Hung a few pictures

I couldn't stand all the blank walls any longer so I hung a few pictures. So what if I only hung them in the bathrooms! At least I have something hanging somewhere!

These pieces were all hanging in the master bath in our other house (along with a few others) I'm still debating where and if I want to hang any more in here. Trust me, I have plenty of things to hang on the walls so it is more likely I'll run out of wall space before I run out of things to hang! (11 years working in a custom frame shop - I wonder if I actually made any money or if I spent more than I made?)

So, I have a question - how do you feel about windows in the bathroom? I'm a window person so I like lots of windows, but I have a problem with uncovered windows in the bathroom. This is the only window in the house that didn't have (faux) wood blinds. Yes, it is a frosted window but it still bothered me with nothing over it. Right outside the window is the fence that divides the neighbors yard from ours. The house next door is only one story so there is no way they could see in even if the window wasn't frosted unless they were hanging on the fence looking over. Since it bothers me and I have no idea what I want to do there, I just stuck a tension rod up and used some clips to hang a vintage sheet. I kinda like it and all it cost me was the few bucks for the tension rod. Makes me feel better anyway!

I have another question. I'm thinking of starting another blog. The little fella on one shoulder says I don't update this one often enough to warrant two but on the other hand, there just hasn't been much stitching going on around here lately so I was thinking, new house, new blog. I would keep this one and if I ever get around to actually having a stitching update of course it would get posted here. I would imagine the majority of my posts will continue to be about the house or just life in general at least for the near future and should someone stumble upon this blog expecting to see stitching they would be greatly disappointed. Would the few of you that do visit here visit another blog? Just a thought I'm throwing around in my head so I thought I would throw the question out and see what happens.

Putting a little light on the subject

So, when we moved in, every light fixture in the house was what the builder had installed. The only thing that had been changed was the dining room which was pulled up with a 's' hook.

I removed the 's' hook and while it wouldn't be what I would have picked if I were shopping, this one wasn't awful so I just added some shades.

Better.

Going up the stairs we had this lovely

which we replaced with this one.

Original fixture in the master bedroom

Replaced with a ceiling fan. Yes, I know designers hate ceiling fans but this is Texas and ceiling fans are a necessity!

This lovely fixture was a favorite of the builder. It was in the game room as well as all the upstairs bedrooms, the master bath and several other places where we haven't managed to replace yet. Anywho - for the upstairs bedrooms we used the same fan in all the rooms

Simple, but much better that what was there

We put this one in the game room

And last, but not least - in the master bath

We put up this. My favorite. Still have to replace the light bar over the mirror, but we will get to that eventually.

I emptied a lot of boxes yesterday. Now I have stacks of stuff everywhere, but I'm getting a better grip on what I still have to put away. Well, at least until we start bringing in boxes from the garage. (some of this stuff has been boxed and in storage since Feb. - I don't even know what all I have anymore!) I think we still have a dozen or so boxes at the apartment that need to be brought over here. We will probably get those this weekend and finish cleaning the apartment so we can be ready to turn in the keys on the 8th.

Back to working on piles. I think I am going to hang some pictures. I know they probably won't be where they will stay, but I figure if I am going to paint anyway it won't be anything to fill a few holes to move them and I really need some stuff on the walls!

Think Pink!

I like to stop by and visit my friends first thing in the morning - goes well with my coffee, but my new office/sewing room is upstairs so that means walking up stairs (carpeted) with a cup of coffee. I'm not exactly graceful when I'm wide awake so that probably isn't the best idea (not that I wouldn't love an excuse to remove the carpet, but that needs to wait a bit) so I ordered myself a new friend.

Meet Lola.

all charged up and ready to take me on my morning visits. Now, I usually don't post early in the morning - it takes me a bit to wake up (ask my family!) but I like to take a look-see around and Lola is perfect! (although some pages I have to save to read later on the desktop where I can actually SEE the words! LOL)

Thanks for the comments and emails about my conservatory. Here is the deal. Yes, this neighborhood has deed restrictions which include approval before adding any 'structure' to the property. I knew that before we wrote a contract on the house and I don't have a problem with that, however, I don't consider my conservatory a 'structure'. It isn't permanent - or even semi-permanent. It is basically a table with a wood and glass dome sitting on top. Okay - it is a rather large dome, but still. . . I consider it more of a piece of furniture. And another 'beef' if you will, we had barely been in the house 2 weeks when they did their 'drive-by' and spotted my 'large wood and glass structure'. Give me a break - could you at least let me unpack my underwear before you start sending out 'we really don't want your kind in our neighborhood' letters. Geesh. Really makes a person feel welcome. In all the time I've had my little gem only one person has had anything negative to say about it and that was my dad. (he just doesn't get it)

Hubby has said he will go by the HOA office and get the form to submit but I want a description of what they consider a 'structure'. I still say it isn't any more a structure than the tables, chairs or benches on other porches. It is one of my most favorite things so most likely I will just bring her inside and park her in the corner of my bedroom where she won't offend anyone and I can admire her all I want. The only approval I need for that is hubby - and if I could figure out how to move her by myself I wouldn't need that! (she is a bit awkward to move)

Guess I should get back to unpacking boxes - I think they reproduce at night when I am asleep!

