My Library .

This wonderful transformation came from my cousin Jennifer that I love dearly. She said you need to change this room and make it a T.V. room and so this room evolved.

Starting with the walls I used  a saddle brown to give it a manly rugged look. The fire place being my focal point was painted in flat black to stand out. There is a faux white marble slab in front of the fire place that I painted using the same flat black, to make the fire place look bigger. The fire place mantle holds one of my clocks that my parents gave Michael and I one Christmas. The candles were in a previous blog, and the collection also started from my cousin Jenifer. In life, family and friends give our lives meaning and purpose and help to make us what we eventually become.

The lady framed above the mantle was found hidden in the rafters when we remodeled this same room.How appropriate that she should still take her place as madam of the library and hang above the fire place!

The bench I know you recognize from my last blog.(making a bench from an old bed) I love the way it adds to the room adding a rich rugged look.
The violins are sentimental to me. At one time I didn't have extra money to go buy art work so I just used the beginner violins my kids learned to play on, so they became one of my favorite things.

The baby grand piano is 140 years old. I purchased it from an antique dealer. The piano has been refurbished and I like to sit and play from time to time.
The mother and baby picture above the piano were found in a garbage pile the same goes for the frame. The frame needed a little extra work so I used a patterned wallpaper on the frame first and then painted it with gold paint.

Next the hunt was on for leather couch and chair ( not so easy as it seems) I had no idea they were so expensive. I searched high and low and finally found the look that was perfect with a price tag to match.

Making curtains is always a must for me because the fabric is what is going to always make a room.

 

The main reason for starting this room was to give Michael a relaxing room to watch television in. Thanks to my son in law Dan who helped me find the television and mount it on the wall. ( you are the greatest ) The  T.V. pulls out to any angle, it's amazing all this wonderful technology we have today. Underneath I used a black and gray marbled top chest. I placed one of my clocks on top the chest and added antlers holding a dish with Greek icons in it.

The coffee table is full of books and a basket holding more antlers. The coffee table has been painted so many time but the flat black was just right to add balance to the mantle.

I love to decorate a desk with small collectible objects, in this case my dog collection and small boxes. There is an old pair of boxing gloves that belonged to my father in law, Isadore.

 

On the book case on the lower shelf I always have small things for the grand children to play with. I always want my grand kids to feel at home when they come to Pa pau and Ya ya's house. My husband and I have two girls, one son in law, four grand kids, three dogs, and lots of family and friends, this house is home to all.

 

 

This is Toula our Australian cattle dog and she is cold and ready for spring to spring!

My house is not the most beautiful house in the world, but what makes it so special is where I get the things I decorate with, and what I do to transform them. It makes me smile to see the transformation in the end. You don't have to have a lot of money to decorate you just have to have a vision. If you have some pictures of your decorating ideas I'd love to here from you. ( thatsmeyaya@yahoo.com )

Old Rope Bed Made Into A Bench.

Sometimes I get house pieces that don't end up the way they are intended. This is the case here. I had my wonderful husband help me with this transformation project.

So to begin, we cut the bottom of the bed in half, now each end turns and fits up to the head board.
When you turn the bed like this you will need two people for the next step. As I hold the side in place my husband drilled a hole for screw placement. This old bed already had a place for a screw on the back side of head board, so that became our guide. I used the original old bolt screws for this but you can buy them at a local hardware store. Now you will do the same on the other side.

Now we have taken the side rail off the rope bed and cut it to fit the front of the bench. Again you will need a helper while you drill for placement of screws to attach the front rail. This part of the bed also had holes for screw placement , so we used this as our guide and drilled into the front piece. You should have all four sides together.

To finish up this piece we used 1x2 's on the inside of seat as a frame to hold the seating. The seating is cut from an old wooden beam that Michael and I found on one of our finds. I finished off with a stain and a piece of old Charleston architectural trim.

A Little Paint Makes A Difference

Do you have a room where everything in it looks wonderful except the floor? I know how much floor replacement costs and with three dogs, it's triple the trouble. I love my guest bathroom, but the floor looks worn and dirty no matter how much I clean it.

As you can see, behind the toilet, under the sink and around the tub need to be caulked. So off I go to the store to get the primer and top coat for the tile floors. It's very important to start with a clean surface. Then, beginning with the primer, I used an interior/exterior latex bonding primer that adheres to glossy surfaces. I let this dry about 5 hours because the humidity in Charleston is so high. Next, I did all my caulking to give it that polished look. Now I am ready for the top coat. I used a satin interior/exterior latex porch and floor paint that was scratch resistant.

 Now you can see the difference, it's amazing what a little paint can do. It brightens and gives an uplifting clean feeling to the room.

 This bathroom is small so I painted the ceiling to match the back ground  of the wall paper. Yes I love that french wall covering. I had my husband help cut and put up the beautiful large crown molding. I painted it white to bring out the ceiling and wall covering to make it the main focal point. Remember every room needs one.

