Craft/Sewing Room Makeover

I am so excited to give you my first progress report in the craft/sewing room makeover.  While I still have quite a way to go to get it finished I am ready to reveal where I am in this makeover so far.  If you remember I took over the smallest of three bedroom upstairs to convert it into my own space. 

This was the before picture after moving out all the furniture.

Then I opened up one of my cans of Ooops paint and and did a test on the wall.  The color was one that I really liked but very close to the same color I have all over the rest of the house, a yellowy gold.  I really wanted something with a green tint in this room though, so I opened up another can I had of a dark green from a previous paint job and added some green to the gold for a test.

This is the original color shown next to the first test color I mixed.  I knew I was headed in the right direction after seeing this.  I also knew since I only had a smaller amount of green to go into my full gallon of gold that it was going to be lighter then my first mix.

This was fine with me since I didn't want to go to dark in this room.  So first, I dumped my gold gallon in a bucket and then the rest of the green I had into the same bucket and this third color is what I ended up with!   I was thrilled!  It still could be considered a gold color with a slight greenish tint. 

Of course after completing my room I had to break out my Sherwin Williams swatches to see what color I actually ended up with!

Holding up all my swatches to the wall the color that is almost identical to the mix I made is called Wheat Grass.

Isn't that a wonderful name?  It's so funny because this is one color I have looked at many times before and thought of buying from Sherwin Williams but never have.  I have a feeling I may be using this color from Sherwin Williams in the future.  I love it!

After I finished painting the room and the trim I decided to work on this shelf I was taking from my youngest sons room.  He didn't want it and took another shelf that used to belong to the older son.  It's nothing special but would give me lots of shelving space to store more craft items. 

 

So I painted it an off white color.  This color, Satin Weave, was from another can of Ooops paint that I picked up last week.  I planned to use this on several other pieces also.  I jumped right into this project only to be very disappointed.  Why?  Because in my haste to snap up this can of paint, I neglected to see it was and oil based paint. 

I only realized it was oil based after I already started putting lots of paint on these shelves.  I am not a fan of oil based paint at all!  It takes so long to dry, is sticky and a complete mess IMOP!  Not to mention once you use oil based paint you can only paint over it with more oil based paint.  I know it is more durable but I would rather use latex any day of the week!  Ughhh!  So, I guess this means I will be looking for this color in a latex very soon for the rest of the pieces I wanted to paint.

And ta daaa!!!  Here it is after I finished the paint job and started to move some things in.

I'm starting to get things more in order now.

I wanted my desk here along this wall with this old shelf unit next to it...

...so that I'd have room for another smaller dresser desk I have to put in between these two chairs.  It is in the basement now awaiting a paint job.  My oldest son had it and brought it back a couple of weeks ago because he didn't want it anymore!  He bought something new which was fine by me.  I've used it before as a sewing table and it really works much better for that then the green desk ever did.  The problem with the green desk is that it is so deep that the presser foot is too far back under the desk making it difficult to sew.  I also will be repainting these old chairs too.  Do you think they will look okay painted ?

 

Finally the shelves dried and I was able to pull together this area a little more.  Those glass containers are not mine.  I have been holding on to them for one of our club members since our Jimmy Buffet Party this spring.  They have been on the floor in my dining room all summer long.  That was the only room I knew they would be safe in.

 I was thrilled to move them here out of the way on the shelves until she picks them up.  This gives me time to see what I will need to use the shelf space for and how to organize it best.

The little dormer window got a new window covering as promised.  Only it's not new to me though.  This was one of the valences I had in the den before I went to drapes.  I really like it in here now!  Just look how green the walls look in this photo!  Trust me they really are not this green, it's just the lighting.  But as you can see they definitely have a greenish tint in that gold.  I just love this room so much now!  I can't wait to get creative in here! 

Please visit http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for Metamorphosis Monday

and http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/ For Before and After Party

Thanks for stopping by, please leave me a note if you do.  It's always nice to hear from you!

Mary

Ladies who Inspired Me

Congratulations to Vanessa for starting such a wonderful new party!  Yesterday, when I first visited her blog and saw this wonderful new party I thought to myself, what a great concept!  She is hosting a party where you get to post about something that has inspired you.  While I was sitting there thinking how wonderful the concept was I was also thinking, but I don't have anything to share.


With everything I have been up to this week, it has left little time for reflection so I didn't think I had been inspired very much by anyone or anything in particular.  Oh but I was wrong!  This morning, while I was breaking out my newest goodies from Michaels and thinking of all the wonderful bargains I got it hit me.  I have been inspired this week!   All of my purchases from Michaels were inspired by a few very wonderful blogging buddies.   So I am thrilled to give credit where credit is due. 

Everything shown here was purchased on sale!  Most of the items here are part of the Tuscan Home line which was on sale for 50% off, tucked away in an obscure part of the store.

