Bedroom Furniture Shopping

It's still raining. Day two of my four day weekend and I have yet to see the sun. DH dragged me out of the house to look for bedroom furniture. We hit a few stores, found a huge Armoire by Tommy Bahama, but the bed frame had been discontinued. Figures. I was ready to call it a day, but DH wanted to venture into Ethan Allen, (the last time we did we both found a bedroom set but the $$$ was just crazy). So venture we did and found the same set as last year, but this time the price was lower, much lower than last year.

After sitting on the furniture for a few minutes we made the decision. Well, almost, we decided on the Tango Louver Bed and the Tango Louver Door ArmoireWe were however, not able to decide on the night stands and whether we could fit the chest of drawers in the room. The rep said that there are many pieces in the Tango set so anyone of those could be used for night stand. Here are just a few examples...




Tango Chairside Table







Tango Cottage End Table







Tango Night Stand







Tango Tray Chest




Because the bed frame and armoire have a louver styling, I am thinking about putting in Plantation Shutters as a window treatment and then Bamboo Pergo flooring. I am going for a Caribbean style, but I don't know if the furniture looks too colonial...

Windows Have Arrived

It's still raining, but the highlight of the day was hearing the delivery truck pull up along the house. You know you're an adult when you get excited about window(s) and a french door delivery. Since it was pouring, DH moved the cars out of the way so that the driver could back up into the driveway up to the garage.

So here they are, another item that has been on the House List, new windows and door by Jeld Wen with the Tempered High Impact Performance Glass. The old girl has crank style windows that on a still day if you stand outside you can feel the cool air leaking from inside the house or have a conversation with DH through the windows without having to open them. We chose the impact glass since we don't have Hurricane Shutters (another item that's on list, especially during a hurricane warning and we are boarding up the windows). Hopefully we will try to get one up per weekend and they don't sit in the garage for years.

When Mother Nature Lends a Helping Hand

I was originally going to call this post, "New Bedroom Accessory" but settled on the Mother Nature title as I felt it was more fitting, but I digress...

As anyone who has ever purchased an older home understands, the projects and home improvements never stop. When we purchased our home eleven years ago, the house which had been built in the 60s (while not very old) had 40+ years on her and she needed some work. I had a long list which grew with time, emergencies moved some things up on the list, other expenses moved things down the list. Obviously based on my previous post regarding my kitchen, the kitchen was top on the list but not the first thing completed. The bathrooms were close to the top as they had rusted sinks, rotting cabinets and I won't talk about the bathtub or the shower stall. The guest bathroom had sky blue colored fixtures and those babies were pulled and updated with new fixtures and fresh paint a few years ago. One by one each room has been redecorated and now that time has passed, the living room is in need of an overhaul and the two offices need repainting, but those will have to wait. The one room that has been on list and for eleven years and has seen zero improvement is the master bedroom and bath. I have to laugh at the word master, as the room really only holds a bed, TV and dresser, no room for anything else. The bathroom is, I don't know how to describe except that the sink area opens to bedroom and then off to the side is a tiny (very tiny) room that barely holds the toilet and shower stall.

A few years ago when the roof leaked and water poured into our bedroom, it damaged the knockdown that the previous owner had used to cover up previous leaks on the ceiling. There is also a hairline crack that has been snaking across the ceiling with each passing year. So for years (6 or 7?), I have been looking at the damaged ceiling, with a dark brown spot of about 3' x 4' in size over the doorway and asking DH when we were going to redo the bedroom. "Soon honey." A few years ago when I was repainting the hall way, I painted, (satin paint on flat paint) over the spot so now it looks like a shiny dirty beige spot...I digress. The roof was finally replaced about 4-5 years ago, but late last year I came home during a rainy afternoon and noticed a new wet spot on the ceiling over the bed. DH went up on the roof to find the leak and patch it, but was not able locate the leak, so I have been living with two ugly beige spots on my white ceiling. Last October when we amassed the funds to redo the bedroom, DH said we would remodel the bedroom in the winter, when it was cooler. We even looked at bedroom furniture but were not successful in finding a new set. With time, new items were added to the remodel concept such as new windows, french doors inside to separate the bath area, and tearing out the ceiling to add extra insulation and find and repair the leak. Well, Winter turned to Spring and still no remodel.

