Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Good Life Wednesday--Beachy Stuff

Good Life Wednesday is about doing what makes you happy and being thankful for it.

 I want to thank Sarah as A Beach Cottage in Australia for validating our choice to hang this very weird thing we found on the beach...


on our family room wall.

I felt pretty good about all the other things we'd found on the beach and carted home:

  • the bowl of pebbles from Pebble Beach in California--that was before the days of x-ray luggage checks and increased security when you could fill your suitcase will rocks and drag it to the check-in.
  • the piece of driftwood Steve mounted on a stand.
  • tons and tons of shells that remind us of sand and saltwater

Much as I love it, that drift-board is a little weird.
But it makes us happy.

Good Life Wednesday to ya'

Patti


Partying with Sarah at "A Beach Cottage" Good Life Wednesday


Friday, July 15, 2011

5 Random Blogs to Check Out

Today I'm taking a break from my exhausting schedule of playing tennis and hosting dinner parties while my hubby is in Vegas attending a conference. He'll be hiking the Appalachian Trail later.

During this much needed break I've read a ton of blogs--to catch up and stay current-- ya know.

Here are a few I've stumbled upon that I think you dear readers might get a kick out of; or as the Idiot Gardener says "find you can still blow beer froth out your nostrils".

Just click the pictures to go to the sites.

1.   First up: "Dixie Delights" is by a southern girl from here in Atlanta blogging about life in general with a healthy dose of DIY.
Dixie Delights



2.  This next one is BRUTAL. Phoebe Howard's answers might jar you to the bone.  Get ready to break out the 50 gallon barrel of Kilz if you have a red dining room.


Mrs. Howard Personal Shopper

WEEKLY Q&A WITH PHOEBE: TELL-TALE SIGNS OF A DATED HOUSE


3.  Bet you haven't seen these in a while.

beachbungalow8

4.  This Aussie Gal is giving away a few Kindles if you visit her site and leave a comment. I really shouldn't turn you on to this since it'll ruin my chances of winning, but I'm hoping for a big healthy Karma Boost.

A Beach Cottage: life by the sea

5.  And my favorite for today, a totally irreverent blog from across the pond that I thought was going to be about gardening.  HA!
If your sensibilities are tender--steer clear.


THE IDIOT GARDENER


 I hope you enjoy this short tour of Blogland.

Later,
Patti

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Girl's Dinner Party

Old Friends are real treasures.
Once in a while a group of my Old Friends get together for dinner.


I had the pleasure of hosting the Girl's Dinner Party last night.


We drank wine, grilled steaks, ate salad and potatoes a'gratin and yacked till almost midnight.
We finished with ice cream cake and coffee.


I set the table with my late mother-in-law's china that came from Japan during the early 1950s and her silver goblets which were a wedding gift. I also used my late aunt's wine glasses, a new/old linen table cloth and linen napkins I picked up at a estate sale this summer, and my stainless (I don't have silver service for 6, just for 4 but I'm working on it).  Almost all of it is very dear like Old Friends.


Life is Good.
Patti

Partying with:

French Country Cottage- Feathered Nest Friday
My Romantic Home-Show and Tell Friday
Stuff and Nonsense-Fridays Unfolded
Common Ground-Vintage Inspiration Friday
addicted 2 decorating- Addicts (not so) Anonymous Link Party
WhisperWood Cottage-Authentic Style

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

The Master Bath--Progress at Last!

It's been a year since we moved in to our Pretty Old House. My hubby and I have lived in the renovated downstairs--two bedrooms, one full bath (original size) and a half bath.  Really it isn't too bad if you don't mind the small closets-- there's just the two of us.

But FINALLY we're working on the upstairs.  Yippee!! I'll have my own personal sink again.
Don't get me wrong--I'm okay with one sink in the master, but a pedestal sink and no counter space just won't cut it.

So, here's my inspiration:

This bath from Architectural Digest has it all--first, it's symmetrical. It has a free standing tub with big bright windows, then lavatories on opposite walls, a mosaic tile floor, and a "to die for" chandelier.
But, I kind of  want a closed vanity with storage.


This pict shows my floor inspiration. See how there's a border of large tiles around the walls with the mosaic inside. I want to create a "rug" effect with the mosaic.
Don't you just love the light fixture?


Another killer chandy...



Ideas to glean:  chandy, wall color (yeah boy!) drapes at the window (gotta do something--can't have those squirrels and birds seeing in) mosaic tile with border and free standing tub. Bad idea: pedestal sink in the master. Where do you put your contact solution while you're poking yourself in the eye? I mean really!



Here's some mirror and sconce inspiration. I'd like to have a huge mirror with the sconces mounted on it. But, with the layout of our bath I think it'd be hard to pull off--where do you end the mirror? So, we're going with framed mirrors over our vanities and the sconces to the outside.


Here's another good example. These are the sconces we have. I bought them for a song at the BIG WONDERFUL Restoration Hardware Outlet that has since gone out of business. Darn!
I like the vanity top, too, with the undermount sink. But that's one sad orchid.


Now on to the shower:
This one is pretty close to what we're putting in.
There's a knee wall about 40 inches high. A glass surround will go on top.
I DO NOT want  a cave for a shower.
I saw Psycho one time too many and want to be able to see out.
I love the little built in shelf --gotta copy that. A bench would be wonderful, but I'm not sure we have room.
Another good thing this pict shows is how not to have too much marble in the shower.
It's not a mausoleum for crying out loud. Too much marble is hard on the eyes. This one is pretty hard on the eyes as it is--almost too much pattern.


I think this one has just enough marble. We used this idea in the downstairs bath and have been very satisfied.





To pull it all together the pros make "Idea Boards" so I did, too.

This is what I have so far. I ordered the tub this morning. (After watching the plumbers wrangle a regular 350lb tub up the stairs today, I opted for an acrylic number that weighs in at a mere 130lbs.)


Regrettably, I don't have all the sources for the pictures. I started collecting them before I realized that stuff about giving credit to the source.

Stay tuned for more progress. The plumbers are still here plumbing away--it's getting late, I want to wash my hands but the water's off... uggg.

Later,
Patti

Friday, July 1, 2011

Sod Glorious Sod!

We have SOD!!
I'm so excited to have our yard start to take shape.
You might remember it from the beginning--when I started this blog.

This is our house "Before".   Please hum some scary music as you look at the picture below.
Maybe the theme from Psycho.


Here it is "During".   They say it has to get worse before it gets better. They're right.
Note the humungous overflowing mess in the dumpster. Those would be the bushes they took out and trimmed up.
The sledge hammer is for busting out a section of the walk to run the underground drain pipes from the gutters. Maybe now the basement won't be so damp.


Here's the "After".   The theme from Sound of Music might be appropriate here.


The neighbors are very excited about our new yard.


The gal in the house on the right can actually see if there's a car coming when she pulls out of her driveway.
 She's deliriously happy.

The backyard is even more amazing. Here's the "Before".  


The "During".


See the huge pile of mulch--that's what's left of the "Stump".   


And now--drum roll please on your keyboard-- the "After."


 Well, not really totally "After"
We still need to add some lots of plants for screening and landscaping.
But they filled in the HOLE!!! aka: ancient fish pond.

Here's my Puny Little Garden.
I think I'll start referring to it by a more correct moniker:
"Plant ER"

There have been robins in the Curbside Karma birdbath.
And we get a handful of tommy toes for salad just about every night from the wild and crazy tomato plant.


Life is good.  sigh....

Later,
Patti