Tag Archives: French Country

Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Changes to the Master Bedroom

Hi All!

Hope you're all having a wonderful new year!  Winter has come roaring into Michigan and we are now living in a winter wonderland.  It's beautiful!  And cold.

And I just try to stay indoors!  lol

I'm taking advantage of being snowed-in and have been working on a new project!

Our master bedroom and bathroom are both upstairs.  I had mentioned during the summer that we were wanting to re-do our bathroom.  Well, we've made no progress at all.

Not even an estimate.

Not that we haven't tried. *sigh*  I still have hope!

But in the meantime, I decided I would like to change our bedroom.  I redecorated it a few years ago when I was transitioning out of my reds and golds but I went too 'contemporary' and not enough French Country and I haven't liked it.

I made the drapes and the dust ruffle in this room and they are going to my daughter.  She and her husband bought a house last year so she's been a great person to 'donate' to! I will repurpose the dust ruffle into a matching valance and she's planning on using these in her home school/play room.

We've also given her this rug and put another in our room since this photo.  I am hoping to find some new chairs for our bedroom and give her these since I slipcovered them to match.

 But here's the awful truth...
 We've lived in our house for twelve years now and all of our bedrooms have popcorn ceilings.
 If you look closely at these pictures, you can tell.  I'm just embarrassed to confess this.
 And I decided that before I did another thing, I was going to remove them.

If you read my other blog, Summits of Rubies, you know that I have been on a 40 day Word fast.  So when my mind starts to overflow with all the reading I'm doing, I'm scraping my ceilings!

I don't want to say it's the worst job I've ever done, but I honestly think it's the messiest!  But I have a goal.

These are my inspiration pictures.
Babs Watkins
I've bought new bedding in a neutral instead of pure white and some beautiful faux silk in 'Bluestone' to make new drapes. The color and texture is very similar to the above picture. The walls are also going to a neutral and then....

Eleanor Cummings/Cote de Texas

...my husband said we can some rustic 'boards to emphasize the slope of the ceiling.  That's the part I'm really excited about!
Cote de Texas
I've cleared about two-thirds of the ceiling and will try to get it finished tomorrow.  Then I plan on painting the ceiling and walls and sewing the drapes.  Then I need my sweet husband to help me with the boards.

So, stay tuned and stay warm!  I'll keep you updated as I go!

love and blessings~

 "Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades,Or loose the cords of Orion? "Can you lead forth a constellation in its season,And guide the Bear with her satellites ? "Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,Or fix their rule over the earth? "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,So that an abundance of water will cover you? "Can you send forth lightnings that they may goAnd say to you, 'Here we are'? "Who has put wisdom in the innermost beingOr given understanding to the mind ? "Who can count the clouds by wisdom,Or tip the water jars of the heavens..." Job 38:31-17
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Changes to the Master Bedroom

Hi All!

Hope you're all having a wonderful new year!  Winter has come roaring into Michigan and we are now living in a winter wonderland.  It's beautiful!  And cold.

And I just try to stay indoors!  lol

I'm taking advantage of being snowed-in and have been working on a new project!

Our master bedroom and bathroom are both upstairs.  I had mentioned during the summer that we were wanting to re-do our bathroom.  Well, we've made no progress at all.

Not even an estimate.

Not that we haven't tried. *sigh*  I still have hope!

But in the meantime, I decided I would like to change our bedroom.  I redecorated it a few years ago when I was transitioning out of my reds and golds but I went too 'contemporary' and not enough French Country and I haven't liked it.

I made the drapes and the dust ruffle in this room and they are going to my daughter.  She and her husband bought a house last year so she's been a great person to 'donate' to! I will repurpose the dust ruffle into a matching valance and she's planning on using these in her home school/play room.

We've also given her this rug and put another in our room since this photo.  I am hoping to find some new chairs for our bedroom and give her these since I slipcovered them to match.

 But here's the awful truth...
 We've lived in our house for twelve years now and all of our bedrooms have popcorn ceilings.
 If you look closely at these pictures, you can tell.  I'm just embarrassed to confess this.
 And I decided that before I did another thing, I was going to remove them.

