THE SCOOP #126

Did you have a fun 4th of July weekend? We sure did, here at StoneGable! It's hard to believe that we are on the "downside" of the summer season.

But don't fret there is still lots of summer left and lot of great summer ideas here at 

THE SCOOP!

Before we begin this week's SCOOP I want to share some exciting news!

 I am in this months edition ofCELEBRATING EVERYDAY LIFE... a gorgeous magazine...

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS #57

Welcome to my home.... nay... not really!

How about... welcome to 

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS #57

Let's start this party with a featured house tour...

LIVING ROOM UPDATE

We have been slowly working on our living room.... S-L-O-W-L-Y! 

Here is a little look at what we have added to feather our nest.

I love the light in this room! This picture was taken at 7:00 in the morning...And light just floods in!

And this is a picture at 7:00 in the evening... lots of golden light!

Did you notice the area rug?  I found it on Overstock.com. I have purchased several wool rug from them and loved them all!

Originally, I was looking for a very light colored traditional area rug... until I saw this.  I figured I'd give it a try and return it if it wasn't right. I think it is a keeper. Because of all the light colored upholstered pieces in the room, the dark rug give the room some depth and weight.

I have been looking for months for the perfect coffee table. Right now there is a big open space!

 This is the hardest decision I have to make in this room. I was going back and forth about size, finish, color and style. I think I finally found "the one".

I'm probably get it today... look for an update soon!

We also purchased two end tables from Ethan Allen. One is a big black square table with a leather top and brass nail heads.  The accent works with my heirloom brass lamp.

I felt the space could hold a bigger piece. Behind the table will be billowy linen damask curtains.

The vignette on the table is not really done. The lamp and jar are staying... the rest probably not. I am in the process of collecting for the table vignette too!

The tall brass lamps are very special to me. My father was stationed in a remote Air Force base in Wakkanai Japan in the early 60's. Among the amazing things he brought home were these beautiful solid brass lamps.  They were part of my childhood.

My mother gifted them to me when we moved to StoneGable. Someday, I'll gift them to one of my children too. But, for now... they grace the living room!

The other end table is also black.  Different shape and approximately the same height as the square table.

Again, the vignette will not stay. I just stuck something there to fill it up.

Curtains will also go behind this end table.

Speaking of curtains, here is the fabric. I'll be spending next week sewing them.

The bones of this room are coming together, but there is still a lot to be done!

The big space between the window and french door need to be filled. I'm looking for a chest... maybe a bombay type and I would like to paint it similar to the buffet in the dining room to bring that soft muted buttery yellow into the room.

I ordered two white sea fans from Etsy and will frame those above it for the summer.

On the opposite side of the room... on the wall behind the chair and next to the french doors... I am looking for a BIG old french arched piece with lots of glass. I'm going to paint it.

They are very hard to come by in my area. I'm thinking I'll be making some trips to DC and other cities to look for this piece. Thank goodness I am patient!

I still have another chair to add. I picked up an 18th century Chinese Chippendale with a beautiful lattice back. I need to repaint and reupholster that too.

And of course, the room needs art!  That is always a process. 

I'll keep updating you as we progress. 

Next project... the curtains!

AMAZE ME MONDAY

WOW US WEDNESDAY

ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER!

Many of you know that we are doing some major redecorating here at StoneGable. The living room, dining room, foyer and front hall stairs are getting a much needed facelift! We are slow DYI'ers so don't expect a "reveal" in the very near future"!

Decor project, for me. tend to be like snowball... once I get in "decor mode" the snowball of inspiration rolls along gathering every home decor project in it's path!

I am always ten projects ahead in my mind...I cannot go to sleep at night because I am trying to figure out how to knock out the bathtub in the guest suite bedroom and replace it with a no walls shower... or I wonder what style of board and batten paneling I want on my main bathroom walls... or what color to paint my laundry room cabinets and would cork floors work in there... or how to decorate when we knock out the windows in the family room and replace them with double french doors.... 

Decorating is like a snowball rolling down a two mile hill of heavy wet snow gathering steam and every packed snowflake in it's path....

While I was in Ethan Allen last week to look at fabrics and an end table, I was stopped dead in my tracks by this buffalo checked chair! I knew where it's real home was! I was not looking for black and white buffalo head chairs for the breakfast area... but these were perfect!!!!

