Thursday, January 07, 2010
A day for home made apple pie and beef stew!
I heard the weather forecast for lots of snow to arrive before turning in for the night so as soon as I awoke I bundled up and headed off to the grocery store. ( I hardly looked like her though)
I am lucky to live only 4 miles away from the grocery store. It is so nice to live in the country area of a small town and close to the beach.Even nicer to live less than an hour from a big city if you have the urge to take in the theater, museum,ball game, or special events in Chicago. Aside from the winter months seeming so long,(for a gardener), this really is a great place to live.
I shopped for some hearty home made meal supplies to make chicken noodles,beef stew,apple pie,cookies,etc the next few days. Things to make from scratch that stick to your ribs. I enjoy baking and cooking on cold wintry days when temperatures forbid you to go out to build a snowman or ski.
I returned home and chopped the veggies and put the stew on then peeled, sliced and arranged the apples (in store bought crust) and tossed a pie in the oven while talking to mom on the phone. While the enticing aroma fills the house I will paint a few frames then grab a magazine and cup of tea and head for my comfy corner to read with Angell beside me. The snow is really coming down and it is so cold out there. I try to keep from thinking of the little animals outside and homeless people dealing with the cold and snow. It is impossible not to.
I am lucky to live only 4 miles away from the grocery store. It is so nice to live in the country area of a small town and close to the beach.Even nicer to live less than an hour from a big city if you have the urge to take in the theater, museum,ball game, or special events in Chicago. Aside from the winter months seeming so long,(for a gardener), this really is a great place to live.
I shopped for some hearty home made meal supplies to make chicken noodles,beef stew,apple pie,cookies,etc the next few days. Things to make from scratch that stick to your ribs. I enjoy baking and cooking on cold wintry days when temperatures forbid you to go out to build a snowman or ski.
I returned home and chopped the veggies and put the stew on then peeled, sliced and arranged the apples (in store bought crust) and tossed a pie in the oven while talking to mom on the phone. While the enticing aroma fills the house I will paint a few frames then grab a magazine and cup of tea and head for my comfy corner to read with Angell beside me. The snow is really coming down and it is so cold out there. I try to keep from thinking of the little animals outside and homeless people dealing with the cold and snow. It is impossible not to.
I have gathered some supplies to start on the little gifts I had planned to send before Christmas but didn't get to.This evening after dinner dishes are done and everyone has settled in, I will begin my projects. I need to create and stop decorating. My muse is probably ready to pack her bags and be on her way. I can't have that happen!
I hope you are all warm and enjoying your new year.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Stealing a few blogging moments while others sleep in :-)
Thanks for all the wonderful uplifting comments on the home redo. After all the painting and storing of my things, I found it hard to piece it back together. Everything took on a new life. A great reason why we need to dump all the drawers in the house and start tossing. I stopped counting the bags of clothing and stuff I discarded. Goodwill is well stocked now! I feel it was the perfect time to rid my home of unwanted items and start fresh. I just never imagined I was hoarding so much. Yikes. Can you tell I am not one to accept change well? Familiar things comfort me and could be why the huge carpet change upset my world. It was stressful to imagine everything would be different in a few days and I couldn't turn back. Does anyone else feel like that?
As I had mentioned in the last post, the carpet was not what I would have chosen. DH headed straight for that one and said that is what he liked. I was surprised he wanted a design, but I really wanted him to be part of the redo and since it was cream and "sandy", which is what I wanted, I let it go. When he came home he couldn't believe it had a square pattern and wasn't too pleased with it. He actually did not see the design in the sample. I did but didn't think about a huge area of it and how it would repeat. When I first saw it on the dining room floor I thought "bachelor pad",LOL. We knew we wanted berber for sure, and a light sandy color was a must, but I could live without a pattern. When the guy said it will last forever with the padding we chose, I smiled, as my heart cried out, "NO!!!!!!".
Honestly it isn't that bad, just a surprise I hadn't planned on when decorating in my mind all these months. There are good sides,#1~ the dark green is gone downstairs, the dark wine is gone upstairs which lightens the space tremendously and the rooms flow together now.
