There is a plethora of blog posts and magazine articles about getting the “beach” look for the summer.  This time of year, the words summer and beach are synonymous.  However, I would imagine many people alternatively go to the mountains or lake instead of the beach. In Arizona, we are blessed with beautiful mountains within an easy driving distance and with the altitude comes cooler temperatures. So let’s head to the mountains and check out some mountain decor.

Adding some decor touches

When I go on vacation having a completely different decor/scenery helps with the “winding down and being on vacation” mode. Getting out of the daily grind and going on vacation means a slower pace, lowering my shoulders, spending time with family, being subdued and taking in the gorgeous scenery.

Any home can be decorated to feel like it belongs in the mountains with only a few of the right accessories.

My friend, Kristin, from White Arrows Home lives in a gorgeous mountain cabin in Wisconsin year round. She is the expert at decorating her log cabin, fondly known as Camp Paradise in a rustic style. Check out her blog here. She just opened a new store, too, so if you are looking for unique items, she does ship!

Utilize your space

What is a vacation getaway without a cozy place to read or nap?  I purchased this day bed years ago in a junk store.  At that time, the chippy paint style was not as popular and the frame is very white and very chippy.  I spray painted it a satin Moss Green from Rust-Oleum which is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. Plus it blends in nicely with the colors of the forest.

The striped fabric seems fitting for a daybed in the screened-in porch. The bed actually slides out so the bottom cushions sit side by side~making a double size bed.  The pillows were my first attempt at sewing a welt on my own.  Don’t look too closely at my “rustic” mistakes!

Rustic Elements

In the same screened porch, we have a small table with 2 chairs and a vintage wicker lounge chair, perfect for a morning coffee.

Most of the furniture is cobbled together~leftover pieces from our home and garage sale finds.  But it all seems to work as cabin living here is casual and comfortable.

A Place to Gather

There is nothing better than family and friends gathering around a large table. This dining room set is a thrift store find and table leaves slide out to accommodate more seating.  The ladder-back chairs complement the mountains decor.

My friend, Linda Frederick, from Arcadia Design and Stitch made the seat cushions and pillows out of this sweet fabric.

Special Touches

Small accents like these old snowshoes are reminiscent of outdoor winter sports. Just a tip if you are looking for snowshoes~~they were much less expensive here in the Phoenix thrift stores than those in the mountains.

I love anything faux bois (French for false wood) which is the artistic imitation of wood or wood grains in various media. Since last year, I am consistently adding items with a Black forest motif to make the cabin feel more Scandinavian. To see my post about accomplishing that, click here.

This songbird arched mirror comes with a finish which lends to the rustic vibe of the cabin. You can find it here. Not only is it helpful to have a mirror in the front hall by the door, but it pairs nicely with the Black Forest bear and acorn shelf.

This simple, inexpensive bench was found at a junk store and I recovered it myself in cowhide. Situated right in front of the fireplace, it is the perfect place to warm up on a cold evening.

Find it in Nature

Being surrounded by beautiful Ponderosa pine trees, there is an abundance of natural material to use.  

We collect pine cones during our walks and they make the perfect centerpiece in an old dough bowl, or as a place card holder!

Accommodate the Weather

The temperature in the mountains can vary significantly. During the summer it is warm and toasty during the day, but the afternoon storm clouds move in and it can get chilly. As a result we have blankets and quilts scattered throughout the house. This vintage camp blanket was purchased one summer from Camps and Cottages during a trip to Laguna Beach, CA. 

One of my favorite shops in Laguna Beach, the owner, Molly English, is a talented designer. We became fast friends and I have all the books that she has written on camps and cottage decor.   Her latest book, Contemporary Cottages is filled with wonderful inspirational ideas and decor.

Show off your Collections

Collecting quilts over the years, provides each bed with a quilt. And each quilt has its own story.  

This sweet quilt in my daughter’s room was purchased many moons ago (before children) during a cross country trip. Hidden in a corner of an antique store, it was filthy and nearly black but I could tell that by the intricate stitching that it was a keeper.  Hauling it home, the quilt is placed in a bathtub filled with cold water and Ivory Snow. Miraculously, after a long soaking, the dirt floats away and the quilt came to life. You can imagine my delight when it was finally clean!

The maple four poster bed is mine from childhood.  I recall my mother stopping by the roadside and buying it for $2.50.  It was painted a bright red and she lovingly refinished it to its natural wood grain.

