PART TWO~LORRI'S HOME TOUR

Welcome back to visit Lorri's home tour part two. As the temps soar~~here in the Lone Star State, let's relax, get out of the heat and go back over to Lorri's.

This Temperature Thermometor is one of my latest treasures offered in my etsy shop.

As we go back to the second floor, and view where we left off last post, we are greeted by this gorgeous vintage table in the entry.

The guest bath, next to the guestroom (where we left off last post) was also a total redo by both Lorri and her talented hubby. They resurfaced the tub, replaced the sink with a furniture style piece, painted the cabinet black and textured the walls. The floor was also retiled. I love the sink and all the old world style with animal print accents.





Wasn't that an awesome bathroom? Now right next to this room, still on the second floor, is the office. Another French door leads to the office. Having these doors helps to open up the areas around the loft. Lorri designed this room with a nautical theme, accented with ships, ocean views and seascape collectibles. It has a wonderful window seat behind the desk. The drapes were another great find at Ross.





This winter painting is another talented Lorri has done on a cutting saw. The design is by Decorative Artist, Debbie Toews. I tell ya, in this heat, it is a refreshing piece to view.

Now moving on we walk to the Master Bedroom across the shabby garden sitting area. Gorgeous, elegant and regal is the feel to the beautiful room. Pretty light sage is the wall color that also goes through to the bathroom through the curtained french doors. Floral bedding gives a soft summer feel that is so relaxing. Lorri also dresses this room in purple shades at different times of the year. Lavender and purple also looks gorgeous with the light sage walls.



Meet Ellie! She is taking a break as we view the bedroom. Isn't she beautiful? Lorri loves dogs and is a dog groomer by trade. Ellie was a Greyhound rescue dog and the breed Lorri loves. Her love goes out to all animals, but the Greyhound has her heart. Ellie is her only Greyhound now, but she has had others in the past. When a Greyhound retires from the track, they need a loving home to spend the rest of their life. Lorri has provided this for Ellie and the two are inseparable.

From this room we turn to the left and face the french doors that lead to the master bath. Again, this room was a major redesign with color. The tiles all around the tub, shower and sink were, in their before life, a dark burgundy. Yes, what a transformation. They had the tiles all professionally painted in a soft white, painted the walls light sage green, framed the double sink mirror, painted the sink cabinets white and added new travertine tiles to the floor. It is an amazing space just by changing color. Lorri also stenciled some wispy leaves on the cabinet doors.


Notice the glass shelves that bank the shower surround. Great place for gorgeous collectibles. The tub is another wonderful display area for Lorri's pretties and accented like a garden room with those gorgeous curtains above the shutters.
As you look up, you see a decorators ledge graced with pretty boxes that Lorri also collects.




WOW~~ do you want to see one or her recent redos? This is a fabulous upgrade for a chair. Here is the before~~~

Now the after~~~ what a gorgeous redesign to a chair that had great bones and style. Just needed an upgrade. Lorri painted the wood our favorite raw cotton, distressed around the details and then recovered the gold fabric with a gorgeous green toile. Terrific job Lorri, this is awesome!

Sorry for the small pic. It was copied from an email and I could not size it up. Also sorry to say it will not enlarge either. But you can see the idea here. This chair is gorgeous.

This concludes are tour for today at Lorri's. Next time, we will be on the first floor and visit her gorgeous living room, family room, kitchen, half bath, dining room and go outside where she just redesigned her patio furniture cushions. You will be amazed with that redo too.
Thank you Lorri for having us over to tour your gorgeous home. You've given us lots of great ideas and inspiration. See you for part three next time.
Till then, I'll be back in the studio putting the final touches on many new treasures coming to my new web shoppe soon.
Blessings, Celestina Marie

LORRI'S HOME TOUR~part one!

Welcome to a summer home tour at my dear friend Lorri's home. We can walk just around the block from my home to hers where she lives with her husband and sweet greyhound named Ellie.

