Decorating

I’ve said it before, but I have a strict policy in my house. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TURN ON OVERHEAD LIGHTS. My children faithfully abide by the rules ’cause if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy’. Nothing puts me in a worse mood than someone turning on my Walmart-style flourescent light in the kitchen. So I was so happy to find out that the Nester was gonna host a party to celebrate lamps. I believe I currently have over 40 lamps or bookshelf lights in operation in my house. Lighting is everything. Next to lip gloss, lamps may be my most cherished earthly possession.

This is by far my favorite lighting project.   Once I removed the doors from my kitchen cabinets and painted them white, they needed to be shown off.  So I bought these bookshelf lights for $4.95 each at IKEA.   They are all plugged into extension cords which run behind the cabinets to plug in under the counters.  I know..I know…a little jerry-rigged ( or is it jury-rigged), but noone sees it.   And they look fabulous!

And this is my favorite lamp!  I added the starfish to him to  cultivate a little whimsy in what could have been a snobbish little  lamp.  He’s like a college professor.  Of  botany.

Then there’s the tall svelt mantel lamp.  She’s all form and very little function.   But we love her, just the same. 

……and my 2nd favorite lamp, the picture wall lamp.   She’s very matronly and can nearly light this whole room herself.  Sorry, but my lamps are definitely gendered.   I haven’t named them though.

And who couldn’t love these patriotic twins.   They work tirelessly day and night and are the only lamps that you can see from the road.   I love them.

And last but not least, the IKEA lights in my homeschool room.   

That was certainly a Lampalooza of a  good time for me.   Click here for more lamp fun!  Thank you to my friend the Nester for hosting.  I’m contemplating a ‘Painted Patio Furniture’ party in a week or two, so let me know if you’ve got old stuff you can rescue!   It doesn’t take much creativity to buy new furniture and it’s much more rewarding to rehab stuff you already have!

You can see my inspiration picture here.   What I really wanted to do was hang ‘faux’ board and batten and paint the walls.  But when Stevie said to me “Step away from the paint brush,” I figured I should listen.  At least for now.  So to jazz up, or ‘cottage’ up my living room, I embarked on a picture wall adventure.   I did not buy any new frames for this project.  I shopped the house and found a wealth of treasure in a box that I brought home from my medical practice two years ago.  There was no shortage of frames and certainly no shortage of pictures in this house.  Now, they’re all in one place.
I’d also like to find a fig tree or something similar to decorate the book stacks , but for now magnolia branches work perfect.

Maybe I should remind you of the ‘before’ picture.  Obviously taken at Christmastime.

I wanted something ‘black’ on the wall, so I wrote my favorite passage of Eight Cousins on a little chalkboard and hung it as the anchor.

And since we’re running out of bookshelves, these stacks of books are the perfect solution.

Do you have a wall of fame?

Today, I’m giving you a sneak peek into my ‘Cottage Kitchen Makeover’. And I’m planning on hosting a Mr. Linky party of my own Monday when I make my big reveal. I hope you’ll join me…this is my first attempt to host…and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that maybe a few a you will show off your ‘Painted Wood Projects’ then. If you’ve painted any wood surface (cabinets, floors, picture frames, ANYTHING—-or if you’ve been wanting to paint some wood surface in your house but haven’t gotten around to it, link up and show us your plans.  Spread the word on your blog and let’s get everybody painting this weekend.  Of course we’d love to see stuff you painted months or years ago too.  That’s this Monday April 26th.

Now for Mrs. Nester’s Linky party, I have a confession to make. I have no L.Herbert Feathers and Eggs prints….. at least not yet. I’m always late for the show. Two seconds too late. Johnny come lately.   Like those ten years  I kept wearing blue eye shadow when everyone else had moved on to the natural look.  I do have a couple spots where they’d be perfect though.

First, in my guest bathroom that has also recently had a makeover, I’d love to exchange my faux eggs print (that I printed off the internet from this site) for 3 or 4 authentic ones.

It’s pretty cute but I need something bigger there.

Or maybe in place of this bird print that’s hanging on my newly painted kitchen cabinets.

Or maybe here….in lieu of plates.   I love the plates but I never know when to stop with an idea.  We have nothing to eat dinner on because all my plates are hanging on the wall.

And now for more teasers……these cabinets were very standard oak finish with the doors ON.

So my painter and I have been very busy this week.  

And because my kitchen is 10 years old and not built by me, the lighting has always been an issue for me.  Hence, the 17 lamps I used to have in the kitchen.   But I bought these little bookshelf lights from IKEA and voila……custom lighting.

Make sure you come back on Monday for the rest of the reveal.   

And link up with me for the love of painted wood!

Thank you my friend Mrs. Nester for hosting and for so graciously sharing all of your wonderful ‘nesting’ ideas!

First, let me start this little spring-y goodness with an introduction.  Meet my new pool guy. He is a her.  Her name is Emme, she’s eight years old and she is excited about her new job.  Come July…..she will likely have quit or been fired.    But for today,  she vacuums like a champ.

And now through the delirium of the vast amounts of paint fumes I’ve inhaled, I give you ‘spray-painted spring’.   Almost everything you see in the following pictures has been spray painted white.  The check out lady at Lowe’s very surely suspects fowl play and may not be party to my antics if I try to purchase another can.   But spring has sprung at my house.   Come on in…..

Eggs, birds, and  nests…..

Succulents, moss, and starfish…….

A once-hideous ceramic bird that begged me to take him home from Goodwill and paint him white.  I said yes.  He loves me.  I consider myself a sort of wildlife rescue organization.  If you hear of any other birds in need of help, let me know.

A very distressed garden bench moves inside

Beautiful silk fabric lightens up the room…..and God Himself decorates most wonderfully on the weeping cherry tree….

And this luscious rye  grass…..was planted about 10 days ago.  You must do this.  It will restore your faith in your ability to grow things.  Or at least your ability to plant things and watch them grow.

More succulents  in white urns……