The Blessing of Our House

Today I am attending the "How I met My House Party" at: http://oursuburbancottage.blogspot.com/

We met our current house 7yrs ago this past March at a very difficult time in our lives. We were renting a house from some friends of ours who had moved upstate after selling our “dream” home that we built ourselves. The area we built in rapidly developed from a more rural area to a major suburb, sadly changing the course of our dream. After several attempts to bid on a house on the opposite side of town that met our requirements we were beginning to loose heart after rapidly being outbid each time. This was in 2003 and it was a sellers market in the area we wanted to purchase. Remember the days?

 That January, 2 weeks before closing on the sale of our dream house, my sister died in a car accident.  This was a very difficult time in my life.  I was trusting God would see us threw it all and was grateful to have our friends home to be our refuge.  After a few months I was ready to start looking again.  I felt like I knew every house that was out there on the market in this area.  I searched the Internet daily and made the 45 minute drive out as often as possible while the boys were in school.  I had every real estate flyer around, and still nothing that felt like it was going to be a good match for us.  My heart was heavy for my personal loss as well as the loss of our dream home.  I even questioned if we had done the right thing.

Then one day I picked up another real estate guide to thumb through yet again.  I was rapidly flipping the pages when I spotted our house.  I recognized it immediately as one in the area we had been looking at, near the sailing club.  I called my husband to tell him about it and he recognized the sellers names as someone who had once been a coworker.  The owners built several homes that they lived in for a few years and then sold.  Our house was only 2yrs old at the time.  We immediately set up a time to go out that day and I was so excited.  The house had just came on the market that day and the sellers were surprised that the add had already been in the real estate guide.  They hadn't even put out a "for sale" sign yet.

These are photos from summer of last year

 On the drive over I prayed for God to let me know without a doubt if this house is the one for us.  Our old home had a built in china cabinet in the dining room and I even actually prayed, "God, let there be a place for me to put my china in this house".  I walked in to this house and it immediately felt right to me, and would you believe there was actually a built in china cabinet.  It's not in the dining room but was in the kitchen instead and I couldn't help but smile. 

 By that afternoon we had written a contract and put it in the sellers hands.  It all seemed great and I was thrilled.  Then that evening the realtor called and said that someone had come later that afternoon and outbid us.  Unfortunately we had failed to get a signed contract, and truly thought we had already had the house.  I was devastated. How could this have happened when we gave them a full price offer?  I could not believe it and furthermore I was heart broke.  I just knew this was to be our home.  I cried all night and could not sleep.  I woke up and prayed very earnestly to God.  I asked him why did I even have to see it if I was not going to have it.  I was so upset!  Then I began to pray that the buyer would have buyers remorse and back out of the deal.  The next day the realtor and I talked about revisiting other homes and how disappointed he was too that this had turned out this way.  By that afternoon I was feeling quite discouraged and upset when the realtor called again and said you are not going to believe this.  He said, the buyer had called the sellers and told them she wanted out of the contract.  That she could not sleep that night and that God had told her, " This is not the house for you."  This is no joke, can you imagine what I was thinking?   My prayers had been answered!  I could not believe it, and just knew the house was ours then, but the realtor had more news.  The sellers did not immediately take our old offer as they still had other offers to consider and instead relisted the house and were requesting a 48hr period to consider all offers.  After rewriting a new contract and anxiously waiting all weekend the news finally came that we got the house. 

This is how are house looks today.

 It is not a floor plan I would have ever built and have always said I would never want to live in, but it is a floor plan very similar to our friends house that we rented.  There have been several changes we have made and many things I would someday love to change. 

 One thing that has not changed, is that it has always felt like HOME.  We love our neighbors and the area we are in tremendously, and have never wavered on that for the last 7 years.  We are truly blessed!   I know in my heart that God was in the details for us on this house, right down to even preparing our hearts for the style of this home. 

It's very long, I know.. but that's our story!
Thank you for your time to read this and I'd bet you there are many other similar stories out there where God was in the details.  I hope you can understand why I was so thrilled to see this meme party, and to be able to share my story with you.

