Looking back on last year we had some big accomplishments, small improvements, some losses and an overall sense of life goes on. I don’t like to spend my time analyzing things too much. I’m usually a full speed ahead person except when I’m not!
Starting in January I decided to finally tackle the plaster faux finish in our primary bedroom. This turned into a huge project that ended up creating a mountain of dust and took me three weeks. In the mean time everything in the room was misplaced. I had a chest in the hallway that required turning sideways to get around! If you’d like to read about the process you can do that here: How to Deconstruct a Heavy Plaster Faux Finish. Then, see the reveal here: What Does Your Home Say About You?
Then in late April we decided to finally tackle a powder room for the lower level. The toilet and sink were there but there were no walls. Being right off the garage created a bit of awkwardness to say the least! This turned into a much longer project than we anticipated as we lost about a month in May when we lost my father in law. The first of June we started back in and managed to bring these two spaces to completion by September. Check the progress and finished result in three posts: Two Steps Forward and One Step Backwards, Hallway Reveal, and finally, Powder Room Reveal..
Stenciling the floor in the hall, powder room and laundry room was challenging mostly because this 68 year old body doesn’t do floor work well anymore but I’m glad I did. Those were the biggies for the year.
Of course there were small victories too. An end table painted, an antique dresser waxed to bring out its lovely old patina. The brass polished which turned out to be a full day as I hadn’t polished in quite a while. Antique meet hooks hung in my office.
This holds candles, napkin rings, and napkins. Some lavender drying from my garden etc. It makes a good use of space in this tiny room and frames in the TV.
Then there were a few fun finds. Not a ton because most of our $$$ was spent on building materials this year. Back in March with the thought of the Powder Room build in mind I made a trip to Fremont in hopes of finding an antique door that was affordable. What I did find was this funky screen door with a mail door cut into it. The size was excellent and I loved the copper screen and at $65.00 I thought I could make it work. I needed to do some creative thinking when it came to building out the wall that would create some separation between the hall and the laundry room. The furnace is too close to the door and there are switches on the side of the furnace that we very occasionally need to get to. But, there was no room for a standard wall. This was my solution to this problem. A removable panel to visually block it but something that could be taken away. Read more about that in the Hallway Reveal.
This crystal chandelier was at the same shop as the screen door. It was in a dusty booth in this flea market and it was filthy. It probably had 60 years of dirt on it. At $35.00 I just wanted to see it clean. I figured I would clean it up and sell it but then I got to thinking about how fun it might be in the powder room. Just a surprise. I don’t do crystal chandeliers!! This one hit just the right note.
Then I got a wild hair and I was just so unsatisfied with the lower level room. It wasn’t the style I loved what I had done down there. After inheriting this 1920’s sofa I just couldn’t pull this room together. My intention to recover this sofa just didn’t feel right to me. The fabric is in perfect condition and I love the color but am not crazy about the window pane check. So I decided to embrace the blue and I remembered I had seen some buffalo check at Hobby Lobby that would make great pillows. On a nasty February day I headed over and picked up what I needed for the pillows. I rearranged the room and that made all the difference. Placing the sofa under the antique barn vent was perfect. That’s where the sofa wanted to be all along.
But then, I needed another end table. Who’d of thought!! So heading over to my usual haunts I tried to ferret out an old end table. Nothing at the consignment stores. Wrong period or too fancy. A trip to the Restore Store saved the day. Tucked back in a corner of rejected furniture was this ugly maple round early American end table from the 60’s. It had a huge scratch in the top but that didn’t concern me. I checked out the price and sturdyness and said to myself, yup that will work, your coming home with me 65.00.
After stripping the top I decided to just wax it with Amy Howard Mind Your Own Beeswax. The grain was so pretty I decided the table was probably cherry not maple. I used Wise Owl Chalk Paint on the base in Charleston Green. It’s almost black with a green undertone to it. Scuffed it up and called it good. It now looks like a 17th Century Tavern Table and fits right in.
Then in September when the husband was fishing I decided to attack the doodle dresser. I have wanted to paint this chest for years. I had seen a reproduction of an 18th Century hand painted chest probably 25 years ago. That chest has stuck with me forever. I actually found a photo of it on Pinterest and printed it out and it’s floated around in my office for years. My chest that used to be in our bedroom was the perfect style and shape for The Doodle Dresser.
Those are the big ones for last year. What’s on the agenda for this year? I’m not planning any big projects. We need a rest!!! I really want to grow this blog so I’m going to be focusing on that and of course I have the online shop at our Assistance League Omaha Thrift Shop and I want and need to keep growing that. Of course I am still working with my wonderful clients who keep bringing interesting projects to me.
For Christmas our daughters have gifted us with a family vacation in Gatlinburg TN. They have rented a house big enough for the 10 of us and it is about half way for us and Florida. I am sooo excited to be able to spend some time with all my kids under one roof. TN is a place that I have just dipped my toe into so this will be a new experience for everyone. And of course the Husband and I will get to spend a couple of days in Franklin. I only had a few hours there the last time so I can’t wait to really have the chance to explore this charming town. We are in charge of groceries!
Well that’s a wrap for now.
Thanks for stopping
Shelley
