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Returning soon!

2008-08-11T11:25:00.001-06:00

Rooms around home are about to undergo some change!

Kids are moving out -- I've got some new ideas.

Stop back again, and hopefully I'll have something new to show you!

Cheri

Use what you have decorating

2008-04-29T21:48:00.005-06:00

A new look - without buying new . . .
The cost of living is rapidly rising leaving many of us with little left in our pockets for decorating our homes. Yesterday I spent 4 hours at a home using items the owner already had. She had many sentimental items, yet she didn't have them out to enjoy. Her home is new, and has a classy feel to it, yet the items she loves are earthy and farmhouse style. We tried to blend it all - sentiment, class, farmhouse and earthy!

This is the way the tv and fireplace looked when I arrived.

The top of the tv now displays a cherished chair from her childhood, books, a natural looking picture, animal pellets (fur) - that are sentimental ~ draped over the chair. The driftwood, eagle feathers, and pottery from the mantel are arranged at the foot of the chair.
Standing at the fireplace and looking toward the kitchen . . .
Table rotated, bookshelf rearranged and large yellow crock removed. Counter cleared. Lamp, old collectible cookbooks on butcher block with hand embroidered cloth on top.
The plant was moved to near the tv. Soft blue chair added for conversation in the kitchen.

Before

After

Before

After

There were a few minor changes done after the photos were taken.

If you live in SE Minnesota and would like to give your rooms a new look - let me know - for less than the cost of a new chair, you can give your rooms a new look!

Re-arranging

2008-04-19T10:41:00.002-06:00

Family Room re-design. I forgot to take before and after pics. The before was so bad it was embarrassing. Our rec room is small. And dark. And has a mismatch furniture collection, a huge treadmill, and large tv to deal with. But, nothing like a litle re-arranging of furniture to make a room feel like a whole new place.

I have two awkward shelves that don't go together, however they are both black. I put the two of them together in the corner and it made a huge difference.
Remember: "keep like things together" - think out of the box and try new arrangements!

The black blob near the stairs - that's the huge treadmill - I raised the platform for the summer to give us more room.

I'm Back !

2008-04-16T21:07:00.003-06:00

Finally, I got some inspiration. My decorating mojo was down the tube. It's this darn Minnesota weather - and lack of sunshine. As soon as it warmed up and the sun started to shine I got my groove back!
Here's what I did...
Sanded top of this kids table (on my list for 5 years at least) - and painted it. The top has a tongue-oil finish. Done in 2 days - about 2 hours total time.
Spruced up the top of the buffet. Although this changes more than anything around here. I get bored easily.
Took Formby's wood cleaner to this old trunk that I use for a coffee table, then put tongue-oil on it too. Added a try, pretty wine glasses, an empty wine bottle with candle topper and flowers. Trunk: 30 minutes. Decor: 5 min.

Cleaned this table with Formby's furniture cleaner, did the tongue oil treatment and freshened up the table top. The branches are from my curly willow tree and are rooting in the water -- and leafing out! I'll plant a few more curly willow trees from these starts in a couple weeks after last frost.

