My Next Project

I’ve got my hands full with this wonderful project. House built in the 20′s.  Hope you can help me with ideas as I work my way through the monumental task of bringing her out of disrepair and into her majestic splendor without changing her dated character. Some updates have been good, but most have not.  The gutters are pouring water onto the wood trim instead of draining out properly. Holes have appeared at every corner, and are big enough for pigeons to freely fly in and out. Notice the window air conditioner in the upstairs bedroom.

Paint is peeling from the wood trim on the sun porch, and the screen door is an old aluminum door that blends with the windows.

The dental moulding and fluted pilasters around the door are dirty and the paint is peeling. Shingles have blown off the top of the frame, and the full-view screen door is broken out. The metal frame is all that’s left. The stoop is covered with indoor/outdoor carpeting that is frayed. The house boasts of crown moulding around the top that wraps around the corners. However, some of it is rotten.

Notice the four window air conditioners on the back of the house. The upstairs veranda is leaking into the laundry room below. Another aluminum screen door. Basement access has no covering. Her redeeming qualities, beyond her obvious charm,  is the nice patio out back, the roof is fairly new, and the beautiful lot has a circular driveway. So put your thinking caps on and help me redecorate this beauty, located in Mount Airy, NC.

Hanna Sain’s Quick and Easy Table Centerpieces

 Hanna Sain

I’m impressed with Hanna Sain! You will be too. Hanna married her high school sweetheart Brian, and they have two preschool age boys, Jacob Solomon, and Benjamin Keith.  Hanna is a busy wife and mother, and attends Liberty University. You can become further acquainted with Hanna at www.myinsainlife.blogspot.com. Hanna is also the director of MOMS – Mothers of Many Seasons at Salem Baptist Church in Dobson, NC.  All moms of any season or age are invited to join us for devotion, snacks, and great conversation! Connect with this network of moms to be encouraged in your faith and life! Child care is provided. If you are interested in knowing more about MOMS email Hanna at hannasain@ymail.com Hanna can also be found on facebook and LinkIn.

This beautiful, young woman happily shares recipes and creative decorating tips with me, and I want to share a few with you.

At the Rags to Riches Women’s Tea, at Salem Baptist Church, this table caught my eye with all the red, and complimentary cream and green colors. Turns out that it was a table that Hanna had done. The centerpiece was beautiful. As you can see, the rim of the bowl is peeking out from the full flowers. I was curious as to how Hanna managed to get the flowers to stand up. It was so simple and easy once Hanna explained it to me. You can do it at home without buying a thing. Such a great idea for those times when you need a centerpiece on the spur of the moment.

Select the container you wish to use as a centerpiece. Hanna made a grid with scotch tape. She dropped the tape low enough into the bowl so that it wouldn’t show around the edges. Sticky side down. Non-sticky side up. After attaching the ends of the tape to the sides of the bowl, she has a perfect grid pattern. Any tape will work, just be careful not to let it show.

Hanna placed the full, red flowers around the base of the bowl first, keeping the center of the grid open.

She filled the center of the grid with white flowers and greenery. The centerpiece was the perfect height. It was full and just the right scale for the center of the round table. The table seated six, and the guests could hold a conversation without straining to see each other.

While at the Tea, some of us noticed these pretty flower centerpieces as well. Guess who created these? That’s right! Hanna! She took simple things from around her house to make these arrangements. She says she likes to use what she already has. This is another one of her creations that you can put together in minutes.  Fill quart size canning jars half full or so with pinto beans. Place your flowers of choice (she chose spring pastels) into the bean base, which serves the same purpose as the grid she makes. Tie a pretty ribbon around the jar, and you are ready to entertain with this stress free, effortless, conversation provoking, centerpiece. Who knew? Imagine that!

Imagine Entertaining in Pajamas

I must say, it was a fantastic, funny, relaxing, stress-free, and entertaining evening!

 It was a first for me, but won’t be the last. I hosted an all girl dinner party in my pajamas. My guests arrived in their pajamas as well.

I layered the place setting with a silver charger, clear dinner plate, and an antique Lu-Ray salad plate on top. Before setting the table, I ran the pink dishes through the dishwasher instead of hand washing them, and some were chipped and couldn’t be used.  So I mixed dark green antique cups in with the pink dishes along with two matching pitchers for tea. I’d intended to use clear glasses, but once I had to improvise, I used green stemware to compliment the green pieces. It was mix and match but it worked. Remember the number one Aggi rule. Whatever you do, make it look intentional.

The evening ticked away with much laughter, celebration and bonding.

My big entertaining boo-b00. Evidently, I was interrupted while setting the table and didn’t remember to go back to it. Even while lighting the candles, I didn’t notice that one place setting had a knife only. My guest who sat there had to ask for silverware.  There’s just something very laid back about being in your   pajamas, and we laughed it off.

