d dzine

Madison's Room

2012-01-29T14:33:00.000-05:00

A Midnight Snack

2012-01-25T12:52:00.002-05:00

Yesterday my daughter, Madison, and I made cupcakes!

I love a good coffee cupcake

and came across the following Paula Dean recipe

Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Cream Filling.

Since I had most of the ingredients

I decided to give it a try!

Of course, I had all the needed ingredients for

everything except the filling!

Oh Well...

Even without the filling the cup cakes were

YUMMY!

(next time we will make the filling too!)

The homemade butter cream icing was the perfect topping!

Madison enjoyed using her creative skills

to frost each cake!

We halved the recipe,

making 12 large cupcakes

and

12 mini ones, too!

These were just too good to pass up on a midnight snack!

I love my Grandma's candlewick plates!

Should I save you one?

I am joining Susan for

Tablescape Thursday

over at

Between Naps On the Porch!

Liebster Blog

2012-01-24T09:38:00.002-05:00

I have received a Liebster award

from Teresa at

Liebster means beloved, favorite, dearest in German.

This award is a great way to promote

bloggers with less than 200 followers!

Teresa was so sweet to pass this honor onto me!

This is her beautiful living room!

Teresa is so talented and creative.

If you have not yet visited Teresa,

please pop over to say hello!

The Liebster award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers,

to promote and encourage new friendships among the blog community.

When you receive it you:

1. Post the award on your blog.

2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

3. Reveal your 5 picks for the award and let them know.

4. Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the blogosphere... other bloggers.

5. Finally, the best rule of all, have fun and spread the love!

I am speading the Liebster Award

to the following bloggers:

Michelle over at

Michelle Renee Photography.

Michelle's photography site is full of

beautiful and inspirational photos!

Sophia over at

Sophia's.

Wouldn't you want to curl up in her chair with a great book!

Sophia has such a great eye for design.

Kathy over at

Our Creekside Castle!

Kathy is always up to something creative!

Kathy is in the middle of a complete bathroom remodel.

I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Jen over at

Harrison Home.

Jen's eye for detail is outstanding!

A few weekends ago, Jen painted

fabulous stripes on her hallway wall!

It looks so inviting!

Christine over at

Vista Woman.

Christine was one of my first followers years ago!

She and her hubby are about to embark

on a new downsizing adventure!

Isn't her new home adorable?

Please stop over to say hello to these wonderful ladies!

Valentines Wreath

2012-01-23T19:38:00.002-05:00

I am not sure what my issue is but,

I guess after this past year doing....

I am having problems not doing!

A week ago I created a fabulously

easy burlap wreath...

I am trying to stick to my self imposed

"No Budget Decor January"

but really wanted to create a heart wreath for Valentines.

Ideally, I wanted to make my heart out of red burlap,

But alas... no red burlap in my stash of material.

Instead I found left over tulle!

Like "making the mouse a cookie"

the new wreath caused for a

theme change to the mantel!

From this....

To this!

On this side

I put a candle holder from Mom...

a vintage birdie from my Nona...

And a heart painted by my daughter

when she was very small!

This side I added a thrift store pitcher

atop a small book that was given to me

by my favorite college professor.

Some pink...

Some white....

Some memories...

Even some antique pink Christmas ornaments

that have yet to find their way to storage!

I'm ready for Valentines Day

(Unless I find I can't sit still next weekend!)

I am so excited to join Marty for

her 100th Table Top Tuesday!

When I first started blogging almost 3 years ago,

Marty was one of my first encouraging and

commenting supporters!

Thank you Marty!

I am also linking to

Wow Us Wednesdays

at Savvy Southern Style!

Zac's Hats

2012-01-22T18:19:00.002-05:00

My son, Zac, collects hats!

According to Zac,

an ideal spot to keep his hats

is on the floor next to his dresser.

(Sorry for some of the blurry photos,

Zac's room was very dark and

I had to us a different setting on my camera.)

In honor of

"No Budget Decor January"

I came up with a simple homemade

hat rack, using only materials I had

here at home!

I started out with a piece wood from our "post remodel" stash.

Wayne cut the piece into two even lengths.

I painted the pieces using some homemade chalk paint.

Racking my frugal brain as to what I could use for pegs,

I remembered our stack of left over savaged hardwood

flooring still sporting carpenter nails.

I removed the old nails and cleaned them off!

If you are interested in doing this project

these nails can be bought from the hardware store.

After sanding and waxing the boards,

I nailed the carpenter nails in at even intervals.

I love the way the project turned out!

A perfect place to

hang a hat!

And even more importantly...

it costs me

$.00!

Now

Can I convince Zac,

that the rest of his room

needs cleaned?

I am link to Metamorphosis Monday

at Between Naps on the Porch!

and to

Wow Us Wednesdays

at Savvy Southern Style.

Burlap Wreath

2012-01-17T22:45:00.001-05:00

No Budget Project January

Just how many projects can I do

using only the materials I have here

at the house?

So far...

I made my own chalk paint

and painted

a knife block

a candle holder

and

recovered an ottoman.

My newest project....

a burlap wreath!

I had wanted to try my hand at one for awhile.

I love how the unfinished edges of the burlap

create a fabulous worn texture.

