Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Kitchen Windows

Now that the kitchen is all painted up,
it needs the finishing touches to add just the right amount of warmth-

Browsing through JoAnn Fabrics can be overwhelming to many,
 but I could spend hours 
strolling through the racks of fabric-
Visions of projects race through my head-

I was on the hunt for a black fabric with the same autumn bliss color in the walls-
 I love a good sale!!

50% off all Home Dec fabric-
What more could a gal ask for?

I bought the fabric without deciding what style to make-
not always smart- but I ran back for more when I determined I was short-

Pinterest gave me some great ideas 

It's a bay window so 3 separate coverings were needed-



I'm loving box pleats - nothing too fancy



Maybe some cool trims


or
perhaps fabric shades



So, I finally have something up on the windows-

They looked like this



And now this-






Box pleat valances with some box pleat trim-

Can't decide on fabric shades or bamboo style
for a little texture-
What would you choose?
I'll let you know what happens next!

Take care, gotta fly-




Saturday, October 26, 2013

My Own Antlers

Antlers and faux deer heads have been a huge part of the home decor trend on many blogs-

I am not a trend follower, as shown in my home color choices but...

I love the look of a little deer head popping up in the most unexpected places-

A few years back, I found this silver deer in TJ Maxx-
Perfect for my holiday decor!





When I wasn't even looking for one, 
I stumbled upon this little cutie at the Christmas Tree Shop recently-


even had a perfect hole for the nail-


This chalkboard graces the kitchen wall
but it needed a fresh start-



With a simple nail, my adorable deer head sits 
proudly in the kitchen!



Nothing like a new pet that doesn't make messes or bark at inanimate objects-

Happy to welcome this little "deer" to the fold!

Take care, gotta fly-













Thursday, October 24, 2013

Blessings

As I sit on my porch today, the sun is setting and the air is crisp with "fall"ness-

The foliage is at its most colorful peak-

Birds chirp around me foraging the berry filled shrubs- time to eat

Life is good

Blessings all around me

Dinner is cooking in the kitchen
My daughter is watching her favorite show
The dogs are barking in glee- or whenever they feel like it!

It's the time of year when I'm really struck by the beauty of my surroundings-





As the days grow shorter, night comes quickly but the lights from within bring a warm, toasty feeling 

A phone call from a friend, a letter from a student, sisterly chats, and laughter 

-all reminders of the goodness of people surrounding me-



Life is always shorter than we'd like so take the time to enjoy the people around you,
 give thanks for all you have 

A smile, a pat on the back, a word of encouragement to those around you- 

It's all about the little things that mean the most



Take time to look around - breathe it all in - and enjoy!

Take care, gotta fly-

Claire






Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Kitchen Refreshed

The painting is complete-


All the furniture is now black-



The walls are a lovely hue of autumn

The chair seats are being reupholstered

The curtains are cut and waiting to be stitched

All in good time

Not a huge kitchen overhaul- a few simple, refreshing and inexpensive changes-

The cabinets, counters, flooring and appliances remain the same, as does the lighting

But, the little changes make a huge overall impact

It's warm and cozy

Perfect for family gatherings

The finishing touches will be coming and I'll be happy to invite you in-

Wishing you warm and cozy family get togethers that create the perfect cherished memories!

Take care, gotta fly-

Claire



Thursday, October 17, 2013

Kitchen changes...


Have you ever woken up one morning and decided you needed a change in the scenery?

Just today, that exact thing happened to me!

I was drinking my hazelnut coffee and got an idea-
that can sometimes be dangerous, but not today.

I've been toying with the idea of painting my kitchen-

A few years back, I painted the table, chairs and hutch - you can see it here-


The chairs are all different- an assortment from my favorite GW "boutique"!





The flowered curtains needed to go as well!

Why not change things up abit- with a day off- how much trouble can I get into?

After emptying out the hutch, I painted it with my Annie Sloan graphite - it's a lovely color but I wanted it more black-


After a quick run to the Depot- I had everything I needed-

By dinner time, the hutch, 5 chairs and table had been primed and painted!








,
I made a quick trip to Joann Fabrics to coordinate things- oh, I forgot to mention, I'm also going to paint the walls- going from a sage green to a terra cotta color- the table and chairs had been in that color family-

The fabric I chose is a black background with russets, golds and green paisley -

Call me impulsive, but that's how I roll- instant gratification!
Here's a sneak peek at the finished hutch-


Can't wait to show you the "new" kitchen!
Only money spent was for paint and 3 yards of fabric!
Puts a smile on my face!!

Take care, gotta fly-
Claire


Friday, October 4, 2013

Wind Beneath My Wings

I blog about home decor, furniture refurbishing
 and my fab GW finds a lot!

it truly is good for my soul- 
My soul needs creative spirit on a daily basis-
I don't need to post everything I do to make me feel whole-

I am whole because of the love of my family-
They are the whole of me-
I am the person I am because of them
My mom
My grandmother
My sisters
But especially my girls

They are the best inspiration my soul can get-

They have been with me every step of this journey-
They have become caring, strong and exceptional women

Their love knows no bounds-
They are part of my circle 
My heart
Their daily chats
Their love
Their constant cheering
I do what makes me happy because of them-

They are my daughters but truly my best friends

Each is unique but together they are a special team-
In all different paths of life, they unite and become a beam of light in my heart-

Today is no different
They are special and I am blessed to be their mom-
They make me laugh, cry, think, encourage, love 
They are my heart 
I am blessed each and every day
No matter what 
They are there for me and always with me-
Strong women
May we know them
May we raise them 
May we be them

Take care, gotta fly-




Thursday, October 3, 2013

Bedroom decor

I was wandering around TJ Maxx the other day-
enjoying my browsing time-
 
The bedroom I'm working on was done but I needed some
final touches-
My goal was to use what I had around the house-
but I really wanted a new coverlet for the bed-
should I splurge ?
 
I eyed so many beauties-
lamps, pillows, window treatments
but I left the store empty handed- :(
 
but I did get lots of great ideas!
 
I can make pillows, and paint lamps-
 
A lamp from my mom's home-
the shade was too small and I added arms to the base
 A shade I had from a GW find last year-
 Taped the electrical parts-
Sprayed away!
 Looks perfect as a bedside table!

Next up, a burlap pillow-
 
I found some burlap pieces leftover from another project-
this pillow used to be on my 3 chair bench but was changed out last year
 when I made ruffled pillows for it-
 
It was a perfect insert for my new pillow!

 
I hemmed up the edges,
 

I wanted to "frenchify" the pillow so
I used shapie paint pens to write with-

"bonne nuit" good night in French
 Of course, I free handed it so it"s not perfect!





The edges needed a ruffle so I doubles the burlap for added weight
and folded the fabric in small pleats along the strips-



I sewed them to the right side of the pillow base-




Then. I sewed the sides together, I also sewed the bottom together,
leaving about a 6 inch opening so I could stuff the pillow

I didn't end up putting the old pillow into the new, just the stuffing-

Not bad for an hour project!


 
The best part was I spent no money and added a bit of Paris to the room!

Can't wait to show you the rest!

Take care, gotta fly-