You're Going The Wrong Way!!!!!

Janice and I took a field trip up to Eugene a couple of weekends ago. A girls' treasure hunting getaway, if you will. We chatted, laughed, ate, walked, talked, mosey'd, snacked, shopped, explored, got lost and got yelled at by some young guys telling us we were going the wrong way onto a two-way street! What nerve of those guys! Funny, in hindsight, but not so funny at the time you are turning onto a "new" road.

We've all turned the wrong way onto a one-way street. That instant you realize you're going the wrong way. The panic that evokes its ugly head. Then, the feeling of embarassment - OOOPS! Turns to nervous laughter "that was stupid". Next, to blame "that should have been marked better". Finally, "I can't believe I was that dumb!" A full range of emotions.

So, when those guys in the oncoming truck yelled that at us, we both began the emotional roller coaster....then, we realized there was a double yellow line to the left of our lane separating the other two oncoming lanes from ours. Way to go boys, you pulled a good prank on two complete strangers!

During our treasure hunting adventure, we drove up the 5 freeway to a little town named Coburg. We drove down to the antique district. As it was Sunday, most were closed, but we got to see a bunch of eye-candy at a couple of the others. Expensive treasures! Not in my budget! Found a ton of fun stuff, just not at fun prices! I think at least half of the thrill of finding a treasure is finding one at a good price. I know, I know, this is their business and they need to make money, but I'm just not their target buyer, I guess.

I did however NOT leave empty handed from this cute little 'burb. I got THIS treasure for FREE - AND we all know FREE is the best price EVER!!!!

This door is too, too cool. Just look at the patina. The old. The wear and tear. The age.

I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again and again.... I love OLD and unusual......

Now, I'm just wondering what's behind that door? A zillion things come to mind.....

Pink Shoes, Crystal Frogs, Diamond Earrings.....

What do all these things have in common, you ask?

Well....these were my birthday presents from my sweetie!


I have NEVER, ever worn PINK shoes! My tennis shoes have always been some shade of white with blue or solid white. Well, I guess at 41, it's ok to change things up a bit and be in the land of pink. Girly girl stuff!!!

Next up, is this cute little guy. He's the sweetest bug-eyed Swarovski crystal frog. His new home is in the same cabinet as my baby shoes. That's where I keep all my little "treasures". Including my dead bugs, dried leaves, sticks, rocks and shells collection...That's a whole other post! Same cabinet - different shelf!

And for the finale....drum roll please.....

These babies! My new princess cut diamond earrings! Wow! Double Wow, Actually!!!
You see, my honey already bought me the most beautiful white gold & diamond earrings for Valentine's Day 2002. I wore them almost exclusively for years! Taking them out only to clean them.

Well, I took them out and fastened them together by interlocking the posts and backs. I put them "somewhere" safe and for the last year, I've been earring-less! They are forever lost in my house, I think???? I've looked everywhere I can possibly think they may be. I don't even remember where I took them out or where I put them. I can only remember that I linked them together. I can only take solace in knowing they are together somewhere - even though I'd rather be there too!

I'll admit, I've been punishing myself that I don't deserve another pair of diamond earrings. Sure, I have a few pairs of those little ones, but NOT like my Valentine's diamonds. Those were my favorite!

So, what does he do? He goes and buys me a new pair. Not like my other pair. These are different. Princess Cut set in yellow gold this time around. I am SO afraid to lose them. Can the backs of earrings be welded in place???

I've always been pretty rough on my jewelry. I almost lost a black hills gold necklace because the clasp wasn't clasped properly. Luckily, I found it in my shirt.

Then there's the beautiful heart shaped locket - well, I slept in it the day I got it, and the chain clasp rolled around and dented the face.

Most of my rings are misshappen.

I'm just NOT a jewelry girl.

I work hard. I play hard. What can I say? Except, THANK YOU Phillip for giving me a second chance. I love you.

OH, I almost forgot....

The red, white and blue room treasure.

Isn't it cooooool! This is just perfect for that room. It's first grade level sheet music from 1943.

$5.25

What would $5.25 buy you in 1968????

I'm sure a lot of different things come to mind, but the answer to THIS question is........ME!

