tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83608429877438267292024-03-13T07:52:05.286-07:00Designing Lady JaneDesigning Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-14728218916686810532013-02-11T16:23:00.000-08:002013-02-11T16:23:34.441-08:00Progress<span id="goog_153304886"></span><span id="goog_153304887">Slowly but surely we are furnishing and decorating our new place. S</span>hortly after we moved in we purchased a new couch and loveseat for the living room. We had planned for this, as we only had the one couch worth the cost of moving, and we wanted that to go in our bonus room upstairs. Unfortunately, due to the slope of the roof at the top of the stairs, the movers were not able to haul it their, so it is now situated at the front end of my long living room. I had hoped to put a set of easy chairs with a small table between them there, but luckily the color of that couch coordinates well enough with our new set to keep there. The longer it's there, the more I like it. At any rate, it saves having to buy more furniture.<br />
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I still have not found the charger for my camera, so these pictures are of only a couple taken with my daughters Iphone. <br />
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A couple owned the house before us, the husband worked in cabinetry. He made the cabinets in the kitchen and elsewhere. He also put in some custom shelves around the fireplace. They were not what you would expect to see built around a fireplace, though. They were large and looked like they were built to hold backpacks, such as you would see in a kindergarten class. They took up a lot of the space in the room, and made it look like the room had been used as a preschool. (I don't know that it hadn't.)<br />
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This picture off the real estate listing shows the living room with the shelves in. The first week we were there we tore those down (not an easy task) and repainted the walls. We tried to match the previous wall color as closely as possible, since we did like the color they had. When they built the shelves, instead of putting a back on them, they painted the wall behind it white. Since we did not find the exact color, we wound up painting the entire room. </div>
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This picture also shows the room in a much better light, as they obviously had a nicer camera. One with a wide-angle lens, which makes the room look huge. It also gives an idea of the challenge we had to arrange the furniture around the fireplace - somewhat obscured by the loveseat here - and furnish the front portion of the room without it looking cut off. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the room from the same angle. </div>
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This is a shot taken of the front area of the living room. You can see the dining room behind the staircase. I will cover that in my next post.</div>
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Still more work to do, but we are feeling pretty happy with our downstairs. The upstairs is currently mid-painting, putting a purple on the one daughter's room and a light green in the other daughter's room. Our master bedroom and bonus room needs furniture and lots of organization. We still have boxes to be unpacked, but right now a lot of the displacement comes from the painting projects and that need of more furniture. Home wasn't built in a day, right?</div>
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Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-15554103766819150552013-01-28T22:25:00.000-08:002013-01-28T22:25:57.787-08:00WE MOVED<br />
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After prepping our home to sell for several months, in between selling my mother-in-law's place and moving her to a nursing home, we finally listed it November 12, 2012. It sold that day. As in, it didn't even officially make it to the MLS listing, our agent was getting ready to list it and another agent who was shopping for a condo for her clients heard about it and came over while our agent was taking pictures for the listing. That evening we got a verbal offering for $10,000 over the our original asking price, and by the next day had signed papers on it. Of course, there were still those several weeks of inspections and paperwork for the buyer's loan company. It seemed so drawn out at the time, but now seems to have flown. So while others were pulling out their holiday decorations, we were finishing packing and making final preparations to move halfway across the country.<br />
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Oh yeah, my hubby and I took a week to fly into Nashville, TN, to find exactly where we would be moving to. After scouring the general Nashville area to find a home which fit our desires and budget, we expanded our search to include Murfreesboro, a college town about 30 miles south of Nashville proper, home to Middle Tennessee State University. There we found a modest two-story colonial and put in an offer. By the time we flew back to Orange County the next day, the paperwork was proceeding, and we had a home. <br />
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Escrow hadn't quite closed on our California home yet, and it was just a couple weeks before Christmas. Not wanting to be at an airport on Christmas Eve, and being told that escrow could close anywhere from the 18th to the 28th of December, we packed up the family and two upset cats and flew into Nashville on the 18th. We spent 10 days at a hotel in the Nashville area. Not the most ideal situation, but we actually were very pleased with the Residence Inn of Brentwood where we wound up. They not only had the two bedroom suite our family of four needed, they allowed for the cats to be there.<br />
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To make a long story short, our California home closed on the 28th, after some gentle last-minute pushing from our realty office in Nashville, as we were unable to close on this house until the sale went thru in Cali. We moved in on December 29, one month ago. As luck would have it, our moving truck didn't catch up with us until January 17, quite a bit later than originally advertised. We went a couple days sleeping on the floor until we got new beds in, a few more days before we bought a new couch and loveseat and had them delivered, and a good week after that before we had a table and chair set purchased and actually in our breakfast area. <br />
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The only picture I have taken of the new home. I do not know where the charger is for my camera. I don't know where many things are at the moment, even though I'm surrounded by things begging to be put away correctly.<br />
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Today we got our Internet and television hooked up. I am finally connected again to my friends. I won't have much time for blogging yet, as there is so, so much to do at our new place. But hopefully I will be able to come back and catch up. We've already made a few changes, it would have been nice to have had before pictures. That charger is around somewhere, I know. <br />
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Hope everyone is having a great time. It's wonderful to be able to catch up with everyone here, you all are such inspirations. Jane<br />
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<br />Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-36934366682137965812012-12-03T23:11:00.001-08:002012-12-03T23:11:59.458-08:00On Our Way - Almost<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It has been a long several months of work, but the finished result is as nice as we can do it without <br />
rebuilding from scratch. Since July we have been in the final push to make our condo showroom ready to sell. We painted, fixed, reglazed bathtub, laid new carpet, put in new lights, and tiled bathroom floors, just to name a few projects.<br />
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We eliminated as much of our personal tastes from the home, including getting rid of one of our couches to open up space in the living room. I'd been packing as many non-essentials as possible for the past several months, so it was relatively easy to keep the decorative touches minimal.<br />
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It seems to have paid off. We received an offer on the home before we even officially listed. We are still in escrow and praying that it goes through smoothly. After spending much of the year fixing up first my husband's mothers' home, then ours, we finally seem to be at a close. It has taken much more work and time than anticipated, but doesn't it always. <br />
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Wednesday hubby and I leave for a trip to Nashville, which is the new homeland we've been working towards. It will be a six-day scouting trip, we'll look at some houses and hope to find the new home to call our own. We're both hoping it comes with no repairs needed. Wish us luck!<br />
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Jane<br />
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Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-27549636133535942782012-11-15T22:23:00.002-08:002012-11-15T22:23:41.171-08:00It's Working Again!<br />
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For a few weeks I was not able to access my blog. I was able to sign in and look at other blogs, but could not work on my dashboard. Not sure what was going on. Oh yeah, we did have our system crash, my hubby had to rebuild it from scratch, wiping out everything and reloading. So there may have been some kind of bug or something going on.<br />