If you read my other blog, Summits of Rubies, you know that I have been on a 40 day Word fast.  So when my mind starts to overflow with all the reading I'm doing, I'm scraping my ceilings!

I don't want to say it's the worst job I've ever done, but I honestly think it's the messiest!  But I have a goal.

These are my inspiration pictures.
Babs Watkins
I've bought new bedding in a neutral instead of pure white and some beautiful faux silk in 'Bluestone' to make new drapes. The color and texture is very similar to the above picture. The walls are also going to a neutral and then....

Eleanor Cummings/Cote de Texas

...my husband said we can some rustic 'boards to emphasize the slope of the ceiling.  That's the part I'm really excited about!
Cote de Texas
I've cleared about two-thirds of the ceiling and will try to get it finished tomorrow.  Then I plan on painting the ceiling and walls and sewing the drapes.  Then I need my sweet husband to help me with the boards.

So, stay tuned and stay warm!  I'll keep you updated as I go!

love and blessings~

 "Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades,Or loose the cords of Orion? "Can you lead forth a constellation in its season,And guide the Bear with her satellites ? "Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,Or fix their rule over the earth? "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,So that an abundance of water will cover you? "Can you send forth lightnings that they may goAnd say to you, 'Here we are'? "Who has put wisdom in the innermost beingOr given understanding to the mind ? "Who can count the clouds by wisdom,Or tip the water jars of the heavens..." Job 38:31-17
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Stenciled Walls in the Entry

Hi all!

Hope you're having a wonderful week!  We are having the most beautiful weather here in Michigan and have broken records for warm temperatures in November.  What a blessing!

Sorry to be gone for so long!  I took a break from decorating my own house and helped my daughter with several projects at her house.  I'm also a 'slow' decorator.  Sometimes I have to think about what I want to do for a while before I know.

But, this week I did something I've been thinking about for a long time!  I repainted our entry way walls and I am so much happier with it!

In my last post I showed you how I painted this dresser.  I had put a very large painting over it and just wasn't loving it.  I found this mirror at HomeGoods.  It was all white and I painted the blue and gold to tie it in with the dresser.
Inspiration picture
And then I just kept being dissatisfied with the walls. I painted this room SW Interesting Aqua about three years ago and even though I liked the color, I just wasn't loving the look.  When I showed my daughter my inspiration picture, she laughed and said, "I like clean and bright.  YOU like 'ruins!'" Ha!  She's right!

I also love patterned walls.  I stenciled this room with the same damask stencil several years ago.  It took me three months to finish and then I wasn't happy with my color choice!  So I didn't want to work that hard again.
I started out with the original color I had on the walls.
Then using this roller and tray, I put our family room color (which I mixed myself and is about 1/2 the intensity of SW Rain) on one side and a small amount of Valspar Gold Glaze on the other side.
I rolled over the walls until my colors were blended well.  I added the stencil...spacing it around the room. I used SW Interesting Aqua and a little of the gold for the stencil pattern.

I dry brushed over the pattern after I removed the stencil, softening the edges.  
The walls in this room, and a lot of the walls in our house, have a textured wall paper on them that we were not able to remove when we bought our house. The good news is that it was applied so perfectly that there are no seams. The bad news is you can't get new wallpaper to stick on top of this old wall paper. So if I want pattern, I need to use a stencil.

I haven't finished the other side of the room yet.  I'm hoping to have time to finish tomorrow.
I got the wooden wheel barrow at Joss & Main.  The cement garden angel was a gift when we lived in Alabama and I bought the lamps at a discount store in Virginia.
So this room has changed dramatically in the last several months!  I liked it a lot before.  I love it now!

love and blessings~
 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." John 13:34

I'm joining these linky parties:
thededicatedhouse
addisonmeadowslane
too-much-time
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Stenciled Walls in the Entry

Hi all!

Hope you're having a wonderful week!  We are having the most beautiful weather here in Michigan and have broken records for warm temperatures in November.  What a blessing!