Yup, that's right! At the Darnall Army Hospital in Fort Hood, Texas, in 1968, $5.25 will buy you a bouncing, baby girl! Well, maybe the baby is actually "free", but you have to pay the $5.25 for incidentals....what a bargain!

Maybe THAT'S why I love to shop discount and find bargains!??? I feel right at home!

So, I survived the day. A little bit under the weather still. It's not even 9 o'clock and I'm ready for bed!

My best friend is on his way home and that makes me SO happy.

He said he spent a couple of hours shopping at an antique mall on his trip and found me something for my birthday. Something I'd like for the red, white and blue guest room that I'm planning and collecting for. What could it be? I have a zillion things going through my head. What would he have found? What? Hmmmm. Guess I'll just have to wait and see......I love surprises! I love that anxious feeling. I can't stop wondering.....???? BUT, he wouldn't even give me any other hints!!! NO HINT!

Speaking of treasures, when my mom was about my age, she said to us girls that we would have to tell her about the things we wanted when she passed. Yeah, like she should be thinking about THAT at her age - my age now!

Anyway, I told her that the only thing I knew for a fact that I wanted were my baby shoes. You see, my little shoes did not get the traditional bronzing. Nope. No wooden plaque with my name emblazoned on it. My little shoes were just stored in a box with a bunch of other things. Photos, letters, etc.... Mom is a "collector" like me. Geez, wonder where I got it?

Today, these little ones are stored in our living room, along with my little collection of music boxes and the like.

I LOVE them! Many thanks to my mom - for being a young mom and NOT being able to afford getting them bronzed! Having a treasure so special, justifies being a pack rat!!!! Go pack rats!!!!

Footnote: Mom is very alive and well!!!! She just gave me my shoes back in 2004 when we moved into this house.

Man. How I miss that man of mine.....

Yup, it might sound completely mushy - especially after this many years, but I MISS him SOOOOOO much!!!!!

He's been gone since Thursday and won't be home until Friday. I miss, miss, miss him.

I think I take it for granted how much we are actually together and how great that feeling is. It's just a natural place to be. So when we're apart, it's torture. Sure, a couple days here and there are tolerable, but a whole week!? Why is it, when we are on vacation for a whole week, it just flies by. But, a week apart seems to take forever!

We always tease that we've "goosed". Like geese. They mate for life. We are definately life'rs.

Until then.....Honey, I can't wait to see you.

But, it's probably a good thing he is gone, 'cause I've pretty much been sick this whole week. Chest cold, head cold, whatever. Just plain yucky. Tonight is the best I've felt so far.

This is my last day being 40! I survived it! I put on my "big girl panties" and got over it! Tomorrow I'll be onto a fresh, new year. 41. FORTY-ONE! I really can't believe it. They say women come into their own and have the time of their lives during their 40's. So far, so good! No mid-life crisis for me. I'm living in a great place. Have a great family. Love my awesome husband. AND I already have a little red sports car - and my Jeep! What's to have a crisis about???? Life's good!

***footnote*** Just thought I'd share a strange thing about my Big Girl Panties post from last April 2008. It is the highest ranking post on my blog. Funny, but it seems to get the most traffic online. Panties Fans. Who knew????

Photo: New Year's Eve 2008 at home

They grow up SO fast!

It's amazing how fast they grow. Those boys of mine.

I remember when my mom used to say that about us three girls and how it was so sad when we moved out. I used to think that she was just crazy for feeling that way and how I'd be totally ok when my boys grew up, became men and moved out into the world.

Well, let me tell you. When Ty first moved away to Texas, I was just coming back from a scrapbooking retreat with the scrap girlfriends. Ty had waited for me, on my way home, at the AM/PM to say goodbye. My friends saw first-hand how sad I was to see him go. His Jeep packed to the gills with all his earthly belongings. This was worse than when he went off to tech school in Sacramento. Of course, now he is living back home (in his own 5th wheel that he is paying on every month) after experiencing adulthood for the first time. It's a scary world out there!