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There's lots to talk about. After about four months of constant work, our condo is completed, sold and listed, in that order. Yep, we got an offer we couldn't refuse on the place before it even officially hit the mls. It was a story of one agent talking to another agent in the office and a buyer jumping on it more or less sight unseen. Tho' they did swing by shortly after sending in the offer, just to see if it was as good a deal as their agent had told them. Bless their hearts, apparently they'd been looking for a condo and lost one place after the other before we came along. They were familiar with the complex, and eager to bite when they heard about it.<br />
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I'll post pictures of the results of our labor later. It's not overly fancy, I had again staged it to try to appeal to a broad audience, but it shows well. All the more ironic it was bought with only their agent seeing it, but the people were delighted when they saw it. Now we have to impress the home inspector and appraisor. Wish us luck, we might be out of here by Christmas yet!<br />
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I was looking for a few flowers to freshen up the outside on the last couple of days before we sold and I came across this gorgeous cyclamen. I just love the vivid reds. Hopefully it will remain bright and cheerful for the rest of our time here. <br />
Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-47365134263290208062012-09-22T23:35:00.001-07:002012-09-22T23:35:49.335-07:00Final Photos of Staging to SellWe put my mother-in-law's condo on the market last week - finally. <br />
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We had worked very hard to present it in the best light possible. Even though we had painted and tiled and carpeted in neutrals, to attract the broadest range of potential buyers possible, I did want to stage it to give it a lived in feeling. I went for a subtle beach theme, using blues and browns, trying to add interest and character without putting too much personal taste into it. There was also a budget concern, I didn't have too much money to put into prepping it for selling, just to pack up everything again when it does sell. I did want to have a small console table in the front lobby area, as opposed to the blank wall which previously greeted your entrance into the condo. I picked up this little table on clearance at Big Lots for $75. I got the plant and picture for a few bucks each at Ross, and used mom's turtle light.</div>
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The couch in the livingroom is actually a dark red, you can see a corner peeking out where we need to pull the brown sofa cover back over it. The cover and blue and brown pillows pull in the neutral beachy theme back into the room. We are using much of her old furniture, which is dated from the 80s, so lots of oak and brass need to be worked around. The cedar chest being used as a coffee table holds shell embellished candles.</div>
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Prior to our painting the lower half of the fireplace wall a khaki color and adding a white shelf to act as a mantel, her fireplace consisted of a black box in a wall. I often wondered why she didn't do more to highlight it, but apparently she had plans of a custom-built oak shelf unit surrounding it, which didn't happen in the 20-something years she lived there. Okay, I have been known to procrastinate, so I get that, but I think I would have done something in the meantime. The beach scene hanging above the mantel shelf was one I'd bought but didn't have the right place for in my home, and thought it looked great here, right over the glass bottles and shells.</div>
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Beside the fireplace we put her mother's trunk. This trunk has gone through several members of her family, and will of course remain with us. It holds this planter bicycle I'd given her some years back, which I filled with faux daisies to complete the look.</div>
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She was very pleased with the look when we brought her to view it before we listed it. In this photo you can see some of the white drape panels with blue and brown border stripes we installed shortly after we began working on it. Before there were white vertical hanging blinds which had seen better days.</div>
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The kitchen shows well now with the new backsplash and faux granite finish on the counters. We had to install the new stove as well, her previous one was minus a burner or two.</div>
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Her diningroom table got a simple centerpiece of candles and a bowl of seashells. I put out her blue placemats, but decided against going for the whole tablescape as I'd originally pictured. Again, I'm going for a theme, but trying to not overwhelm people with too many personal touches.</div>
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Since mom took her bed out of her master bedroom with her to the assisted living facility, we moved the one out of the spare bedroom into the master bedroom. This left us in need of a bed in the second bedroom. This is the old airmattresses on top of boxes trick. I luckily had two blowup mattress from our camping days. The scroll is another Goodwill find I had from home. I think it looks good as a headboard.</div>
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Both bathrooms got treated to new towels and a couple of decorative items.</div>
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I came across this beautiful cover and sham set in mom's cedar chest. She was delighted to see it, as it was a gift from years ago. It looks gorgeous here with the new setup, featuring a Goodwill picture</div>
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I found for $8, and displaying a few of her own items on the dresser. The lamp is an antique she kept because it had belonged to a family member. I suppose if you like the 17th century lord and lady frolicking look, this would be your style, we frankly just needed a lamp here and this was available.</div>
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So we are happy to finally have the condo finished and listed. In fact, we accepted an offer, and are now currently waiting for escrow closure. I sure hope it goes through, this process has taken much longer than we intended. We are now thick into fixing up our own condo, which I pray takes less time than this does. I'm still hoping to be moved out of state before the holidays.</div>
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<em>Jane</em></div>
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Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-62627838961960655652012-08-14T19:02:00.000-07:002012-08-14T19:02:00.283-07:00Kitchen Redo Pt 2, the Backsplash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
One of the projects we took on to prep our mother-in-law's condo for selling was to put a glass tile backsplash in her kitchen. We started by removing all the outlet covers and laying down brown paper to protect her countertops, as tiling is a messy business.</div>
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Admittedly, my hubby did the most of the tile laying. I couldn't let him have all the fun, though, and actually put up a couple of tiles myself.</div>
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The blank area above the stove is where the new rangehood will go. After all the tiling was put up, Dave started tiling the floor in the smaller bathroom, the one with the yellow 1980s laminate flooring. I did the grouting in the kitchen. This involved smearing gritty mud-like mortar over the tiles, a small section at a time, using a rubber float to push the goop into all the grooves. Then you need to wipe all the mortar off the tiles while leaving it in the joints between, going over the tiles several times to wipe off as much as possible before it dries. This took me almost five hours, but I'm proud of it. </div>
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One of my jobs in assisting Dave putting up the tile was cutting the little glass pieces to fill in around the electrical plugs and line up in the corners and edges. There's a tool they make especially for cutting glass tiles, go ahead and invest the $13 they want for it at Home Depot, it makes the job much easier. BTW, you have to pull all the plug and light outlets out of the wall and get extenders to raise the outlets over the tiles. Turn off that electricity first.</div>
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With the covers back on, it looks practically professional.<br />
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A small area of the finished product. I'll include the entire kitchen with new counters and backsplash in another post. <br />
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Most of my time and energy lately have been divided between helping fixing up the condo and attending to my mother-in-law, who is now residing in an assisted living facility. It's amazing how the summer has flown away. We are almost complete with her condo, though, and looking forward to beginning our own. </div>
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Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-34339844264909145702012-06-30T12:46:00.000-07:002012-06-30T12:46:54.848-07:00Kitchen Counter Redo - Pt 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
My husband has been working on getting his mom's house ready to put on the market. One of the projects he has completed is refacing her kitchen counter tops. They were a very undistinguished off white standard builders grade laminate. He used the <a href="http://gianigranite.com/" target="_blank">Giani granite look countertop paint</a>, which we've gotten to refinish our old but still functional bathroom counter. The kit comes with everything you need, and involves putting on a black primer, then sponge painting on a series of paints to achieve the look of granite, and finishing up with a couple coats of polyurethane finish.</div>