#2~ it is the Stainmaster with the padding that holds spills like a cup instead of soaking in.
#3~ the floors are clean and fresh for the new year.
#4~ I can change wall and furniture colors easily since everything goes with the neutral color.
#5~It will always look new,forever, like the man said :-)!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
Actually, I am liking it more after adding the furniture and decorating the walls.One of you had mentioned it looked like a cozy quilt pattern, which eased my mind, thanks.Its funny how I can embellish fabric to death but don't use a lot of fabric with prints. Anyone want to practice their psychology on me?Does that mean I am a control freak?
I had planned for the living room to be on the shabby chic side but the guys snubbed the slipcover idea, and since DH got a new TV and this will be HIS room, I decided to step back and make it comfortable for them. I may slip in one chair cover and hope they won't notice :-) I hung a few Victorian pictures for now but will hunt for something more masculine to replace them. DH would love his boar or deer head making the walls but those went straight to the barn upon move in day 20 years ago. They were a great addition to the Halloween parties we held each year. That room will be an ongoing project.
Angell sat in the kitchen with me for two days while the carpet was being installed. She looks innocent doesn't she? Every time one of the men came in to ask a question she barked her head off. She was not a happy girl.
You can get a better idea of the carpet pattern in this pic. I will take more today.
DH's office is through the door which was a "borning" room 130 years ago. Apparently it was used to deliver babies which was located right off the kitchen with a large wood burning stove.The East wall offers deep built in drawers and doors for linens and such which makes for perfect office storage space.
The new carpet matches the office walls perfectly however I just had to have the green walls in the dining room and hall. Every time I would see this color in a magazine I yearned to one day paint my walls green.
The trim in the doors were made by my father as a housewarming gift 20 years ago. He made the gingerbread for the porch and eves of the house too. I guess he figured I would live here forever, which I plan to do. Sprinkle me in the garden!
I've been quite lucky through the years to be the recipient of some wonderful furniture items. Castoffs from family, friends, and strangers that found their way into my humble home and became well loved treasures.
The lowboy was another item that was given to me by an upholsterer in Chicago years ago, where I found the Capodimonte lamp found in the alley which sits on top. This once dark piece sat at the end of the hall upstairs filled with Christmas items for 18 years.
I painted it and now have tons of storage for lace tablecloths and special dishes and such.The legs were missing so DH is buying some replacement feet to raise the piece to the level here.He placed a temporary board underneath to find the correct height I wanted. I love the scrolled detail of this piece and knew by painting it, the detail would be more visible. Again, painting wood isn't something DH is fond of, but this was a freebie that he could care less about, so on went three coats of cream paint. I will be arranging items on the top until I find the right selection.
Hobby Lobby has a large variety of the glass domes and pedestal items. They are almost always 1/2 off too!
I did arrange a little sitting area at the end of the hall upstairs.(photo soon) My comfy chair was too large for the area but the wing chair was perfect. I hung my little chandelier and filled my bookcase with my magazines and favorite books. My jars of mermaids tears found a home on top of the bookcase. Yes! Now I can snuggle in my chair, feel the sunshine pouring through the window and watch the snow fall gently down as I read and glance at my sea glass collection and dream of walks along the shore with mom until Spring arrives. I hear rustling upstairs, time to whip together breakfast. I think it is a morning for French toast! Have a great day everyone.
As I had mentioned in the last post, the carpet was not what I would have chosen. DH headed straight for that one and said that is what he liked. I was surprised he wanted a design, but I really wanted him to be part of the redo and since it was cream and "sandy", which is what I wanted, I let it go. When he came home he couldn't believe it had a square pattern and wasn't too pleased with it. He actually did not see the design in the sample. I did but didn't think about a huge area of it and how it would repeat. When I first saw it on the dining room floor I thought "bachelor pad",LOL. We knew we wanted berber for sure, and a light sandy color was a must, but I could live without a pattern. When the guy said it will last forever with the padding we chose, I smiled, as my heart cried out, "NO!!!!!!".
Honestly it isn't that bad, just a surprise I hadn't planned on when decorating in my mind all these months. There are good sides,#1~ the dark green is gone downstairs, the dark wine is gone upstairs which lightens the space tremendously and the rooms flow together now.
