My Cottage of Bliss

Monday, February 28, 2011

Huge Moving Sale!

After spending the past 4 months going through every inch of the “My Cottage of Bliss” house, garage and backyard storage sheds weeding stuff out…

and weeks of cleaning, pricing and organizing items…

this past Friday and Saturday we held our

And what a GREAT yard sale it was too!

It was extremely successful and profitable. Probably 85% of the items I was trying to get rid of sold and we made a little over $1300.00.

Yes, $1300.00! And it’s not like that included a lot of big ticket items either. There was one item that sold for $125.00 and there were a few $10, $20 or $30 items but the rest of that total was reached by selling items that were marked $4.00 or less!

I knew I had purged a lot of stuff but…really?!

Having a yard sale is an eye-opening experience on many different levels, but particularly when it comes to human behavior. Of course, we had several of **those** people—the ones who make you want to pull your hair out when they insist you sell them a pile of stuff for $1.00 and then get indigent when you say no. But we had a lot of really nice, friendly, polite people too. I can’t even count how many people said it was one of the nicest, cleanest, most organized and/or most reasonably priced yard sales they had ever been to. That almost made all the hours of preparation I put into it worth it right there.

I had put ads on Craigslist and in the local newspaper, listing the start time of the yard sale as 9:00 a.m. Friday. Knowing full well people would be showing up earlier than 9:00, we were outside setting up by 5:45 a.m. I don’t think I’ve been up that early since I quit working. It was still dark! As soon as daylight started to break, passing cars began slowing down to look and before 8:00 a.m., there was already a crowd of people in line to pay for stuff they wanted to buy. It was crazy!

We used 8 large tables and still didn’t have enough room so the overflow was displayed under the tables and around the yard. It was kind of interesting to see what was hot and what was not.

All of my daughter’s old toys--Teddy Ruxpin bear, Barbies, miscellaneous other dolls, dollhouse etc.--FLEW off the tables. Completely gone within the first 2 hours or so. Her old crib, rocking chair and table and chair set went fairly quickly too.

Faux flowers and plants were definitely on the list of “hot,” in-demand items. With the exception of one fall season arrangement, they were all gone in a blink of an eye. We’ve all heard how the professional decorators have proclaimed using fake flowers and plants is a huge decorating no-no but it was clear to me this weekend a lot of people either haven’t heard that, or they simply don’t care what the decorators think! ;)

In the past, I’ve had pretty good luck selling clothes so I was a little surprised very few of my name brand career jackets and tops sold, despite being priced in the $2.00 to $5.00 range.

I also had a lot of cute Christmas decorations that didn’t generate much interest, including a 2 ft. tabletop white tree that I had only used once or twice. Wrong time of year for people to be thinking about Christmas, I guess.

There are still a few pieces of furniture I hope will sell on Craigslist but I am extremely pleased my life is a whole lot less cluttered and my bank account is $1300 richer. A definite win-win in my book!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Dear “Grandma”…

If you’ve been visiting my blog for a while you probably know I have a daughter. I do mention her frequently, but from time to time I’ve also written specific posts about her (like here and here) or written about something exciting she has been involved in (like here). And, of course, there are a couple photos of her with one of her horses on my sidebar.

My daughter isn’t married but that doesn’t stop me from hoping that someday, when she finds “Mr. Right” and the timing is right, she will bless me with at least one grandchild. I’m quite partial to little girls so I dream of being able to buy a granddaughter cute girly things like this…

and this…

and….

well, I think you get the idea.

However, even though my daughter likes kids, she readily admits she likes animals a whole lot more so I have often joked the only “grandchildren” I’ll probably ever have are the four-legged, furry-faced kind, like cats, dogs and obviously, horses.

Yesterday I got an email from a retail website that made me laugh. Of course for you to fully see the humor in this email, I should probably remind you that Jolie is one of my daughter’s horses. The email read:

Subject: Look What Jolie Found at Red Haute Horse

Dear Grandma,

Jolie thought you might be interested in learning about the following item:

Zebra on Purple Polka High Fashion Horse Halter

Our Red Haute Horse High Fashion Horse product line is made in the U.S.A. of 100% vibrant color-fast polyester.

I like this!

Visit Red Haute Horse to view the full selection of products available at Red Haute Horse

Since Jolie apparently likes purple, I wonder if “Grandma” could talk her into 4 of these adorable little lavender numbers for her hooves instead?

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

I Snooze, I Lose.

Do you want to see what was listed on Craigslist that I missed out on because I was ambivalent?