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Here is the original countertop, taped off and ready to be primed.</div>
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Even putting the primer on gives it more presence, I thought.</div>
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You need to work in sections, so the three colors you are dabbing on have a chance to blend naturally. That stove will be replaced, not only is it outdated, half of the burners don't work.</div>
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Here is a good section of the finished color. Putting on the polyurethane afterward really gives it a nice shine, and of course protection. He finished by replacing her kitchen faucet, doing a much better job than the 'professional' which had replaced her last faucet just a few years ago. The 'almost-new' faucet was leaking badly from the handles.</div>
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I do not know why I don't have a complete picture of the finished countertops, as this was completed several weeks ago. Since his mom was still living there, he needed to complete this as quickly as possible. We do need to either paint the walls or put on the mosiac tile which he wants to do. We already have the tile purchased, the hold up is in contemplating how to install it around the electrical plugins and light fixtures. I'm pushing to forget the tiling for expediency sake and paint the walls a nice taupe color to match the new countertops.</div>
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I'll post the finished pictures soon, hopefully we'll have the walls done and maybe even have the new stove installed as well.<br />
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Take care, and everyone have a glorious 4th of July!<br />
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JaneDesigning Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-73078321191023437782012-05-12T17:48:00.000-07:002012-05-12T17:48:37.427-07:00Happy Mother's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day. I am intending to spend mine in contemplation of the time I have shared with my beautiful daughters, who are fast becoming grown women. I am so proud of them both. Raising children takes more effort and energy and pure dedication than you ever comprehend when you first have those little bundles of love, but it's one of the greatest things you can do in life. To repeat my sister, 'I like the way they turned out.'</div>
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My darling family got me a new camera for Christmas, and I knew there must be some way to make those photos less underexposed than what I'd been able to do. Five months after I received it, I finally come across the button setting for 'lightness'. Admittedly, I wasn't doing much research on it, the find was more a mistake than anything else. Since I had my afternoon free this beautiful spring day, I worked with that setting, and am happy with the better quality of my photos. Now my pictures of my new plantings on my patio actually bring out some detail.</div>
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The paint job on my little bird is fading out, but he is still very cheerful amid the colors in my hanging basket.</div>
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I tell myself I'm not into cherubs, but I do have my little gardening angels. This sweet thing is just one of those small resin statues plucked off the shelf of a local chain drug store during a half price sale. Doesn't she look happy to be here? I'm happy she's here, too.</div>
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Have a blessed weekend!</div>
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Jane</div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-69032415423026620812012-05-08T22:08:00.001-07:002012-05-09T22:00:27.359-07:00Return to the Hunt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With things being so busy lately, I've not been doing much as far as shopping at my favorite Goodwill. Life has finally slowed down enough to where I have my evenings mostly free, so last week I finally stopped by my old treasure hunting ground and looked around. I am being very particular lately about anything I bring home, considering that we're supposed to be downsizing in anticipation of a late summer move. It's not that I never walk out of there empty-handed, either, I leave with nothing more often than I purchase something. That day, I desired <em>something, </em>something that made a connection with me. I was disappointed in what I saw on the shelves, though, and after taking a final perusal through the back wall shelf, moved to leave. Then I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. There - on the bottom rack of the cart they use to stock the shelves, sat a large deer. It was white ceramic, but so filthy as to be encrusted, yes, encrusted with dust. I've still got areas to scrub the final layer of grit off him. I suspect he is a soup tureen, though he could just as well be a cookie jar. The cashier asked if it was a reindeer, but his form is so delicate and well-wrought, it's almost mystical. I could picture him resting on a bed of fall foiliage as well as Christmas ivy. He was marked at $5.98 and had just arrived in the store that day - had not even been shelved yet, and I was very happy to bring him home before anyone else had a chance to see him. I know nothing about the origins of this beautiful piece, on the bottom there is a 'made in Italy' marking, and you can see where an emblem label used to be. I suspect the antlers are gold gilded, as they had some green around the base. The ceramic glaze does have fine crackling on it, which I believe just adds to his charm. One of these days I'll figure out how to get a good photo without the light reflecting off the white finish, there are a lot of details going unseen in this picture.</div>
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I was so excited about my find, that I stopped by that Goodwill every day on the way home for the next week. I did not see anything near the appeal of my large deer, tho I am kicking myself for not buying this very large white birdhouse I couldn't think what to do with when I was considering it, but a day later knew it would be gorgeous on my patio. Of course, 24 hours later when I went back it was gone. That's the way it is with the good stuff.</div>
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Okay, I brought home one more find. It's not of the same quality that the deer is. In fact, I bought it mainly because it amused and entertained me. I still haven't figured out whether I think this banana cake cookie jar is cute or just so homely it's cute. Layers of what is meant to be spicy banana cake separated by whipped cream and half rotten bananas on top. Seriously, those bananas are more than a bit overripe, but that's how you use them in baking, heehee. My intent was to keep it out on our counter and put our sugar in it, placing it next to the coffee pot for easy access on our busy mornings. In a pique of cleaning, though, my husband put it away in a closed shelf where he had cleared out mismatched tupperware, old jars and other items we were hoarding. When I asked him about it, he pointed out that our counters are already cluttered past the point of practicality, so I said no more and left the banana cake creation in the cupboard.</div>
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When we relocate into that next home with the garage and garden, I'm hoping for both a kitchen with an eating nook and a formal dining room. I'm hoping for room to put a china cabinet in the formal diningroom and a baker's rack in the eating nook, or somewhere near the kitchen. I'm rehearsing in my mind where to exhibit these treasures. I'll let you know when we find our perfect spots.</div>
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I am linking with<a href="http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/2012/05/home-and-garden-thursday_09.html#comment-form" target="_blank"> A Delightsome Life</a> for Home and Garden Thursday.</div>
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<br /></div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-85290020052243959852012-04-23T22:35:00.000-07:002012-04-23T22:35:09.658-07:00Busy Times<br />
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In the past several weeks since I have not posted on this blog, my family had gone through several issues.<br />
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1. My mother-in-law has been in and out of the hospital and a couple of rehab/nursing centers. Her health has been failing since the first of the year, and we have spent more time than ever looking after her or visiting her in different medical facilities.<br />
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During her last rehab stint, we rushed to paint her condo. Since our grand plan for the year includes selling both condos and moving into a larger home together, this is necessary, and her being out of her home for what turned out to be 10 days presented an opportunity to paint and fix up her place. Of course it was extremely hectic as I am still working full-time, so my hubby did much of the work himself while juggling visiting his mom and putting in the occasional stop at home. I worked with him on the weekends, we finished what we could at midnight the night before Easter, which is when we promised to bring mother home. I do hope to post a few pictures of a couple of the projects at her place later.<br />
