The weather just keeps getting worse. Luckily, I escaped for an afternoon on Tuesday to go see my pal Carol, of Raised in Cotton. If I hadn't gotten a little break from being housebound, I'd be bouncing off the walls instead of just repainting them!
Its colder and there has been more snow, so even though it was cold on Tuesday, it was the best day to get out. I couldn't go anywhere today no matter how much I might want to. So, I've been working away on my Zero Dollar Decorating to stay sane. I touched up all the paint on the dining room walls, and repainted the base boards with a quick brush of glossy white.
Then, I brightened the room up with a wall of mirrors that I shopped for from the bedroom and studio. The picture in the glorious gold frame went into the bedroom to replace the large mirror.
Next, I tackled the corner cabinet in the kitchen. It had been painted pink inside like the other cabinets that I redid earlier. Plus, I hadn't rearranged anything in it for years. It looked pretty cute when I set it up, ages ago, but over time, it got cluttery and too much as I'd stick treasures in here and there after hitting garage sales.
My kitchen is getting a de-rose-ing. I told Beth I was deflowering it and she said that maybe that wasn't the best term to use.
I still LOVE roses and all my little pretties, so this is more of a shuffle, some went to the dining room, and some to the studio, and some will be listed to sell in the Boutique, if I ever get back to work.
This weather has affected me mentally. I seem to be in some weird limbo, waiting for my real life to get back on track. Extreme cold weather always sets me off like that. Its an odd sort of cabin fever, I start hating staring at the same walls and want to change them and everything inside them. Combine that with the post Christmas let down, and weeks of these horrid temperatures, instead of just days of it, like we are used to in Kansas, and I have gone berserk from it!
(Or berserker,if you are a Kevin Smith fan)
Sorry, didn't mean to run on with my weather complaints. Back to the photos….
Here is the after.
It is still nice and rosy, but is toned down and cleaned up. The sides are covered in the tone on tone silk wallpaper that I had in my stash. Funny, it is the first vintage wallpaper I have ever bought, and I got it 20 years ago to cover the walls of my dining room and never used it. I'd stuck it away in the closet and found it a couple years ago when I realized that old wallpaper was a wonderful art supply. And now, here it is, used on my home after all.
I like to mix my china cabinet shelves up a bit and display more than just china. A framed old print (that I tried to sale at Miss Frenchies and Silverbella, but no one wanted! I'm glad now- sometimes I think that my home is full of nothing but things that I bought to sell and got stuck with), an old Haeger pot filled with silverware, ready to set out for a buffet, a collage I did at Silver Bella, and of course, some fairies and birdies.
For me, fairies and flowers in with the dishes makes for a much more interesting look.
The wallpaper is stapled up, instead of glued. Because I know that I am fickle. It doesn't look perfect, but with so much in the cabinet, who can tell?
Its just background. A nice, neutral, but pretty background!
The plates in the back corner are on a stair shaped stand, which is just what I need for my love of layering. I also like to hang things on the cabinet walls, pictures, cherubs, plates, etc.
Adding cake stands helps with layering too. I try for a variety of heights, and make lots of groupings instead of just lining up a matching set of plates. When my mom died, my sister got her set of Wild Rose dishes, and instead of keeping it for herself, she broke up the set and gave each of us a place setting. Mine is on this shelf, with a lot of other pale pink rosey dishes.
I went for an over all sense of "white", even though other colors were used as accents.
The lamp on that shelf was a quick project. I got it for 50% off of $5 at one of my favorite antiquing joints a while back and it was out in my studio waiting to see what it would become. Well, it didn't take much to transform it. In under 5 minutes, it had a whole new look.
1- switched the shade to an older one that I'd picked up at a garage sale a few years back.
2- pinned a rhinestone brooch to the shade
3- cut a page from a vintage French text book to fit the body of the lamp
4- drizzled glue on the book page, then rolled it around the lamp and burnished it down with my fingers
I really doubt that it took more than 2 or 3 minutes to do.
