Transformation from Blah to Bedroom Beauty

As the World turns.....We have been through a major facelift here at this old house.  A year ago we started to make some major changes and now it feels so good to have it all done and have beautiful spaces.  Life priorities are different when you have children in the house.  There is not always money for extra things.  Often you learn to be content with the way things are.  If there is food on the table, clean clothes and a roof over your head life is good.  Now we are empty nesters, the kids have all graduated from college, and now it is time to change some things I have never liked but lived with for many years.   I haven't been a needy wife in all of our 35 years together but I told my husband this year I was going to start! Sometimes things just need to be done.  Sometimes you have to open the purse strings when you live with an accountant who doesn't like to spend money. You know " once you spend a penny you can never get it back again"... My husbands favorite line regarding money.  Sooooooo reluctantly from my husbands point of view.....

This is one of our bedrooms that got a beauty treatment.  Hooray needy wife!!!  I feel so blessed.

  Bad OLD carpet

Broken plastic blinds that were taped so they wouldn't look broken.

Yes for real. 

Windows that had lost their seal with

 condensation stains that couldn't be washed off between the panes.

I'm sorry my dear child who had this bedroom...

Not very inviting is it???? 

First step.... rip up carpet and 50 year old linoleum. 

Hello wooden floor .   

Remove Popcorn ceiling....

add fresh coat of beautiful white to all surfaces.

Next....Paint the floor

Install new windows : ) (love)

Hang new faux wooden blinds from Menards. (love) 

Buy a rug and the fun of decorating begins.

This little cabinet is a sewing cabinet. 

 The bottom drawer swivels open to hold spools of thread.

I found it at a thrift store.... It had my name written all over it ....

 I couldn't leave it there all lonely. 

Add American touches for all to enjoy.

Squeeze in some sewing time with my sweet sewing Ninja .

She is 11 years old and is sewing with my string scraps

and loving every minute. 

We are sewing gifts.

Guests from Tasmania were coming.....

We wanted to make sure they felt welcome.

Another reason for the house updates !!

I made my sweet guest a matching quilted table mat 

to put under her flowers when she returns home.  

I wanted to send a little bit of this room

 home with her to remember her visit.

It is also a little sample of some of my

 American fabrics for her to enjoy.

Blue and White never goes out of style....

 no matter how you slice it.

(click to enlarge)

 Add fresh flowers....place in an old enamel coffee pot

sitting on an old Ironstone platter. 

(Forever I will love Ironstone)

(Forever I will love old stuff!!)

 I Love the fresh Farmhouse feel when you walk in this room...  

The Bed and Breakfast is now ready : )  to welcome guests!!

Autumn American - Aussi love ....Coming together.

Emmy sharing her homemade birthday present for Leanne.

She was our guest from Tasmania.

These girls bonded Instantly.

We all cried when it was time for them to go.

 Well the girls cried.... maybe not the boys.

Leanne and I met through Blogging a couple of years ago.

Leann blogs over at http://lizzie-the-quilter.blogspot.com

We had such a wonderful time getting to know Leanne and her family.

It was a HUGE leap to say yes to hosting 

this family for 5 days in September.

We had never done anything like this before.

It was risky for both families really. 

Never once did my family think this was a crazy idea 

to host a family from across the world 

that we had never met before.

They helped in so many ways to make the house ready.

I'm so grateful.

So glad we said Yes! 

They are now my far away family.

Leanne and I both have September birthdays!

We share a love for many of the same things. 

She wants her house to look just like mine : )

My thrift store treasures have never felt so special!

I am several years older but feel I have gained a sister!

We Love You Milsom Family!

(Hugs) 

Life is good! 

Janita

AMERICAN charm

Table toppers for summer flowers 

Men's shirts.

2 1/2 inch squares stacked. 

Countryside

All star team.

I pledge Allegiance to the flag. 

Everyone should have a dog once in their life.

Missing my doggies that we said goodbye to yesterday. 

Summer sewing

Summer sweetness 

Treasure hunts. 

 

Little people love makes the world go round.

 50 star Salute 

Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

Freedom to worship.

Together time at the county fair.

Champion.

Little boy + big cow = BRAVE BOY 

Star Spangled Banner.

Something old.....

Into something new. 

The power of White paint.

It's all the American Dream .

Summer is passing quickly. Enjoy the moments.

Janita

Life is a whirlwind.

SWEET SUMMERTIME!

It is here! 

Much of the last few weeks has been filled with activity. 

We have had dance recitals and piano recitals.

Each day complimented with fresh flowers.  

First tulips then

Peonies front and center.  Just can't get enough.

