My Latest Project: From Rags to Riches!!!

Part I...."Before"

A couple of years ago I found this little rocking chair at a yard sale...I only paid $5.00 for this little "diamond in the rough"! I decided to use it in my Tea Rose bedroom. The poor thing was painted the most horrible color of green...I just had to repaint it to even be able to use it in the Tea Rose bedroom! I used a Country White (satin finish) paint. The fabric wasn't so bad, although it had seen it's better days...a little worn...no telling how many precious little babies had been rocked to sleep in this old rocker! That thought still makes me smile! But I really disliked the burgandy trim...it just wasn't the right color for this room and it looked so crooked on the chair...yuk! I had always thought I would at least take the ugly old trim off and replace it...but that would be a project for another day! And so this little chair...sat! Ahhh!!!

Part II..."After"

A couple of weeks ago, I found a beautiful beige and olive green toile fabric at JoAnn's Fabric Store. The fabric was originally priced at $16/yd. but had been marked down to $1.50/yd....so I bought a couple yards of it...without any specific plans for the fabric! I just love toile and it was a good deal...I just couldn't pass it up! I also bought a couple of yards of olive trim (with that old rocker in mind). This week I decided to replace that old burgandy trim with the pretty new olive trim...I tugged at the burgandy trim so carefully and I successfully removed it. It only took a few minutes...standing there I wondered why I hadn't done this when I first brought the chair home. It just looked so much better!!! Feeling a little sad that I had neglected this old gal for so long, I decided to dress her up a bit...and that toile fabric would work perfectly!!! The whole process took me much longer than it probably should have...since I basically know nothing about upholstering! I wanted to try my hand at it and always figure that I'll try anything at least once! I enjoyed it and seeing the transformation take place before my very eyes was very rewarding! So here she is...the new and improved little rocking chair for the Tea Rose bedroom.

Total cost: Rocking chair...$5.00; fabric & trim...$3.00 = $8.00...Not to bad!!!

Tea Rose Bedroom

Just a few photos of the Tea Rose Room. I have a few more projects going on in this room...the old rocking chair was just one. So stayed tuned....for another project for another day!!! Thanks for stopping by!

Warmest wishes,

Chari

Life Is Grand

Oh my...Life is Grand...isn't it? It's Monday morning and I'm trying to "knock out" as much of my "To Do" list as possible. I really slacked off last week with having honey, Darrin, and Danielle home on vacation! Which brings me to the subject of my blog today.

My sister, Rhonda, has a birthday coming up this month. It's not just any ol' birthday...she's turning the BIG 50!!! (Hehe...sorry Sis...just had to get your age out to the public somehow!) I found the perfect gift for her! A couple of weeks ago, we made a trip up to the mountains to the cutest little town ever...Estes Park! While meandering the quaint little streets...looking into the windows of all the specialty shoppes...there it was!!! It was the prettiest little statue of an Indian painted pony...and Sister collects these! I just had to buy it and surprise her with it for her birthday! So getting this gift ready to send to Sister in Texas was at the top of my "To Do" list today. Since the gift is a bit fragile...honey brought me in a huge box of styrofoam peanuts so that I could pack the gift properly!

Now this is where getting back into the same ol'...same ol'...daily grind comes in. Since honey is back to work and the kiddos are gone...it's very quiet at the house. I often have to look for things to entertain myself...hehe!!! So as I sat here looking at that big box of styrofoam peanuts....the thought occurred to me that the world may some time soon become "over run" by these silly little annoying things! We had better start putting them to use (I thought)...that's when I came up with my "TOP TEN COUNTDOWN" ..."What You Can Do With Styrofoam Peanuts"!!!

*****TOP TEN COUNTDOWN*****

"What You Can Do With Styrofoam Peanuts"

#10 - Throw them in the air & pretend it's snowing....of course, this would only be a thrill if you live somewhere that it never snows...my Sis lives in South Texas so she was on my mind!

*

#9 - Need an extra pillow for guests?....Just fill up a pillowcase!

#8 - Stuff em in your honey's boots....Then just sit back....smile....& watch him try to put them on!

#7 - Pad your bra!....It works for me!

#6 - Be kind to our planet..."RECYCLE"....Pass them on to your Mama....she'll keep them...she keeps everything!

#5 - Stuff your mailbox just full of them and include a little note "Happy...happy...joy...joy" for your dear postman....Don't get mad over those annoying little static things....just get even with the postman for bringing them to you!

#4 - Do a craft project and save your macaroni!....use peanuts instead for your next "just arrange & glue craft picture! Hehe...remember those...little macaroni pictures? Bring back a "lost art"!

#3 - Pass them on to your best friend for his/her birthday!....I mean...what are good friends for anyway!

#2 - Spray paint them brown!....Then at your next party...serve them for real peanuts! After a few cocktails, your guests won't know the difference anyway!

And....drum roll please...saving the best for last....

#1 - Just grab a hand full and start rubbing them all over your head...that's right...keep rubbing...rubbing, there you go! Ahhhhh...the amazing law of "static electricity"! Voila!!! Your brand new "Static Peanuts Hair-do"!!! Just think, you'll be famous in no time...why this is how all the popular fads get started!!! Hehehe!!!

And why are you looking so "dumb-founded" after reading my "TOP TEN COUNTDOWN" for what you can do with styrofoam peanuts??? It's pure genius!!! I told you I had to come up with ways to entertain myself, didn't I? Hehe!!! I think my Sis will get a hoot out of my list when she opens up her box and finds it laying...ever so sweetly...on top of all those peanuts!!!

HeHeHeHeHe...!!!

Love ya'll,

Chari

Finally Formal..."All Dressed Up"!!!

Living Room "GoNe OLiVe"

In May I decided that our living room needed a "face lift"! I used Behr's "River Bank", a beautiful, rich, olive color on the walls. I was so pleased with the results! It's a "moody" color...and I like that...it changes throughout the day with the different lighting. The new olive really set off the deep red carpet and furniture! I replaced all the drapery rods...placing them as close to the ceiling as possible. The designers say that this will add vertical height to the room...which it did (I was so pleased)! I definitely can say that it brought a more formal look into the room (something that I was going for!) I purchased beautiful gold pinch-pleated drapes...along with cream colored shears for each of the two large windows and "puddled" the drapes out and onto the floor...I just adore how they look...so romantic!!! After seeing my living room in new color and new frock...it whispered to me to add new jewelry as well...hehe!!! So my hunt began for all new wall art and a few new accessories! At the end of the day...I say that she dressed up pretty nice!!!

My Latest Project!

French Country Dining in "RED"!

I have been working on my dining room for a couple of months now. The two red walls were finished and I decided to paint the two remaining white walls Behr's River Bank...a deep, rich olive green. I'm very happy with the results...a little paint works wonders! Adding the olive color to this room gave it just the right atmosphere that I was looking for! Honey hung the chandelier, which I dug out of storage...brass is supposed to be "out of date", however I like it and decided to use it...updating it by adding gold shades to it! A few years ago, I began to collect red transferware...I just love it!!! After alot of planning, I decided to showcase some of my collection on the wall behind our wood burning stove...it was just what my newly decorated French Country dining room needed! We brought in the cutest little bench (that honey made in high school) and placed it under the large window...making a seating area! I filled it with pretty French fabric pillows and Voila!!! I'm very pleased with the changes and my little red dining room really does have that French Country flair!!!