So, last weekend all the weather forecast predicted that the upcoming week would be the start of the rainy season...hence Summer in Florida, but with a twist, that we were going to experience some type of tropical system for the remainder of the week. As predicted the rain started last Monday and has remained over South Florida, causing flooding, tropical storm winds, strong rains accompanied by lighting and thunder. On Tuesday night I was already in bed when I heard the drip, in the beginning I thought that it was the water dripping in the space between the roof and the ceiling, but after a few minutes it dawned on me that the sound was no longer muffled and when I turned on the light, water was dripping from the ceiling onto DH's side of the bed, over the duvet, pillow and sheets. When I told my sister the story the next day, she asked me why I had not just moved the bed...but, one can not just move a water bed. Oh yes, it's 2009 and who still has a water bed you ask? As DH stood there watching the water collect in the container on his side of the bed, (did I mention that the leak is right over his head on his side of the bed?), he did not comment on my remark that I guessed we would be remodeling soon. And Mother Nature has not let up with her continuous heavy downpours for days, therefore when I make the bed in the morning, instead of pillows along his side of the bed, I place a beach towel and container on the bed.

Well I am going to sign off now, I am sitting outside on the patio getting some fresh air even though it's cloudy, but another round of rain is coming as I hear the thunder in the distance. I guess I'll go browse for bedroom ideas on the HGTV website.

Naked Window

I have a decorating dilemma. Through my own indecisiveness, I have not be able to figure out what to do with my kitchen window since the kitchen was remodeled a few years ago. Yes, years ago. I think that part of it was that for years I stared at an old window in my ugly kitchen and my main focus was to just gut the kitchen and start over.

When we first brought the house back in 1998, the previous owner had curtains hanging in the window. I don't know if you can see the window below, but this photo was taken around the time we went into contract to purchase the house.

These next two photos were taken the day of the closing one is inside (yes that is a blue and brown combo that you are seeing) and the other is from the patio. The window had a little counter which I guess you could use when you sat outside, but the owner had this monster (sits 8?) hot tub that was in the way. I think this is the best photo I have of the curtains.
I think I left the same curtains up for next couple years, when one day I tore them down. I believe at that point my frustration with the kitchen was getting close to eruption. The window remained curtain-less until July 2006 when this photo was taken, this was the day, DH and my father-in-law (FIL) started the demolition.
A few days later, the new window was installed, it was shorter than the original, from the outside you can see that the little counter is gone. And here it is from the inside, snug in his new frame. (In case you are curious, I had grown claustrophobic with the old galley style, and since we were extending the kitchen out in the "family area" I wanted zero cabinets on the one side. When the old cabinets were torn out, the wall was in such bad condition, DH and FIL decided to tear the wall out as well.)
New wall in and they framed the window with a shelf.

This photo was after we painted and the new cabinets were going in and before the counter tops were installed. Yes it is very Orange, but as I told DH and FIL...have faith







So here he is... years later...still naked.

At first I thought about adding glass shelves inside the frame and growing herbs, then a valance, then curtains and now shades. Recently, I saw a post about taking a regular roman shade and adding some spice to it by covering it with your own fabric.

If I were to do this, would a roman shade be too heavy (or bulky). And what color fabric? Aside from the orange walls, my counter has black, beige white and rust; my cabinets are light maple, the tile is a neutral beige. I do have a slight Mexican theme going on (see the vase by the window and an empty bottle of Don Viejo). I also have a few porcelain suns with a few more to add onto the walls.

At this point I am really looking for some suggestions...

New Item in Shop

It's been a busy week at work. Between preparing for a presentation and meetings, I have had no time for DH, myself, the puppy or anything else. I did post a new item in my shop Purple Dot Mix. I mixed white, black, periwinkle, and violet Moretti (Effetre) glass. The beads are formed with a paddle at odd angles for an irregular round shape. The set contains 5 irregular rounds beads tat range from 25 to 35mm in size for only $15.00.

Happy Mother's Day

What is Up with my Studio?

Is it just me? Please tell me that your studio is in the same state as mine.