This white French chair with beautiful lines and carved details. Look at those legs!

I know. I’m kicking myself.

Want to know how much they were asking for it?

$80.00.

I know! You can kick me too.

The table was only $45.00.

I thought the chair would probably look really nice in the formal living room at the house in Hooterville with my white matelasse slip-covered sofa and loveseat and other white furniture but I was ambivalent about the shell design on the fabric (even though I love shells).

I hesitated over spending $80 for a really beautiful chair.

Meanwhile, while I was hesitating, somebody else jumped right on it.

Oh, when will I ever learn?

Linking up to White Wednesday #88 @ Faded Charm

Friday, February 18, 2011

A Media Console and Coffee Table for the Family Room, Finally!

For months…

and months…

I have been searching for a media console and coffee table for the family room at the house in Hooterville. I mentioned in this post how I was really leaning more toward a pine finish rather than a dark finish and how that was severely hindering my ability to find something I liked since darker finishes are definitely more in vogue right now.

In that post, I even showed some possible table and media console contenders. But then, for one reason or another, I vetoed them all and started looking again.

Finally, I found this for the TV and media equipment from here and fell in love.

As far as I was concerned, this was IT but just as I was all ready to go buy it, hubby decided to get a new, larger TV during the pre-Christmas sales.

We measured the new TV. Then we went to RTG and measured the TV console. Just my luck…the new TV ended up being one-half inch too big to fit into the media cabinet that had stolen my heart!!

ONE-HALF INCH! ::groan::

Hubby was not amused when I suggested he take his really B-I-G TV back and trade it for a slightly smaller one.

Back to the drawing board. I started looking at TV consoles…AGAIN.

About a month ago, I found this Newberry console. It was a brand spanking new item on the PB website .

PB Newberry console photo source: Pottery Barn

I didn’t ♥♥♥ it as much as the other one but it did have possibilities, namely…

#1. The finish was a pine stain.

#2. It had plenty of room to hold hubby’s electronic ~~stuff~~ “components.”

#3. There was no enclosed cabinet to worry about the really B-I-G new TV fitting into.

So here it sits (with the new really B-I-G TV on it) in the semi-naked family room waiting for hubby to finish setting up the electronic components, and hiding the wires and cords, and me to decide on some art for the walls and other miscellaneous decor.

Now what I did ♥♥♥ was the coordinating Newberry coffee table!

photo source: Pottery Barn

Even though it was so “me,” I ruled it out right away because hubby doesn’t completely share my enthusiasm for white. We I already have a lot of white in the house (white or off-white furniture in almost every room, white carpet in the formal living/dining room, white kitchen, bathroom and laundry room cabinets etc.) so I was going to try to steer clear of more white furniture.

But he said he liked it. In fact, he said he liked it better than the coffee table I was considering. Huh? He repeatedly encouraged me to get it. (Maybe because I didn’t pitch a fit and insist he take back the B-I-G TV that didn’t fit into the media cabinet I really loved? Maybe.)

We went to the store, bought the Newberry coffee table, got it home, unboxed it and……..

Ohhhhh nooooo! It had a big crack in it. :(

The only other one they had in the store was the floor model and the manager told me it had a crack in it too. He said it would probably be at least 6 weeks before they would get any more in but he’s suppose to call me when they arrive.

Two more decorating decisions crossed off the list.

Only about a “bazillion” more to go.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

A Purple Orchid, the Bathroom Storage Cabinet, and the Next Big Renovation Project

I’m still working on finishing up a few things in the new bathroom at the house in Hooterville. Hubby got the pieces of chair rail molding cut for me but I see another trip to Lowe’s in my future before I can get it painted and installed. I was all set to start painting and remembered I was out of white semi-gloss paint. Darn!

I still need a towel rack but I’m mulling over ideas for that. I’d also like to find a piece of art to hang over the toilet but I haven’t seen anything that really grabs me yet.

Something else I have been on the lookout for was some type of flowering plant to add a pop of color. (A realistic looking faux, of course, since I don’t do live plants. No green thumb here, folks.)

In my head, I was envisioning something in a pretty pink but when I spotted this faux orchid plant at TJMaxx the other day, the vivid shade of purple made me stop and do a double-take.

I wasn’t sure how the reddish purple was going to look with the bluish gray paint on the walls but I figured if it didn’t work, I could always return it.

But I think I like it! The color is different enough from the paint to be interesting and add the pop of color I was looking for.