After the corner cabinet, I tacked the cabinet tops. Over the years, I'd collected tea pots, and over the years, as my tastes have changed, I edited the collection. My last redo had mostly rose patterned tea pots lined up on the cabinets. This time, I got rid of most of them, except a few plain white ones (I guess you can't see them in this photo, they are at the other end). I wanted to go very neutral and have much less up above. Now you can see the vines I'd painted on the wall years ago. I'd had so much crap up there, those were hidden.
They were also hidden by filth. Ugh, it was NASTY up there. All pottery got popped into the dishwasher, and I tried to clean the walls, and ceiling (yes, I told you I was going stir crazy with cabin fever- I WAS WASHING CEILINGS!!) but the greasy, dusty coating that was on everything was too awful to come off with my environmentally safe Windex. I had to use elbow grease and baking soda with a pot scrubber. And we are not people who fry much of anything. Where does all that grease come from???
That grease was another reason to put much, much less junk up there!
In this photo you can see a couple of the white pots that made the cut. I redid the narrow shelves between the cabinets too. I'd had decorated bottles, rosy shakers, and green depression glass there before.
Well, I could run on and on and on, telling you about my shuffling and reshuffling. I've been at it nonstop. You know how you take something from one room to another, then you have to redo to cover the hole that you made when you first moved that piece? Yep, that is the vortex that I have fallen into.
I switched the dining room picture with the mirror from the bedroom, and then had to dig around and find a different bedspread that matched better in there. Lots of those kinds of problems came up. But I am getting a new look with the same old stuff from other rooms, closets, or out in the studio, and keeping myself semi-safe from the ravages of cabin fever.
And I am getting lots of little problems solved. Like this ceiling tin that was covering the bad patch job. It has new screws, is up tightly, and now I've got it faux finished to match the ceiling.
At this rate, my New Years's resolution for 2010 will be completed before January is even over. And not in the typical way, where you give up. I'll run out of things to fix or redo around the house!!
There is more I want to do while I am trapped here in the house, but I think I am at the end of what I can do with with I have, and keep it Zero Dollar. I need a gallon of paint and some hardware before I go any further, and both cars and all three trucks are stuck in the driveway.
But today, I have Sugarwings. We've been climbing up and down the ladder that is in the kitchen and sitting in the dark closet playing with flashlights.
Now, its time to go and bake muffins, so I'd better run.
Just love your zero dollars and ambition…. Inspiration…
Be still my heart! Just when I think you’re done posting decor ideas, I pop in and there’s MORE! Ooooh! I just LOVE all the delicious changes to your china cabinet~I’m SO inspired!! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Karla..so sorry about your weather..saw GMA this morning..nasty..love what your doing to your place..cant wait to do my home in B C ..all my garage sale & thrift store goodies..I take home & skuzz & clean & rearrange..love it ..take care Lorraine
Everything looks great, you have so many pretty things…and I didn’t know you were a Kevin Smith fan too…
I wish you could escape from snowbound Kansas and come here. Not that the weather is any better, but I sure could use your help with MY home improvement projects. Amazed as always at how much you get done!
yes I remember when we lived in the Canadian Prairies, I got cabin fever..sometimes I tried to go out with the lil ones, but by the time I dressed them, none of us could move with the weight of the clothes…I love your before pictures also..but I am doing the same, more neutral chairs and window coverings, ..so the cabin fever maybe boring for you, but i like your changes lol
Karla, I do so love your zero dollar decorating. But I hope that isn’t the only vortex you’ve fallen into. I see just tiny signs of “The Shining” going on here… Ha! You aren’t going to go Jack Nicholson on us, are you? Didn’t think so. I so love the vine you painted up there! It’s gorgeous! I love your cabinet and how you layer everything too. You are so clever. It’s getting darned cold here as well. So I’ll be stuck inside. I WILL NOT watch that movie, and neither should you until this weather lets up.