To make my burlap wreath I needed

Materials:

about a yard of burlap

and

a wire hanger

Tools:

Scissors

and

a wire cutter.

Using the wire cutter, I cut

the hanger just under the twist section on one side.

Next,

I formed the hanger into a circle wreath shape.

Then ,

I cut the burlap into approximately 3in strips.

Burlap is an excellent material for this projects.

I wove the strips longways onto the end of the hanger.

I continued this until I filled the entire hanger.

Using the wire cutters I wrapped the

cut end of the hanger around the twist.

I reused a ribbon from our

Christmas Godiva box

to hang the wreath!

The other side of the mantel

received a quick "face lift" too!

This project cost me $.00!

The wire hanger... free.

The burlap... free

(is was the wrapping from a give-a-way I won years ago)

The ribbon... free!

If it weren't "No Budget January"

I would be on the hunt for red or pink burlap

and

My hanger would be shaped into a heart!

For now

I'll enjoy this one!

I am linking up to

Wow us Wednesday

at Savvy Southern Style

and to

Winter Blues Wednesday

at DYI by Design

and to

Overflowing with Creativity

at It's Overflowing!

Just Hanging Out

2012-01-15T21:44:00.000-05:00

Look Mom!

Latte- Our English Mastiff

We never know what her legs are going to do....

For such a big dog,

she can move those legs just about anywhere!

We were all in the kitchen at dinner time

and I turn around and she was just sitting

in this position. I was so glad that the camera was

in the room... nothing like a Kodak moment!

I had plans to post Madison's DYI headboard

but was informed her room was not clean enough

for a photo shoot!

Here is a sneak peek!

"Laughter is the best medicine!"

Winter WonderLand

2012-01-12T22:18:00.001-05:00

Today

it snowed!

The snow turned the back yard into

a magical winter wonder land!

Because it had been raining earlier,

the snow blanketed the limbs of the trees!

Even the orchard took on a fairy tale appearance!

May you be inspired to ...

Breath!

I am linking to

Inspiration Friday

at The Picket Fence.

Some Blogging Inspiration

2012-01-09T20:06:00.003-05:00

I have had so much fun lately getting back into

the swing of blogging!

I love getting the

opportunity to explore new blogs!

So many great inspirational ideas

from so many creative bloggers.

I wanted to share two new bloggers with you!

The first blog is Our Creekside Castle.

Kathy's blog is full of...

Photo- Our Creekside Castle

artisitc photos of her beautiful home...

Photo- Our Creekside Castle

Wouldn't you love a view like this out your window?

Photo- Our Creekside Castle

She shows past renovations

and upcoming renos!

This bathroom above is about ready to be gutted...

I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Kathy is also taking the...

While I have not jumped aboard to fully

take on this great challenge,

I was inspired to see how many

decor and craft projects I could do

with out spending $!

Which brings me to the second new blogger.

Teresa's blog, Teresa D Boyd home, life, thoughts,

is chocked full of

great ideas!

Photo- Teresa D. Boyd

Isn't this handmade burlap/ button wreath stunning!

Photo- Teresa D. Boyd

Teresa used homemade chalk paint to update

this adorable table!

Looks like it came off The Pottery Barn store sales floor!

Well, her homemade chalk paint post was

timely for me. I had just gone to our local

fabric and craft store inquiring about chalk

paint and they looked at me like I was blue.

Remembering the "0 budget challenge"

I walked out of the store with the cheapest bottle

of white craft paint I could find. I think I spent all

of .63 cents which I fished out of the bottom of my purse!

That night I came across Teresa's blog on how to

make chalk paint. Now, I was in business...

Nothing like a "recipe" and an open weekend!

My first project was to update my knife block.

Wayne sanded it for me and I applied

the first coat of "chalk paint".

Two coats of paint, some sanding,

and some miniwax and it turned out great!

I love the distressed look and

it now blends in with

my new white kitchen!

Of course,

I couldn't just stop at one project.

Remember my old ottoman?

I just had to paint it too!

I enlisted the help of my hubby, Wayne, to recover the top.

He is the upholster of the family,

his corners are always done so professionally.

He used some left over drop cloth material

from my daughter's headboard project.
I'll post that project soon!

Ahhhhh, much better!

I took the after photo's this early morning before work.

The nubby texture of the drop cloth

was perfect for this little project!

I had alittle bit of paint left,

so I grabbed an old candle holder

and painted that too!

Hide the dogs they might be next!

Please head over to visit these

two wonderful bloggers,

I'm sure they would love it!

I'm linking up to

Wow us Wednesday

at Savvy Southern Style

and to

Winter Blues Wednesday

at DYI by Design

and to

Overflowing with Creativity

at It's Overflowing!
and to
Power of Paint Party
at Domestically Speaking.

The Front Room- Reveal

2012-01-06T19:58:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the last room on the tour-

our Front Room!

It began with such humble beginnings

mauve carpeting...

quaint arches...

and the mirror over the fireplace

the size of a sub-compact car!

However, it had good bones...

hardwood floors...

a big bank of windows...

... wood burning fireplace

and located off the front entry!

This room had some major termite damage.

The I-beam, or what was left of it,

over the window was being

held up by a partial stud.

We re-framed and widened the passage way to the back,

to open up the view to the back yard!

I like arches, but knowing that our finishes were

going to be more Arts and Craft

we opted not to keep them.