I am a happy girl when the flowers start to bloom. 

We have had ball games and more ball games.

It is small town America in all of it's glory.

Ice Cream if you win.... sad if you don't.

The garden is mostly planted.  

 We just have to put in a few pumpkin seeds.

We have Potatoes, Tomatoes,  a variety of Peppers , Zucchini, Cucumbers,

Green Beens,  Sugar peas,  Red cabbage, onions,  sweet potatoes, kale.

More than enough to keep me busy.

I love the food that summertime brings.

I tried planting my own cilantro several years ago. 

It has been a bit of a learning experience. 

The first year it basically went to seed.

It doesn't seem to be as hardy and bushy as the bunches

 you buy in the store but tastes just as amazing.

I cut as much as I can until it gets hot and then I let it go to seed.

It is in my flower bed so when it starts to look kind of dried out and sad 

I cut everything off.  Harvest the seeds. 

 Then in the fall chop the soil 

with a rake a little bit, sprinkle the seeds on the soil, 

 you  don't have to worry about covering 

the seeds, I just tap it down with the rake,

  then wait and dream until next spring....  

 when you will have YUM YUM Cilantro all over again. 

It will reseed itself if you just let it go as well, I just don't like looking at the dried stalks and

want to make sure the seeds get to the ground before the snow flies.  

After I cut the fresh cilantro , I rinse it  shake off as much water as you can,

and put it in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel.

It will stay fresh for a couple of weeks. 

If you want a yummy recipe for Black Bean Salsa just let me know.

It is Deliciousness in a bowl !!

It could be my lunch everyday in summertime. 

It is my favorite way to use Cilantro. 

I am trying a few new herbs this year,

lemon basil and marjoram.  

With all the garden activity ... planting and keeping the weeds and bugs under control

and Grand children activities, I have not had much time for sewing.

I did make up this little 16'' quilt from scrappy blue and white squares 

and hope to have fresh flowers on my table as much as possible this summer.

The wooden bowl was a gift for Mother's day.  

The sewing for my Splendid Sampler blocks is on hold.

On a sad note one of our little dogs was given a sad diagnosis of cancer.

We thought he was going to die last week but he has amazingly bounced back 

to his perky self...

We will see what happens in the next few weeks.

The vet thought he could live any where from 2-3 weeks to 2-3 months.

He is a sweet little dog and there has been a few tears shed mostly by me.

I feel so bad for him.   The kids do love him. 

We took some memory pictures just in case he goes to doggy heaven.

Harley is my daughter's dog who has taken up residence with us because she lives in an apartment. 

I never thought I would be attached to a dog... but he is part of our family. 

Happy JUNE, JULY and AUG...

Summertime always flies by !!!

Janita

SPLENDID SAMPLER... Falling in love with 6 inch quilt blocks

To me these little blocks have become the sweetest sewing adventure.   Six inches sometimes made of  four  little 3 inch blocks have definitely taken a hold of my heart.  You don't get any where fast making 3 inch blocks for a whole quilt but seriously after I made the Flights of Friendship block I want a whole quilt made with 3 inch blocks!  LOVE  IT !

I am not making all 100 blocks for the sampler.   Eighteen is the goal for now.   Just a sweet taste to make me happy and feel connected to world wide quilters.  It is a goal that will make a snuggle quilt with the  help of some alternate blocks and then I can move on to the next best thing!  Life is fleeting away faster than I desire.

The journey began here HERE  and now I have a little stack of pretties.

10 Snowman String blocks

11 Splendid Sampler blocks 

A little WHOO- HOO moment for me! 

(click on photos to enlarge)

Bonus Block by Pat Sloan 

CHURN DASH    

with tiny tiny star fabric.

Two loves in one block.

I will forever love the churn dash block. 

Block # 12

CHECKERBOARD

Block # 37

DASHING BY CHOCOLATE

Block # 40

FIGHTS OF FRIENDSHIP

This is my, will take ME a lifetime  3'' BIG QUILT desire. 

Those little friendship stars have my heart.

Block # 13

SCRAP STAR       

The  stripes are a thrifted shirts. 

My latest desire is to put something old in every quilt I make. 

Another One that I could make a whole quilt of.

And my latest little Six inch lovey dovey....

The red plaid is a thrifted shirt.

Block #  99

FOUR CORNER SPINWHEEL

YES YES YES

This one too for a Big quilt dream! 

My life is one big sewing dream!

I have lists of quilts I want to make.

Unfortunately life sometimes has other plans that I need to tend to. 

Little by little I sew whenever I can. 

Happy May Blessings to you.

Janita