Entry Hall ~

Entry Hall

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The ceiling in the entry hall is low, by painting the center white and carrying the wall paint up onto the ceiling it gives it the illusion of more height. 

I did this with the help of one my very favorite products, painter's tape. It is a bit time consuming but used correctly it results in a very accurate edge.

Step # 1

Here is how the ceiling looks with the addition of the painted border, done of course with painter's tape. Nice but a little boring.

Step#2

Another border, this time using metallic gold paint...now it's getting interesting.

This is so much fun to do, it is almost magical.

After the paint dries and you pull off the tape you have this lovely embellishment and I think a much more interesting ceiling.

Now that the painting is finished  I am looking for the drapery fabric, the main contender so far is Norfolk Vintage Rose by Waverly. I am waiting for the sample to come so I can decide. I hope it is right because I have already picked out the most beautiful, luxurious fringe to trim the drapes. I love the details.

Norfolk Vintage Rose 

Thank you for visiting, I hope you are having a wonderful summer.

Busy days ~

The past couple of weeks have been very busy, I started  the redecoration of my living room and entry hall. I have been planning this for quite a while. I loved the floral Laura Ashley wallpaper but it had become dated and all of the upholstered pieces had become very worn. The rooms definitely needed a new look

All of the furniture has been heaped into the center of the room until I can sort it out and decide what I will keep and have reupholstered and what I will get rid of. I want a much more spartan feel so I know that I won't be using everything. 

I had help in stripping the wallpaper and with painting the ceiling. I thought I might feel a little sad when we started stripping the wallpaper...but not at all. I bought the electric steam wallpaper stripper you see sitting on the table at Home Depot, it was a well spent $50.00 but even then it took several days and a couple of people to remove the paper and oh, what a mess!

It's finally gone, down to the original 1927 walls, I think the room already has a lighter feel.

The ceiling, the ceiling surround and the fireplace have been painted in Raffia Cream, by Behr, The shutters and all of the wood trim will be in Decorator White another Behr paint. After I get the trim painted I can start putting up the wallpaper.

Wallpaper and drapery fabric

It is a start but there is a lot to do before the room is livable again...making the drapes, picking out upholstery fabric and all of the other small details. I am hoping to have it all together in time for the holidays.

Thank you for visiting

Potager ~

In a far back corner of the garden I have a small potager. It is basically comprised of two 4X8 feet raised beds which I made of recycled concrete blocks.

For the past couple of summers because of the drought I haven't planted any vegetables here and it had really gotten to look sad. Here it is earlier this spring, weedy, neglected, and in need of attention.

If nothing else I decided to clean it up, get the poor scarecrow new outfit and maybe plant a couple of tomatoes.

Six weeks later and here is the result of the few changes I made...

First of all Mr Scarecrow got a new outfit.

Then...

 I ended up planting tomatoes, squash and bush beans. I added a one cup mixture I had read about on line, of Epson salts, bone meal and sugar to each tomato plant, it is supposed to make them more productive with sweeter tomatoes. I thought it would be fun to experiment. I mulched the beds with straw to help retain moisture and deter weeds.

  It is now a few week later and I have already been eating some of the squash.  The tomato plants are covered with little fruit but is it will be a week or so before any of them are ready to pick. It's nice to have my little potager up and functioning again.

Thank you for visiting

Quack quack ~

On a trip to Costco last week I saw this set of ducks for the garden.

I immediately knew that I couldn't leave without them...they were so cute!

I love garden ornaments I think they add so much to a garden, but I try to control myself  because they can be overdone,  These however would be perfect...waddling down a walkway or in a border.

 So I bought a set.

I had trouble finding a place to put them because they looked good everywhere

I finally decided the best spot would be in the front garden.

 Adorable.

So adorable in fact that the next day I went back and bought another set...now I have a whole family.

Quack, quack.

If you are interested these are probably still available at your local Costco, but don't blame me if you come home with a whole flock.

Thank you for visiting