Our Cottage in the Making

Autumn Favorites Continued ... The Best Pumpkin Muffins ... Ever.

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:45:00 +0000

Warm Autumn Welcome!

The "baking corner" in our "new" kitchen is in full swing ... we haven't installed the shelves for the jars that will house all dry-goods ... we hope to have those in this weekend as we eagerly prepare for the sub-way tile installation next week! In the meantime, my desire for baking has increased with the cooler temps and the beauty of the autumn colors outside.

Here's a recipe that will go down through the ages ... generation to generation.

What I like about this recipe is that the batter bakes up so nicely! They puff up perfectly ... which means they don't "goo-over" the sides of the muffin pan ... hate when that happens. I like a muffin that has a good "perky" muffin top! Isn't that weird ... talking about perkiness of muffin tops ... but it really does matter to me :O) The 2nd benefit of this batter is that they stay crazy moist for days ... not kidding ... they taste as good on day #3 as they do on day #1.

Pumpkin Muffins

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 - 1/2 cup oil

1 - 3/4 cup canned pumpkin

3 cups flour

1 Tbls. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cups raisins (optional)

1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Beat eggs lightly. Add next 3 items. Beat

thoroughly. Sift dry ingredients and mix until

smooth. Sitr in raisins & nuts. Fill greased muffin

cups (I don't use paper liners) 2/3 full and sprinkle tops

with brown sugar. Bake @ 350 degrees for 15-20

minutes.

Yield: 2 dozen

davis enjoying a warm pumkin muffin for snack!

~ happy autumn baking my friend ~

A Ceiling and Lighting Make-Over

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 03:57:00 +0000

Hey y'all!

Just wanted to re-wind time a bit and share the step-by-step process of how we updated the lighting in our kitchen and gave the ceiling a much-needed makeover.

Months ago we hired a friend who happens to be an electrician and he re-vamped our kitchen lighting.

I smile every time I turn the lights on!

__________________________________

This is what we started with ...

see the old track lighting ... it was so dark in

our kitchen at night ... task lighting was definitely needed!

We found out from Tim (our electrician friend) that

these lights get hot ... and when they do they burn

the dust that sits on them if they aren't cleaned regularly!

We thought our 20-year-old lights were a fire hazard ...

in reality they were just dirty!

I'm so embarrassed!

So Tim got to work ...

... and put a whole grid of these in ...

and hubby got busy patching huge holes ...

and there was also a large beam running through the

middle of the kitchen that turned out to be

decorative (not weight-bearing) ... so out it came, too!

Thank goodness we didn't have to make the ceiling patch-work perfect ...
because we decided to cover it with this ...

Bead-board Paint-able Wallpaper

you can it here

This product is amazing. It only costs $25 a roll. And on a project as big as this ... you gotta love that price!

We've put it in several places in our kitchen re-do ...

on the sides of the this cupboard

on the backside of the cupboard

as a back splash to the new desk area
and on the side of the lower cabinet ...

I've never done wall-paper and it was so easy-breezy!

Measure - Cut - Wet - Lay

______________________________

So ... back to the ceiling ...
in order to prepare the ceiling for the paint-able wallpaper
we had to roll on a product called sizing ... it helps prepare the ceiling for the paper and it allows it to be removed w/ease
(if ever this amazing ceiling ever becomes "dated")

Have you ever paid $ for something and found out it was
WELL WORTH EVERY CENT?!
I call the man in the following picture a
marriage saver
...
Brian Wood
the wallpaper guy!

He accomplished something in a couple of short hours that would have taken Dan and I days to do ... I am not kidding you ... Brian was worth every single cent. He did an amazing job and hubby and I celebrated that small investment fee by saving ourselves headaches, frustration and probably a few arguments!

:O)

After Brian left ... I started painting ...

and painted ...

and painted some more!

Painting ceilings are tough ... let alone a ceiling with a bead-board pattern ... oy!

I used Benjamin Moore's Decorator's White (the color of all our trim in the house and the color used on the kitchen cabinets) but instead of using a semi-gloss finish ... the ceiling paint sheen is satin.

Sheen is everything! Normally with a ceiling you want to use "ceiling paint" which has NO sheen ... actually kind of a negative sheen ... which allows no light to bounce off and ricochet across the room. But for this ceiling ... you want some light to catch those beautiful grooves in the bead-board. You want JUST ENOUGH sheen to draw the eye-upward ... but not too much that the sheen shows your imperfections (and believe me - there are plenty of those!).
Soooo ... satin was chosen.

I bit my nails before, during and after ... I wanted the sheen to be just right. I nailed it! It catches the light enough but not

too much. Yeah Yeah Yeah!

_______________________________

And finally the light above the new peninsula/eating area ...

(too bad my camera can't pick up the beauty in the new ceiling and the awesome light fixture)

you can find this here

My original intent was to install 2 of these ...

But they were a bit pricey at $45 each ... plus, I was limited in space over the bar area and didn't want anything hum-drum ... then I saw this at IKEA ...

I got this puppy for only $27!

LOVE a deal!

Our poor lighting issue has been solved.

In fact, the lighting was SO good that when we first flipped the switch ... I saw how dirty my kitchen really was!

Oh my, now I have a new problem :O)

Do you have a space that you keep coming back to? Check out some of these tips here on how to tackle a room make-over. The biggest lesson I've learned it to be patient ... it's in the waiting time during the project that I find amazing deals ... deals that are either free or so much better than I had originally planned. There's always a reason why we have to wait ... look for those reasons ... there could be an amazing surprise waiting for you!

Hope you have a great Monday!

Sundays are for Resting

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:37:00 +0000

"To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
       Who created all these?
       He who brings out the starry host one by one,
       and calls them each by name.
       Because of his great power and mighty strength,
       not one of them is missing"

Isaiah 40:25-26

want more? you can buy the DVD here

Rest in Him my friend ...

Autumn Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 02:42:00 +0000

If you don't have a favorite chili-n-cornbread recipe ...

this post if for you my friend!

__________________________________________

Janet's Chili

2 onion, chopped Saute' until softened

2 green pepper, chopped and ground beef is browned

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb. ground beef

1 tsp. chili powder Add.

1 T. cumin

1 T. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. curry

1/4 tsp. rosemary

2 bay leaves

1 quart stewed tomatoes Add.

3/4 cup ginger ale Heat until boiling.

1/3 cup red wine Simmer 45 min.