Brenda
I just found you through Penny at Palaver from Pellie and love your ideas of decorating with no money. Your styles of decorating fit my tastes perfectly! I love beautiful dishes and collect several patterns. I have found when I am restless and feeling blue I just start a cleaning project to keep my hands busy. It helps so much as I suffle through all my treasured pieces of memories and somehow it “cleans” my soul from the inside out. Barbara has a GOOD idea! Let’s all get together and help each other clean our over crowded collections. The rule would be that each piece removed from the shelf comes with a “story” and if there is no story it has to go.
Happy sorting!
Sharon
Karla
Way to take advantage of the weather! But I want to know how you can plug-in so many lamps in your corner cabinet?
rosie
Karla, the weather is affecting me too…but not in the productive way that it is affecting you…i am SUCH a slug right now…i don’t want to do anything…i feel so lazy…i wish it hit me your way instead…you are really doing great things…and making your home look all pretty and cozy…it is snowing here again…i actually braved the cold and did a little running around today…i should have stopped into some of my favorite antique shops, that might have put me into a better mood…
I love all your redecorating posts! Especially zero dollar ones! I hope the weather eases up soon for you but you are so productive that you won’t have any spring cleaning to do when spring roles around so that’s good!
I’ll try to blow some California sunshine your way!
karen…
I’m probably about the hundreth person to say this, but I wish you could come to my house and rearrange my stuff. I like your new look- and your dining room looks like House Beautiful.
I’m wondering if maybe you’d better cut down your caffeine and white sugar intake. Your berserker-mode may be out of hand. ; ^ )
Of course, you know you are putting a lot of us to shame.
AND, I surely do admire your stamina.
Love every minute of your days.
Gerry in mid-Mo where we have four inches of new snow with a cold snap coming our way.
Bundle up
Cabin fever here too day 5 in the house……… not much left to dust or tidy up ,maybe a drawer or two and the linen closet (yikes its deep….. so much stuff in there not just linen I am sure everyone knows what I mean)
I even made brownies………(figured I deserved a reward)
Diane
Hi Karla; I have been doing some catching up with your posts. and your redo’s are just so gorgeous.. You have such a beautiful home, I love every room you have shown.. I hope I have that kind of energy when we move next weekend, I can’t wait to get started in my own decorating.. Hope the weather breaks soon so you can get out… Have a great week..
Hugs;
Alaura
Love it, just love it. I have felt something hard to put my finger on in the way of mood, because I’m not getting much accomplished, but you are an inspirationg for a lot of us to get up and do something! I enjoy your blog so much!
this weather is the pits – no skirting around it! we had just gotten used to life back in school after winter break ended, and now, here we are all again, stuck in the cabin once again. the upside is that it’s a perfect time for zero dollar decorating because we can’t go anywhere. great photos karla!
me too karla. You’d think being from Nebraska I could handle this kind of weather. I can’t. I’m so ready for the warm up next week! Love all of your decorating!
Amazing! Wow I should have cabin fever maybe I would get more done. You are the finest artist, I love your style. I wish I had a corner cabinet like yours I’m trying to hunt one down right now. Thanks for sharing! Pearl
I have really enjoyed reading about your Zero Dollar Decorating…maybe you should write a book about it with before & after pictures. I would buy it! I love the wallpaper & the gorgeous cabinet.
hugs, Sherry
Karla,
It is all looking so nice….you sure do have some energy for the winter doldrums. If the snow clears, please head on down to TN and help me with my house!! I could use your decorating and organizing touches!
I wish I could tell you how much I enjoyed looking at your lovely photos!! Such gorgeous pretties and arranged in lovely vignettes all over!! I love that your decorating is done with 0 dollars too!
Would there be any panaroma pictures of your kitchen I would love to see it as a whole- I have such a hard time envisioning things.
I have spent the last 2 days packing away Christmas with the exception of my little white tree which I am still enjoying and think will do till Valentines- we’ll see if it stays up that long!
blessings
mary
All that “de-flowering” and muffins too!
Whew!
I’m just the opposite of you—I have to practically be pried out of my house….
