My Zero Dollar Decorating has slowed to a crawl, I seem to have caught a bug of some kind. Or does Cabin Fever also cause joint aches and stomach cramps? Ugh. Its still colder than ever, but all of our cars are freed from ditches and snowbanks. I just am not up to getting out of the house.
People have asked me to show more whole room pictures of the kitchen, I'll take some when I am feeling a bit better. This bug is giving a whole new meaning to the phrase "under the weather" for me! I was feeling bad enough from being cooped up by the cold, I sure didn't need to catch a cold too.
There are a few photos that I had taken of where I moved the deeper, brighter color things from the kitchen to, I'll show those now.
Before, the corner cabinet in the dining room was all done in blue and white. Now, I've added roses to it from the kitchen, on top of all the blues.
The blue bird themed plates and figures, I've collected for a while, as well as the china roses. They are another remnant from my antique mall days, I'd bought them to sell in the booth and they never did. As I was redoing all my shelves, I wasn't surprised to see how many things I own were by default. Stuff I bought to sell and ended up keeping. Its not a bad thing, because I always told myself that I would not ever buy anything merely to sell it, I had to really like it and say it was something I'd add to my own home (because unless you are magic, not everything sells!). It was a form of staying true to my own sense of style, I guess.
Not all of this is inventory that I kept, the large chintz cake plate was my mom's, and so was the aqua wine glass. A gift from family, and some from friends are here too.
This shelf has some sentimental things, a framed quilt square from Grandma Nathan, a hankie from Grandma Downey, two pitchers covered in roses from my favorite flea market (reminders of fun times with my pal, Beth), and the bird I made at Silver Bella in Denise Sharp's class.
Plus this bird, she is so wrong she is right. I wonder if some crafty lady in the pre-glue gun days, added the feathers to this poor figurine or if it was meant to be this way? I see things like this and am oddly attracted to them, wondering if someday, my own embellishments that I am making to things now will be looked kindly upon in the future by someone at a garage sale with a quarter to spare?
The blue mirrors that are in this cabinet remind me of my sisses, who both collect blue mirrors too. The carnival glass and the cobalt teapot were both my mom's and those items were the original reason behind even having shelves filled with blue and white. Funny, how a couple of pieces of sentimental things can influence a whole room.
The photo on the left is of my husband and I about to share a smooch, and the frame on it is an old blue mirrored one. The photo (with a glare on it) on the right is my Mom's high school picture. Sugarwings has been made into art by my friend, Lori, and Beth created the vintage wallpaper covered journal.
I'm not exactly the sort of person to have a traditional hutch filled with wedding china. My stuff is a miss match of things I like, hopefully pulled together in a way that's attractive. But most of all it makes me smile when I see it. I am the sort of person who, really, really enjoys her stuff and likes to see it out and about.
Again, no one wanted these paint by number roses. I had them for sale here and there and there was never a taker for them. I even tried to give them away a couple times. Am I the only person to appreciate fine art? Actually, these bring back lots of memories of paint by number sets I had as a kid and adored.
And I do think they are pretty. Especially grouped with all of these blooms.
I'll leave you with some previous transformations of my kitchen, these photos are all from magazine articles I've been in. Some are from before we got the new cabinets, and some are from before I discovered pastels….
(I wish I hadn't sold this table!)
(My mom's carnival glass inspired the painting on this table, its sold too)
How do you paint a table with a leaf in it and still have a pattern on it?
First, paint the whole table without the leaf. Then add one leaf, and paint it so that the edges match up to each side of the table. If you have another leaf, match it to the first leaf and the edge of the table on the other side.
Okay, better stop now, I'm getting to the really old ones that were more country than cottage and they make me cringe!
Karla that was a lot of fun looking through your pictures of your great stuff. I too like old and would rather have a piece of this and that then a whole set.
Received my trees today and opened them then put them up on the shelf for next year. They are so pretty to place around. Thanks.
Hugs
FredaB
ps – I bet you can never throw a box away.
I do hope you feel better soon,not fun to feel sick.
I actually went out today it was day 7 of staying in, I had cabin fever badly!! LOL!
Love your pictures , I am with you I love putting out my favorite things, most dont really match and I dont care they make me smile, and that counts !
I esp love things mom gave me or my Grandma’s they mean the most to me,I should blog about my pretties too !
Take care of yourself
Diane
Beautiful Pictures, thanks for taking the time to share. I sure loved looking through them all. You sure have a great touch, If you are ever in California, come on over (: Hugs, Diane
Oh I do hope you feel bettr soon. Your photos are so lovely, I would love to visit you and fix your cabin fever. If you think it would help you are most welcome to fly over to visit me, it is hot hot hot and muggy here. Thanks for sharing your lovely photos.
Kiss Noises Linda
Karla, This is your house!! I have been seeing it for years in the different magazines!!! It has always been one of my favorites and in fact, the first few photos you showed that were in magazines I cut out for inspiration!!
Thank you so much for showing us around!!
I do hope you are feeling better. I had the flu/cold bug earlier this week and still have the stuffies but at least got the decorations down and some cleaning accomplished- you spurred me on with your posts!
blessings
mary
“Memories, misty watercolored memories of the way your kitchen was” (insert Barbra Striesand’s voice). This was like a trip down memory lane. I’ve been looking through all the pictures for things I’ve seen before, was with you when bought them, or remember when you sold them. I had forgotten the dark chair with the flowers on the back-I really like that one.
