Powder Room Makeover

Before we move, I want to show you around the home we are leaving.  The one where I spent a lot of time and energy updating this beauty that was built in 1929!  Being passionate about decorating, this home afforded me the opportunity to utilize many of the ideas that had been floating around in my head for years!  I was in heaven!

First thing to do?  Update the powder room.  The original powder room was smaller in length by one foot affording only a tiny corner sink.. you know, one where you have to be very careful not to end up splashing water all over the floor!  A sink that was housed in a 1980's dark brown corner cabinet.  Unfortunately, I didn't take "before" pictures.  Too anxious to get moving on the project. A project that had good bones!  Like the curvature of the back wall and the darling little oak trimmed window.  The oak grate covering a radiator.  Oh, there was such potential!!

Step one was to move the entry wall back about a foot.  That was my husband's idea and it was genius!  Now we had more space for a proper sink.  But what to set it upon?  Something vintage, of course! In a salvage store, we spied a table.. one with character... one needing a bit of TLC.

The front of the antique table had these amazing turned legs with charming curved supports.  No need to worry about matching back legs as the powder room did not have enough room for them without bringing the sink into the doorway.  That's how small the space is! A new table top was constructed adding the simple detail of grooved trim at the top and bottom.

 With a coat of Swiss Almond paint, distressing and a finish of antiquing glaze, the base for the counter was complete and ready for a piece of granite!  Next was selecting a new sink and fixtures.  It was a vintage look all the way.

A white porcelain sink with flanged edges accompanied with a single faucet in oil rubbed bronze.  I love it!

For light fixtures, I used what the previous owner had in the family room.  They were too diminutive there but perfect for the powder room.  Saved money and I was a happy camper!  And resting in between the two sconces?  An antique mirror that belonged to my aunt.  It's simplicity fits in beautifully!

A simple cotton voile gathered curtain at the window....

... tone on tone floral wallpaper, with ceiling painted the same background color found in the paper, and the room was complete!  

A powder room with enough texture and pattern to make it feel updated... warm... and cozy!  One room done and more to come!!

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On A Personal Note...

Remember when I said I was stressed out a while back?  I alluded to it here.  Well, with only two and one-half weeks to go I'd better let you in on what's happening to me. 

We are moving!  And not only moving to one location, but three!  Hey... go big or go home, right??  The good news is that our home sold in three days.  No having to keep the house pristine waiting for phone calls from realtors wanting to show the home at a moment's notice.  Yes, that's the good news.  And I really don't have bad news attached to that.  Just the stressful reality of having to split our possessions between three different locations.  

First, our son just graduated from college so he needs furnishings for his new apartment... in another state... requiring a rental truck and loading it up.  Thinking of all those big and little items required to start this new phase in his life.  "Picking" from our home.

Way to go!

Second, we need to pack up for our little cottage for two that will replace the home we live in now. I have named it "Chateau Amour" which makes my son wince at the thought!  Knowing that, I say "Chateau Amour" as often as I can just to get a reaction..  I love the role reversal!!  So, since we are truly downsizing I need to go through every big and little thing I own to decide what I need and, more importantly, what will fit.  When I say "cottage", I am not kidding!

My garage sale

 And third?  I need to set aside furnishings I want for our home in Charleston.  Have we bought it yet? No, but we will.  For sure.  For real. Decisions to be made as to what set of dishes I want there.  What glasses?  Which armoire will look best in that home? The list is long and permanent as it will leave me with no opportunity to change my mind once it's stored. 

And who is packing everything up?  ME!  The cottage is only three miles away.  It makes no sense to pay someone else to do this. And it has been suggested to get a POD to store the things we need for Charleston.  More self-packing.  And as for my son? My "mom" duties are few except for the suggestions of how to set up a home and what he needs to take with him... and the trip to Ikea with checkbook in hand!! 

So, with only two and one-half weeks to go, let the frenzy begin!!!

All Wrapped Up!

