Friday, October 31, 2008

Guest Room….still working on it.

So this is what I have been trying to do lately. That and raking my yard and general everyday things.

2008 October 048

So I painted the wall a Sico color called “Highway” ….dumb color name I know, but I took the whole swatch book home and this is what I thought matched the most. The rest of the room is a lighter grey. The lamp was painted white and I added paper to the shade and cut out the overlay in white paper….

2008 October 061Took me about four hours to cutout2008 October 001 This is the before picture. I think it turned out okay??

I bought a white Duvet that still needs a cover, but for now at least it’s white. The art work is a collection of random things. I bought the biggest picture and then painted all the frames white. The rest of the art is from Etsy. 2008 October 069

I hung them randomly and didn’t want them to be too perfect. I will probably add to them as I collect more.The rest of the room I am still working on and the pillows on the bed probably won’t stay…I am on the hunt for a funky pattern still.2008 October 064 The dresser also needs to some work …this is what is there right now. It’s a little plain and I would like to hang some shelves in there somewhere.

So that’s my room so far. Shirley….

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Flowers in October

Today I have a Garden Club dinner. It is for all the members that have helped in preparing, cleaning, weeding, watering and any "work" that has been done to the flower beds downtown Keremeos. Our club is called "Similkameen Garden Club"....well known for all the flower beds we do for the downtown area of Keremeos.

A friend asked me to make an arrangement as a thank-you for a special person who has arranged all of our tours, speakers, and fun things this year for the club. It had to be an arrangement from flowers in the garden, nothing bought.

Flowers! in October and the END of October. We have had at least 4 to 5 frosts in our area.

So yesterday out I go with my bucket to see if I could find anything out in my frost bitten garden. Do you know I filled that bucket. It was amazing how many things are still hanging on. Specially the chrysanthemums, they were in full flower and full of bees. I found a few roses, some reblooming lavender, even a Stella De Orro daylily with one bud that was starting to bloom, one little Bells of Ireland, some hidden rudbeckia's, and lots of red geraniums. I don't know how the frost missed those. They are close to the house so must be protected.



I filled the bucket with warm water and let it stand over night. I wanted to see if they could stand a warm house. This morning the flowers were in good shape and so with a neighbour visiting I made the arrangement. I think it turned out pretty nice for flowers that I found in my garden at the end of October.



Wednesday, October 22, 2008

New lamps

I am always on the look out for funky things…I live in a small town, and aside from the local grocery store and a few hardware stores and thrift stores, finding anything cool and in style here is like not happening. I think I save a lot of money because of that. Once in awhile there is something that isn’t too bad here….Like my lamp!! I am so excited.… It’s such a classic 1960’s look. It’s like the tulip chairs and the classic Saarinenso tables. I bought three of them, they were 15.00 each. I will give two away to my daughter as she liked them too. 2008 September 249

I want it for my guest room makeover, I have already blogged about. So now besides trying to figure out how to design and paint that room, I also have this to incorporate and redo. So was thinking white and because no light goes through the shade, I will cover it with paper or fabric. 378046933_68da9f4d95_o

Here actually is the more expensive version of my lamp….See I could even paint it chrome or metallic….I like this faux bois paper on this lamp. I think I would go a bit more zappy than that.13886

Here is another idea. I could paint it white or turquoise and do a colorful shade. So many possibilities.

_Store_Large_hw-5063Look at this lamp from http://www.vintagelooks.com It’s $95.00…….It is not any better made from mine. So Ya I think I got a cool lamp. I am happy ….but right now I am outside pulling up wet and soggy hostas and cutting back my ferns out front. So it will wait until I have some free time.

In reply to Shirley.

I really love the pictures you posted…..you get me Shirley!!..I agree with most all you say. Thanks for all the ideas. I too thought of a light grey for all the walls and maybe a darker, mid tone for behind the bed. Instead of red though I was thinking of picking up on the greens….?Guest room makeover 004I do really like the botanical look but was trying to get out of my box……so really your advice is pretty safe. Ha-ha I am glad. I will keep thinking on it and hopefully post some “in progress” pics.  Oh yes I do sleep in your egg yolk   I mean squash blossom room……it’s fun and lively and I am thankful for your unique style….PS I think it’s time to talk about YOUR bedroom and some ideas you should do in yours…..

