My "Spot" continues to evolve

Remember the red chaise I finished earlier this year?  It looked rather lonesome in the corner with nothing to hug it.  Honestly, I wasn't really drawn to the spot.  My junking mentor, my mom, found the old door.  I grabbed these bifold closet doors off the roadside.  The lamp is one of those "touchy" things and so far it isn't possessed (coming on by itself-bad experience with that technology).  I found it at a yard sale.  The most expensive part of the door screen is the lamp shade at $6.99.  I got a piano bench to fit between the door and the chaise to hold my cup and my books.    
It is a really quiet spot to get away from the media and really cozy.  How about you?  Do you have a "spot" that hugs you?

Blessings

Hot Date = Trash Can

My darling husband called one day and says how about a date tonight?  Awww...

I suggested, how about a project together instead?

We didn't really have a plan, but there was a need.  Our trashcan was cracked, country blue, no lid (inviting the cat to rummage) and not pleasant.  We used cabinet door panels that I "just happened to have" and odds and ends lumber from the scrap pile.  There was no arguing and we had a good time accomplishing something together.  Fun!

A sweater slipcover?

I am cheap.  Yep, I look for creative ways to make our house comfortable ...on the cheap.  I longed for a comfortable spot to put my feet up by the fire.  Enter a one dollar garage sale hassock.  That's what we call them in the south.  And one large sweater from Goodwill.

 I pulled the sweater inside out, over the hassock and carefully tailored it to fit (not really, stretchy is very forgiving.)  I went around the bottom with quarter inch elastic so it comes off easily.

 So, here is the finished project.  Very cozy and the cat loves it.  I used the leftover arms to make some more stuffed pumpkins. 

Have a lovely fall day!  Blessings.

Fall is in the air

One of my most favorite things to do for entertainment is to play with my pretty things.  These items are usually meaningful.  This old UT Vols radio was my dad's in college.  The carved bird was a gift I got for my husband when we were dating.  And the amber glass was purchased on a trip with my mom and it has acorns from lovely walks with my dogs.

 I love old landscape paint-by-numbers.  And these "treasures" just feel cozy to me.  

 This bell jar is placed on a solid walnut pedestal my husband turned for me.  I am going to have a lot of fun with the little vignettes to place under glass.  I made the pumpkin out of the sleeves of a sweater left from another project.  It won't spoil!

Last night we hosted a wienie roast for my mom's milestone birthday.  We had chili with all the fixin's too.  It is definitely that time of year.  We are starting to see some color change on the trees here in Middle Tn, too.  Ah, fall is in the air!

YOUR style

Just have to share a couple of comments I heard this week on decorating:

"Do you think my ----- is dated?"

"I am not really comfortable because I am afraid I will mess up something."

"It feels like a magazine in your house."

"I love to look at all the interesting things around here."

Here's my decorating philosophy: If "it" (color, furniture, art, arrangement) brings beauty and function to your life, relax and enjoy it. If you are hanging onto "it" due to obligation or indecisiveness, get help to settle your space to more reflect yourself. The only time to really be concerned with what is "on trend" would be if you are trying to sell your home. That would be the time to back off on your own decorating personality to help the potential buyers see how they could live in the space. It is usually helpful to bring in a friend or professional to help you see your home's potential. You know what they say about another pair of eyes...

Have fun in YOUR home, in YOUR style.

Blessings

Door to Daybed

My son has moved into his own apartment. What a milestone for all of us! One concern was in furnishing it as inexpensively as possible. We decided to build a daybed for more seating and also sleeping. We are talking a studio apartment.
The actual build was very basic. The inspiration was to use this old door as the back. (I have had that door about 10 years, waiting for this exact moment in time, LOL.)

We started by sanding it a bit and then spray painted patches in the room colors. If I had it to do over, I would spray larger patches so they aren't so hard to find.

We painted two coats over the whole thing with Rustoleum's dark brown flat. After it was really good and dry, we sanded through the brown to expose the colors and some patches of the base color. All this was topped with a clear coat. I just happened to have some striped fabric to cover pillows and scored with this comforter at Goodwill for $3.99. We are pretty thrilled with the outcome.

Blessings

Honeybees in my house!

So, one morning I was just hanging out with my BFF in our bonus room and we noticed the shadow of bugs swarming just outside the window. After much concern and observation, I called a beekeeper to confirm that is was honeybees who had made their home in mine. ^ I am allergic to bee stings.^ Calls to exterminators were futile since bees are protected in TN. Most good ole boys who do siding didn't want to shimmy up 20ft to tangle with bees. Finally, I found a siding company who would remove the siding and coordinate with a beekeeper who would retrieve the darlings. And after more calls, I found a bee suit to loan the siding guy. By now, we are into 2 months of phone calls and honey making.

Siding removed and saved, and ladders and walk board on loan, the beekeeper removed the chipboard to find that the bees were NOT under the siding but behind the bricks. Note that the guts of our home are VERY exposed. Mr. Beekeeper could not remove the bees from behind the bricks and said we would have to exterminate them. (This makes me sad, understanding that our bee population is so vital, but he did say the hive was very small. He encouraged this operation at this time so they had a chance to survive the relocation.)

It was challenging to find an exterminator to get rid of the bees. My house was hanging open for almost 3 weeks. See the trampoline under the walk board? That was my mother-in-law's brilliant idea for when I shimmied up the ladder to spray the bees myself-just in case I fell. In doing the math, at my weight, from that height, I still would have eaten concrete. What a hilarious operation it was just moving the trampoline into position! With unceasing and fervent prayer, no one was injured in this project!

Finally, the approach to the hive was through my craft room closet. (You know what a packed hot mess that must have been!)

Hopefully, it is done for now. I have seen horrible photos and read horrible stories online. I don't know what will happen with bees in the future but I am so relieved our house is sealed up and done for now! What an ordeal!

Blessings