Easy Sew - Throw Pillow Slipcover

Hi I am joining "Tip Me Tuesday" today for the first time at Tip Junkie. Also It's Trash to Treasure Tuesday at Reinventedkb, and it's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coatal Charm.  Please click on the following links for more at ;
 http://www.tipjunkie.com/
http://www.reinventedkb.com/
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/




After adding new drapes to my den recently, I realized I wanted more color.  I chose a neutral drape which gives me lots of flexibility on my accesories.  The first thing I noticed was how dark my pillows looked.

We love these pillows!  They are the perfect size for my armchairs and are very comfortable to swap over to the couch to use for lounging while watching T.V. in the evenings.  Yes, we are a lazy bunch!

Also this pillow sits perfectly on my lap so that I can balance the laptop between it and the arm of my chair.  This allows me to use my mouse easily over the pillow.

Now this is not the tip I am sharing today, but if you are looking for a very comfortable way to use your laptop you may take that as a tip also.  As you can see the pillow used in the above photo is very different from the brown pillows I showed you.  That's because this is the way my brown pillows look today.

So, here is the tip I wanted to share with you today.  If you are like me, you have pillows you love but you like to change out with the seasons.  Well I have made a very simple slip cover for my pillows.  First you cut the fabric to the size of the pillow allowing extra fabric along one edge of the pillow.  I left an additonal generous 4 or 5 inches.  You want to consider how plump your pillows are for this.

This photo is for demo purposes only to show the excess fabric on the short end.

  I did cut the excess fabric off the long end leaving enough only enough to make my seams.  Cut both pieces of your fabric with excess.

Then after cutting both pieces of fabric, you simply sew all sides together except for your longer ends.  You are basically making a pillowcase in effect.

Slide your pillow in as shown

And it should look somewhat like this...

Then you take one of the longer ends and tuck it around the pillow inside the fabric.

Work with a bit to get it tucked in nice and tight then tuck the remainder end in and smooth it out.

You have to work around the corners some to get the fabric smooth and make sure the fold lies flat, but it couldn't get any easier.

My folds will be on the back of the pillow and the pillow underneath is no longer visible.  I still have my brown pillows available should I want them displayed this fall but I have easily changed out the look entirely.  No zippers to sew, and no tricky sham style slipcover sewing involved.  Straight seams only!

It's a casual look just in time for the summer!

This is so easy anyone can do it who knows how to sew a straight seam.  And mine are rarely even straight for that matter but close enough.  LOL! 

Well, what do you think?  Easy huh?

Welcome to my Den

Well here it is, another Met Monday and I think I am actually going to make this one!   Be sure and link back here for more at http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Also I'm featuring some of my favorite blue things too!  So be sure and link back here for Blue Monday,  at; http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/


I  FINALLY finished up one long awaited project... adding new drapes in the den!   This is how my living room looked not too long ago.

I posted my living room on RMS a few weeks back just before I started blogging and all the compliments were very nice.  They all had one thing in common however, recommending to change out the valances to drapery panels.  Trust me, I have been wanting panels for some time!  But, I didn't want anything that would be too heavy or too busy or mostly too expensive!  I love plaid of all types, so I knew I would head in that direction.  I found the drapes I wanted from JC Penny's online in the clearance section.  I waffled back and forth between the black and brown plaid which would be a big contrast and the gold plaid that would be a subtle look against my gold walls.  Well trouble is, I waffled so long that the black and brown plaid sold out!  It really wasn't any trouble though, since I took it in stride and decided it was fate, decision made for me!  And here it is, the finished look, after all is said and done with the new window treatments.

My walls are NOT this yellow but I couldn't seem to get the right lighting to show them accurately.  The photo below is probably the closest to the real color.

And here they are up close, they are a lined pinch pleated drape.  The coloring is two shades of gold and an off white plaid.

I choose black w/hints of bronze for the rods and clips to accent more of my other pieces in the room.

Speaking of the rest of my room how about a little close up tour.

Here by fireplace are my two favorite arm chairs that I've had for quite a while.  I reupholstered these chairs myself, they were denim.  I had an upholsterer do the T cushions,and I did the chair itself, I saved quite a bit doing it this way and learned alot about how chairs are made.  Today I made these blue slipcovers for the pillows that are shown on the chairs in this photo above.

