MY MASTER BEDROOM COPY CAT Re-Do! FINALLY- HERE IT IS!

Grab your coffee-
This is a long post.

 I LOVE it when the old boy

goes out of town for a bit.

I can move mountains when I am alone.

I can also move beds and other furniture!

So-our bedroom has been the same 
for a long time.

Rather bland.

Nice enough but

it just kind of happened.
I used what I had..

But- As I was going through the

Ballard Catalog a couple of weeks ago

I spied this bedroom and it was my 

INSPIRATION to DO SOMETHING.

So-I almost pushed MyHero out of the house 

to go to his seminar so I could get started.

I had been sewing and stashing stuff 
in my closet

for several days.
I am going to take you WAY BACK 
to when we moved in.
Our bedroom now was the old family room.
We blew out the wall to the right which gave us access to the old garage.
We took part of the garage for our bedroom.
On the other side of the new wall we created
you will find a hall, 
MyHero's office and the laundry room.
Most of you will remember that we made a tri-level
into a functioning two story.
The windows here were all moved to the new garage addition.
Sorry for the grainy old photos-
it was a disposable camera.

When you look at current pictures
that  far window will be in the place
of the small window to the left of our bed.
On the opposite end of that room 
is a fireplace and that
became a small sitting room/study...
which I will show another time.

Here is a little after/before:
Isn't THAT confusing?
This is how it has looked for about 8 or 9 years.
To the right is the entrance to the master bathroom.

I still love the rose painting and though you

 can't tell it here the colors in the painting 
 are not good with this wall color.
I have shuffled that off to another room.

So---What did I do?

Here's the materials I started with~

I wanted to use some toile I had and it was the perfect shade of blue.

See that cording?

Well, it is the STIFFEST cording I have ever worked with.

I bet I broke at least a dozen needles 
because even the EDGE 
where you were supposed to stitch it was 

HARD and stiff.

I might or might not have said a 
couple of naughty words to myself
every time I broke another needle.

After I sewed my little heart out
and had shoved MyHero out the door,

 I stripped the bed and started layering.
It is such a dreary day I had to turn the lamps on.

I can see my pillows are a little wonky here...

I should have done a bit of fluffing before pictures, huh?
Oh, well- you know me-
Keeping it real here.

I painted an old bench that I had and placed it 

at the end of the bed.

The rug is one I had stored for years.

My husband picked it out and it is one he loves.

Aubusson rugs are not my favorite 
but the color is perfect.

While I would love to have a 
hardwood floor in here

it is a poured cement floor -
done to level the 
old family room/garage transition.

New lamps:

Another peek with lamps in place.:

MyHero loves the soft blue color.
It is my early Christmst present to him.
The mirror is a gift from my son.
And he came and hung it for me.
There is 1/8" clearance top and bottom....whew-that was close!

 I hung this sweet little bird on it.
He has just a touch of the same soft blue I used throughout!

The white roses came from MyHero
what has HE been up to, I wonder?
and the vase was made by my friend, Jan,
 that I don't see often enough.

Here is the old ugly dark brown,
 scarred up piece I painted
with Annie Sloan paint.
It holds the TV set and videos.
I need to redrill the holes so the
 handles aren't on there wonky.
I'll get right on that!
This is a soft aqua-ish blue-but-
 the color doesn't come up right.

And- in the corner -this holds some of  the extra pillows at night
Also painted with AS paint and recovered the seat.

Here is the view from MyHero's pillow.
It looks at the cove formed by the bay.
See what I mean about it being a dreary day?

This is the view looking straight out at night.
That is the moon shining off the ice on the bay.

SO-Their you have it!
Side-by-Side
Ballards Design and My CopyCat Redo

Whew!
I'll be off eating bon-bons, 
watching soap operas and
sipping white wine the rest of the day.

uh-huh

IF you believe that- I have some personal stocks
you might want to invest in.
Trust me (or not)~

ROMANTIC HOMES- December 2014 Review

Well, you KNOW I am the 

GOODWILL AMBASSADOR

for ROMANTIC HOMES, right?

I am thinking it should be a

PAID POSITION.

However, even though it is NOT a

PAID POSITION

I am in love with this magazine

and have been for years.

That is why I like to share it with others.

I thought I better post this in case

some of you still want to purchase

the December issue.

It won't be around much longer.

You can read about 

A Nostalgic Christmas

-simple and sweet-

 set in Poland  in the home of  Ewa Szymcazk.

I could not find a link for her

but the story is by Jo-Anne Coletti

Moving from Poland we head to Finland

to the home of Tuire Petroff

There is such loveliness throughout her home.

Isn't this a serene setting?

I love the simple angel garland in the window.

We move along to this sweet corner of the 1880's farmhouse

owned by Dorine Engeden owner of

Ambiente Decoraties & Brocante

I think Dorine has it just right

when it comes to presentation, don't you?!?!?!!

These beautiful doors welcome you to the home of

Christen Bensten in Virginia.

The link will take you to her Pinterest site.

Moving to the Midwest from the East Coast-

Traci Tessone owns a blog and a shop called Whimsy in 

Morris, IL.

Look at this beautiful Christmas corner.

In the December issue you will also find

some sweet DIY projects 

photographed by Melinda Graham.

There is a whole lot more that 

I didn't feature, of course.

However, you can still find it on the newstand.

The cover looks like this.

Have a GREAT Monday.

I am trying to 

FIND MY STUPID CAMERA

so I can take pictures of my

FINISHED bedroom and dining room.

I think I must have buried it 

carrying all the extra fabric

and "stuff" downstairs.

Today is the day I find it!

