Saturday, April 25, 2009

Work at the cottage

I've been getting work done on the bedroom at the cottage. I love the blue we picked out for the walls and it's so pretty with the sun shining through the large windows.
While my mom was visiting, we hit a few garage sales and I got some GREAT treasures for the cottage.
I got this really pretty bed for $10. I forgot to take a "before" picture, but it was painted fluorescent yellow and green and was upholstered in maroon. But I saw past that, to what it would be. Here it is:

I painted it in white, re-upholstered it in a tiny taupe houndstooth and covered it in an old hobnail cotton bedspread that I had. No pillows yet. Look at the pretty detail in the siderails and foot.
Here is more detail in the carved roses on the headboard:
Now, I know this is absolutely crazy but check out this adorable side table I picked up for $3! Let me tell you how crazy this table is. There are 3 huge brass flowers that spring out on the base. They are like tulips on steroids that have been bronzed! Inside each of the flowers is a light bulb that lights up when you plug the thing in! How great is that?! Anyway, the flowers look just like "Audrey 2" in the movie Little Shop Of Horrors so I have loving dubbed this little table "Audrey 3".

At the same sale where I purchased Audrey 3, I bought this massive mirror for $15. Is it gorgeous, or what! (I know, I know...baroque is not everyone's choice of style...)
My sweetheart daughter used lots of elbow grease to get this old fridge to shine! This is the old thing I bought last month for $25 from a farmer who had it out in his barn. It is an old HotPoint with a tiny freezer on top. But the best thing about it is its PINK interior! It is too SWEET and too perfect for my old kitchen. It's a little shabby on the outside and I may paint it in the future. But for now it is fine.

Happy Hunting!

Signs of Spring...FINALLY

We've had lots of rain, but finally the sun is shining and people can get out and about. And AT LAST I can put away my turtlenecks! That's just about the only thing I wear all winter-long and since I've been wearing them since OCTOBER I felt I was about to go crazy from not being able to wear my floral skirts and flipflops for OVER HALF THE YEAR! UGh! I think that's the longest I've ever gone wearing winter garb. Yuck. Although it wasn't a severe winter, it was loooong.

I have a hanging plant in the front that still has a fake pink poinsettia plant in it from Christmas.
It has become home to a couple of nesting birds: a Robin and a Wren.
The wrens next goes deep into the moss of the planter and I couldn't get a clear picture of it, but I could see 4 newly hatched babies!
We live on a very windy street and the darned planter constantly spins and swings in the breeze. I don't know how those little birds don't get seasick!

Here is a little "birds nest" I recently picked-up for next to nothing! (Click on any photo to enlarge.)


This beautiful ceramic bird's nest was $1.50. I attached it to this pedestal (candlestick) that I already had, by using a ring of sculpy clay. Now it is firmly attached but I can remove it at any time. The little blue wooden eggs I got at a sale last year.



Beautiful pink conch shell, $1.


Pink and gold framed French print, $2.

The title of it is "The Happy Moment." I think the gentleman must be proposing marriage to the fair maiden who is sitting on a huge rock. But my kids say it's a "happy moment" because he has come to save her from the termite mound she is sitting on!

2 lovely picture frames, $1.50 a piece. One is matted with pale pink velvet ribbon all the way around!



Today it will be a glorious 80 degrees with pure sunshine. We are going over to the Pond to work a little on the cottage. Please pray for me. I need a decent, reliable, CHEAP plumber! I have used up all the funds the bank gave me and still haven't gotten the plumbing done in the cottage. I would have had enough money had I not had a couple of construction workers make off with a few thousand without finishing their work. What is it with people? I'm a very trusting individual but now I'm gun-shy about anybody doing work for me....At least, I've learned my lesson: Don't pay up front and Inspect the work before the final payment! But...I've learned the hard way.
See you soon!