Oh and cool facts from 1949 Better Homes and Gardens.Funny how it still applies.

Pati's Dilemma

Okay I had this really cool post...but something happened and well I lost everything. I think I want to cry.
It was really good too!
I wanted to comment on Pati's blog on her choices of what to do for her new guest bedroom. I researched and everything. Well I will just have to wing it....

So Pati I think you should go for the Cherry poster. I like it and it is really cool, your never going to get something like that again. I do like your other posters but hey you bought them and it wasn't a really big find. Sorry....
Pati has a problem with colour. She likes very very neutral. Her whole house is neutral. I love her house and she is very talented. In fact she even designed her house and drew up all the plans. So talented that girl. Anyway I'm always telling her to add some colour, something bright and lively. She can't do it. Silly girl. So this is your chance to try something different. You can always close the door and well it is a guest room....they will leave really fast if it ugly. Hey...thats were I stay when I visit. Anyway I know it won't be ugly. She stays in my bright "autum squash" painted room when she visits....heehee
I have been taking a colour course for painting. It is amazing how colour works. By putting a pure colour by a grey it really pops. Also the grey should be colours of the opposite...such as red and green together make grey. So a grey on your walls with the poster would be awesome, and hey grey is "neutral" Pick up the colour of the cherry's with pillows or nicknacks, use the pale yellow for a bedspread or the teal in the septals....at least that is the colours I'm seeing from this computer.
I have been searching the "web" for idea's but it is taking me so long to find what I want. Stick to the retro feeling and go from those two things. Here are a few things I did find and didn't lose.



After looking at the images I find that the walls are mostly white....so okay white for the walls and go from there with the colour....just DO IT!

Some info I found from the '40's and '50's......Thought it was sort of cool

The following are notes taken from Helen Koues' 1948 book. Illustrations are from Better Homes & Gardens, 1949.
  • This is the age of color. Today our walls are yellow, not cream; dusty rose, not putty; soft blue and green, not gray. . . . Some small rooms are even in strong, deep colors. (4) . . . Any color you like may be chosen for the walls of a formal room: white, straw color, soft blue, green. (12)

  • . . . The majority of American homes are adaptions of Colonial architecture. (18)
  • [An] informal type of furniture which is much liked and used in this country is French Provincial. . . . In the delightful informal furnishing which is becoming a type along our California coast, this style is often used with attractive results . . . by combining a chair or a desk with another type of furniture--Spanish perhaps. . . . Soft plain colors are used for the walls or, more often, the attractive toiles . . . This puts the pattern used in the room on the walls and in the draperies, rather than in the upholstery covering. (22)
  • It's amazing how you can transform an uninteresting room into one of distinction by paneling one wall. (25)
  • Glass block can be very decorative in Modern interiors. (28) . . . Modern rooms usually may have wood-veneer, painted, or papered walls as backgrounds. . . . Making use of every inch of space is the first tenet of Modern design and another is double-duty furniture. . . . Blond as well as fine mahogany is being used, but you will find the blond woods make a light, pleasant room and make individual pieces seem smaller.(29)
  • Except where scatter rugs are used, the style today is to have the rug follow the outline of the room, allowing a margin of from six to twelve inches between wall and rug around the entire room. In Modern rooms and in much of the Contemporary decorating . . . the floor is completely covered from wall to wall.
  • Paint the radiator the color of the wall, the background of the wallpaper, or the woodwork. . . . Put a shelf on it and group one or two chairs or a small table in front of it. (39)


    Better Homes & Gardens, October 1949 (194)

  • [Venetian blinds] are practical, decorative and very much in style. (39)
  • Groups of windows should be treated as one. (56)
  • Have a screen in the dining room to hide the door to the kitchen or pantry, unless the room is very small. (60)
  • Modern: the furniture is light-colored, . . . use of brilliant color on walls . . . give the contrast needed. (77)
  • In many . . . combination rooms, the studio couch is a key piece of furniture. In the one-room apartment, where it is in daily use, it should be chosen with careful consideration for its comfort as well as its appearance. (168)
  • Use slipcovers to "freshen up" a room that is drab or shabby. (218)


    Better Homes & Gardens, October 1949 (218)