Mother's Day is just days away ... graduation ceremonies are commencing! Each an occasion where you like to offer a thoughtful gift.  A remembrance to mark the day and the special person you are honoring.  And I have always felt that when giving a gift, presentation is as equally as important as what lies underneath the wrapping.  Need a suggestion?

With a little time and creativity you can create your own custom gift wrap!  This was how I presented a picture frame to my son's girlfriend.. of course, with his handsome picture inside!!

Kraft paper, paint, paint pen, buttons and twine.  Simple and fun!
However, let me give you some hints on wrapping.. a few touches in the details makes a world of difference.

Creasing gives a sharp edge, creating the look of a  professionally wrapped package.  To do this, run your fingers on the edge of the box using your thumb and index finger.  Extend that crease all the way to the very edge of the paper and place a small bit of tape in the center of the box to hold down this one side.

Wrap around the rest the paper.  You have made sure to cut the sheet of paper long enough so that it extends one inch over the edge. Fold under this one inch, giving a sharp crease, of course.  What you are accomplishing is to have the fold be on the edge of the box, not in the center.  Use double-sided tape or a tape runner and press both pieces together.

Finish wrapping the ends of the box the way you normally would making sure that the flaps do not extend up and over the package. Voila!  Now you have a flat surface with all edges having been  crisply creased.

Now onto the fun part!  For this present, I used the following....

And to outline the circles, I used a paint pen.

Circles painted in green.... outlined in white.. and a bright, vintage button in the center!  Wrapped in brown twine and there you have it.  A present from the heart... made with love!

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And The Winner Is .....

Ok...  I don't want to keep you in suspense any further!  Today is the day I announce the winner of my giveaway for the picture frame I created!  Using my trusty Luck Dog jar....

.. I stirred all the numbers around, had my husband reach in to pick out a number and ....

.. he pulled out No. 49!  That is you, Linda, at Coastal Charm!

Congratulations!  Please email me your address so that I can get this out to you right away.  I know you'll love it!!

And for the rest of you I am sending y'all (maybe if I start talking like a true southerner I will find that home in Charleston sooner rather than later!!) a virtual bouquet to thank you for entering!

This is not the gratuitous "thank you" to all my readers and followers.  Not in the least!  You should know me by now to understand that when I say "I appreciate your loyalty and your comments", it comes from the very bottom of my heart!  The comments you left touched me so as my scenario seemed to have struck a cord for many of you.  And as I said to some of you, the lesson to be learned is to not pass it on to our children.  Enough said!

Enjoy your weekend, everybody!  I will be having a moving sale on Saturday~ Part I.  Yes, I said "Part I"!  Downsizing really makes you think about how many boxes you want to pack up and move.  Ughhh!!!  Thought I had really narrowed things down until I looked in the crawl space.  Nearly fainted!!!  So Moving Sale ~ Part II will have to happen.  There's no way this girl is going to write monthly checks for a storage unit .. been there, done that!!!!!

I Brake For Anthropologie

There should be a bumper sticker for that, don't you think?

                    "I Brake for Anthropologie"

After all, they have built their brand on creativity, with products that exude a feeling of handmade, one-of-a-kind items.  Descriptive of what takes hold of my soul!  Ok... reality is they're massed produced but it doesn't feel like it.  They've captivated their audience with independent thinking and marketing.  And that is what I've come to expect walking into their stores no matter where I am in the country.  The pull starts with their window dressing...

... I die!!  This was two years ago at one of their stores in Manhattan Beach, CA.  A gown created out of ruffled and pleated paper.

Clothespins methodically attached to accentuate the undulating lines.  Here is a closer look at the construction.

A couture gown created with simple materials.  Don't you love it?

So, when Charleston boasted the grand opening of Anthropologie on King Street, I made it a point to check it out. 

Touches of spring surrounded me as I walked in with this being the overture to their new store.  Chalkboard? check.  Distressed wall unit? check.  The look of handmade pottery? check.  Yup... all the things we creative sorts gravitate to. It just felt like home to me!
Curious, I stepped closer to see how they attached the flowers and cornucopias to the wall to give it such dimension.