The quilt in my son’s room was made by his paternal grandmother.  It’s hard not to admire all the work that goes into these beauties. Does anyone know the name of this pattern?

A simple red and white checkered coverlet is in my other daughter’s room.  It pairs nicely with the Burberry fabric on her side chair and bedskirt.

The guest room has two twin beds and it is very difficult to find matching quilts.  However, a side trip to Bisbee, AZ many years ago yielded these yellow darlings.  The vintage fabric has some wear and tear but they are so sweet with the darker bed frames.

Whether summer means the beach or mountains to you, it is a time to enjoy your surroundings. Or maybe just adding some summery touches around your home is enough to make you feel like you are on vacation. The best part is to just enjoy it all~the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, as they seem to fly by so quickly.

Wishing you a summer filled with rest and relaxation!

I hope everyone enjoyed the nice, long holiday weekend. Each year we head to the mountains where the July 4th holiday is extra special. Everyone’s cabin and golf cart is adorned in red, white and blue and there is a strong sentiment of patriotism and love for our country. And, I do feel like I got some relaxing in! Welcome to this week’s Saturday Meanderings, where we just chat about all good things.

I am always amazed at the energy and creativity residents put into decorating their homes and participating in the parade. From highly decorated trucks and trailers to innovate dance routines, the Bull Frog Loop parade doesn’t disappoint. And I think this year’s parade is extra special after a year of lockdowns.

Hosting a Brunch

Since our cabin is on the parade route, we always host a pre-parade brunch. With about 30 guests, I did rely on the same menu that I do every year. My egg casserole (here) and a blueberry coffee cake (here). Since we have a large rectangular wooden surface, I made this fruit/croissant board. Mimosas and bloody Mary’s add to the festivities.

Bringing the Dogs

This trip we did bring Cooper and Sox up to the mountains, and of course, it takes a few days for them to adjust to all the activity. But as you can see, it didn’t take Cooper long to dominate the sofa.

Our pocket beagle, Sox did celebrate his 14th birthday. Our sweet old guy can’t hear as well and his eyes are getting cloudy with cataracts, but he still has puppy moments.

New Baby Birds

Last Saturday, I did share this picture of a nest found in one of the large geranium planters. It’s been hard not to peek but I just couldn’t resist and yes, the birds have arrived!

Each morning, I sit on the front deck with my coffee and watch the parent birds fly back and forth with food for their babies. The marvels of nature.

Using Puff Pastry

Pepperidge Farm puff pastry is a staple in my freezer as there are so many easy recipes you can whip up at the last minute. This week I did try a tomato tart from Twigg Studio. With caramelized onions, goat cheese, thyme and lots of lovely tomatoes in a puff pastry, isn’t this tart beautiful? Click here for the recipe.

Having an additional puff pastry sheet, I did use up the rest of the goat cheese, sweetened with honey, and ripe apricots for this tart. Drizzle a bit of honey on the top and bake. Since I did this on the fly, I didn’t measure anything but in retrospect, I would add more honey as the apricots are a bit tart. 400 degrees for 30 minutes (but note: this is high altitude cooking here).

Personal Gourmet

For many years I use the services of Personal Gourmet. Locally, Chef Jimmy Watters delivers restaurant grade protein to our home. This service has been a life saver with being able to have chicken, salmon, steaks, fish, meatballs, shrimp and similar proteins always on hand. Individually shrink wrapped and stored in the freezer, I cook up what we need and only have to make a salad or provide a vegetable side dish for a complete meal.

This is such a convenient service, especially with our growing family or even now, just for the two of us. Before leaving for the cabin, I placed a large order with Jimmy and now I have both freezers filled with things to eat. Since I prefer to cook at home vs. going out to eat, I know we are getting high quality choices for lunch and dinner.

It appears that Personal Gourmet may be located in Californa, Texas and North Carolina, in addition to Arizona. For more information about this convenient and delicious service, contact Chef Watters at 602 -339-2059.

Finally Painting again

I haven’t picked up a paintbrush since my Christmas painting of our cat, Donovan. Yikes. For something that I enjoy doing, I cannot seem to be disciplined enough to make time for it. But, being at our cabin with a more relaxed schedule, I am able to start a new painting! This painting’s inspiration is actually an arrangement of wisteria and lilacs done by my friend, Barbara from Mantel and Table.