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2. Easter. I was too exhausted to give it the attention I wanted to, but I still made our too-old-for-baskets daughters Easter baskets and had a much appreciated our family only brunch before checking out mother-in-law at the home. Anyone who has needed to juggle other family desires with the need of a more full-time individual understands how this family time apart is needed.<br />
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3. My oldest daughter celebrated her 21st birthday. We spent the day before at an amusement park, had the family party with grandma/mother-in-law the next day. The following week she gave a party at home for her friends. The party was based on a Mardi Gras theme. God bless the Dollar Store, you can get so much good party stuff there and still afford to feed your guests.<br />
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Don't you just love that humongous stuffed bear my hubby bought her? He's still taking up half the couch, we don't know where else to put him.<br />
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4. I officially filed the paperwork for my retirement. Since I work for a government agency, I am supposed to do this 3 months in advance. My retirement date is July 5. I am so ready.<br />
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I hope everyone is enjoying their spring fast turning to summer.<br />
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Jane<br />Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-12637182545681385922012-03-11T21:13:00.000-07:002012-03-11T21:13:00.308-07:00A New Bathroom Look To Come<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuApZBjdO2O-guLLSFN9bQzGvU0JJoXZjQ8Y_lVaGSETGJSf0De4V-I4u4q44lYXvN5WRf2KSSKt23P4XyYtOWrNcQuXR3c6Nkm1vjTZ53RibSZDkoucCwlRWCQ2Xxsu6jp2HMJl37W8/s1600/235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuApZBjdO2O-guLLSFN9bQzGvU0JJoXZjQ8Y_lVaGSETGJSf0De4V-I4u4q44lYXvN5WRf2KSSKt23P4XyYtOWrNcQuXR3c6Nkm1vjTZ53RibSZDkoucCwlRWCQ2Xxsu6jp2HMJl37W8/s640/235.JPG" width="480" yda="true" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Since we are going to put our condo on the market this spring or summer, I'm thinking in terms of 'staging' it. Take away our eclectic collection of 23 years of decorating clutter, and update it with a more modern look, putting out just enough tasteful decor pieces to look lived in, all set on a background of fresh paint in modern tones and glowing furnishings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We haven't gotten very far in preparation. Much of this has to do with my mother-in-law being sickly and needing my hubby to be at her place daily. I go over and help out when I can, and between that and my usual 40-hour work week, there just doesn't seem to be much time or energy left for doing the cleaning and prep work involved with painting walls and redoing finishes on bathroom counters and the like. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A couple weeks ago, in a self-indulgent shopping trip I was browsing through the clearance section of Anna's Linens and came across this handsome shower curtain in shades of browns and beige, with a touch of yellow accent. Some recent tours of local model homes has convinced me that shades of coffee-colored browns were very much in vogue, so these are the colors I have in mind to put on our condo walls. This shower curtain is perfect to hang in our master bath, right after we get it resurfaced. I snagged this shower curtain for the bargain price of $2. Score!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The shopping area I was in also has one of my favorite stores, Ross, in it. In perusing through the home center there, I found this attractive large fleur-de-lis. I had in mind that this was something I could put to good use if it was at all a reasonable price, and in locating the price tag, was rewarded with another clearance price - $2.50. Wow, two complete bargains in the same hour span, it was a good haul for me. I brought them home knowing that they would work well with our upcoming color scheme. I even had a new picture I had found on clearance a few weeks before at I believe Marshalls, which fits nicely with the new look I'm hoping to achieve. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Putting this display together I am inspired to get going on actually making these improvements. One improvement I'm currently working on getting my hubby on board with is painting the countertop in our master bath to look like granite. Our countertop is one solid molded piece incorporating the sink bowl. Around the drain in the sink are lots of small lines, a grazing effect. Beside this, there is nothing wrong with the counter and I'd really rather put our money and efforts into more serious projects. Lately I've discovered articles about a painting kit which allows you to recreate the look of granite over your existing formica - and I'll assume whatever manmade material ours is.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41sLXMJLuQL._AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Giani Granite FG-GI CH BR KIT Sicilian Granite Paint Kit For Countertops, Chocolate Brown" border="0" class="prod_image_selector" height="300" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41sLXMJLuQL._AA300_.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a><img alt="Giani Granite FG-GI CH BR KIT Sicilian Granite Paint Kit For Countertops, Chocolate Brown" border="0" class="prod_image_selector" height="300" id="prodImage" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41uM56Kzt6L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" width="300" /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: right;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">It will make such a difference to transform the look of this counter, even though we know no one will be fooled that it is the real stuff. Then all we need to do is replace the flower-embellished handles on the cabinets and exchange the ugly 1980s builder light we always meant to replace and never got around to doing. Oh, and that wall painting thing, yeah, that too.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-67695896617148802332012-02-23T19:53:00.000-08:002012-02-23T19:54:00.000-08:00Finding Your Fit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lWo4M_kg8EtYeOzYXrd68DU2ba3yyX3mjZAyafAshIJ5JPN603HD3QkYDpEW4ev_IWMPZuBCP4gg7j_jGWmyVHWrR7tkE9eSmj4RddV0aF5tOnYW0gclMEim1k-78Km4FiKOSdfdHK0/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lWo4M_kg8EtYeOzYXrd68DU2ba3yyX3mjZAyafAshIJ5JPN603HD3QkYDpEW4ev_IWMPZuBCP4gg7j_jGWmyVHWrR7tkE9eSmj4RddV0aF5tOnYW0gclMEim1k-78Km4FiKOSdfdHK0/s400/005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Ever hear the phrase, happy as a nine-pound cat in a five-pound box? Missy illustrates that point. She is a sucker for any box she can cram her somewhat pudgy self into. Not that I'm judging her chubbiness, mind you, my body has definitely blossomed over the years as well, those extra treats play havoc with both kitty and me. I am just not quite as fond of squishing myself into spaces which seem as if they would burst at the seams, as this poor shoebox looks like it's about to do.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPNoe0TW_q4SYgV73gaibF2vJR6ZK0AhKMvDrV0V54SuKy-w9v-XJTfYAcmo5csMkuMz8JROxUdWyD3jjD4KEfIT-JbGxhKAi0WV15ILmyBvV02v3BLIn9ao2BL9yAvrkGX6CiozcYTI/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPNoe0TW_q4SYgV73gaibF2vJR6ZK0AhKMvDrV0V54SuKy-w9v-XJTfYAcmo5csMkuMz8JROxUdWyD3jjD4KEfIT-JbGxhKAi0WV15ILmyBvV02v3BLIn9ao2BL9yAvrkGX6CiozcYTI/s400/004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shadow here looks like the box was measured to hold her. Even tho Shadow is 5 years old, she still looks like an older kitten, smaller than your average cat, and lacking much more than a stub of a tail. This box is positively roomy for her.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Between the two of them, I feel more like Missy in our current condo. I count my blessings regularly to have our own home, but every year our girls get bigger, our condo feels like it's getting smaller. We intended to upgrade to a house in a few years when we bought our condo. That was almost 24 years ago, and the opportunity to move to that larger home with yard just didn't materalize. We managed to raise our two daughters and cats in our two-bedroom, 1000 sq. foot abode, and have many happy memories here. Squished as it is, our girls talk about how they'll miss it when we leave. As we consider our next move after my upcoming retirement, we talk about finally being able to upgrade to a larger home, at a time when other families are considering downsizing. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Keep your cozy boxes, I am looking forward to having room to sprawl out. Wish me luck finding our perfect place.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-31017546157654577952012-02-09T18:32:00.000-08:002012-02-09T18:42:28.777-08:00Crochet, Embroidery & Other Home Arts<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't crochet much now. My sister is a talented and prolific crocheter, she crochets as I used to, in front of the tv, while waiting for an appointment, any excuse to pull out one of many projects finds her busy. I do hope to get back into it, perhaps when I am retired, and have those imagined long blocks of time to pursue it. Not that I don't have blocks of time now, but I tend to waste them on less productive things, like tv, and, ohhh....blogging and other fun stuff on this li'l computer. Seeing the items Julie produces, tho, I want to reintroduce crochet to my spare time.