Cutouts of flowers from magazines (that's the way they appeared) were attached to the head of a nail creating a 3-D feel.  Now, see what I mean?  That handmade look as if a bunch of your best girlfriends got together on a lazy, summer afternoon to cut out pretty pictures of flowers from the latest gardening catalog.  Ooohing and ahhhing over their favorite ones.  So excited to take a pair of scissors to the page, cutting them out and pasting them in a scrapbook.

Display tables continued the spring theme with potted plants and cloches covering pastel colored macaroons.  I spent a lot of time wandering around going from the front of the store and rounding the bend to the back.  It was there that I found a gorgeous queen sized bed layered with a bright colored duvet, masses of pillows and......

... a BABY???  They now have added beautiful Gerber babies to their inventory???  I'm kidding, of course, but it did take me by surprise to see this sweet little thing plunked down in the middle of the bed not making a peep.  Just as content as could be!  Seriously, picture perfect!  

I asked the proud dad, who was standing nearby, if I could snap a photo.  He, and the beaming grandmother next to him, couldn't have been more pleased to have someone else recognize what a precious baby they have.  How can you resist such a sweet-as-pie thing??! Ok, Anthropologie... you have now taken the experience of shopping here to a whole new level!!!!  Keep up the good work!

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Mother's Day Giveaway

It had been years since last I saw my mother-in-law.  But there I was, standing in her little apartment at the retirement home. I didn't think this would have ever come to be. 

You see, after both my husband and I had been estranged from her for almost 15 years, we were drawn back into her life.  She needed help. And even though she lives in a town surrounded by extended family, the load of her problems rested on the shoulders of her two sons.  Two sons that had heard a lot of negativity about the women they chose to love and marry. You can turn the other cheek only so long (as in years) before you look in the mirror and realize that you can't take it any more.  So, you silently close the door and slip away.  That's what we did.  Until now.

Lace, vintage millinery flowers

Mary is a woman who couldn't handle the passing of her husband. After 12 years she, her home and her finances had come to disrepair.  She didn't know how to be on her own.  Add to that the trickle effects of dementia and you can only imagine her state. My husband had found a retirement home for her as she needed someone to tend to the details of her life... and she welcomed being moved into these accommodations! 

Pearl centers on vintage velvet flowers

Then, one night while getting up to go to the bathroom, she fell.  The nurses called my husband saying she had a heart attack and broke her hip as the result of falling.  Immediately, he called me relating the situation and letting me know that he was leaving work to drive the four hours to get to her.  I was in Charleston at the time and booked the next flight out to go home, pack a new suitcase, and drive the four hours to be by my husband's side, supporting him.  Thankfully, she didn't have a heart attack.  She had tripped and fractured her hip requiring surgery.  Now.... after almost 15 years... I was back in her life and standing in her little apartment before the ambulance arrived, bringing her back to her new home. 

Silk fabric flower with vintage millinery flower

I entered her little place with my husband beside me.  He was so pleased with her living situation!  I looked around seeing familiar pieces of furniture that had been moved in to make this her home.  Photos of her grandchildren graced the side tables.... covered the top of her organ she so loves to play.  I was pleased to see that my son's pictures took equal billing as I wasn't sure they would. 

Layers of old lace covered with trim from a vintage hat

 As I moved over to where her bed was, I noticed a sweet, little wicker basket on her night stand, filled with individual photos, some curling up on the corners with age. One piled on top of another.  Gently, I looked through them getting reacquainted with family members I hadn't seen in years.. and ones I had yet to meet.  Mixed in were a few photos of my boys.  They took my breath away as I hadn't seen these before.  There was my first born son as a toddler with his sweet little face.  There was a photo of the two boys riding on their grandpa's sit-down mower... they loved that so!  And there was my youngest looking like a Gerber baby in his birth announcement picture.  Photos mean the world to us, don't they?  It's the only way we can fulfill our wish of being able to go back in time and have those moments all over again.

