Looking Back and Wondering...

Do You Remember When...It was so "in" to have a Dress Form grace your home?   I had three of them.  I dressed them all, named them and did posts about them, too.  The forms themselves were relatively easy to find...just by googling.  Before I purchased my first on-line Mannequin [I purchased 2 from an on-line company], I called the company and asked questions about it.  They were very helpful.  After receiving "her", I selected a name, fabric, lace, flowers and whatever else I was going to use to "dress her".  Then I got to work, using pins for one and liquid starch on the other 2, to clothe them.  I found Ms. Pauline in a corner of a booth at an Antique Mall.  She was...the soft squishy foam kind of mannequin...old and rather discolored.  She really reminded me of my Grandmother, Pauline Hermann...hence her name.  This is Pauline.

  

My grandmother was the squishy sort, wore lacey clothing, always had an apron on when she was at home and smelled so pretty.  I got Pauline in 2008.  She greeted guests as they arrived for Tea or Dinner for a number of years.  She usually stood near the TeaCart you see in her photo.

I posted several times about Pauline and her wedding on my old blog HERE

  These two Mannequins were added in 2009.  On the left is Isabella and on the right is Lily.  They have beautiful "shapes" don't they?   Unlike Pauline, who I pinned clothing on to dress...I used Liquid Starch to put fabric on Isabella's and Lily's hard foam bodies.  Then I added lace and ribbon flowers, trims, jewelry and doilies to them.  The stood in my Dining Room, center stage behind the dining table.

Here's a close-up of them.

I had them up until early 2015, when Isabella and Lily left my employ and headed off to Paris.  They found work very quickly there and continue to work in the same home together again.

Did you have Mannequins in your home?  Did you join the many parties that filled Blogland back then?  Did they make you smile as I'm smiling now, remembering the fun they were?

Thanks for stopping in today...I hope you enjoyed your visit.

originally posted March 3, 2016

Apartment Living - Where My Dog Teddy and I Lived a Year Ago

HOME SWEET HOME

A Year ago, Teddy, my ShihTzu and I lived in this small 1-bedroom apartment.  Within a few days of moving in, we met most of the other tenants and someone who turned out to be a very good friend.  It was comfortable, but I had plans for making it much more than just comfortable.

We had the necessary things like...a Bed, A Dinette Table, TV, 2 Recliners and all the necessary kitchen untensils to be able to cook.  But I wanted homey and very very comfortable.

But Artwork, Lamps, An Area Rug, Entertainment center/stand and a Love Seat, as well as a few other things were still needed to accomplish my vision.  When I saw a sign for an Estate Sale I had to stop.  I'd never been to one before so I didn't have any idea what to expect.  With my money in my purse - mind you I had a small budget with which to complete my mission of making an apartment into a warm, loving home.  I had a $1000 budget.  I walked into a beautiful old Farm House and I immediately heard items calling my name.  Does that ever happen to you?  You walk into a shop and things call your name?

I quickly knew that most of what I wanted/needed was right here in that home and the prices were reasonable, too!  Several items I knew would go relatively quickly and weren't the most expensive of the ones I wanted so I tagged them, checked out and got them home.  The others could wait for a better discount day.

So I waited for the BEST DISCOUNT day and just as I hoped, everything was still there and mine for the tagging.  I paid for those items and headed home.  75% off...what a bargain!

I only splurged on ONE item, when I walked into a little shop in Plymouth, WI.  It put me over my intended budget...but by only $100.  The Burgundy Leather/vinyl Love Seat did it...but it's beautiful and very comfortable.

This is how my apartment look after getting everything in place.  It was everything I could have hoped for...It was HOME.  

The total spent for most of the items...Was $1100.

Enjoy This Post from 2 Years Ago Today

No computer time for me today - so I thought I'd share this post.  I am still in LOVE with Animal Print.  Read it here

Tour My Office - Pink

Today, I decided to show you my office.  I haven't shared pictures of my office for years. The last ones I showed you were from 2008...and they aren't on this blog...or at least I can't find them here.  These photos are of my Office, as it appeared at the end of 2015.  Right now, things are looking different once again.  I love changing things around.  I have a corner built-in desk with cabinets on the base, one on each side.  There are cabinets above as well.  Where you see the curtain on the very right side is the window where I take pictures when I'm in my office.

I have taken off the cabinet doors, to make room for displays [the cabinets on the bottom of the 2 bookshelves have their doors removed, too...for the Pup's Toy Storage].  I'd rather have that than a bunch of hidden junk!

