time I pass them on to friends who pass them on, etc and so on. SOMETIMES, I'll have a book that I can't part with. I book I LOVE and I'm afraid I won't get it back unless it's from the most dear friend. The Twilight series. Oops, did I just type that out loud?

Using your scrapbook paper (YOU all have some, right?) is a GREAT INEXPENSIVE way to add a little color and interest to your shelving. OR you can unify all your books by covering them in the same paper. I wanted mine to add some interest because my nook is painted ALL WHITE so the papers are shades of white with a bit of blue and black thrown in.  Kraft paper, clearance wallpaper rolls or rolls of kids coloring paper are just a few ideas you can use as well. These covered books are also a pretty way to lift a decorative piece you want to have more prominence.  So get out some of those books you have laying around, some FUN paper and spruce up your bookshelves!

That's a quick way to make a change to your bookshelves! Plus it's CHEAP, who doesn't like that?

Linking to these fun places...check them out to see everyone's goodies!  WHITE WEDNESDAYS at Faded Charm Blue Cricket Design ,

Cushion for your tush

Disclaimer: We DO NOT claim to know what in the WORLD we are doing with upholstery and we were basically flying by the seat of our DIY PANTS! EDIT: PLEASE know that is my husbands big hairy hand, not mine.  Not that I could be a hand model or anything. I'm just wanting you to know!

This is the little built in desk/reading nook that I revealed last week.  It's MOSTLY done but not quite.  That area over there under the pendant light is a storage bench that lifts up.  We wanted it to be cozy and cushy on the kids tushes so we decided to make a cushion that would come off and then you could open the bench.  If you go back to the initial built in post,you'll see that that area has some odd little notches too it.  I'm sure a professional upholsterer wouldn't bat an eyelash at that but we did.  Well, I did, Matt's has too much testosterone to bat eyelashes.  ANYWAY, we went to Joann's and luckily the HIGH DENSITY foam and the batting were 50 percent off. SCORE!  Then we hopped over to our second home (Home Depot) and picked up a drop cloth for about 5 bucks.   It's a little one, 5 x 5 I think and we didn't know it till we got home but it was backed in plastic.  THAT could be handy with the 3 rug rats we have that don't think we know that they take drinks and snacks in the family room when they THINK we don't know it! Plus remember we have 2 boxers that happen to have droopy black liver lips that occasionally bring in miscellaneous items adhered to their lips after being outside.  I'm not sure but there lips contain some mystery substance akin to Gorilla Glue.  We find all kinds of odds and ends stuck to their lips unknowingly, IE: grass, dirt, a slug, dryer lint, bird seed, ashes from the grill, etc. The good thing about this is when the drop cloth gets soiled (probably tomorrow), we can un-staple it and put another one on!  The foam was about 22 dollars and the batting about 5.  I don't know how much the luan (that thin board material) was but it's not expensive.  Now the READING NOOK part of the built in is looking quite inviting!  EDIT: Several people have asked about the delightful (If I do say so myself) bird pillow...it's from the best store in the world...TARGET and it's Dwell studios.THANK you C.R.A.F.T. for highlighting our built in today!  You are so sweet!

I'm linking to these fabulous links:

AND the winner is...FLAVIANA, COME ON DOWN! AND Hydrangea Heaven!

MY random number generator picked 16 although I can't figure out how to get the dang thing to show up here!  ...Maybe I need another cup of coffee!  Girlfriend, email me with your address and your pretty little 8 x 10 picture will be on it's way across the ocean! YAY!!!

In a while, when I have more SPUNK, I'll throw open my etsy doors!  I've decided to not only have original photographs but also occassionally vintage goodies!  THAT'LL be FUN I think!  I'm 6 weeks post surgery so just give me a few more weeks. ;-)

About the hydrangeas...we transplanted them last year so we were REALLY worried.  We had one out of 3 that didn't make it.  However, the others are LOVIN' their new shadier home!

BUILT IN NOOK REVEAL PARTY! Woooooot! AND A GIVEAWAY!!!

Edit: Hey Ladies!  This post is from a few months ago.  Since then the built in has changed a tad. We made a cushion for the seat out of a drop cloth (you can search drop cloth to see it if you like it!) and added a few more accents on the shelves.  Thanks for looking!

Did it feel like this day would never come?  I know it does to my wonderful, handy, handsome husband!  The DAY isn't really here according to him.  The built in needs a couple of pieces of trim, under cabinet lighting, a cushion for the little reading nook, he needs to move the computer to the desk, a couple coats of paint on the very outside trim, the built in in a built in needs shelves still, the floor needs poly, he still has to cut out the five and I have to antique it and I have to hand paint the Robin above the built in in a built in and there are a couple little accoutrement's that aren't in yet.  THAT being said, it's MOSTLY DONE!  I couldn't stand it anymore...I HAD to show you!

If you are new to Whimages and haven't heard me drone on and on and on about this built in, you might want to read this post it has links to lots of other posts about the built in. If you are curious or are wasting some time at work!  Also if you are new, this built in was originally cut into our family room wall, taking a bit of space from the garage, to make a built in entertainment center and bookshelves.   Years later, we got a flat screen and no longer needed the entertainment center. So...VOILA' the NOOK was born. Or something like that!

In another post, later in the week, I'll do a before and after.

Most of these items in the Nook have significance to us.  I'll just explain a few.  The box with the lid on the left was made by Matt's grandfather.  The school bell was his great uncle's and is neat because Matt taught school for 13 years and still works for the board of education in our county.  The lidded box on the right was my husbands great great grandmothers and was hand made by her pastor, it was very sweet of Matt's Mom to give it to us.  Many of the photos have meaning to us as well.  The photo of the kids walking is super cool and is printed on aluminum!  It looks like it's lit from within and came from the ULTRA cool and wonderful family owned business, www.pixel2canvas.com.  The photo of the bridge is a tucked away little bridge in our county.  Since we started dating, it's on one of the country roads that we LOVE to take slow drives on.  The architectual piece above the photos came from my friends store in Bethany Beach, DE.  It reminds us of the wonderful memories we have at their lovely (like so lovely it's in several magazines and 2 books) beach home.  The rest I'll just let speak for it'self.  If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!  I'm so proud of the work that Matt put into this and I appreciate my father for helping with the lighting!

Linking to these FABULOUS FRIENDS: He even put a lot of detail on the ceiling!

Give AWAY contest!  You may know that I'm going to be opening an ETSY store in the near future after I recover from my recent back surgery.  Here's the INFO about the give away... I am giving away a WHIMAGES.COM print of your choice (with in reason...like you can't have a photo of my children or anything ;-) ).  The photo will either be a FRAMED 5 x7 or a FRAMED 8 x10, it depends on the photo.  YOU have a 4 ways to win but first let me tell you how.  EASIEST WAY...just leave a comment about the Nook! Then the other ways...FIRST you have to go back through the blog and FIND a photo you LOVE (hint: if you put give away in the search engine there are a bunch from my last give away, but still keep looking, otherwise you might miss something!) So the FIRST chance of winning is leaving a comment telling me WHICH photo you would choose and why. SECOND chance: become a follower or if you are one, leave a comment telling me. THIRD chance: blog about this contest or link back and LEAVE ANOTHER comment telling me you did that too!  The contest ends FRIDAY and I'll use the random number generator to pick the winner!  YAY!
WHITE WEDNESDAY at FADED CHARM...this is a FUN party!








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