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup ketchup

1 can kidney beans (optional)

1 pint spaghetti sauce (optional) [my homemade sauce is sweet ... you can add about 1/8 cup sugar to yours]

serve with shredded cheddar cheese and big ol' slice of sweet cornbread

Kara's Sweet Cornbread

3 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup melted butter

5 Tbls. (heaping) cornmeal

3/4 tsp. baking powder

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

Mix. Pour into greased 9x13 pan or 2 iron skillets. Bake @ 350 degrees for 40 minutes or done in center.

Happy harvest ...

Better Use of S P A C E

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 02:26:00 +0000

Hola!

I've rec'd some emails asking questions about the vacant corner in our kitchen ...

the upper corner (left of the sink) had this cabinet ...

... it was such poor use of space ... I couldn't see what was in the cabinet ...

(and if you're like me)

"OUT OF SIGHT -- OUT OF MIND"

So we ripped it out when we saw this picture ...

Debra's Kitchen in NY

it completely opened my little world to a BETTER USE OF SPACE

(all those glass jars make my heart go pitter-patter)

living in a cozy cottage ... you HAVE to look at space different

it has to look pleasing to the eye BUT every nook and cranny

MUST BE FUNCTIONAL!

Thus, the corner will become my baking nook

jars will hold dry goods like flour, sugar, cornmeal, and various grains ... fun!

the corner under the shelves-to-be will house the Kitchen-Aide Mixer

see the two drawers ... they are filled with measuring spoons,

rolling pin, pastry cutter, ect.

the upper cabinets hold baking supplies like vanilla, baking powder,

baking soda, cocoa, thickeners, tapioca and mixing bowls

the cabinet below left houses vinegars, oils, and a big ol' tub of shortening

the cabinet below right has this new feature ...

a trash can nooked away

:O)

Dan and I won this at Kitchen World's Grand Opening Night

I LOVE free!

I love a bargain ... but "free" has to beat all.

___________________________________

Wanna see more inspiration of open-shelving in the kitchen?

I'll keep you posted on the baking nook ... for now sweet cornbread is being

baked weekly to go with that yummy fall favorite ... chili!

Note: I hope to post more pics about Debra's Kitchen in NY ... it is amazing ... she taught

me that you can have the kitchen you want ... just think outside the box ... and don't

do what everybody else is doing.

Happy Fall my friend!

Sundays are for Resting

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 20:22:00 +0000

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

________________________

rest in Him my friends ...

So What Do You Do When Life Runs So Fast You Can't Catch Up?

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 01:06:00 +0000

Well, my dear friends. To say life got a little busy ... is a complete understatement. Wow. One minute we were on vacation at the lake house in NH ... the next minute we were into a back-to-school routine. And once that moment comes ... you gotta hang on hard to your britches ... time flies!

Davis (our oldest son - will be 10 soon) was suppose to have surgery (his twelfth ... but who's counting?!) in August ... but due to circumstances that could not be controlled ... it was rescheduled for December. He was relieved ... and it really did work out because he would have missed out on the several weeks of summer fun. This way he can still play flag-football! It is all about sports for him :O)

So I say all of that because I think to myself, "Gina, are you nuts for trying to do a blog about your cottage-thang when your life is so busy?" And then I answer myself, "Yes, you are completely nuts ... you've got two small (medium) boys that have their own medical issues (nothing life threatening -- just a part of our life journey), and a wonderful husband who loves to eat home-cooked meals, plus I'm trying to work a part-time job at the school the boys attend, also serving in a couple of ministries at our church and attempting to do a kitchen re-do on top of it all."

Wow ... when I write it all out ... it does sound like a lot.

:O)

I hesitate to show you pictures ... because I can only see the stuff that still needs to get done

...sigh ...

but I'm among friends ... right?

So after weeks of filth, dry-wall dust, sub-flooring, no-running water in the kitchen, and missing counter-tops ... we have something to show for our work ...

Do you remember what it looked like before?

before ...

after ...

before ...

after ...

before ...

after ...

what you see below was the toughest part of the whole project ...

Dan says, "there should be a rule that says ... the operator of the sink should weigh less than the sink!"

it is sooooooooo H E A V Y !

___________________________________________

Mom, what do you think?

Mom was with us during the grit the grime and the muck!

Thanks mom for all the tomatoes you canned this summer in a kitchen that

really didn't even exist ... we love you!

__________________________________________

So ... my hope is that I can blog about all the fun things that happened along the journey ... the sink, the faucet, that new dishwasher ... and did you see the frig?! CRAIGSLIST FIND! Amazing ... can't wait to share all the "wow" moments.

________________________

What still needs to happen?

Subway Tile Back Splash

Bar Stools

Hardwood Flooring

Pantry Re-do

Mud-Room

________________________

So good to be with y'all again!

Happy Fall!

The Beloved Mason Jar

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 21:29:00 +0000

I can't get enough of these images ...

_______________________________

i find myself reaching for a mason jar
when creating something simple ...
whether it's a vase for wildflowers
or
dry goods in the pantry
or
a simple gift

____________________

I was looking at my July issue of
Better Homes and Gardens
and stumbled across a host of recipes
for this season's canning.

enjoy the scenery

tomato basil simmer sauce

blue ribbon corn relish

chunky tomato salsa

best ever dill pickles

homemade strawberry jam

Interested in these recipes?
click below ...

Better Homes and Gardens

Happy canning my friend :O)

Road Trip with Hubby!

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:37:00 +0000

One week w/out the boys.

That's what we had.

Cousins Camp comes once a year.

The time w/out them is a bitter-sweet.

We missed them but the time together was
just what we needed.

:O)

Davis and Dawson headed off to Virginia for one whole week of fun with their cousins Sam and Josh.
Their cousins live in Sudbury, MA. So they, too, travel down to their grandparents' house in Harrisonburg, VA.

Nanna and Bubba (grandma & grandpa Welty) take all four boys (even though our boys aren't technically their grandchildren - they've adopted them as their very own) for a week of adventure (daily field trips), training (the good kind - bible story hour each day) and LOTS of back-yard sports!

__________________

You can say that the annual camp is a marriage builder!

__________________

So what do Dan and Gina do for a whole week?

Well ... when you're in the south ...

you eat what the south eats!

The first stop was ...

drinking a hot cup of ...

playing with ...

while listening to ...

waiting for these...

And don't forget the apple butter ... oh my goodness.

Yum!

________________________

Next stop on our road-trip/8-hour date ...

