It's such an honor

My first blog award, given to me by Darlene of Darlene's Days Darlene has a super cute blog highlighting her yard sale finds, her creative use of spray paints, and her lovely home that she has been updating with great finds and clever furniture arrangement. Give her a visit and be sure to leave a comment as let's face it, it's all about the comments people! I live for comments, don't you?

For this award I'm supposed to list six things that make me happy...

1. My family and friends (including bloggy land friends)
2. My pets
3. Creating
4. Daydreaming about creating
5. Shopping for creating
6. Working at the Lobby where I can do #3, #4, and #5
7. Honorable mention: Starbucks! I don't one very often, watching my calories *smiles* but it's a real treat when I do allow myself to enjoy one!

OK now I'm supposed to pass this award along to five more people and they are supposed to post it on their blog including who it came from and 6 things that make them happy.

1. Miz Susie of Bienvenue Susie is a very inspiring, uplifting, creative lady. Her tassels are to die for and she has such a lovely home. Not only is she loaded with creativity but she's a real sweetheart. Be sure to scroll back thru and check out her home tour!



2. Bella of a day in the life of bella Bella is another one of those inspiring, positive thinking ladies, who loves a good yard sale! She has been updating her home with lots of creative touches and occassional recipe. Be sure to give her a visit!



3. Shannon of Bless Our Nest this little girl is wise beyond her years in decorating style. Her post on bedding makes you want to dive right into one of her comfy, lovely looking guest rooms to snuggle up and never leave! Lots of inspiration can be found there, be sure to visit her please.



4. Blanca of For the love of my home is another one of those creative girls who can whip up a fabulous project after midnight when the kiddo's are sleeping! So many ideas from her blog and so little time to try them out *sigh* You must visit her!



5. Nikki of Project: Domestic Bliss another young creative hip chick who has so much going on in a creative sense. Great ideas, lots of style, sweet lady. Be prepared to spend some time scrolling thru her projects *sigh* so much creativity, I'm jealous!

Many thanks to Darlene for my first ever blog award, I'm so excited! And there were probably like 50 more blogs I could easily award this to, so many talented bloggers out there!

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A little weekend update...

I've been hating my bedroom, no secret there. Been making do with my old bedding back from our corporate housing days when my bedroom was taupe. The despised bedding is rusty red and gold, lovely but it so doesn't go with Lowe's Leaf Green walls, this is the same green on the bottom half of my bathroom walls. Now I came up with some great alternatives, like black and white damask bedding which I think would be gorgeous in my bedroom and I'm sure to be very happy with it but it's pricey and I refuse to spend any $$$. So my next alterative was to shop my attic! I'll have to blog my attic one day, Oh My Word, that's a scary thought *smiles* Then one of my awarded bloggers, Shannon, of Bless Our Nest totally inspired me with her guest rooms. She blended her bedding for a mix matched look that totally rocks and looks so divinely snuggable. How can I get that look without spending? After some thought and a look around my calico wall at the Lobby, this is what I came up with. I present my $4 Master Bedroom makeover...

This quilt was given to us by my step MIL about 22 years ago. I'm sure she had it atleast 5 or 10 years before that, so it would be about 30 years old. It's a geniune Amish quilt. Step MIL gave it to us because of an ugly ink stain along the pie shaped scalloped border... *sigh* Well let me tell you, a good dousing with Grandma's Secret Spot Remover and soaking in the washing machine lifted the old, old ink spot out completely! I dried this lovely quilt draped over my porch railing on top of sheet. Our front porch either looked totally like redneck white trash or an antique shop, depending on how generous you viewed the sight (my big honkin furniture rehab is living on the porch right now). But the ink spot is gone, the quilt is no longer yellowed, and smells divine from being hung out of doors to dry.

Yes I know that white cord from the bedside lamp just jumps right out at you! I hate it. My table square is just a piece of fabric from my stash that I added some pom pom fringe all around to. The D. Morgan tapestry was a Charleston YS find that cost me $2, I spray painted the dowel rod black. The candle and candle holder were $1 each from the Lobby clearance aisle. The black wicker bowl on the bedside table was $2 (shopping on the clock, priceless). The crocheted pillow shams I've had for years. The vase on the pedestal is from Okinawa Japan and was given to me on my first Valentine's Day with my husband who wasn't my husband quite yet back then, we were married a month later, but I've kept it all these years and proudly display it.

I need to hang some black fabric behind this mantel too. It's an oldy though, I ripped it out of an old house years ago with a crow bar all by myself. The mirror was stamped with the year 1920. I spent one winter stripping and refinishing it, a labour of love. My finish of choice is tung oil. The antique dome topped trunk in front of the mantel is from the 1880's and had the original tray inside. I left the refinishing of this to a retired Air Force Colonel who had a refinishing shop outside Goldsboro NC. For two months I drove from La Juene every pay day to make a payment on the cost of the refinishing. Well worth it. On top is my baby blanket which is pretty remarkable considering our home burned when I was 11 and we lost pretty much everything. It had been used on my older brother and sister. Sadly I didn't have it when my son was born but someday my future grandbabies will be wrapped in it *smiles* Ooops you see that hanger?

And coffee mug? *smiles*

Shannon suggested I incorporate some brown into my bedding in order to help transition my lighter color quilt and bedding to the winter months. Still looking for some brown fabric to make Euro Shams out of but atleast I know my sheet is brown, does that count?

This is where I spent the money this weekend on my bedroom makeover, I bought 2.5 yards of homespun calico, $2.99/yard, discounted 30% to $2.09/yard then minus my 15% employee discount, $4 and change... Not bad. I have always loved this one. The lace I sewed to the bottom of the skirt was given to me from a work friend.

For the decking portion of the bedskirt I used an old twin sheet that I cut down to fit.

And that's it, my bedroom makeover. I still have some things to add, like the Euro pillows, some more throw pillows, but all in all it's pretty much done for now. My husband is happy we're back to using the quilt as he appreciates handcraftedness and has always loved this quilt. He said he thought my bedskirt looked really pretty with the quilt and how pretty he thought our room looked. Next will be an updated window treatment as well as something new for the canopy area. Still daydreaming on my options there... Maybe another trip to the attic will produce the eyelet panels I know that are somewhere up there *smiles* Thanks for looking! And thanks to Shannon for the inspiration!