Final Staging Pictures Of Tom & Ruth's House

Finally!

The first floor is all done

except for the master bedroom!

The attic is emptied!

The house is on the market!

Here is a quick recap of what we did.

This is the outside entry to the house.

We added the lions (which Ruth had)

the plants and the bistro table and chairs.

Entering the house there is a small table 

and there is the hall leading to the living room

Small table sits to the left inside entry door.

Living room.  

The sofa sits was in front of the windows

but was moved to the wall where the TV rested.

The dining room staged to sell

The kitchen

The color of the walls is as seen 

above the BREAD tin.

The family room

Girls room

Wallpaper is from Victoria Magazine

and the bedding is 

Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic

Bed moved from left wall to back wall.

Closet (w/garden door) 

is now to the left of the bed.

Boys room

Backyard

Okay-That's it for now.

I'll do some final pictures when the master bedroom

is finished.

It has been a lot of work but a lot of fun

talking over old times as we worked.

Lots of laughter and a few tears when

I realize that when the house sells they 

will down South for good.

Ha!  I know how to drive!

They are not gonna see the last of ME by moving!

Sweet Cheeks And The Topaz Necklace

My daughter treated all

the girls in the family

to lunch for Lulu's birthday.

SweetCheeks managed to

restructure the seating arrangement

so that she was right next to me.

Oh! Goody! Goody! Gumdrops!

Several years ago I worked for

a family member that owned a

jewelry store.

I now possess some beautiful

pieces of jewelry although I 

seldom wear much of it.

However, I do love my 

Blue Topaz necklace.
I don't know if you can tell
but it has a small crown of diamonds.

(not a great picture-it has a lot of
sparkle to it in real life-more like this:

I have often told SweetCheeks

that it will be hers "someday"
because it is her birthstone.

She has chewed on that for a while.

Sitting at lunch she said

to the other grandmother, Gramma G,

and pointing at my neck.

SCheeks:  THAT necklace is going to be 

MY OWN someday-

When Nana dies- it's mine.

Me: I hope I don't die for a while,

yet, SweetCheeks.

SCbeeks: It won't be long, Nana, cuz

you are REALLY OLD.

Gramma G:  Well, I'm even older than

your Nana.

SCheeks:  Yeah- You're  gonna die first.

Gramma G:  I'll have to think of something

to leave you in my will, too.

SCheeks: (pause)- Wait for it-----

 I like your earrings.

I thought we were all going to wet our

pants laughing.

So, if you see anything you want

that I have-let me know-

otherwise YOU KNOW WHO is going

to claim it.

Happy Anniversary To Me

Well, nothing out of the ordinary

around here,

SOMEONE

forgot our anniversary yesterday....

and it wasn't me.

Even subtle hints don't seem to 

help---like----

Wow- Lulu was ALMOST

our anniversary present...

just one more day and

she would have been.

yeah..

I give up!

Some people are just a

little dunce dense.

Yep-

NO flowers 

for this anniversary.

38 years of pure fun started here-

on the riverbank in Alva, Florida.

Whoop-de-doo

When did I get wrinkles and
when did his hair disappear?
sigh

I am off for the weekend and

SweetCheeks will be here Monday

for all of those that have 

asking for her.

The Kitchen Witch Stages The Kitchen

Yes!  

THE KITCHEN WITCH

would be ME!

I actually think Tom  might have

replaced the first letter of Witch

But-I'm not sure

as we moved our way from staging

the dining room into the kitchen.

After I had the kitchen staged 

for the showing I wouldn't let

Tom eat at the table...

(snicker)

Now you know WHY I am the

KITCHEN WITCH.

However, it does look NICE, doesn't it?

The solid cherry cabinets are in excellent shape.

Not a nick or a scratch on the countertops either-

This is looking out the patio doors to the back yard.

Dinette is on the right.

For some reason my camera was

NOT working right

it certainly could NOT have been the photographer's fault

Anyway, here you can see how the kitchen/dinette

leads into the family room

and ties into the alcove

between kitchen and dining room.

I'll have a few more pictures to show you 

in a day or so.

I told Tom if he doesn't 

LIKE ME as his KITCHEN WITCH

I will send him a replacement.

internet image

Now, I ask you.

Who YOU gonna call to stage your kitchen?

Meanwhile Back At The Ranch (House)

Well, I took a break from

posting about Tom & Ruth's house

for a few days.

However, that does not mean that the work

came to a standstill.

My oldest son, God bless him,

had some time between jobs and 

worked tirelessly for 2 days on the back yard.

Here is a quick AFTER:

 My friends were gone about 8 months out of the year for the last 3 or 4 years.

The yard kind of took on a life of its own.

Here is the before of this area.

Much better, huh?

Here's another BEFORE shot:

That pile of brush in the center is a koi pond

that has been abandoned and filled with brush.

