Heartwarming

Here's where the fireplace is as of Christmas 2007. I've got to decide where to move it once we get the tree out of the living room.

The rooster lamp is a recent flea market find. It was $10! I added a plain white shade that I glued a piece of rope/twine around the bottom to make it look more country & rustic.

Fired Up for Christmas

Here's what Santa brought me for Christmas. I'll post a picture of how it looks in the living room later.

Out Front

Here is a great-looking front porch with just a small amount of space to work with... I think I would still want square posts so we could put the gingerbread Texas stars in the corners.


Texas Front Porch by GrandmotherMia

Tejas Shower Curtain

Thought I should add that this is our shower curtain for the Texas bath. If I get around to it, I'll post pictures of what it looks like in our bath -- we even have the shower curtain hooks that go with it! Crazy - the sink/toilet/tub configuration is the same as ours! I never thought of putting the towels over the toilet, though... and .... we have that SAME toothbrush holder! How cute to put bluebonnets in it instead of toothbrushes!

Mini Surprise Makeover by Christine_in_Tx

Deserving of a "Metal"

Barn Lumber Bath by jess_79


I am trying to convince Jesse that we need something like this in the Texas bathroom.

Holiday Checklist: 12-04

December 4

Put up garland

2 white poinsettia vine garlands - dining room chandelier
wreath - front door (unless there is a fresh wreath, then hang above piano)
pine garland - top of china hutch & piano
pine garland with lights - around front door
potted silk poinsettia - entry hall plant stand (stored separately)
2 pine garlands, joined with 2 red velvet bows - over boys' hall doorway
pine garland with 1 red velvet bow - over laundry room doorway
red velvet rope with jingle bell - front porch light
red rope jingle bells - on front doorknobs
mistletoe - over front hall/living room entryway
red velvet bows and wreaths - windows outside
pine garland - swag across front fence

Goth

Trying to figure out how to get a mural of this on the barn wall or fence in the back yard -- and use it to hang a REAL pitchfork on!

Bloomin' idiot

I've decided I need more greenery in our bedroom besides the chili pepper tree. I know that once we get the Battenburg lace valences on the windows (they go with the dust ruffle) dressing it up won't seem so out of place.

So. We could use an old bucket or pitcher or something on the dresser and put some silk bluebonnets and paintbrushes and sunflowers in it. Maybe some yellow roses!

I'm also thinking of framing some old cotton Texas flags:

Lone Star,



Burnet,




deZavala (unofficial as it is!),


Gonzales flag




Goliad




and an 1824 flag would be funny!



I also saw this idea and LOVED it!

Pink Room dilemma

HMMMMMM.... trying to decide what direction to go with this room. I definitely want to repaint a softer pink and go more towards something that will tie in with the rest of the house. Should we:
A) do a soft dusty French pink and get some white and black accessories a la 1950s? The upside to this would be that I could keep the flamingos in there



B) go with a soft muted pink and do some roses and shabby chic stuff? and wicker? This style would fit the house better, but I'd have to cut back on my flamingos or else hide/repaint them or something.



C) do a cream or BARELY pink and get a French toile print, etc. going in there....hmmmm I may save the toile for Landon's room when he moves out of it into Randy's room and I could do the black and white toile to go with the wallpaper and paneled doors....



Maybe the flamingos could go to the trailer and we could 1950s it to the hilt. (oooooh another redecorating project!!!!) Retro Junction seems like a promising start

Great websites for some ideas Nostalgia at the Stone House
Cote de Texas
Shop Wild Things (Pink stuff)

More inspiration for the guest bath

I am really looking at the litle shelf with accessories...hmmmmm

This would be easy to make

Jesse and I saw something like this while shopping downtown yesterday -- I've already got a mason jar set out to make this for the guest bath -- we also got a miniature cast-iron frying pan to use as a soap dish! It is so cute!

I'm wondering....

I am wondering if I could put one of these antique curtain rods around the existing tub in the guest bath so that it LOOKS antique -- if we go ahead and put beadboard at the edges --

Medicine cabinet idea

Something like this would be cute in the boys bathroom - there is not much space for anything else above the pedestal sink in there...

Tanks a Lot!

Idea! Another project for Jesse!
Make a box like this as a shelf/cabinet above the toilet in the guest bath , and add a pole and chain (just for decoration)

Dress it up

I found a good resource for some decorating inspiration: Cottage Chic website


This is like what I want for a desk in the PinkRoom - I really want to repaint the walls in there with a softer pink color -- I also might could use one of those vanities with a tulle skirt around it...

For the Man Room

On the Fly

Border Patrol

Guest bath border ideas found at Border Store Online:






Leaning towards this one - it's is funny!

Just for Show

I printed this off on some manila paper and put it in an old barnwood frame in the guest bath after I took down all the ship stuff (Randy inherited a lot of the pirate-y stuff out of there!)

BWAHAHAHAHA! Maybe I need a little sign that says it is for DISPLAY ONLY!!!!!

What Goes Around

Ideas for the wallpaper border in the back bath.
Leaning towards doing tractors in it, though....

Here's a cute one of a farm - maybe too cute?



