A perfectly imperfect Thanksgiving

Perfection........

ahhhhhh the word puts a visual in my head of one of those rooms I drool over as I am looking at the latest Home and Garden design magazine.

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But as hard as I try.......I can't just get my room to look like one of those rooms from a
design magazine.

As I look around and see the floor covered with dog hair and notice that there a dishes in the sink
....I am quickly reminded that

LIFE 

is getting in the way of 

Perfection.

In the last two months I have been striving for Perfection.

Unfortunately this pursuit of perfection has created a health issue to the point that I am currently back on blood pressure medication after being off it for almost a year and one half. 

I am still in denial that the reason I am on blood pressure medication

is because I have set unrealistic goals.
All the goals certainly seemed reasonable at the time I made that 5 page single spaced project list.

Come on is it really that unrealistic to completely redecorate 

an entire 2800 sq ft house in less than 45 days?

I have done major remodels in less than 4 months........redecorating is a piece of cake.

I wasn't knocking down walls this time...or putting in a complete kitchen......or re-landscaping.....

I was simply doing the following:

Painting 800 sq ft living room

Painting bathrooms

Hanging wallpaper in Master Bathroom

Hanging Wallpaper in Downstairs Guest Bathroom

Painting Upstairs Guest Bathroom

Painting furniture

Painting Kitchen Island

Painting downstairs Family Room

Painting Hallways

Painting Kitchen

Painting Master Bathroom

Adding custom striping to Upstairs Guest Bathroom

Container landscape twelve large pots

Order new furniture and assemble when arrives

Unpack and assemble new large coffee table

Unpack and assemble Two Wingback chairs

Unpack and assemble King size Headboard

Order new range, hood, refrigerator, and dishwasher

Remove old oven

Coordinate the installation of new appliances.

Hire electrician to install new track lighting

Okay so after typing that list it is a little long.......but the list for a REMODEL project is huge!!!

So I am a little lost as to what is different this time.....

That is of course until I look down the hall and see my husband up on a ladder caulking.......and then I hear him say I am getting that microwave in tonight.

It is then I realize........Oh  I know what is different.......

This time my husband and I are doing the majority of the work.

On all of our previous remodel projects my husband and I are the project managers.......
not the laborers.

But alas even as laborers
(a job I would prefer to hand over to someone else)
ALL the work was completed by Thanksgiving.
  I am thankful it was all completed but I do have to question whether or not it was
NECESSARY 
to practically kill myself in pursuit of what I thought was perfection.

Truly our Thanksgiving PERFECT.

Albeit during the course of the four days with fifteen guests in my home...
there were moments where it certainly didn't look perfect.

In fact with every one's lap tops, cell phones, cameras, jackets, shoes......
there were times every surface was covered with STUFF.

But as I stood back and observed the room that was
filled with fifteen bodies, two dogs, lots of clutter and plenty of laughter
I realized no one cared about all that STUFF or the dirty dishes or the chaos.

What I saw instead of chaos was
laughter, smiles, and just pure JOY!!
It was a PERFECT scenario.

I realized that the reason it was PERFECT....was because it was SOOO IMPERFECT.

While seeking perfection I accidentally happened to created the perfect setting and had
 perfected imperfection.

The guest are gone.....The house is quieter......and I am currently resting and recharging
so that in less that 24 days those fifteen plus guests can return and enjoy a
perfectly imperfect Christmas.

What plans are you making for your perfectly imperfect Christmas?

Wednesday Wowzers - WHY I LOVE PAINT

Oh my I am a little late for this post so I apologize.....

but when I show you what I have been busy doing perhaps you will give me a pass.

So as you know

I LOVE COLOR....

and of course there is no better or quicker way to make a big impact than with paint.

I mean I love wallpaper.....

I love textiles.....

I love tile....

BUT OH MY DO 

I LOVE PAINT!!!

The reason I love paint is because you can make such a 

BIG IMPACT 

for such a small investment.

Yes painting can be scary but oh so rewarding.....and as my husband so fondly puts it......

it is only paint.....and heck if you don't like the color....you can

REPAINT.

You should know you do not need to be a rocket scientist to paint.  

Yes there are a few tricks that make things easier.....but honestly if you are willing to get some paint on your clothes and in your hair.......

you can do it!!!

I am going to show you two projects that I have ALMOST completed.  

In these projects I used the following:

1 qt of Benjamin Moore Aura Color is : Caliente

1 qt of Benjamin Moore Aura Color is: Truffle

 1 gallon of Benjamin Moore Aura Color is : Linen White

 First up is my kitchen island.  I found it at a consignment shop many years ago for $250.00. 

It has a 4 inch solid maple top.  The base is also made of solid maple.   Over the years the base has yellowed and the solid maple top was in need of sanding.

Of course my husband volunteered (wink...wink) to sand the island for me and his little helper was right there in the thick of things.

That is such a weird angled shot....because the island looks so small....

it actually measures 30" wide by 48" long.

This is the top of the island before my husband sanded it. 

This island is sanded and all ready for a little MAGIC!!