Sorry to be gone for so long!  I took a break from decorating my own house and helped my daughter with several projects at her house.  I'm also a 'slow' decorator.  Sometimes I have to think about what I want to do for a while before I know.

But, this week I did something I've been thinking about for a long time!  I repainted our entry way walls and I am so much happier with it!

In my last post I showed you how I painted this dresser.  I had put a very large painting over it and just wasn't loving it.  I found this mirror at HomeGoods.  It was all white and I painted the blue and gold to tie it in with the dresser.
Inspiration picture
And then I just kept being dissatisfied with the walls. I painted this room SW Interesting Aqua about three years ago and even though I liked the color, I just wasn't loving the look.  When I showed my daughter my inspiration picture, she laughed and said, "I like clean and bright.  YOU like 'ruins!'" Ha!  She's right!

I also love patterned walls.  I stenciled this room with the same damask stencil several years ago.  It took me three months to finish and then I wasn't happy with my color choice!  So I didn't want to work that hard again.
I started out with the original color I had on the walls.
Then using this roller and tray, I put our family room color (which I mixed myself and is about 1/2 the intensity of SW Rain) on one side and a small amount of Valspar Gold Glaze on the other side.
I rolled over the walls until my colors were blended well.  I added the stencil...spacing it around the room. I used SW Interesting Aqua and a little of the gold for the stencil pattern.

I dry brushed over the pattern after I removed the stencil, softening the edges.  
The walls in this room, and a lot of the walls in our house, have a textured wall paper on them that we were not able to remove when we bought our house. The good news is that it was applied so perfectly that there are no seams. The bad news is you can't get new wallpaper to stick on top of this old wall paper. So if I want pattern, I need to use a stencil.

I haven't finished the other side of the room yet.  I'm hoping to have time to finish tomorrow.
I got the wooden wheel barrow at Joss & Main.  The cement garden angel was a gift when we lived in Alabama and I bought the lamps at a discount store in Virginia.
So this room has changed dramatically in the last several months!  I liked it a lot before.  I love it now!

love and blessings~
 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." John 13:34

I'm joining these linky parties:
thededicatedhouse
addisonmeadowslane
too-much-time
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Painting a French Dresser



Yesterday I shared all the changes in our entry, including this French dresser that I refinished.  I found this dresser on Craig's List and purchased it for $100.  

Below is what it looked like when I bought it. It's a very heavy piece and in good solid shape but had some surface scuffs and flaws.
I removed the drawers and took off all the hardware.
  I wanted to emphasize the details on all the drawers.
Using an old plastic tray that had had fruit salad in it, I put blue (the blue I mixed and used on another cabinet) in one section, off white in the small section and the same blue lightened with off white in the third section. I mixed chalk-paint additive into all three colors. I didn't do any pre-sanding as I've found that chalk paint always adheres wonderfully.

I used the lighter blue and painted all around the edges first.
While it was still wet, I painted the center of the drawer fronts the dark blue. It's a subtle difference but does a lot to keep your piece from looking flat and cheap.
When I painted the body of the dresser, I used all three shades of paint to give a very uneven finish.  I added extra of the off-white to the details.
I waited several hours until my paint had dried well and then using a sponge sander, distressed the dresser.  I focused on edges and corners that would naturally get the most wear and tear.

I had to put the hardware back on before I put the drawers back in.  I wanted to make sure my drawers matched the body and knew they'd get stuck and I couldn't get them open without the hardware - because that had already happened earlier!  lol

The next morning I went over the whole dresser with wax made for chalk paint that I purchased at Lowe's.  When it had dried well, I applied Rub n' Buff.  I have this 12 piece sample set.  I haven't had it long.  When I first got it, I experimented with it until I knew what to expect.  It's a great product and so much fun when you're refinishing furniture! (not a sponsored post).

I used the Antique Gold and went over all the curvy edges on the drawers and on the top and bottom of the cabinet.  You can also see the off-white streaks that I blended out on the top. The black streaks you're seeing is Rub n' Buff Ebony.

