I've Been Feathering the Nest

This is where we live. All the time. We eat here, sometimes sleep here, we play Wii here, and do Tai Chi here (ok, just kidding about that part but it rhymed with Wii). Last year after my Dad passed away we painted the oak kitchen cupboards if you remember. Since then, we have been painting everything white to give our home a more cottagey vintagey feel. Our house sits on property that used to be an old pig farm so I like to keep the feel in here warm and cozy yet natural and fresh. Doesn't that just feel like an old pig farm to you? I have been thrifting alot this winter and picking up little things here and there for a dime. I have finally let myself embrace all of the things I have always loved and have come to terms with the fact that it is just "my style", and I LOVE it!! Decorating is in my blood and I am constantly re-doing something till I like it. With that being said, I finally LIKE it!! It started with white paint, my little brush has been busy, I painted our old dining room set that I kept in the basement, I am so happy with it, I have always loved white furniture but never thought we could live with it but let me tell you, it has been the best thing that I have done to bring all of my old pieces together. They might not be shaped the same but they are the same color, brings harmony to my rooms. Besides the winter has been so cold that what else can you do when you are inside all of the time but create!!!

Here is a picture of my new sink, after my Grandma passed she left each of us grandchildren a gift of money, so mine went into badly needed new sink, disposal, and faucet, since my hubby is a handy person it cost us nothing in labor.

Not sure you can see it very well in this pic with all the white outside (snow) but I used a vintage table cloths and a pair of matching pillow cases and just clipped them onto my rods in the bay window. They look so cute!

This is where it all goes down, where I create delicious meals that make my family swoon, (yeah right!) We have had our stove for over 12 years now,it was a gift from my Grandparents when we were in our first house and it is still kicking, guess it pays to buy good quality! Oh and see my calendar, that was my first find of the new year, I went into Papyrus on New Years day and it was only $6!!! Most of the pictures are worthy of framing!

This is our little haven. It is not a very large room but it is cozy. I painted the little toy chest that Mark's uncle made for Myah and am using it as a coffee table. I love pieces that can do double duty! I also reworked the mantle a bit this week. I trecked out in a foot of snow to cut some branches off of a limb that fell in my neighbor's yard, people in my neighborhood think I am crazy.

I put them in my $7 silver ice bucket from last year and they look like a million bucks! I also scored some beautiful fan coral the other day in the most unlikely spot, a tacky craft mall, this one booth had the most beautiful shells and coral dirt cheap. I love the blacks with the whites, I love the natural feel.

Ain't she purty?

Another little ditty that I have been collecting lately are old scoops. For about a dollar I have found some cool old ones. I cleaned them up real good and am using them in my jars of sugar and flour. I truly would rather have old things with character than a bunch of new things anyday.

I finally put out my old suitcases,we love to travel (especially to the beach ) and these just help reflect our passion I think. Myah told me the other day that these were hers in China, I had to laugh.

I put tiny pieces of coral underneath a little cloche.

I love family heirlooms and these books are just that. These old German Bibles were from Mark's family, I love them dearly!!! They deserve my best piece of coral to hold them up! I love this lady that I bought from my sister's tag sale, she looks so proper sitting atop all of the German Bibles.

I really have to chuckle when I look at this picture, everything cost me next to nothing, yet makes me so happy. I am pretty easy to please.

I found these at Marshall's yesterday, I love them!!! I have spied them for a few years at my favorite boutiques but they were pricey! I got 20 of them for $9, that is a good deal!!

Old photos are my obsession, always have been so when I spotted the cutest booth at an art fair last year with these tiny little pillows I just had to have them. I tucked them into a bowl and they make me smile. How hard can those be to make???

I painted this pink table white as well, I love that it has two hinged sides so I can use it in many ways if I need to. I put some of my favorite frames from Dryads Dancing on there.

Thought you might like to take a closer look. Golly it really makes me giddy for garage sale season!!!!!!

Found this cool old tool trug at a thrift store for $4, it was a cool shade of gray but it could not escape my white paint brush.

I know you are probably sick of seeing this shelf but I love walking past it every day so it deserves another shout out!

This table also got painted white, it was given to me before we were even married, don't ask me how it has lasted so long, you know how I get rid of stuff! I needed a sunny spot in my kitchen for my plants so for now it works.

These French wine jugs are the rage right now, I have found these at my local antique mall for a few dollars. Lucky me!!

This little basket holds my Grandmas collection of old wooden cooking utensils.

Ummm, I love this look!!! Whites with naturals.

Another obsession, old things. These sit on top of my fridge, along with my Great Grandmothers old butter mold. When I got money for my birthday years ago I should have bought new shoes, or makeup or clothes instead I paid $30 for the large Flour jar. I know, I am sick that way.

I had to take a picture before they disappear, two members of my family love blueberries and they don't last longer than a day around here.

The same day I bought the Flour jar I bought this scale too. Yes, with my birthday money. It had a green top and the other day I decided to paint it white too, along with my paper towel holder. Somebody come and take my paintbrush away from me please!!!!

We are leaving in a month from today for the BEACH!!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how happy that makes me, we have not had a chance in 3 years to travel and after the few years that we have had we are ready!!!! So I am loving having all of my seashells around me, getting us in the spirit!! I cannot wait to bring home some new ones from our trip!!!

I could look at them all day!!!!

This urn was from Violets Blue a few years ago, I usually have it outside but decided to bring it inside and warm it up (it was burried in snow). I am using lots of burlap lately too. Cheap and full of character, right up my alley!!!

I took lots of pics today so I will share more later!!!