Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Via Apartment Therapy and Unknown.

Patience and Penny Pinching.

So I told you all we have moved into our little house down the way. Part of the reason is to be able to afford a house in the country and we have been looking in the Berkshires for over a year now. I am super excited. I know I am going to want to fix up up right away to the fullest, but the budget is sure not going to allow that. This is why I love An Urban Cottage's blog. The owner has been renovating this little greek revival in Cambridge MA which wasn't so greek or revival till he brought it back to life. It goes to show you that you can make some quick fixes initially in a bad kitchen that can really be transform the space. With a lot of vision and little money, look how gorgeous this space is! The exterior renovation was much more extensive, but what a showstopper.
This is the before (thanks to Vintique Object, another great blog )

And this is the after

Steve painted the tile (yes, you can!) and gave it a clean, white backdrop. He added stock cabinets which he painted out, added some little shelving, butcher block counters, and an antique island. Smart accessories add to a very functional, pleasing space.

Howdy!

I thought I would share this DIY I did in the New Year. I picked up this server quite awhile ago at our local Goodwill. I loved the lines of it with its tall, skinny point legs and great brass handles. Here it is with the first coat.

I grabbed a quart of Martha Stewart high gloss. Because the color is quite dark, I skipped priming. I know Eddie would not approve.

So here is the after!



The lamps are also from Sal Val and the shades just picked up from Tar-jay. I was so happy to find Bunny Williams "Point of View" on clearance at our local bookstore. So for under $150, I have a chic serving space in the dining room. Hope you like!

Let's Start Over

Let's go 2012. I'm dreaming of white, leapard sofas, roaring fires,burlap, oak,and the Berkshires. Wearing this



Here's to a wonderful year.


Images from Pink Wallpaper,MFAMB,dress and boots from Net-A-Porter.

I apologize ,old posts and jibberish letters are being sent to my readers. Trying to get to the bottom of it.

Round here

Merry Christmas to my beloved readers.

Help!!!

Dying for a copy of this magazine! I can't find it in Pennsylvania. Jill Brinson Sharp's Atlanta home (remember it from the cover of HB?) is decorated to its finest for the holidays with the help of Suzanna Kazler for Ballard Designs. Word is gorgeous blond is coming out with a new book! I love the chevron tablecloth, what a pop! To see more of this gorgeous house, head on over to Cote De Texas for a terrific post by Joni. Or here.

***** I love blogland and I love Cynthia Cowles from St.Simon's Island in Georgia for sending me a copy and for being a loyal reader. xx

Spirit

It snowed here last night in Scranton. It certainly put me in a holiday spirit. Here are a couple of images to inspire this chilly morning as well. Don't you love how Eddie Ross stacked his wood on his porch with a couple of friends to help?

Thank you so much for all the sweet emails that you are happy to see me posting. They really mean the world to me.

Images from Tartanscot,Country Living, Eddie Ross, Unknown

Thanksgiving

Profoundly absent, I know.


Life takes many twists and turns as we know. Mine twisted, I turned. I find myself now standing at a crossroads. As an individual unit, I am unusually quite happy in that position.


I'm never one to sweat change. But add two little people to your name and that is a game changer. We sold our renovation house. I loved taking that house from near disaster and bringing it back to life with you of course along for the ride. But it was time for a change.


We have a new focus. So we did what we do best. Fix again. We moved into our little house and added some fresh energy. Going from big to small is not without challenge and you have to remain steady in your course. I'm excited to share how I made it work for us.


Thanksgiving is about not looking back at what might have been lost, but rather what you have without sometimes even knowing it. What a better time to start blogging again. It comes as a challenge of course but I miss you my friends.