Then there's Kyle. He's in Idaho. Far, far away!!! I miss him a ton! Granted, he isn't in the basement bedroom running up the electric bill playing video games or surfing the net, but I miss him still! He is taking a "break" from school at the moment and working at Starbucks in the Barnes and Noble. I wish he was home too, but I know he's independent and headstrong enough to make whatever he does in life work for him. Sacrifices and all.

Lastly, there's A.J. He's a Freshman in high school. Still needing prompting to do his homework. The challenge right now is to get and keep a "B" average in order to get his license. He's growing up fast too! The last of my little guys. Where did the time go? He's off doing more and more with friends too. Dates to the movies. Dinners. Lunches. After school activities.

Last weekend, he went off snowboarding in Shasta with his friend, Chris. No mommy. No daddy. He borrowed Ty's board and off he went. I was worried to death! What if....he fell. Hit his head. Broke his leg. His arm. What if.... I was SO relieved when he called from Chris' house ready to be picked up. WHEW! I survived another "son" adventure that I wasn't in control of.



That's A.J. in the CAMO pants!

It's tough being a mom. Tougher than anything else I've ever done. I worry too much sometimes. I'm too over-protective sometimes. I "what-if" the boys to death sometimes. I'm just a mom. Just like my mom!

Hind Sight is 20/20.

****NO PHOTO FOR THIS POST - You'll thank me later!

It's amazing how hind sight is 20/20! We just get too busy sometimes to see the signs!

Today, was the perfect example. SIGNS. CLEAR SIGNS! I just wasn't paying attention!!!

As I was putting my shoes on this morning, I was talking to Wonka. He was laying in front of the fireplace and he seemed really kind of sad. Melancholy, really. He didn't perk up. Just lay there with his head down, barely moving his eyes up to look at me.

So, I decided he should go to work with me. Down the stairs and into the back of the Jeep he went. He wasn't his normal self. Hopefully, getting out would cheer him up.

As we were driving into town, I noticed he didn't smell like his normal self and I thought I'd make him a grooming appointment today.

I pulled into my parking spot and he immediately started whining. Wonka talks, but never whines! I told him to be patient while I gathered my things out of the passenger seat. Then I opened the back and out he bounded. More like himself. I told him to "go potty" before we went in for the day. He went. We went in.

In the building, hardly long enough to put my things down and walk out to say good morning to everyone, I turned to walk back into my office and then I noticed a few little surprises on the warehouse concrete floor! OH NO!!! WONKA! NO!!!! You must not be feeling good, buddy!

THEN, the BIG, SURPRISE!!! Right there on the carpet!!!! NO!!!! AND Eewww! The smell!!!! POOR WONKA!

Fortunately, the concrete cleaned up easily and the carpet squares (what a bonus!) pulled up easily, scrubbed clean, and replaced! Good as new!

Next, I had the only humane, yet gross, duty of cleaning him up and at lunch, Phillip and I took him home.

SIGNS! Phillip and I have been having to get up around 1:30 a.m. over the weekend to let him out. He NEVER needs to be let out after bed til morning. Phillip says he saw him eating some grass this weekend.

SIGNS! Grass Eating Dog. Mopey Dog. Smelly Dog. Whiney Dog.

Hind sight IS 20/20. Unfortunately, sometimes we just don't recognize the signs until they become SIGNS! We'll be keeping an eye on him. Hopefully, it's just a bad rawhide bone or maybe he ate cat food!??? I'm hoping that's all it is. He's up on all his shots and his monthly tick and heart worm meds.

Monopoly Anyone???

***Note: January 3rd, 2010 I'm linking up to Between Naps on the Porch - Metamorphosis Monday
Be sure to go check out all the other "shares".

I didn't take a photo of the Monopoly board before I transformed it, but who hasn't played Monopoly???


So last January. No, the January before that. January 2008. The scrapbooking girls and I went on retreat and this was my project. I was inspired by an article I saw in Somerset Studio. I just took it to another level.

The SCHIEFER family board.

BITS....

PIECES...

Community Chest Cards.

Chance Cards.