 Small things like the old vintage soap dish makes an entrusting statement  and the tea cup night light for guest. This is the house my husband grew up in so in the 50's  my husband, his three brothers and his mom and dad used this sink. Something this special you just have to keep! I just updated with a paint for porcelain sink and tubs. It made a fun added color to bring in the other three colors of teal blue. When decorating try to add in three's of color or fabric will make a bigger impact.

A basket for a tissue holder instead of the conventional ones just adds a little whimsical look to the room.

You don't always have to hang a picture where it would be expected but some times its nice to look at the unexpected. The stained glass was a find in Asheville, N.C. at one of my favorite antique places. It's wonderful for privacy but lets the light in at the same time.I have found with decorating you don't have to spend a lot of money you just have to go through all the things you forgot you had. Happy decorating and if you have some fun ideas you have done please send me a picture I would love to hear from you. Send to thatsmeyaya@yahoo.com

Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Muffins

Happy Saint Patty's Day!

The dark chocolate bar adds a wonderful flavor without being too sweet. I like to think this is a healthier alternative.

Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Muffins:

Preheat oven to 350° F              Line tin with muffin papers

• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup Castor sugar
• 3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 6 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• roughly chopped sea salt dark chocolate bar (I used 64% cacao )

In a large bowl beat sugar, eggs, milk, and oil. Now add flour and baking powder but don't over beat. My grandmother always said "Don't over beat once you add baking powder, it won't be light and fluffy." Lastly, fold in your chopped sea salt dark chocolate. Bake 18 - 20 minutes, let cool and enjoy! These can be frozen up to 3 months if wrapped properly.

Making A Guest Feel Special

I like to have everything readily accessible that a guest might need for their stay. I especially like to have lots of fluffy white towels. White specifically because they are easiest to clean and always feel fresh and inviting.

Essentials I always include for my guests:

1. Toothbrushes and toothpaste
2. Soap (french milled) and deodorant
3. Shampoo and conditioner
4. Razors and shaving cream
5. Cotton balls and Q Tips
6. Nail polish remover
7. Fresh wash clothes

What? They might not want to leave?

An Inviting Guest Room

 There is nothing better than a wonderful bed to climb in when you are exhausted from a long day. That is just what I want for my guests. So I start with my sheets. I wash them in fresh lavender . Lavender is so relaxing and helps give a peaceful sleep. There is always a folded quilt at the bottom of the bed to make sure my guest are never cold!

You already know I love French and the color blue, so in comes the french wall covering. It is not hard to put up wallpaper and doing it yourself saves a lot of money.The mirror above the small dresser was published in my last blog, it's made with vintage jewelry.I always share my secrets, so here is one. The bed skirt around the bed I sewed and hemmed but it is actually stapled on to the bed. The bed was originally my daughter, Cassie's. It was poorly stained and needed some repair. To give the bed a rustic feel, I mixed blue paint with some water to thin it. While still wet, I took a rag and wiped the bed with watered down white paint. I love the look!

Every guest room needs an area where your guest can sit and relax. I used an antique wicker couch that I recovered with neutral fabric and pillows to add a splash of color.

I love pictures, but sometimes I like to go a little unconventional and throw in the unexpected. The two dresses displayed are from my antique finds and I just put them in frames from Goodwill. When you are shopping for frames, used goods stores are always the most inexpensive way to go.



The striped curtains in the room are ones I made; they are easy and simple to do yourself.You don't always have to do a pleated top. With these, I lined them with black out backing so the morning sun would not disturb my guest. I will have a future blog on how to make the different types of curtains.

When displaying items in a gust room, I don't like it to have a cluttered feel but an interesting and inviting look.

The desk in the sitting area my daughter, Cassie, also found in a garbage pile beside the road. The outside wood was so damaged. I knew it would have to have a good paint job and I could not wait to try out this new silver paint. I removed the broken brown lattice off the glass doors and did all repairs. You would never know where it came from (but now you do since I share my secrets!) Join me next time for a wonderful guest basket to have on hand to welcome your guest!

Everyone Needs A Little Glitter In Their Life!

When I started out with this project, I wanted to add a little pizazz to this old mirror. First, I tried gold paint but it just was not quite right. So in came the idea to use my old vintage jewelry. I was blessed to have Laurie, my Cassie's mother-in-law, give me an old Christmas tree board with this wonderful vintage jewelry. I wanted to be able to to display it and not just for Christmas so here is how I did it...

All you need for this project is a sturdy mirror with a secure hanger on the back. I used a hot glue gun for this project (my hot glue gun gets a lot of use in my projects!) It's like putting a puzzle together. You want to focus the less extravagant pieces on the bottom, filling in gaps. And place the more intricate pieces on the top to catch the eye. I have some close up shots so that you can see what I mean.

I love a fun project like this and oh, what a conversation piece it is! If you decide to take on this project or if you have already have done a piece like this, please leave a comment below. I'd love to hear from you!

A Night in Italy

Welcome to a night in Italy!  