Lorri moved here from British Columbia where she began painting many years ago. As a small child she loved to create. Her mother encouraged her talents giving her papers to paint. Everything was a surface to Lorri even then. She remembers a time when she decided to redesign and change the colors on the Cinderella wall paper in her childhood room. Her mother never was upset, smiled and handed her more paper to create on. Lorri's mother is very special, she knew not to scold the artist, but rather encourage the creative side of her daughter.

Later in years, Lorri actually worked for a shoppe owner where she studied Decorative Painting going on to custom paint for clients, and the rest is history as they say.

Lorri and I met six years ago at Hobby Lobby. We happened to be browsing the decorative arts supplies when we took up a conversation and have been great friends ever since. She, like myself, is a decorative artisit and loves to decorate and redesign from great thrift finds. Needless to say, we have a lot in common and can talk for hours about decorating and bounce ideas off each other for redos of old and new treasures. Before we go inside, just look at her beautiful potato plant trailing out on to the driveway. These actually came back from last year. I'd say, Lorri has a green thumb!

Hi Lorri, thank you for having us over for a home tour today.

"Welcome to my home, so nice to have you visit."


As we enter through the yummy green door, we face several directions to go, but let's go upstairs first to view her garden room loft, studio and guest room for part one of our tour.

As we reach the top of the staircase, we see a gorgeous garden loft that leads to the other second floor rooms. This area is a recent redesign for Lorri. The vintage china cabinet in it's previous life was dark wood teamed with other dark elements in the area. Lorri wanted to lighten and redesign the area so she set to painting all the pieces with raw cotton and the transformation is amazing. Light, bright and inviting making this space a shabby fresh and romantic sitting area.

The door you see leads to the master bedroom which we will see next time. For now, let's continue in this gorgeous setting. The china cabinet belonged to her grandmother who brought it from Bangor, Maine to Canada during the depression years. Lorri also being from Canada, before becoming my neighbor and friend, inherited this piece after it was handed to her mother first. Three generations have enjoyed this beautiful piece and the raw cotton paint, gave it new life that shows off the details.


Remember to click on the pics to enlarge to see the details. The beautiful bunnies displayed here are what else but another treasured yard sale find. Behind the cabinet, the porch post is a thrift find that Lorri also painted and distressed.


Across the room is a fabulous tea cart, also another great thrift find, positioned with a rocker that Lorri also painted.



Did you notice the pink doily on the tea cart? Lorri found this sweet treasure, needed it pink, so she used the new pink fabric dyes to give it a new look. It turned out beautiful.
Now turning to the left, we see a french door with a beautiful summer dress hanging. Inside this room is Lorri's shabby rose studio where she paints, crafts and creates her treasures. Let's go inside.


This room over looks the backyard, the pool and the gorgeous trees. With Lorri's painting table facing the window, it is the perfect spot to be inspired and create. It was difficult to get a brighter pic due to our bright Texas sun. I edited this several times, so enlarge to see better. Take a look at the wall color. The top is a pink with a white wash over top to tone it down and the bottom a soft pretty green.

Moving around the room we see a vintage ironing board perfect for making extra counter space for projects. The easel was also a yard sale find, once again painted raw cotton and displaying a gorgeous print from Ross. We always browse Ross finding great treasures for decorating. Lorri dry brushed a light ivory on the frame to give it a shabby style. Looks like Lorri is working on some winter sleds for Christmas.



Lorri's painting table shows the artist at work. What a beautiful and relaxing place to work. Across from here you see storage cabinets that line the walls holding art supplies and surfaces. In their previous life, they were solid white. Lorri took quilt designed fabric, cut out the shapes and decoupaged them on the doors with tassels for accent on the door handles. It is an amazing look. Take notice above the cabinets. There Lorri displays collectibles and gorgeous victorian prints found at the Goodwill. All she did was clean them up and paint the frames for contrast and that shabby style.