About a 1 1/2 years ago, I kept rearranging my studio, trying to maximize space and storage. I ending up going to IKEA and purchasing a large sturdy dining room table, which once you add the leaf can sit 10. I also purchased a great corner desk unit for my computer and TV from Office Depot. For a few weeks (probably two) I was able to maintain it and then without warning it always ends up looking like this...

When DH and I first put the table together, we thought it was too large and even contemplated taking the leaf out, but I thought I would have more room to set up little work stations for my clay, wire-wrapping, hammering and filing and sewing. (My two torches (not shown) for lamp working and soldering are outside on the patio, because DH says, "No fire in the house!" Therefore this means that my mess continues outside as well.)

I have two chairs with wheels so that I could move from station to the next along each side of the table. The one chair could move along the side of the table and then could be rolled over to my corner desk. The other chair would stay on the other side to work along that side as well as turn to face the tiny workbench that in placed inside the closet. Oh I thought I was so clever. But now look at my work table up close.

My sewing is starting to take over. I think you can see some beads and design trays underneath the pattern instructions. And why do I have so many bags from JoAnn's Fabrics?



On the other side of the table, my puppy has taken over. I threw down an old rug because I was worried that her bones would ache from laying on the cold floor. So much for rolling my desk chair down to that corner. Look I even use the top of my garbage can for space.


My desk is so cluttered with stuff that I have no space to write on!




As I was prepping the photos for this post and feeling a bit dismayed, I saw my little yellow magnetic in the photo that long ago I had place above the rubble to make me laugh...

Post #100 - Tutorials

Today's post marks Post #100.

As the anticipated post 100 began to get closer, I decided that I wanted to start making some changes (again) to my blog. Recently, I added a navigation bar to link to my Etsy Shop, my Email and eventually to other pages I have yet to think of...

I have enjoyed blogging for the past 2+ years and I have also enjoyed reading and following other blogs as well. There are so many folks out there that are willing to share their knowledge and talents with a simpleton like me. I have been very grateful whenever their tips and tricks have helped with so many of my crafty adventures. So to celebrate the big #1-0-0, I thought I would promote those blogs by adding a Tutorial Link and share their free tutorials and tips that I have collected over the years.

The collection consists of tutorial to make this and that and while the list may be short today, I do plan to add a few each day.

Enjoy.

Fat Quarter Handbag by Jennifer Ladd






Buttercup Bag by Made by Rae.

Cute Leafy Spring Bag, just in time for Spring, tutorial found on the Craftster's forum.

Summer is almost here so it's a great time for the Wet Bag tutorial from Little Birdie Secrets.


The Hobo Bag by JCarolineCreative. I actually used this pattern to create my own Hobo Bag, which you read about in my previous posts: Hobo Bag Part 1 and Hobo Bag Part 2


The Reversible Shoulder Bag from Lula Louise's Craft and Design Blog.










Wasp Bag from Machen Machen's Blog about "making and doing."






DIY Headband Collection found on Altered Cloth.


How to Make Frayed Circles









Margaret Sling Bag from the oh frannson! Blog

How to Make Your Own Jump Rings. I have made my own jump rings for years, but this tutorial puts a new spin on it...Duh, why didn't I think of that?

Zipper Organizer from My Spare Time.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Busy Weekend

Started the weekend early, dropped by Joann's to pick up some smaller fine needles for my Lizzy Bag and then onto my hair appointment. I love getting my hair cut, but I digress. Got home a little after Noon and started working on an order, I sold the Orange-Dot Mix Lampwork beads, but lost one of the beads so spent the afternoon with the torch.

Went bowling with friends from Hockey. Let's just say that it wasn't pretty and leave it that...

Sunday morning started with some coffee and then it was onto some household chores, including weeding and mulching along the fence on the side of the house. Then spent the rest of the afternoon on the patio with DH and my puppy, sipping Mexican Beers while sewing orange seed beads to accent the leaves in fabric for the front of the Lizzy Bag. I love the way the the tiny beads seem to pop. (Hopefully they won't pop off the fabric.)

As the Sun was setting on my weekend, I did stop to notice that buds on my Desert Rose had started to bloom.