Sweet Melanie's Mini Christmas Home Tour

Debbie from Debbiedoos has asked for a mini home tour...I am so very blessed to have met her on Rate My Space many years ago through HGTV.  She has been such an inspirational person and has helped me with my blog.  What would I have ever done without her and the many times on the phone walking me through each step....Thanks Debbie!!! 

 

So, here we go!

                                     

Welcome to our home for Chistmas in the mountains of West Virginia

 

Come on in....

 

 

 

 

 

One of our trees...done in whites, silvers and pale pinks. 

 

 

 

 

Our eat in kitchen is lively with lots of baking and laughter for the holidays...not a dull moment in this home.

 

 

All ready for the girls and their cookie decorating...

 

 

 

Our two girls....the best presents we could ever have!

 

 

One of our fireplace mantles....

 

 

 

The "little girls" room...

 

 

I made jar lights last year from some old jars that are truly vintage...my "Mammaw" had them when I was a little girl.  I am now 42....so there is the vintage for ya!

 

 

 

This is the back room all ready for Christmas presents for family members that we travel too.  It's nice to have them seperated.

 

 

 

And our master...

 

 

I hope you've enjoyed a little bit of our home for Christmas....  I'll be posting each room in the weeks to come. 

 

~Merry Christmas ~

 

 

Romance for Christmas

 

 

Our little nest away from the worries of life...at least for a minute.

 

 

 

When I walk down the stairs, I feel overly blessed to have this space for my sweetie and I.  I have had so much fun doing it a little different in here compared to last year.  Too much furniture was really the culprit...

 

 

 

As I sat and gathered ideas, I had originally had this garland on the armoire...but it was just way too much.  So my little lightbulb went off!  The hubby loves it....and so do I!

 

 

 

 

Originally I bought a white tree years ago and have always put it here at the bottom of the stairs.  But I just didn't have the heart to move any furnitutre out and store for the holidays.  So my little trees got a makeover in whites, blues and silvers.

 

 

 

And I couldn't be happier!  The white tree turned out beautifully upstairs in a bedroom...so that will be another post.  Keep tuned, believe me there is a lot more to see.

 

 

 

Years ago, the sweetie and I made this fireplace for the wall mount gas stove.  I sure do wish there was an outlet here, I'd have it all lit up!

 

 

 

I still have fun decorating it though...and I love how the mirror reflects the light in this dark corner.

 

 

 

 

A few months ago, we moved this armoire from upstairs to down here.  I couldn't be any happier...and it just fits perfectly!

 

 

 

I found this little light up house at Home Goods...but can you believe I couldn't find the perfect spot for it anywhere?  Until now....

 

 

 

So there you have it...our little romantic get away for Christmas. 

~A Sweet Old door~

 

It all started with a door that my oldest daughter and I carried up from the garage one day.  I had purchased it on one of the many facebook yardsale sites that I follow for $20.  I had seen in a magazine a wall built from three old glass paned doors like this for an entry...so I knew I could do something with it.

 

 

 

As it leaned in the corner, my mind began to think...I have always hated that opening behind the door because it is short and is an awkward space.  Years ago, my sweetie and I had built the bi-fold doors for it so the girls could keep their backpacks and such.  But as I just said...it is an awkward space.  It gets a  little tight there sometimes with the main door, the armoire doors and the closet doors...always closing one to open the other.

 

So to the hardware store I went.  This is what I came up with...  I bought a dual door track for a glass sliding door.  Since the door would be hanging, I needed to make sure there was a little lip for the wheels to stay in.  Making sure the door did not fall forward. 

 

 

Then the work began...I ripped off the old molding and added the new wider molding.  (I now wat to replace all of our door molding with this stuff, but that'll have to be later!)  I want to mention...when cutting aluminum, you can do it with a jigsaw but always wear your safety glasses.  So much easier than with a hacksaw.  Then the sweetie installed the track inside the door jam with the rest hanging out to the right.

 

 

We added a 2x2 at the bottom of the door for added height.  Then installed the wheels. 

 

 

 

After installing the wheels on the inside of the door at the top for the track, I started painting.  Instead of adding fabric to the backside of the door, I thought of spraying the glass with the frost spray.  But I knew it would show shadows of all the junk in the closet.  I knew the fabric would get caught while sliding so I opted to paint the glass.  I've done it before so I knew it would work.  It lets the light come through and I think it works lovely with my Christmas decorations.  I might just leave the light on like a decoration itself!

 

 

 

It slides perfectly behind the armoire and the door knob acts as a good stopper. Now the space is more open...no more worries about all those DOORS!

 

 

 

Now I'm off to try and finish my Christmas decorations...that is if I don't think up another project.....

Recovered Vintage Lampshade

I found a vintage lampshade at our local Flea Market some time ago...it sat in our storage room for at least a month.  The fabric that was on it was dry rotted so I ripped it all off and then recovered with some of the duvet fabric I had left. 