#2~ it is the Stainmaster with the padding that holds spills like a cup instead of soaking in.
#3~ the floors are clean and fresh for the new year.
#4~ I can change wall and furniture colors easily since everything goes with the neutral color.
#5~It will always look new,forever, like the man said :-)!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
Actually, I am liking it more after adding the furniture and decorating the walls.One of you had mentioned it looked like a cozy quilt pattern, which eased my mind, thanks.Its funny how I can embellish fabric to death but don't use a lot of fabric with prints. Anyone want to practice their psychology on me?Does that mean I am a control freak?
I had planned for the living room to be on the shabby chic side but the guys snubbed the slipcover idea, and since DH got a new TV and this will be HIS room, I decided to step back and make it comfortable for them. I may slip in one chair cover and hope they won't notice :-) I hung a few Victorian pictures for now but will hunt for something more masculine to replace them. DH would love his boar or deer head making the walls but those went straight to the barn upon move in day 20 years ago. They were a great addition to the Halloween parties we held each year. That room will be an ongoing project.
Angell sat in the kitchen with me for two days while the carpet was being installed. She looks innocent doesn't she? Every time one of the men came in to ask a question she barked her head off. She was not a happy girl.
You can get a better idea of the carpet pattern in this pic. I will take more today.
DH's office is through the door which was a "borning" room 130 years ago. Apparently it was used to deliver babies which was located right off the kitchen with a large wood burning stove.The East wall offers deep built in drawers and doors for linens and such which makes for perfect office storage space.
The new carpet matches the office walls perfectly however I just had to have the green walls in the dining room and hall. Every time I would see this color in a magazine I yearned to one day paint my walls green.
The trim in the doors were made by my father as a housewarming gift 20 years ago. He made the gingerbread for the porch and eves of the house too. I guess he figured I would live here forever, which I plan to do. Sprinkle me in the garden!
I've been quite lucky through the years to be the recipient of some wonderful furniture items. Castoffs from family, friends, and strangers that found their way into my humble home and became well loved treasures.
The lowboy was another item that was given to me by an upholsterer in Chicago years ago, where I found the Capodimonte lamp found in the alley which sits on top. This once dark piece sat at the end of the hall upstairs filled with Christmas items for 18 years.
I painted it and now have tons of storage for lace tablecloths and special dishes and such.The legs were missing so DH is buying some replacement feet to raise the piece to the level here.He placed a temporary board underneath to find the correct height I wanted. I love the scrolled detail of this piece and knew by painting it, the detail would be more visible. Again, painting wood isn't something DH is fond of, but this was a freebie that he could care less about, so on went three coats of cream paint. I will be arranging items on the top until I find the right selection.
Hobby Lobby has a large variety of the glass domes and pedestal items. They are almost always 1/2 off too!
I did arrange a little sitting area at the end of the hall upstairs.(photo soon) My comfy chair was too large for the area but the wing chair was perfect. I hung my little chandelier and filled my bookcase with my magazines and favorite books. My jars of mermaids tears found a home on top of the bookcase. Yes! Now I can snuggle in my chair, feel the sunshine pouring through the window and watch the snow fall gently down as I read and glance at my sea glass collection and dream of walks along the shore with mom until Spring arrives. I hear rustling upstairs, time to whip together breakfast. I think it is a morning for French toast! Have a great day everyone.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Plum tuckered!
It has been a lot of work but I think I am almost finished with the house redo. I went out to the CQ studio to retrieve my dining chairs and lamps when I heard this faint whisper. I searched around and realized it was coming from Matilda! She was freezing and asked to come inside. Naturally she chose to stand in the dining room (tea room). She is happy and no more whispers!
The carpet is in but we were a bit surprised at how different it looked than the tiny piece in the store. Hmmmm. I would never have chosen squares. It is growing on us after a few days, and as long as it isn't green, I can live with it.
More later, Gotta cook!
The carpet is in but we were a bit surprised at how different it looked than the tiny piece in the store. Hmmmm. I would never have chosen squares. It is growing on us after a few days, and as long as it isn't green, I can live with it.
More later, Gotta cook!
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