Thank Heaven For Little Girls!

Edited on 9/18/09:  Marie over at Emma Calls Me Mama is having an Heirloom Party and I have decided to revive this old post I did about a month ago so I could  join the party and share this outfit that I hope becomes a family heirloom some day.  If you are a regular visitor to my blog and have seen this post before, I apologize. 

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I had actually planned to do this post back in June when I was feeling very nostalgic about my “baby” girl celebrating her 27th birthday.  Ahhh well…better late (by almost exactly 2 months) than never.

Anyway, for this Pink Saturday, I’d like to share with you the fluffy, frothy, oh-so-pink and pretty  ensemble my daughter wore home from the hospital after she was born 27 years ago. 

The outfit was store-bought but my mom made the coordinating lightweight baby blanket  out of a pink, rose-printed, soft cotton fabric and she edged it in lace.

Sadly, I do not have one photo of my daughter wearing this outfit.   Not one.  And I cannot explain why.

 

 

Is there anything more girly than pink roses, lots of lovely lace and pink satin ribbons? 

I think not!

 

 

A pretty pink rosebud bonnet…

Even as small as it is, it was actually too big for my 6 pound newborn daughter’s head.

 

Sweet and oh-so-soft, teeny tiny, fuzzy, pink pom-pom booties…

 

One of two little rose cluster appliqués…

Can’t you almost smell the sweet powdery baby scent?

Oh how I hope I someday have a precious little granddaughter who can wear this outfit home from the hospital after she is born…

Daughter, are you paying attention here?      :::wink:::

 

 

Be sure to visit the other Heirloom Party participants

and the Pink Saturday participants and wish them a Happy Pink Saturday.

Feathered Friends

Gina over at The Shabby Chic Cottage is hosting a Feathered Friends Party.  

Interestingly, it wasn’t until a couple years ago that I realized how many bird-related decor items I have bought for my home through the years.  I don’t consciously go seeking them out, but I suppose I am drawn to them, nevertheless, since they are in the majority of my rooms.

Allow  me show you what I mean…

A romantic pair of white doves roost atop my china cabinet in the dining room.

In my living room…

 

 

There is lots of evidence of feathered friends in my garden inspired family room…

 

 

   

 

 

In the kitchen, a Marjolein Bastin refrigerator magnet…

I am well aware that wallpaper borders are considered “out” but I still have a soft spot in my heart for some of them in certain applications.  Until about 2 months ago, I had this border on my kitchen soffit but I somewhat reluctantly took it down in preparation for my crown molding project (which I will be showing soon…PROMISE!).

 

There are shore birds in the bathroom…..

 

 

And let me introduce you to my “grandson,” Finnegan, a Blue Front Amazon Parrot.    He doesn’t live at my house, but he does come to visit “Grandma.”    ;)

Furniture Facelift With Bead Board Wallpaper

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned I was working on a project that involved bead board wallpaper and new drawer pulls.

I’m finally ready for the big project reveal, but first I probably should give you a little background info.

A long, long time ago, my parents bought me a set of bedroom furniture for my 16th birthday.  (Yes, indeed, it was a loooooong time ago!)

The set included:

• a double dresser and mirror,

• 2 three drawer bachelor chests,

• a three drawer corner chest and hutch,

• a desk and chair,

• 2 nightstands,

• and a king-sized headboard.

It was a great, stylish set at the time but, alas,  sets of matchy-matchy furniture have long become passé.  The main reason I have kept this set all these years is because we have very small closets in our house and with  small closets, the 23 drawers in this set are invaluable!  I truly don’t know what we would do without all this drawer space.  

Who knows…maybe if I wait long enough, matching furniture sets will come back in vogue!  LOL. 

Anyway, here’s what the room most recently looked like…my “red phase.”

 

Several months ago, I decided I wanted to redecorate this room in my new favorite color, aqua, and use beachy decor. 

The drawers do have a rope-like design on them but that, in itself,  didn’t seem beachy enough to me so the following thoughts went through my head…

I wish my furniture looked more cottage/coastal.

I wonder what I could do  to make it look more cottage/coastal?

Hmmm… bead board is very coastal looking.  Maybe I could insert bead board in the recessed areas of the drawer fronts.

No…it would probably be too thick.

AND it would require a lot of measuring and cutting for 23 drawers.

I would need Hubby’s help with bead board too.

Hubby HATES carpentry work.

Gee, I think I recall seeing bead board wallpaper before.

YES!  That’s it!  Bead board wallpaper would be so much easier to work with.

Hubby hates carpentry and I could handle the wallpaper myself.

That would make Hubby really happy!

Not long after having that conversation with myself, Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality posted about using bead board wallpaper on the ends of her kitchen cabinets. It looked absolutely awesome so that further convinced me to  try applying it to my furniture.

The process was really easy because the decorative drawer trim was just screwed on.  Once the screws were removed and the trim piece was off, it was very quick and easy to apply a piece of wallpaper to the flat drawer fronts.  I didn’t even have to be precise in cutting the wallpaper because all the raw edges were hidden once the decorative trim piece was screwed back in place.

 

The photo below  shows the drawers “before” on the left…and the “after” drawers on the right.

 

Although this wallpaper is paintable, I elected not to  paint it because it was actually  a P.E.R.F.E.C.T. match to my furniture in its natural state.  I was afraid I would never be able to get paint that matched any better and I didn’t want to open a can of worms and have to end up repainting all of that furniture!

My next goal was to cover up the lattice trim on top of the dresser mirror.  This proved to be a bit more challenging and time consuming than the drawers.

 

As I stood studying it and trying to come  up with a plan, I noticed there was a recessed area.

I made a pattern of the lattice area from white paper.  Then, using the pattern, I traced the shape onto foam board that I found in the picture framing department at Michael’s and cut it out.  Then I applied the wallpaper to the foam board.

I put a few dabs of hot glue on the back of the foam board to hold it in place and  caulked around the edges.

 

I also removed the back of the hutch and wallpapered it. 

Since the hutch  had the lattice too, my original plan was to cover it the same way I covered the lattice on the mirror.  However, I quickly discovered I didn’t like the way that looked when the panels were covered over.  The shelf was just closed up too much so…

a couple of whacks with the palm of my hand…

and the panels popped right out.  Ahhhhh…much better!

 

Wallpaper was also applied to the sides of the nightstands.

 

And a little to accentuate the curvy detail of the desk chair.

The application of the bead board wallpaper and new drawer pulls was such an easy solution for giving this old furniture a long-deserved facelift.  I truly feel like I have a new set of furniture without giving up my 23 drawers of storage space!

Now it’s time to add the fun stuff that gives the room pizzazz and personality…bed linens, artwork, and accessories. 

Stay tuned for that transformation!

 

For more Metamorphosis Monday transformations, check out  Between Naps on the Porch !

 

And pop over to see Make Your Monday at Twice Remembered

Makeover inspiration is also abundant over at DIY DAY at A Soft Place to Land .

 

Visit Sanctuary Arts at Home for Makeover Open House on the 25th of each month.

 

 

Chippy Hand-Painted Stool

Chippy, distressed  paint and a cracked seat do not diminish the beauty and charm of this hand-painted stool I purchased off eBay several years ago.  The artist is Sherry Gautreau (aka eBay seller:   “Sherrygeau”).