The amazing cabinet guy who built my kitchen cabinets and fabricated the sink and countertop for the vanity in this bathroom has now finished and installed the custom storage cabinet in here. Once again, he has outdone himself! He took the vague ideas I had and was able to turn them into a beautiful, functional cabinet that seamlessly flows with the rest of the bathroom. I’m 200% pleased.

With 4 generous sized drawers on the bottom…

The view from the doorway of the adjoining bedroom

…and 4 adjustable shelves in the upper section, I should have ample storage space for all those bathroom necessities that I want and need to have handy but hate to leave sitting out in plain view.

The next (and last) really big inside project on the agenda at the house in Hooterville will be the 3rd bathroom. The 2 photos below were taken the day we first looked at the house in September 2009.

Believe it or not, this is considered the MASTER bathroom! Sad and pathetic, isn’t it?

Bet you’re wondering how I’m going to improve this.

Yeah, me too.

I do have a few ideas I’m tossing around in my head but it is going to be a challenge, to say the least. That’s why I’ve saved it for last.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Nesting Herb Crates

Just want to send a shout out to all the new visitors and followers I received after Kim @ Savvy Southern Style so kindly featured the vanity from my bathroom renovation after her “Boring to Better” Party #12 last week.

If there are any of my readers who don’t know Kim (is there anyone who doesn’t know her?), I urge you to go over and check out her blog. She’s an amazing decorator and furniture refinisher! I’m sure you will also enjoy her “Boring to Better” linky party every Wednesday because don’t we all love seeing before/after photos?!

*****************

Today I wanted to tell you about a little present I recently treated myself to.

Well…it’s actually something for the house in Hooterville. The house seems to be the recipient of all the “presents” these days.

I first saw these here…

photo credit

I bet you did too!

Then, some time later, I saw them in HomeGoods but foolishly passed them up.

WHY do I DO that?!

But I couldn’t stop thinking about how cute they were so now I have a set to call my own. I’m not sure yet where I’m going to hang them, or what I’m going to fill them with, but that’s half the fun!

If you are interested in a set for yourself,

ummmm…I mean a present for your house,

I found them here.

By the way…are you old enough for these herb crates to remind you of THAT song? My high school chorus teacher made us practice it so many times I actually came to hate it back then. Funny I should end up with something that will remind me of it every.single.day.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Living Lighter Without So Much…STUFF

With the new year, I know many of you have been working on organizing the different areas of your home.

Several years ago, I made a vow to get rid of the unnecessary STUFF and get organized in my own home. After my parents had both passed away, it took my sister, my husband and me SEVEN full weekends to clean out the home where my parents had lived for more than 40 years. The amount of STUFF they had accumulated through the years was overwhelming. I decided right then and there that I never wanted my daughter to have to deal with cleaning out an over-abundance of STUFF her dad and I have saved through the years.

Well, much like the pain of childbirth, the time-consuming and overwhelming task of cleaning out my parents’ home was soon forgotten and the STUFF in my own home, garage and the backyard storage sheds I/we no longer used or wanted continued to sit untouched…

until…

a couple of months ago when I started packing for the move to the house in Hooterville.

I have been determined to go through every closet, every drawer, every piece of paper, every storage box in the garage and sheds, every inch of this house and decide what to keep, toss, donate and sell BEFORE it gets moved. I refuse to take STUFF to the new house that we don’t want or use.

Not surprising, after 38 years of marriage and 35 years in the same house, this task has been equally as overwhelming as going through my parents’ home was. Our garage has looked like a bomb went off in it ever since I started the sorting process. Yikes!

However, this is the perfect opportunity to pare down and move only the STUFF that is most important to us.

In this process of purging, I have realized I’ve kept a lot of STUFF for sentimental reasons. I still have my daughter’s crib. (She’s 28 for pity sakes!) I still have her childhood rocking chair and her little wooden table and chair set. I also saved her Teddy Ruxpin bear, her Cabbage Patch and American Girl dolls and some of the other popular toys from her early years. I feel a sentimental attachment to them but I also thought perhaps someday, if my daughter had children of her own, they might like to have them. I have come to realize these things have more meaning to me than they do to my daughter. So…it’s time to let them go.

Teddy and some toys ready for the garage sale

I also still have my wedding gown from our wedding 38 years ago.

If/when my daughter gets married, I’m sure she will want to pick out a wedding gown that is reflective of her taste and the current styles rather than wear mine that is out of fashion, yellowed, stained and has a weird smell after being packed away for so many years. So why am I saving it? It’s a HUGE dress with tier after tier of lace. It weighs a ton and takes up a lot of space to store it. It’s time to let the wedding gown go too.

