::Christmas Past Pt 1: Mantels::

So I'm feelin' kinda sorry for myself 'cause I won't be doing much holly day decorating this year.  That would be thanks to my builder who is taking so ding dang long to get us closed.

I thought I'd get all my mantels together from the past 4 years of blogging.  It might make me feel more in the mood and give me something to post that fits with what everyone else is blogging.  Just want to be a team player, ya know. Links go to the actual posts with more pics and stuff.

My first Christmas blogging was 2009.  I attempted to go with the rustic 80's look of our fireplace at the time. Try not to be blinded by the shiny brass on the doors. I also about killed myself and anyone within striking range by making stockings.  Which I don't show in this shot....but they're in the next one.  So there.

Here's take two with the evil stockings...

Christmas 2010  was a totally different look as we completely redid the fireplace and mantel.  I glitterfied the entire thing and drank the coffee filter wreath kool-aid. I also made burlap stockings that I'm pretty sure someone from Country Living copied and put in their mag.  Whatever. It's still one of my most popular and pinned posts to date.  Voila!

(If you want to read about how we painted the fireplace, click here.)

Next up is Christmas 2011, which might be my favorite, but it didn't make a big splash in the blogosphere like the previous year.  I repurposed Dollar Store white stockings instead of making some from scratch. Hallelujah. I was also drowning in ginormous pinecones due to my middle daughter's rustic chic wedding a week after Christmas. Boom.

Loved it!

Last year's Christmas mantel was a study in aquas and whites.  I've gathered quite a collection of blues and whites for my holly day decor, so it was pretty easy to put this together.  Repurposed those white stocking from Dollar Store yet again.  Ta Da!

It was soft and wonderful.....

Which brings me to this year......in a temporary home with no mantel. :(

There's a really awesome one next door in our new house, so I hope there will still be time to decorate it once we close and move.  I may be posting Christmas mantel decor in mid-January.  You never know.

So which is your favorite?

::Tour My New House::

PSSSST...I'm no longer blogging here!

You can now find me at

www.acottagegirl.com

So, the house is pretty much done.

Unfortunately, today was the third scheduled closing that was cancelled. :(

There was a mess-up with the electric company, so we have no power....and with the storms that hit our area last week, they are behind.  So we keep waiting.  And waiting.

In the meantime, I thought I'd go over and take some decent pics.  Bogart decided to play Tour Guide Barbie....

Come on in.....

 Bogart notices  someone is waiting for us....Robyn Rose left her stuffed kitty to watch over stuff while we're waiting to move....

Anyway, this is the view as you enter my house.  One of the things I LOVE is all the arched doorways.  There's lots of craftsman details throughout.

They're yummy :)

Kitchen.....lots going on here, and I'm hoping it will all congeal once I get it decorated.  The builder dude did our walk-thru with us yesterday and mentioned that I should take pics and upload them to Houzz.  He thinks it looks super awesome.  He loved that we didn't do standard stuff.

 Laminate butcherblock.  Will replace with real butcherblock eventually methinks. Cabs are painted "Watery" by Sherwin Williams.

Didn't do a farmhouse sink, but did go with a single basin cast iron with this faucet....finish is called 'champagne bronze'....because obviously if they called it 'antique brass' no one would want it *rolling eyes*

Here's the other counter with some blue in it to coordinate with the cabs.  LOVE LOVE LOVE my antique brass pulls!  Not so down with the knobs, but they're easily changed out.

Floors are laminate too.

Uppers are a (bad) color match to Gliddens 'Antique White' which is used on the trim and walls throughout the house.  Not sure I like how taupe it looks.

Also, I have 2 industrial pendants to replace the ORB ones. Walls are Martha Stewart 'Spring Melt'...a sweet blue/green/grey.

Bogart is showing me where he'll be stationed much of the time...by the door to watch evil squirrels off the back covered porch.

Looking into the dining area (laundry/mud room off in the distance...)  Chandy will also be replaced with a super cool antique brass one I found on craigslist from a 70's house.  It's all kinds of awesome.

And here's looking into the great room....master is that doorway on the right.

Looking back to the entryway....to the right is the office/den...

See?

And standing in the office looking across the way is an alcove with a coat closet and our 1/2 bath...