IKEA: Pittsburgh, PA - USA

usually we shop at the IKEA in Burlington, Canada ...
but us shoppers from the states usually end up paying a whole lot more for the retail ... plus you get charged double tax PLUS crossing the border into the states can also be pricey depending on how much you spent at IKEA that day.

So... our plan was to make a pit-stop at Pittsburgh, PA!

Gina's always got somethin' a bruin' ...
this is was the latest brew ...

The farmer's sink ... :O)

Doesn't she rock?

I tell you this

the website for this item does it NO justice!

This is one of those things you must see in-person.

At one point I thought I heard it singing ...
it's just that lovely.

It's even got the old-fashioned soap tray built in on the backside. Sweet.

It is a hum-dinger ... 36" wide ... 27" deep.
After hubby got a view of how it should be installed -- he warmed up to the idea of it because he, too, saw how awesome it is in-person.

But ... I couldn't sell him on this ...

I grew up in the restaurant business ...
my parents owned several in the course of my middle-school and high school years ... so there's something drawing about this fixture. I suppose Dan is turned off by this style due to the fact that he was a "dish-dog" during his restaurant working days ... not fun swimming in all that leftover food-muck. yucky poo poo.

_______________________

So ... we left with ...

a really heavy sink.

And Gina was very happy.

______________________

The kitchen-flip adventure continues.

When does the sink get installed?
Are you kidding me?
I'm not asking that question for quite awhile ...
I'm just pleased in our garage and available.

:O)

Hope you are having a summer full of adventures
with your hubby.

As Dan shared that special week ...
"Babe, this is just a taste of what the empty-nest will feel like. Let's enjoy it and prepare for what is to come one day."

I love that man.

7 Coats Will Have to Do

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:23:00 +0000

My intention was to slather this bad-boy with

10 coats of Waterlox ... but thought

after 7 coats ...

this counter top was lookin'

mighty fine

:O)

you might notice a coil of wiring

peaking under the upper cabinet ...

that's the future wiring of

under-cabinet lighting

:O)

remember all that paintable wallpaper?

it turned out great!

we used it on the sides of the cabinetry

and

as a back splash to all the electronics

that will be housed in this area

every coat made the grain in the wood

sing a little louder

the knee hole just needs a bar stool ...

hmmmm ... I wanted to share

a picture of the bar stool I'm thinkin'

about getting from a chain of stores

called ...

The Christmas Tree Shops

When we lived in Massachusetts and New Hampshire I would see these stores and avoid them thinking, "I'm not in the mood to shop for Christmas."

But then a good friend shared what's so

special about the Christmas Tree Shops...

Oh my goodness!!!

If there is one close to you
go
and I mean go right now!

They sell so many wonderful things ...
things that are so crazy cheap ...
you'll find yourself filling your cart
(like I do)
and pulling into the check-out area and
sorting through the items that are
"yes(s)"

and

"no(s)".

What's so great about this place?

Say I only have $25 to spend that day ...

you can fill your cart (big cart)
full and still come under budget!
I AM NOT KIDDING YOU!

We now live between Buffalo and Rochester ...

both cities got a Christmas Tree Shop
and we all went wild!

Really.

Googly-eyed WILD.

So ... let me find a bar stool that is comparible to the ones I found at the Christmas Tree Shops for only $50

this one comes from Pottery Barn ...

it retails @ $180 ...

I can get this chair at the Christmas Tree Shops

for $50

:O)

BUT we will eventually need 4 of them ...

3 @ the bar/peninsula area and 1 at the desk

area (the area we've been working on since Mother's Day weekend) ... sooooooo

if space is an issue (the backs of the barstool dictate how much space is needed for seating) ... then

this could be an option (not my favorite option) ...

I can get the above at Big Lots 2 for $40 ... but I'd have to paint them ... which is a good thing and a bad thing ... it requires time and $ BUT I could spin a personal touch to them and make our cottage kitchen look like a one-of-a-kind space!

What do you think I should do?

bar stools w/backs vs. bar stools w/no backs

:O)

Can't wait to post again with you ...

Signs of Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 03:14:00 +0000

What is it about summer time?

The sights & the smells of summer

can be enchanting ...

queen anne's lace ... the flowers used
as centerpieces in mason jars at our wedding reception in
1997

Dan and I just celebrated 13 years of marriage!
Woo Hoo!
It's been an amazing ride ...
we've had our highs (we've lived in breathtaking
places around the United States and have
2 beautiful boys) and we've had our lows (we divorced in 2004 and then re-married in 2006!)...
so with the roller-coaster ride of marriage
along with the growing pains of life ...
we feel blessed that our family is together.

_________________________

Many have written and asked when I might
post again ... I apologize for the absence but
I've learned through those growing pains (mentioned above) to put my personal endeavors on the back-burner and

make hubby #1 in my life

and then

make the sweeties (my boys) #2 in my life

and then

there's the upkeep of our cottage home!

I'm not talking about the renovation of the kitchen or the many little projects I have cookin' up around here ...
I'm talkin' bare-bones keeper-of-the-home duties!

Gardening, laundry, cleaning, windows, canning, freezing, organizing, back-to-school shopping, ect.

Then ... when hubby is loved, boys are well cared for and our home is in order ...

... that's when I can take some quiet moments to post :O)

__________________________

Wanna peak at the latest?
We're having so much fun on this reno!

Do you remember what it looked like before?

Yes! This is the SAME wall! But now
we have cabinets :O) Yeah!

And what do you think about that IKEA
butcherblock countertop? wowsers!

The finish you see is the factory finish ... it is beautiful but not ready for high-end use ...

Dan and I read up on what we could find
on sealing butcher-block counter-tops ...

the most helpfo info came from TheLetteredCottage.com and This and That

we decided to use the product called Waterlox

I've applied 6 coats and it looks better with each application ... I think I'll put 10 coats on just for good measure. :O)

The above pic shows what Waterlox does for wood at 3 coats ... isn't it just yummy?!

The black hole you see on the right side of the butcherblock is a 1 3/4 " hole Dan drilled for electronic access for laptop wiring / land-line phone / cell-phone chargers, ect. He capped it off with a black, plastic liner w/lid so that all wiring is stream-lined and tucked away! Love a clean look at a desk-top area :O)

After 10 coats of Waterlox and a few days to completely dry ... we'll re-install and post pics
of the final product.

In the meantime, I'll be posting updates on the
ceiling project ...

see those black marks on the ceiling ... that's where the 20 yr-old track lighting used to be ...
recessed lights were installed a couple of months ago and now we're neck deep in painting the paintable, beadboard, wallpaper!