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg62in3M6TgdNMhLWErWpDAmSz8xyPx83mUpdD3RvGSshLDOxZrQ-MmOdnq3FinkrOfWA0TQHTJ02d5eDRv9tfKHqGzG1DwS11izyeQUNTe20tUFxgGnOKGH5BDUEOWnA9LXNG43o9lLo/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg62in3M6TgdNMhLWErWpDAmSz8xyPx83mUpdD3RvGSshLDOxZrQ-MmOdnq3FinkrOfWA0TQHTJ02d5eDRv9tfKHqGzG1DwS11izyeQUNTe20tUFxgGnOKGH5BDUEOWnA9LXNG43o9lLo/s400/012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;">There are not a lot of crochet items being used in my house currently, having just packed away my Christmas afghan which has been my largest project to date. I do want to share a piece near to my heart. This lovely ruffled doily was made by my grandma Wiseman, a woman of many talents who not only crocheted but quilted, sewed, cooked and canned what she grew in her garden. She also worked full time and raised a large family. Whether it was preserves put up for winter or finishing up another quilt which was immediately used on someone's bed, many if not most of the items in our parents and grandparents homes were made by hand, with love and skill.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm sure many of us have very fond memories of growing up learning from our elders how to embroidery pillowcases, then trim them out with a crocheted edging. There just doesn't seem to be a call for those whimsical dishtowels and pillowcases we learned our sewing skills on nowadays. I will see a prestamped pattern in the craft section of a store, and it makes me yearn to invest in hoops and silky strands of richly colored gloss. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><img height="106" src="http://www.sewfunpatterns.com/626kittenembroiderypattern.jpg" style="height: 100%; width: 100%;" width="320" /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">I occasionally will run across some of these scarves and pillowcases and doilies in a secondhand or antique shop, and I always admire, and wonder if I could find a place to display these as the works of art they are. My mom, beginning when my sisters and I were around 12, would set us up with our first embroidery hoop and either a pillowcase or dishtowel to start our training on. It was a fun way to learn basic stitching skills, and resulted in a personalized item for our....shall I dare it to say it.... Hope Chest! I still love the concept of a hope chest, old fashioned as it may be. How outdated can the notion of accumulating items you made yourself to use in your own future home be, really?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Who knows, give it another generation and maybe the kittens hanging out laundry on Monday will be framed and displayed as the art of our parents generation.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
I'm linking up with <a href="http://romantichome.blogspot.com/2012/02/show-and-tell-friday_09.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MyRomanticHome+%28My+Romantic+Home%29" target="_blank">Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday</a>.</div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-80314734857458438142012-01-22T16:31:00.000-08:002012-01-23T19:18:30.515-08:00Transitions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WI-EeYoMw3M/TxyCohWTO4I/AAAAAAAABL8/QNsS6QiGsmA/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nfa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WI-EeYoMw3M/TxyCohWTO4I/AAAAAAAABL8/QNsS6QiGsmA/s400/012.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I always have a problem deciding what to do for a winter look in my home. I take down all the Christmas glitz and find that things look.... bare. The changeover from the abundance of the holiday season to the simplicity of ordinary is one I find awkward. One of my problems is that I tend to associate anything winter with Christmas, so it doesn't feel right leaving it up after the holidays. This applies to snowmen, snowflakes and poinsettias, all items that I suppose could transend the holiday season, but which come and go with the rest of the Christmas decor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Like this lovely lantern candleholder. My hubby bought this for me for my birthday, which is a few days before Christmas. I love it and put it out for display with the rest of the decorations. After Christmas, I had it in the pile of holiday items to be put away. 'Why are you taking that down, it's not a holiday decoration?' he asked. Hmmm. I completely associated it with the holiday. I'm not sure why, perhaps its the pinecones and snowy effect on it. He's right though, it's a winter look, but not December exclusive. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6tkwdLTial0/TxyCnrmUePI/AAAAAAAABL4/yTtw97mLfsI/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nfa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6tkwdLTial0/TxyCnrmUePI/AAAAAAAABL4/yTtw97mLfsI/s400/010.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">So using this lantern as a base, my glass compote got some cinnamon-scented pinecones, and I completed the look with my stainglass turtle light. It is now feeling like winter may be outside, but we are plenty cozy inside. A great transition for a season which keeps even us folks in more temperate climes indoors more often than not.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iKU_LNnY0Mk/TxyCo2LwHQI/AAAAAAAABMI/oZ8CS94u1SU/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nfa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iKU_LNnY0Mk/TxyCo2LwHQI/AAAAAAAABMI/oZ8CS94u1SU/s400/014.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">One of the reasons I love this look is because it reminds me of cabins and lodges surrounded by pine trees and mountains.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B3PYnS7suF0/TxyCrYJR1NI/AAAAAAAABMY/TGuJ4wtfhOk/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nfa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B3PYnS7suF0/TxyCrYJR1NI/AAAAAAAABMY/TGuJ4wtfhOk/s400/023.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Even my patio deer is displaced. Workers outside have asked us to clean off our patio areas so they can paint and replace the facia boards on our condo buildings. My sweet doe does add to the forest feel, along with her bunny friend.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This year will include many transitions for my family. We hope to sell our home and relocate to a larger place. My daughters will be graduating, one from college and one from high school. When we find our new home, my mother-in-law will be moving in with us. Quite a few changes coming up. Many decisions to be made - keep, purge, where, when. We'll tackle them as they come up, and learn to adjust to our new lives and adventures as they occur. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Linking up with Marty at <a href="http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2012/01/100th-table-top-tuesday.html" target="_blank">A Stroll Thru Life</a> for her special 100th Table Top Tuesday event.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-62464302870975569142012-01-09T20:18:00.000-08:002012-01-09T20:18:44.622-08:00Good Thoughts for 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cjQwbGvNDps/TwkN-5eNr6I/AAAAAAAABJQ/gWt-Z_CE0PY/s1600/144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cjQwbGvNDps/TwkN-5eNr6I/AAAAAAAABJQ/gWt-Z_CE0PY/s400/144.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Wow, it's been almost a month since my last blog? Okay, I know I didn't post everything I wanted to over the holidays, I got rather caught up in, you guessed it, the holidays. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's hard now to remember the particulars of the last days before Christmas, but it was good. Three days after Christmas we headed off to Las Vegas to spend a few days, including New Year's Eve. Yes, we did New Year's Eve on the Strip. Yes, it was memorable. Fun, thrilling, and downright scary for a 20-30 minute block of time when we and hundreds of other people were squished together so tightly no one was able to move for about half an hour, till a hotel finally opened up a gated-off area and allowed escape for the trapped pedestrians.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At this point I'm doing major reflecting on what 2012 will bring. I do believe it will be a year of positive changes, but I realize I have to play a big role in making these changes happen. We have been concentrating on getting our condo ready to sell since last year, and since we want to put it on the market in maybe April or May, we need to very seriously start finishing up. The current real estate market and predictions for a still grim market this summer are very intimidating, I'm hoping we see at least some improvement. Regardless, people do sell and buy homes in depressed markets as well as 'hot' markets, just not as quickly, and not as profitably for sellers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope 2012 is prosperous and successful for all of us, whatever our endeavors.</div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-84790063678402436632011-12-12T20:13:00.000-08:002011-12-12T20:13:11.353-08:00A Tale of Two Nutcrackers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bul_kyJFo10/TubLVVuyJyI/AAAAAAAAA3E/OqxXdZa0Xvw/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bul_kyJFo10/TubLVVuyJyI/AAAAAAAAA3E/OqxXdZa0Xvw/s400/012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Last year I picked up a sweet musical nutcracker at an after-Christmas sale. Packed him away and forgot all about him till I opened up a particular box and there he was. I put him on the end table next to a Marine nutcracker my daughter bought me a few Christmases ago.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They did not get along. It's not that I suspected them of dueling at midnight (tho they might have, depending on your belief of hidden nutcracker lives). They just didn't sit well together. Tho' one is a few inches taller than the other, they seemed to constantly be competing for space against each other. Perhaps this visual imbalance was exasperated by the fact they shared the table with my amber compote as well. There was such tension between them that I couldn't even get a half-way decent photo of them, they all came out over exposed and blurry.