Upstairs Hallway

Since I was taking pics upstairs I thought I'd get a few of the hallway. I've made a few changes, nothing big but it looks cute...

I bought this hand embroidered fabric imported from India and wasn't sure what to do with it. Then I realized it was the perfect size for the hall cabinet.

When I was doing the make over on my room I moved this shelf out to create more space. It fits under my Eiffel tower pic perfectly.

I got this cute green braided rug at Target for super cheap for the upstairs hallway.

Upstairs Bathroom

I haven't posted pics of the upstairs bathroom before because it was pretty non descript honestly! You can't do a whole lot of decorating with a postage sized bathroom, but I gave it my best shot. I think the bathroom used to be the end of the upstairs hallway when the house was built. It's a bit of an odd configuration, but it is nice to have an upstairs bathroom. We had the window replaced with privacy glass because the old one was broken and painted...really, who paints a window?! We also had to have the room vented because there was no venting! Someday we hope to expand the bathroom when we make our master bed/bath.

Here it is - don't blink!

We got this cute medicine cabinet at Ikea. I love how it fits perfectly above the sink.

I got this cute Amy Butler fabric at Scotty Dog Quilts to dress up the window a bit. I asked Ron to get me a hanging plant for the window and he got this beautiful fern for it.

Bedroom Mini Make-Over On A Budget

It seems like the bedroom is always the last room in the house to get decorated, doesn't it? I've been wanting to get mine up to speed since we moved in, and I finally did it! I'm calling it a mini make over because the only thing I made over was the decor. I love looking at room make overs in home magazines, which is where I got some of the inspiration for the room. It's amazing how much you can do with low cost decorations, textiles and vintage touches! This make over was done on a very small budget mind you. I think I spent $40 at most. A lot of the decor were things I had stored away that hadn't found a home for yet. The decorating style is a mix between vintage, antique and Asian themes. I love the result! I feel the room expresses me and is a peaceful romantic get away.

The finished product

The foot of the bed needed something to anchor it, so I put together this vintage suit case and trunk collection. The green trunk is from the late 1800's and was my grandmother's, I found the brown suit cases at a local consignment store for $30, and I bought the yellow suit case at a garage sale years ago. I love to travel, so these suit cases are some of my favorite things.

I bought this hand made vintage Japanese kimono a few years back at a local antique store on the sale rack. Decorating with textiles is simple and classy. I hung the kimono with a satin hanger and tacked the sleeves. You can also use a dowel to hang garments.

I had the landscape print but needed a frame for it. I picked up the frame for $10 at Michael's and added a green ribbon to dress it up. The fruit basket quilt top was hand made by my husband's grandmother. I made the pillow cover a while back for the large pillow from fabrics I got on sale.

My dresser has a pretty wooden framed mirror that cracked during our last earthquake. I could have put it back up but decided to hang my vintage purse collection instead. I have 4 more purses I still might add to the collection...I'm still debating whether they might make the wall look cluttered.

This wall looked bare, so I hung the embroidery, (hand made in China circa 1950, from my missionary great grandma), and portrait of Sarah done by me and added this shabby sheik chair.

I had two vintage quilts and an embroidered family quilt stored away and decided they would be cute stacked on top of my wardrobe. The round vintage print was given to me from my mom and the love birds were an anniversary gift from a good friend - thanks again Tracy!

Garden In Bloom

The garden is finally starting to come into bloom! We actually had some sun this weekend for the first time in weeks so I took the opportunity to get some pics of the garden. I even managed to get a bit of a sun burn on my face! Goes to show you how not used to the sun we are in these parts. Rain in June has been the norm believe it or not! The rain has caused everything to grow green and lush though - the one very desirable benefit.

The beautiful rhododendron bush behind our pond.

Lamb's Ear and Astilbee color the garden path.

Ron just put in these hanging baskets and planted begonias in them. I love these!

We hosted a going away party this weekend so I dressed up the deck table with oil cloth and a pot of pansies.

Ron put lots of flower pots on the back porch per my request! These are filled with: pansies, lilies, astilbee and lobelia.

Broccoli and poppies

Kale and peas

The rock garden. Not much blooming is happening here yet, but there are wild flowers coming up behind the rock garden that will be in bloom soon!

Our new blue hydrangia planted in the back yard. I love these!

Pink hydrangia in the front yard.

Pretty porch

The lilies are beginning to bloom!

Corners of My House

I haven't done this for a while, so this morning I got out my camera and starting snapping shots of some of my favorite corners/views of the house. I love how beautiful the early morning light is. Some of the pics turned out a bit dark, but I like how the subtle light shows up in them. I would love to see some of your favorite corners!

Bulb farm lilies on the dining table.

Another view of the dining table.

Upstairs hallway and railing.

Kitchen window sil. Tracy, this is the Christmas cactus you gave us!

The art corner, my favorite view in the play room.

Happy clown cushion and block

Justin's dresser friends.

Justin's plant

Sarah's Russian stacking dolls.

Bathroom Makeover

Well, sort of a bathroom make over anyway! This week I found the cutest vintage etched glass medicine cabinet at Shipwreck for our down stairs bathroom which didn't have a medicine cabinet. Then Ron went out and bought a vintage glass knob for the door today. It's great to have a knob now since there wasn't one before. I love how it all came out! Now I just need to get some new towel racks, toilet paper holder, and a new toilet seat!

The bathroom window.

Close up of the pretty etchings in the glass.

It's up! Now we just need to fix the spot on the right. There was a hole cut out in the wall, not centered though.

I love this knob!

Here's Ron installing the knob, after working an 8 hour day on a Saturday, what a guy!

Hand Made House Warming Prezies

Today two lovely friends gifted me with some amazing hand made goodness! The first hand sewn item was from a Craft It Forward I joined a few months back. Here's how it works: You get a gift and then you pass on the hand made love to another person. So now I need to get on the ball and make my Craft It Forward goodie! I got a Saraisabee hand made original! It's a what not basket and I adore it! The fabric is from Ikea and it's fabric I wanted but they were out of stock at the time I tried to buy some so I'm thrilled! Thanks Sara!!

The second gift is two adorable hand knitted kitchen hand towels made by Marybeth. My Grandma used to make these so they're very sentimental. They even came with her own label!

Cute birdies and I love the interior trim and pretty ribbons!

I'm going to have this in my sewing room for ages.

It's already catching sewing what nots.

The two adorable kitchen hand towels sans mb label.

Views From Home

Today I took some pics of some of my favorite views around and about the house. My camera is not the greatest, but I got some decent ones. I had fun in Photoshop tweaking them. I have too much time on my hands now that school is out!

I told Justin that I wanted to take his picture. He posed so nicely for me in the reading room! I love how this one came out. Child #1 can't sit this still.

Window cil sitters

Sarah's flower pot boquet from Flora

Books, glorious books


One of my favorite views in the house. Sitting in the reading room looking across the hall.

Our Christmas cactus has exploded into bloom.

One of the amazing aprons Louise made us!

Sewing supplies

Laundry room window

Upstairs banister

Hydrangia - Thanks Deanna and Adam!

Lamb's Ear

Lily

Antique roses that were here when we moved in

Ron indulged me with some potted plants for the porch.

Fox Gloves and Hydrangia

My cute kitty

What a journey for these three numbers!