As the other girls all scrapped 50 plus pages, road trip books and greeting cards, I spent the entire time working in miniature. Lots of scraps, left-over supplies, assorted embellishments, collected ephemera, mod podge, tissue paper, ink, paint, dice, bingo markers, wooden ruler, Scrabble tiles, old keys, cork, puzzle pieces, etc...even some of the other girls' garbage. Yes, I admit it. I dug some of their scraps out of their trash cans! GARBAGE DIGGER! Just goes to show, one woman's trash is another woman's treasure.

I began with a brand new Monopoly game board. Crisp and clean. Covered it with crinkled up white tissue paper and mod podge. Once dry, I distressed it with yellow paint - later, I distressed it again by dry-brushing it with brown ink.

Using our family as the subject matter, I just began to create space upon space. To keep the nuance of the "game", not all the spaces are covered fully. They are left lightly exposed. Look close. You can still see Monopoly, Income Tax, Water Works, Jail bird, the Go arrow, the Parking (free parking) and Electric Company.

I began the GO space with the date I created the piece - January 2008. Next space, celebrates our FIRST DATE - November 1983.

INCOME TAX space reminds us to TREASURE Today and Tomorrow.


The first CHANCE space represents Phillip asking me to marry him and our wedding in 1985. I've been asked several times how I got my pictures SO small. They are the index prints from the photo developer!

The JAIL space is an inside joke of the boys being in TIME OUT and always insisting it "wasn't me". Yet, somehow, somewhere, there was always EVIDENCE to the contrary!

The "Hold Your Breath" phrase with the Narrow Bridge photo is something Phillip started saying to me everytime we drove over a narrow bridge. We had to suck in and hold our breath until we were across. He joked at the time that we'd have to do that everytime with our "future" kids....and we do!

Well, you get the picture. I had a blast doing this project. It is my family's favorite and will surely become a family heirloom.

Phillip and I plan to build a 1" deep shadow box with clear, glare resistant acrylic to protect it. The back side will be weighted at the bottom corner point and have a lazy-susan-like fastener to allow it to hang on the wall with SCHIEFER reading level, but allowed to be turned by viewers.

So, go get yourself a board and start creating. AND be sure to send me photos!



The houses represent all the places we have lived since we got married.

Yeah, CHEVROLET parking only! Gotta love the classics.

Three chances? Boy, Girl, Boy, Girl??? BOY 1, BOY 2, BOY 3. DONE!

Unconditional Love. Tears of Laughter. Tears of Joy. Tears of Happiness. WATER WORKS!

GO TO JAIL space. Go to Disneyland (like we don't get enough of Disney?!!) But this is actually a tag from an old sweatshirt covered with Glossy Accents. AND 3 black buttons to make a Mickey head! Kyle, my most SERIOUS TEEN - NOT!!!

Those three boys of mine! At ages - 20, 17, and 14. They grow up so fast!

Hope you enjoyed the game!

Going Through a Heavy Metal Phase.....

Yup, I love Rock 'n Roll.

Nope, I'm not talking about Rock 'n Roll.

I'm talking about: The Look - The Feel - The Weight of REAL STEEL.

I love art and sculptures made of rusty metal or a variety of textured metal. I think vintage, real steel automobiles kick butt!!! I think old, corrugated buildings are really cool. I really like the look of old factories with all those stacks, pipes, chutes, etc.... Pretty much any old metal object gets my thumbs up! They just don't make them like they used to.

On that note, here is the Heavy Metal treasure Phillip and I picked up yesterday after work.

It's a full-size bed frame for the "Red, White and Blue" guest room. I plan to sand blast it down and either powder coat it white or paint it white. I'd almost clear coat it and leave it the original color with the rusty spots, but someone has already painted milk chocolate brown over the original white. So, I'll go clean and start over. It has the original heavy steel rails too! And I just saw a JC Penney ad in the May 2009 Country Living magazine with a really cute red, white & blue paisley AND blue and white checkerboard reversible coverlet. (I checked with our JCP here in Grants Pass, and they don't carry it! So, I'm on the hunt.)

This bed will be perfect in the guest room. I have a ton of ideas for in there. (one of which was the vintage RED scooter! SIGH!!!) The room isn't too big and won't have a closet anymore, as we'll be commandeering its closet for the kitchen, but I have a few other ideas up my sleeve about storage. A long dresser that will get re-done in white with new knobs and, here's the fun part, a galvanized top! The matching 2-drawer night stand will get the same treatment.