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vaDia0e-SlY/TubLQbpLxXI/AAAAAAAAA20/GhSmBiF4N0c/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vaDia0e-SlY/TubLQbpLxXI/AAAAAAAAA20/GhSmBiF4N0c/s400/009.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">So I replaced the musical nutcracker with this sweet Victorian Christmas cat 3-D card my sister sent me a number of years ago. It is sitting on a small gift box to add more 'presence' and looks quite at home. I believe the Marine might make a sort of mascot of it.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">And where has the musical nutcracker gone to? He has found harmony on my kitchen counter next to my plate of angels, who are also very musically inclined. Even the colors on these pieces go together better. So glad that they each have found their perfect place.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cf_vrS7_LM8/TubLUYRDcPI/AAAAAAAAA28/X5VWpkEaS1E/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cf_vrS7_LM8/TubLUYRDcPI/AAAAAAAAA28/X5VWpkEaS1E/s400/021.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bDDVkcDUOZE/TubLOIXig4I/AAAAAAAAA2s/BCQuBrxk6og/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bDDVkcDUOZE/TubLOIXig4I/AAAAAAAAA2s/BCQuBrxk6og/s400/017.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I hope everyone is having a blessed Christmas season. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I am linking up with Marty at<a href="http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2011/12/94th-table-top-tuesday.html" target="_blank"> A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday</a>.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-31199531888883161322011-12-10T21:48:00.000-08:002011-12-10T21:48:14.131-08:00A Find - Santa Dessert Plates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zCpIuJEaE5g/TuPcOyURdHI/AAAAAAAAA2U/rHktK6jiwMY/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" mda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zCpIuJEaE5g/TuPcOyURdHI/AAAAAAAAA2U/rHktK6jiwMY/s400/007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It's been an incredibly busy past two weeks for me. I can't believe I haven't joined in on some of the fun Holiday link parties out there. How do you all do it? I haven't even been able to read up on many of the blogs posted. I literally just got my tree up this past Monday, altho I spent the day putting up other decorations throughout the house Sunday. Last Saturday was mostly about a party I was helping out at and attending. I did spend some of last Saturday morning housecleaning, anticipating having all my decorating done Sunday. Since this includes my daughters, it became an issue when it turned out they had made other plans. When in their minds ANYTHING started taking precedence over helping dear old Mom put up the tree, I don't know, but though they wanted to be included in doing so, it took waiting till Monday and then insisting to get them to spend that hour and a half together putting up the ornaments.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I will get the pictures up for the rest of my Christmas decorating later. Right now I wanted to tell about my latest Goodwill find. I've become positively addicted to stopping by the Goodwill on my way home from work. Because I've also been putting together a small 50th birthday party for a coworker this week, I hadn't gotten there until Friday. I will often do a quick run-through, so as not to have the family wait dinner on me, but this trip I found a set of four fun Christmas dessert plates, still in the box, for $4. Fair enough, I grabbed those and brought them home. I finally got a chance this morning to open up the box for a closer look today, and was delighted to find there are 3 different designs on them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This set is called 'Santa's Ornaments' by Evermore Signatures Housewares Collection, and I don't believe it's a high-end set. This might have been at any discount or drugstore originally, but I was thrilled to have it land on my table. This windup Santa toy was the plate on top in the box, I assumed the plates would all have this design.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">There are two of these green trimmed Santa designs in the box set.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I think this crescent shaped Santa ornament is my favorite one. Notice how the 3 designs each have different greetings on the edge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Bring on the fruitcake, we are ready to dessert in holiday style!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Hope everyone is enjoying their own busy and bright Christmas season. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-71993648122982480792011-11-28T20:39:00.000-08:002011-11-28T20:39:49.051-08:00A Small Start<div style="text-align: justify;">I had a wonderful holiday weekend, as I hope everyone had. A lot of cooking, a lot of eating, a lot of cleaning, a lot of shopping (for me, anyway). Some time spent on Saturday helping mother-in-law out with shopping and cleaning. By Sunday, I was bushed! As in, even if I was seriously planning on beginning the Christmas decorating I would not have had the energy to do so. So I didn't. I did, however, pick up a couple of poinsettias I saw Saturday. One for me, one for mom-in-law. This picture doesn't do it justice, it's a lovely plant.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Then I remembered that my Santa snowglobe I picked up at Home Goods last year was tucked safely in my curio cabinet, quite easily accessible.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I now officially have a Christmas vignette on my livingroom table, a small beginning, but a good start. I suppose it may be better balanced with a third piece just to the right of the snowglobe, but let me tell you, I need to keep the coaster placed and available for when someone puts their ever-present soda there.<em> (Sorry these pictures are so light, they always look so good on my camera display screen! My hubby <u>might</u> be picking up on my hinting for a new camera for Christmas, shhh!)</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Since I made a start, I finished the prep work by putting away the Thankgiving and fall decor. Obviously not quickly enough, the gold chargers I had wiped clean and stacked on the staircase to be stored under my bed found a new use by my kitty, Ms. Missy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Who knew that plate chargers could do double duty as a kitty bed?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Linking up with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for <a href="http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2011/11/southern-living-mantel-welcome-to-149th.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BetweenNapsOnThePorch+%28BETWEEN+NAPS+ON+THE+PORCH%29">Metamorphosis Monday</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and Marty at <a href="http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2011/11/92nd-table-time-tuesday.html">A Stroll thru Life for Table Time Tuesday</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-3940271872873833762011-11-27T17:07:00.000-08:002011-12-03T11:53:25.975-08:00Thanksgiving 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qMZE3aCsfXY/TtLW9g5Pz-I/AAAAAAAAA0o/4b3uLpX6ObE/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qMZE3aCsfXY/TtLW9g5Pz-I/AAAAAAAAA0o/4b3uLpX6ObE/s400/010.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We gathered around the table Thursday for Thanksgiving 2012. My hubby and I prepped and plotted and got the traditional turkey on for the five of us. My hubby also did a ham this year, as he's not a big turkey eater. In fact, the large turkey platter I scored at Goodwill this summer got confiscated for the ham presentation, as it needed a large one. No matter, I always carve the turkey and serve slices on the table, so was able to use a smaller platter for it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XVuVxroK-fo/TtLWzzgz7YI/AAAAAAAAA0I/Sb_5B9b0vjs/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XVuVxroK-fo/TtLWzzgz7YI/AAAAAAAAA0I/Sb_5B9b0vjs/s400/006.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I had showed my planned table setting earlier this week, and lamented that I didn't have another plate to use for bread. Well, on Wednesday I made one more super quick pop into the GW, and found the perfect 6-pack of bread and butter plates for $3. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TuxToZoJumA/TtLWcGlt1sI/AAAAAAAAAzo/YNxm3pDG2xc/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TuxToZoJumA/TtLWcGlt1sI/AAAAAAAAAzo/YNxm3pDG2xc/s400/027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I pulled out our Reed & Barton flatware to use for the dinner, and was very pleased with how everything worked together. Ultimately, we were all seated together over a predictable but well appreciated Thanksgiving meal, and enjoyed the day and each other. I hope everyone enjoyed all the blessings of the day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><em>Note: I had to go back and edit this a week after posting. I am in the middle of scrubbing pots and pans when it occurs to me.... I put Thanksgiving 2012 on the header instead of 2011. Bwahahahaa! (And yes, I am one of those people whose lightbulbs go off at odd hours concerning random things, like just when I'm drifting off to sleep I'll have an epiphany about a project at work, and I wasn't even thinking of it.) So I am now typing with my nitril gloves on, as those pots are still awaiting scrubbing. </em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-61317329506705873662011-11-22T22:04:00.000-08:002011-11-23T18:40:45.934-08:00Thanksgiving Wishes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0eW4BOx8QMk/TsyECS2ODVI/AAAAAAAAAwc/4O6bne5O2fY/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0eW4BOx8QMk/TsyECS2ODVI/AAAAAAAAAwc/4O6bne5O2fY/s400/001.