Now let's get to the inspirational part of my post.

I went shopping at Michaels because I wanted to find some more things to add to my fall decor.  I have been seeing lots of fall decor pop up here and there in blogland.  But one such post in particular that inspired me to "get started" was from Pat at Back Porch Musings.  I just loved her simple and elegant fall tabletop, it inspired me to start looking for things now.  While this urn is not one that she has, it's one I could envision her using as an accent piece on one of her side tables.  Not to mention I also got it at a bargain price of 40% off.

This simple fern is also another item I could envision her displaying.  Sometimes the simplest items can make such an elegant display.  It was on clearance for 80% off and came to only .99 cents.

I almost didn't get the red tall watering can.   It was the only one left and had other flowers sitting in it.  It is part of the Tuscan Home line so it was 50% off also.  I kept picking it up and setting it down again.  I already had another vase I was buying the stems for but this one just kept calling me back.  Why?  Because other then the style being so fantastic it was the color, red.  I have been inspired by so many of the red accents from Kim at Savvy Southern Style.  I have never really found myself that much of a red fan until I saw the way she brings red into the home.  Can't you just see her using this pitcher too and all the flowers as well in her french country decor.

The birds I could say have been inspired to me by so many of you.   I have always used birds in my decor too, but there is one blogger in particular who's birds have always caught my eye and brought a new light to them for me.  She is the one I always think of when I see a new bird, especially one for a bargain.  When I saw these, I literally was thinking, Oh Marty at A Stroll thru Life , would love this deal on these birds.  They were 50% off of $2.99.

The little brown ones are cute but I'm not a fan of the gold swirls on these, but again I was inspired by Marty because I remembered how once she posted about adding some glaze to one of her small birds.  She even had a post about fixing a rooster just this week.  I plan to paint the swirls on these birds black or a dark brown, since they are to be my fall birds.  What do you think?

Now please do not despair over the flowers. I have not yet arranged them. They are simply sitting in this container. I have four different bunches here. I'm thinking I may have enough to do an additional arrangement in another container too. 

It was our friend Debbie at Debbiedoos who inspired me to go get some flowers this week.  These sunflowers in particular!  She just did a post of hers this week that really spurred me into action.  I just adored the cute little crow she used in hers but just could not get those big bright yellow flowers out of my system.  I knew they would look great on my front porch!  Especially with this new container too!

Thank you so much to all of you lovely ladies for making my home more enjoyable!  I guess I really was inspired this week and have been for some time, little by little.

Hope you enjoyed this post today.  Please be sure and visit Vanessa at http://southerninmyheart.blogspot.com/ for Inspiration Friday and

for more inspired bloggers!

Thanks for coming by, have a great weekend!

Mary

Blue Summer School

Good Morning Miss Jenny!  How are you today?  Yes mam, I am here today!  No mam, I did not skip your class last week, I just failed to show up!  No mam, I am NOT trying to be funny, see I did my homework and everything.  Heck, I was even a day early on that, I just forgot to show up on the right day!  If you don't believe me, just look, I brought it with me to you can see.  Here's my homework from last week, can I please still get credit?  Come on!  Purrrtyyy please!!!


See, I been so busy it's hard to tell when I'm coming or going lately!  Ever felt like that?  I do all the time!  Yes mam, I do know that's none of your concern but I thought you'd want to know, me being your favorite student and everythang!  Urr, I mean every thing! Why yes, I was feeling a little blue about missing out on my favorite class too!  That didn't last too long though, since I got so much going on ya know, I don't have time for no whining and poor pitiful me stuff!


Let me show ya what I been up to.

I've been painting this here blue room!  It's been blue since the day we moved into this house.  Well, it ain't blue no more!  I did such a good job on it and my husband said, "Well it finally looks like it belongs to the rest of our house now!  LOL!  You'll have to visit me on Monday to see that!

Blue is one of my favorite colors, I know I say that about each one but it's true!  Let me show you all this blue stuff I got and then you'll see.

I got blue pillows, I made myself!

Most of my pictures have blue matting.  There's more then these but I was in a hurry and forgot to photograph them.

This picture and..

... this picture are Madeline Carols, she does ghost image prints, very cool stuff!

I just love my blue Lampe Berger!  It' a cloche Berger now! 

My favorite candy dish from when I was a child.

A new blue addition, I have two of these seeded candle holders

Blue faux (that's fancy talk for fake) hydrangeas.  I got me some real ones too, but they done bloomed.

Speaking of outside I got blue out there too!

 

I painted this little table myself this summer.  No mam, I didn't do that tile work myself.  Yes, I do think it's a great match now, your right!

I also painted this garden chair blue too!  Lawsy, Miss Jenny you are so funny!  That's just a little old bitty chair.  It ain't for sitting, it's just for show.  Mam?  Yes man, I meant it ISN'T for sitting!