I bought some really cute eyelet lace and some gimp that I thought would really play it up without being to frilly and fou fou.

Years ago, I had bought a packaged light set from Lowes.  It came with this floor lamp.  I always hated the fact that you could see where it was linked together so I painted it a pale blue.  Now with the lampshade...I think it is perfect!

I love how soft the lighting is with the British Rose fabric and how it reflects in the glass of the china cabinet.

Along with the chair and the revamped gun cabinet...I think this area is just perfect!  It's funny how I am always redoing things, but I know you all have to do that too....

Thanks for visiting...now I'm off to recover some chandy shades and possibly do a little of my Christmas decorating.

Happy Birthday Sweet Sara

 

It all started when I married my highschool sweetheart.  He wanted to have children and I didn't.  I didn't like the thought of  bringing a child into this world and going through what I had went through as a child myself.  But he persisted and I am so thankful that he did.

 

After having a miscarriage I was reading my Bible one day about Sara and Abraham.  I had read the story many times and knew it so very well.  But something was different.....the words just seemed to leap from the page into my heart.  I then knew I was to have a child and her name would be Sara.  I know without a doubt that I heard a voice telling me this...I knew it was God. 

 

One night at our church, my pastor called me up front.  He said what he was about to say he had been struggling with.  He then proceeded to tell me that God had told him that I was pregnant and that I even had a name.  He said her name is Sara.  No one, absolutely no one did I tell this!  Not even my husband.  I began to cry...God had confirmed what He had told me.  You see, when my husband wanted children, I hadn't.  I know God put it on my heart to have a child and then when I had a miscarriage it was devastating!  So for God to tell me that I would have a daughter and her name would be Sara, then confirmed through my pastor....I was thrilled!  We all know how long it takes to have a baby, so I had a girl and guess what her name was?

~SARA~

 

 

She was my most precious gift.  I loved her unlike any other before.  I woke to her sweet smell, her sweet smile and her little precious smile just consumed my whole life.  She was my princess.

 

 

 

Even back then I loved pink and she wore it every day.  My mother in law even asked me if I had clothes for her in any other color, lol.  SARA looked absolutely beautiful in PINK.  Nothing but PINK would do.

 

 

 

Sara was my pride and joy, always with me at all times.  She loved her Mammaw Garnette just like I did.  I always thought if I ever had children that I would want them to know her like I did as a girl.  And God blessed me with that dream.

 

As she grew....I knew I had always wanted a sister or brother....since I was an only child....I wanted that for her.  So then along came her sister Hannah(which is another story entirely).  Sara was so excited to be a big sister.  Something she has done with flying colors.

 

 

 

I couldn't have asked for any better...my two little angels.  And just look at how she was teaching Hannah to pray...

 

 

 

The love that they shared was something truly amazing...something I had always wanted.  I was seeing their love grow right before my eyes.  She was the best big sister anyone could ever want!

 

 

As she began to grow, I saw such beauty...she was becoming a young lady...just radiant and so full of life.  She made me so proud!

 

 

I couldn't believe my eyes...she was almost the size of me and then one day she just passed me up.  I then began to look up at my little girl.  Then I realized she wasn't that little girl anymore. 

 

 

 

She had become a beautiful young woman before I could even blink my eyes....starting to drive, liking boys, thinking about college....I just couldn't believe it!

 

Where had my little girl gone that I used to take naps with, cut up oranges for and watch The little Mermaid with?

 

 

 

I'll tell you...she is my best friend, the one that I share my life with, my hopes and dreams for her with, the one that I laugh and can be sarcastic with, the one that makes me so mad and happy at the same time with....she is my first little girl who'll always be that sweet baby I held in my arms 18 years ago and got the every first smile from.  She'll always be that little girl that called me Mommy.  A name that I am proud to be called(now when she wants something).  I now have graduated to Mom.  But I will always love my little girl no matter what....

 

 

 

Happy 18th Birthday Sara!

 

Mommy loves you!

My British Rose Settee

Guess what I did with this?

A friend on facebook sent me a message about this settee that she had bought but hadn't had the time to re do it.  She offered it to me so I JUMPED on it!

This is what I invisioned.....

I knew what I had to do to the duvet...for a week I went back and forth about the decision.  Finally I thought "what the heck!"

When I picked it up from the lady I was buying it from, she handed me a bag full of the tufting buttons.  And do you know what?

They were all in excellent condition matching the British Rose perfectly with it's green and blues.

I painted the settee, reupholstered it and made a seat cushion all nice and fluffy.  I think she really turned out beautifully!

At the end of our bed was a chest....I was so worried that the settee would overpower the space since the chest was simple and white.  But after adding it to the bottom, I feel like it blends in perfectly.  Plus I can still lay all of our pillows on and under it.

I played musical chairs again...can you tell?

Making sure we had plenty of walk space so that we wouldn't crack our toes in the middle of the night....

I am working on other projects with the rest of the duvet fabric, so more photos to come in the near future!