PASSING DOWN THE "DECORATING" GENE

Well a GREAT BIG HI to all my wonderful followers, commenters, and readers!.  I was gone for a 24 day vacation to visit my kids and grand kids in the Midwest and each time I come back it takes longer to "get my act together."  But I have had some thoughts on something one of my girls said to me one day...Mom, "I don't think I got the DECORATING GENE from you."  Well, as I looked around I could see that wasn't the truth at all!  Each time I walk into her home I am overwhelmed with what she has done.  So I thought I would take some pics for you to decide... 

This is her entry hall and the cabinet was MY Grandfather's "Radio Cabinet" and then my father's "tool cabinet" and then I had it in MY entry for years painted and antiqued whatever color I needed at the time.  The mirror and the lamp were from Tuesday Morning and the pitcher from Salvation Army.

She knows how to shop!

A corner of her living room.  We laugh about this sofa table.  I originally purchased it in Minnesota, had it shipped to California and recently mentioned to her that I didn't use it any more.  She said she would like to have it so I SHIPPED IT TO HER VIA UPS.  It took the guys in the UPS shop about an hour to wrap it and I swear they used a whole roll of tape but it got there safe and sound.

So a shout-out to UPS...and to Kathy...she got the chair at Goodwill!

Kathy's husband was in the Air Force when they married and they lived in Fayetteville, N.C.

Would you believe her gave her this "real" jelly cupboard for their first anniversary, mice teeth marks and all. But it is a fabulous piece and every time I visit she has changed the display...sometimes her Noah's Ark and Salt-Glaze Stoneware, right now white ironstone.

Don't you love it especially the way it LEANS!

When I visit I am so lucky to have my own room and bath and when I walked in this spring I just gasped as she had painted it a gorgeous Colonial Blue. This is the little area where I played around on my computer before I went to bed.  The nightstand used to be in our kitchen holding a "radio" when she was growing up...I had gotten it at a garage sale!

This is the dresser she had when growing up, the lamp was from Tuesday Morning and the basket and flowers from her "stash" of decorating stuff.  It looked great!

When they had their first house in CA. Kathy's husband brought back a Brass Bed just like this from Japan.  Over the years they replaced it with a lovely wooden one but the guest room bed was plain.  So one day in Goodwill she spies this headboard for $10.00.  

So now, after some sanding and a coat of black paint, it is fabulous in the guest room!

Who says she didn't get the DECORATING gene???

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This is a picture from my other daughter's home.  She, too, loves to decorate and change things around.  And she is not afraid to tackle anything!  Look closely; this is a fake mantle we found at a huge flea market the last time I visited.  She placed it against the wall and decided it "looked too flat."  So, never to be out-done, she got out her "blue tape, paint brushes and paint."  Away she painted the inside black, then figured out what to do with the surround.  She taped it off and painted the "stone" with a color two shades lighter than the wall.  

How do you like that!  If you don't look "that" close, you would swear all is "real" and now with the electric logs and andirons...well, who knew... 

Karen's home is Cottage-y with a touch of Contemporary.  Lots of white furnishings and no clutter for her!  It is charming (I always go home with "de-cluttering" in mind!  LOL)  Anyway she and her fiance love to go "Antiquing" on Saturday mornings and have found some wonderful dealers.

This T.V. Cabinet is an old armoire that has been painted white with oil base paint and I wish you could see the beautiful finish!  

This wonderful cabinet used to be "built-in" in someones farmhouse and now it is in Karen's kitchen to hold a million cookbooks (she loves to cook!) and tons of other things.  I am showing you her "summer" look; it will change again in the fall, etc.  Always beautifully done!

I haven't been able to talk her out of her "Bowl" rack so far!  After all I shipped a sofa table to her sister by UPS, etc., etc. but so far no luck!  LOL  But she does display it probably better than I would anyway!

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I have been trying to lighten up my house for summer so have been adding white/cream where I cam.  A few items in the bookcases and mostly on the mantle.  I brought in some white pieces: a milk glass hen-on-nest, a white pitcher, a cream urn holding cream silk roses and a lattice edge milk glass plate.  Then I covered the 4 books, (two on each side) with off-white paper and that brought the whole thing to life.  Actually they aren't "books" but rather those raggedy grey fabric boxes that Michael's used to sell.  

So here is my "summer" dining room table:  I just got the huge milk can from Decor Steals or Antique Farmhouse, anyway I added a "Cow-handled" pitcher and a small white "Cow" pitcher from Ross.  

The hand-made quilt I got at a flea market for $100...a real steal at the time.

(It's big enough for a bed!)

I wanted to tell you the story about this "Picture."  When my living/dining room" was painted several years ago I found this "poster" tucked behind the hutch when we moved it.  I had bought it right after "Sept.  11,   with the idea at the time to frame it!  I never got around to it until recently and now I love it.  But I needed something else to go with it so I found this beautiful sculpture on Amazon.

I really love Americana...as you can see...read further... 

Here are two darling bears made by LANA TESTA of A PRIMITIVE PLACE...MAGAZINE.

I love them and keep them out all summer!

AND A HAPPY, SAFE, AND SANE 4TH OF JULY TO YOU ALL!

Well, just a little TEASER for my next post.  I have been working on this room for several months and can hardly believe it is just about done!  Talk about "Bargains" you will love 'em!

Can't wait to show you...

And Hey, can you take a minute and leave me a comment...

I love to read your thoughts on my ramblings...

{{HUGS}}