They hung my gramma's antique mirror for me :)  This bath has a pedestal sink, but it's super modern and sleek.  I'll have to cottagefy it with a skirt.

Back to the great room...got big plans for it after we get settled.  It's a blank canvas now!

Love the vaulted ceiling and huge windows...which look small in this pic, but you'll have to take my word for it.

Looking back to the front of the house from the fireplace.

I think we may do a window seat for this corner.  Bogart is preparing to stalk squirrels....

That cut out under the stairs will be a desk area/family command center.  Or a piano.

No sure yet. 

Just off the great room is the Master suite.  Love the wee windows :)

Lots of light, so I chose Martha Stewart's 'Brown Alpaca' for the walls.  I used it in my old kitchen.  It's a marvelous warm shade of brown....not too yellow, not too taupey/grey.

Looking back out to the main part of the house.

Here's my bath!  I have waited 28 years to have a big tub....I've gone over to sit in it just to practice.
Pocket door is cool too :)

Marble-look laminate in here.

Reflection from mirror to stool cubby and walk-in closet with another pocket door.

Nothing fancy for the shower because we had to fit the big tub in the floorplan.  Yes, that's beaded board around the tub.  Duh.

Well, that's all I got for today.  Bogart's ready to go.  I'll show you the upstairs another time...as there's no power, it's kinda dark for pics.

It's been torture to see everyone decorating for the holidays when my new house sits empty next door....we were supposed to close Nov 8th.  I hope we'll be moving in the next couple weeks so I can start christmasfying it!

If you have any questions, give me a shout.  And hey, have a happy Thanksgiving!
Sharing at Start at Home's Furniture and Paint party

::Bloggers Making My World Go Round::

There are many times I think I should just let this blog give up the ghost......

Other times I think I could really make this place hoppin' and popular and trendy and and and....

Most times I float in between those two extremes....I think, eh, it is what it is.  I'm here sometimes, I'm not here sometimes.  Eh.

But let me just say one of the most beautiful things about blogging (and why I always hesitate to quit) is the wicked cool, kind and talented gals I've connected with thru the years.

Cases in point (there's two in this post):

Julie Rose of follow your heart woodworking.  This chick has skillz.  Mad skillz.

Behold:

from her post giving the tutorial on how she made this INCREDIBLE signage for me

Look familiar?

From my header on my biz site

I know.  Seriously.

Julie contacted me about making my biz logo as she was so taken with the vintage graphic (from The Graphics Fairy, BTW.)

Who was I to refuse?  No one, that's who.  Bring it on.

And she did.  Beautifully.

Since I'll be selling my furniture out of my new house,  which is the REAL Serendipity House and the inspiration for starting my furniture refinishing biz, the sign is PERFECT.  Yes it is.

I can't wait to hang it over my blue beadboard doors to welcome friends, family and customers!

Julie makes custom logo signs.....and she's all about collaboration....so if you want one, contact her here.

My heartfelt thanks to Julie for the time and energy she took to make such a special piece for me.  :)

Case in point #2:

Rebecca of Older and Wisor.

Peeps.  You need Rebecca in your life.  Go.

She is a crafter of supreme ability and humor (which is most important).  She also wraps crap better than Martha herself.  She was even on TV showing off her crap-wrapping super powers.

So I got one of her thing-a-ma-bobs.  Happens to be a brooch, which doesn't rhyme with smooch.
But which *is* what I wanted to do to her when I got her package in the mail.  Wouldn't you?

Look at her artistry!  Come on now.

She wrapped my crap pretty in this handmade puff pouch thingy....with the cereal of my choice, of course.

Which was Robyn's favorite part.  Of course.

So here's what was inside!

I may safely say I'm one of the only people I know in NE Indiana with a flower pin made from Dr. Pepper.

I loves it.  I actually attached it to my purse so folks could see the awesomeness each and every time I go out.  Which may or may not be often, but still.

You can get your own soda pop awesomeness in Rebecca's Etsy shop The Recycle Pin.  We can be soda pop pin sistas.

So I rest my case.  Blogging has brought some unbelieveably talented and kind womenfolk into my life (Julie and Rebecca being supreme examples of each).

Therefore, you will continue to be subjected to my sporatic postings and wit.  You're welcome.