{finding the perfect outdoor lighting}

the first picture is what i have up right now...i bought this collection got home and opened the boxes, pulled them out and guess what???  the 2 wall lights were black instead of the rubbed bronze!  the ceiling light was the right color and i really like it...i went back to the store to see if maybe i just had 2 bad boxes and turns out they were all the same color...uggggh

we went ahead and put them up & i just don't like the difference in color...my husband thinks it's okay but,  i just can't get over it....i'm sure you can't even tell..lol

so, back to shopping for outdoor lights...here are a few i like..can't decide!

              

so far this is my favorite! i like the cottage farmhouse style..it's in a pewter color...this is from lowes

this on is different but, not sure how 2 would look at each end of the house?  home depot

 

or this one?  lowes

i have to decide quickly...my brother in law will be over in a few days to take the old ones down....

xoxo's Nan

{a few reno pics of our NEW old home!}

our new hallway..my husband and I were the architects and general contractors for our renovation & addition.  we used a software from office depot to draw up plans...it was easy to use!

It took us a bit to figure it out the layout b/c we kept changing our minds.....bathroom here, jack & jill bathroom, 1/2 bath....but, finally we agreed on a plan & ended up with an additional 900 sq.ft. & plenty of room to spread out!.......since, we were adding an addition we had to pull construction permits and then, it started! 

 Our house is on blocks so, my husband & I hired a subcontractor to help us layout the foot print{gosh i remember it was super hot out...we tied several tarps to give us shade and worked underneath digging holes & leveling out the dirt...after all that effort they kept blowing away...can i get an awwww?lol } ....after that phase we hired a framer to frame out the addition...that was such a joyous day! we actually were able to see the space we worked so hard to create!

before, we had a modest 1300 sq  foot bungalow a 2 bedroom 1 bath....we took out our old bathroom and added 2 new bathrooms~1 in the hallway & the other in our new master bedroom, added a huge {huge to us} master bedroom w/ large walk-in closet, re-configured the old master bedroom into an extra room, added my daughters room & an office!

..the picture above is the hallway to all the rooms...i have always loved the look of the paneled walls and decided to add the look all the way down the hallway....we put in a shelving unit w/ storage underneath for my photo albums..{eventually, i'll put mirrors on each shelf }

 we decided to make the addition  w/ 9 foot ceilings...the rest of the house is 8..I love the high ceilings.

 all wood painted in navajo white {sw}

walls~kilim beige

 ceiling~ devine white {sw}

we matched the floors to the rest of the house ~red oak 3/4 inch.

My handy man husband put in ALL the hardwoods! I think he did a fabulous job!! 

 We  hired out a floor re-finisher since, this was something we really weren't sure how to tackle.. first, had him stain the floors a lil bit darker than the rest of the house & I didn't like how it turned out......I had a vision of what i wanted it to look like and this was not it...so, he came back and sanded & re-stained...an expense we didn't count on..... 

also, the pic above shows the attic stairway finished out...per COH we were not to code and had to take out the stairway & put in a bigger one...another expense we were not counting on...since, we were the general contractors on this addition WE definitely learned as we went along good & bad!

here's the dining room...wood paneling again....

my new office space...i designed the layout & hired a local cabinet maker to bring my vision to life!
  I love my new office!!
i used navajo white for all the wood work thru-out the house
kilim beige for all the walls
devine white for ceilings

will post more pics as I gather them....come back and see the rest.

as i type we are in the middle of our kitchen reno..will this ever end? :)

{feeling the winters blues?}

the warm color of the wood beams, the abundance of pillows, duvet filled w/ down comforter....simplicity is sometimes more....

countryliving

this grouping of pastels screams "SPRING IS NEAR!"

countryliving

this room say's "summer"...windows up letting some fresh air in...a fluffy down comforter and warm color of the large wood plank floor to the side table in it's natural patina!

countryliving

{the famous New York Sun editorial......love this!}

The famous The New York Sun editorial that answered eight-year-old Virginia Hanlon's question about Santa's existence is a great example of Christmas writing. Journalist Francis Church wrote the response in 1897 and it quickly became one of the most famous editorials in American history. It was reprinted in the Sun every year until 1949 when the paper went out of business and has been reprinted in books, made into an Emmy-winning animated children's video, and was the inspiration for the 2004 Ginny Celebrates doll by Vogue.


Is There A Santa Claus?

We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of THE SUN:



Dear Editor -

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus? - Virginia O'Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.


Merry Christmas to All! ~nan

{a lil bitty tinsel tree}

these few pics are some of my favorite christmas ornaments we place on this lil tinsel tree....it was handed down to my husband...it was his mom & dad's first christmas tree! we put it up every year and such a joy to look at...I love all the shiny, sparkly tinsel branches and the size is about 2 1/2 feet tall..it's soo darling! we adorn it w/ era style ornaments as you can see below!

xoxo's Nan

{an old picture frame turned into cork board}

the frame and the cork squares

I took this old picture frame I bought several years ago at a garage sale {cost $2} and turned it into a cork board..this year I thought I'd display all our lovely christmas cards from our wonderful friends! I took 6 pieces of cork, hot glued on a piece of thin wood board-the size of frame, attached it all and here you go! it's a perfect piece for many uses thru-out the year...
you could get a lil more fancy and put a fabric background...myself like the look of Cork!