BUT, first....The floor needs to get oak'd. The closet needs to be framed in and covered in horizontal planks and painted white (can you say cottage guest room?) and the old 1970's aluminum window replaced. Just some more on the to do list. But, hey, I got THE bed I wanted for in there!

Last night, as I was pointing out to the guy at the S.Army which bed I had bought and was there to pick up, he made the comment "Oh, that old bed. When it came in, I told them we should just put it outside by the dumpster!" WHAT!!!! I love this BED! It totally reminds me of those old beds at Grandma's or you see at camp. They were always cold to the touch and squeaky! I just LOVE that!!!!

Here are a couple of other HEAVY METAL goodies I've collected....

This is obviously an old wheel barrow that I found for free somewhere in my travels. Someday, it'll get a planter box, but until then, I just love the skeleton with its wheel!

I found this little tricycle, with only two wheels (one of the back wheels is missing), in a field up in Washington. They were clearing land to build a new housing tract and had a pile of "junk", rocks, and sod. I spyed this from the road one day while driving home. This little bike has been in my yard ever since. In Washington. In California. AND now here in Oregon. Even with the missing wheel, I love it!

Neither of these are in their permanent homes, but be sure they will have a place of honor once the yard is landscaped!

Lastly, and these really aren't "treasures", but I kinda like the composition.

SEVERAL months ago, I cleaned these OLD (owned by the previous owner of the house) paint cans out of the garage and set them outside with the intention of dumping them at the next local recycle fair, but here they sit. The rusty lids are fun though. These WILL NOT be included in the eventual landscape, I promise!

Oh and one little final note of HEAVY METAL excitement....

My 1963 Chevy Nova Convertible got picked up on Monday and is getting soda blasted and then getting re-painted its original red. Oooooh. Gotta love VINTAGE REAL STEEL! (gotta love barter too!!! Boy, can my hubby deal!)

Rock on!

A Treasure Hunter's WORST NIGHTMARE!!!!

Apparently, I'm VERY emotional today. Must be hormones.

Last night after work, Phillip and I stopped by our local S.Army to pick up one of the larger "treasures" I found the day before and while there I spyed the cutest, little, old red scooter I've ever seen. Chippy red paint. REAL steel, not plastic. Four little white tires. SO stinking cute.

I had enough S.Army receipts to get $10.00 off my next purchase and the little scooter was only $7.95!!! Yes, $7.95!!!!. BUT, it was after 5 pm. The store was still open, but they don't tally receipts after 5. SO, STUPID ME, asked the manager to hold it in the back warehouse and I'd be back in the morning so we could tally the receipts.

STUPID, STUPID ME!!!

I woke up SO excited about getting the scooter. I had even called my friend Janice and told her all about how she would be able to get the CUTEST pictures ever of her new grandson once he was toddling. Him shirtless. In little blue denim Osh Kosh overalls. With the Scooter!

STUPID, STUPID ME!!!!

I should have known. I should have just bought it right then and there! $7.95!!!! BUT, NO!!! STUPID, STUPID ME!!! I'd just go back in the morning and get it for FREE!!!

10 am. HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY. I park. Go in. Say Hi to the clerk. SMILE BIG. HAPPY, HAPPY. Tell him I'm here to pick up my little treasure sitting in the warehouse.

He tells me he saw someone walking around with it!!!! My heart literally sinks!

I briskly walk around the store. The manager tells me someone put it out and it's sitting over by the bed frames. I race over. NO SCOOTER. Another clerk says he thinks it got sold this morning - within the last HOUR!!!!

I go up to the other cashier, by the front door. She says she didn't sell it.

The suspense is killing me. I'm feverishly looking.....

Then a Treasure Hunter's WORST NIGHTMARE is confirmed!!!!

"Yeah. The little red scooter. $7.95. I just sold it to a guy this morning." They've only been open an hour! AND it was supposed to have been in the warehouse - waiting for ME! Not that I'm more deserving than someone else, but I thought I had made arrangements. AND I really wanted Janice to be able to use it as a photo prop.