I have 9' sloped ceilings, with beautiful mouldings.

The corner with my Black Armoire display...with a view of my Great Room.  [the doggie gate has been down for months...since my Pups stay with me quite nicely in the office without it]

This Bookcase is on the other side of the closet door and flanks the window in the back of the office.

What is a bed doing in my office?  Well, it's a Massage Table.  That's where I get my BioMat treatments.  You can read about the BioMat in my post Here. 

To the right and left of the desk are matching bookcases.  And here you see both of my windows.

One last view of my desk!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look around my office.  Hopefully, when you see it next, it will look a bit different.  And, I hope it's painted.

I'm joining the Link Party Thoughts of Home on Thursday at:

Laura at Décor To Adore

Stacey from Poofing the Pillows

Jemma from At Home With Jemma

Laura at White Spray Paint

Master Bedroom & Bathroom Make-Over

***Originally posted in February 2016***  [a few changes made since then, but those photos will be seen at a later date]  As promised, I was able to get the pictures taken and get this post done this week!  WOW!  Things certainly do look different around my home.  And this is just the beginning.  If you missed the post of How the Master Bedroom and Master Bathroom looked before, click Here.  I'd always wanted a Sleigh Bed, so when I decided it was time for new Bedroom Furniture, this is exactly what I got!  A sleigh bed, a high dresser...and 2 large nightstands.  In a deep cherry finish.  I love it.  The curtains, valances, lace sheers and pleated shades are on all 12 windows in my home.  Since I have a dramatically open concept home...it works so well.  They are a bronzey-gold and I love them.

 [the sunlight streaming in the windows...makes some of these photos a bit dark - but it adds to the drama of the room]

You'll notice that my large nightstands are not on the sides of the bed, in front of the windows as many people would place them.  Rather, I opted for a smaller lamp table [black], with a shelf and drawer [big enough for the remote for the adjustable mattress base I have and the remote for the ceiling fan] next to the bed, alongside an animal print [leopard, of course] chair.  After much hunting for the perfect bedcoverings, I opted for a beautiful quilt and shams, with roses and other flowers in a pink/ivory/burgundy color combination.  In the photo below, you can see that the quilt is scalloped along the edges all the way around.  So are the pillow shams.

The colors used in the room were all pulled from the artwork I already owned and had displayed in other areas of my home.  Roses above the bed...and Woman with Roses above the night stand.

  

I had this print framed and got it a couple of Christmases ago, as my Christmas gift!

In this photo, you can really see the style of the furniture and the color of the wood.  The sleigh bed is something I'd always wanted and when I decided to get new furniture, I bought this set.  A small, ornate Syrocco mirror, lamp, Love picture, chest with fleur de lis, a heart shaped picture frame with a lady smelling a rose and a mirror tray on a pedastal, holding candle cups is all I needed to complete the look.  Then I added the mate to the other Leopard print chair to the side of the dresser.

More syrocco plaques hang on the wall to the left, when you enter the bedroom.  On the nightstand is Picture frame with Marie Antoinette's photo, my clock radio and a small jewelry tray that was handpainted by a good friend of mine [Celeste].

Here's another look at the dresser, with the rose picture above the bed reflected in the syrocco mirror.

I have always loved quilts and now I have this one [well, I really have 3 of this quilt, in twin, queen and king - remember my open concept?  I use them in 2 other rooms.]

The pillows I've picked up throughout the last 7 years...and had put away, waiting to be used.  The large one has a chenille border around vintage material in the center...the woman with the rose is in the center of an oblong pillow...again with vintage fabric...and the pillow on the left is a heart, which you can see better in the photo below.

The wide lace edging all around the pillow, with the flowers and leaves and the wide white lace...is just beautiful.

Now, over the top of my lamp, I have a handpainted ornament with roses and a lady...and lots of white boa feathers hanging.  It was also painted by Celeste.

My master bathroom looks so different than before, too.    I love the bronze lights, with 60-watt PINK lightbulbs in them...the bronze framed mirrors, a crackle glass bronze candle holder [in front of an all-too-bright night light - which doesn't look too bright through it]...and another handpainted tray by Celeste hung on the wall.

You can see a glimpse of the chandelier in the mirror on the left, if you really look...