In this picture you can see the distressing, the Antique Gold and the Ebony Rub 'n Buff I used.  I also used some of the Pewter and Patina (a light turquoise) in places.  They showed a little too much. Any place that I didn't like the effect I just lightly painted over and I liked the subtle difference it made. I wanted it to look like it was originally painted blue with gilt and had gotten worn and faded over the years.  I didn't use any antiquing wax.

The hardware already had an antiqued gold finish and I didn't do anything to it.

When I first put the dresser in the room my daughter wasn't sure she liked it.  She walked in again the day after I had painted it and loved it!  Painting it made all the difference!

I'm always surprised how quickly chalk paint dries.  I waxed the top heavily as everyone who comes into our home drops whatever they have here (on my previous table.)  But the nice thing is the finish is very imperfect and any changes from guests would probably not be noticeable!

If I've left anything out, please feel free to ask questions.  I'm not an expert by any means but will be happy to tell you what I did.

Have a wonderful weekend!

love and blessings~

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17

I'm joining these great parties:
oursouthernhomesc
dwellings-theheartofyourhome
thoughtsfromalice
lifeonlakeshoredrive
coastalcharm
astrollthrulife
stonegableblog
thriftydecorchick
diybydesign.




savvysouthernstyle
Standard
Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Painting a French Dresser



Yesterday I shared all the changes in our entry, including this French dresser that I refinished.  I found this dresser on Craig's List and purchased it for $100.  

Below is what it looked like when I bought it. It's a very heavy piece and in good solid shape but had some surface scuffs and flaws.
I removed the drawers and took off all the hardware.
  I wanted to emphasize the details on all the drawers.
Using an old plastic tray that had had fruit salad in it, I put blue (the blue I mixed and used on another cabinet) in one section, off white in the small section and the same blue lightened with off white in the third section. I mixed chalk-paint additive into all three colors. I didn't do any pre-sanding as I've found that chalk paint always adheres wonderfully.

I used the lighter blue and painted all around the edges first.
While it was still wet, I painted the center of the drawer fronts the dark blue. It's a subtle difference but does a lot to keep your piece from looking flat and cheap.
When I painted the body of the dresser, I used all three shades of paint to give a very uneven finish.  I added extra of the off-white to the details.
I waited several hours until my paint had dried well and then using a sponge sander, distressed the dresser.  I focused on edges and corners that would naturally get the most wear and tear.

I had to put the hardware back on before I put the drawers back in.  I wanted to make sure my drawers matched the body and knew they'd get stuck and I couldn't get them open without the hardware - because that had already happened earlier!  lol

The next morning I went over the whole dresser with wax made for chalk paint that I purchased at Lowe's.  When it had dried well, I applied Rub n' Buff.  I have this 12 piece sample set.  I haven't had it long.  When I first got it, I experimented with it until I knew what to expect.  It's a great product and so much fun when you're refinishing furniture! (not a sponsored post).

I used the Antique Gold and went over all the curvy edges on the drawers and on the top and bottom of the cabinet.  You can also see the off-white streaks that I blended out on the top. The black streaks you're seeing is Rub n' Buff Ebony.

In this picture you can see the distressing, the Antique Gold and the Ebony Rub 'n Buff I used.  I also used some of the Pewter and Patina (a light turquoise) in places.  They showed a little too much. Any place that I didn't like the effect I just lightly painted over and I liked the subtle difference it made. I wanted it to look like it was originally painted blue with gilt and had gotten worn and faded over the years.  I didn't use any antiquing wax.

The hardware already had an antiqued gold finish and I didn't do anything to it.

When I first put the dresser in the room my daughter wasn't sure she liked it.  She walked in again the day after I had painted it and loved it!  Painting it made all the difference!

I'm always surprised how quickly chalk paint dries.  I waxed the top heavily as everyone who comes into our home drops whatever they have here (on my previous table.)  But the nice thing is the finish is very imperfect and any changes from guests would probably not be noticeable!