This is what is under the slipcovers.  Nice brown pillows I've had for awhile but rather dark for the summer.  So I made removable covers since these pillow are our favorite to snuggle on the couch and watch TV with.

My arm chair pillows now match the blue pillows I made some time ago and put on my sofa.  There is one of each of these on each sofa.  Then, I have two each of the blue and green plaid pillows.  I made all of these sofa pillows myself some time ago.

 

My princess ottoman is a chocolate microfiber that I got from TJ MAXX for a steal.

And this is what everyone always refers to as my Tommy Bahama chairs.  I purchased these at a local consignment store, that carries new unsold furniture from N.C.  The pillows did not come with them, they were a great Marshalls find.

In the corner, by the french doors to the screened porch is our old primitive hutch that I just love.  It was found by husbands family in an old barn on some farm land they once owned.  His mother retrieved it many years ago and striped it down.  I have kept it exactly this way ever since I have acquired it.  I just love it!  I use it to keep our afghans and throws neatly tucked away, and to store our favorite games and magazine.

Another corner of the room is home to small black sofa table that I just recently moved here after Christmas.  The tree always goes in this corner of the room.  I had a heavier piece of furniture here for years that I have finally permanently relocated upstairs.  I am tiring of so much rearranging heavy furniture during the holidays.

It's light and airy and easy to move.  LOL!  The lamp on this table is the first of many I will be showing you.  I really have a thing for lamps.

I just love the details on the edge of this lamp and of course it was the bird that sold me on it to begin with.

Beside my sofa is one of two round tables that I ordered from a furniture retailer when I was on a round table search for just the right size and style.  I love everything about these tables.

They are a distressed black w/glass on the top and plenty of space on the bottom for larger books.

On this one I have another bird lamp.  It's another favorite, can you see why.

The other table sits nicely between my other sofa and club chair as shown.   That is what started the whole round table search.  I used to have both sofas facing each other w/the club chairs by the FP and needed the perfect size round tables. 

This one is home to my crystal lamp given to me as a wedding gift.  I still love it!

The cut of the glass reminds me so much of pineapples.

Our antique card table holds yet another lamp and sits just below a fabulous old bamboo mirror I found at another consignment store.  I love the contrast of the pieces of wood and unexpected mix of styles.

This lamp has little painted butterflies and branches w/leaves.  So cute!

Beside one of my club chairs is a standing lamp, another family hand me down.  I really want to paint this lamp black but the Mr. is not too keen on that at this time, so I'm waiting..

Finally the last of the lamps in this room are my two over in another corner, again near the french doors.

The hurricane lamp was another antique thrift store find with a handcrafted electric candle.  The other one is my very first Lamp Berger lamp.  We sold these at my previous employment.  I just love them, and they really smell wonderful!  This one is a beautiful colbalt blue.  I have 3 more in different styles and colors, but that's another post for another day.

In between the two sets of french doors are my precious bird plates picked up at my favorite decor store at the beach.  The store is called Tomlinson's Warehouse and just has the best finds.

And no room is complete without several spaces to hold your magazines.  I love baskets so these were some of my favorites.

This one below doubles as a FP log holder in the winter.  I like to keep the store bought logs in it.

And you gotta have some wrought iron around!

Well, I've shown you everything except the art, I'll save that for another day too.

Ooops, there is one more lamp!  I almost forgot the rather large overhead decorative refreshing lamp.  I am of course talking about my ceiling fan.  We call it a lamp because literally it doesn't give off much light.  I bought this fan strictly for its pleasing appearance as well as it's refreshing qualities.  The light is awkwardly positioned so that when the fan is going and the light is on you get a very unnerving strobe light effect.  I did realize this when purchasing it but loved the look of it!   I knew then the light would rarely be on in this room, except for photo shoots like these!

And now if you have made it all the way to the end of this very long post, I am quite impressed and greatly flattered.  I hope you will have seen some things to delight and please your eyes for the time you have spent.  I've shared a little more about me here and would love to hear your comments.

Please feel free to let me know what you think and thank you for your time!

Happy Monday!