The original floor was sanded and polyed!

We decided to use this room as

a formal dining room

and library.

The room has 4 doorway openings...

1-The small hallway leading

to the powder bath and

master suite...

2-The entry...

3-The stairway...

which is on the other side of the fireplace...

4- the Great Room...!

It took some time to find a

furniture arrangement

that made sense

and allow for traffic flow.

I knew I wanted to include my antique bookcase.

It served in our last home as my dining room hutch.

Our last home!

In this room I filled up the bookcase

with meaningful pieces of artwork,

collectibles and of course books!

Most of the books are displayed spine in.

I loved the mellow yellow color that shows

from the pages of my old books.

I tried something new,

combining silver and gold accents.

I love the way it turned out in this room.

My angel looks perfect in her new home!

Thanks Christine!

We originally bought the rug to go under the table

But when we bought the chairs,

we needed something to anchor them

in the middle of the floor.

(can you see my puppies by the window?)

We refer to these windows as the Dog TV!

Shades go up- TV on!

We opted not to dress the windows with curtains

allowing the trim to take center stage.

I am still looking for 4 dining room chairs

to go with my table. We have been tossing

around painting our old antique bow back

kitchen chairs white and using them here.

Any thoughts?

I just noticed in all my bookcase photos

is my empty black frame sitting right in the middle.

It is there waiting for a

piece of glass. Whoops!

Our next project is refinishing our old ottoman...

stay tuned!

The color on the wall in this room is

Benjamin Moore- edgecomb gray.

The trim color is a custom match

to our kitchen cabinets.

I am linking up to Metamorphosis Monday

at Between Naps On the Porch.

Master Bedroom Reveal

2012-01-03T22:54:00.001-05:00

The Master Bedroom all started with humble beginnings.

Sculpted harvest gold carpeting blanketed the floor.

We quickly ripped up the carpet

to reveal beech hardwood floors.

This room only had one small window.

The walls came down,

then the ceilings soon followed!

We removed the closet in the room adding a few more

feet to the square footage. We also pushed the door to the room

a few feet back into the hall way which saved wall space.

To take advantage of our beautiful view we added

a huge double window

to the back wall!

The floor was sanded and polyed.

Originally, we were planning on staining the floor dark,

however, once we saw the beech

in it's natural state we loved it!

The door to our new master bathroom and closet!

It's done!

Since the room is on the smaller side,

I wanted it to remain light and airy.

I painted both the bedroom and adjoining bath

a color called China White.

We found the bedding on sale at Macy's.

The rug was on the discount rack at Lowe's.

The bedroom set was our trip to England.

There is alot of debate in the design world over ceiling fans.

This is one of the few areas where my frugality

out weighs my love of beautiful decor.

Pretend it is a beautiful chandelier!

You can see the new bathroom thru the doorway!

To see the new bath click here!

We are so glad that we didn't have to settle

with just this one window!

Keeping it real...

yes we do have a TV in the bedroom!

Some of our pottery collection.

All the art work in the room, came from the old house.

These two silhouettes are of my children

when they were little.

We recovered this chair for

our family room two homes ago. It's traveled all over

our last home and I was excited how well

it matched with our new bedding set and

clearance curtains.

My button B!

I still need to hang my antique silhouette.

One more look....

Thank you for joining me today!

I am linking up to

Wow us Wednesday

at Savvy Southern Style

and to

Winter Blues Wednesday

at DYI by Design

and to

Overflowing with Creativity

at It's Overflowing!

Thank you to our wonderful hosts!

A Year In Review

2011-12-29T20:27:00.003-05:00

First, I wanted to thank you for all your
encouraging comments and say welcome
to my new followers.
I treasure you all! Your support
has kept me going over this past year.
Wow, what a year it's been....

In the past year....

December 2010

January 2011

In January we purchased The Cottage...

We spent the next month taking the interior

from this

from this...

and

from this

this

and from

this

to this!

By mid January we decided

to to put an offer in

on what would become our new home

The Provision.

January - February

Once our offer was accepted we

spent January and February

getting the big house ready for market.

Everything was staged to sell!

The Family Room

The Kitchen

The Dining Room

The Guest Room

By the end of February we had

closed on The Provision.

March

March was spent

raking...

removing carpeting...

and demoing a basement rec room!

April

In April we landscaped the cottage.

Began gutting the Provision.

And filled up the first of many dumpsters to come!

May

In May demo continued inside the Provision.

Our big house went under contract!

And we hired two contractors to

repair termite damage,

add and subtract walls

and flip the stairs.

June

While we continued demo inside

our contractors installed our new windows.

We also closed on the big house and moved

the family- two adults

two teens and two big dogs

into a two bedroom apartment.

July

July meant the start of trade work.

The house was upgraded from an oil furnace

to gas. Since all the walls were removed

we also had all new ducts and returns installed.

All the existing plumping was pulled

from the house, so new plumbing

was also added this month.

New wiring was started this month too!

While we outsourced the trade work,

Wayne and I assumed the position

of general contractor for the remodel.

During these months we spent looking

for deals on cabinets, plumbing fixtures,

flooring, doors...etc!

August

The minute we passed inspection...

Our Insulation specialist was

there installing insulation.

Then a team of drywallers came in and drywalled

the whole house in a day and 1/2!

