Daydream While You Work ....

While I'm busy sanding, staining, and oiling the parts of this crazy idea that we need a unique, whimsical playhouse in our otherwise boring, beige, standard suburbia my mind wanders into all kinds of redecorating dreams.

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Found this dining room by Dallas designer Cathy Kincaid...

Very neutral and casual furnishings. The table is a round table which I am very much coveting - I believe a round table is much more conducive to conversation than a rectangle.

What makes it outstanding is the amazing murals that cover each and every wall in the room. The glass like ceiling makes the room seem even higher than I am sure it is. The saturated colors of the sky, animals, and trees provide all the color necessary.

Therefore you would only want the lovely, textural linen and sisal that the chairs and the rug provide. Otherwise they would be too much of a distraction.

Guess I'd better add attending fine arts school to my list of potential continuing education since I am gainfully unemployed and looking for that second career.

WHAT???? Anything is possible (at least that's what my mom has always told me - or wait was that just smoke - I have kids now and I use that line).

Little House on the Cul de Saq

Ever see one of these ...

Or one of these ...

Or how 'bout this little ditty? Last Spring I found the website of Barbara Butler and was inspired. This woman is incredibly talented and her structures are BEYOND AMAZING.

I asked my dearest husband and PaPa (Grandpa) to build a playhouse for the girls which they agreed to. Granted, I wasn't expecting a Barbara Butler because there is no way in this lifetime we could ever afford one (see website).

So I started perusing Craigslist for small sheds thinking if husband and PaPa would at least pick it up for me I could get creative and turn it in to something whimsical. Couldn't find anything decent that wasn't deteriorated or half eaten by the family dog or goat (another posting maybe?).

Luck had it that a neighbor of PaPa's was selling their house and needed to unload this ...

Photo missing the slide, rock wall, ladder, monkey bars, and swings.

For $300.00 - yes, only 300 smackaroos. It's only 2 years old and it's original purchase price was aprox. $1800.00. Whooo- hooo - score!

Photos of finished product promised.

It now sits in my backyard, dismantled in a million pieces in the process of being sanded, stained some funky colors, and sealed with tung oil. I'll be busy for a while. Me and my ideas?!?!?!!?!?!

Out of Messes Comes Beauty

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Since I'm tired of waiting for things to start budding and flowering outside I decided to create a little new life inside. Made quite a mess while doing so.

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One of these days I'm going to have to just flat out insist that the husband install the cabinets in my laundry room that will house the slop sink that's been sitting in the basement for 6 years. That way I won't have to destroy the kitchen with my "projects".

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Finally decided on what to do with a few of the many apothecary jars hanging around the house. I LOVE these things. I started collecting the original ones from antique stores and flea markets over 15 years ago before they started to be made in China and mass marketed.

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Gorgeous! I must say that I am proud of myself for the collection of little ferns and plants that I found to put in these. This little red guy is so bright - picture doesn't do him justice.

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Final resting spot by the front door. At least for now.

BRING IT ON ..........

SPRING THAT IS ............

Out the front window ................

Back porch ....

Yes - I love the snow and the shapes that Mother Nature makes with it. I live in Colorado for a reason and learned to ski before I learned to run .....

But give me a f 'ing break - I am ready for some green grass and cherry blossom's ...........

Did you know?

Got the itch to go see and smell some green seeing as it's snowed here every day for the past week. So we went to the uppity garden center. This is were I get my ideas from but rarely buy from . BRING ON SPRING!!!!!


This little ditty looks a little misplaced from the Alice and Wonderland story. Gonna have to try something like this on the front porch this year.


The youngest one thought that it was going to tip over at any minute - so of course she had to pick all the plants out to save them. Bad baby girl!


The girls wanted flowers SOOOOO BAAAAD (major whining here) and wanted them now! Well I was not about to pay the prices that this specific center charged - 7.95 for a 4" pot of perennials. NO WAY! So I bought seeds and fiber filled biodegradable pots. No peat was used in the production of these pots.


Did you know?
1. It takes about 220 years to replace the peat stripped from land in one year.
2. Harvesting peat releases carbon dioxide - a known greenhouse gas.
3. Peat Bogs have the amazing ability to remove harmful impurities from water.
4. Peat Bogs hold 10% of the worlds fresh water.
5. Areas of Europe have mandated not to use peat by 2010

WHO KNEW?????

Guess we'll just have to wait about 4 weeks to see how the seed these 2 little sprouts planted survive. They will be smothered with LOVE....

Pearly King & Queen

While I was perusing the latest Room Service catalog I found this chest painted indigo blue and embellished with shell buttons. Beautiful !!!

photo courteous of Room Service

The very first thing I thought of was the of Pearly Kings and Queens from London. I was fortunate to see a group of these colorful characters in Covent Garden on my first of many trips to England many years ago. They left quite an impression on me.

A Pearly is a person dressed in a traditional cockney costume covered in mother-of-pearl buttons. These costumes were treasured heirlooms, hand made and sometime representing much of a family's material worth.

They were originally elected by costermongers, street traders, to safeguard their rights from rivals. Costermongers have been an important part of London life for more than 1000 years. The "costers" would sew lines of pearl buttons down the sides of hand-me-down trousers, waistcoats, and caps to show their pride of place.

The history of the Pearly Society is quite an interesting one beginning with one small boy in 1875, Henry Croft. History here ... Pearly Society.

The Societies & Organisations that The Pearlies have helped reads like a role call of many famous Charitable institutions – with sums raised running into millions.

The PEARLY KING OF CAMBERWELL states " ... it is not just the direct fundraising that Pearlies are famous for – their unique and honourable traditions which have been built up over many centuries have enabled them to act as ambassadors at home and abroad – adding to both tourism and trade – visitors to our shores still expect to see something of our heritage, pageantry, and costume".

jessitaylor.etsy.com

A "Pearly" ring from etsy ....

OldWaysforTheseDays.etsy.com

Vintage Mother of Pearl Pin Shank Buttons from etsy seller.

All photos of Pearly Kings & Queens via Flickr pool