I have a giveaway reminder:
I am at 194! On the day I hit 200, I’ll pick a name from all the comments that day.
Also, every comment is an entry into my Oct. drawing. I should make a button for that, people get confused and ask me a lot.
I finished the rest of the living room last night, with a faux finish on the walls done in the same glazes I used over the book "wallpaper".
I switched out aqua accessories for gold and white, with a hint of roses.
Then glued scraps of the left over slipcover fabric to my lamp shade, added some beads and old millinery flowers. I used to always redo lamp shades with hot glue and had the blisters to show for it. But this time, I used my favorite glue, "The Ultimate". It gets tacky fast and holds the pieces in place so that you can stick them down, hold it a second and move on. Every bit as quick as hot glue, but a better hold, no blisters and no little spidery web-strings everywhere.
I might paint the wood on the chair white too….. I’m not sure yet. Sometimes, it is nice to have the contrast.
Here is a close up of the wall, hmmmm, maybe it doesn’t show up too well.
I had the walls already painted a deep tan shade and used a creamy white, bronze, and metallic gold over that.
After I applied glazes, I went back over the entire room with the base coat, of the deep tan color, over the top of it all to blend. That is my number one best tip I will ever give you for a paint job!
Using the base coat as a top layer (rubbed on, over all of the walls, covering every inch in a light wash) gives a professional, designer finish look to the walls and makes any faux finish look great!
Here you can see the whole wall, that is covered in text. Maybe I need to darken the closet door a bit with a bronze glaze?
I also repainted the table I bought from Hobby Lobby’s clearance area for $28 to use as a toy box for Sugarwings. It is a small, compact piece that is a perfect shape to use a coffee table in my petite living room.
When I saw
the tons of dust on everything that I moved out of the room to paint it, I decided to edit what I brought back in. I don’t know how long I will be able to hold myself back from glomming the room back up with clutter, but for now, it is nice and streamlined. Well, for me it is.
I rehung some of my paintings, but am not real happy with this one, I’ve never liked it much, mostly I like the frame! I might either repaint it, or just paint something else to hang here. Maybe something a lot bigger.
This water color is one that I did in my mom’s hospital room in the weeks before she died. I packed up my paints and brushes and drove to Indiana to stay with her while she was in the hospital.
The nurses were kind and set up a corner of her room for me to work in, and I got a lot of paintings finished in those few weeks, while I was taking care of her and keeping her company. Some nights, I would just stay over and sleep in a chair, but most nights, Sissy and I stayed in Mom’s house and sat on the porch drinking pink wine and laughing together all evening after we left the hospital. Our sister, Bobbie Sue, would join us on Mom’s back porch for a lot of those summer evenings. As awful as it was to lose Mom, those weeks are some of my fondness memories. I will keep this painting forever,and even used the image on cards as my price tags for the furniture I sell.
But- back to the redo—
I found a use for the hand painted floor mat that kept curling up so much that it couldn’t be used as a rug- I cut it down to place mat size for the dog dishes.
The little dorkies live in this corner, with a bed under the table I set a hutch on.
They have a doggie door cut into the wall to the right side of the picture next to their bed, so they can go out into the white picket fenced front yard when ever they want to.
So why does Twinkle still pee on my floor???
I won some awards!!! From Carol, I get a Smile Award. Check out her blog if you need a smile, she has a new header with an adorable fairy princess on it!
And Betty gave me a Creative Blogger Award. Speaking of, she has some cute Halloween yard art creations pictured on her site. Thanks, buddies!
Here is something fun- Go to HGTV.com and check out "Rate My Space". http://ratemyspace.hgtv.com/SNC/ViewItem.aspx?pguid=6db6be3f-1720-4ba3-a081-999042c09b6b&itemguid=bc6c28a0-7c97-4bee-98e7-2baba26e4f95
I listed my living room, it is #8704470
Give it a rating!
Great, this is all we need, one more computer addiction!! this site can really suck you in!!
Such cute changes Karla. Please visit my blog today to get a glimpse of my cleaned up guest/sewing room.
Lisa
Hi Karla……everything looks fabulous…..so charming….so comfy….so beautiful 🙂
Wow! The room is wonderful! I enjoyed that very much. Thanks for sharing.
Karla- Your living room is beautiful!! I love the bookpage wall. Hmmm, maybe it is because my hallway is done in the same treatment! I stole the idea from Dawn at The Feathered Nest. She has a hallway lined in pages at her shop.