I got many a "sorry, someone must have put it out this morning". But that still didn't heal the pain.

STUPID, STUPID ME. I should have bought it last night.

I came into work and went upstairs to Phillip's office. SMILING! Then I immediately broke down crying huge alligator tears. WOW! I wasn't expecting that!!!

Yes, I am disappointed, but REALLY? To tears???

Moral of the story: If you spy a treasure that tugs at your heart strings, get it. GET IT NOW!!! It won't be there tomorrow! AND sometimes EVEN IF YOU PAY FOR IT and make arrangements to pick it up later, IT MAY GET RE-SOLD and NOT BE THERE ANYMORE!
This happened to me once before in Washington. Bought a wonderfully comfortable antique chair, paid for it, came back just a few hours later with the truck and it was re-sold and GONE!!!

I don't remember if I cried then as well......?

Some More of OUR Four-Letter Word....

Like I said before, the house is in an ever-changing state of dis-repair and repair.

Here are a couple in-progress shots.
This is the beginning of the ceiling just inside the front porch.

Here it is done. Well, not really, done, DONE, but at least with the tongue and groove wood put up on the entire ceiling in there. I need to prime. Then paint it the creamy white to match the back of the door and side lights. Then I get to find the perfect light fixture. This ceiling is about 2 feet higher than the rest of the house, so maybe a chandelier??? But, not one that has a ton of glass baubles....

This is our front door and side lights. I scored the side lights for $25 each. $50!!! The brand new door cost me $300. Granted, we need to make custom trim, but $350? That would barely have gotten us a metal or fiberglass door. I actually took these photos before the outside porch was complete, but you get the idea. Phillip and I will be making a custom-fit screen door that fits with the outside trim and doesn't block the open-ness of the full glass door.

This is the small light fixture we chose for the back door. We bought two larger ones (same exact look) for each side of the side lights. The porch is also wired for a ceiling fan. Just still need to find the perfect one. Oooooh....I getta' go shopping!!!!

Lastly, here is the "rock" we've chosen for the retaining walls and the base of the porch. The colors look SO nice with the Western Alder stain, creamy white trim, the surrounding forest, and the clay soil/decomposed granite of the exposed mountain.

Lots to do, but we are going in the right direction.

Stay tuned tomorrow. I found a couple of fun treasures!!!!

Comments....

Hi to all those who have been having difficulty leaving comments.

I THINK I have re-configured my behind-the-scenes Blogger account to receive comments WITHOUT having to have a Blogger/Google account.

So, give it a try. If it STILL is NOT working, you can try emailing me:
patinamarie@gmail.com.

Here's to hoping it works!

Also, I've added a Library so you can easily visit PAST posts by category.

Tina

"HOME" is our FOUR-LETTER word

Yes, around here, HOME is our four-letter word.

The house we bought in August 2004. The house that we are slowly, but surely, turning into our dream HOME. The house with the beautiful mountain and partial river view running through the valley. We LOVE our house AND we love that we are FINALLY, after so many other attempts, in so many other places, FINALLY making this place our HOME. Even though, it is a TON of WORK. A TON of "there's SO much to do that we may NEVER be finished". BUT, we are making progress and it's really beginning to look a lot like the HOME we've been dreaming of.

I was looking at the CD of pictures I took in July 2004 when we first made our offer on the place. It was rough. It was dated. OUT-DATED! BUT, it was HUGE and we could envision each of us, all five of us, having more than enough space to roam, play, nest and rest. Sure enough, there's more than enough room for all that and more. MORE paint. MORE trim. MORE flooring. MORE planning and re-planning. MORE money. MORE time. MORE money. MORE time. MORE work. MORE aches and pains. MORE dump runs. MORE debris. MORE dust. MORE tools. MORE trips to the hardware stores. MORE, MORE, MORE.

Sometimes MORE seems never ending, but the payoff in the end will be grand.

Sure we could just as easily have been content to just leave things "as-is" and just live our life, but that just isn't our style. Like Phillip seeing the potential with the old cars/trucks/motorcycles, I can see the potential here. I love to envision this house in the old bungalow, cottage, farmhouse style - NOT the 1970's Formica, gold fixtures, and in-laid wood-look linoleum. NOPE, not me. Darn them Cottage Living, Country Home, Country Living and New Old House magazines!!!!