That's only part of my activities~ I have begun the process to paint my kitchen cabinets - soon. And some other fun projects I'll be showing you in the coming days.

~~~Cheri

2008-02-17T23:04:00.002-06:00

Here's a few pretty table tops ...

I love these candlesticks!

Note: The above photo's were taken in a family member's home.

Harker Pottery

2008-02-03T14:58:00.000-06:00

I love dishes. I'm addicted to dishes too. Ok, there, I've admitted it. Happy? I really don't have many but what I do have, I really like....and they all have a story... This dish story is about my Harker Pottery - Mallow pattern... This is my collection (minus 4 of the small custard dishes)

They just got a new "home" on top of my kitchen cupboards.

This casserole was my grandmother's. I have two pieces from her.
This is a plate and the lid to the casserole
This is another piece I got from my grandma...a mixing bowl with spout.
This is the inside of the mixing bowl. I love this pattern...it makes me happy everytime I look at it. Because of the two pieces from my grandma, I started to collect these pieces. The other pieces I have were bought at a garage sale. The little custard dishes were from the Red Barn in Northville, NY...a must visit place if you are in the village of Northhampton.

2008-01-29T09:44:00.000-06:00

This little spot in my kitchen is prime decorating real estate! I love changing the "scene" here, however it had been neglected for a while. Then suddenly (as usual) it came to me. "Put the adorable doll table and chairs my father-in-law made for my daughter here." This is my favorite "scene" to date! I love pulling little pieces of the past out and using them.

2008-01-19T23:34:00.000-06:00

Decorating beyond my home....This past week I've been working at my volunteer job as interior decorator for our new church building. I've been to paint stores, design studios, tile stores, countertop studios, showrooms and IKEA. I went in search of ideas for formica countertops for the mens/womens bathrooms, tile for the two bathrooms, and kitchen cabinets for the "serving" kitchen (meaning no dishwasher or stove/oven).

The overall design for our new building is what we call "Urban". Which is almost a cross between industrial and warehouse. This building will not be "church decor as usual."

Below are a few pics (with comments) I took at the design studio here in town... This bathroom was very striking with the bright orange and white. It caught my eye because I was considering going with the white "subway tile" look for the tile in the bathrooms.
Another striking look with the white and bold colors. I think this is too contemporary and polished for the look we are going with.
Again...the white with color on walls...a little more subtle color, but still to "polished" looking. This is where I start to think the white subway tile won't work so well.
Here's what subway tile looks like. I was originally thinking of white tile....you may have seen this tile in the white in your local Starbucks' bathrooms. I really like this grayish subway tile.

Here's a kitchen look that stood out from the rest...I really liked the metal door & drawer fronts. I think they would look great for our urban look.

On Friday Kirk and I went to IKEA in the cities. We sat down at their computers, planned the kitchen with their design program. We chose the cabinets, doors and hardware we (I) wanted. It was much easier to do it in the store where we could see all the options first hand in 3D. Since the kitchen cabinets we chose are always in stock and I won't need them until April at the earliest, we printed our plan and saved it. I can still go back in and make changes too. The best part is the kitchen cabinetry came in $3,000 under what was budgeted! Hopefully I'll be able to use that saved money in other areas! .

2008-01-14T19:51:00.000-06:00

Time for a tour of the built-in shelves in our great room...some of the special momentos, memories, stories...

Painting is of my great-great grandparents home in England.

Horses were my grandmother's...I have loved horses since I was a young girl - my grandma would always tell me that someday I would have these horses in my home. On the bottom of the horses my grandma wrote: "this mare and colt are for Cheri --1971".

This Lionel Engine & Coal Car are part of a huge set that was given to my husband for his first Christmas from his grandfather. That's a picture of him when he was about 3 years old.
Tea cups were grandma's, plate from the thrift store, pitchers are part of my collection that were all bought at garage sales in the '80s. I didn't pay more than $2 for any one pitcher!
Pocket watch was Kirk's grandfather's - his 25 Year Club gift from Inland Steel. The ceramic tile of a door....made by my talented son in ceramics class. It's a Hobbit door. Tea cup - grandma's with rose petals flowing out. Books...just random red.
Silhouehettes are of our children done in Opryland in 1989 - they are done freehand with scissors! The Mother/Son figure was a gift to my husband from friends of ours when his mother died a few years ago. The mom/daughter figure is from my girls to me.