It is not done yet, but it does feel good to put brush to canvas.

Watercolor Tutorial

Danielle from Finding Silver Pennies is a talented artist and designer. In one of her latest blog posts, she has a tutorial on painting mini watercolor seascapes. The video is 6 minutes long, and it is a fun way to experiment with watercolor paints.

With limited supplies, I did Danielle’s video this week. I do not use watercolors very often but practicing with her guidance is a good start! See Danielle’s post and video here. Danielle and her son (a young and inspiring artist) sell their artwork and various items on the Finding Silver Pennies website. Check it out here.

If you are in need of a watercolor set, there is a nice selection here. It helps to paint on watercolor paper. And don’t forget watercolor paint brushes here. Happy painting!

Laughter Therapy

It’s fun to share a good laugh, but did you know it can actually improve your health? After a very long and challenging year, it’s more important than ever to laugh and be happy.

It is true: laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. It also helps you release anger and forgive sooner.

As children, we used to laugh hundreds of times a day, but as adults, life tends to be more serious and laughter more infrequent. But by seeking out more opportunities for humor and laughter, you can improve your emotional health, strengthen your relationships, find greater happiness—and even add years to your life.

So go out there and laugh! It will make your face look younger too!

Cheers to you from the White Mountains of Arizona! Have a wonderful rest of the weekend.

If you missed my blog posts this week, see them below.

As I am writing this I am in the mountains of Arizona and out of the insufferable Phoenix heat. The only downside to owning a second home is there is always some maintenance problem to tackle. But I’m not complaining, as it is cool, green and gorgeous here. So let’s get started on our chat about all good things this past week. Thank you for joining me for Saturday Meanderings on this July 4th holiday weekend.

Speaking of home maintenance..

Upon our return from our 10 day trip to Nantucket, the air-conditioning unit servicing the kitchen, mud room, and library died. Fortunately, our HVAC person is able to quickly respond and get us a new one. OMG! When did the price of air conditioners skyrocket? But after a full day of installation, the kitchen is now nice and cool.

Our cabin has decks made of wood. One of these days, I know we should go to the expense to replace them with a composite material, like Trex. But that too is expensive and anything to do with construction materials is difficult to get right now. Well, I just couldn’t stand the blistering surface of the top of the deck railing by the front door. So a couple of quick passes with a belt sander and a few coats of Behr’s Weatherproofing All-in-One stain and sealer, and it’s a temporary fix for now.

Isn’t Nature Interesting?

As you may recall, we bring our big pots of geraniums up to the mountains for the summer. They LOVE the cooler weather and occasional rains. One of the first things I do when I get to our cabin, is dead head the plants and water them.

However, yesterday, a bird did not appear happy that I was near the plant. It was chattering at me looking quite disturbed. Sure enough, look at the beautiful nest I found buried in all the foliage. But why 3 blue eggs and a speckled one?

Why is a cowbird egg in someone else’s nest?

Cowbirds are brood parasites, which means females lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and let the other mother bird do all of the rearing.

The cowbird will wait for a resident bird to leave her nest and then will usually damage or remove one or more eggs and replace that one or more eggs with her own.

The foster parents unknowingly raise the young cowbirds. Who knew? Thanks to my son, Benjamin for sending me this information.

Update on Furniture damage

Thanks to many of you who shared their remedies for repairing the damage to the dining room table. I did try mayonnaise, but to no avail.

Once we return home, I may try a few more times, but in the meantime, are also seeking knowledgeable furniture repair specialists.

Grilling

It’s that time of year for lots of barbecuing and I cannot recommend these grill mats enough. Not only do they minimize clean up, but the grill marks still occur and the food tastes the same. Recently, we did grilled peaches and they were perfect!

I like the fact that you don’t have a messy grill when you are finished cooking. The mats clean up easily and are reusable. You can find them here.

My Garden

The high summer heat does fry many of the plants in the garden. Surprisingly some plants are actually blooming, like the Lady Slipper, a succulent that looks a bit prehistoric to me. The thin, lime green, leafless stems, create wavy, straight or arched clustered growth.

Right now, they are flowering with delicate pink blossoms that look like a lady’s slipper. Sorry the photo is a bit blurry.