The drywall finisher came next and

spent 3+ weeks finishing it out!

September

Wayne and I started tiling!

Kitchen/ great room floor was installed.

Kitchen was installed. (we outsourced this)

And trim around the doors and windows were installed.

My job was to Spackle, caulk and paint

EVERYTHING!

October

October brought more tiling projects.

The Kitchen Back Splash

The Mudroom Back Splash

and

Master Bathroom (both floor and shower)

Kids Bathroom (both floor and shower)

The upstairs was finished and carpeted.

Wayne built the stair railing and window bench.

The original hardwood floors were sanded

and poly ed.

And the new treads on the stairs were

stained and poly ed.

November

In November, we finally got to move from

the apartment to our new home!

We had wanted to have all our projects done before

the move, however once the last set of

inspections were passed.... it was time.

Wayne and I finished the mudroom cabinets

after we moved in!

December

Having a minute to breath,

I made some JOY ornaments

to pass out with cookies to my

new neighbors!

Since it has been such a long year,

we were just too tired to

drag out all our Christmas decorations,

but the few I did,

added just the right festive touch!

It has been a big year, one I hope not to

repeat this coming year! Doing 10 years

worth of DYI projects in

a year is crazy tiring!

But the result has been a true blessing!

God has been Good!

Oh, we still have a list of projects to do...

the landscaping,

window boxes,

boxes to unpack,

a basement room to build,

a basement and

storage barn to organize,

a storage barn to paint

The Cottage exterior to paint,

etc.....!

Must rest up...

Hoping your New Year is

full of your own Blessings!

Happy New Year!

I am linking up to

Feathered Next Friday

over at French Country Cottage

and to Metamorphosis Monday

at Between Naps on the Porch.

The Room that Sold Us

2011-12-25T20:59:00.005-05:00

The first time we walked through our home,

there was a beautiful blanket of snow on the ground.

I remember walking to the back window and thinking

I had found a paradise here on earth.

To clarify, the paradise was outside...

Inside, well that was a whole another story!

We had known that God was asking us

to downsize, but all the other homes

we had been looking at were what we kept

referring to as "one room too small".

The land , just a little over 1 1/2 acres

drew us in and the potential of the back room...

sold us.

8 months and

7 dumpsters later

We saw that potential... Provided.

God provided.

Hence, the name of the house became

The Provision.

A few weeks ago I revealed the Mud Room.

Right around the corner...

is the room that sold us!

We have two large dogs,

Our English Mastiff, Latte, loves to hang out

in the kitchen. So much that I often tease

we should have named her "Rug".

We say that we now have a "Latte" sized kitchen!

After

Before- Same view as above

The Stove Wall - After

Before ... This is the same wall.

We closed off the doorway, when we reversed the stairs.

The new entry to the basement is now located off the side of

the house, directly in front of the side door!

We discovered in our previous home

we really only "lived in" 3 rooms,

the kitchen,

breakfast nook,

and

the adjoining family room.

How blessed we were to incorpoate all three into this room!

When we entertain, it has always been in the kitchen.

Our Latte sized kitchen is built extra roomy for entertaining,

including this oversized island!

Before- Exact same view as above (dig the mauve carpet under the stove).

I knew going into the design process

that I wanted the room to be light, bright and airy.

That's exactly what we got!

Before - Same view as above.

We were able to make better use of the space and create better trafic flow,

by reworking the back wall of windows and doors

It's in the Details

Our Microwave Drawer is one of our favorite splurges.

Lantern pendents provide light and keep the space visually open.

Built in Glass Cabinets

Cubbies- Decked out for Christmas

Cubbies- Everyday Look

Our Excellent Pot Filler

Wayne did a beautiful job with the back splash.

The Family Room Side...

We built in two matching closets.

The one on the right houses the kitchen pantry.

The one on the left, is a built in desk!

I love being able to simply

close the doors and putting "work" away.

(Ignore the mess)

A Room With A View

A room to live in!

One More Before and After

Before

After

I am linking to Metamorphosis Monday

over at Between Naps On the Porch.

and to

Wow us Wednesday

at Savvy Southern Style.

and also to

Winter Blues Wednesday

at DYI by Design.

2011-12-24T19:03:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas

May this Christmas bring blessings and joy

to last throughout the year....

Dee Dee

It's Kinda Looking Alittle Bit More....

2011-12-21T21:22:00.004-05:00

Like Christmas!

May your Day be

Bright and Merry!

Dee Dee

I'm linking to Feathered Nest Friday

at French Country Cottage

and

A Pinteresting Party

at Space 46.

The Provision After- Powder Bath

2011-12-20T10:28:00.000-05:00

When redesigning the Provision, we decided

to add a Powder Bath to the first floor.

Before

This was the entry way from the living room

to the hallway leading to the first floor bedrooms

and bath.

Our original plans were to locate the powder bath

in this hallway space.

However, once we removed the walls we

re-thought the design: keep the hallway

and move the powder bath to the right.

After

This is the same view!

The door to the left goes to our Master Bedroom.

Looking straight ahead,

the small door houses a linen closet.

The door to the right is the powder bath!

Before

This door use to lead to a bedroom.

I have not fully committed to artwork for this room.

The "pretty" toilet is just one of our great

clearance finds!