The first magical thing was applying Butcher Block Conditioner to that freshly sanded maple.

Yep then it was time to put that quart of Benjamin Moore Aura : Caliente to work. 

Isn't that the most amazing RED you have ever seen!!!!

The paint has a built in primer....which SAVES so much time!   It goes on like thick cream.  Eggshell is my favorite sheen.  In my opinion it has just the right amount of shine.   I also use a foam roller and but on thin coats.  I let each coat dry about two hours before re-coating.

SO.......I mean I had TWO HOURS......and TWO HOURS  in my world is like FOREVER!!!!

So you can be sure I wasn't going to stand around and watch the paint dry....at least not this time. 

I had this most awful guest bathroom.....I mean really it was 

SAD and EMBARRASSING!!!

I am sure when the prior owner of the home picked this butterfly wallpaper in those lovely Mauve shades of the 80's it was right in style.....

but ugh 30 years later this wallpaper needed to 

GO...GO...GO!!!

Bye bye Butterflies......hello Benjamin Moore Linen White and Caliente!!!

I painted the walls Linen White and the ceiling Caliente.  

Now I couldn't just leave those walls Linen White.....that would be BORING!!!  Plus I still had almost an hour before I could get back to my kitchen island.

Then I had a fabulous idea which involved

BLUE PAINTERS TAPE, A  CARPENTERS LEVEL,

and some random

creativity!

 

I have continued the stripes around the room.   The red is the Caliente, the white is Linen White and the Taupe is called Truffle.   It is a great color palette that took this bathroom from sad to

WOWZERS!!!

and that Kitchen Island from uninspired to

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT!!

I had a little more Truffle colored paint left and of course decided while 

I was waiting for the stripes to dry 

and 

multiple coats of paint on the island to dry

heck why not add a couple of accent walls in the kitchen

And so 

WOWZERS.......

I was definitely multitasking in the paint department......

so I hope you understand why I am a little late with this 

Wednesday Wowzers

and now you also know

WHY I LOVE PAINT!!!

More things your overnight guests won't tell you

So lets be clear about this......I have broken every single one of these rules!!

Let me help you out here
so you don't make the same mistakes I have made who knows how many times.

Lets review yesterdays post.

1.  Your guest bed is saggy, like concrete or just plain uncomfortable.

2.  Your guest bed sheets are like burlap.

3. Your guest bed pillows are flat and hard like a petrified pancake...or worse yet lumpy and stinky.

4.  Your pets stink....and so does your house.

I gave you solutions...or at least suggestions on how to avoid these faux pas in yesterdays post.

If you missed yesterdays post you can read it here by clicking the link....

What your overnight guests won't tell you 

Be sure to come back and finish reading
this post
"More things your overnight guest won't tell you."

So what other things are your overnight guests not telling you???

1.  THEY ARE FREEZING!!

I happen to hate HIGH utility bills and because of that fact you learn to dress warmly in our home.
Our solution to avoid those outrageous utility bills are the following:
If you are chilly put on a sweater....
If your feet are cold wear socks and slippers
and if your hands are cold....what do you think they make fingerless gloves for???

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Yes I wear fingerless gloves....and I love them.....but most guests don't want to walk around in your home wearing fingerless gloves, caps, earmuffs and down jackets just to avoid frost bite. 
An easy solution to make your guests warm and cozy would be to

TURN UP THE HEATER IN THE HOUSE!!

Remember that older folks don't have as good as circulation as those younger ones and they are probably freezing and miserable.

So a good rule of thumb is to set the heater to 72.   

(Trust me as a menopausal woman that is

WAY too warm for me

but typically not for your guests)

And to be an extra thoughtful host provide extra throws in the guest bedroom and
also place them oh so stylishly on your sofa and chairs.

Doesn't the throw on that brown leather chair look comfy?

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Okay and last but not least.......
About that HOLIDAY MUSIC......
really about the time I have heard
Little Drummer Boy 
 for the umpteenth time I am about ready to scream. 
Trust me as my kids will certainly vouch.....
I  LOVE HOLIDAY MUSIC!!
And every once in a while they will give me that
GLAZED look expression
and suddenly I get the message. 
Oops.....that usually means everyone has overdosed on the music....
so do yourself a favor make a
holiday play list and mix in current music
that will appeal to all of your overnight guests. 

Okay so that wasn't too bad right?

So the holidays are almost upon us......one last piece of advice.......
and one I intend to follow

(maybe with the help of a Tequila Gimlet or two)

RELAX and ENJOY!!

What your overnight guests won't tell you.

Are you having overnight guests for the holidays?

If you are you need to read this.  

Because you can be sure your overnight guests will be too nice to tell you the truth.

Okay so first on the list is that

bed in the guest bedroom.

You know how in the morning your sleepy eyed guest comes out of their guest room seeking coffee?

And you ask them did you sleep well.   They of course say 

"Oh yes .... it was great!"  

They are probably lying.  

Because that bed that they slept on came from Johnny's room or Susie's room or even worse somebodies friend of somebodies cousin gave it to you.   

It was probably their trampoline when you weren't looking. 