While choosing fabrics for the living room and carpet for the stairs I was so distracted by the thought of the buffalo checked chair sitting in a "room" nearby... I could hear it calling me! It was whispering sweet designing nothings in my ears!  The snowball had started....

So when my new friend Linda from EA came to StoneGable to bring the fabrics and carpet samples I had chosen... she brought this dreamy chair!!!

I love love love it!!!! 

 There was a wee problem, though... it's arms were too high to fit under my kitchen table. Did I mention how much I love it?

I am a buffalo plaid girl... and a black and white girl... and a comfy seat with the perfect arms for resting on girl!

It does come armless. But I just love its's sturdy arms and perfectly matched pattern and welting! Then the snowball got a little out of control... 

It wasn't long until I came up with a solution...

The breakfast room is too small anyway... we could always knock the wall out when we knock the family room wall out for the french doors!!! Then it would not matter if the darling black and white buffalo checked chair with perfectly wonderful arms and matching pattern and welting didn't totally fit totally under the table... wouldn't it look so cute slightly turned out from the table in a jaunty sassy way? 

I went from huge snowball to avalanche in no time flat!

Here is a little confession... Bobby has no idea about the giant decorating snowballs I create that will inevitably swallow him up too! He is a let's-make-one-little-snowball-at-a-time guy! I believe in the old adage, "ignorance is bliss"!  

So please don't tell him I have the next 10 years of decorating projects wrapped up in giant snowballs headed straight for our house! He will find out in soon enough!

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS # 20

Before we start... a big thank you and hug to all the people praying for us during the hurricane. We fared well... just a whole lot of yard clean up. It really was a miracle we did not have wind damage! Thanks!

Keep praying for all those affected by Sandy. My heart and prayers go out to all!

Welcome to  TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS  #20...

Happy NOVEMBER...

 I love this month! Let's celebrate with lots and lots of DYI's, great tips... and other fun tidbits!

Let's start our November celebration with some fabulous features from last week...

Jessica from MOM 4 REAL is a real smartie! She shows us how to CLEAN THE GLASS BETWEEN THE STOVE DOORS! Not only is this brilliant.... it was the most viewed blog last week! 

If the title picture of this post got your interest... no wonder! Isn't this BURLAP WREATH  wonderful!  Head over to LAKE GIRL PAINTS and join Deb's CRAFT PARTY!

Daniela, thanks for your DROP CLOTH COASTERS Tutorial! I think these would make a great hostess gift for the holidays! You can find this DYI at FRUGAL AIN'T CHEAP.

These little PAINTED ACORNS  from JUST GRAND are so darling... and as easy as can be! Just look at the statement they make...

I couldn't wait to show you this EASY AND DECORATIVE OVER THE DOOR SHELF  from Barbara at 21 ROSEMARY LANE.  It was love at first sight for me!!! Now all I have to do is convince Mr. Rosemary to make one for me too!

If you don't know Marty at A STROLL THUR LIFE you will want to. She is one of the sweethearts of blogland!  She shares fabulous tips for bloggers that want to make their own EASY HEADER COLLAGE.

  Pinky, this one's for you!

Anything that starts out with... Mom's______ makes me look! You just know it is going to be delicious! So let's all look at MOM'S LEMON TEA LOAF. Oh, Yummy! To get Bronwyn's Mom's recipe head on over to QUEEN B~ CREATIVE ME.

Jenn at CITY FARMHOUSE brought light and chic styling to her kitchen with CONTACT PAPER WALL STRIPS.  Oh, I'm looking into this for my laundry room... I love the look!

I love the idea of self-serve around my house. Here is a festive FALL COFFEE BAR  to keep everyone happy before breakfast! This is my tidbit for the week!

If you have been featured at TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS please grab a "Featured" button from my sidebar.

Now let's see what great TUTORIALS, TIPS AND TIDBITS  you have for us!

* Please link your post using your permalink

* Please link back to TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS in the body of your post. You can find my button TTT button on my sidebar.

* Visit other TTT participants... let's all visit at least 3 others and comment

* Please link up only photographs that belong to you.

* It would be nice if you would follow me, thanks!

FEATHER YOUR NEST... Creative Ways To Decorate With Nests

I have not seen my first Robin yet. But I am looking with a watchful eye. I have heard it on good report that they have returned home to the mid-Atlantic area from their long winter vacation. Welcome home little yellow-sock fellow!

 Robins are the most welcomed harbingers of spring... a true sign that warmer weather is just around the corner!