Can I just say, "AMAZING!"

This afternoon I painted one coat of
Decorator's White by BM in eggshell

...

I'll see what it looks like in the am ... I'm hoping there's a bit of a sheen but not too much to draw the eye up and notice all the imperfections ...
Dan does not appreciate when I "fuss" so much over the minute details ... but for me ...
the sheen must be right.

___________________________

Ya know ... instead of just looking at the beauty
of queen anne's lace ... I think I'll create bouquets of them around our cottage ...

Happy Summer my Friend!

Cottage Style Window Treatments

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:49:00 +0000

Top of the mornin' to ya!

I have a friend who is redoing her master

bedroom ... cottage style.

Recently she had the bedroom painted

a beautiful buttery, golden, yellow.

The room rec's TONS of natural light ...

so she's really wanting a window treatment

that allows light but would also have the

option of blocking some of the light

when needed.

Here's the bedding she chose ...

This is part of the Better Homes and Gardens Collection

at Walmart! You can find it here.

(Sorry about the small images ...

the larger I make them ... the fuzzier

they become ... bummer)

Isn't this bedding beautiful ...

the pictures don't give it justice ...

the pillows have such detail in the

embroidery -- the colors are so fresh!

The only thing I would change with this

combination is white sheets ... in my

friend's master suite ... these colored

sheets might fight against the wall color.

__________________________

So I was thinking maybe this for a

window treatment ...

potterybarn.com

This picture sums it up:

1) wood flooring

2) area rug in a neutral tone

3) so many different white tones

being layered in this space

4) white sheers that can be easily

closed with the option of closing

a heavier drape to block out

bright light

5) maybe white wooden hardware

instead of the starkness of black or

perhaps medium stained wooden

hardware to warm things up a bit -

that would go nicely

with the wood floor

Perhaps a white sheer along with a white

drape ... that combination would blend

nicely with the all ready painted walls

and tie in nicely with all the beatiful

white painted trim in the room.

__________________________

May your day be filled with

glorious sunshine!

After I wrote this ... I had more ideas about warming up this bedroom with rattan shades ... hmmm ... I like that idea ... break up some of the "whiteness" a bit ... I'll get to ya on that vein of thought! Later tater ...

An Update on the Kitchen Here in Our Cottage-In-The-Making

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 04:07:00 +0000

Long time no see!

Sorry about the crazy-long break ... wow!

end-of-year-school-stuff for our boys can really kick me in the patooty:O)

It catches me off guard each year because it's actually

more than the hussle-n-bussle of the holidays
... it really is ...
but now summer vacation has officially begun!

YEE-HAW!

I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE having my boys at home ...

I'm just one of those moms who loves being at home with her kids!

____________________________________________

Sooooooooooo ... here's a quick update on our kitchen flip ...

Remember this wall's beginnings?

Those old green walls are gone!

I painted them White Sand by BMpaints
and everything you see in white is
Decorator's White by BMpaints.

Isn't it just dreamy? I love it!

Here are some more pics of the current uppers ...

By the way ... I would love your feedback on
our current updates ... let me know how you
feel about the colors, design, execution!
_________________________________________
These were my initial thoughts in color & textures ...

White dishes, glassware, mason jars, earth tones,
some sort of basket system,
and the yummy warm color found in that,
oh so adorable,
crock!

As you can see it turned out a bit different ...

This is our first home that I can display some of our
Land's End dinnerware :O)

Didn't Dan do a fabulous job adding detail trim to
these old 70's cabinets ... :O)
I just love that man!

These wooden corbels were about $10 at
The Home Depot ... they add that country farmhouse
style that I so love.
And that bead board is more of the same great stuff ...
wallpaper!

Dan added a small bead of trim at the top of the
original cabinet ... then he added a 1 x 4 to increase
height and then finally the crown molding to give
it that WOW factor. And wow it is!

Do you remember in the recent post called
"How to make those bookshelves sing!"
There are some helpful suggestions for layout & design
when loading book shelves. I applied these same
techniques to the country cupboard.

(1)
The picture above shows a Vera Bradley, Cooking with Friends
cookbook under the little tea-pot my dear friend,
Susan Carter, gave me as a going away gift when we
moved from Colorado to Massachusetts.
The white cookbook was in a (pretty but) bright blue book jacket ...
so after unwrapping the jacket ... I found a hard bound book in the
exact color palette I was gunnin' for!

______________

(2)
The picture below applies rule #2

work from the left to the right on the first shelf

and

right to left on the next

this will help achieve balance

and

keep the viewer's eyes flowing in a zig-zag pattern

soooo ... start at the top left and move right ...

do you see the zig-zag pattern?

(this is when I wish I had Photshop so that I could

draw fun little arrows to help make my point!)

Here are some everyday household items that

look great in a mason jar ...

Bingo Balls

Scrabble Pieces

:O)

I got this idea from my most recent PB

on the itty-bitty desk ... there are two glass jars
with everyday household items ...
clothespins and scrabble pieces!

Isn't it good to display something that is functional too!

I think I'll display them in these jars found at IKEA.com

I really like the brushed nickel lid which will
go nicely with the cabinet hardware
and
pendant lights above the peninsula

pendant lights for the peninsula

drawer pulls and door knobs

____________________________________________

The baskets were a bit of a challenge

but I am very happy with the ones I settled on ...

the darker stained baskets were too dark in this

very light and airy space PLUS the wood floor we'll

be installing (Red Oak w/Rustic Grain) will blend

so much better with the ones below ...

and

these Waterhyacinth Baskets from Pier1.com are

great for storage (can't see through them)

and

they won't scratch the new paint job!

______________________________________

I hope to hear from you -- until then
happy summer :O)

a little bit about me

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 23:38:00 +0000

Wouldn't it be easier to sit down and a have a cup of coffee and get to know each other? In fact, a hot cup of Dunkin' with cream ... mmmm ... I can smell it now. After living in the New England area (I've lived in OH, VA, CO, MA, NH and now NY) ... you just become a fan of Dunkin' ... it is a NE thang :O)

I have 3 amazing men in my life ... my main man is Dan. We've been married for 13 years with a hiccup in the middle ... that hiccup means we were divorced at one time and remarried each other ... I know, reread that last part ... it's true ... God did an amazing thing in our marriage. I give Him all the honor and praise for what He's done in our family.