If I've left anything out, please feel free to ask questions.  I'm not an expert by any means but will be happy to tell you what I did.

Have a wonderful weekend!

love and blessings~

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17

I'm joining these great parties:
oursouthernhomesc
dwellings-theheartofyourhome
thoughtsfromalice
lifeonlakeshoredrive
coastalcharm
astrollthrulife
stonegableblog
thriftydecorchick
diybydesign.




savvysouthernstyle
Standard
Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Really BIG Changes in the Entry

Sorry I've been gone this week! I have been working hard the last several days. And it's resulted in lots of changes in our entry.

Do you remember that I mentioned I found a great French dresser a couple of weeks ago for $100? My sweet sons carried it all the way down to the basement while I decided where I was going to put it. How much easier it would have been to leave it in our front entry because that's where I decided I wanted it to go!  lol  Poor guys!  It's very heavy.

It started out looking like this!
Now it looks like this! I also recovered this chair in my faux silk plaid that I used in the living room.

And put the same plaid on my antique settee that sits on the other end of the entry!  I haven't finished the trim yet on these two pieces but will do that in the next couple of days.
For those of you that might not remember this is what our entry looked like the last time you saw it.  I love, love, love this table (and all the tables) that my husband has made but felt this side of the room was a lot more rustic than the other side.  Now it's not! This beautiful table has found a new home in our rustic basement.

I also painted the shutters in this room a medium brown.

This painting has been in our master bedroom.  I bought it at Kirkland's about 15 years ago when we lived in Virginia.  I'm happy that it's the first thing that you see when you enter our house.  I've always loved it. And it adds just the right amount of height and drama to this space.

I've found a beautiful pair of lamps that I'd like to get for the dresser.  They were on sale when I found them and while I was painting and reupholstering and thinking, they went back to full price. So I'll wait til they go on sale again to get them.
It's hard to show you both sides of the room but I like they way they're tied together with the fabric and style now.
I'm planning on covering the back of the settee in the toile that's in the living room to further tie things together.
I'll be back soon to share how I painted this dresser and how to reupholster an occasional chair like the one in this room.

Hope you're having a wonderful day!

love and blessings~
"And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." Revelation 21:5

I'm joining these great parties:
commonground
impartinggrace
addisonmeadowslane
seekinglavenderlane
frenchcountrycottage
RattlebridgeFarm
rootedinthyme
thecharmofhome
akadesign
craftberrybush
oursouthernhomesc
dwellings-theheartofyourhome
coastalcharm
astrollthrulife
.stonegableblog
thriftydecorchick
.savvysouthernstyle
diybydesign.
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Really BIG Changes in the Entry

Sorry I've been gone this week! I have been working hard the last several days. And it's resulted in lots of changes in our entry.

Do you remember that I mentioned I found a great French dresser a couple of weeks ago for $100? My sweet sons carried it all the way down to the basement while I decided where I was going to put it. How much easier it would have been to leave it in our front entry because that's where I decided I wanted it to go!  lol  Poor guys!  It's very heavy.

It started out looking like this!
Now it looks like this! I also recovered this chair in my faux silk plaid that I used in the living room.

And put the same plaid on my antique settee that sits on the other end of the entry!  I haven't finished the trim yet on these two pieces but will do that in the next couple of days.
For those of you that might not remember this is what our entry looked like the last time you saw it.  I love, love, love this table (and all the tables) that my husband has made but felt this side of the room was a lot more rustic than the other side.  Now it's not! This beautiful table has found a new home in our rustic basement.

I also painted the shutters in this room a medium brown.

This painting has been in our master bedroom.  I bought it at Kirkland's about 15 years ago when we lived in Virginia.  I'm happy that it's the first thing that you see when you enter our house.  I've always loved it. And it adds just the right amount of height and drama to this space.