Pumpkins in July? I just picked two pumpkins from the garden. One of these years, I am going to get the timing right. Last time I grew Fairytale pumpkins they were done by mid-June. But aren’t the stems wonderful?

Beautiful Pillows

One of the beautiful items I received in the May box from My Stylish French Box, is this gorgeous pillow sham. The colors are perfect for our master bedroom (see the master bedroom here). Not only is the quality very good, but I am able to order another one through the website. The second pillow sham arrived and don’t they look fabulous on our bed? Here is the link to the pillow sham.

Apparently the theme for the August box will be Un Weekend à Saint-Tropez. To learn more about this box, click here. These boxes make perfect gifts too.

Happy Independence Day!

Wishing you all an enjoyable, safe and happy holiday. Remember to celebrate the true meaning of July 4th~our freedom and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Thank you again for following me and sharing all your stories, inspirations, and recipes. I am so grateful to all of you!

If you missed any of my posts this week, you can find them below.

When reflecting back on 2020, is it possible that we took on TOO many projects? Perhaps for me, keeping extra busy was a way to not focus on all the world’s problems last year. I guess the good news is that several things got done, but it feels like an exhausting year on many fronts. Here is a list of completed projects of 2020 and which ones we hope to tackle in 2021.

Italian Fountain

Our outdoor Italian fountain is transformed from ugly to pretty~the rusty spouts are replaced with new ones! See post here.

Master Closet

After the embarrassing condition of our master closet, it gets good cleaning and goes from a mess to a neat and organized space. See post here.

Dining Room

With a few great yard sale purchases, I am able to upgrade the dining room with these fabulous upholstered parsons chairs. A new coat of paint helps brighten the room, too! See post here.

Windows and Screens

Being confined to home gave us the opportunity to personally wash each and every window in our home, as well as the out buildings. Not only did we clean, but repair screens, touch up paint chips and make sure our windows are in good working order.

Back Terrace

Many new upgrades are added to the back terrace. Since we entertain a lot in this space during our better weather months, it is time and money well spent. A new tile backsplash, so desperately needed, is now pretty and easy to clean. All the upholstered furniture and rugs are thoroughly cleaned; the concrete/slate floor is treated with a sealant. Broken slate is repaired at the fireplace. See post here.

Family Room

Another room benefitting from the great yard sale scores is the family room. New upholstered wing chairs and a round table is added; a gorgeous decorative chest becomes the bar storage. To see more about our family room, click here.

Potting Shed/Well Tower

In the spring, the potting shed in the well tower gets attention. Filled with dust and spider webs, it needs organizing and cleaning. See post here. Plus I finally create a storage system for most of my wreaths. See can see that story here.

Front Porch

A lot of focus is on the front porch last year. New front door color, polished hardware, updated wreath, fresh paint on the rocking chairs and a new door mat. What a welcoming difference! See post here.

Guest Cottage

While sprucing up the front of the main house, it is time to also tend to the guest cottage. Using spray paint, the light fixtures are brought back to life (see post here). With your help and suggestions, the vintage mailbox is updated too! (another post here).

Back Staircase

Yesterday’s post is a summary on the back staircase. Though this project starts in 2019 and is completed just a few days ago, much of the work is done in 2020.

Flooding and Ghosts

2020 is a year to remember, not only for the pandemic but the series of unfortunate events we had with flooding. First a broken water heater in the basement and then the dishwasher in the kitchen. No pictures of either mess, just a blog post about Old Houses and Ghost Stories here.

Pool House Bathroom

Perhaps one of the most difficult new projects is stenciling the tile bathroom floor in the pool house. But the end result is stunning. See post here.

Closet and Storage Organization

Thanks to being part of a blog hop, the front hall closet gets completely re-organized. Nearly all of my table linens reside in this odd shaped space. See more here.

Another storage organization project includes the hidden space under the front staircase. Slipcovers and decorative pillows are organized into bins and kept here.

Painting Furniture

Transforming an old piece of furniture into a Scandinavian style dresser at our cabin is a creative leap but with good results. To see this DIY project, click here.

Building New Things

My husband’s creativity and handiness produces a chick-nic table for our sweet hens. A fun and easy DIY project here.

Property Maintenance

With the help of our professional painter, John Cruz, the well tower, barn and hen house get some sprucing up. To see more before and after photos, click here.

