Paint Metamorphosis - From Bare to There (Click pics to enlarge)

I'm so sorry if you've seen this post at other recent linky parties. But, I couldn't pass this one up since Layla is the one who introduced me to Sherwin Williams Rice Grain, which eventually ended up on a lot of walls here in blogland, including my kitchen below.

When we built our home I had several of the walls just left builder white so I could take my time, get used to the house - - its moods, our moods, how the holidays would change things, how lighting at certain times of the year would change, and then decide what colors we might like best.



After taking five years, I decided it was time. THANKS TO LAYLA at The Lettered Cottage who blogged about Sherwin Williams Rice Grain. She found the color we knew immediately would work in our kitchen. See below.




A better indication of its true color and true metamorphosis is evident in the next two pictures. Seems subtle I know, but it's a HUGE difference to me. No more stark white builder's paint. It has really warmed up the space.



Hard to even detect a door before (of course the night vs. day shot helps.)



A couple more shots of the kitchen. To see how it really makes the white cabinets pop, just click on a picture to enlarge.







From the family room looking into the kitchen.



The family room.



. . . and rounding the corner, one final image of the family room. I had one wall already painted dark brown and left it. Thought it might detract from the traditional feel I was going for, but I like it. Plus the electric cords that would jump out against a lighter wall blend with the dark wall behind them. I'm really pleased with the look, but keep thinking a yellow accent rug or an animal print chair in front of the fake tree or at least something else on the brown wall would make a nice addition, but I have seriously tapped all my creative juices. I'm thinking some kind of window treatment would help soften the edges too but can't take the plunge. I'm really a less-is-more decorator and am feeling like my spaces are filled up.



And a little table I painted blue. Wish I had a before pic. I used about a tablespoon of blue paint, mixed it with water and let my 10 year old paint it with a foam brush while wiping with a cloth. Love the way it turned out. It was a fun way to repeat the blues in the blue willow and blue transferware displayed. I'm planning to distress the corners and drawer a little more.


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A glimpse of a project that isn't quite done but will rock to the top of my 2011 Completed Projects List:


This picture was just taken on Christmas morning. Isn't it beautiful with the freshly fallen snow naturally flocking the trees.

I can't wait to do a post when the garden is full of blooms and the interior is completed.

But nature's hand here is just as stunning.


Linking to Layla's party.

Twas the Night Before Christmas got Packed Away

Dusk

Family room mantle. Wish I'd taken it at a different angle so you could see the live Frazier Fir decorated in the corner to the left of the fireplace. There's always next year. And just think, for me that means it will look a lot like this again in about 10 months.

Christmas morning. . . Wait! Wait! We want to take a picture.

Guess that's not going to happen.

An otherwise orderly Christmas morning would reveal there are three children in those pictures.

The moulding above my kitchen windows is shelf-like enough that I'm able to arrange these glass ornaments on it. I tried to keep it simple in the kitchen so as not to compete with all the activity that occurs there during the season. Should have moved the dried hydrangeas above the cabinets on the facing wall, but I put them there to get them out of the way when taking down my harvest decorations and they just sort of stuck.

Changed out my Blue Willow china for the Spode Christmas Tree Christmas china. Only Spode could replace Blue Willow and it's only temporary.

Dining room sideboard. Again an attempt at simple and minimalistic this year. I liked the look of the tarnished silver and just left it unpolished. The ornament topiaries were something I bought at Walmart several years ago. They were meant to be hung but I removed some of the original ornaments in colors I didn't like, replaced them with my own then hot glued the whole thing them to old thrifted candlesticks.

Dining room pics.

I also made the wreath on the mirror above the fireplace LAST year before all the wonderful blogging tips about how to do it using a wire coat hanger. I used a grapevine wreath and hot glued the balls to the wreath. Hot glue is so handy.

Winter Garden

I know it's there - - covered under the blanket of snow and ice - - it is there. It's that warm, colorful, beautiful, fragrant, beckoning garden with birds chirping, toads hopping, my cat warming her black fur in the sun, and me, with my morning coffee contemplating life. Don't you see it? It is there.

Blue Willow Table Setting for Thanksgiving

Rows of table settings to serve 35 guests.

Thanksgiving 2009 using Allertons Blue Willow. Hopefully the hastily taken pictures convey the beauty of a Blue Willow table setting.

The Blue Willow belonged to my aunt who served my family on it every Thanksgiving for decades. She inherited it from her mother-in-law who collected it during the war when many pieces were brought to the states or sent to her by her daughter who was serving in England. Near the end of my aunt's life, having just lost her devoted husband six months earlier, she made the painful decision to turn it over to an antiques dealer since it seemed no one in the family wanted it and she was no longer able to prepare such a huge feast for so many people. She was heartbroken as she and my uncle had tenderly cared for it and cheerfully and with great affection for the china, the memories surrounding it, and the holiday, served Thanksgiving dinner on it for so many years. When she learned I wanted to buy one piece as a keepsake we came up with a way for me to keep it in the family. She was so relieved and cried tears of joy that it wouldn't end up being sold off in bits and pieces to strangers. Now I have the wonderful privilege of caring for it and continuing the tradition she and my uncle started by serving Thanksgiving to our large and growing family each year. She was able to attend one Thanksgiving dinner at my house before she died. The Blue Willow is daily reminder of my sweet aunt (and my uncle) as I have many pieces on display throughout the house and I am also one of those people who uses my fine things every day. Having my early morning coffee in my Blue Willow china when I'm the only one up and the house is still peaceful is a gentle reminder of Aunt Louise.

For this tablescape, I used simple silver chargers and simple blue goblets to provide a bit of shimmer. Finding a centerpiece to bridge the deep red walls and the blue willow is difficult so I chose pink and red roses. They were almost past their prime when I rescued them just before the first hard frost. They were a beautiful complement to the blue willow and a way to soften the backdrop of the red walls.

Since this is my first post on a new blog, please forgive the lack of character. I hope you enjoy my first blog post as much as I enjoyed learning how to put one together.

I'm linking to Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday blog party. Thanks Susan for this opportunity to show my cherished blue willow.