  • A row of pictures may be placed one above the other. . . . This is a particularly nice way to hang-human-interest pictures. . . . Instead of a vertical row of small pictures, either a horizontal row or groups of two, one above the other. . . . Fortunately pictures and interesting wallpapers are in style today. (405)
  • The top of a lamp table should be level with or half inch higher than the arm of the chair or sofa. The average table height is about 27 inches. The lamp should be 28 inches to 30 inches high, including the shade. (420)
  • Paint old bookshelves or cabinets that you may already have or can buy secondhand and use them for stage places. . . . A new note is to stain the tops and sides a light color and the dropdoors or draw front a contrasting color. (645)
  • Painted chairs give needed variety to a room that is furnished in Colonial maple, cherry, or birch furniture. . . . Use old jugs and pots for lamp bases and vases. (651)
  • Swedish decoration is full of color, and when of the Provincial character. . . gives great charm to informal rooms. (668)
  • In contemporary as well as Modern decorating large sheets of plate glass may be used where sun, air, and a pleasant view are to be gained. To hide an objectionalbe view or a too-near neighbor, glass block is ideal. (692)
  • [Laminated wood] is an ideal wall covering for modernizing old, cracked walls, for many built-in features, for covering old doors, for cornices concealing indirect lighting, and for a hundred and one other uses that you and your architect will find, if you like wood interiors. (695)

  • At first, modern decorating in France in the thirties was neutral-colored--all tans and beiges. Then "dusty pink" at the Paris Exhibition took hold of the imagination, and off went the whole world in pursuit of colors; and they were affected by the Swedes, who have long used color boldly. . . . Where we used to have a partial background of it with accents of dark color, now bright walls of clear rose with deep-green lamps and shades against it . . . (705)
  • Furniture in a light-colored finish is very much the style of today. . . . (798) Popular finishes: bone-white (raw umber glazing), antique white (yellow glazing). (813) . . . modern glazing . . . add a little oil paint in yellow to chrome green into glazing liquid and apply on plain enameled furniture. (814) Mexican decoration in vivid color is having a decided vogue and is one method which is easy to follow. As in the pieces above, backgrounds are clear, bright colors--light yellow, blue and orange, red on which small motifs are painted in complementary colors.(816)
  • The Pennsylvannia Dutch of colonial days decorated their furniture with crude but quaint designs which have been revived recently. They fall, of course, under peasant designs but are distinguished by the tulip, the heart, and a bird with the strange name of distelfinck. Colors are barn red, vivid green, clear blue, and yellow. (817) Painted pieces, chairs especially, with gilt or colored stencil decoration, are suitable and attractive with maple and even mahogany furniture in antique ivory, black, red, or blue. (818)

Friday, October 17, 2008

Pati here...

Good post Shirl....I can only imagine how hard it is to get back to life after your cruise. Life must go on.
So had a few busy days. My daughter Brooke came home for a few days. I had an old friend drop in that I hadn't seen in five years. I went for Thanksgiving at my sister Sharon's house, and then proceeded to make my own the next day. OMG could we eat anymore turkey?? I even made turkey soup...gaak I'm sick of food. Well until Brooke made stuffed cannellini......yummm. Should have taken a pic was very Martha-ish.
Okay so my redo on my guest room is still at a stand still. I have a few hundred ideas floating in my head. Should I do it retro mod to go with the headboard and dresser....should I do it in bright colors? Soft?.....I was thinking of painting the wall with the headboard a dark charcoal color?? To really make the headboard pop out?Then I have two cool posters I bought online at The Poster List. These are the ones I bought. I think I might take the grey and green from the butterfly and use it as a starting point? So this is what I have so far. I might use the colors in the material there....or not?? I really am confused. I also have this mirror And I also have this 1950s German teaching poster. So I am needing some help.....Shirl any ideas??? I do have some fabrics from Etsy I might buy but I keep going back and forth between bright or pastel....
Ok so I am probably boring you all, but this is my life and what I like to do. I will keep looking and maybe I will post more ideas on here too as it helps me to organize my thoughts. That's what this blog was supposed to about. Ideas thoughts rants.....Hey no rants yet Shirl? Hmmm?

Thursday, October 16, 2008

I'm Back.....sigh

It was a wonderful trip, Hawaii is so beautiful! I want to go back...right now!
Okay reality is hitting and well, I'm trying to get back to my ordinary life here in Keremeos.

The voyage to Hawaii was a bit rough for the first 4 days. Lots of people were sea sick, I was a bit queasy on the first day but got over it fast. I'm not going to waste my holidays sick in bed! The weather was cool and rainy and the waves were hitting our first floor window....