My son cleared it and then 

we covered it with plywood

and some indoor/outdoor carpet with signs

telling people what it is and warning them to

 STAY OFF THE GRASS!;>)

Here's the other side of the back:

Before:

Another Before:

After the MAGIC SCISSORS  treatment:

MUCH BETTER.

Not perfect- but oh-so-much better!

Tomorrow, if I can stay awake long enough to type

I will show you the final staging on the

inside of the house.

It's looking GOOD girls, REALLY good.

I think I have EARNED a treat, don't you?

Hmmmmmm

I don't drink so I guess I will have to do 

the next best thing:

Care to join me?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Anyone?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LULU

Where has the time gone?

Weren't you a baby just yesterday?

You have always been such a sweet loving girl.

Here you are at Disney loving on Piglet.

I've always told everyone 

that they will never have to

wonder what you are thinking because

your eyes speak volumes.

You are growing up way too fast.

I can see the promise of the beauty

you are going to be as a woman.

You are such a wonderful big sister.

Kind and loving.

Don't grow up TOO fast, honey.

Enjoy this year of being 

ELEVEN.

I love you to the moon and back!

Nana

Cottages- The Winners and The Losers

So....girls...

I hope you had fun choosing a cottage yesterday.

The winners will each be getting the cottage of their choice sent to them.

Okay- I mighta lied about that.

Anyway...

It is interesting how many of you said the same

things about most of the cottages.

I loved that many of you wanted to pick a cottage

AND THEN

you wanted to move it.

I don't' remember offering you that option

but, hey, it is YOUR dream.

Some of you could not decide WHICH one you liked best so I gave you 

both your votes-or all three of them...

Suz

I will share the top three winners here.

The Number One Winner-

with twice the votes of any other was 

#1

I love that one, too.  It is cute and sweet

and makes me think of  a romantic hideaway.

I can see sitting on the front stoop 

with a cup of coffee, 

inhaling the scent of flowering plants,

and dreaming about a stroll down the street

to visit shops that are part of 

the little town I live in.

However, this is NOT my dream cottage.

Second choice was

#12-The true storybook cottage.

Can't you just picture all the sweet nooks and crannies around each corner 

of this dear little abode?

It looks like a place where magic 

awaits at every turn.

You know there must be fairies flitting from

rooftop to swinging gate.

Although I love this one, it is not my favorite.

#3 is a TIE between

#5

Ten of you loved this one..but most of you

wanted to move it away from the road.

I love the sweet simplicity of this....

the overgrown floppy gardens... 

It make me think of secret stories 

told in front of the fireplace.

I love this one, too, but it is not my first choice.

The tie for third place also includes

#8

And there, my friends, lies my heart.

It is set on an ocean inlet, with palm trees

that rustle in the wind.

The lapping of the waves would lull me to sleep

at night and the sun would break bright 

and warm me as I drank my first cup of coffee

sitting in the deck chair on the porch.

I would then walk the beach and 

converse with God

and my day would be blessed.

Several of you wanted to move the cottage you loved most

to the water. (Lynn)-lol

Some of you love the thought of living in

the peace and quiet of rural America.

I grew up like that and never saw

BIG WATER until I was in my 20s.

Once I did-it had me.

The sea calls my name to

Come Home.

Maybe someday~

Want to know what got NO votes?

Isn't it interesting?

No one wants to be too rustic, or too modern.

So, Ladies.

This was fun. 

Just wondering....

Do you think something like this might be fun to do

once in a while?

Something besides cottages next time-

Let me know.

Have a wonderful day,

I am back at my friend Ruth's house

today-we are tackling the basement.

If I don't come back tonight

please come and open the trunks

to try and find me!

Calling All Cottage Lovers

One day I had a few moments

to browse and I found myself

looking at cottages.

We live in a house on the lake.

It is a house, not a cottage.

Houses, to me, entail work,

lots of work.

Sometimes I dream of living a

SIMPLER LIFE.

A life lived in a cottage.

But---which KIND of cottage?

There are so many.

Let's see if YOU have a favorite.

These are all from the internet and I have

NO idea where they came from.

If these are your images I apologize for

using them and not giving you credit.

Anyway,  Tell me which one of these 12

 would be the cottage of YOUR dreams.

#1

A sweet little Victorian cottage.

#2

A small unpretentious cottage on the lake. 

#3

How about a tree house cottage?

#4

A grand cottage big enough to hold family and friends.

#5

A sweet little gingerbread cottage. by the side of the road.

 #6

A little cottage with an addition set in a rural area

 #7

Rural not for you?  How about a row house cottage?

#8

A cottage by the ocean

#9

A floating cottage ON the ocean

#10

A rustic retreat

#11

Maybe modern is your thing

#12

Last, but not least,

A true STORYBOOK cottage

So--

What's YOUR pleasure?

It will be fun to see how much we are alike...

or different...as the case may be.

I'll show the results tomorrow

along with my personal choice.

(Is there one with barred windows to 

keep MyHero in check?;>)