Especially love your oval platter with the roses in your narrow shelves between the cabinets and all your silverware in the old Haeger pot. ooo-la-la!
I have really enjoyed your no $$ decorating posts.
I love how the cabinet looks in the after pics. Did you make holes in the back of the cabinet for the lamp cords?
The wallpaper in the cabinet looks like the paper on your blog with the colors reversed.
~elaine~
I have the perfect solution for you. Come to California and give me a zero dollar makeover! I have all of the “stuff”. I just never know how to make it look as good as you do.
Oh Karla…once again you have enriched my soul with your beautiful restyling…all I kept thinking as you took us from project to project, from room to room was “if you give a mouse a cookie…”
Thank you for sharing all your wonderful treasures. If I had been at Silver Bella, you would not still be the proud owner of the lovely framed print!
Thank you again for sharing your very busy day in such a lovely way. I am probably being far too selfish of your time, but I for one am very grateful that you have chosen to fill your house bound days with zero dollar decorating:)…Have a wonderful day, you are a treasure to my heart! ~ Bev
Sweet Karla! Everything is lovely, and the fact that you don’t need to shop for it is the best. Back in the 70’s, when I was a stay-at-home mom (God, I didn’t know how lucky I was!)…we had NO money, almost no furniture, and certainly no bric a brac…you remember those days, too, I know you had some lean years then…but anyway, I would find wallpaper for 50 cents a roll and wallpaper the inside of my closets, then organize them as nicely as possible. A bit of gentility to help with my visions of what it could be, if I’d only had something to work with! Also, next year I have decided I want to get snowed in with you, we just don’t get snowed in on the Eastern Shore, and even if we did, they find a way to get the nurses to work! Your Friend Bobbi OH! Got the package, perfect condition, everything is lovely! Thank you!!!!
One more question, to echo another comment, how do you put the lit lamps in the cupboards? Can you leave them on? Don’t they make too much heat? (I wonder about these things!) Your Friend, Bobbi
Zero dollar decorating is fun to watch! I love what you’ve been doing. I know what you mean about grease in the kitchen – where does it come from. I’ve been thinking I need to take down my McCoy Pottery that is on top of my cupboards and give it a good wash!
xo
Claudia
Even though it’s in the 70’s here and I am not housebound (tee hee!) I am digging your Zero Dollars posts and I am finding loads of inspiration! Thanks, Karla!
That china cabinet looks amazing!! Wow!
xo Debbie
Karla, love the corner cabinet redo, it looks great. as for grease? where does it come from? i am short so i just refuse to look up that high when i am in the kitchen lol. but you have inspired me to get up there and clean. we are snowed in too could get out and drive but who wants an accident. at least we have power. hope you do too, soon. thanks for visiting my site i am going to put more stuff on it today or tomorrow.
Love your cabinet re-do!!! What a great idea putting mini lamps in there! My china cabinet is un-lit so it could really use the help. Your ideas are always the best!
I’m so sorry you’re housebound for now…just think of it this way…when it warms up (can’t be long now) you won’t have any household chores or to-dos to hold you back. That didn’t help, did it? 🙂
I am so loving your re-dos! How inspiring! Looks like your new year is off to a lovely beginning! Blessings!
Can’t say I have ever been bored enough to wash ceilings..LOL. Everything looks wonderful..
Karla, these MAY just be your PRETTIEST pictures ever! I sooo love that little corner cupboard and all the pretty whites with the paler accent colors. I’m leaning that way abit, too. But when I get the urge to re-do, I just come here and look at your pretties instead of re-doing my own!!
Had to giggle at the thought of you & Sugarwings in a dark closet. Baby Keaton and I do that, too!
Best wishes for a wonderful 2010!
Big TX Hugs,
Stephanie
Angelic Accents
How about bouncing off walls while you repaint them? Sugarwings could even help. I imagine it would make some… unique patterns. ;->
The redo on the corner cabinet is darling. Though the tales of gunks of grease almost made me gag.
Hope enough of the other redos help you get out of limbo and full-stead into 2010.