Thank You, 9-Patch Nurse!

If I started with a clean slate, endless budget, and could make color/size/style choices independent of inherited, thrifted, and free furniture, it would be different.

My in-laws think it is kind of funny how often I change our furniture around. Sometimes it is a monthly thing. Coinciding with the moon. Other times, a new item changes everything, like dominoes falling down. One thing different affects another thing. Juxtaposition matters to me. How things look in their environment is important!

So the quilt up on the wall inspired a new coffee-not-in-this-house table recovered by some damask fabric. Process is pretty simple: center fabric, cut leaving enough room to staple gun along bottom edge! Corners can be folded and overlapped like sheets, or the same way you stretch canvas on a frame (google it!).

Our sitting area is hugged up to the fireplace-as-the-focal-point. Cozy.


Table from 9-Patch Nurse's collection of de-cluttering cast-offs. We love it!

Damask Surprise

Here is evidence that the cats survived their week with me as caretaker. Check out that awesome gold (Ralph Lauren paint-love it!) under-chair rail paint!

And dinning room transformed! Surprise, ANNE! Hope you love it as much as you love my dinning room ceiling.

I couldn't paint her ceiling--no ending place-would have had to continue further than that room...
Did not do all the wall surface--intentional left some breather room.
Dramatic view from front door.

Will barter paint jobs for pool time, yes!

Where do I get my inspiration for quilts/art?

Busy weekend!

Copy cat tendency much? It's a complimenet, right, to see something and repeat it in your own home!

I see things that make me think of other things, ways to apply it, details I would change, what I want to share, what I wish I could take home with me...

Today at my sister's. My favorite art work she had displayed on her mantel:


I love the blue background, the white mats, the idea behind the 5 of her children's hands (Seb starts on the far left, #1...) And the CIRCLE above the photos, the great graphic quality, square, circle, soft hand, hard edges. Nice combination. Sweet without being overly sentimental. Nice way to show your family, through their hands! Must copy this idea soon!


This is Gabe's hand, #2 in birth order...


And Luanna carrying baby Pete (see Grandma Carlson's crocheted blanket?!) with Bob right behind her. Cute couple!


And Pete! He smelled so good. Soft skin. Sweet eyes. A beautiful nephew!


Luanna's bathroom artwork, painted damask on stretched canvas:


Spent Saturday in Hershey, PA for quilt show.

My favorite quilts from the show on Saturday included this by Sieglinde Shoen-Smith:


WHOLE CLOTH QUILT--really. It looks like complicated applique. This is a close up:

Description:

I love the painted colors, bright, wonderful...very inspiring and encouraging. This is a collaboration I would love to do, someone else quilt, and I could paint in the fabrics! From further back:




And the quilt that I wish I had made but encouraged me to think of things I would do differently when I quilt people into quilts next, (another collaboration quilt):

"Because she said so" part 2

Honestly, I've been thinking about changing the dining room for months. Pondering colors, thinking of possible solutions. Hearing back from professional interior designer Christine on Monday made it easy for me to feel confident and do something. It was the first Monday that I wasn't painting for someone else, knew I could work on it all day and the next day...(Worse time to start a project for me is Saturday afternoon...)

So, I didn't wait to implement Christine's ideas! The red is gone, and it completely changed the personality of the room. It feels very grown up. Bigger. Sophisticated. Different. LOVE the table being the focus in the room under the ceiling. You walk in and the ceiling is the wow-factor. It stands out more. I like it!



I can't wait to find frames for all the photos I want to put up in here. Black suede curtains I found are 6 inches too short, so taking those back and looking for longer ones.

The fireplace woodwork and shelves are drying--I'll post pictures of living room when I get it put back together.