Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
compromise
This is how the master bath looks today.
Several years ago we got tired of the damaged tiles near the base of the shower and decided to replace them. Of course we couldn't find any pink tiles that matched so looked for a complimentary tile to act as a border at the shower bottom.....
and top since these tiles from a remodel job by the previous home owner didn't match either.
We replaced this white cabinet and a white vanity with an oak cabinet and an oak vanity with a new granite countertop but left that flowered wallpaper.
These were the new border tiles we selected but left them paired with that crazy flowered wallpaper, a blue toliet and blue and white linoleum tile floor.
Then last year we remodeled the powder room. First we bought these porcelain tiles for it and then changed our minds and decided on marble tiles for the powder room. We decided to use these porcelain tiles in the master bath. B thought that after he put in the new floor that he would be done but I couldn't bear the thought of that blue toilet going back in and I was tired to death of that 20 year old wallpaper. I wanted a new white toilet and wanted to paint the bathroom the same shade of pinkish beige that the bedroom was painted. B agreed to paint since the wallpaper was in disrepair but my pleading for a new toilet fell on deaf ears. I remember once when I was a little girl, we had visited my Grandma in Springfield. We were driving home and I knew we would be passing by a MacDonalds. I started begging to stop at MacDonalds for ice cream. My mom said no but I knew that my dad always caved in and gave me what I wanted. I was confident that he would turn into MacDonalds. When we cruised on by I burst into tears. And that is exactly how I felt when I came home from the grocery store and there on the new porcelain tile floor sat the old blue toilet. I removed all my things and transferred them to the hall bathroom and swore I would never use the master bath again.
Then B brings home some paint chips from the hardware store and they are all various shades of gray. I said I didn't want to introduce another color into the decorating scheme. The bedroom is beige, the granite countertop is beige, the border tiles have a beige background, the floor tiles are beige. B says the tiles are gray and the floor is gray. At this point I don't care anymore. I say paint the bathroom whatever color you want. I left on a ten day vacation to Illinois to visit family. When I arrived back home and pulled up to our house I don't think I could have seen a lovelier sight than this blue toilet sitting in the front yard.....
replaced by this lovely white toilet. I realized that a compromise had been made. Even though B had painted the bathroom in the way I wanted it painted still it was gray and I was nasty about it for several weeks refusing to even look at it. Then slowly I started to warm to it a little.
I found a new toothbrush holder that blended into the countertop.
But the thing that made me finally like it was this picture.
These had been three separate pictures. One matted in peach, one in blue and one in pink. I decided to have them all framed together with a clay-colored mat that matched the accent wall in the bedroom and pulled the two rooms together. Even though I like the way it looks now, neither one of us use it anymore. We both got used to using the hallway bathroom during the remodeling and have continued to do so. And I still think it would have looked better beige.
Monday, July 5, 2010
guest bedroom curtains
Jay asked me to make curtains for his guest bedroom. The walls are a very pale gray. He bought this bedspread and matching rug. At Joanne's we found a fabric that was sort of the inverse of the rug and bedspread. I suggested we go back home and measure the windows but Jay guesstimated.
This was only my second project on my new Bernina. The first being a skirt that is still lacking a quarter of it's hem. I'll post it soon. I was very careful with the planning and measuring for these curtains. I discovered right away that we had shorted the amount the of fabric we needed by about a foot, then I quickly realized that because of the repeat that we were short a little more. I didn't panic though. I suggested to Jay that we add a border to achieve the required length.
Jay had at some time purchased two room darkening panels and I decided to cut these down to use as a lining for the curtains. The color went pretty well with the fabric and since they are going in a bedroom the room darkening effect seemed appropriate. I liked how professional they looked after I pressed the lining.
Tess joined me in admiring the quality work.
My border before the decorative stitching. I had suggested to Jay that I try out a decorative stitch on my new machine. Later I told him that maybe it wouldn't be a good idea because it might make them look too gay. He agreed. But after looking through some of the stitches......
I found this circular pattern that complimented the fabric design. I tried it first in white, then thought maybe black on black may look more sophisticated. But black on black looked like nothing. Jay liked the white and agreed to it.
Here is the almost finished product. I brought them home with me to hem. I also brought home fabric for office curtains and kitchen curtains. My Bernina is going to get a workout.
perfection
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
my good deed
Started out the day by making whole grain pancakes with more berries from our yard. They look pretty on this lustreware platter that my mama won for me in a auction.
Then I spent the day doing my good deed. I made eight kinds of cookies as my donation to the Chinese Auction that we are having at work to raise money for Essential Care for Children....the children's division of Hospice. We are also having a dunk tank at the carnival that our building is holding for the neighborhood tomorrow. Too bad it is only supposed to be 66 and breezy tomorrow. Not the best day for a dunk tank.
I made Chocolate Red Wine, Chocolate Pepper, Rosemary, Sweet Cardamom, Earl Grey, Cornmeal Citrus, Captain Morgan Spice Rum and Honey Lavender cookies.
And for dinner fresh corn salad with tomatoes, celery, onions and chives and parsley from my herb garden.
And chicken with baby bokchoy, shitake mushrooms and carrots in ginger sesame sauce.
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