22 days

That is how long it took for me to 'break the rules' - although technically I suppose I broke them on day one when the movers unloaded this 'large frame and glass structure' (and that is a quote) without prior approval, I just didn't get the letter until today.

Yes, she needs spiffed up a bit - I've been trying to get to that but somehow I thought getting my underwear unpacked might need to take priority. I guess tomorrow I will try to get the glass more secure (most of the glazing has fallen out due to age so the panes are loose) so I can move her out of sight - although from the street you can barely even see the top because of the huge ugly palm thing that is in the flower bed right in front of her. (which I suppose I have to have approval to remove)
It took a long time to find a house I halfway liked - I hope I haven't made a huge mistake. I mean, if they don't like my little porch house, they aren't going to like me, are they?

What do you see?

What do you see from your blogging spot?

Thought I would show you my new office/sewing room. It is at least 3 times the size of my last one! (which ain't saying much) Since we have 4 bedrooms in this house (and we are officially empty nesters now) I get my own room. I showed you the two guest rooms last week. I carefully cropped those pictures - I'm not cropping anything here!

My computer cabinet is in a corner so directly on my right is a blank wall (who knows when I will ever get any pictures up on the walls - I supposed I have to actually unpack them first) The wall is beige - just like every other wall in the house. This is the current view if I look to my left.


This is where Big Bertha (my sewing machine) will make her home when her table gets here - hopefully this weekend. (still at the apartment) I will have the two windows for light and the view of the trees across the street. The trees are part of a 'reserve' and will not be cut down to build more houses. (yeah!)

Keep turning to the left and this is what I see


The bookcase is on the other end of the 'Bertha' wall. Bertha made it over yesterday - there she is in her travel case (brown with pink trim) Poor thing has been in that case since we went to Minnesota the first week of August. (I left her for a check up while we were gone and she hasn't been let out to play since)

Turn a little more (don't you just love a chair that turns with you?)


with my back to the computer and this is what I see. Under that pile 'o crap is my file cabinet - my empty file cabinet. It needed to be empty to move it. The goal is to clean out and shred as I put everything back in. We will see how that works out! I want to put a comfy chair on the wall between the door and bookcase. In addition to Bertha's table, there is another bookcase that will go in here when we get it moved over from the apartment. I can't really do a lot of organizing in here until I have the other bookcase so I can unload boxes.

Now, here's a question for ya. I need to decide what color I want to paint in here. Even if I decide to stick with a 'neutral' color (doubtful) the builder beige has to go. I can't do anything about the beige carpet at the moment so it has to stay. I also need to add something to the windows. (you can't see the top in the picture, but there are no treatments anywhere in the house - they all have the blinds, but that is it) I'll leave the blinds but I need some 'foof'. Will this be the first room to see paint? Who knows. I keep telling myself I need to get all the boxes empty before I start painting but can I do it?

See how dark and gloomy it was in that first picture? We woke to rain this morning - I thought it was going to last most of the day but the sun just broke through - hope it lasts!

Have a great weekend!!!

A fun break!

Had a great little break from unpacking while the girlfriends were here. We went to the quilt show on Friday. There seemed to be a lot of pink shirts this year but we still managed to keep up with each other - and when we got seperated someone always pointed to which way the others went!
We all managed to get in a bit of stashing - here is part of my haul.

There are a few things that didn't make the picture. (I'm too lazy to go downstairs and get the rest of it!) Don't you love the flowerpot pincushion? The box is a kit to make a cupcake pincushion. I also got the fabric kits for the two bag patterns but that didn't make the picture either. The finished models were so much cuter than the pictures on the patterns.

Well - I suppose I better get back to unpacking!

Have a great week!

Company is a comin'

I'm still unpacking - but the girlfriends are coming this afternoon so I made sure they had beds with (clean!) sheets for sleeping.

As you can see, the walls are still builder beige - and they will probably be that way until at least spring. I still haven't opened the first box of pictures/wall art so there isn't a thing hanging on the walls. (I've also carefully cropped photos to not show unpacked boxes stacked around!) I'll get there - slowly but surely)

I still have a lot to do before they get here this afternoon, but then I am taking a break to visit this evening and go to the quilt festival tomorrow. I'll get back to work after they leave on Saturday.

Thanks for the unpacking tips. I know I owe some emails - I won't forget, just can't say how long it will take to get there.

I did take the time to stop by Rue's to see her finished kitchen. If you haven't been by, be sure to take a look! Sure makes me want to break out the paint - but I must wait.

Have a great weekend!

Moving day

If a picture paints a thousand words . . . then these pictures should tell it all.


Friday morning


don't you love the 'red carpet'?

eventually this will be the dining room

so many boxes you can't even see the stove

overflow - and we still have to finish getting everything from the apartment.

Now I have a question - all of you people who move on a 'regular' basis (remember I have only moved once in 30 years and that was 24 years ago - I'm pretty much a rookie) How do you decide where to put everything? Nothing is arranged like it was at the old house so nothing really makes sense!

Back in a few days - but don't expect me to be showing pictures of everything neatly tucked away! LOL