There are 2 little men in my life ... Davis (9) and Dawson(6) who think I'm one "wacked" mom but still love me in spite of my goofiness. We read books together every night (we just finished reading My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George) and they still tell me that they want to marry me when they grown up :O) **sigh**

I was saved by God's amazing grace when I was 25 years old and my journey with HIM has been an amazing one - one I hope to share with you over time

Why did I start a blog? I suppose it's my love for trash-to-treasure ... whether it's a piece of furniture that just needs a little TLC or a room that could use a fresh coat of paint ... it's seeing the potential in something else. Isn't that what our heavenly Father does? He sees the potential of something gloriously beautiful in us ... and He doesn't give up ... He continues transforming us ... until we are what we were created to be.

Besides loving on the 3 men in my life ... I enjoy ...

anything to do with the countryside

1. the smells of country

2. picket fences

3. garden rows of veggies

4. mason jars

5. galvanized metal

6. calico prints

7. boys playing in the sprinkler out back

8. fireflies

9. a fresh pitcher of tart lemonade

10. a long drive to town

11. queen-anne's lace growing in the ditch

12. dirty little toes after playing outside

13. watching a storm roll in

14. eating a picnic lunch in the back yard

15. riding bikes down our country road

16. a blanketed lawn after a big winter snow

17. neighborhood cats keeping the mice away

18. the stillness

19. sheets drying on the clothes line

20. a creaky screen door on the back porch

So where did my love-of-everything-country come from? I'd say it started in my childhood - my parents were born and raised Amish (Beachy Amish). They were married in the Amish church but left the Amish church when my sister and I were very young. I grew up, not only in the country, but on a farm ... a working farm. My mother taught me how to clean, cook, sew and harvest and "put up" veggies from a garden. We truly lived off the land.

I'm glad you are a part of this journey with me ... :O)

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Mt 6:33

Seek Him my friend ...

How to Make Those Bookshelves Sing!

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:13:00 +0000

Hello Friends!

The other day we were looking at a picture

of my friend's fireplace/library room ...

Well, here's another shot of the same room,

different angle ... the bookcases.

Don't you just love the rug in this space?

LOVE it :O) The colors are brilliant.

She has managed to follow these

colors into the rest of the house.

And that leather sofa ... makes you

want to curl up with a book and melt the day

away in a juicy story.

These were some of the suggestions I had for
her bookshelves ...

1. incorporate the mantle clock

on one of the shelves

2. remove the 2 small framed pieces on left of unit

(this will clean up the large frame the bookshelves give

to the wall they reside on)

3. arrange a series of framed pieces (photos or artwork)

along the top of the book case

4. create arrangements on bookshelves that zig-zag your eye

throughout the shelving (see tips listed below)

5. update pillows on leather sofa that will contrast

with the warm, yummy hues of the leather

6. the basket left of the unit on the floor -- update

with a larger one ... deep in color and rich

in texture

_______________________________

Okay! Let's get started, shall we? :O)

When I saw this picture in my latest Pottery Barn

issue ... I immediately called my friend and shared

the layout with her.

(ignore the fact that it is a media center ... these

concepts the designer has used can be adapted to

the bookshelves we're reviving)

The pictures along the top draw the eye upward ...

and give continuity to the looooong stretch

overhead.

Also notice how they stacked books vertically and horizontally.

Remove brightly colored jackets from hardbound books ...

the neutral colors underneath will blend nicely together and give

it a vintage-bookcase look.

Add metal (photo clip and wire baskets) textures,

wooden textures (baskets and keepsake boxes), and

pottery (notice the white crock)

to your collection.

Adding a small plant also gives an element of softness.

Again, baskets (woven or wire) can be a great way

to organize children books on the lower shelves.

_____________________________________

Here's another one from Pottery Barn.

Want to achieve this on your own bookshelves?

Here are some easy tips to create a bookshelf

piece of art ...

1. the basic rule is the rule of thirds:

1/3 books

1/3 accessories

1/3 empty space

2. work from the left to the right on the first shelf

and right to left on the next ... this will help achieve balance

and keep the viewer's eyes flowing in a zig-zag pattern :O)

3. if you have high books on the left side of one shelf, you don't

want the same type of books and space on the next shelf

4. do not line up books like a library ... try lying a pile of books

on their side and use them as a bookend or to lift up an accessory

5. when choosing accessories, think color. some colors will better

enhance your books, or the the room as a whole

6. include free space ... the viewer will be able to rest their eyes ...

if you overcrowd a bookcase, it will look messy

______________________________________________-

Here are some fun accessories for the room ...

I found this @ CrateandBarrel.com!

It would create

height in that

corner and the

red berries

would sing with

that beautiful

area rug!

Speaking of the colors in the rug ...

These pillows come from the Pottery Barn collection ...

I see some of the beautiful colors in her area rug that

would "pop" nicely along that leather sofa :O)

______________________________________

But if she's seeking more of a neutral pallet with
a mono-chromatic feel ... the classics below are
the answer :O)

crocheted pillows from PB ...

The texture of these beauties partnered with the buttery
hues of the leather
would make a wonderful marriage!

________________________________________________

And for frames ... as long as all the frames are the

same medium ... same size ... with same matting ...

skies are the limit ... BUT these are gorgeous options below.

They are made of a rustic wood (of course found at PB)

and would contrast nicely with her neutral wall color.

The wood tones mixed with the other textures and tones

in the room would blend nicely.

Again, whatever you choose to do ... make it consistent ...

the artwork will stand out more and your eye will

be drawn to the continuity of the whole picture not

just the individuals.

_______________________________________

Happy Decorating My Friend!

The Concept of Re-Design (and a quick update on the kitchen!)

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 02:12:00 +0000

Hola!

I rec'd an email from a friend who wanted "fresh eyes" on a few

of her spaces in their home of several years.

Before they moved in ... they completely re-did the kitchen,

painted every square inch of trim (oy!)

and painted every single room.

They've also a had the basement finished, resided the house,

replace windows with new and installed the most amazing

driveway/back-yard court-yard space. wow!

Their house is beautiful -- but she was wanted a little refreshing.

I call that a need for "fresh eyes"

Sometimes that's all a space needs is a friend to come

and see things that the home-owner gets used to.

Fresh-Eyes

Let's take a look at what she wants to re-design ...

I just love their fireplace! The space above the mantle

is sloped ... and don't you just love those built-ins ... yummy.

I suggested a couple of things that would make the fireplace

SING

in this space ...