I bet you’re glad your makeover is finished!
Love, love, love the redo!!! I especially love the watercolor and the story behind it. Beautiful!
That is the nicest dog mat I’ve ever seen!! Your room looks great! I can’t believe you did all this in about two days!
I hope your morning went okay…I was thinking about you!
your room is beautiful, and it looks inviting. i love the walls how you painted them. looks as if you have alittle cottage style too. i like that. your little dogs are cute. i use to have one. he ran outside one day, into the woods and never came back. i miss him so much.
Love the glazed walls, BTW, I think the door is the perfect shade already and does not need to be made darker…but would look lovely either way!
And of course the floor mat under the dog bowls is a WONDERFUL idea! Besides being beautiful, it is super easy to clean!
I just love the little details, like the architectural piece on the bottom post of the stair rail and the crystals on the candlestick. Love all the pink roses, too!
Hmm, Twinkle does rhyme with tinkle! 😉
the living room is looking great. Love the dorkies bed sitting room. 🙂
Karen
Bluemuf
Goodness Karla,
I’m feeling so inspired looking at all of your creations. Wow did it come out great! Thank you for the tip too 🙂
Karla, I have tears in my eye’s thinking about you painting in the corner of your Mom’s hospital room. What a wonderful keepsake, spending time with your Mom and doing something you enjoy. I know she loved it too.
Hugs:)
Carol
Dude! I missed you too! I accidentally took a month off from blogging, and now it’ll take me a month to catch up on your decorating, lol! Love what you’re doing, & I agree with you about that door, it needs to be darker…and I love the little ‘dorkie cave’ under the hutch, too funny! And since you have more experience than me in ‘dorkiness’, I was hoping YOU could tell ME why dorkies pee in the house!!! LOL! OK, gotta go read more of your blog before my bedtime, lol!
You definitely deserve the creative blogger, you are one of my most creative blog friends I believe, and you always make me smile so you needed that one too! I am not going to that hgtv, I can’t handle anymore computer time! Heehee! I gotta ask, did you have to convince your hubby that book pages were going to look lovely on your wall or has he learned to trust you by now. I think I might have had a hard time selling that one,but it looks gorgeous!
It all looks fabulous and I love reading about your wonderful ideas and techniques to accomplish your goals.
I’m loving the re-do!! The papers on the wall were such a great idea! Your paintings are always beautiful!!
Karla I know I say this all of the time, but you are amazing. Your art is absolutely beautiful!! It’s pure eye candy for sure!
Love,
Julie
The living room is beautiful. The wood floor have the contrast very nice. I love the wood floors, but where I live ,the zone is very humid and the wood floor is deteriorated.
Your livingroom will be gorgeous, so nice colours you paint it in and lovely things and furnitures as allways. /linnea-maria
Karla…it looks gorgeous! I love the tans, golds and whites…very pretty and elegant!
off to see that rate your space thing…
Heather
Wow!! I forgot to say you did a fabulous job with the slipcover!!!! Amazing!!!!!
Heaven within four walls… that’s what your room is! And the Yorkies… need a puppysitter??? heehee =)
The room looks wonderful! I’m glad you were able to find a use for the linoleum piece anyway.
Okay – so listen, I really think we need to plan a nice trip for you to come up to CT and redecorate my house. You can bring the dogs and they can play with Margot! LOL!
Karla
Congrats on your awards, the room is looking wonderful.
Hello, Karla,
I found my way here from Daisy Cottage today and it has been a real treat! Your creative spirit is pouring the inspiration right into my needy living room. It’s the spark I have been needing to start peeling (wallpaper, that is)!
I NEED TO LAY DOWN NOW!!
NANCY JO
This is my first visit at your blog, and I’m speechless. This is absolutely fantastic!
Karla, Your living room is beautiful! You really did deserve that award. As for the Karla Show…I don’t wear makeup or dress that great either. You’d be right at home in my living room. What about a book? Secrets Behind Karla’s Cottage?! LOL
Um, Karla, is there anything that you CAN”T do? I think not! You won my giveaway-come by and see me.
I really like the painting you did when your precious Mother was ill. You have such sweet memories. Mary
Tooooo cool. I checked out your rate my space. They said some nice things!
Viewing your beautiful pictures made me want to redo my own home. And is that a pillow sham on the puppy bed? I just had to ask (and chuckle) because if so, I do the same thing for my poms!
LOVE what you’ve done with your living room. That painting that you don’t like very much is absolutely GORGEOUS and you should be very proud of it!! GORGEOUS!!!
