A New Find

I haven't had much time to look for any treasures in my usual haunts lately, between my grandson being born and our garage being torn down, but I did manage to stop in one store that is near my work and I found this.

I found this wicker basket/bowl, I'm not quite sure what to call it. I had the quilt in case you were wondering. I've had that beauty for years. I don't seem to be as lucky as some of my blogger friends who find quilts for next to nothing. But back to the basket-I love it's turquoise color, which is a color that is growing on me lately, and it's perfect chipped paint in all the right places. Not sure what I'll put in it but I'm sure it will rotate with the seasons. Any suggestions would always be welcome. You are all so much more creative than me which is why I am stealing ideas from you all just about every day!

It's Looking Like Easter.....Inside At Least

OK, here in NH last Wednesday it was 72 degrees-glorious. Friday we got a foot of snow! Typical New England weather unfortunately. So I couldn't stand to see anything in my house that resembled winter so over the weekend I got some of the springlike, Eastery things out of their storage boxes and put them about the house so I'll be posting pictures of my efforts. I didn't think I had a collection of egg cups but as I got some Easter things out I discovered I had quite a few of them.This little shabby chic cabinet is in my bathroom and I change things out of it frequently. Here is is at Christmas. I know I bought two of the little egg cups in Maine last summer but I didn't remember having the others but they are so cute in my bathroom.

So let the Easter decorating begin! And by the way-I have my own bathroom. For you young newly married couples out there, it is the secret to a happy marriage-separate bathrooms. I have been married almost 32 years so it must be working! Just some free advice on this Monday!

Color Inspiration

I am usually one who does not agonize much on paint colors for rooms like I know some of my friends do. I have friends who will buy many, many quarts of paint deciding on a color. I will take months to make a color decision but that's usually because I can't envision what I want out of the final project but once I've got a vision in my mind I'm off and running. I don't buy a lot of quarts during this process but it just takes me a while to get where I'm going. And that's where I found myself this past weekend.

My son and daughter in law are expecting their first baby in April-my first grandchild! So I have been wanting to paint and decorate, for the baby, my daughter's old bedroom that she's been out of for a couple of years since she got married but I have just not been able to figure out what to do. It was yellow, not a soft, nice yellow but a McDonald's arches, bright yellow that I have always hated but she picked it out as a teen and loved it. But I finally got my mind around the project and I am off and running.

My daughter was horrified that I was going to paint her room over so she wanted it to stay yellow and since we will not know if it is going to be a girl or a boy until it is born, yellow was fine with me. So I found a soft very pale yellow called Wicker Mat in Ralph Lauren paints which I love and use often. That is as far as I got. Then I found this fabric above and knew it would be perfect as part of the quilt I am making for the baby to use at my house so now I have a color palette to go with! I am going to use lots of reds and teals and soft yellows. I have several cottage accessories that will look good in there in these colors so I am dying to get started now. The room got painted yesterday and now it's on the the fun part of the actual decorating. I'll post pictures soon of the room and the quilt. I'm going to be a Grandma!!!!

I am Loving Green in January!

Since I bought those green buttons I seem to see green everywhere! I stopped in a thrift shop this morning while out running some errands and found this great green platter for $6. I just love the color and simple style and can picture so many things on it. I seriously think I am obsessed with green lately because it is so green outside in NH right now. Usually by now we are buried in feet of snow but it is in the mid 60's today and raining! Unheard of here. I glanced out a window this morning and noticed that the forsythia bushes seem to be budding out. They think it's Spring. I know we'll be hit with freezing cold and snow soon but for now I am loving the green in January!

First Thrifty Find of the New Year

I made a trip to my favorite consignment store and the jar of buttons is what I found. I don't need this many green buttons but they were so cute all together in this little canning jar. I love red but my next favorite color I have liberally sprinkled throughout my home is green. Must be why I love Christmas too!

Speaking of Christmas, all the decorations, except the tree, are put away. I can't seem to get myself to take the tree down. I love looking at the ornaments and love having it lit up when I am in my family room. My Mom used to leave our tree up until the 12th day of Christmas, January 6th, so that's what I think I'll do too. Hopefully the motivation to take it down will be here by then!

Used Stuff

I would much rather buy used furniture than new. I can count on my two hands how many times I have been in a furniture store. We did get a brand new bedroom set 31+ years ago when we got married and have bought a couple of couches that way but for the most part all of our "stuff" has been given to us or purchased used at consignment, thrift, or antique stores or at yard sales. The best freebie was a desk my uncle gave us many years ago. The desk was in his chicken coop and it was on the way to the dump but asked us first if we wanted it. Hubby picked up one side of it and based on it's weight he declared it "real wood" and said we'd take it. Now you couldn't actually tell what kind of wood it was because of thick black varnish and "deposits" from the chickens. But once stripped we saw beautiful oak grain and have loved this desk ever since.

I did recently buy an oil painting in a consignment store for $18. I wasn't looking for a painting but there it was and I was drawn to it. It now hangs in my bathroom of all places. I was back at that store yesterday buying a Jelly Cabinet which I plan on using in my sewing room makeover. Those pictures will hopefully be coming soon. In the meantime here's my bathroom masterpiece.

Bye for now-Chris