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}}

FUN WITH WHITE PLATES AT HOME DEC. AND ARLENE'S NEW KITCHEN

Hello my lovelies! Did I ever tell you we have a "Friendship Group" here at Sun City by the name of "Home Dec" We meet in member's homes and sometimes have a speaker and sometimes just do an activity or take a field trip.  Well this month I decided we should have some "Fun with White Plates." So each member was asked to bring a colorful placemat, napkin, and small luncheon-size plate and cup or colorful glassware.  Well, here are the results of that meeting:  

Everyone set out their contributions and made place settings that were lovely.  But then, the fun began.  We all switched the plates, napkins and glassware and made more place settings!

Then we did it again...

And again!  It was so much fun to see What You Can Do with a White Plate!

Now I have to say we had 26 women milling around 4 tables so we had to be careful not to trip each other!

Two real sweethearts...

Here is a picture of two of my dear friends; Carolynn is on the left and Mary Ellen is on the right.

Sadly, Mary Ellen has just been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer so we all said a prayer and did a healing of hands for her.  She is so sweet and can use all the prayers you can give.

Some other friends were snacking in the kitchen, no doubt hearing all about Arlene's NEW KITCHEN, (Arlene is the one in the yellow tee) which is right below...

This is a "Before" shot but after new appliances were installed.  How we all thought our kitchens were just fine 16 years ago!

And this is the beautiful "After" shot.  The cabinets were painted a lovely cream color as she has the same color Corian countertops.  The painter then "Antiqued" them just a tiny bit...you have to be careful with antiquing...it can make cream or white look dirty.  Arlene's cabinets are gorgeous!

And here's another "awful" "before" shot...UGH!

Can you believe the difference!!!  Her entire home is lovely...certainly not Primitive but a wonderful mix of Colonial with a tiny bit of Oriental.  A beautiful, very comfortable home!  Arlene is an accomplished artist and has small bits of her work displayed in her home.  I wish you could see it all someday...maybe I will ask her for a "tour" for you...how about that!

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Well, my pretties, that is it for today...I am getting on a plane at 8:30 tomorrow morning to head out to Minneapolis to see one of my beautiful Grand daughters graduate (with Honors, I might add) from 

The University of Minnesota!

I am so happy for her and a proud Grandma!

Then, I will stay in Minnesota for about another week and will travel down to Ankeny, Iowa where my other daughter and family live.  There I will be treated to a marvelous "Dance Recital" in

which my 16 year old Grand daughter will perform.

It gets better than ever every year and it is so much fun.

Then back to reality on June 10, but I have to say I will be happy to see friends (including Mr. S. O.) and sleep in my own bed!

Isn't it fun to go away, but it is always nice to come home!

Keep well and thank you to all for all the sweet comments and to my followers, both old and new!

Home Tour Three AND Taking care of Business!

Well, it's about time!  Finally Home Tour Three has been a long time coming...so sorry for that!  But here it is, hopefully for your enjoyment! This is the entry hall and you can see all the way through to the sun-porch, which, since it has been a "dumping ground" this winter, I can't show it to you yet. And to the right is the kitchen which you've seen before so don't go there...

At the end of the entry we will make a left turn to the "bedroom hall" where you will see an old mid-century china cabinet I re-did...it was an ugly "orange-y" color which drove me crazy so I painted the inside with Old Village Mustard and the outside with Old Village Cranberry.  Then I removed the wooden (warped and wiggly) shelves and had glass ones made with wooden trim on the front edges (so they would look like wood from the front) and had LED lights installed at the top.  Now the whole cabinet is lighted and looks so nice at the end of the hall with my Red Transferware dishes displayed.   Do you like it?

Now, just before we get to the china cabinet, we will see the "Guest Bath" on the left.  It is an "inside" bath with no window so I had a Solar Tube Skylight installed.  Many times during the day I pass by and "try to turn off the light" but it is just the sun streaming in.  Fools guests, too!  LOL

And by the way, it doesn't show in the pictures, but the CEILING IS RED!

Fun!

Now come straight out of the bathroom and make a little jog and you can look in and see right into

THE MASTER BEDROOM!

That is a 10 foot wide bay window and the rocker is the first piece of furniture my dear husband and I bought when he got out of the Army (in 1952) for our first "real" apartment.  It was, Ethan Allen, black with beautiful stenciling but over the years it has been red, white and now I had it stripped and stained so it is dark wood grain.  The sewing cabinet, too, which is where I kept small toys at my grandmother's, has been many colors too (remember when we "antiqued" everything?)  LOL  Now it has been stripped and  re-stained back to its original walnut.  Now I keep prescriptions in it...looks like it has come FULL CIRCLE!  HA!

And here is a new view of my beloved pencil post bed.  I got the picture from a wonderful lady who had it in her home when her house was in Country Sampler.  I called and asked where she got it and it so happened she has a Country store, I think in Michigan and she got one for me!