Again, the sunlight makes this photo darker than it really should be...but it does look dramatic, doesn't it?  This chandelier is hung on a chain from the ceiling and is hard-wired.  It's bronze in color with some golden antiquing...and I bought it at a garage sale - never used, in the original box, about 7 years ago...for...are you ready?...for $3.00!!! 

Here's looking at the counter wall from the other end of the bathroom, looking toward the door.

A rose clock that was purchased at a garage sale for $1.00 and had never been used.  On the wall, by the door [over there on the left in the photo] are my Syrocco Flower Plaques, painted and Rub 'n Buff-ed by me.

They looked like this when I purchased them for only $8.00 for the pair.

After I spray painted them black and added the Rub 'n Buff, they looked like this...

Because of the skylight in the bathroom and the sun shining in it, the flowers don't look as burgundy and the leaves don't look as green as they really are. 

When entering the Bathroom, the wall at the opposite end of the door has this arrangement on it.

Another plaque [this time plaster], painted and Rub 'n Buff-ed the same as the syrocco plaques, 2 sconces [painted too] and the beautifully framed in black Parisian Rose Print.

Looking out the door of the Bathroom into the Bedroom.

The prettiest Burgundy/Pink/Green/Ivory rugs, with rubber backing I've ever seen now belong to me and are used throughout the house.

My Pink Bathrobe hangs from a pretty hook on the door.

My walk-in closet...which measures approximately 13' by 6'...is so large, I am able to store lots of things, along with my clothes in here.

When entering the closet, on the left is the light switch and 6 4-foot shelves that are empty...empty because I rearranged the closet the other day.

The fleece DIVA blanket is covering pillows and some other artwork, suitcases and pads for my patio swing, of course, on shelves, too.

I have quite a few of these windows boxes that I put things in for storage...doilies, curtains, clothing, Christmas Ornaments [hand-painted by Celeste], towels, etc.

Aclothes hamper...hanging rod for clothes and the Quilt on the Pedastal is covering the Pups Den [their crate].  They love it there.  When it thunders and rains...that's where they head.  They did that even before I put their crate in there...because it's an inside room...against the heaviest wall of my home...where we go when there are any Weather Warnings.  They sleep so well in there.  It's their little CAVE!

Lampshades, finials, more boxes...shoes on the lower shelves.

Sweaters hung on hangers in a special "fold" so they don't pucker at the shoulders and don't fall off the hangers.  See the instructions Here.

Around the corner...lamps...winter pajamas, nightgowns, jeans, sweatshirts...

More window storage boxes with sheets, a suitcase, plaques, painting clothes, cooler and tool box.

I'm participating in the FIRST Thought of Home on Thursday Link Parties - stop by and see who else is!!

I hope you enjoyed seeing the re-do of my Master Bedroom and Bathroom.  There will be other BEFORE and AFTER pictures/posts to come of other areas of my home.

The color on the walls is Pixie Dust by Valspar.  It's a very pale pink.

The pink 60-watt lightbulbs that give a beautiful glow in any room...are from Lighting Supply Company...click Here

The hand-painted items I said were painted by Celeste are some of the many items I've purchased from Celeste at  her Celestina Marie Design Etsy Shop

My bedroom set is from ArtVan Furniture and is part of the Rochelle Collection Here

Quilt is from Bella Home Fashions...Here

Window Storage Boxes were found at Lowes

Curtains and Valances are from JCPenney Here mine are Topaz

Rugs are from JCPenney Here mine are Garnet

Did You Know?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland-based Sherwin-Williams Co. has announced it is acquiring the Valspar Corp., a Minneapolis-based global paints and coatings company, in an all-cash deal for $113 per share, or about $11.3 billion.

The transaction, the biggest acquisition in Sherwin-Williams' 150-year-history, would create a global paint company with combined revenues of about $15.6 billion, adjusted earnings of $2.8 billion, and about 58,000 employees.

By Janet H. Cho, The Plain Dealer 

Email the author | Follow on Twitter

on March 20, 2016 at 1:29 PM, updated March 21, 2016 at 2:46 PM

Sherwin-Williams Co. President and Chief Executive Officer John G. Morikis announced on Sunday that the Cleveland-based paint company is acquiring the Valspar Corp., a Minneapolis-based global paints and coatings company, in an all-cash deal for $113 per share, or about $11.3 billion. (Lisa DeJong, Plain Dealer file) (Lisa DeJong, Plain Dealer file)

Those figures include estimated annual synergies of $280 million in sourcing, selling, general and administrative expenses, and process and efficiency savings within two years, after the deal closes.

Read entire article Here