Here's that keeping room I told you about. This is the view from the kitchen. I love this room. I think it's supposed to be the dining room. But then what would I do with this big empty space in my kitchen? Plus, it sounds so fancy to call it a keeping room.
We have a sofa and a chair and it's just a sweet little sitting area. The sun shines in really warm in the mornings. I love that part too.
I'm not gonna paint any walls here. How do you like my white plates on white walls? It wouldn't be my first choice but, it's somewhat soothing. And, it's paid for, that's extremely soothing. Remember that iron thing in the middle? Yard sale last year $1.
Above is a wooden file cabinet I found at the Goodwill last year. Down below is one handle for it that I fell in love with at Hobby Lobby. Maybe I can find it's mate at my sister's Hobby Lobby while I'm visiting her TODAY!!
Our computer stays here too. This is actually the borrowed computer. Abraham Lincoln's computer. Don't let that hard, shiny, white outer shell fool you, it's old, outdated and totally uncool. And have I mentioned slow? But it's still a zillion times better than no computer.
Remember the sexy back hutch project? Still love it. And my hot glue survived the move--no touch ups needed!
Black pillow from the Goodwill. Scratches on my much loved so very versatile chair.
And there's that light that we still haven't hung.
Am I boring you with this yet? Maybe tomorrow we can see what Em and I did together! See you then!
What I'm Keeping
Master Bedroom
Here's our room. Yes, I know that my skirt is poofy. No, it's not always that poofy, I poofed it special, for you. I made the skirt and duvet cover myself with a sewing machine. I am very proud. One of my sons even barfed on it and it held up in the wash. A true sign of my craftsmanship.
There is one thing in particular I want to talk about. {try not to see how crooked this duvet cover is--another true sign of my craftsmanship}
It seems every where I look my eye is drawn to a certain something.
A certain wall. And if I could edit photos this would be strait and bright and true to life. I'm trying to remember that it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.
You know how much I love plates on the wall. I decided to pack them in this time and now I regret that I hadn't done it earlier. I adore this wall. I love the dimension, the colors the shapes and the price! Plates are inexpensive people and the plate hangers can be found at the dollar store or online.
I started in the middle and hung the rectangular platter and worked my way out. I had a photo of the process on my old computer but let's not talk about that yet.
What ever tassel is my current favorite gets the place of honor on my lamp. I'll list this one later today.
I also need to thank you all so much for your crazy purchasing yesterday. I cannot stress how much I was completely surprised at how much sold! It was my biggest day ever--even compared to shows I have done! Thank you! I know the store was pretty empty. I hate to keep talking about me and my big self and my big computer woes but I am under computer attack! Yesterday I did not have internet service for 8 hours strait--in the middle of the day!
Some people have asked if I can post when I list things. The way it works on etsy is that I can only list one thing at a time. It is taking me about 15 minutes to post each item on this computer. So if I have 6 to list, after I list 3, 2 have sold! It's crazy and I thank you. I hope they aren't all pity buys because you want me to stop whining. I wonder if some people will get the box, see it's from Nesting Place and toss it in the trash. You won't, right?
I am still behind on my email and have completely stopped reading blogs except for my sisters. This post alone is taking me twice as long as normal! As soon as I get my new computer I'll get back in the swing of things!
Now, I'm off to list some tassels--today I have lots of dogs but I'll have some small tassels again soon. And this afternoon I'll start shipping! And I'm still catching up on shipping from last week due to computer issues. I think I'm gonna start blaming the computer on everything. High gas prices? My computer probably had something to do with it. My apologies.
The Room Where We Live.
Here we are. This is what you see when you first come in my house. Have I mentioned there is no foyer? You can see our fireplace. Love having a fireplace. But, do you notice something? NO MANTLE!! Isn't that weird? Please tell me all of your great ideas for this issue!
We have one of those fancy holes in the walls like the rich types have. See how I make it all real nice like just by hanging my plastic shutters on big ugly nails?
I like this little wall. We are able to sneak some extra seating in with the ottoman being under the desk/sofa table.
And you know I love a good clearance find. Twice clearanced--score!
Clearance. TJMaxx.
Hello lover. Have you met my toile sofa yet?
See how much seating I was able to sneak into this tiny room? If even only 4 on the sofa, 1 in the red chair, 1 in the plaid chair 1 in the wooden chair next to the white dresser and 1 on the ottoman, that's 8 and we can really seat 5 on the sofa and still have an extra ottoman! That's 8-10 people in a tiny living room!
Now, here's something worth talking about. This dresser is pretty much the first piece I bought with forethought and a clear mind. You know how you have to buy a few things like a bed and sofa when you first get married and you make a crazy choice? This was not one of them.
When I was pregnant with my oldest we had nothing for him and I'm sure my parents or my in laws gave us some cash to get a few things. I got the cheapest crib I could find, and a piece of furniture that we could use forever. Hence, the white dresser. Ordered from the most reliable store I knew, JCPenney. We southerners are on a more friendly basis and just call it plain old Penney's.
This dresser has been used in each of my boys rooms, a kitchen, a foyer, as a sofa table, changing table and sideboard. I heart this dresser. The possibilities are endless and even though it's 10 years old and counting, I could find uses for two more of them.
This is how I know that I invested well in a piece of furniture.
I like pieces that are versitle. Blank canvases. They serve faithfully for a long time and are much loved.
Stay tuned tomorrow for the master bedroom. And that will complete my living room tour turned ode to the white dresser.
My Good China
Several of you left a comment on yesterday's post about my beautiful, rare, delicate, highly sought after, expensive, limited edition, rich people, and other snooty references, china. Doncha wish your china was nice like mine? Doncha?
Look at that photo above and meet my $2.50 serving platter from a yard sale and my dollar store white plate. This stuff is the opposite of China. It's more like made in China.
I spent the most on this ceramic finial--it was a splurge: $7.99 at one of my favorite stores, TJ Maxx.
White dishes are the most rewarding to collect. They all look great together no matter what the pattern is, they have high impact when placed on a painted wall or interesting background, they are cheep. Cheap. Not only that, but once your friends and family realize that you love white dishes you are totally set for life. I have white dishes spilling out of every thing I own. Thanks Mom and MIL for those great white serving platters! I know my mom got me a set of two huge serving platters from Costco for $20 a few years back.
You can read more about my dish obsession over at Blissfully D. Look carefully at the vase above. It's been broken in this house full of boys--more than once. Super glue is your friend. Oh and see that black and white dotted dish? Have you ever gone to one of those paint your own pottery places with your girlfriends and have no idea what to paint on your $25 platter that doesn't turnout freakeshly cartoonish? Well, paint it all black {yes, your friends will taunt and question you} then get that textured white paint and make dots. Look how almost cute that turned out. And let me tell you, when it was time to pick up our pottery, they taunted me no more.
If you are wondering about that pretty platter above that was a wedding gift--we registered at Pier One. This is one of the few surviving items that we got and I love it and use it. It was a $20 gift. That gingham plate was in a set of 2 for $5 at Target.
Here's the trick to hanging plates on your wall. Oh, and you already know what I'm gonna say about that one up there. It doesn't have to cost lots of money to make you happy and it sure doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!