{2009 American Girl Bday Party...She's 7, OMG!}

I wanted to share some pics w/ all of you! We took Madeleine to Dallas to the American Girl/Bistro to celebrate her 7th Birthday! We all had a Great time w/ her!

We are here!

The beautiful Christmas Tree in the middle of the ice rink in the Galleria

Madeleine is feeling a lil overwhelmed and can't decide what she wants first...lol



This is Kit...she just got a fancy NEW pink dress for Madeleine's Bday Party! Isn't she a Doll....

Madeleine and her BFF! Too Cute!






The table setting for the Party at the Bistro....

Madeleine is a STAR!

My sweet Madeleine...I just can't get over how quickly she has grown up! My My how time flies by!

{round top, warrenton, fayettville antique fair 10/2}

i love these blue mason jars....i didn't pick any up and i'm really regretttttting it! don't you hate that..you see something you like and you say to yourself...i'll be back on my way out and it never happens...ugggh

cute lil cottage house...

we arrived early and as soon as we got there it started raining.....so, we{hubby, sis, niece & myself} packed inside a lil burger joint {can't remember the name but, WOW what a great burger!} & we ate & waited until it passed...finally, headed out with total excitement to start our shopping extravaganza ...not to mention shortly after it started raining again....& again...it was a wash out! but, i did manage to take a few photos in between rain sessions! lol

xoxo's nan

{and the winner is........}

Jennifer Patrick & Tina O'conner!! woohoo....congrats to both! madeleine picked 2! if you would just email me your home address thru facebook inbox... i'll send it out to you!

enjoy!!!

xoxo's ~nan

{Round Top Antique Fair...here i come!!}

every year i look soo forward to the fall w/ all the wonderful festivals! this year especially since i am working my way to having my own booth one day! round top is my favorite, it's 2 times a year fall & spring...

today i hope to meet some of the other creative peeps that have inspired me! :) i'll post pics soon.... stay tuned!

{happy sunday!}

sunday - a day for relaxing, gathering thoughts & writting the todo list for the week!

i was very inspired yesterday at a fall market i attended ..they had sooo many wonderful things & put me in the mood to create more & i think this wonderful fall weather has something to do with it!!

on a different note.....my sister and i came up with a very cute display idea for my bottlecap chokers, necklace & rings...this was an old door i found {i actually came across 40 vintage tattered doors for FREE!! wow i struck gold!!} we cleaned it up and put scrapbook paper inside the panels...i had this vintage tissue holder and it's perfect for the bottle cap chokers...you just reach in and grab one! the metal panel is from ikea and the hooks i had....

i think i want to paint it a blue or something...then add a chalkboard to write in the prices...

what do you think?

xoxo's Nan

{Remembering 9/11}

I will never forget what happened on 9/11...my prayers go out to all the families that lost loved one's that day. my heart feels sadden to think about how they must feel today. i also, want to say a BIG THANK YOU to our troops for keeping our country safe!

peace & love

GOD BLESS

~nan

{black kitty bottlecap choker handmade by me!}

i have seen many of these in local boutique stores and decided to unravel the truth behind this rage and here is my take on it! what do you think? i have more to post later...my daughter thinks they are super infact she wanted to start wearing right away...i had to tell her not until Oct..{mean mommy}..well, i do think it's a lil early to start wearing halloween gear..lol

if interested in purchasing please convo me! i would really love to see others enjoying what i have made!

also, i would like to do a giveaway so, post your comment and your name will be put in a hat!

we will draw a name oct. 1 & announce the winner!

{a sneak peek at our 2nd Renovation! OMG we started in 06'!!}

{Our home after the 1st renovation in 01'}

our bungalow in the city....this was taken after we finished w/ our 1st renovation...we didn't work on the exterior much..we painted and did a bit of landscaping...we began renovating our home in 2001, then in 2002 we expanded our lil family! i "told" (witchy me) my husband we either have to move by the time she is 4 or we are going to have to expand! well, that's what we have been doing for the past 2 years! i know 2 years..maybe 3??! we keep stopping and taking breaks...i don't think we will ever finish..ha! and w/ me being a decorator..i change my mind every month! lol

the only hallway

our daughters room

our 1 and only bathroom

the entry way

the other side of living room

the living room

sunroom/waste of space? lol we added double french doors, painted, added ceiling fans & resurfaced the original hardwoods

breakfast/dining room

this is a shot from across our breakfast/dining room...we added a lil office nook.

we gutted the kitchen to bare studs and added all new cabinets, doors, appliance, travertine tile, light fixtures...etc....