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I did a trial run of my Thanksgiving table tonight. I have been for the past few weeks trying to accumulate fixings for making a lush tablescape for Thanksgiving. I had mentioned in a previous post that due to plumbing issues our wedding china is packed away, so I purchased these white plates at Goodwill. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CKwKVAVVxKg/TsyEJh6fv5I/AAAAAAAAAw0/5kH39RyD0Ao/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CKwKVAVVxKg/TsyEJh6fv5I/AAAAAAAAAw0/5kH39RyD0Ao/s400/003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I am working with a couple of handicaps trying to put together a nice table. One is of course, budget as always. I have been haunting my favorite discount and second-hand stores a lot. The other is storage, with an eye for packing in the not-too-distant future. We hope to sell and move across country this year (more to come on that as it develops) and I am supposed to be eliminating possessions, not adding to them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VRDRL9HofN4/TsyEPHGxSVI/AAAAAAAAAxA/EFx4gNUsDyw/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VRDRL9HofN4/TsyEPHGxSVI/AAAAAAAAAxA/EFx4gNUsDyw/s400/006.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I couldn't resist some few items, tho. Besides the plates, which at $1 each for 6, will cover both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and cost cheaper than nice disposable dinnerware. The gold chargers were gotten at Bed, Bath & Beyond, I was so proud of myself for getting the 6 for $8. I've since been seeing them at all the dollar stores. Well, they'll last a good number of dinners, at any rate. The chamois soft leaves that so many of you have in your stock were purchased at Big Lots, I wish now I had gotten 6 instead of the 5, I might stop on my way home tomorrow. Big Lots is also where I got the nice table runner. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Something I had a surprising amount of trouble finding were cloth napkins. My hubby doesn't care for cloth napkins, but I really wanted to use them. In hunting for them, I was surprised at the prices. I finally broke down and paid $9 for 6 plain cotton green ones at Walmart. An hour later at Ross I found this bundle of beautiful russet damask napkins with a leaf pattern on it, clearanced at $6. Yay, just the price I was looking for. The green ones will still work for Christmas. At Annes Linens next to Ross I picked up the napkin rings for 50 cents each. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">I really, really wanted to find a set of those lovely leaf dishes people all over blogland are using as salad plates. The ones I saw were priced too much to validate them for this year's table, tho I might make that investment next year. In my now daily stops at Goodwill I've been fantasizing about finding a set of 6 amber or sage green glass salad plates at a killer deal, but somehow those have not materialized on their shelves. So the place setting is rather simple, a single dish on a charger, but it works. The flatware I have here on my sample setting is our everyday stuff, I don't even know who makes it. I'll pull out our fancy stuff for Thursday's dinner. The stemware is my wedding crystal, Mikasa Park Avenue. I'm sure an assortment of everyday glasses will join it later, my family will be wanting soda with dinner, and I don't have the more appropriate iced tea glasses. Ultimately, that family around the table is much more important than what's on it, so it will be as it should be.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving, and a wonderful weekend.<br />
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I am linking with Marty at <a href="http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2011/11/91st-table-top-tuesday.html">A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday</a>.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am also linking at <a href="http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2011/11/happy-thanksgiving-welcome-to-170th.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BetweenNapsOnThePorch+%28BETWEEN+NAPS+ON+THE+PORCH%29">Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-10480512068917619932011-11-18T20:05:00.000-08:002011-11-18T20:05:20.978-08:00Friends and Findings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8GjD7bxKVA/TscihNTTDjI/AAAAAAAAAu8/tgOAFrIYpH4/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8GjD7bxKVA/TscihNTTDjI/AAAAAAAAAu8/tgOAFrIYpH4/s400/011.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I walked into my office this morning and found this sweet pumpkin bundle on my desk. My longtime coworker and good friend Gina had given it to me, a little gift for my Thanksgiving table. Perhaps she remembered that I was debating getting a white pumpkin for my decorating this season, but had not made the commitment. She said it was just a token gift of well wishes. Isn't that a thoughtful gesture? I do love this little piece, too, and you will see it in my tablescaping. Speaking of which....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N_UlI8C-djE/TsciSdyLBeI/AAAAAAAAAuU/oWKALskt1Kk/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N_UlI8C-djE/TsciSdyLBeI/AAAAAAAAAuU/oWKALskt1Kk/s400/005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I found my plates for my holiday table! I had been fussing over what to use for holiday serving this year. I have a beautiful set of Royal Doulton china, my wedding dishes, but there was a plumbing incident in the wall behind where the dishes are kept. A pipe started leaking and there was water dripping onto the dishes and saturating the shelf they sat on. So while we waited for the men to tear holes in the walls, upstairs and down, to fix the leaking pipe, and waited another few weeks for other men to come patch up and repair walls and shelves, I carefully packed each delicate china piece and put the boxes in my bedroom closet. They finally finished repairs this past Tuesday. Our plan is to sell our condo and move next year, so it made no sense to me to unwrap the china to use over this holiday season. I did want to do something nice for this year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I have over the past few weeks bought felt placemats shaped like leaves, and a set of gold chargers from BB&B. I'm trying to get sets of 6, since we will be serving 5, and it doesn't seem right to buy an odd number of placesettings. I have been debating whether to just buy some nice, heavier paper plates, but that just doesn't strike me as looking nice, and would feel silly putting it on my new chargers. Since boxed sets are usually sold in packs of 4, I didn't want to get 2 sets, as I am also doing this on a very low budget. I saw some plates at the dollar store I'd just about decided to go back and get, when I came across this set at Goodwill. White, a nice scalloped edge on the border, and already packed up in a stack of 6. The price was right, too, at $5.99. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">So I will be exploring my tablescape, and will document my experiments later. I would love to find another layer, like a salad bowl or bread dish, but maybe I'm being greedy. Still, the Goodwill is on my way home from work, and it doesn't hurt to keep looking.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I am linking up with Cindy at <a href="http://romantichome.blogspot.com/2011/11/show-and-tell-friday_17.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MyRomanticHome+%28My+Romantic+Home%29">My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-51543023363981628202011-11-13T21:05:00.000-08:002011-11-14T19:18:36.630-08:00November Touches<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N9V9A_Gvxf4/TsCTJHBVI2I/AAAAAAAAAqg/atLyjKKkNr8/s1600/291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N9V9A_Gvxf4/TsCTJHBVI2I/AAAAAAAAAqg/atLyjKKkNr8/s400/291.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I had done the most of my Fall/Thanksgiving decorating a few weeks ago, and felt pretty good about it. I really was behind in a couple of areas, though, I had not yet located and put out our fall tableclothes and placemats. I also had not shared my new look with my friends here on blogland. This first picture is my curio cabinet, it sits in my livingroom, just before you turn the corner to the dining area.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y8wr6v6fgA0/TsCS4o-tgMI/AAAAAAAAAp4/i1l1VEtdJfk/s1600/285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y8wr6v6fgA0/TsCS4o-tgMI/AAAAAAAAAp4/i1l1VEtdJfk/s400/285.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">My curio cabinet top gets the nicest makeover. Much of the decor I have there is the same as last year, which is being used for my current header. I left out the rooster plate this time in favor of the carved pumpkin I recently picked up at Big Lots. It's raised for display on a crystal Mikasa cake stand I got at an after Christmas sale last year. I am looking forward to using that cake stand this year at Christmas time. I also added my primitive patchwork turkey, and of course the raggedy Ann doll I keep there year round, she always looks at home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k8ejZPlpmXc/TsCTQ2hwmzI/AAAAAAAAAq4/hYRPomEJba8/s1600/293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k8ejZPlpmXc/TsCTQ2hwmzI/AAAAAAAAAq4/hYRPomEJba8/s320/293.