The Charm Springs Forth

You know all those new houses in those new neighborhoods where all the roofs are the same?  They're all painted the same color and your this close to your neighbor.  We used to live in a neighborhood like that.  The one my brother and sister-in-law lived in was so clone-ish that we would often have trouble finding their house.  That 2 story number that was built behind them finally solved that problem for us, but I don't think they liked the idea that their neighbors could see everything they were doing in their tiny back yard.



The "before"...



I've always loved older houses because they have so much charm.  The Bee Hive had hidden charm from day one.  Our first encounter with our "estate" was a view in the windows that did not reveal the great bones of this place.  We were actually looking at the property across the street and saw a for sale sign in the window.  After making offers on three different houses on that same street before we finally got a home here, and the more homes I see in our 55 plus year old neighborhood the more I realize we really do have a little gem of a house.  I think we ended up with the best of the three we bid on.



and the "after".



So now our new roof is complete and the charm is eye-catching.  I love to sit on the front porch (I think I have porch sores on my behind from being bored there a lot during my recovery) and I notice the drivers and pedestrians turn to look at our place as they go by.  The bright red door is turning even more heads.  Soon the grass will be bright green with the summer irrigation and there is talk of a new fence and improved gate with our neighbors.  Our next step out front...taking out the poor ficus tree that sucummed to severe frost.  You know how harsh the Arizona winters are...whimpy tree.

Friday's are "Wear Red to Support Our Military" days.  We've decided to just go red everyday with our front door and draped our son's Army flag in the window in support of his decision to serve our country.

Before he flew off to basic training, my son and I installed these shutters that I found at Stardust for $4 a piece (see the previous post) and the iron sconces were a 50 cent find at a garage sale.  And we had pretty red candles in the sconces but this is Arizona and they had taken on a graceful curviture before plopping to the patio .  A few more fake candles have been ordered for the summer months.

I just need a few plants for my pots, a new light fixture because I broke the one that was here when we moved in (I was having trouble with Christmas lights.  I still don't know how I broke it), and maybe a porch swing.  Walking up under the shade of our 50 plus year old Laurel tree is already a comforting experience.  A few more special touches and it will be and "oooo, how cute" moment for all of our visitors.

Heres to all of the charming days ahead.



Time To Recover and Re-roof.

Sometimes things are made right but after use and time parts wear out and repairs must be made.  Then again, sometimes things are just done completely wrong from the start and you put up with the stares and the laughs and the embarassment until you just can't take it any more.

The first is me.  I was wonderful and beautifully made by God.  But with time and use some of my parts have expended themselves beyond the point of usefullness.  Recently, my not really needed parts also came under fire from themselves.  As a result...a pretty major surgery, 4 days in the hospital and an extensive recovery at home.  Yes, it was the big "H", and even though I was told how long it would take to recover I knew I was stronger and it wouldn't be nearly that long.  Yeah, right!

The second is our roof.  As a teenager I assisted my parents and siblings in re-roofing the ole' homestead with a new layer of shingles.  Dad handed us a hammer and some nails and showed us how to roof a house.  I'm ashamed to admit that we have lived in this house 2 years and I had never seen the roof until we had wind damage from a recent storm and we were getting an assessment from our friendly neighborhood roofer.

You have got to be KIDDING!  Who in the world put this roof on?!

So.  As I sit here recuperating I get to observe and catalog a few exterior improvements that will make a huge improvement to the integrity and appearance of the house.

The next big project, calling the local water company to tell them what idiots they are because they suggest we neighbors get together and pay someone to come out and fix their broken irrigation system.  You have got to be KIDDING!  What numb-skulls are running the water comany?!

A Soft New Look - Recycled Kitchen Project

Finally!  It's seems to have taken forever but I have actually made some progress to the point where I feel like I can share it with you.  My new pantry.  Well, maybe and maybe not.  I haven't decided yet if I will distress the cabinets or not.  If you read my earlier blog you have seen this ugly cabinet.  We did make one attempt at improving these 57 year old cabinets after we moved in.   But we were rushed and never really did like the outcome.  Primer, brown paint and hew hinges were as far as we went.
 

With a little bit if ingenuity, some glue, recycled faux wood blinds, clamps, black spray paint and a new white finish...voile!

This is the same cabinet, same doors, same hardware.  I found some used 2" textured faux wood blinds and Stardust and framed the cabinet doors.  Window blinds have small holes to accommodate the pull strings so I had to come up with some way to hide these holes. 

I filled the holes with spackling paste then used a stencil and more spackling paste to create a Fleur de lis embossed treatment over the holes.  Those ugly chrome handles...a coat of spray primer and matte finish black paint gave me a more desirable piece of hardware.  Forget spending $3-$5 on new handles.  I spent that much on a can of primer and a can of paint and I'll be able to re-do all 35 kitchen handles and 3 bathroom handles.

