When Something Sticks

I am reading a memoir so poignant I can hardly stand it, in the best way possible.

It’s called Glitter and Glue, by Kelly Corrigan. Can’t recommend it highly enough.  The book is aptly named as it is so “sticking to me.”

2-book-glitter-glue-art-gior5j8d-1glitter-and-glue

The book is about young and wanderlust Kelly’s realizations about motherhood (or more like her own mother, once being thousands of miles away from her and care-taking for a healing family) and love through an unexpected job as a nanny while traveling to Australia with a friend.

I find myself jotting down excerpts, that simply say the stuff that is so obvious but so true.  Like when recounting her many many mother daughter battles, she says,

“then I realize, You have to care to fight.”

…and upon discovering the epiphany that basically mothers or particularly her mother, has absorbed so many of life’s little injustices on her behalf,

“it occurs to me that maybe the reason my mother was exhausted all the time wasn’t because she was doing so much, but because she was feeling so much.”

It’s also funny and heart warming.

Not to be bossy, but: Go. read. this. book.

 

Before and After Guest Room

Calling all house guests!

After too many hours to count and still not the most thorough wall paper removal job ever, but close enough– we are legitimately ready to house guests.

I have to admit, considering our last guest room set-up was in the basement, next to our humming (and loud!) 100+ year old original boiler, this feels like a decent upgrade in the housing of guests scenario.

Before, I was always a little embarrassed to have over-night guests.  So I wanted to right the wrongs of our last situation and make this new room welcoming and nice.

So here goes, drum roll please!

Before

xtrabrAnd After

xtra4The inspiration of the room came from the crisp linens with blue accents.

xtra5And a big pop of color with the pair of pink oil paintings of NYC & Paris created by our mini “artists in residence” as a birthday gift to me.

xtrabr1I found this fun nautical needlepoint at the Thrift store.  Art really comes alive with Light Pewter (this is our 3rd room this color now) as the base paint.

XTRAStyling the built-ins will be an on-going evolution

xtra6

Friends and family make your bookings soon!  We are open for biz.

Have a great week all!

 

 

You Really Haven’t Lived Until…

You really haven’t lived until, you’ve removed wallpaper.

wallpaperWhat started out as some innocent picking, quickly turned into the waking of a sleeping giant.

Oh yeah.  Layers and layers of paper and tissue thin remnants and the adhesive and all kinds of other bologna lurking behind what I now consider, benign-looking-enough wall paper.

I’ve officially entered into the evil world of DIY Diff, and sanding blocks and putty knives and wall compound and it aint pretty.

But I’m committed now, and can soon file this under the category of: “Stuff I learned how to do, but now that I know, would never do again.”

The good news is that I’m almost done.  And will hopefully soon have a handy dandy “after” image to share with you soon.

P.S. Did I mention there are four more rooms with wall paper to address?  Maybe I should let those giants sleep a while.

Happy Hump Day.

Lighten Up

Pardon the title, I just can’t see to let a good pun go.

Anyhoo, we scored at an industrial salvage store in Philadelphia a few weeks ago.  Found several gems including an old enameled industrial barn light fixture.

There were a few spots in the house I had in mind for it, including replacing ceiling fans, but couldn’t quite convince Pouf Daddy (see Jan. posts) to let those go.

So we landed on the kitchen and changing out this fixture

Before

light3

After

light1

It has some dings and history (but overall in great shape), all the better for a great patina and story.

light2What do you think?  I kind of love it.

Well friends, I must be off.  St. Pattys Day prep calls.  Leaving you with this for Irish Blessing today:

“May your troubles be less and your blessings be more and nothing but happiness comes through your door. “

A Simple Decor Tip

Less can often be more.

Sometimes, “taking away” is as effective as “adding to” when designing.  New sconces were on my decorating “wish list,” but suffice it to say I am in the DIY stage of things now.

Luckily my design savvy brother visited this weekend and suggested using the current ones, taking away the frosted belled glass shades and adding an Edison bulb.

Hallway sconce Before

sconce1and After

sconce2Feels more “Au current” eh?  Pardon the pun.

There are lots of fun shapes of Edison bulbs and it’s cool to see the filaments inside, though they don’t photograph well, so I couldn’t show a pic. of it alight, though trust me it’s a cool glow.  I’m headed to the hardware store now to experiment (goodbye 80’s bathroom vanity lights) with more.

Come back tomorrow to see the before and after featuring a new (actually a really old enameled barn light) installation.

It’s going to be an illuminating (sorry I just can’t stop with the puns) week!

 

 

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