White to Bright

I am stressing during the dark days of winter. Especially the north facing kitchen and dining room areas of the house. I just cannot get enough sun to chase away the winter blues.

I am adding more "white" to the kitchen. I lucked out at TJMaxx the other day. These little canisters were a steal! And since one is labeled tea and the other coffee it will work out perfectly since we drink decaf coffee at night. (Need I say that we are addicted to coffee--and lots of it!) I put the decaf in the tea and explained it in detail to Mr. Spouse. The coffee is in the coffee container. And coffee is in the tea container. But the decaf coffee is in TEA. And he gets it. 

I really like the detail in them. It pops out!

Every time I go in TJMaxx I am on the lookout for more "parts" of this white ware. But nothing yet. But then, the looking is exciting too!

What do you do to chase away the winter blues?

A good cup of coffee is comforting. Now I just need to get rid of the cord hanging down. But I'll worry about that another day!

Adding a Little Pattern

With all the dreariness of winter and inside hours, I just needed a little "bling" in my dining and living rooms. Since they are open to each other, I noticed that there was just no pattern. Everything was solid. Couch. Loveseat. Drapes. Well, you get the picture:

I tried putting accessories but it still just seemed oh-hum. By looking at all the fabulous homes on blogs and getting inspirations that makes me a little more unsatisfied with what I have I went looking for something fairly inexpensive but something to add a little drama. Rhoda over at Southern Hospitality has the most fabulous pattern in her drapes and brought in lots of aqua/blue touches.

I'm a long way off from this beauty. I did find some pattern in these curtains from Target. 

It's a beginning. I am searching for other touches that will liven up the rooms. I searched and searched today for fabric/and or table runners to use in the dining room but didn't find anything that touched my heart. I am adding a touch of life with plants.

My current table runners are actually silk type drapes that I have folded and placed on the dining room table and island in the kitchen. I'll keep searching. I'll keep wanting some LIFE in my life!

Bye-Bye Baby

Yes, it is out with the old. Bye-bye big huge take-over-the room armoire.  Even though I paid $$$ for you and searched until I found you. It's time to go.

You overtook my fireplace. You created a barrier into the dining room. But...I didn't worry about those little things. Because I liked you. 

But, things changed. People began selling those babies--on Craig's List and Ebay...all. the.time. It was an omen. Yes, your days were limited. 

What began as a thoughtful search for the perfect Christmas gift for Mr. Spouse ended your reign. I ordered your replacement for a mere $30 and that included shipping. A metal bracket. A morning project. And...you were gone--at least your top half was. We kept a part of you to hold our receiver, Direct TV box, DVD player. And...

I think I will always remember you---as long as you are sitting in my garage I cannot possibly forget you!

Blog Makeover 101

Indecisive! Always changing. Fifteenth change in my blog look--maybe!

I found a simple way to change it.by.myself. No $$$. Well, there are all the scrapbook kits I have purchased. But...still.

See what I mean. 

• Use powerpoint to create the header by putting shapes, filling them with my scrapbook backgrounds.
• Add embellishments that are also part of the kits I have ordered.
• Create text by inserting text boxes and using different, favorite fonts and Word Art.

Then...select all, copy and paste into:

Paint.

Then it is an easy process.

I can crop it, resize it, and save it as a jpeg.

Changing the background isn't too daunting. Decide which background I want to use and upload it to Photobucket. Copy the http. link.

Now back to my blog and go to HTML. I know nothing about HTML other than it is really, really scary! I mean really, really, really scary. If you scroll down through all the various lists of whatever is there you will come to one that has the word background. That is it. Go to the part that is within the () and if you look carefully. It looks a great deal like the link you copied and pasted. Go ahead and put your cursor there and delete that portion. Insert the part you just copied and then...here is the best part...preview it. If it is fine you succeeded. If it isn't right then you can look right beside that preview button and you can delete the changes you made. AH. 

The image that is saved in Paint as a jpeg can be inserted into the layout section. There is an image near the top I just delete that image and insert my new one.

I make a divider the same way. 

• Create a divider
• Select all, copy, paste in Paint.
• Resize and crop.
• Save as a jpeg.

Go back to the HTML that now isn't nearly as scary and scroll down the multitude of information til you find one that has the word divider. Find the () and delete and paste your new divider!

Good luck!

Swirly Curlies

I've been in a swirly kind of mood. The curls. The black. The powerful use of Hobby Lobby's 50% off sales.

I was probably motivated by this:     The House That Built Me

I think it made me re-think the way I decorated my walls. I already had this: 

I had moved this old one and Mr. Spouse painted it for me. You know the bright gold fixtures that were so in? It had been a Christmas gift from him and I just didn't want to part with it. I added the globes from Wal-Mart and I am pleased with it. It is now our foyer light. It actually looks lighter than it is. It is a very, very dark chocolate black. 

So two trips to Hobby Lobby:

50% off--$6.50

 40% off--$7.50

One is over the french doors. The other one is over the front door. 

It's a start!

Color change

Paint is the cheapest and easiest way to make changes. HGTV told me so! And I must believe because I tend to redo my walls much more often than needed. 

Before:  

I liked it. The issue was that the dining room is on the north facing side of the house. Also, it is next to the screened in porch. Which made darkness even more so! It just seemed dreary.

After:

The two colors are on the same SW strip. The before: Portabello. The after: Practical Beige.

But...I'm not sure. It seems washed out now. 

I really, really wanted a shade of gray but since the "open concept" living, dining, kitchen, foyer all would be affected I couldn't see having a gray next to the beige. And I'm too tired right now to attempt to paint all. those. spaces.

But, since HGTV says paint is the easiest way...well...maybe...someday...soon!