View from our stateroom....

Their was lots to do on the ship but it seemed like all you did was eat. I'm not someone who eats breakfast, lunch and supper. I sort of snack during the day and then have a nice supper. On the ship it was big meals three times a day. No wonder people gain lots of weight going cruising.
It was so nice to leave for breakfast and return to your room all cleaned and bed made. Then on our return from supper the bed was turned down with chocolates and a cute towel animal. I really could get used to that luxury!


A cute towel animal

The ship was so huge that I think I lost weight with all the walking. It seemed like miles to our stateroom. Then always getting lost and walking all the way to the other end of the ship...again! I don't know aft from stern to port side to starboard side. Who makes up all these stupid things?
It was so wonderful to see land after five days at sea. We couldn't wait to get off the ship and put our feet on land. It is really strange to get onto land after being on a ship. You tend to rock when you standing still...it is the funniest feeling. I guess the natives can tell the tourists that have come from a cruise...they are the ones rocking for no reason.
I loved the Islands...they really do smell like flowers. Every street, every yard, every where are flowers. Mostly Plumeria trees, and Hibiscus.


Plumeria flowers

We went on a few tours, but found them very pricey when buying them from the cruise line. We found that when you get off the ship there are buses that will take you to Malls, Walmart, Kmart, and Hillo Hatties for free. They don't tell you that on the ship talks. They leave every 15 to 20 minutes and the bus drivers are all locals and tell you all kinds of information. Such as going to the Mall and taking a local bus that will take you anywhere for $1.00. That really P.O'd my brother in law as he took a taxi to the other side of Maui and paid 75.00, while my friends only paid $1.00. Pays to be cheap sometimes.
I did do lots of shopping. Doesn't mean I bought lots. We didn't have much room in our suitcases and so had to be frugal with what we bought. Did bring home my Mom a Muumuu...she loves it and it was even made in Hawaii, not China.
We also did the Luau thing...wasn't what I really thought it would be. The entertainment was wonderful and they really do wear coconut bra's! But when you share the space with 800 people it seems a bit much. I felt like cattle herded here and there. The food was....yucky...roasted pig swimming in lard, poi...real yucky, macaroni salad, and fried chicken that I couldn't even bite into. It was all very impersonal and well "touristy" I would recommend anyone to go to at least one, but be sure that it is a small event.
We really would love to return to Hawaii but not by ship. I have seen most of the islands of Hawaii but only for a short few hours. To really enjoy them you have to stay for awhile and taste the ambiance of the place. Our favorite was Kona on the big island.
I have been searching for good fares.......just dreaming.


One of our tours to Ioa Valley...so beautiful and so tropical


Rainbow over Honolulu as we came into port

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Frost!!


When I got up this morning there was frost! I knew it was inevitable, but I'm just not ready for winter yet. I am thankful it happened now thought and not last weekend when I did the flowers for that anniversary....
So I am puttering around, trying not to think of Shirley at home, with pictures....She is probably jet lagged and needs some time to unwind. I want to do something creative today so maybe I will paint my guest room.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Shirl is coming home...

So Mom said Shirl and Ron will be home today! I wonder what time? I guess I will just have to be patient.....It's hard..I want to see pics and hear all about it.
Today it is rainy and cool here. Poor Shirl she will be coming home to fall and then soon winter. What a shock it will be. So soon we will see some cool posts here about her trip....

Monday, October 6, 2008

This past weekend I did the flowers for a friends parents 50th Wedding Anniversary. I made thirteen bouquets in total...eeek. I also made cards and hangers for the cards to put in the arrangements, a money tree. On all the vases were gold ribbons and bows. I had to wait til the day of the party to put the flowers together..so it was a busy day. I was up early to start and my hubby even helped. I also helped decorate the hall and set it all up.

Here are the finished products.
I made them all for free....I harvested false boxwood, snowberries from around the forest by my house, I also picked purple Veronica and Bells of Ireland, and Elderberries. I thought they looked very classy and rich. I really had a good time. The party was perfect and we surprised the couple with only a few lies.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Beautiful Fall Day.


It has been very beautiful here the last week or so. I sure hope it lasts. I have been working on new pics for my inspiration board. Here is a quick pic.....not done yet.