New Projects for 2021

Our master bathroom is looking a bit tired. The tile floor is the same as the pool house, bland and dated. Debating whether to try and stencil it or just demolish and put in new tile. The countertops are marble squares ~again a dated look. It might be time for a complete renovation. To see more on our master bathroom, click here.

Create a Cutting Garden

I am just receiving my seeds from Floret Farm and am looking forward to making space for an actual cutting garden. Not sure how well this will do in our climate, but it will be a learning experience.

Update our Kitchen

Since I haven’t thought this through, I’m not sure how or to what I want to do with our kitchen. It will all depend on the budget, but it would be nice to fix a few things and update others. More to come on this.

Organize the Entire House

I want to start at one corner and make sure each and every room is the best it can be. Is that even possible? I dream about a place for everything and everything in its place.

Do you have any projects for 2021? I can assure you that there will be less projects for me this year. Instead, I want to fill my year with more fulfilling and meaningful experiences~like art, friends, family and travel. Let’s hope the world will begin to open up once again.

Happy Wednesday! Stay safe and healthy!

I so look forward to this Saturday Meanderings post because I have SO much to share with you! Houseguests have left and I was anticipating more for Thanksgiving. However, an unexpected physical injury occurred and unfortunately they are not coming. Thankfully my family loves turkey because I have ordered a BIG one. Here is what else has been happening this week.

Gardening Update

Typically we do not have critters that infest the garden. However, this year my kale and some of the other greens have been eaten down to the ground. On four separate occasions, I have planted new kale starters only to find them munched on ~ over and over again. Using those heart traps, we caught 2 rats (ewww). Who knew they like kale?

And now something is eating holes in my Swiss chard. So I put out two bowls of beer at ground level. Both bowls have successfully lured caterpillars, crickets and slugs. It seems like a humane way to get rid of them~drowning in a good IPA.

The weather went from summer to winter with temperatures in the high 30s to low 60s. But we are back up to the mid-to-high 80s. The plants are so confused. Tomato leaves are curled from the chilly temperatures with ripening fruit on them. So strange.

And the hollyhocks, which typically bloom well after the holidays, are starting to show their ruffled blossoms.

With this warmer weather, the chickens are laying up a storm. Yesterday I gathered 14 eggs from the hen house. So if you are nearby and want fresh eggs, please let me know. Once the weather cools down and the days are shorter, the egg laying will slow down. And don’t you just love all the natural colors of the shells?

Fun New Recipes

There is something very therapeutic about baking. With so many eggs, I made two quiches with spinach, shallots, ham and goat cheese. Not really following any recipe, I just use eggs, heavy cream (sometimes with low fat milk too), sautéed spinach/shallots (and squeeze out excess water) and goat cheese.

I did try a new pie crust recipe that was super easy from Confetti and Bliss. The author wrote perfect instructions and this pie crust takes 30 minutes from start to finish, including refrigeration. Here is the link to the recipe.

With the leftover pie crust dough, I decided to try making a tart with pears. I love pears and this tart is another simple, delicious recipe. Even though I have possessed this square tart pan for years, I have never used it. Just perfect for this particular recipe, but I am sure you can adjust it to accommodate apples, too. The recipe is from Food Network~click here.

In my Holiday Gift Guide (see post here), Mad Dash Mixes is offering my readers a 10% off on their Host Bundle. They sent me some samples to try and this week, I made their Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup. Typically I make all our food from scratch, but these mixes are PERFECT on those nights or weekends when you just don’t feel like cooking. Here is their home page (click here) and if you use BELLATERRA10, you will get an additional 10% off your order.

All that is required is a can of tomato sauce, milk, water, chicken (can use canned or rotisserie) and shredded cheese. I did add a can of black beans for extra protein. Topped with avocado and cilantro, this is just yummy. Great gift for the holidays!

New Bakery in Town

This particular bakery was a favorite and they closed their doors years ago. I am so excited that they have finally re-opened and are located right next door to where I take Pilates. Exercise an hour at Pilates and then go to the bakery. Perfect, right?

This European bakery, called Europa Pastry has a fine assortment of typical treats from across the pond. Plus they have the pastries my grandmother (from Poland) used to make! Check them out: Europa Pastry at 6522 N. 16th Street, Phoenix. And they serve coffee drinks too. Always want to help our local businesses.

Hand Carved Mounting

My goal for our mountain cabin decor is to add more of a European/Black Forest look. We just received the mounting mechanism for the huge elk antler sheds (see post here).