Christmas Decor

2007-12-02T22:12:00.000-06:00

Some of the Christmas decorating happening around here.....A window in the great room....I have to have candles in all my windows. After living in the East where everyone does this....it's been ingrained in me!
The mantle this year features crystal my grandma gave me for a wedding present...it was hers.
Our tree....red and white lights this year. We put it on a platform to raise it to the ceiling!
My favorite ornament.

Baby shoes that my husband wore 48 years ago -- and our son wore 20 years ago.

A(nother) Trip to Goodwill

2007-10-16T19:28:00.000-06:00

Oh dear me, I think I am addicted to Goodwill! Today, instead of going home on my lunch hour I went to Goodwill and bought these fun things... An amber glass bowl....99 cents. I love amber glass.
A nice wood rooster tray....$1.99 I think, or was it 99 cents?
This was a bargain.....I think I saw this lamp at Target for like $25....it came with the shade (even though it is too small), but for $4.99, and one little scratch, it works great in our family room!

2007-10-15T13:47:00.000-06:00

Tried something new on the mantle... I'm still getting used to this. I kinda like it, what do you think? The lights are orange. For Christmas, I'll use white. It really brightens up the mantle. Maybe it needs a small wreath?
The left side of mantle
the right side of the mantle
a new candle stand?

upside down pottery with pottery tray on top with mini pumpkins

grapevine wreath on angle, round candle

now to find the perfect spot.

2007-10-09T21:25:00.000-06:00

Today's table centerpiece

I've been wanting to take you all on a home tour for several weeks now, but my house was never quite the way I wanted it to look. When I look at so many of my favorite blogs and see what awesome decorator's are out there, I am humbled. But....today I decided I was going to take pictures anyway, since we all know that nothing will stay in it's current "spot" in my house for very long. So come along and I'll show you my humble abode...

2007-10-09T21:21:00.000-06:00

We'll start in the kitchen... (above) -- just to the right, out of the pic is my love seat in a bay window "bump out"
(above) --View from the kitchen work area
The love seat in the bump out area...one of the favorite spots for all of us
The "bottomless" Hoosier cabinet. I actually have the bottom but this house doesn't have much wall space our great room, so I just put the top on this built in "bench" of sorts.

(I do have the bottom of the Hoosier...in my craft room.)

2007-10-09T21:18:00.000-06:00

The great room (aka living room)... I love, love, love my knotty pine walls & built-ins

The 'coffee table' is a wood box that has "Kabo Corsets" advertising on it.

(above) -- The view from the built-ins ... DH took out the window from a farmhouse that was being torn down

This is my "little corner of the world" - near the kitchen, of course.

2007-10-09T21:16:00.000-06:00

The 3-season porch It's a small room, but cozy. We have a tv in here too.

On the right is a french door that leads to the great room (a step up). We can get outside to the pool/patio from this room.

2007-10-09T20:29:00.000-06:00

Our lowest level (some would call it a basement) family room. The fireplace is new...my dh WON it! Yes, it was free...and it is the cadillac of fireplaces! We can't wait to use it this winter. I just totally re-did this room, stripped wallpaper, painted, changed furniture.

(above) I bought the fabric at the window at a huge antique/flea market this summer. The black shelves behind chairs were pulled from the farmhouse that was demolished near us.
From the corner with the chair...the bookcase..a favorite piece of mine...my grandma gave it to me.

2007-10-09T20:27:00.000-06:00

That's the tour for now. Next time I'll take you through the rest of the house!
There's still the remodeled laundry room, foyer & bathroom! Then there's also the 2nd bathroom that is about to get a new paint job. Oh, and my craft room. I'm not so sure I'll show the kids rooms....yet.

Thanks for visiting!

Still Dream'n

2007-10-07T19:46:00.000-06:00

It ain't over yet! The auction for "the house" was Saturday at noon. As you can see by the picture below, not many people showed up for the auction, maybe 30 people? Most of the people there were family.

We signed up to bid...got our "paddle" and were the first ones to bid opening up the bidding. We proceeded to bid 3 more times before we stopped, then two other bidders took over, with the highest bid being $200,000. As you may have guessed, the owner refused the bids and the auction was ended.

I have no idea what the next steps will be for the family...but I did tell the realtor to keep me informed, which he promised to do. We were stunned. I think the auctioneer, realtor and owner were even more stunned. Of course the property is worth more than $200K...but the realtor DID tell me a couple months ago that an auction really is a good way to determine the value of a home! I kind of wish it was sold, even though that would have been hard for me....but now, I am still left in "dreamland". At least if they had sold it, my dreaming could end! This is the scene from my back row seat at the auction...looking to my left. What's not to love?