1. paint the space above the mantle

the same color as the mantle and brick

2. replace small candle holders with large

chunky ones (black or dark stained wood)

3. replace twiggy wreath with an over-sized

piece of artwork ... leaned back onto slope

4. replace pillow on wicker chair with one

that is lighter in color (like wall color) and

textured (burlap/canvas) or fine print

5. hide electrical cord

(can be seen through the chair arm-hole)

6. place large basket w/cozy throws

(or filled with airy wheat grasses)

to the right of the fireplace opening
or
set a couple of LARGE candle-holders
on the floor
(this option may not be kid-friendly, though)

7. on left side built-ins ... 3rd shelf from the

bottom -- scale picture down a size

8. coffee table setting ... remove all small items

and replace basket with one large shallow tray

(metal/wood/weave) for books & magazines

9. coffee table, cont'd - remove candle holder

and replace with a medium vase with greenery

or faux flowers ... add a "soft" element :O)

__________________________________

here are some ideas that can work in this space nicely ...

my friend has small children -- so the coffee press wouldn't
be a smart choice -- but the trays are a mix of wood & metal -- nice.

- i just can't help myself when it comes to galvanized metal -
it's timeless and so casual
- makes me smile -
:O)

this is the weave option ... gives texture to a space but
is also sturdy enough to serve a round of drinks
(what is it with all the yummy green this season?)
this is a great color to make a room feel happy! yes?

Whatever you do -- do not pay big bucks for chunky candle-holders!

I've gotten crazy-awesome deals at Hobby Lobby (90% off!)

find mis-matched ones at at a consignment shop

or thrift shop and spray paint them

Here's a peek at a set that would look great at the
base of the fireplace ...

ooooo ... see the crackers, wine and cheese ...
I'm getting the itch for some hubby time
snuggled up by the fire.

You can't see it in the picture but my friend's fireplace/library room has
a leather sofa ... these textured pillows will add to the warmth
of the room and will "pop" nicely against that wicker chair.
Love the wicker chair and the placement is perfect :O)

note: they may be a bit "gray" in color but the
writing and linen texture is easy on the eyes

_______________________________________

Speaking of libraries ... I found this picture on

RestorationHardware.com

Layering 3-dimensional artifacts with favorite books
(remove brightly colored jackets from books)
can help you achieve the look of an old library.

Redesign can be fun ... it takes existing spaces and freshens them up!

Sometimes it only takes a little rearranging ... Sometimes there's
a short list of items to either purchase or make ... or shop your garage
or house -- you might find a surprise lurking in the corner ...
ask a friend to come over and give you fresh eyes on the space
you've grown accustomed to.

_________________________________________

okay, okay

here's an update on our own redesign project in the works

The paintable wallpaper beadboard is an amazing product ...
here's a play-by-play of how we've used it to add the
cottage feel to these ordinary cabinets.

These cabinets need a good caulk job and 2 coats of semi-gloss paint.
I'm really liking how they turned out.
I want to polyurethane them so damage will be reduced to a minimal
as we start to use them ... but I hear "no yellowing poly"
really doesn't work.
That freaks me out a bit ...
so I'm going to do a little research :O)

______________________________

Our electrician will finish the new recessed lighting
tomorrow night and then the fun begins :O)

______________________________

It gets bad when you go off to work (I work at a private

Christian School) with primer on your arms & legs and

really don't care that it didn't get washed off.

:O)

I'm getting silly ...

Happy Re-decorating my friend!

No Guts No Glory

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Thu, 27 May 2010 02:46:00 +0000

The series of pics to follow is what i would call "No Glory Photography" ... there's nothing fun or "wow" about these ... but they'll give you a nice progression of the work that's being done to transform the ugly ducklings to the beautiful swans they were meant to be :O)

________________________________________

What kind of primer do I recommend?
Kilz2 Latex Primer ... it's the best.

It covers stained wood and knots in wood ... and gives your piece the "tooth" it needs for a great paint job. Because the cabinets are stained a dark 70's finish ... I'm going to prime these puppies twice ... not fun ... but necessary!

You can pick this product up at a local home improvement store ... but you can also get it cheap at Wal-mart :O)

The cabinet below will be one of two lower cabinets that will shoulder the butcher-block counter top ... the other lower cabinet is 12 inches wide with 1 drawer and 1 door. The knee-hole between the two units will be approximately 18"-23" ... depending on the placement of the lowers along the wall. We want to be able to use the phone jack and outlet that currently exists along this wall to make lap-top, phone, and charging stations accessible and efficient!

The cabinets below will be the upper cabinets above the desk area ... we plan to leave the doors off and transform them into a upper hutch with crown molding and decorative trim ... plus, I'll pop the backs off and cover them with paint-able bead board wallpaper ... I think I'll also add the wallpaper bead board on the sides of the cabinet ... It will look old and yet very fresh and new.

Okay ... it's time for the green to go! So we quickly painted it a favorite of mine ...
White Sand by BM. It immediately gave the space a fresh start.

Hubby is THE MAN! Love those rolled up pants, babe :O) See those lights above ... they are being removed as I write ... no kidding. We have a friend who is an amazing electrician (he also did our finished basement wiring) and he is installing 9 recessed lights, 2 penants lights (above the bar area) and under-cabinet lighting. Woo Hoo! No more standing in the shadow of track lighting while cooking at the stove. Yip-Skip-In-The-Pip. Anyone who has 20-year-old tracking lighting in their kitchen knows exactly what I am talking about :O)

So my friend (Char) of a gazillion years gave us this IKEA counter top and we've had it in storage for 5+ years ... it is making a great make-shift counter-top until the butcher block can be purchased at IKEA ...

But there's a small problem ... the drawer won't be able to open with the window trim in the way ... easy fix ...

... remove it. It's okay ... it would have gotten in the way of the new counter top at the peninsula/bar seating area at the other end of the window. :O)

And here's hubby researching how to fix our little problem with trim :O)

I just LOVE THAT MAN!

What do you think ... any resemblance?

Dan is not going to be pleased ...

Here's a painting tip ... 4" foam rollers ... they are the bomb! Not only can you paint a fairly large surface quickly ... but the foam material allows no air bubbles AND no pesky brush strokes. Nice. Did you know they are washable and re-usable? Double nice.

Since the picture below was taken ... we've actually decided to place the smaller lower cabinet left and place the larger cabinet right ... 2 reasons ...

the larger cabinet will hide the phone jack and electric outlet (there's something not right about seeing all those power cords plugged in -- and there will be many) ... so ... the larger cabinet will get a section cut out on the back side which will allow us to run our power cords w/o them being seen. In fact, I believe we'll be able to place a power strip allow the back of the cabinet ... which will allow all electronics to plug into their happy little home.