(a $400 toilet for $100!)

I fell in love with this petite fixture from Menards.

I would still love to add crown molding to the ceiling.

And of course, I'm still weighing my artwork options!

Thank you for your visit!

Have a wonderful day!

Dee Dee

Sharing the JOY

2011-12-18T14:24:00.001-05:00

Yesterday my hubby- Wayne,

my daughter- Madison

and her friend -Savannah

helped me make Christmas Cookies!

We made some:

Sugar Cookies

Buck Eyes

No Bakes!

I divided them out onto paper plates...

Slipped the plates into gallon sized baggies

(I cut the the zipper tops off)

And tied them off with a colorful Christmas ribbon!

Wayne helped me tie on the JOY

ornaments I made!

Then we had the fun of delivering them

to all our new neighbors!

In keeping with sharing the joy...

I wanted to introduce you to a new blogger!

Harrison Home!

click to visit blog

My sister-in-law, Jen recently

started her wonderful new blog!

(Harrison Home Photo)

She is a fabulous decorator!

Her lovely home is ready for the Holidays!

(Harrison Home Photo)

Beautiful Tree

(Harrison Home Photo)

I just love her snow globes

made from mason jars!

I know she would love a visit from

each of you!

Have a wonderful day!

Dee Dee

The Provision Mud Room- Before and After

2011-12-11T20:05:00.003-05:00

I am linking up to the

Power of Paint Party

over at Domestically Speaking.

The cabinets in this room were originally

1980's brown cherry finish.

A little paint, some elbow grease, and left over trim

is all it took to transform them to what they are today!

Our Mud Room- After

I thought I'd be nice this week and start out

with an after photo, instead of making

you scroll all the way to the bottom!

Since this was such a huge transformation

I have a small "novella" today

full of befores, durings and afters!

Before-

Looking from the front entry

to the left wall.

Before-

Looking from the left wall

back towards the front entry.

This room was originally the

formal dining room. However, for most of its

existence, it served as a bedroom for the former family.

During-

Same view without carpet!

Looks better already????

Before-

This closet was built around the dining room's

arched nook.

Before-

View into the kitchen.

This room is open to both the front and side entry!

(I think the look on my Dad's face is something

like "you all are crazy to want to buy this"!)

Before-

On the bright side...

the room has two windows!

During-

View from the front door to the left wall and side door!

After- Same view

See.... it does get better!

During-

but before it got better.... it got worse.

We ended up gutting the majority of the house.

Can you see one of the reason's why?

(termite damage)

During-

This view is from the entry towards the left wall.

If you look at the floor you can see

the foot print of the removed entry closet.

Originally we were going to keep the hardwood

floors in this room, but after some thought,

we removed them and tiled instead.

Using the same 18" x 18" tile we

cut and laid it in three different patterns.

The entry was laid on a diagonal, surrounded

by 6" x 6" border.

During-

The majority of the room was laid in a simple block pattern.

And my favorite....

The entry by the side door was cut and laid subway style!

During

We reused the house's existing kitchen cabinets!

They were solid cherry and still in OK shape.

We simply sanded, painted and hand waxed them.

To dress them up Wayne added left over trim to both

the lower and upper boxes.

He also added corbels to give it a furniture feel!

We tiled the back splash using a glass and marble tile,
in shades of grays and whites.

It's all about the bling!

Of course,

this change called for new hardware too!

My husband is wonderful & talented....

He built the cabinet doors (the ones I'm painting)

from scratch!

These doors cover my washer and dryer!

The cabinet wall sits out about 8" from the real back wall,

allowing us to install a full sized washer and dryer

underneath a standard depth counter.

We installed a small bar sink in this room.

This works well for prewashing laundry stains

or filling the dogs' water bowl.

Since this room opens up to the entry (living/dining room)

and the kitchen, we had wanted a room that

would look "pretty" but still be functional.

The other side of the room

now houses two large closets!

In between the closets we added this piece of furniture.

The top is the perfect place for "Piggy"

(he collects our loose change)!

This piece is actually a filing cabinet!

When downsizing,

every space needs to serve a practical function!

Looking from the side door towards the front entry!

For those of you following my blog,

you did not miss the Master Bedroom.

With all the rain and dark days,

I photographed this room instead.

I am linking today to Metamorphosis Monday

over at Between Naps on the Porch!

Thank you to Susan our wonderful host!

JOY

2011-12-08T13:49:00.001-05:00

Joy

J- Jesus First

Y- You Last

O- Others In-Between

A Bowl Full of JOY

2011-12-06T12:12:00.001-05:00

I have seen so many wonderful handmade

ornaments on blog land this year!

I decided to make some of my own

using odd and ends I had here at home.

I cut small wooden blocks out of scrap board.

My board was once part of my daughters

picket fence headboard and was already painted white.

I printed off the word JOY

and decoupaged it onto the board.

I then drilled holes in the corners,

some received one hole

(I'm attending a Pretty In Pink themed

Christmas brunch this Saturday.)

and some received two!

Using recycled and scrap ribbon

I tied on bows and hangers!

These I hope to pass out to new neighbors,

friends, family and teachers!

I put them all in a bowl for an easy display.

The feather tree is one I made years ago!

I added some vintage ornaments to the bowl

to finish out my display!