So, one room at a time. Well, actually, an area of one room at a time, like I've said before, a room never gets completely done at once, but I do ALWAYS come back to it and do some more. Someday, this house will have gotten a complete update into the past. Say, 1930's or 40's? I just LOVE the feel of that comfortable, casual look, the built-ins and the trim.

Our downstairs bathroom BEFORE.

Here are the AFTER details of our downstairs bathroom.
Old, water/steam worn storage cabinet-BEFORE


Cabinet AFTER painted black with slightly distressed edges. I haven't distressed the doors yet. Why? I'm "test" fitting them right now.....I need to remove them again and sand the edges. I replaced the original gold knobs with these egg-shaped, brushed nickel ones.















Our towel rack. Also painted black and distressed.

The back of the toilet tank with galvanized metal planter holding three candles. I plan to fill this 2/3 of the way full with sand or gravel to hold the candles up higher in the planter.


Our new pedestal sink AND the newly painted wainscoting and trim.

White, waffle-weave shower curtain with brushed nickel holders.

Mirror. A stand-in for now. It is a cheap plastic one that I painted black. I am on the look-out for a wooden one with a little more character.

The magazine holder. A wire basket I found at the local 2nd-hand shop coupled with a black wood/silver hook rack I found at Wal-Mart, of all places. I found one at Lowe's, but the hooks were plastic. Plastic! There's a break waiting to happen. Wal-Marts were sturdy metal. Yay, Wal-Mart.????

Another hook rack to hold the brush and the blow dryer. Pedestal sinks don't have drawers, but I hate having to roll up and un-roll the blow dryer every day. Actually, I only use the dryer on the cold Winter days, but Phillip uses it every day! It's VERY convenient.

New light fixture. I fell in love with these glass light shades. I actually prefer the look of these hanging down, but the light cast make you look like Frankenstein! AND that's not a good way to start the day! Trust me on that! Plus, pointing up, casts more light across the white ceiling and brightens the place up. Sorry, this photo is VERY dark!

New light switches and plugs! Thanks Phillip! You gotta love the little details!

Especially this little upgrade. A new ceiling heater and over-head light. Now we can see in the shower and stay warm without the "old" red/orange heat bulbs. Those things always made us laugh...and laugh even harder when we clucked like chickens under the "fried-chicken-heat-lamps". Yeah, it was funny! But we are no longer living under orange lights!!! Yay!

That's our "new" master bath. Good for now, but the "master-plan", no pun intended, is that the sink and toilet will stay, but the shower/tub insert, behind that waffle weave, will be history and that space converted into a wonderful floor-to-ceiling built-in shelving/closet unit. Complete with lots of drawers in the lower section and some sliding glass doors up top. Reminiscent of the old pharmacy/dr's office built-ins. Painted creamy white with black library-style drawer pulls, of course! Can't you just imagine????

The tub, a new dual-person shower, vanity and another built-in storage unit will go in the adjacent 10x12 bedroom within the "new" master bedroom. Now that's a bathroom! Separate potty room, complete with tons of storage and a pedestal sink!

The to-do list this weekend: painting the new bungalow-style porch floor (thanks! Phillip) a nice vanilla white; staining the outside horizontal cedar porch boards a nice western alder gray/green/brown;

























scraping part of the converted master bedroom ceiling of it's beautiful popcorn ceiling; cleaning out one of the spare rooms downstairs (getting ready for it's turn at new paint, flooring, lighting, etc...); and the BEST....sitting in the new, used HOT TUB.

Thanks to my friend, Kay, who so gratefully sold it to us. We haven't had a hot tub since we moved from Washington State in early 2001 - we've sat in it twice a day for the last two days! Just can't get enough! It's on the lower back patio right outside our bedroom (where that green lawn cart is)AND the view from the tub couldn't be better - mountains, mountains, and more mountains. We even saw a hawk today and the moon and stars last night. Love, love, love it! It's definitely what the house was missing.