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I don't put out a lot on my end tables. A couple of main reasons are two furry creatures known as cats, they do have a habit of making a mess of my endeavors. Two other... well, three, actually.... reasons are my family. Living cozy as we do in our small condo, life with a husband and two teen girls means there is always something - or a bunch of somethings - left lying around on any free tabletop or couch, or floor, for that matter. So tho I do put a few things out on my end tables, they are generally joined by other competing items shortly thereafter. I did do cleaning today for the pictures, and felt comfortable sharing my cornucopia vignette on my end table. See that journal? That's a nice Fall tree on it, isn't it? It's an accidental accent, since DD #1 left it there. In this case it adds to the look. (I moved the purse she also left there.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">My little corner on the kitchen counter holds a colorful display. I just love how the warm reds and golds of Fall work so well with so many different finishes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, I actually did get out my Fall tableclothes, and actually found my placemats from last year. Please disregard that messy desk area behind it. We should have an armoire to hide our office mess, or even a roll top desk (so very 80s!) I tried getting it from the other side, but the light reflected badly from that end. Here, I'll show you.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BQHWvLxKOIk/TsCTe56PgxI/AAAAAAAAArQ/YlAOiG_0VDU/s1600/297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BQHWvLxKOIk/TsCTe56PgxI/AAAAAAAAArQ/YlAOiG_0VDU/s400/297.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I worked very hard to try to get a good picture of this carnival glass compote. The white blurry things inside it are glittered pumpkins being excessively glittery. It sat so nicely on the new table runner I bought a few weeks ago. Plus, I found a pair of adorable little sherbert cups in the same marigold color. Okay, I don't know how very authentic these little sherbert cups are. I have a feeling they're very recent 'faux' pieces, but they're cute, and for the $1.99 each I paid at Goodwill, they make a nice addition to my carnival glass collection. Three being a collection... I'm just starting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Have a wonderful week!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I am linking up with Cielo with <a href="http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/2011/11/show-off-your-cottage-monday_13.html">The House in the Roses for Show Off Your Cottage Monday</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Also with Susan at <a href="http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2011/11/precious-before-and-after-giveaway.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BetweenNapsOnThePorch+%28BETWEEN+NAPS+ON+THE+PORCH%29">Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also with Marty at <a href="http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2011/11/90th-table-top-tuesday.html">A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-67911384177844733652011-11-05T22:25:00.000-07:002011-11-05T22:25:31.768-07:00Thankfully Toasty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfR8f4AYw9ChtwlB-_Odwa5o3bNF7d2gsqnScxFSi8OV6W0cxcs1q91E9JseUKHkhyphenhyphenMmw2gkzaEQ8l0wHPCwdAJQXwzJNqgmLH6gNsRUf1RdB1qLbiEVQTlQVENnr6zpPm3EBEeBjZa0A/s1600/Thxgiving+ctrpieces-Jane+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfR8f4AYw9ChtwlB-_Odwa5o3bNF7d2gsqnScxFSi8OV6W0cxcs1q91E9JseUKHkhyphenhyphenMmw2gkzaEQ8l0wHPCwdAJQXwzJNqgmLH6gNsRUf1RdB1qLbiEVQTlQVENnr6zpPm3EBEeBjZa0A/s400/Thxgiving+ctrpieces-Jane+002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This morning when I opened the door to bring in the paper and let out the cats, I encountered a rarity for our Southern Califnrnia area, a chilly (relatively) morning. I had noticed during the night that our heat came on several times, and wondered about it. It wasn't that I felt cold or uncomfortable, so the dip in temperature was a surprise.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I grew up in Missouri, in a house over 100 years old, with drafts blowing in from every corner, between the bare plank flooring, under doors and any crack it could find. We heated entirely by wood, there was a grate in the floor which at some point had been plumbed for gas heat, but which our parents assured us was 'broken'. It was eventually sealed over with plywood, to keep vents which should have brought in warm air from being another source of cold drafts.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Wood heating is an iffy thing. Our one wood stove centered in the livingroom was occasionally adequate to heat the overly large room (our home prior us occupying it served as a general store). We'd close the doors, shove rugs under the front door, and hang an old blanket on the kitchen doorway to contain the heat. But there were many bitterly cold mornings when we were miserable, no matter how we stoked and fed paper and kindling, the fire burned low and refused to throw off heat, and our family would gather around the big metal box which was the stove and lay over it, trying to suck up any warmth from it we could. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">How appeciative I am to have central heating. How thankful that my family has only to adjust a dial on the wall to maintain a comfortable environment in our home. I was trying to tell my hubby how grateful I am to have this modern luxury, but he didn't get it. He grew up in middle class suburban Southern California, the coldest he has ever been was probably on our camping trip to the Grand Canyon in April, when the nighttime temps dropped into the 40s and he insisted on dragging our cooking stove into the tent to warm it up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU0wOxsFokrbpn7eeIYV0FCMFB0LvSZHI-X4mFgudMEx333cDB-MU1QSZDWILf69jJGW6CAqmixEbSFujhSTh9OofUjdJSkexDMsHiOdhtT1dZmkhj5g32BeV8H5OYOHDbJOBLewP9fkM/s1600/nov+pix+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU0wOxsFokrbpn7eeIYV0FCMFB0LvSZHI-X4mFgudMEx333cDB-MU1QSZDWILf69jJGW6CAqmixEbSFujhSTh9OofUjdJSkexDMsHiOdhtT1dZmkhj5g32BeV8H5OYOHDbJOBLewP9fkM/s400/nov+pix+023.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I am sharing some pictures from last year's Thanksgiving tablescapes. I'm inbetween computers right now, my hubby is transferring our old one into my daughter's bedroom, and we've yet to buy a new router for our new one. I'm borrowing my other daughters laptop, which is very awkward for me to use. Looking at these pictures, it occurs to me that I didn't find my patchwork pumpkin. I thought I was missing something! I guess I'll look for it again. Maybe I'll even find my fall placemats, I can't think why they are lost.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Hoping everyone is staying warm and toasty this November.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-8589516478082636682011-10-26T19:56:00.000-07:002011-10-26T19:56:20.201-07:00A Classic Yarn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PHGu-cv6bzw/TqjFY7WuevI/AAAAAAAAAoA/zu8lFbR2cmo/s1600/knitting+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PHGu-cv6bzw/TqjFY7WuevI/AAAAAAAAAoA/zu8lFbR2cmo/s400/knitting+004.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
I bought this green urn at Michaels a few years ago. I love the burnished, almost verdigris color and classic lines. I've tried putting a variety of floral designs in it, but find I don't usually have the space to put the larger accent piece. For the past long while it's been empty and moved from corner to corner. I've even debated getting rid of it (gasp!) but couldn't make myself do so. <br />
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Last week I was picking up assorted items my girls left lying around. My oldest daughter has been teaching herself knitting and crocheting, and had left her yarn and needles piled up on a couch. In a pique of clutter-busting, I put it in the first empty container, which happened to be this vase. It works! It is not what I imagined ever using it for, but it is quite handsome with the yarn and needles bundled into it.<br />
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Isn't it funny how sometimes a careless effect becomes a favorite look?Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8360842987743826729.post-70374733441217618032011-10-21T18:41:00.000-07:002011-10-21T18:41:51.074-07:00Pfaltzgraff Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNc9Rx13HhvatMMbdIw9Zii2-PERRRpB8_Bvp79HskUykHeKxV8u1NPqlHC13pAiO5ZdSCvrcl4PEjgC8ePylU-gL18dXh6pL07C1sV3socQMBlkQsjFbl3a2C1HEdvmgmnqkZAbfKUsM/s1600/HERTG_v1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNc9Rx13HhvatMMbdIw9Zii2-PERRRpB8_Bvp79HskUykHeKxV8u1NPqlHC13pAiO5ZdSCvrcl4PEjgC8ePylU-gL18dXh6pL07C1sV3socQMBlkQsjFbl3a2C1HEdvmgmnqkZAbfKUsM/s400/HERTG_v1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Just in time for the holidays! Anita over at <a href="http://anita-faraboverubies.blogspot.com/2011/10/celebrate-200-years-of-pfaltzgraff-and.html">Far Above Rubies</a> is hosting a giveaway for this classic set of Pfaltzgraff dinnerware, called Heritage. Can't you just imagine it nestled in among the rich golds and russets on your Thanksgiving table? Or giving a stylish look to the silver and gold of Christmas decor, maybe offset with a few pieces of red, a gold charger underneath..... there are so many possibilities!<br />
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Anita has done a great job of showcasing this handsome set in her own gorgeous dining room. She even has a bit of fun history to share on it. I know you'll enjoy her inspiring use of this classic design. Good luck to everyone, but most of all to me!Designing Lady Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04549616598974427645noreply@blogger.com4