(sneak peek of my dining room!)

I am linking to Table Top Tuesday

over at A Stroll Thru Life!

May the JOY of the season be with you!

The Provision- After- Master Bath

2011-12-04T19:12:00.002-05:00

Part 1 - The Master Bath

Before

To be honest,

this was not only the master bath & hall bath,

but the only working bathroom in the house!

The photo does not due it justice... it was wayyyy scary!

The tub was rusted out,

the tile on the floor was popping up,

the vanity was water damaged beyond repair

and everything was very, very dirty!

We made the decision to take the two bedrooms

and this "beautiful" bathroom

on the first floor and combine them

to make a master suite and powder room.

It was fun to find this old stud

behind the bathroom drywall.

For the record, we removed this stud

and added it back into the new wall.

Of course, we added our remodel

to this "list"!

Did I mention...

we gutted the place?!

:-)

This view is looking from the new master bedroom

into the new master bathroom!

Same view... During Reno

Stepping inside the door,

on the immediate right is the extra large shower-

During Reno

We designed the bathroom

to be light, bright and white!

We tiled the shower walls with traditional subway tile.

Wayne even built in a bench, which was topped

with the same granite we used on the vanity!

We searched high and long for the perfect vanity.

We found ours at Lowe's,

however it only came in brown....

no problem.. we just painted it the same white

as our trim color!

(I wish I could have taped us

getting it into the opening...

think--- leg press workout!)

I changed out the original knobs

for these sweet little glass ones!

On the left side of the bathroom

is my antique claw foot tub

and behind that the toilet.

The toilet is the only thing from the original

bathroom still in the exact same place!

The finished view from our Master Bedroom.

The door on the right of the tub is the

entrance to our closet.

We used a white limestone tile for the floor.

The Vanity- All Done

The view back towards the bedroom.

(The lighting in some of the photos is causing a pink glow.

The color on the walls in both the

bedroom and bath is China White (Benjamin Moore)

and does not contain any pink.)

There was enough room in the shower for

two shower heads. We decided on a standard head

and a rain shower! Each shower head operates

using an individual handle! We LOVE our shower!

-----bath time-----

I was so excited to find that my thrift store

cart fit perfectly in the corner!

The branch from a "money tree"

adds the texture and color I wanted

for that corner!

My newest find for the bath was a caddy for the claw foot tub.

I had found many I loved but at $50- $100 didn't fit my

thrifty ways...

I found mine at a local thrift store for

$1.53!

God is so Good!

I am linking up to Metamorphosis Monday

over at Between Naps on the Porch.

coming next...

Part 2- The Master Bedroom

Silver and Gold

2011-11-27T21:33:00.002-05:00

The hardware in our new house is

all done in a brushed nickle finish.

All except for the hinges on the front and side door,

which we purchased prehung

at a discount from our local

Pease Warehouse.

The side door came with bright gold hinges.

Wanting them to match the rest of the hardware,

I pulled out my trusty tube of...

Rub 'n Buff.

I am using a silver leaf color,

but this product comes in 16 different metallic colors.

The possibilities and applications are endless!

To do my hinges,

I simply put tape on either side of the hinge.

Rubbed on the color with my finger.

Buffed it with a clean cloth.

Removed the tape...

And received the satisfaction that I now

have matching hardware!

I am linking this mini metamorphosis

to Metamorphosis Monday

over at Between Naps on the Porch.

Wishes

2011-11-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

Wishing you and your family

a very

Happy Thanksgiving!

As you count your blessings,

may your heart be filled with joy!

Home

2011-11-21T22:31:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our new Home,

The Provision!

I've been going round and round trying to figure

out how to photo and post the first floor.

At last I decided to take it step by step,

starting with the front of the house!

Winter

This is what we started with just a little over a year ago!

Come spring,

we cleaned up the landscaping.

The new windows went in at the beginning of summer!

We chose a top four square to give the house a cottage style look!

Next step...

out with the old

(new front door and thanks to my contractors, the hedges too)

and in went the new front door!

To add character to the flat front

we removed the siding above the bay window

(this removed siding was reused in the back of the house)

and replaced it with a vinyl shingle style!

The house received new gutters at this time too!

Fall

This is the front today!

We still are planning to add a window box on the 2nd floor window

and possibly one under the large bay window.

What are your thoughts?

We are also looking for the perfect mailbox

and new house numbers.

Landscaping is slotted for spring!

I have really enjoyed watching all the leaves change

color this fall, especially this beautiful maple

just outside our front door!

Have a wonderful day!

We've Moved!

2011-11-07T09:12:00.000-05:00

That's it in a nutshell.....

why I haven't blogged in so long!

It has taken all our energy to finish things up here at The Provision!

And to be honest with you we still have a punch list of things

still to be done, but we are here!

On October 31st we passed our final inspection

and received our Certificate Of Occupancy!

And on Saturday morning of 11/5/11 at 8:00am

the moving truck drove up to the door and

loaded 95% of the apartment and

unloaded it here at the house!

Since then Wayne and I have been busy doing all

the things you do during a move....

Unload boxes

Find new "homes" for everything we own

Hang drapes

Hang blinds

Moving the things from the shed to the house.

Etc.... !!!!

As soon as I find my cord to transfer photos

from the camera to the computer

I'll post some photos!