The white looks so much bolder and yet somehow softer against the tan paint.

Redecorating can be done very affordably if one is will to think creatively and take the time to measure, cut, glue and paint, paint, paint.

In The Meantime

I'm still doing a lot of work on the kitchen cabinets and waiting until I have made significant progress to post more photos, AND I've been doing more artwork to promote my sponsorship with the Arizona Mounted Cowboy Shooters Association. 

So today I am sharing the latest piece of art that I finished last night.  More crafting an home improvement blogs are on the way.



"Ayla" 16 x 20 Acrylic on Canvas


Happy Thursday everyone.

Wedded Bliss

My blessing abound daily.  I am blessed with a wonderful, handsome, caring, funny and generous husband.  On the day of our wedding I wore the gown of my dreams.  As I saw it hanging in my closet this afternoon I thought it would be a pretty thing to blog about, and when I started shooting pictures of it I realized that my "style" hasn't changed much.  I still like pretty, frilly, old fashioned things.

Dave and I were engaged six weeks after we met and we set a date for December which meant we had about 4 months to do everything, including find a dress.  Mom and I hit the bridal shops together one Saturday and at store #3 there it was.  BUT...it was the wrong color (beige) and too expensive.  Once again, the blessings came upon me.  My mother is a seamstress extraordinaire.  When she realized how much I loved the style of the dress she suggested we find a similar pattern at the fabric store and shop for various laces.  Being the seamstress she is, she knows all the best stores to find things like lace, and she pulled the pattern out of the package and proceeded to fold, draw, cut and pin, until we were able to match what we had seen.

Since our wedding was during the Christmas season we incorporated tiny silk burgundy roses and poinsettias in to the dress.

There are, I believe, 9 different kinds of lace on the dress, some of which we could only find in white-white.  We died it with tea so that the dress had the proper Ivory coloring.  We shopped just about every fabric store in the Phoenix metropolitan area to find the perfect fit.

More of the burgundy coloring was added with this satin lace up in the front of the dress.

I love the pretty, puffy lace sleeves.

And the pointed hem-line. 

Mom also included a built in slip, again finished in another type of lace.

If I were to get married today, or maybe just renew my vows with my sweet, giant teddy bear, I would wear this same dress.  I hope that all brides are blessed with the same feeling after taking a walk down memory lane.

Thanks for sharing those memories with me.

You Bought A What?

$8.  That's what this beauty cost me.  Eight lousy bucks that the other guy wouldn't fork out.  The seller told me they were originally asking twice that but they had dropped the price because it was getting late in the day.  (There are advantages to sleeping in sometimes)  Well, it was one of those moments.  "What the heck am I going to do with a Korean War Cluster Bomb Box?"  There was no reason to buy it, and no suggestion in my head that said this was some great antique.  But I HAD to have it.

Check out the cool lettering.

 You know the feeling.  That little voice that just tugs at you and says "Buy it! Buy it!".  

...and the awesome paint drops.

Do you like my "antique" photo effect?

I keep some of my potential projects here until I need them.

The details are amazing.

So, none of my friends have a Korean War Cluster Bomb Box.  No one in my family has a bomb box.  Nonetheless, I found out when I got home that it was, in fact, a great purchase because my 21 year old son said "Coooo-ooooool".  That's all one needs to hear when ones actions make them start to think that they have early onset dementia.

There is so much great stuff out there.  And if you sleep in and think it's too late to hit the yard/garage/rummage sales on a Saturday, maybe it's not.  I'm just glad I could help those folks out by taking this crazy thing off their hands.

Throw Something!

That's right.  Throw things all you want.  Why not throw cheap things.  Then you can throw things and not feel guilty.  Of course, with this kind of throwing you won't feel bad anyway. 

Most of our furniture is either hand-me-down, yard sale, or thrift store purchased.  With all this mix and match one might think they can't have a nicely coordinated decor.  Ha!  If you have recycled furniture of any type, try throwing it. 



A Pretty New Corner



Two Goodwill blankets dressed this ugly recliner up so much that even my husband, who looks at furniture only as a means to watch football, made a positive comment after I had fancified it.  Each throw cost $3.  The pillow is a Christmas pillow that my mother made that I turned around after the holiday.  About 15 minutes after I very carefully put this little corner together, our cat, Booger, jumped up and initiated the "new" chair with a nap.



This is what the ugly chair really looks like.

So why not rethink buying new or coordinated furniture.  Pick up a few blankets and give your old junk a whole new look.

Post Script 1/17/10 
Um, some one needs to tell my cats it's the same stupid chair we have alway had.  They are fighting over it now.

Post Script 1/21/10
It has also become a play platform for Bryndal & Booger