Yep, same ole blue was put on my lanterns!

Now here's a different blue for ya, it's a turquoise watering can.

This blue here was my favorite, but it's gone now!  We had a storm come take it out this summer.  Broke my heart it did!  That's right, I will always have my memories.  Sniff..sniff.

No mam, I don't want you to start feeling blue now, I gotta another one now.  It's got blue in it too.  As a matter of fact, Miss Jenny, you would love it cause it's got every color of the rainbow!

See!  Beautiful!  That' should give me extra credit for sure!  I hope this class goes by quick today cause I gotta run, so much to do, so little time!

Be sure and stop my Miss Jenny's today if you got the time for more Rainbow Summer School @

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by ya hear!  Holler at me too!

Little Missy (aka Mary)

Bakers Rack Vignette and More

I'm starting to see more hints of autumn popping up all over blog land.  I just love decorating for this time of year, don't you?  So many beautiful colors!  I just couldn't help myself, I had to do another area of transition.  Mind you, we are not there yet, but are moving in the direction.


 I'm sharing a few pre-season changes to my bakers rack for Tabletop Tuesday @ http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/  and for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/.


 I am so glad I got this piece!  It was a fantastic yard sale bargain you can read all about here.  It is going to be so much fun to have a place to display seasonal decor on the porch.  It really is taking tons of will power not to pull out the pumpkins and such but I've got to save something for you to look at for later. right?  So, here is my modest new make over on the bakers rack.

So sorry for the overcast look but I was up late working on this last night and then had to snap the photos early this am.  I've got quite a busy day so I just can't wait for the sun to appear in all it's glory.  Besides, I really don't want to deal with the heat when it comes either!  What's that on floor there, are the leaves dropping already?

Only the leaves off a few branches of my potted Ivy that I didn't water enough.  I thought those dead leaves my get you excited for fall though, is it working?

I am loving the colors I've used on this so far!

Let's start with the top shelf.

The blackbirds are back!  They were a steal on the Hobby Lobby clearance shelf.

I added an old small floral swag with beautiful fall flowers.  It looks great with the metal on this lantern I got at a yard sale this spring.

I just love the color contrast around the black birds.

Now for the second shelf...

I kept this bronze scrolly thingy because I really love the color and woven design, Hobby Lobby clearance isle $2.00!

Then I added two small woven baskets just big enough for a lemon each.  I know, I know,  work with me here okay?

And finally the bottom shelf!

I just love this little trio!

I added a few flowers to my little black tin watering can.  It's the one I got for $1.00 from Hobby Lobby.  Do you recognize that stand?  Yep, it's those wonderful votive holders we all got from the dollar tree this year.  So versatile!

My husband added this compass to our bakers rack this summer.  Word of advice to you younger ladies, for a happy marriage never discard your hubbies decorating ideas.  Work with them!

I love the colors on this compass and only recently thought to put it on the stand, even though he insists a compass is supposed to be lying flat!  Men!  Tip No.2, they must learn to work with you too!  It's all about compromise!

On the opposite side I added my beautiful blue bowl filled with nuts from our yard.  I collected these nuts years ago and put them in this dish.  It comes out every fall!  I just love it!

It will be beautiful to see the sun reflect through this bowl, when it comes out today.  I will have to make a point to come see since I am going to be working upstairs.  Here's a peek at my latest project in the works.  I am so excited!

Can you guess what I am doing?

That's right I am taking over my oldest sons room!  Don't worry he still has a place when he comes home.  See, this child actually had 2 rooms, since we have 3 rooms upstairs.  My youngest son claimed the largest room that has an attached bath and my oldest son claimed the other two rooms and the hall bath.  One room was where his bed and dresser were and the other room was where his desk, TV, guitars, etc. were.  It was the room to hang out in with his friends.  Pretty smart, huh? 

While he's been away in college I have taken over the larger hang out room and set it up as my craft/sewing/guest room.  You have seen it before.   I have now decided to turn that into a total guest/hangout/oldest sons room for when he does come home.  Does that make sense?

That leaves this small room completely open for my office/craft/sewing room!  It also means I can leave it as messy as I want should guests come.  LOL!   Those drapes are so coming down!

I totally emptied the room and am using more Ooops paint I've had laying around.  I told you I collect those cans didn't I?  I just can't hardly walk away from a $5.00 can of paint in a color I like because I know I will use it someday.

 

Just so you know I'm telling ya the truth, here's a peek at the green room now!  It's piled high with furniture for the moment, but I've got a great floor plan for it too.  I know my son will enjoy it when he comes home and hopefully so will guests too! 

Well, like I said, I've got a busy day and I'm already a few hours behind.

See ya later!

Thanks for stopping by and please leave me a comment if you do!

I love hearing from you.