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I mean the reason that bed is in the guest bedroom is because NO ONE else wanted it right?????

When is the last time you have slept on that bed?

Does it resemble this?

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You know what I mean

Too Soft.....Too Saggy.....Big dip in the middle.....

   Is is like sleeping on concrete?  Does it creak every time you move?

The thing is if you want your guests to be comfortable be a nice host 

and do something about that bed.  

If you can't afford a new mattress at least get a good mattress cover.  

I think memory foam is the best and it should be at least two inches thick.  

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And really PLEASE get rid of those FLAT pillows.....

you know the ones that are like petrified pancakes 

or worse yet Pillows (and I use that term loosely here)

that are lumpy like they are stuffed with old socks or something....and FLAT......and well there is really no other way to put it.......

STINKY!!

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Also about those sheets........

You are sleeping on Egyptian Cotton 1000 thread count right  

( Okay so I might be exaggerating....but you get the point )

So why is it your guest is sleeping on sheets that feel like burlap?????

PLEASE DON'T put any sheets on your guests bed that have less than a 350 thread count.

Okay so to recap.......

Mattress Pad, pillows, and sheets. 

(Do something about it)

Now lets get back to stinky........

About those pets........

You love your Cat...

You love your Dog.....

You love them so much.....

you are IMMUNE to their odors.

Seriously.....your pet stinks.  

So do your guests a favor.

Give them a bath.   Wash their bedding.   Empty out the cats litter box.   Vacuum your furniture.

I mean NO ONE likes the smell of OLD WET DOG.....and I hate to tell you but if you have pets......your house 

SMELLS.  

I have two dogs and a cat.....trust me.....I know my house gets stinky.   

So a few days before I have twenty plus guests..... my little wiener dogs are getting a makeover

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and that cat....well....at least her litter box is in the garage. 

YUCK!!!!

Okay so bathe the pets, wash their bedding, vacuum the furniture and empty out that litter box.

So check back tomorrow........YEP there are more things your overnight guests won't tell you.....

But I will......because I like you.....I really like you!!

Acorns, Manzanita and Mantels

Hmmmm......What is on my mind today?

Acorns and Manzanita.

Of course where I live there are lots of Oak Trees, Pine Trees, Manzanita Trees, Maple Trees, Cypress and even a few Redwoods.

We are almost at 3500 ft elevation so it is an area that is referred to as a mixed forest.   It is the perfect elevation before the forest transitions primarily to a coniferous forest.  It provides a spectacular fall and then of course in winter we get just the right amount of snow.

This mixed forest affords an amazing opportunity to gather items that a perfect for holiday decor.

There is an abundance of different types of pine cones, berries, leaves, trees and of course acorns.   All of these elements can bring texture, color and that little bit of surprise to your table, mantel or even your walls.

My mantel hasn't been decorated for the holidays yet so gathering items for my mantel was top on my list today.

So naturally I looked outside for inspiration and I started gathering things for my mantel.

Once I had gathered some things I got out the white spray paint and went to town painting these Manzanita branches
White.

I used two different colors of white spray paint.   A bright white and another color called
Blossom White.

I was really liking how this was starting to look.

In between spraying the Manzanita I took that cute little red basket and went out to gather Acorns.   I need quite a few of them and now is the perfect time to find Acorns with those cute little caps in tact.

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I gathered quite a few and now they need to dry so I can use them in my Mason Jars.

If you want to know what you need to do to dry Acorns you can read that here.
HOW TO DRY ACORNS

I will be layering the Acorns in the Mason jars with votive candles.

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After the painted manzanita dried I started assembling my mantel.
Because I haven't painted the wall over the fireplace yet
I felt I needed to have some white on the wall.
(FYI the reason I haven't painted that wall yet is because at the peak of the wall the ceiling is 18 feet high......and Oh my that is really tall and really scary....I hope to attempt it after Thanksgiving.)
I took down a large canvas painting and replaced it with three white framed mirrors.

I also assembled white candles, white pumpkins and clear glass jars.

The secret to a mantel display is to have a focal point and then form a
triangle around that focal point.
The items placed on either side of the focal point can be
symmetrical or asymmetrical
depending on your preference.

Here are a couple of examples:

Symmetrical styled mantel

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Asymmetrical styled mantel

 

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Aren't these images inspiring!!!

I haven't finished with my mantel yet but here is a picture of what it looks like so far.

 

I am going to fill the jars with something.....
I just haven't figured out what that something is yet.
I also want to layer some kind of textural element over the wood...
and I haven't figured that out yet either......

But you can be certain that
my mind 
will be thinking of several options.

Wednesday Wowzers - A new range

This post is supposed to be about small changes that make big impact. 

  

But you will have to forgive me because I am so excited.

We made a small change in the kitchen by switching out our 1980's Jenn Air electric range for a

Brand new GE PROFILE GAS RANGE.

Now I will admit that this really isn't a small change

but I was too excited to pass up the opportunity to share.

We found that inch and the new hood has been installed as well as the new refrigerator.

Let the baking begin!!

Woo Hoo!!