Gonna head over to HGTV right now.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Blessings,
Sandy 😉
Karla, Your living room is beautiful. It must be even nicer to see the wall treatments in person. Your furniture is also very chic!
Carrie
P.S.
BTW, my first prize a Victorian Gift tag from Treasured Heirlooms came today! It’s nice being a winner in blogland.
Lovely gentle colors, including what you did with the lampshade.
This is my first visit to your blog and it is wonderful. Love all the pictures and your redo is just beautiful.
Linda
I love the redo. You amaze me with all that you can get done in a short period of time. Everything looks wonderful.
Very pretty redo, Karla! I love the serene feel to the room. Very tranquil. Can I come sit & chill out with the dorkies?!?
FINALLY found the magazine yesterday at Wal-Mart! Loved all your pics there, too. Whatever happened to that pretty mantel?
I went to HGTV, signed up to rate your space, but duh, I’m not sure if I did or not ~ I mean I couldn’t tell if it let me rate you! Double Duh!!
Hugs,
Stephanie
Angelic Accents
Karla ~~ do you ever sleep? I am saying this with affection because I don’t know how someone finds all the time to do what you do and to even blog as well. I love your style and your pretty things. I showed my husband the pic of your “dorkies” and he said they are too cute! Off to see your RMS! Becky
I love what you have done to your living room! You must just be full of energy! I enjoy looking at your blog!
Jen
http://jenscountryhome.blogspot.com/
Your Living Room is beautiful. I really Like what you did with the white hutch with that darling little do sitting underneath 🙂 So pretty!
Angie
Love the room make over and in THREE days! Wow!
Beautiful room. And thank you for sharing that painting story about your mom and sisters.
WOW, Karla, the walls are beautiful, and I love the wood floors. The room is very inviting, and the coffee table/toy box is a wonderful idea. Love the fabric on the sofa and pillows.
Vickie
WOW, Karla, the walls are beautiful, and I love the wood floors. The room is very inviting, and the coffee table/toy box is a wonderful idea. Love the fabric on the sofa and pillows.
Vickie
OOOH- We want to win something fabulous from you!! We feel we already won seeing all your beautiful photos- we just love your inspiring site!
blessings,
kari & kijsa
Karla…
Your redo looks fabulous, as always!
Priscilla
Your room is gorgeous!!! How do you get your hubby to agree to your romantic decorating, mine would never go for it!!! We, your blog fans, need tips on how to convert our husbands to our decorating style, ha ha!
I think the rose painting is absolutely beautiful, if you don’t like it anymore are you willing to sell it? I am totally addicted to anything roses. I live in a apartment and can’t grow them, but there is everything else.
We had a terrapoo many years ago, no matter what we did she still peed in the house, I think its the yorkie quirks, that’s just the way they are, gotta love em.
Hope your son is getting better Have a great day!
Jacquelene L
Love your wall color! Your’s tuurned out way better than mine. Very pretty.
Your livingroom is Beautiful!! And I still just love that ‘wallpaper’ you did. The colors all look so pretty and cozy.
Thanks for the tip about going back over the walls with the base color in a final wash. That sounds like a good idea. I just redid my living room walls in a similar style. Mine came out with more contrasts, but I’m happy with it as I was aiming for an old wall look with sort of an artsy edge and I think I nailed it. I’m happy with it, and that’s all that matters. But for other walls, I’ll try your idea. Also, interesting look adding white wash on top of a darker color. I like that too.
I stumbled across your blog as I was doing research for some antique vintage wallpaper my friend gave to me. Almost 200 rolls, all original, all border type in the long rolls!
Right now, I make handmade books and use the paper to cover the covers. I used to live in Spring Hill, not far from you, but have lived in the Ozarks near Eureka Springs for the last 11 years. I teach paper art workshops.
Your house is fantastic! Your kids & dawg are adorable, and I will be checking in frequently, now that I’ve found you! What an inspiration you are!
Also, I read something somewhere, maybe on your Esty page…I think it was you, anyway… I have been into your blog and Etsy for several hours now…. your paper folder is in a Somerset book… (Living?) is it Somerset Studio or one of their other Stampington publications? Or are you in a book I am not yet familiar with? I’d love to read more about your published works on your blog!
Later, Sister in art…. you are fantastic!
Hola… me he dado todo el tiempo del mundo para ver tu Pag. es preciosa… te felicito… Cariños Yanet.