This beautiful, totally hand carved, chestnut panel, with carved oak leaves and acorns, is ideal for mounting all types of antlers. Apparently the owner of this company has relatives that makes these in Europe and he imports them to the US. Here is the resource.

Right now the elk antlers are being used as holiday decorations, so it will be a while before we can take them up to the cabin and properly mount them. To see the centerpiece using the antlers that I posted this week, click here. Will share the holiday mantels with you next week.

A Great Costco Find

These amaryllis come in a 3 pack. The base is a wax ball that apparently contains everything the amaryllis needs. There is no water or soil at all. This one has been sitting on the kitchen window sill and is now almost in full bloom.

You cannot buy them online, however, I believe they are available in Costco stores. Here’s the link to the description online. My husband seems to think he paid about $20 for the three.

Well, that’s a wrap! I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. Stay healthy and safe out there. Next week is Thanksgiving and I am hanging onto the last days of autumn. Sending big virtual hugs to all.

When we purchased our cabin, the previous owner left a few pieces of furniture. I don’t consider them to be my style, yet it is nice to have furniture already there that doesn’t require moving. This plain, brown dresser is a large piece left behind that we moved into the family room. Placed under the flat screen television it houses all the television equipment and family games.

The Original Cabinet

A few years ago, my daughter and I painted it green, sanding the edges for a rustic effect. We left the top of the dresser the original brown. The drawers in the middle look like 8 individual small ones, but they are really 2 large drawers with 8 small pulls.

The Inspiration

As you know I am trying to add a more Scandinavian/European flair to the cabin (see that previous post here). Since I have never been in love with this piece, the decision to hand paint it made sense. Searching the internet for hand painted Swedish antiques, I am inspired by these photos.

The Plan

Starting with a rather rough sketch, the design and colors are developed.

The actual flower design is inspired by this photo.

Painting the Base

The blue and parchment paint choices for the base cabinet are historical colors from Benjamin Moore. Instead of getting full size quarts, I purchase these in sample sizes from Ace Hardware. The deep red is leftover paint from a previous project. The actual colors names are up at the cabin but if you need them, let me know.

Most of the cabinet is painted blue; the drawer faces are parchment, and the drawer detail is in red. I do need to put on two coats of paint to completely cover the previous green. The hardware appears dated to me and I am looking for drawer pulls that are less bulky and intrusive.

At this point, the parchment looks more yellow and I am hoping to add an antique glaze at the end to tone everything down a bit.

Adding the Detail

Next, I hand sketch the design on the larger drawers. Using my acrylic paints, I select the color combinations I want to use. Any mistakes I make I figure I can clean up later.

I paint the large drawers first (2 of them) and then continue with the smaller drawers (4 of them).

The Obstacles

So far I am happy with the results. And now I struggle with what to do with the two center drawers. I attempt to paint them in the same fashion as the larger drawers, but think it may be too busy. Do I leave them plain blue? So I sit and stare at my options for a few days.

I consult a few of my very artistic friends and ask their opinion. Whatever I do can be always painted over, right?

The new hardware finally arrives! These Restorers Classic Curved pull handles with rosettes are in antique brass. Their smaller profile will be less dominant than the existing ones. See the link here.

But the sizes are wrong for the smaller ones and I am two short on the larger drawers. What was I thinking when I ordered these? Here you can see the style of the new hardware vs. the old, but the pull is too long. So I wait another 2-3 weeks for the right size hardware.

Adding the Glaze

In the meantime, I decide to paint individual flowers on the 8 smaller drawer fronts and antique glaze the entire piece.

The Finished Piece

So here is the finished piece…..well, I think it’s finished. I am wondering if I should add a red border to the 8 smaller drawer faces? And I am thinking about painting the top blue vs. leaving it wood. Your thoughts?

Once I am certain it is “finished”, I will put a coat of satin polyurethane over the hand painting to protect it.

Now I just need to find a way to hide the television equipment. It is so ugly, right? I do miss those huge armoires where you could tuck it all away and out of sight.

These colors go nicely with the oriental rug in the family room and adds lots of color to the rather bland walls. And I am so happy to have another daunting project in the rearview mirror!

Happy Tuesday to everyone. We are experiencing the most glorious cooler mornings and beginning to have my cup of coffee outside……finally after the hottest summer on record. Yippee!

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