This is a long tour. There is so much to see. We are still on the second floor and now we will move on to the guestroom. Here Lorri displays more redesigned furniture and a few of her hand painted treasures. Who wouldn't love to stay in this inviting room?


Notice the tea tray on the bed. Lorri found gorgeous floral post cards at an antique mall and applied them to the tray giving it a new and vintage look. It is gorgeous and perfect for guests to enjoy a cup of tea perhaps sitting on the window seat.


The night stand provides a cozy and comfy spot to retire with a good book. On the wall are cabinet doors hand painted by Lorri with a bear design by Maxine Thomas. Fluffy towels displayed in an over sized basket ready for guests, sit handy and ready for use.


Along the entry wall is another gorgeous painted chest Lorri did some time ago. It looks perfect with the light furniture and provides space for guests to unpack and be organized.

This ends part one of my summer home tour with Lorri. I hope you enjoyed it so far. Coming next we will visit Lorri's master bedroom, bath, guest bath and second floor office.Along with being introduced to Ellie, Lorri's sweet greyhound. It will be fun with design elements sure to give you some great creative ideas.
Thank you Lorri for having us over. See you again soon for part two.
Till then, I am off to paint. Blessings, Celestina Marie

BLUE WILLOW WITH THE LEGENDARY SCENE

is as popular today as it was many years ago. I am referring to the Love Bird pattern on the pretty Blue Willow dishware. Beautiful blue and white with two Love Birds flying face to face at the top.

As the story goes, there once lived a monarch who kept his daughter captive in their home away from her love. Some how the couple managed to run away together and board a waiting boat that was to take them away to live happily ever after.


As they sailed away, a terrible storm happened at sea and the couple was never seen again. But high in the sky flew a pair of Love Birds thought to be the loving couple.

The pattern is the same on all the vintage to reproduction dishes, but how you can tell a repro from a vintage, is the birds. New plates have thin birds where as the vintage plates have plump full birds. The same is true for the additional pieces like cups, saucers, bowls and such.

I have a combination of two sets of these dishes handed down from my grandmother to my mother and then on to me. I had them stored away till recently when I decided to add them to my Tuscan kitchen. They look amazing and remind me of many wonderful memories and happy dinners through the years with family and friends.
Recently when I was antiquing, I can say that Blue Willow is still very collectible and sought after by collectors and dishaholics like me.



So glad you stopped by today, I hope you will visit again later this week as I have a special home tour planned with my dear friend Lorri. You will love visiting her home and the special touches she has added. It will be a treat for me to introduce her to you and share her many talents and love of home decor and decorative painting. Hope to see you soon. Till then, on our way to Lorri's. Blessings always, Celestina Marie

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY~2009

When I was growing up, I was raised in a very patriotic family. We raised our flag for each and everyone of our nations celebrations. My father actually installed a beautiful flag pole in our yard that we were all very proud of. In our yard today, we always fly our flag each and everyday. Since 911 we have not taken it down. Our flag is a permanent part of our home. And, if you fly a flag 24/7 it is proper etiquette to have it lit with a spotlight during the night time hours.


The First Flag!

Our Flag is a symbol of service and on June 14th 1777 the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act which resolved that the flag of the United States be made of 13 stripes in red and white, the union should be 13 stars with a blue background. In 1818 the Act provided that the 13 stripes represented the 13 colonies and one star for each state to be added on the 4th of July following admission of each new state and signed by President Monroe. Thus we have the flag we know today.

Whatever you plan for this 4th of July, I hope you have happy and safe times with family and friends and look towards our flag with honor and pride in America.
Thank you for stopping by and till next time, Blessings and Blue Skies,
Celestina

VINTAGE SEWING CHEST

This past Spring my friend Karen from Texas, gifted to me a gorgeous vintage sewing chest. I told her I would paint and keep it as a treasure given from her. I finally got it finished and have it displayed in my shabby rose room. I nearly forgot the before pic and started to paint it when I remembered, and quickly took a picture as I was painting. It is painted fresh crisp white with light pink accents, roses and trims. This was a fun project and perfect to hold my sewing projects and the beautiful needle roll that Karen also made and gave me for my birthday.