Country people are the BEST!

So at this point you've seen straight ahead and to the left...moving to the left of the bed is the master bath (aren't baths the hardest to phograph!)  Anyway, it serves the purpose...

from the other end...(I stood in the shower!)  LOL

and the wall opposite the vanity.  It is wallpapered up to a high peg rail/shelf and I had the "bucket" bench  made by a gal in N.Y. state...

Now we will move out of the bath, turn right and you will see a favorite piece...a beautiful hand made chimney cupboard made by a darling oriental man who is close to his 90's!  He even made a tiny wooden peg that holds the door shut!

And now BOYS AND GIRLS,, MOMS AND DADS, AND ALL THE SHIPS AT SEA!!!

Here is the built-in I had made that took almost 6 months to complete!  It was a "Murphy's Law" If anything can go wrong it will and it did.  Contractor and I both had vacations planned, we changed the hinges twice (some were defective) and I couldn't choose hardware...on and on...

But it is finished now and I now have storage space up the wazoo...some of the drawers and cabinets are even still empty!  There are lights at the top behind the bubble glass doors and LED's above the arch.

Six of my Ironstone pitchers are behind the upper doors and to me it looks like an old built-in that would have been in an old farmhouse!  YEA!

and here's a couple of close-ups of the family pictures I am able to display

this one, on the left is daughter's:  first day of school, Birth pictures and when they were in high school and gave us this picture for our 25th Wedding Anniversary party they threw for us.  They are still just as beautiful to me in their 50's!

Well, friends, that is the end of my little tour. There is one more room, my office/guest room which has recently been repainted and is "not ready" yet.  I promise it will happen soon...I always say that, don't I,  LOL but every day I do something in there and mess up another area...But before I leave...

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I WANT TO TAKE CARE OF SOME BUSINESS...

First of all:  A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY NEW FOLLOWERS.  If I have not contacted you to thank you and really see who you are it is because either I can't figure out how to get past Google "Friend Connect" or something.  Each time I get a new follower I "jump through Hoops" to try to thank you and I get stopped in my tracks.

So always A BIG THANK YOU TO NEW FOLLOWERS!!!

Don't laugh but I accidentally deleted my whole BLOG LIST!  I have been re-building it but if you want to be on it please e-mail me and I will put you on!

And while we are on that subject,

you will notice that I don't just have a Blog List of just Primitives.  While I was unable to post, I spent a ton of time reading blogs on other subjects and found them interesting...I have a lot of interests...so I have added them to mine. Hope you Primitive friends don't mind and will still be my friend!  

And last but certainly not least...I have had help with my Blog from redesigning it to 

"Telephone Tutorials" 

with 

Sharon 

from 

PLUMROSE LANE.

CHECK OUT HER LOGO AT THE BOTTOM OF MY BLOG

or

in my "Blog List"

She is Amazing!

All for now my lovelies

Happy Spring!

     

WHAT'S ON YOUR FLOOR?

Other than furniture with the always stubborn "Dust Bunnies?" 

 Here's a bunch of pictures of what's on mine:

A real "Sap Bucket" beautifully painted.

A favorite corner

I actually use these for storage - wooden apples and pears!

My husband's chair, daughter's Raggedy Ann

Husband made a "Pouting" chair for each of our daughters one Christmas & I made them 

18" Teddy Bears.  I talked him into a chair for me!  :)

A real cutie for our sun-porch -- heat or just flames!

Shipped this chest from Providence, R. I. one vacation.

Sheep are my thing!

Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty  

The best thing is the tag that says: "Someone in Iowa Loves you!"

My attempt at a "Bucket Bench" bought on-line.

Husband also built this Firewood Box...one for each of our girls and you don't think I would let him get away without one for me, do you???

One of those corners that I feel looks too busy but in 15 years I can't figure out what to do different...you see those are place mats rolled up in the crock...why, you say?  Well, there is not a drawer in my kitchen that is wide enough for place mats!  AND, see the Dollar Store one curved in the back...well, it is hiding an electric outlet full of T.V. plugs etc.  Really UGLY!

This is my entire collection of YELLOW WARE which I dearly love.

Oh yes, I do have 3 plates!  Yippee!

And last but not least, this is the floor cloth I painted for the last Home Tour

 and the inspiration for the name of my blog!

It is the closest I will ever come to living in a real farmhouse!  (Sigh!)

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Why don't you post about WHAT'S ON YOUR FLOOR and leave me a comment so I can check your blog out...I am really nosy!  :)

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Now my apologies to you all:  I hurt my foot in September and then hurt my back so have been in pain since then...pain pills, physical therapy, etc.  but it still hurts.  An MRI and cortisone shots are on the horizon but I am toughing it out as best as I can.  But as you all know who "have been there" when you are in pain nothing much gets done, including "sitting at the computer" much at all.  So I hope you can all forgive me and I will try to do better as I get better!

Love to you all,