Painting Continues and More Mesh ...

Happy Sunday!

Well, I'm almost done painting the master bedroom, but then, I'll have to tweak and futz and tweak and futz.  *Sigh*  But, I must admit, I'm loving the new colors in here!

While I'm working away, I thought I'd share a few more mesh wreaths I've recently designed for others. I'm loving my new *side gig* and look forward to creating many more!

For a Nebraska Cornhusker's fan:

This fun customer ordered a wreath to compliment her Christmas tree which was done in blue, brown and silver.  She asked if I'd also add a bit of animal print ribbon for some pizzazz, too:

A Valentine day wreath greets folks at our friends' house in Northern Virginia:

 

A fun new friend of mine gave her Mom a wreath of her choice for her birthday.  She asked for a rustic/lodge wreath for their basement ... this is what I came up with:

Sweet friends ordered an "everyday" wreath for their front door in their favorite colors of black, white and red:

I made this one for my parents for Christmas ... they live on the ocean and love anything "coastal!"

Double the "LOVE" at our great neighbors' entry:

A winter wreath to fill the void on a sweet customer's front door:

Another Valentine wreath for a wonderful family!

Go Clemson Tigers!

And, lastly, our Valentine's Day wreath:

 

I'll be back soon with *hopefully* pics of our soft and serene master bedroom!  Have a great day everyone ... and, "Go Giants!"

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Shabby Dress Form Belt

I decided to undress my Dress Form 

and display her differently.






Initially, I had her dressed in my wedding dress.








But before that, she was a $2.50 garage sale find.I covered her in book pages and loved the outcome.
Then, I recently saw this picture (below) for new inspiration for her.So, I went to my sewing room and found a lace and muslin valance that I paid 50¢ at a garage sale

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Shaam-E-Sarhad, Hodka Village, Kutch.

Little did I realize that while I had posted about this resort from a magazine, way back in 2007 and the subsequent posts about NGOs working in Kutch, that I was actually laying invisible foundation stones for a trip to Kutch, Gujarat in December 2011, a good four years later.

Shaam-E-Sarhad is a eco-resort built in a Kutchi village-style setting using locally sourced materials and crafts of the region. It is owned and managed by the Hodka village community and is open only from October to March.

The resort promotes Endogenous Tourism where one travels not just for pleasure, but also to appreciate local community and their life in rural Gujarat.

"The Endogenous Tourism Project in Hodka village seeks to promote local culture and craft based tourism for sustainable livelihoods and integrated rural development. Its aim is to improve the local people's quality of life, by creating more livelihood options, while preserving and allowing the community to develop their unique culture and share it with visitor."~ hodka.in

The reception area is adorned with 'Chittar Kaam' patterns and designs in earthy colours.

The use of local architectural style, the intricate art & crafts is very evident as soon as one enters Shaam-E-Sarhad (translated 'Sunset at the border')

Hodka village is not very far from the Rann of Kutch region which shares the border with Pakistan.

The dining area is below a multi-hued canopy of bright local fabrics patches...

A sit-out made out of a mixture of smooth mud and dung. Beautiful patchwork quilts made by local artisans spread their colours on an otherwise neutral colour-palette.

A Kutchi cloth doll with traditional dress swings gently in the breeze from the wooden poles..

Even the switch board is made using locally crafted wooden plank.

There are a few Bhunga mud houses and many tents where you can experience sustainable living.

Orange dawn from our tent on the first day of our stay at the resort.

The next day we moved to the Bhunga house:-) The resort is very popular with travelers who come to visit the White Rann of Kutch, Dhordo, Hodka and the wildlife sanctuaries.

This is Pandhi Bhai with another local gentleman. Pandhi Bhai plays the Morsing on cold star-studded winter nights sitting on that 'charpouy' in the previous photograph.

Bhunga is a house that is circular in design, made of mud plaster, dung and twigs, it has a light dome-shaped bamboo and thatched roof. A glorious mud structure that is resistant to high windspeed and earthquakes.

The thick walls keep the interior cool when the temperature rises to 46 degrees celsius in summer and warm when it drops to two degrees in winter.

A fabulous example of Kutchi architecture and eco-living.

The 'Chittar Kaam' or Mud paintings convert the exterior of the Bhungas into art canvas' as well.

The 'Lipan Kaam' or the sculpted mud-mirror work frame the wooden windows.

'Lipan Kaam' at the entrance to our Bhunga with lacquer work wooden door.