I also like this one - very masculine

Overall Overhaul

I've seen these before and actually considered putting them up over the craft room - but it just hit me the other day to use the valance for the shower in the guest bath. (I might have to put some fringe or crochet lace at the bottom to fit the theme in there now, though) I'm thinking we won't have to change anything else except the wallpaper and the knick-knacks to some country stuff (and it will start to match the rest of the house). Also - we can keep the brushed nickel sink faucet and not worry about brass stuff. (cheaper!) AND Our neighbor across the street is giving us a piece of granite slab that we have decided to use as the countertop in the guest bath -- Jesse thinks there is enough to do our bath, too....but I'm not so sure.

OR if we do tractors and stuff in the back bath, it would be cute in there....hmmmmmm
I could use bandanas as a valance in one of them
OOOOOH! I can't decide!

I was thinking to myshelf...

This red gingham check by Duck would be good as shelf liner in the kitchen - HOWEVER - I have read online that it is discontinued.

UPDATE: I found some HERE

Maybe I can order it???? Also read a good idea of using vinyl table cloth material (big rolls at WallyWorld) and cutting pieces to size.

Ice Ice Baby

Well, the man of the house doesn't know it yet, but I want the fridge veneered and stained to look like an old-fashioned ice box. I think that if we can find some good veneer and a sturdy glue, we can make the raised panels with think paneling or plywood and molding. The latches and handles are only like $5-$10 each at antiquehardware.com! I think this really could be done pretty easily.
I also browsed over to E-Bay tonight and checked out some antique stoves - there was a 20" one in Ft Worth that was only at $20. Maybe I can luck into one that is 32"-36" .

Kitchen Ideas

LOVE LOVE LOVE This kitchen (I'm partial to the old stove) This is marika5's space on RateMySpace

Living Room Ideas

This picture is at ratemyspace.hgtv.com for the user catnabarn - what I like about this is the use of the red color but mostly the watering cans . This user has lots of great decorating ideas!

Kitchen Before and After

Here is a picture of the counter with Grandma Lilaś mixer, an antique butter churn from Mimi and the barn cookie jar - the old wallpaper is in the process of being torn off.


Here is an after picture of the new wallpaper/border

Hoppin' to It

Well, for now the bunny has a new location for his hutch. It is driving Jenny crazy, though. We moved both hutches and all the pet supply stuff over by Jenny's dog run right between her and the tree. It really opened up the area for the bbq stuff, though. I hope it works out ok...if the dog ever quits barking!

A Place for all the Pool Crap

More leftover fence-wood ideas! An OUTHOUSE for putting up the pool toys and tools! We will probably put some shelves inside, but also leave some tall space for the skimmer/vacuum pole and air mattresses.

Here are 2 plans I found online
Plan #1
Plan #2

When You Wish Upon a Star

More backyard wishing and hoping -- The spigot where the hose hooks up in the back yard comes right out of the back side of the house - and there is a pipe that leads down from it (very unsightly). The idea is to make a wishing well out of the leftover fence wood (when THAT project gets done!) and hide the pipe and store the hose down in it.
I found plans for 2 -

Wishing Well Plans #1
This one looks easier to build


Wishing Well Plans #2
This one looks more like what I have in mind.

I imagine the finished project will be somewhere in between the two.
Perhaps and octagon or hexagon shape will be more roundish without making it too difficult to build.

Deck the Yard

After much debate sitting on the patio drinking wine by the chimenera, we have come to a decision - I think.
Instead of concreting out to the trees for a bbq area and building the piano bar (still not done) and instead of making concrete paver stones (with the stone-making template that has yet to be used for anything besides painting sets for the high school production of Dracula) we are going to save our pennies and get the wood to build a deck from the back door to the bbq area and just cover over the existing concrete, eliminating the big step-down from the back door. So he says.

Here's a set of plans that is pretty good.

The Kitchen Link

HGTV Farmhouse Kitchen

Some good ideas for cabinets....

Ship Table

CountrySampler

Cute little table that would really look good in the guest bath under the towel rack - but I think that $200+ is too much - how can I make a cheap replica????

Fence Me In - PLEASE!

This is what the plan is: Knock down the existing beat-up 10 year old privacy fence that was replace/repaired after the tornado over 10 years ago and use the rails and posts to make a farm-y fence like this one that I saw at HomeDepot.com. will cost us nails, cement and paint. It I want to move it in about 10 or 15 feet closer to the house and leave some space between the fence and the alley. We will obviously have to figure out some way to put chain link or goat pen fencing behind it to keep out critters and riff-raff - probably later we will get chain link all across the back with a wide gate to pull the boat and trailer in and out of that back 10 or 15 feet, but for now, I just can't stand looking at the monstrosity that we have that won't stay up in strong winds anyway. I would post a picture but the camera's batteries are dead -- maybe later.

STEPS:
1) Take down existing fence.
2) Move Dodge out of the way
3) Dig new post-holes in 10-15 feet from alley
4) Cement posts into holes
5) Nail up rails across posts
6) Paint white
7) Stretch wire fencing across the backside of the posts/rails (for now - we will take this down when we can put up chain link fencing)
8) Later: Put up chain link with wide gate for boat/car/trailer parking (in the long run, this will save us $40 a month on trailer storage)

In The Pink

Ok, so I painted the walls Pepto-Bismal pink with the gallon of pink primer we inherited from my brother's garage. Still want to paint/stencil words "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints - the sinners are much more fun..." (from Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young")on the other two walls.








Here are some of the "toys" in the pink room:
Enrique is the official cabana boy.



This little flamingo drink koozie is known as Jose the Betrayer (long story!)