Let's take a look at the menu:

• Caprese Salad with balsamic vinegar.
• Italian wedding soup
• Chicken picata over fusilli pasta
• French garlic bread
• Italian orange almond cake with apricot glaze

Lets start with the appetizer, the Caprese salad.

I like to have the salad out so every one can enjoy it with there cocktails.This gives every one a chance to talk and mingle with each other. If you are running behind, it is a great way to catch up on last minute cooking while everyone is entertaining themselves. I have the soup on each place setting and every one can sit down and get started.

The soup is a healthy Italian wedding soup and one of the best I have ever had. (Thank you Erin for sharing this recipe with us and for you and Ben sharing in the food tasting.)

The main course is next!!

Delicious chicken picatta!
Thank you Patti for this marvelous Chicken picatta recipe and for cooking it for us. After the chicken picatta is ready it is then placed on top of fusilli pasta. I did not add a veggie because I had the salad earlier and with a desert it would have been to much.
 I love a good ending to a meal and this just happens to be a good one. Yes, the orange almond Italian cake . Italian cakes and pastries are not real sweet so it makes for a wonderful after dinner desert.

          Italian Wedding Soup ( Thank you Erin for this wonderful recipe, not only is Erin a wonderful cook but a fabulous golfer.)

For the meatballs:

• 20 oz. ground turkey breast 99% lean
• 1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the soup:

• 8 cups fat-free and ow sodium chicken broth
• 1 head of chopped spinach
• fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 3oz. (1/2 cup) uncooked orzo ( add a little more if you like more pasta)
• 1tsp. Italian seasoning

In a large pot, heat the chicken broth over medium heat and cover.
While the broth is heating up, in a large bowl, combing ground turkey, breadcrumbs,egg, parsley, onion, garlic, salt, and cheese. Using your (clean) hands, gently mix all the ingredients well until everything is combined. Form small balls, about 1 tbsp each, you'll get about 40.

When the broth comes to a boil, drop the meatballs in, add orzo and chopped spinach. Add fresh pepper, adjust salt as needed and cook about 10 minutes or until orzo is done.

Makes 12 cups


Chicken piccata (Thank you Patti for this special recipe and for cooking it, you are beautiful and wonderful all wrapped up in one package.)

• 4 chicken breast
• 1 onion
• 2 lemons
• 1 small bottle of capers
• 1 Tab. butter
• 1Tab. olive oil
• flour for dredging
• Big bottle of pinot grigio using 1 1/2 cups for recipe.( the rest for drinking.)
• 1 container of grape tomatoes

Direction:

Season chicken with salt, pepper,paprika, and dredge in flour. Put butter and olive oil in pan and melt. Cook chicken for 2 minutes, turn and cook 2 minutes on the other side.Take chicken out of pan and put on plate.Place pan back on burner with drippings and add wine. Let simmer until reduced by half and add cappers, lemon juice,and onions. Cook until onions are transparent then add tomatoes and chicken and cook about 15 minutes more until chicken is done. Serve over cooked pasta.


Italian orange almond cake

• 2 large navel oranges
• 21/2 almond meal
• 11/4 caster sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 6 large eggs

Glaze

• small jar of apricot jam
• 3 tab. water
• blanched almonds to decorate

Preheat oven to 325: Line, grease, and flour a 10" round cake pan.

Place oranges in a pot of boiling water and boil about 2 hours. Making sure oranges are all ways covered with water while they cook. Pour off water and let cool. Cut in sections and make sure all seeds are removed.Put in food processor and puree. In a mixer beat eggs on high till light and fluffy. Add orange puree, almond meal, sugar, and baking powder. Mix on low speed till just mixed. Pour in pan and bake 1 hour. Cool in pan until cool then invert on cake pan. 


Glaze Directions:

Put jam and water in pan and stir till a pouring consistency. Pour over cake and garnish with almonds.

This is Lady and she was adopted by Patti (and Darlene's grand dog!) .  Lady was our kitchen dog for the night and did all the supervising for us. Thank you Lady, we love you!

Getting a jump on spring!

There are so many things to do and so many things to share with ya'll for the upcoming seasons! Lately I have been working on my garden, getting ready for a wonderful Spring and Summer.  My husband, Michael, and I are working on planting the tomato, eggplant and herb seeds in the starter cups to get a jump on spring. My larger seeds, like squash and beans and cucumbers, I plant right in the soil.

My husband came up with a wonderful idea to reuse the plastic garden stakes. Save all the stakes that come with the plants you buy and..

...use spray paint! ( I used Kilz ) Than they are ready to go for labeling.

I also thought the painted stakes would be nice in a gift basket for a birthday present. If you know someone who loves to garden this basket would be perfect! It just happens to be my brother Charles' birthday and his wife Kathy's, so I put a spring basket together for the two of them.

 

 

This gift basket has everything someone needs to garden and a little relaxing time after.

• flower bulbs
• seeds
• candle
• matches decorated with sparkles
• gloves for both
• digging shovel
• spray paint garden stakes with permanent marker
• four wine glasses
• a beautiful cabernet sauvignon