I've found a beautiful pair of lamps that I'd like to get for the dresser.  They were on sale when I found them and while I was painting and reupholstering and thinking, they went back to full price. So I'll wait til they go on sale again to get them.
It's hard to show you both sides of the room but I like they way they're tied together with the fabric and style now.
I'm planning on covering the back of the settee in the toile that's in the living room to further tie things together.
I'll be back soon to share how I painted this dresser and how to reupholster an occasional chair like the one in this room.

Hope you're having a wonderful day!

love and blessings~
"And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." Revelation 21:5

I'm joining these great parties:
commonground
impartinggrace
addisonmeadowslane
seekinglavenderlane
frenchcountrycottage
RattlebridgeFarm
rootedinthyme
thecharmofhome
akadesign
craftberrybush
oursouthernhomesc
dwellings-theheartofyourhome
coastalcharm
astrollthrulife
.stonegableblog
thriftydecorchick
.savvysouthernstyle
diybydesign.
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

From "Farmhouse" to "French Country" Part Three

For those of you that have been following my blog, we are two steps closer to finishing our kitchen.

We got our new stainless gas range and we are loving it!
I ordered it online from Lowe's and really had to pay attention to details and people's reviews.  I chose this one because the sides have a lip that comes over the edge of the cabinet so things can't fall between the stove and the cabinet.

This one also has a 'dip' in the back that allows the gas line and electrical to fit in there.  Then the stove fits right up against the wall.

I was mentally ready to send it back and try again but my first choice worked perfectly!
I put my sweet cow back above the stove (he had been living with my other cows in the basement) and also added a print of cows to the wall.  My cows were in this area last year and became a real topic of conversation with my family so I thought they didn't like them.  They were all happy when I brought them back - lol!
We also got a new faucet.  Our old one was silver and I wanted one that matched the oiled bronze hardware and the other sink.
We've decided not to get a new sink right now.  We don't want to replace our counter tops and it would be pretty hard to replace the sink and have it fit perfectly.  Our current sink is in perfect condition and it's a nice sink. I would love to have a farm house sink and if we ever replace our counter tops, we'll get one then.
We finally got our schedule to match the "tile guy's" and my husband surprised me by asking him to give us an estimate on our kitchen floor as well as the master bathroom!  I've always thought our kitchen floor was weird/neat?  I like the wood inlay but wish it went both directions making a diamond pattern instead of just the one way.  We'll probably take a trip to the tile store this weekend and pick out tile for the master bathroom and the kitchen!  Yay!
We still need to put up our new back splash.  I've picked out 4" travertine tile that we're going to set on an angle.  It's such a small space and since it's completely open to the rest of the house, I'm going to keep it very simple.  If we get a new floor, I will so a similar tile also set on an angle.
From Farm house to French Country Part One
From Farm House to French Country Part Two
I'll include more pictures of the kitchen soon when I do a Fall Tour.

Have a wonderful day!

love and blessings~

"Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, (Jesus) took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds," Matthew 14:19

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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

From "Farmhouse" to "French Country" Part Three

For those of you that have been following my blog, we are two steps closer to finishing our kitchen.

We got our new stainless gas range and we are loving it!
I ordered it online from Lowe's and really had to pay attention to details and people's reviews.  I chose this one because the sides have a lip that comes over the edge of the cabinet so things can't fall between the stove and the cabinet.

This one also has a 'dip' in the back that allows the gas line and electrical to fit in there.  Then the stove fits right up against the wall.

I was mentally ready to send it back and try again but my first choice worked perfectly!
I put my sweet cow back above the stove (he had been living with my other cows in the basement) and also added a print of cows to the wall.  My cows were in this area last year and became a real topic of conversation with my family so I thought they didn't like them.  They were all happy when I brought them back - lol!
We also got a new faucet.  Our old one was silver and I wanted one that matched the oiled bronze hardware and the other sink.
We've decided not to get a new sink right now.  We don't want to replace our counter tops and it would be pretty hard to replace the sink and have it fit perfectly.  Our current sink is in perfect condition and it's a nice sink. I would love to have a farm house sink and if we ever replace our counter tops, we'll get one then.
We finally got our schedule to match the "tile guy's" and my husband surprised me by asking him to give us an estimate on our kitchen floor as well as the master bathroom!  I've always thought our kitchen floor was weird/neat?  I like the wood inlay but wish it went both directions making a diamond pattern instead of just the one way.  We'll probably take a trip to the tile store this weekend and pick out tile for the master bathroom and the kitchen!  Yay!
We still need to put up our new back splash.  I've picked out 4" travertine tile that we're going to set on an angle.  It's such a small space and since it's completely open to the rest of the house, I'm going to keep it very simple.  If we get a new floor, I will so a similar tile also set on an angle.
From Farm house to French Country Part One
From Farm House to French Country Part Two
I'll include more pictures of the kitchen soon when I do a Fall Tour.