Karen, If you are reading this, thank you so much. This vintage treasure is one I will enjoy and use for many years to come. Your kindness in giving me this gift will never be forgotten.
Here are some pics of the process and finished chest!













Sharing a Garden Journal.
Since planting a new garden this Spring, I started a garden journal to keep track of my plantings with notes and ideas during the process. While I am not a scrapbooker and this book is rather primitive inside, it is made with manila papers great for glueing and taking notes right on the page. The front cover is made from a copy of a fabric block I purchased from my dear friend,Pat of Just Between Us Girls. She has a great graphic selection on fabric for creating art work. Visit her blog to see the many she offers. Like I mentioned, I made a copy of the graphic to position on the cover, saving the fabric block for other projects.







Back to the studio I go. Till next time, Have a great week!
Celestina Marie

A FEW DAYS AWAY!

Yes, a few days away really does one a lot of good. I was on a little time out in West Texas. Had a nice time, and glad to be back home and back in the studio. While there, I did some shopping and sightseeing. I used to live in West Texas and things have really grown leaps and bounds in this friendly area of Texas! Here are a few treasures I found. Didn't really bring a lot back to paint on since I traveled by plane and was limited with room to carry treasures home. But here are a few things I did find.

Some items to design a candlewick treasure and a crackle fabric rose.

Wood Grace sign with iron accents!

Vintage floral embroidery linen.

This vintage book of the Bobbsey Twins 1928. It reminded me of my childhood in the 60's. I had a sweet little girlfriend, and the two of us were inseparable. Our teacher in elementary school called us the Bobbsey Twins.

I also found a small angel fairy that I will use to design a little fairy/angel garden. More about that later.
Recently I received a few awards from dear friends. The first is from my dear friend Ronda of Ronda's Peachy Keen Life
Thank you Ronda for this award of honesty. The idea is to list 10 honest things about yourself. Put the logo on your blog and then select 7 more who deserve this award. Due to time and so many friends busy and on vacation. I will elect to share this with all or anyone who would like to play along.

Here are my 10 honest facts.
1. Honestly, I do not like polenta! LOL!
2. I am honestly not a card player. Ask my family!
3. Can not tolerate bratty kids!
4. Honestly love shoes!
5. I do not like it when someone is being made fun of in a hateful way.
6. Hate snakes!
7. Not a fan of lazy people!
8. I love sincere people.
9. Honestly love peanut butter!
10. I honestly love to shop, paint, and be with my family!
See I got a few more in there. Now anyone that wants to do this, have fun!

Next I was tagged by my dear friend Carolyn, from Draffin Bears. This tag is to list 6 uninteresting things about yourself that really make you happy. Then to tag 6 others to play along. Again, I will tag anyone who wants to join in.

1. Sip earl grey tea early in the morning and read devotionals, really makes me happy!
2.Painting in the studio on a rainy day, really makes me happy.
3.My family being all together, really makes me happy.
4. Taking a walk around my garden, really makes me happy.
5.Slow dancing with my guy! makes me happy.
6. Curling up with my sweet Golden or going on a walk, really makes me happy.
I have so many more, but that's it for now.

Lastly, I was awarded from sweet ilakate (nyakatn)from Greece, with a lovely blog award. The idea is to accept the award, thank the friend who gave it and pass on to 15 other blogging friends. Again, There are way too many I would love to award so I will pass it to all my friends who visit. I feel you all have lovely blogs. Have fun and thank you so much nyakatn.

Thank you for stopping by and enjoy the awards and tag. See you again soon with a garden journal.
Blessings, Celestina Marie