At least you know I won't be at Walmart today....

or will I?????

Christmas Card Boxes That Are Too Pretty To Throw Away? -Fill Them With Homemade Fudge!!!!

I can't bear to just throw away

those pretty boxes that Christmas cards come in.

I hate to throw them away because

they have such "pretty" faces.

They make GREAT gift boxes filled with fudge!

I did a post about this before but some of you

may not have been following me then to see this.

THE EASIEST HOMEMADE

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

ever. period.

I wish I could tell you where

I got the recipe but I can't remember.

So...

Drag those pretty boxes out that you have saved.

Here's how to take the box below

and turn it into a special

gift.

Open the box and line it with tin foil.

Butter the tin foil.

Then make this:

In pan over medium heat melt

2 sticks of butter

When melted stir in 

1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy.

Like this.

Stir in one teaspoon REAL vanilla.

Add 2-3/4 cups CONFECTIONERY SUGAR

(not granulated)

(That old tin scoop belonged to my Mom-Good  Housekeeping 1954)

I beat it quickly with a hand mixer

(it sets up fast) 

and then pour it into the 

buttered foil lined box.

You should get 2 or 3 boxes full-depending on box size.

Put it in the fridge to harden

and as soon as it sets up

lift it out , peel off the tinfoil 

and wrap it in parchment paper.

Then wrap it with a piece

of ribbon and place it

back in the box.

 I pick up  spare knives all year here and there

and include one in each box.

The fudge stays fresh 

until they cut it.

Put the lid on and it presents

like this when opened.

Recipe:

SMOOTH AND EASY

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

2 sticks butter

1 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-3/4 cups confectionery sugar

In saucepan:

Melt butter

Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.

Use hand mixer and quickly

mix sugar in. It sets up fast.

Place in tinfoil lined box and

set in fridge until hard.

This is the smoothest peanut

butter candy I have ever made.

This recipe makes two card boxes 

full OR 1 8x8 buttered pan.

It's quick, easy and just

a sweet little surprise.

Save a few pieces for your friends.

 Let them eat this while you sip

black coffee or diet Coke.

Remember...

The fatter THEY get the 

THINNER YOU LOOK

next to them!

Amen

Today Is My Birthday And You Won't See Me Here!

I'll be back tomorrow~

You know I will!

Maybe I'll go to Walmart 

to see if I can find something special for you.

OR

Maybe I can dye my hair red

and find a special outfit 

like this one!

source

PICK YOUR FAVORITE TABLE- CHRISTMAS WINNERS- & WORD VERIFICATION BYPASS

First off- IF you see 
WORD VERIFICATION 
on blogs that has never had it before
you DO NOT NEED to type the words in.
Just hit Post Comment as always 
and it bypasses them
What a pain in the patooty though.


Well, I sure didn't have to count the votes

twice this time!

I guess you all are 

MAD FOR PLAID

because that was the runaway winner.

I think it has Ralph Lauren overtones

and who doesn't love 

Ralph Lauren?

Coming in 2nd with half the votes is the 

GREEN TABLE.

Someone commented they would take the table

but DEEP SIX the parrots!  lol

Third place goes to

RUSTIC MODERN

I do think it was the room more than the table setting

that captured our fancy.

So there you have it.

Thanks so much playing along.

I love doing this- you all are such good sports!

After Christmas cookies

I have to go get my teeth cleaned.

Last time I was there my dentist had

some words for me.

Dining Room- The Great Cover Up

I have been working in several areas

of the house while I have been away.

The dining room was what started it all.

WHAT is THIS?

I am not quite ready for the full reveal yet

BUT

I will show you the slip covers I made for

THE DINING ROOM CHAIRS.

I have a bolt of cream colored duck cloth

that I have carried around for MANY years.

Time to use it!

Here is what the chairs look like.
MyHero loves them so I only wanted to
spiff them up for Christmas-
not alter them permanently.

I made some easy peasy slipcovers.

The decoration is just pinned in place.
Don't you just LOVE it?
I have had red and green for Christmas for about
a thousand years.
It is fun to do something a bit different this year.
I will be showing you the whole dining room in a couple of days.
I have some "projects" hidden in the corner that 
I have been working on when there are no
BLABBERMOUTHS 
hanging around the house.

I might have had to run to Walmart
for a couple of those cheap pillows though
for fillers.
Look who else has been in Walmart!

It's Super Creepy Santa!
IF he asks, 
"Would you like a piece of candy, little girl?"
Do NOT- I repeat-DO NOT take it!
Run away screaming!

Back At Blogging- A Playhouse and A Poem!

Well, I made a promise to my friend,

Ron @ The Uptown Acorn

that I would start blogging today or tomorrow.

I got an ultimatum from him.  

I think his words were

"You BETTER start blogging".

Whew- like he is Louisana mafia or something~

So,

Even though I have projects up the kazoo

that I am trying to catch up on

I will do a "little" post today.

A VERY little post.

This has to be the most lit up playhouse

I have ever seen.

My son wrapped it with lights and

sent CJK out to say some

"magic words".

We are BIG on magic words around here.

So, as CJK got close to the playhouse

he said, 

"ABRACADABRA"

and POOF the lights came on!

Can you see the city lights in the background?

CJK about fell over laughing.

Here is the moment of LIGHT 'EM UP.

And here he is going inside.

My son said he could NOT get him out of there.

Ummm...I am NO GENIUS...

but maybe he could have

TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS....

but then what does Nana know?

I'll be around later-

And the poem?

Here you go!.

I have a dining room update to show you

AND a mini-master bedroom redo.

I'll be back- you know I will.

Good enough, Ron?