But, before I get rid of it, I do plan to cut a piece of the lace off to be made into a special (smaller) keepsake…to appease the sentimental part of me.

It also occurred to me that I have kept a lot of STUFF because I’m afraid I might need it again someday. Things I bought years ago and used for years have served their purpose but I continue to hold onto them…JUST IN CASE. Heaven forbid…what if I might want it or need it again?! In reality though, I’m finding I didn’t even remember I had most of this STUFF until I started going through the storage bins so, in all likelihood, I’m sure I won’t even miss it after it’s gone.

As I continue to go through the process of deciding what to keep, toss, donate and sell, I still have a tendency to want to keep more than I should but I have weeded out an unbelievable amount of STUFF. This is only about 1/3 of the STUFF that will be sold at our garage sale. (Doesn’t look like much in the photo but in some places STUFF is piled up 3 feet high!)

We’ll be living a lot lighter and more organized in the house in Hooterville and I think it’s going to feel really good!

What about you? Do you hold on to things because you are attached to STUFF, like me? Or do you find it easy to let go of things you no longer want or need?

Sunday, January 23, 2011

From Ugly Duckling to Beautiful Swan (A Bathroom Metamorphosis)

I’ve been itching to post the results of the house in Hooterville hall bathroom renovation but I was detained in Hooterville last week babysitting my daughter’s two cats and dog while she was out of town and didn’t have access to my blogging computer.

So even though Rodney, the cabinet guy who remodeled my kitchen, is still working on the storage cabinet for this bathroom, and I don’t have the chair rail molding up yet, I’m now ready to reveal the transformation…which turned out to be a pretty remarkable transformation, if I do say so myself!

Just a reminder of what we inherited when we bought the house…

a mish-mash of bad flooring

a privacy wall that made the toilet area extremely cramped

a pedestal sink that afforded ZERO storage

and

no mirror

and approximately 5 feet of wasted space to the left of the pedestal sink.

After we bought the house, I painted the peach walls white, just to freshen up the space until I could decide what I wanted to do in here.

While pondering renovation options, I was of the opinion the privacy wall should come down but there was just a hint of doubt in my mind so I asked my readers. The overwhelming consensus was YES, rip it out!

You don’t have to tell me twice! Out it came!

In fact, the whole bathroom was gutted, right down to the studs.

Below the new bathtub is in and the tile being installed.

I used bead board wallpaper on the lower part of the walls and the paint color on the upper walls ended up being a happy accident. I couldn’t decide what color I wanted to use in here and on a whim I thought I’d *try* the the same color I painted the formal living room and dining room since I had a whole gallon of it left. It’s a bluish gray called Winter in Paris (Valspar paint sold at Lowe’s). I actually like it better in this bathroom than I do in the formal living and dining room.

When you compare it to the aqua in the adjoining bedroom and the green in the hallway, you can see that it is really more gray than it appears in most of these photos.

Inspired by user Colleen_Christine on Rate My Space, I went on the hunt for a free-standing vanity similar to hers and found one identical here (although I didn’t get as good a deal as she did). I was pretty nervous about ordering it sight unseen but when it arrived, I was 100 percent pleased. It’s a solid, sturdy piece and it made the trip from New Jersey to Florida without getting so much as a nick or scratch on it.

With a little paint, new hardware (instead of the wood knobs it came with), and a top made from the same LG Hi-Mac solid surface I selected for the kitchen (fabricated by my amazing cabinet guy, Rodney), and ta da…

WOWSERS! Ain’t she purdy????

(For my readers who voted on the other style vanity, I’ve decided to use something similar to it when I renovate the 3rd bathroom in the house within the next few months.)

As I mentioned, my cabinet guy is building a storage cabinet for that far corner. It will be 24 inches wide, go all the way to the ceiling to look like a built-in and it will be finished off at the top with crown molding.

**Update: the built-in storage cabinet can be seen here.

I love the flooring! Believe it or not, it’s vinyl planks from Home Depot. This was one of the special order colors but it only took about 7 to 10 days to come in. Oh how I wish I had used this product instead of the wood laminate I selected for some of the other rooms in the house!

I’m still keeping my eye out for some little something to add a pop of color in here, and as soon as my cabinet guy gets the storage cabinet installed, I’ll update with photos of it but in the meantime, I’m totally loving my new bathroom.

Hmmm….I think the cat is liking it too!