2007-09-30T21:35:00.000-06:00

Ever have to let a dream go? I am in the process of letting a dream go as I type this blog. For the past several months I have been pursuing purchasing this beautiful home near us for a bed and breakfast and event center for weddings, parties, etc. It is an extraordinary piece of property on 3+ acres. Next Saturday, October 6th it is going to be auctioned. I'll be there. But I probably won't be bidding. I did my homework....talked to lots of people, realtors, investors, small business owners, entrepreneuers, friends, family. The thing is, the house will probably sell for way more than we can afford ...esp. with the work and expense we would have to add to the purchase price.
Trust me, this is HARD! I spent a lot of time going through this house....you know how it is, you start placing furniture in it, seeing different colors on the walls, your stuff on the shelves. I got to know the owner, a lovely woman. I told her yesterday that I probably wouldn't be bidding....she is sad too.

I could tell my self that I'm losing...but I'm telling myself that I've learned a lot. In fact the realtor that is working with the owner told me he was impressed with my hard work. I have a beautiful home here, a place that I often say to myself, "I can't believe I get to live here". I am learning again to be content. A life long lesson for me. Running the this home as a business would have been so much fun...so much work, but at what cost? So, I am happy to be on "my little farm" with my chickens and two dogs...and dreaming of pygmy goats!

2007-09-11T20:44:00.000-06:00

This week's table top centerpiece... Apples from our trees, zinnia's from the garden
I brought some of the herbs in today...my corner window at kitchen sink
My interpretation of the kitchen island....an old "sideboard" with a butcherblock top..

2007-07-20T21:07:00.000-06:00

I felt like "putzing" and "tweaking" outside today, so I started with the back patio. For some reason this area really causes me problems. I really like this set up, it feels cozy when you are out there. The "porch glider" as we call it has been with us since before the kids were born. I slept on it more than one night on our big covered front porch (first home) --when I was pregnant with Nate .... & Danae ---to get some relief from the heat in our house which wasn't air conditioned!
Finally something I like near our front door! Oops, forgot to put the pillar candle in the glass box for the picture!
The flowers at our front door looked so pretty today.

Summer is my absolute favorite season.

Chickens

2007-07-19T11:37:00.000-06:00

I'm sure you're thinking, "what the heck do chickens have to do with decorating". Truthfully, not much. My thoughts are that maybe I'll include "life at our home" too.......and well, the chickens do have a "new" home ...a cool chicken coop & yard that my DH made. Right now we don't know for sure if the chicks will all be hens or not, but I'm guessing the littlest one is a rooster....it is very aggressive...but hysterical to watch!
This is the cutest thing you ever saw...the little chicks hiding under the wings of the young hen. All three of them will squeeze under her wings...but they are getting so big now, the aren't fitting so well.

Our chickens are an interesting "study". All four of them were incubator hatched and had never been with older (or younger) chickens than themselves. We were a little concerned that the older ("teenage") one might attack the younger ones so we were prepared to watch closely. When we put them together, the older one immediately took on the "mother role" and the chicks looked (still do) to her for "mothering". It is so cute to watch the 4 of them...what entertainment!

I'm Back!

2007-06-30T23:38:00.000-06:00

I know it has been way too long since my last post. My only excuse is that I keep getting distracted by all the other decorating blogs I've found since I started mine! There are some REALLY nice blogs out there by some awesome decorating women....and they are inspiring me. I actually have visited some thrift stores in town since reading about the fun treasures other decorating women have found at them!

I'm going to post pictures of some of my recent finds!

"Thrifting"

2007-06-30T23:15:00.000-06:00

Here's some of the treasures I found at the local thrift shops...
An antique picnic basket in excellent condition (with an oak lid), a 2 quart pitcher that looks like a canning jar (works great for sun tea and lemonade), a Knowles "Damask Rose" plate and a flower arrangment (that I bought for the pot, but the arrangment is "growing" on me), and 2 amber goblets and dessert plates.
I found this silverplated tray at Saver's today. the flower pot was from Goodwill. I bought the bottle years ago and made it into an oil "candle"
I've been looking for one of these old coverlets so I was thrilled when I found it at Saver's today for only $6.99. I put it on Cara's bed for now.