Have a wonderful day!

love and blessings~

"Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, (Jesus) took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds," Matthew 14:19

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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Love and Chicken Wire

Remember when I found this wonderful china cabinet for a mere $100 and then painted it?  I wanted to put chicken wire in the doors and my husband preferred the glass.

Well, I just dropped it but did not put the glass doors back in.  I don't know if you've noticed, but there's been nothing in the doors.

This morning I asked him if we had any chicken wire.  He said we didn't.  I asked how much chicken wire cost.  He looked on his phone and told me $10 for more than I would ever need.  We both looked at the china cabinet.

He didn't have any classes to teach today so in a while he got dressed and left...a little later than usual.  I was puttering around the kitchen when he came walking back in with a new roll of chicken wire.  lol

He said, "Is this what you want?"  I laughed and said, "Yes!"  And he went off to work!

I added the chicken wire to my cabinet with a staple gun.

I love it!  I love him.
Happy Thursday!

love and blessings~
"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:30

I'm joining these linky parties:
andersonandgrant
frenchcountrycottage
.lifeonlakeshoredrive
oursouthernhomesc
dwellings-theheartofyourhome
betweennapsontheporch
karensuponthehill
StoneGable
astrollthrulife
homeremediesrx
diybydesign
dixiedelights
frenchcountrycottage
thecuratorscollection

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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Love and Chicken Wire

Remember when I found this wonderful china cabinet for a mere $100 and then painted it?  I wanted to put chicken wire in the doors and my husband preferred the glass.

Well, I just dropped it but did not put the glass doors back in.  I don't know if you've noticed, but there's been nothing in the doors.

This morning I asked him if we had any chicken wire.  He said we didn't.  I asked how much chicken wire cost.  He looked on his phone and told me $10 for more than I would ever need.  We both looked at the china cabinet.

He didn't have any classes to teach today so in a while he got dressed and left...a little later than usual.  I was puttering around the kitchen when he came walking back in with a new roll of chicken wire.  lol

He said, "Is this what you want?"  I laughed and said, "Yes!"  And he went off to work!

I added the chicken wire to my cabinet with a staple gun.

I love it!  I love him.
Happy Thursday!

love and blessings~
"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:30

I'm joining these linky parties:
andersonandgrant
frenchcountrycottage
.lifeonlakeshoredrive
oursouthernhomesc
dwellings-theheartofyourhome
betweennapsontheporch
karensuponthehill
StoneGable
astrollthrulife
homeremediesrx
diybydesign
dixiedelights
frenchcountrycottage
thecuratorscollection

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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

End of Summer Welcome

It's too early for pumpkins and the leaves are still green on the trees but you can definitely feel Fall in the air here in Michigan.  Our town's population has increased by about 10,000 this weekend as college classes start today.  So Big Rapids is hopping!

I'm hosting a Bible study in my home this Fall and Winter so it's so much fun to decorate knowing that others will enjoy it weekly.  "Others" being women - that is!  Not 6'4" basketball players that don't notice anything except how many cows I have in my kitchen! lol

I was at the market this week and spotted a bucket full of sunflowers.  And what says 'end of Summer' and French Country more than sunflowers, dried Lavender and ripe apples?