I, too, am strangely attracted to the bird with real feathers.
That lovely corner cupboard is filled with treasure. I could spend hours looking at all your lovely things. Thank you for sharing them with all of us. Sea witch
Karla,
Love all your goodies! I have some bluebird things that I love I can’t believe no one bought them. Love all the rose things, also. Everybody keeps telling me I have a lot of stuff but I can’t even compete with your collections! Except maybe with my blue and white China.You’ve done such a great job, a visit to your house could take all day just looking at your groupings I love the carving on the front of your cabinet, too. Thanks for sharing. It is suppose to get into the teens here tonight and that is really cold for South Texas! I’m just glad I can stay in my warm bed tomorrow and don’t have to get up and go to work.!!
Hope you are on the mend really soon!
Sandy
I’ve heard that too much decorating can cause joint aches and stomach cramps, but I could be mistaken….HA!
Great fun to see all your pictures from other years.
Here are my {wonderful} thoughts after seeing them:
a) Yes, too bad you sold that cool, cool metal and glass table!
b) I like your new burlap curtain under your sink!
c) Noticed the oval platter with the roses on it again and I still love it!
d) Your bluebird china is awesome!
Feel better soon!
Hello, Sweet Karla! First of all, I am sorry you don’t feel well, of course it will pass, but, bleah, in the meantime. I have wanted to tell you that I have old, old decorating magazines, and long before I “knew” you, I loved your rooms and stylings…not long ago, I opened a really old one and thought, “gosh, that looks like a Karla room!”, and sure enough!…anyway, of all the lovely goodies, I loved the funny feathered bird and the paint-by-numbers the best. Like you, I always think of the person who put all that love into the project, even if they may have been misguided! (A lot of my stuff would get that reaction!) Your Friend, Bobbi
Karla:
These pictures are breathtaking indeed! Your home has certainly inspired me. About the table, I too had sold an old vintage mirror that I loved long ago and always regretted it. Lo and behold 5 plus years later found the same mirror at a thrift store and bought it back. Truly an answer to prayer;now daughter has it in her home. Your home is just so lovely, thanks for sharing. And, hope that you are feeling yourself very soon.
Blessings
Joie de Vivre
I loved your rooms and styling!
Great.
I like both the old and the new! I love seeing all of your treasures! You have such a knack/artistic flair for arranging things. Also love seeing the old articles of your hours… and would love to see the country ones, too!
Hope you feel better soon!
Hi Karla, I have been enjoying your zero dollar makeover. Beautiful eye candy.
I hope you feel better soon.
Hugs Karen
Karla – Your blog is beautiful. Your antique dishes are a treasure and the pictues are splendid! I share your interests in vintage dishes as well – unfortunately, I have run out of room at my house for any more!
Thank you for visiting my blog and for leaving a nice little note in my knitted birds nest giveaway. I had NO idea they would be so popular.
I will revisit you again – soon!
Vicki (2 Bags Full—-)
Karla,
I am sorry you are not feeling good. Isn’t this weather supposed to kill all those bugs? It seems not. My family and friends have had a long series of colds and flues…work year I have seen.
I think paint by number pictures are kitchy fun! I have always wanted to have a wall of them…especially ones as pretty as those! I can tell you about how long they would last with Mr. Jud…haha! Much more traditional than I am!
I even liked your country pieces. I think they even have “potential” now!
Thanks for all the fun…better than a magazine and I get to “talk” to the author!
There’s many a table I wish I hadn’t taken to a consignment shop or a garage sale. I read that the paint by numbers are a huge comeback hit and are collectibles. Oh, they are beautiful. Well, I hope you feel perky soon. My carpenter Robert has had the swine flu this week. His doctor said he’s seeing folks come in WITH BOTH FLUS! Can you imagine? Me, I’ve been in most of the week. It’s downright cold for this region! Take care of yourself.
Brenda
Morning Karla….no wonder you have the dreaded lurgie..all the shifting & painting & filling & moving around..you need to lump up in front of a warm fire…by the way love what you did with the cupboards…all the kitcky things..even love the paint by number…my kids call our style of decorating Early Salvation Army..love it..take care of yourself..Lorraine
Feel better soon! Looks like this week we have no snow falling! If the weather guys are correct that is 🙂
How fun that you have pictures from through the ages! Just beautiful!!
Your kitchen is so beautiful! You have such a sense of style!
Blessings,
Christine
That’s a great idea to buy what you like, so that regardless of if it does resell or not you can enjoy what you have around. It also sounds like it staves off buyer’s remorse.
Your comment about having a couple of pieces of sentimental things influence a whole room reminds me of the way some outfits grow from a purse or a favorite piece of jewelry. Sometimes the accents become the centerpieces.
Thanks, as always, for the parade of pictures. It was fun to see memories of years gone by.
Wow that was fun, seeing your old kitchen photos! I would be crying over selling that first table, too. But there will be more wonderful tables in your future, I just know it.
I finally came to the conclusion that I had to love everything I’ve bought, too. I still have many unsold things leftover, though, from before I came to that conclusion. What do you do with them?!
Hello Sweet Karla! I hope you see comments on old posts, guess I will see if I hear from you! Wanted to tell you that Ijust bought my daughter a pair of framed paint by number rose pictures very similar to yours! They are so pretty, and whoever did these certainly took their time (I never had patience for the oil paint to dry!). Your Friend, Bobbi