We can already say...

We Love It Here!

We are Blessed beyond measure!

So far, simple joys have come from

watching the kids play and climb trees just outside the windows!

The dogs love the freedom to run again.

Our backyard is like a park and right in the middle is

a beautiful tree that has turned the most stunning shade

of red. Yesterday it was warm enough for Wayne and I to sit

in the morning sun drinking our coffee

and simply enjoy the land and colors

all around us.

Yes, we are going to love it here!

On another note.... we now have normal (fast) Internet again!

We have been suffering with slow (think slowwwww dial-up speeds)

for almost a year now. The internet installer finally diagnosed

the problem as a bad router (who knew?)

and was able to install a new one.

All this to say.....

I can blog again!

It's like Christmas!

I've missed each one of you and can't wait to jump back to blogging!

Putting it Back Together

2011-10-02T22:29:00.000-04:00

Step by step we have been putting the Provision back together!

I debated on how much of the upstairs to share,

and decided to go all out and share it all

from where we started to where we are today!

For those joining me for the first time

from Between Naps On the Porch....

First ~ Welcome

Second~ to catch you up to date

My husband and I bought this house

at the beginning of the year

and have spent the past 8+ months

gutting it and putting it all back together.

We were so excited this week to FINALLY

have the upstairs ready for carpet!

However to really appreciate the change

it helps to go back and see just where we started

and how far we have come!

Zac's Room

(my son)

This is what the room looked like

when we first saw the house.

This window faces the front of the house.

Turning around you could see the

window facing out of the back of the house!

In order to make it a real bedroom...

we added a wall to divide the bedroom from the hall.

While we took down most interior walls and

ceilings in the house,

we decided to leave the original walls and ceilings

in this room.... opting for a fresh paint job and trim

to bring the room up to par.

Like the bathroom fixtures?????

After window trim and base boards were installed,

I painted the room this warm gray/ purple color (Zac's choice).

And here is the room with carpet!

I've never been so happy to say goodbye

to the old asphalt tiles!

Madison's Room

(my daughter)

This is what the room looked like the first time

we walked thru the house!

This was the room the day we purchased it!

Looking to the left in the opened door, in the back, was...

... a very tiny, scary bathroom.

And the door closest to the entry held a closet.

But it was what we found in the closet that

was the true gem...

A secret room!

And the dead raccoon!

We quickly removed the old bathroom and

closet and the raccoon.

Exposing the entrance to the secret room.

Our contractors framed a new entrance

to this room, creating a new closet

and hang out place for Madison!

We then added a window allowing

for light!

We removed all the walls and ceilings in this room.

The door to her room was moved a little to the left

allowing for the wall in Zac's room.

Drywall goes up!

Room gets new trim

and a paint job!

Oatmeal and Purple!

(Madison's choice)

Even the closet gets a purple wall!

Carpet!

(sorry for the bad photo)

New door to the closet!

Carpet in the closet!

The Hang Out Hall

and Staircase

When I first saw this dormer....

it screamed at me

" Window seat!"

To the left of this was the original landing

and a hall leading to a small open space which would

become the new bathroom.

The stairs were wrapped

by a plywood half wall.

We removed the plywood in order to prepare

the steps to be reversed.

Looking back from the end of the hall towards

Madison's room!

Once the stairs were reversed

it was time to build a new banister.

(We will put that toilet anywhere!)

Wayne and I worked at setting the newel posts

and setting the balusters!

The finished banister!

Minus the awful blue wall!

From the other direction.

We added trim work to the hall.

Remember the window bench idea?

Wayne built one!

Using the left over wood from the trim,

Wayne created the backing to the shelf!

All done!

Ready for carpet.

And in the end...

We have carpet and a finished room!

Madison has already claimed the window seat!

This landing will be the hangout room for the kids.

The wires coming out of the wall on the left

are for a small wall mounted TV.

The Bathroom

This is the small room that was slated

for the new bathroom.

We removed the knee wall and

side wall next to the chimney.

Added a full wall between the stairs and an

opening for the door by the window.

Next we built out a shower with a large bench.

Kids decided against a bathtub.

Wayne and I used subway style

tile with a slate look on the walls

for the shower

and the same tile in a square on the floor.

The door still needs to be installed!

Well, that is the upstairs!

Coming soon.....

the first floor!

A Big Thank You

2011-09-25T21:32:00.000-04:00

I arrived to work on the house yesterday,

and I was so surprised to see this sweet

package on my doorstep!

Christine from Vista Woman sent me the

sweetest Birthday surprise!

If you have never had the chance to visit her blog

site, I highly recommend hopping over to say hello!

Knowing how much I love Angels,

(I have a wonderful collection I display at Christmas time),

she sent me this one to add to my collection!

Isn't this Angel just beautiful!

I love the detail of the roses on her dress

and the tiny bird in her hands.

She will find a permanent home

as soon as my white china shelf emerges from storage.

Until then I've found her a temporary place

on one of my glass front kitchen cabinets!

She will be sure to make me smile!

Thank you so much,

sweet Christine!

Your thoughtfulness and friendship are a true blessing!

A Tip

2011-09-12T10:26:00.000-04:00

Wow, it has been a while since I've updated my blog.

In a sad reality, it has been awhile since I've been able to

read, comment and simply enjoy blogs.