There's fresh wood in the basket next to the fireplace. (Our fireplace actually has a gas log that puts out wonderful heat, but one day my daughter said, "Every time I see that basket of wood, I keep thinking the fire is real!"  So that's enough reason for me to keep it there!)


And the throws in the basket next to the couch are freshly washed.  I love when guests pile onto our couch Indian-style,  wrapped in a throw, and we share our lives with each other.





There's a new 'Welcome Sign' and some beautiful multi-colored mums at our front door to greet our guests as they arrive.

Please don't notice that one of my mums is all broken.  It was the victim of a basketball. lol  (I'm going to pretend like I didn't notice. I'll miss him so much when he moves out!)

I made the Welcome sign and will share with you how I did it later this week.  When the leaves turn and the pumpkins are ripe, I'll add them to the mix.

And I love when the first thing my guests say when they enter my house is how good it smells! I always have a scented candle, or two, burning. I match them to the seasons and this time of year it smells like spiced apples, spiced oranges or caramel.  And I don't even have to bake!  ;)

On another topic, one of my other son's friends told me recently how much he liked the rug at the front door!  lol  He said it felt so good on his feet.  You would have been so proud of me!  I just smiled and said, 'Thank you!' and didn't tell him how mad I was at it.  My Dirt Rug

Our Bible study group is going to be reading and discussing two books that I have gained so much from - "There Were Two Trees in the Garden" by Rick Joyner and  "What the Bible Says About Child Training" by Richard Fugate (links to Amazon)  God willing, I'm going to post our topics on my other blog Summits of Rubies.  And I'd love to have you follow along and share if you'd like!

Have a great day!

love and blessings~


 "I will tell of Your name to my brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You."
 Psalms 22:22









Standard
Home & Garden, Tips & How To

End of Summer Welcome

It's too early for pumpkins and the leaves are still green on the trees but you can definitely feel Fall in the air here in Michigan.  Our town's population has increased by about 10,000 this weekend as college classes start today.  So Big Rapids is hopping!

I'm hosting a Bible study in my home this Fall and Winter so it's so much fun to decorate knowing that others will enjoy it weekly.  "Others" being women - that is!  Not 6'4" basketball players that don't notice anything except how many cows I have in my kitchen! lol

I was at the market this week and spotted a bucket full of sunflowers.  And what says 'end of Summer' and French Country more than sunflowers, dried Lavender and ripe apples?

There's fresh wood in the basket next to the fireplace. (Our fireplace actually has a gas log that puts out wonderful heat, but one day my daughter said, "Every time I see that basket of wood, I keep thinking the fire is real!"  So that's enough reason for me to keep it there!)


And the throws in the basket next to the couch are freshly washed.  I love when guests pile onto our couch Indian-style,  wrapped in a throw, and we share our lives with each other.





There's a new 'Welcome Sign' and some beautiful multi-colored mums at our front door to greet our guests as they arrive.

Please don't notice that one of my mums is all broken.  It was the victim of a basketball. lol  (I'm going to pretend like I didn't notice. I'll miss him so much when he moves out!)

I made the Welcome sign and will share with you how I did it later this week.  When the leaves turn and the pumpkins are ripe, I'll add them to the mix.

And I love when the first thing my guests say when they enter my house is how good it smells! I always have a scented candle, or two, burning. I match them to the seasons and this time of year it smells like spiced apples, spiced oranges or caramel.  And I don't even have to bake!  ;)

On another topic, one of my other son's friends told me recently how much he liked the rug at the front door!  lol  He said it felt so good on his feet.  You would have been so proud of me!  I just smiled and said, 'Thank you!' and didn't tell him how mad I was at it.  My Dirt Rug

Our Bible study group is going to be reading and discussing two books that I have gained so much from - "There Were Two Trees in the Garden" by Rick Joyner and  "What the Bible Says About Child Training" by Richard Fugate (links to Amazon)  God willing, I'm going to post our topics on my other blog Summits of Rubies.  And I'd love to have you follow along and share if you'd like!

Have a great day!

love and blessings~


 "I will tell of Your name to my brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You."
 Psalms 22:22









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