Phyllis, the one without silverware, aka “Petunia.”

All the saucers matched regardless of the color of the cup setting on them, and was further unified by matching small stirring spoons for coffee and tea. A smaller pink tablecloth flanked the middle section of the table  providing a backdrop for the pink theme.

Aggi re-applying lipstick …

Donna caught in the sugar bowl …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marilyn in the coolest Pj’s …

Sheryl, being mischievious …

Karen, funny girl (precious flower) …

Kay, pretending to be innocent …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great time. Good food, wonderful friends, lots of chatter, and tons of fun! Can’t wait to do it again.

Aggi and Jami’s Living Room Make Over

Left Side of Living Room

Right Side of Living Room

Right Side of Living Room

Left Side of Living Room

We found hardwood floors under the old carpet. The floors had to be sanded and refinished, but was so worth it. They turned out to be quite beautiful. We did an eclectic mix of furnishings and tied it all together with an area rug consisting of all the right colors. Don’t overlook the large, affordable patio rugs that can purchased with little money in season, but creates a huge boost to any room year round.  Loved the deep-toned, plaid chair setting opposite a pastel, plaid chair. The rich colored  ottoman was placed under the table to give more weight to that wall. Tall slim buffet lamps flanked the table, and a large print gave height to the space. Imagine that!

Aggi & Jami’s Dining Room Make-over

Before

After some TLC  

When considering a re-do, you must look beyond the mess at hand. Imagine how it could look. What’s the potential of the space? Furnish to scale.  Don’t be tempted to put a large table in the space just because it’s the only eating area in the house. The room will look smaller and over crowded, not larger. The table could accommodate the leaf and two more chairs when there is an overflow of guests. However, for the size of the room, a four-top is perfect.  We loved the transformation. Imagine that!!

Cabin Fever!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visiting this wonderful place certainly satisfied my love of cabins, and decorating for Christmas, all wrapped together in one neat little package.

 Jerry and Jean Shore, of Jonesville, NC are awaiting the arrival of loved ones who couldn’t be home for Christmas. The cabin will remain adorned in all of her Christmas glory until that last family member gets to celebrate in this special place.

This amazing little treasure, that was home to 13 children, was taken apart piece by piece. The logs were numbered, the fireplace stones were saved, and she was moved from her original location. She was rebuilt on the Shore property, and appears to have always been sitting in that very spot. She’s perfect in every way.

Located just steps from the Shore home, the cabin is a cozy meeting place for friends and family gatherings. The beautiful stone fireplace is but a stage. As the door opens, it’s like pulling back the curtain on a play. A blue, red and yellow fire dances along the hand split logs, and provides a welcoming show. Once inside, you never want to leave.

The Shore cabin. Ahh such a beautiful winter retreat. I know … I know … you want to go inside. Prepare to catch Cabin Fever!

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New Year, New Beginnings, and a New Relationship With God

This is the time of year that we’re reminiscent of the year before, and ponder what the new year will bring.

Events from the previous year, that God used to shape and mold us, are clearly realized. We are not the same people we were a year ago as we embark upon a new year of life. We celebrate the good times. Our Facebook pages are filled with photos of the moments we wish could last forever. A multitude of smiles cover our walls with vacation spots and sporting events in the background. Life certainly has been good!

However, mingled with all that joy, we’ve suffered tragedy as well. Couldn’t God shape and mold us more gently? Must we suffer unbearable heartache to grow? Why doesn’t God erase bad memories from our minds? Doesn’t he want us to be happy? Why does my sin affect the lives of those around me and devastate the innocent? Is that fair? 

We’ve sat on the sidelines and watched loved ones torn apart by unforeseen circumstances of life. We’ve attended too many funerals, watched too many marriages fall apart, and cried too many tears.

But I know joy comes in the morning. Even when life is unfair, painful, and doesn’t make sense any longer, my Redeemer lives. He is still on His throne, and is crazy about me. Sometimes we live our lives into a corner. We don’t know which way to turn, and hit a wall each time we try. We don’t know how we wandered so far from God, and the way home seems impossible. Our lives are so out of control that we are hopeless beyond words to describe it. May we fall on our knees before God and ask him to take the reins, rein us in, and rein in our hearts once more and forever more.

The new year may bring more suffering, but God has promised not to put more on us than we can bear, because we have no idea of what he bore for us. I’m looking forward to and fully expecting more blessings, more laughter, and a deeper faith for the new year. Come what may, I know God can turn tragedy into blessing, evil into good, and disgrace into honor. Let’s go forth in life with an eagerness, liveliness, and dependence on Jesus Christ. He is our creator, sustainer, and the lover of our souls.  Buckle up! It’s going to be a great year.