I did get to see my mother-in-law before we both drove back home to Chicago.  And I must say, it was so good seeing her.  It was time to mend fences and whether it will stand firm or not is not important.  What is important is that I did the right thing. It took so little from me. And it made me feel so good knowing that she has photos of our children to remind her of the family she has in us!

  
So... the photos that have filled this post?  They are of a picture frame I decorated and will be giving away to a lucky winner right before Mother's Day. Three opportunities to enter.... three chances to win!

1. Leave a comment at the end of this post.
2. Become a follower (love making new friends!) and if you   
   already are, do remind me, please!
3. Post the link of this blogpost on your facebook wall so others
   will see it and have a chance to win... and do let me know so 
   I can add one more tic next to your name!
          
Good luck, everybody, and I will post the winner May 3rd!!!!  

Linking up to:  Blissful Whites Wednesday
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Not Your Normal Tour Guide.. Part Three

Having survived the horse incident, I kept on walking down the street.  The house I was to check on turned out to be a disappointment... total rehab!  I like a challenge but not one long distance as we are still living in Chicago.  Undeterred, I continued on my journey enjoying  my leisurely pace, taking in all the sights.

Such as the lush window boxes gracing every home.  I didn't realize it, but Charlestonians are very proud of their window boxes with some residents hiring "chi-chi" designers to do their magic, creating window boxes overflowing with flowers in every color and texture. This year, the Horticultural Society has instituted their inaugural Window Box Contest.  The pressure is on, people!!

Walking past Battery Park, one is never surprised to see a young woman having pre-wedding photos taken under the overhanging branches of centuries old Live Oak trees.

 Those long, ambling branches create a lovely frame for the bride. 

Charleston is second to Las Vegas for wedding destinations.  However, this city is no "second banana", as the many different historic venues offer the bride and groom a wedding experience of a lifetime.

Still walking, I am now immersed deep within historic Charleston on a side street filled with simpler houses of many different colors and hues.  And this particular street had something so cool I can't wait to share this with you!

Do you see it?   That house on a post?  Definitely not a bird house... certainly not a mailbox.  Curiosity drew me in as I crossed the street to take a closer look.

I had never seen anything like this before!  A crafted wooden house,  complete with a glass door, unlocked, and filled with books! The handpainted sign hanging underneath said.... 
                           Little Free Library
                               Take a book....
                                   Leave a book...
                                       or both

Me, being a lover of books, felt like I had died and gone to heaven!
Someone had labored over this darling little house, filled it with books, and offered them to anyone wanting to come by and take one!  My mind whirled with thoughts of how could I replicate that!  And wouldn't that be fabulous to fill it with children's books?  Couldn't you see little ones reaching up, opening the door, perusing what is in there..perhaps plopping down on the grass turning page after page, too anxious to wait until he or she could get home to read?  I was in love with this whole idea!

It wasn't until a few seconds later, did I spy this plaque on the roof.  I made note and briskly walked back to my hotel, anxious to get online to find out more.  And did I ever!  Little Free Library was started in 2009 with the intent of reaching a goal to have 2,501 libraries built and in place.  At this moment, they have far surpassed their expectations with an estimate of 5,000 to 6,000 of them all over the world!!  I know you have questions running through your head so I am going to direct you to here... their "frequently asked questions" page.  

That night I rapidly finished reading a book I had brought along on my trip.  My plan was in place!  When morning came, I quickly dressed and headed back to the location of this Little Free Library. I so wanted to contribute.. to be part of this.  As I reached for the knob of the glass door, the "doubting Thomas" in me thought that I would see the same books, still in their same place.  NO!  I was amazed to see new books had been added to take the place of old.  And these were not outdated books, either.  Some were recent bestsellers.  Obviously, the community had embraced this project!  I proudly slipped my book into place, gently closed the door, and proceeded down the street, ready for breakfast.  What a fabulous experience!!