Since this picture was taken ... the upper cabinets have been ...

1. disessembled (doors and hardware remove)
2. back board removed and wallpapered with bead board paper
3. primed
4. painted
5. installed in wall
6. currently being trimmed with molding

This product has become a new favorite -- it goes on so easily and is much easier to paint than traditional bead board -- PLUS, the cost is crazy cheap.

We're thinking about covering the kitchen ceiling with it ... NOT looking forward to the work but I believe the end result will be fabulous :O)

I'll post updated pics soon ... but for now ... the kitchen floor beckons my attention (drywall dust is taking over our world) since the recessed lights were installed during the duration of this post :O)

Yip-Skip-In-The-Pip

(that rhyming stuff is going to annoy my brother-in-law and his beautiful wife)

Researching Counter-Top Options

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Howdy!

So what do you think?

Isn't it just delicious?

This comes from Vanessa's This & That

Hasn't she done a fabulous job in
her kitchen ...

All that beadboard
and that beautiful butcher-block
and the placement of the hardware ... sweet!

___________________________________

I've been researching counter-top options

and think this might be the

choice for our desk area

in the kitchen.

And this is the best part ...

we can get it from IKEA.com for under $150! :O)

It comes in beech (shown above), birch, and oak.

Here's another inspiring pic ...

Don't Kevin & Layla do a fabulous

job @ The Lettered Cottage?

Their use of color and

their talent in transforming spaces

is so inspiring to us all!
_____________________________________

So where are my latest pics of the

craigslist cabinets?

They're coming ... I promise!

I'm happy to say ... they are looking

A M A Z I N G!

But the progress is so

SSSSLLLLLLLOOOOOOOWWWW

:O(

Do you indentify with the pain?

That's ok! Remember that's

when creativity can work it's wonders

AND

allows time for the job to be done

right!

___________________________________

It's in the 80's outside and this

body needs a little sun :O)

No Budget Means No Moola!

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Fri, 21 May 2010 01:50:00 +0000

A friend asked me today,

"Your kitchen redo doesn't have a budget?
Does that mean you have an endless amount
of money to spend on this project?"

And my simple reply was, "No, it is the extreme opposite."

No Budget Means No Money ...

Zip - Zilch - Nada - Nutin'

(that last one means nothing with a slang thang)

So where did I get the $75 for the craigslist cabinets you ask?

I used to sell Longaberger Baskets
(way back in the day)
and I sold them in a back alley
to someone through craigslist ... go figure :O)

But do you want to hear the best part?

This is when design, budget and desire come
to a big fat head!

What? Big fat head?

What does that mean?

It means ...

Creativity kicks in ...

Dan and I did a little digging and learned
about a new product introduced to us by ...

TheLetteredCottage

Paintable Beadboard Wallpaper ...

you can find it here!

After reading the reviews ... we decided
to try this on our "new" cabinets.

Real beadboard can be difficult to install and
I've mentioned before, a pain in the too-too
to paint :O)

So ......

stay tuned for some new pics of those
cabinets that needed a little lovin'

(I'll give a play-by-play of how I used this product on the old cabinets)

Until then, may your limited budget
give you freedom to be creative!

Goin' Craigin'

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Thu, 20 May 2010 02:31:00 +0000

Salutations!

We've been busy, busy, busy here at our cottage in the making!

In order for us to achieve this ...

contemporary kitchen design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

we needed to scrounge up a crazy-amazing deal on craigslist ...

I'm happy to announce -- the deal was found :O)

Woo Hoo!

My dear friend, Dana,
along with the help from her dear ol' hubby ...
we hauled my loot on their handy-dandy trailer!

Yee-Haw!

I got these puppies for $75 ...

don't get me wrong ... I see their flaws ...
but with some TLC ... molding and paint ...
these cabinets will sing!

Sing!

So how do we go from this ....

to this ...

Stay tuned ... the fun is just beginnin'

:O)

-- Oh, here's a quick painting tip --

Instead of using paint stirrers for paint history

KEEP YOUR PAINT CAN LIDS!

They instantly give you ...

1. the date it was mixed
2. where it was mixed
3. the recipe
4. what base was used
5. and flip it over ... viola ... the color!

I've save a lot of time by keeping my lids :O)

Happy painting my friends ...

Before I get ahead of myself ...

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Fri, 14 May 2010 13:36:00 +0000

Want to go on a little field trip with me?

May I introduce to you the couple

who have energized me with the message ...

"you can turn something ordinary

into something extraordinary!"

:O)

They are not only talented but sooooooooo funny!

Their videos truly entertain me ...

http://theletteredcottage.net/2010/03/kitchen-re-do-2.html

so after your little journey to their southern cottage ...

come back over to Our Cottage in the Making

and see if what Layla did ... can be done

in our own cottage kitchen :O)

(I apologize for my low-quality pictures ...

I'm researching a better camera - wow are they pricey!)

So what do you think? Is it possible?

add some crown molding to the tops of cabinets

paint all trim & cabinets Decorator's White by BMPaints

new flooring (wood perhaps?)

new counter-top

(granite would be my first choice BUT a friend

told me a long time ago ...

unless your house is a "granite level" house ...

skip the cost ...

there are wonderful alternatives

out there that will give you

a "wow" look

w/o all the cost!)

some yummy new hardware (rubbed bronze?)

and updated lighting

Remember the earlier post I shared ...

the bones of a room need to be addressed first ...

accessories last ...

hmmm ... new lighting ... that's going to be messy.

But oh, so worth it :O)

The Demo Duo

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Fri, 14 May 2010 01:33:00 +0000

Dan (hubby) and Dave (bro)
slurpin' joe, muchin' donuts and
bringin' down da' hooouussee!

Aren't they a couple of goof-balls.

gotta love 'em :O)

Here are some before shots of the kitchen ...

So as you can see ... I've been in
"out-of-date primitive-country"

...

time to freshen things up!

This wall houses a variety of things

1. a clock
2. dry erase calendar (we live by this thing!)
3. land-line phone
4. charging station for phones & camera
5. lap-top
6. book shelves for daily items
7. sometimes my recipe books (it changes)
8. "the homework cabinet"
it's the tall piece on the left ...
it's full of wonderful items like crayons,
markers, scissors, paper,
pencil sharpener, ect.
WE USE THIS EVERYDAY!

Now that wall looks like this ...

And I'm thinkin' it would look great like this ...

or this ...

or this ...