The interior of the Bhunga with stunning patchwork bedspreads and curtains.

The purple seating glows as the light filters in.

Utterly, deeply and completely in love with the woven curtains.

The intricately carved wooden window shutters.

Sitting under the canopy of rainbow colours, watching the dusk envelope the Bhungas at Shaam-E-Sarhad, we sat sipping our hot Khullad chai and just being in the moment.

(images by Arch, the last one by Mr. Husband)

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Kitty Tassels

If you know me, you know that I love tassels and I also love making them. I even did a tutorial HERE so you could learn just how easy it is to make anything into a tassel.

I have tassels hanging all over my home, from keys and lamps to doorknobs and drawer knobs! I just love them. Do you?

Hubby and I love cats, and I saw an ad in a Tuesday Morning flyer for these cute salt and pepper shakers.

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2012 Means No More Proscratinating!

See this?  This is a picture of what this light switch in our master bedroom has looked like for the last YEAR folks ... with this little paintstrip from Benjamin Moore (Ballet White and White Sand) tucked up under it and a sample of the paint thrown on to the right of the switch.  I've seen it EVERY DAY when I turn the lights on/off.  My husband has teased me enough!  LOL 

What's holding me, Miss "ADD," back?  Well, I'll tell, no show, you!

There are a BAZILLION nail holes to cover from where we had trim added to the trey ...

a GABILLION nail holes just like these to be filled on every single wall that Miss "I don't like to measure, just put holes in the wall until you get it just right!" added ...

Annnnnnd, our big ol' trey will have to be primed before painting:

  

Oh, and let's not forget moving bedroom furniture is NOT fun, nor is cleaning the baseboards and dust that is living behind everything!  This room hasn't been painted since we moved in almost 6 years ago!  And, I'm running out of excuses.  I know I'm going to love the result!  So, that's it ... since it appears that it's not going to paint itself, it's time to put my big girl painting pants on and just do it!  The walls will be BM White Sand, the trey will be BM Ballet White, and the ceiling will be Ballet White cut at 75%.

Wish me luck ... see you in a year!  LOL

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Be My Valentine!

It's about a month away so not too early to display some sweet Valentine decor. Last year I had this as one of my displays...



This year I wanted to find a new way to display my Valentine Hankies! So I used my green wire tree. I took advantage of our unseasonably warm weather last week and spray painted it white. I then purchased red heart ornaments on after Christmas clearance. And with my

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Oh, Why Not?

Howdy doo, everyone and Happy Friday!

Weeeeell, after transitioning our Christmas tree on the kitchen island into a Valentine tree, I decided I just couldn't let it stop there ... so, the "love" started to spread ... it's contagious, I tell ya'!  I thought I'd share a few elements I used to create a budget-friendly Valentine mantel, and I hope to inspire a few of you to do the same!

First up ... the reason for the upcoming holiday!  Remember my "Believe" blocks from our Christmas mantel?  Well, I simply flipped a few of them around, painted them crimson red (with craft paint I already had on hand) and hot glued inexpensive, curly letters (from Michael's that I purchased with a 40% off coupon) ... instant "LOVE!"

So, ya' don't want to spend money on Valentine candles?!  No worries, friends ... just add a small bit of decorative red ribbon to one (or ten!) of your simple white candles, which I KNOW you have on hand!  Look(!), instant Valentine whimsy:

I'm also willing to bet that you have a white vase or something similar hanging around.  Why not grab a few faux *Spring-y* florals from your collection and mix in a bit of red berry *Valentine-y* florals:

And, hmmmm, as the crowning touch, do you happen to have an inexpensive heart made out of *faux* roses?  If not, then think about skipping on over to Big Lots and grab one (better yet, make one of your own, you crafty gals, you).  And, THEN ... why not frame it with a picture frame (that you're currently not using) and layer both of those on top of a mirror?!  I love adding layers, EXCEPT for layers of fat, which I seem to have added a LOT of lately (gee, thanks, holiday season) ... true story !!

After adding a few more simple, on-hand goodies, here's our first *eva* Valentine mantel:

Okay, so, how'd I do?  And, now, it's *your* turn ... show me what 'cha got!

Happy Decorating,

Linking up with:

At the Picket Fence/Inspiration Friday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia/Tuesday's Treasures
52 Mantels/Mantel Party
A Stroll Thru Life/Tabletop Tuesday
Savvy Southern Style/WUW
Dear Lillie/Valentine's Party

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