Redoing the Provision has become a full time job

and a weekend "hobby".

In other words we are working what feels like 24/7.

I've been know to look at Wayne while knee deep

in a project and ask will this always

be our job site or someday will it

feel like our home!

We have been blessed to find temporary housing

and since June, when our "big" home sold (yea!),

all four of us and our two extra large dogs

have all been sharing a compact second

floor two bedroom

apartment.

I hope to share some photos soon!

As far as completing the Provision....

it's beginning to look like a home again!

Drywall is finally done!

Kitchen cabinets are in!

Doors are hanging, vs leaning against the wall!

Tiling is taking place.

Window trim is starting this week.

And I've been busy painting!

(How many colors of off white are there to choose from?)

I hope to start posting photos this week!

Getting Real!

In talking with a few of my friends (who think this remodel has been

all PollyAnna) and

upon their request....

here are just a few building bloopers we've

experienced during this remodel.

1. An animal skeleton underneath the back steps.

2. Petrified bodies inside including:

a raccoon

a squirrel

many mice

and

a family of birds.

3. A set of windows ordered to big.

4. Front shrubs prematurely removed via a contractor.

5. A worker carried off in an ambulance after falling off a ladder.

6. A leaking roof.

7. New windows which leaked after the first rain.

(weren't properly caulked)

8. Termites, termites, termites

9. All the damage termites bring.

10. 7 dumpsters of house guts

11. A 30 in kitchen sink base and a 33in sink!

12. Prechosen granite that no longer fits the intended space.

13. A microwave drawer that was too big, cabinet too small.

14. Missing trim in the kitchen.

15. Doors that were not properly sized and had to be retrofitted

and in some cases simply reorder!

16. A drywaller that went over a week, causing us to be moved

back on the kitchen installers schedule.

17. A raccoon nests above what will be my daughters bedroom!

My claw foot tub is currently sitting in front of my bedroom window.

I must confess....

I've often been found "distressing" inside the tub!

No water needed! :)

In all reality,

God has been so good and true to the name of the house,

we have seen him provide again and again.

In the case of the kitchen, we were able to find

another installer who was able to install

the kitchen and doors for less than the cost

of the first installer doing just the kitchen.

Home Depot has been wonderful about allowing us

to both return a few special order pieces and reorder

new ones.

And on and on!

A Quick Tip

With a brand new furnace and new drywall,

our heating and air guy suggested this tip...

Placing cheap air/furnace filters over the

return air ducts, sets up a first line of defence

in keeping your furnace from becoming clogged

with drywall, wood and paint dust!

The one on the right had been used, see the dirt!

Also remember to change the regular filter

every week or two as needed,

during the construction stage!

Happy Monday....

I'm off to paint!

The Little Green Sticker

2011-08-11T00:51:00.000-04:00

We passed inspection...

and things have been moving ahead full speed!

The minute the green sticker went up,

our insulation contractor was ready to go!

It was fun to see how the insulation changed the open walls

into rooms!

It took only one day to insulate the whole house!

If it had been up to Wayne and I to complete,

it would have taken a solid week.

The following day we once again passed

the insulation inspection....

meaning we were ready for

drywall!

It was amazing to see the large truck with the boom

lift the drywall to the side door!

With the addition of the drywall...

I feel like we have come full circle!

Living Room as it looks with new drywall.

Same wall prior to buying the house.

While we hemmed and hawed over loosing the

original door arches,

in the end we are happy with the new look!

The front windows in the living room

were slightly enlarged,

allowing for more light to fill the room!

Same windows.... Before.

Still in the living room,

this is a view of the fireplace wall.

Wayne and I bought the mantel almost 18 years ago

and have used it as a headboard in our guest room

all that time!

How exciting that it has finally found a permanent home!

This is the before photo of the same wall!

We removed the fireplace surround, freeing up space

to widen the entry and reorientate the stairs

from the side door to this room!

This will be the the new powder room.

Our Master Bedroom

And to think it started off as this!

What a difference a set of windows

and 3 feet of additional space makes!

This is the same room looking from the windows

towards the new master bathroom.

A closer look into our master bathroom

and the far window is what

will be our walk in closet.

The great room as it looks today!

The same view before buying the house.

We took out the two sets of "industrial french doors"

and replaced them with one set of full glass paneled

doors centered in the room

and two sets of double windows on either side.

Looking to the left in the same room

will soon be the location of the new kitchen.

Same view of the original kitchen!

Another view of the kitchen,

and side door beyond.

Turn around in the great room,

and look out towards the living room

the closet on the right will be the pantry

and the one on the left will be a built in desk.

Upstairs the new bedroom walls now create

a new hang out spot for the kids on the old landing.

Madison's Bedroom

Same room before.

We removed the bathroom and old closet

which almost doubled the size.

Same room.

The holes in the floor

were from the original bathroom,

The door on the left is the entrance to

her new walk in closet.

Madison's closet!

Things are rolling along.

The drywall contractor will be mudding, taping and sanding

for the next two weeks.

Meanwhile,

Wayne and I will be busy checking off the long list of

todo's ... including:

tiling the floors, showers and back splashes

painting... everything

laying new wood floor in the great room

sanding the old cabinets

adding trim to windows and floors

...just

name

few!