So you see an overall theme? Chunky trim! Lots of it ... w/ wainscoting :O)
mmmm ... delicious.

All of of these inspirations found on www.houzz.com
are great example of better space utilized.

And when you live in a cozy cottage ...
it's all about utilized space :O)

So where's the wall that was removed?

bye-bye closet ... :O)

The back hall has 4 doors!
one to the back porch (left )
one to the red bathroom (straight ahead)
one to the garage (right)
one we're peakin' through right now :O)

The hall closet had a folding door that would
get in the way every time someone wanted
to come through the garage door. It was
a matter of time before someone got their hand
slammed!

And I'm thinkin' it would look great like this ...

or this ...

Isn't fun to dream?

Speaking of dreaming ... it's time for little miss gina
to get some zzzzzzzzzz's ...

Have fun looking at your space w/fresh eyes!

The BEST Mother's Day Present ... Ever!

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Wed, 12 May 2010 00:49:00 +0000

So my hubby comes to me about a week

before Mother's Day and asks ...

"Honey, what would you like for Mother's Day?"

And I say,

"Can we rip out the closet this weekend?"

He says, "That's it? You want to tear

out some drywall for Mother's day?"

And I say, "Nothing would give me more pleasure!"

(Is that sick or what? Demo for a gift?)

____________________________

But there's more than just a demo

behind this request ...

we're starting on the kitchen make-over!

____________________________

painting and flooring and counter-tops, Oh My.
painting and flooring and counter-tops, Oh My.
painting and flooring and counter-tops, Oh My.

Do you hear it? :O)

_______________________

Dare I say "kitchen flip" outloud?

Or worse yet ... say it in the company of others?

That smells like accountability?! Yikes.

________________________________

This fun "flip" will take awhile

because we're going

to do this on a wing & a prayer :O)

There's NO budget!

(We're going to complete each stage as the miracles flow in :O)

Stayed tuned for pics that have inspired this flip!

________________________________

On a more serious note: the men in my life

actually made me the most wonderful mother's day breakfast ... it inluded homemade english muffins toasted and served w/ strawberry- peach-white-wine jam, hazelnut coffee w/ a pot of freshly planted pansies and gifts of love letters

... that brought me more joy than any demolition could ever bring :O)

Enjoy your loved-ones today ...

What My Mother Taught Me ...

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Sun, 09 May 2010 12:21:00 +0000

I have so much to be grateful for ...

my mom is the BEST!

Ruby
(isn't that an awesome name)

has taught me so much.

When I think of the gifts and talents I possess ...

I think of mom.

Here are a few things she has taught me ...

... how to make a flaky pie crust ...

... how to keep a house clean (daily) ...

... how to sow a garden ...

... how to weed the garden ...

... how to harvest the garden ...

... how to wash windows ...

... how to sew window treatments ...

... the basics in cooking (from scratch) ...

... that there's a time to work and
there's a time to rest ...

... how to be independent ...

and to not be ashamed of working hands ...

look at those beautiful hands ...

And now with the passing of Pappy
(her husband of many years)

she's teaching me how to truly rely
on the Lord with

every

single

b r e a t h
____________________

I love you, Mom!

Happy Mother's Day :O)

And these are a few of my favorite things!

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Tue, 04 May 2010 22:33:00 +0000

I've had a few emails since my last post about organizing paint swatches.

Some of you asked what "favs" I have in paints colors ...

Well ... that's a LOADED question :O)
If there's something to jaw about ... it's paint color!

Here are some of my current passions
and I must say most are from

Benjamin Moore Paints

:O)

________________________________

White Sand by BMPaints
(mixed at The Home Depot in eggshell finish)

... well, IT CHANGED MY LIFE!

I went from picking out a
different color for each room
to...
"lighter - airier" looking rooms.

Do you ever stand back from a room

and say, "WHOA!"

That's what White Sand did to my little brain :O)

_____________________________

Now I'll share a little tip with you ...
you can take any paint color and
have the home improvement store
make it lighter or brighter by
10%, 25%, 50%, ect.

What? What does that mean? That means
I took my White Sand and had BMPaints
darken it by 200% ... which turned out
to be "Natural Linen".
(mixed at Benjamin Moore Paints in pearl finish)

I put Natural Linen on the stair treads
going up ...

So what's a stair tread?

It's that part of the stairway you step on :O)

I wanted the color of the tread to be darker

so that it would hide the dirt better!

Yes ... we are dirty little piggies
around here :O)

__________________________

So ... what's so important about graduating
colors by percentages?! It helps you
stay in the same family of colors.

That is soooooooo important! Burn that
into your brain ... you can travel
an entire house with the same color ...
just adjust it darker or lighter to taste!

YeeeeeeeHaaaawwww!

Again, this will help with

F O C U S I N G

on what you like!

MORE IS LESS ... YES?

:O)

_____________________________

So what's the trim color in our
COTTAGE-IN-THE-MAKING?

Decorator's White by BMPaints
(mixed at The Home Depot in their
Kitchen & Bath Paint which has a semi-gloss finish)

I'm so glad you can't see a close-up
on the fire-place trim ... wow does
it need some serious caulking!

We caulked it before we painted it w/
BM's Decorator's White BUT it still
split in the dry winter months.
NEWMAN!

The living room above is ...

Bronzed Beige by BMPaints
(mixed at Benjamin Moore Paints in eggshell finish)

it's actually a yellow color
but very buttery, warm

YELLOW IS A VERY DIFFICULT COLOR!
There are so many yellows out there ...
wowsers!

TAKE YOUR TIME

DO NOT RUSH THIS

YOU WILL REGRET IT!

:O)

__________________________

Elemental by BMPaints
(mixed by Benjamin Moore Paints in eggshell finish)

is such a yummy, warm olive green.

It makes you want to take a nap in a meadow :O)

And Oh the love of black paint.

I've been painting everything I can get my hands on ...

B L A C K!

Where do I buy it?

The Home Depot

Do I have them mix it with a sheen?

Nope ... most of my projects take
a flat black paint ...
then I change up how I finish the piece.

Sometimes with polyurethane

Sometimes back-sanded and
then finished w/ wipe on poly

Sometimes I dry-brush over the black
with accents colors to give it a distressed look

this is an example of a piece that I painted
w/ flat black paint and then brushed on
a satin polyurethane ... lovely :O)

_______________________________

More "favs" to come ... it's time to go nigh-night ...

So many paints colors ... so little time.

Happy painting :O)