WHITE WEDNESDAY

Come with me into the garden for this week's installment of WHITE WEDNESDAY. I think I have said it before, gardening in Florida is a bit of a challenge especially if you have lived in another part of the US and know that there are peonies out there somewhere. But I digress... (sigh). So I try to give my garden the charm that I crave with crusty, rusty elements and fragments in my favorite WHITE...


Cute birdhouse from old pieces and parts. Notice something has taken up residence in the lower floor by chewing the opening. So much for the birdies...


Fab old rusty white wheelbarrow.


I love this white sunflower bird feeder.


One of my favorite hoe shields from my collection.


Iron garden chair that I found where? You guessed it~~in the trash!!! What is wrong with people?


A section of old concrete garden edging.


I never throw anything away until there is no other option. An old rocker that served us well now sits in the cutting garden...


Concrete bunny that guards my butterfly garden.


Architectural element on my garden cottage.


Old porch post and an old corbel on the garden cottage.


Old rusty, crusty vent cover.


White angelonia.


Fab old crusty painted trellis.


This piece would have protected the bottom panel of an old screen door. Now hangs on a section of old picket fence.


Another old trellis with a twig wreath.


Fab old architectural element on the porch.


Thanks for coming along. Until next week...

Hugs,
Shelley

And The Winner Is......

Congrats DEMAINCA on winning the box of goodies!!!!



Thanks to everyone who commented and for all the lovely words you sent my way! I am very blessed to have so many people interested in my little blog. And now to Bobbie, my winner, if you will please send me your mailing info this box of treasures will be on it's way to you toot sweet!!

Hugs,
Shelley

WHITE WEDNESDAY

This week's installment of WHITE WEDNESDAY features random photos from my archives and select quotes from one of my fav books on living with white~~AT HOME WITH WHITE by Atlanta Bartlett.


White has the appeal of the nothingness that is before birth, of the world in the ice age. Wassily Kandinsky


For those colors which you wish to be beautiful, always first prepare a pure white background. Leonardo Da Vinci


White... is not a mere absence of colour; it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black... G.K.Chesterton



Renoir said once that nothing was so difficult, and at the same time so exciting, to paint, as white on white. Ambroise Vollard

Simple Stool Slip Cover

Here is an easy way to change the look of a simple square upholstered stool. The picture on the top shows the original stool. The picture on the bottom is the slip covered stool in "Zebra" (color - Steel) available at Calico Corners.

The slip covers below are made from a remnant of Italian fabric (top) and a remnant of embroidered linen fabric (bottom) also purchased from Calico Corners.

Requiring only a minimal amount of fabric and simple sewing, this project can be completed in less than 1 1/2 hours. The button-tufted stool is from West Elm and measures approximately 16" square x 18" high but similar inexpensive cube style stools can easily be found at a variety of other places including Target and Marshalls Home Goods.

Directions:

1. Determine fabric measurements - Measure top and four sides of stool. Add 1 inch to length and width of stool top for seam allowances. Add 1 inch to width of stool sides and 2 1/2 inches to height of stool sides for seam and bottom hem allowances. Cut out all five pieces according to measurements. Note: The slip covers shown were made of home dec fabric and required only 1 yard of fabric. If you plan on matching up patterns or using 44" wide fabric you will require additional yardage. Also, if you plan on washing your slip cover, it is always a good idea to wash your fabric before you cut out your pattern pieces.


2. Sew sides - Place two side pieces right sides together along "height" sides, making sure both pieces of fabric are going in the same direction. Using 1/2" seam allowance, sew together. Repeat with additional two side pieces. Place these two pieces right sides together along "height" sides. Sew together along both matched edges forming a ring. Using an iron, press seams to one side.


3. Bottom hem - Using an iron, press bottom edge of ring (slip cover sides)under 2". Fold raw edge under towards pressed seam forming a 1" bottom hem. Sew bottom hem.


4. Attach sides to top - Turn ring inside out. Mark center point of each side of slip cover top and each side of slip cover side. Placing right sides together and matching raw edges, line up and pin center points of slip cover sides with slip cover top. Pin and sew around entire top using 1/2" seam allowance.


5. Turn slip cover right side out and place on stool. Enjoy!

100th Post~~You Know What That Means!!!

A GIVEAWAY!!!!!

So it certainly took me awhile, but here I am at post #100! In keeping with tradition in blogland, I'd like to show my appreciation to everyone who stops by and leaves me lovely and inspirational comments by sending a lucky winner a package of goodies. So please leave a comment on this post to enter the giveaway, and tell all your readers to enter as well. I will draw the name of the lucky fabulista one week from today and then leave him/her a comment on their blog as well as announce the winner in a post here on my blog. So let's see what the winner will get...

A lovely creamy white dome-topped wooden box filled with treasure.


Open the box and look inside. An apothecary jar with lovely egg soaps from Gianna Rose, a teeny old whisk broom, a set of botanical note cards from Secret Leaves, a bar of luscious honey almond soap from French Soaps, and an old watch face to start...


Add an old clock face, and some fabulous hand-made gift tags in a French theme...


Add some old buttons on a card...


A better look at the egg soaps, buttons, tag, and a lovely charm from the one and only Cathy Penton. The charm has a birds nest in brown and cream on one side and says "wish" on the other...


The egg soaps, the whisk and the clock and watch faces...


The botanical note cards and honey almond soap. Great for dirty hands after gardening...


The Cathy Penton charm and the old clock face...


Fabulous hand-made gift tags...


Good luck to everyone~~I hope you are enticed to enter! Who knows, there may be a few surprises tucked in here and there as well...

Oscar Worthy Kitchen

Renovation Style / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

It is always a treat to spend time at my friend Elizabeth's house. She has taken such care to design a home that is both elegant and comfortable. When her kitchen was completed several years ago it was featured in Renovation Style magazine.

Renovation Style / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

Elizabeth used the movie "Something's Gotta Give" as her inspiration for her gorgeous kitchen. Her renovation was such a success that she started her own interior design company, etanny design, llc.

 
Some of the special details in her kitchen include custom millwork, detailed brackets and angled drawers.

Renovation Style / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

 

Renovation Style / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

Elizabeth's kitchen story was also the first time Red Door Home appeared in a magazine. If you look very closely at the picture below, you will see the box pleat valence and window seat cushions I made.

Renovation Style / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

WHITE WEDNESDAY

So this week we're going to "clean up our act" and head to the guest bath for WHITE WEDNESDAY. While this room is the size of a postage stamp, I haven't been deterred from having not one but three old medicine cabinets. I love the two with the mirrors all cloudy and ghosting. The other one had no glass or mirror, so we added some old ceiling tin. The small side table is one of my all-time fav pieces of furniture in my home. Love the detail on the legs. The old column has the best creamy paint. The 59A plaque on the door is an old house number I scored on ebay all the way from Australia. I put one on each door down the hallway. The mirror frame was found...get ready...IN THE TRASH!!! Who would throw an old frame with original creamy paint away? It takes all kinds... Hope you enjoyed today's installment.

Next post is number 100!!!! You know what that means.... A GIVEAWAY!!!!!! Stay tuned and tell your friends!