French door for the shed and filming with Matthew Mead

 So much progress to talk about in regards to the ramshackle shed project!

As you can see its looking quite finished, which it practically is now.

Instead of using just an old screen door I had from Brimfield, I spotted a pair of

old french doors for sale on a Facebook yardsale page, so I ran off to buy them.

I hoped I could have the pair of them on the shed, but together they were too wide,

so we settled for one.  I painted it black and hubs installed it for me with my help.

Its quite darling, and since the shed is very tiny and has no windows, this glass

door seems to be the perfect solution for both adding style and light to the structure.

 Since I hate heights, even the shortest of heights, Justin did the entire roof 

with the cedar shingles.  Topping it off with a cedar shingle ridge treatment,

it is finished and basically waterproof now! 

 The idea to stain the exterior with a solid white was so it would go along with the house and the white arbor.  Using a big fat 5" wide brush made short work of painting the siding.  I still have two sides left to do, and that will likely be done next week.

 It is really adorable and I can't wait to clean up the site, put away the saws and ladders and all the tools.  Then move in my rakes and shovels and gardeny stuff.  The interior is not going to be all dolled up, its just going to be a utilitarian garden shed.  Over time that may change, but I have a small tomato garden that is going gangbusters and I just want to keep up with the watering and weeding and staking of the plants. 

The arbor needs a coat of the same stain, so I have been tackling that as well.

I also whipped up a new umbrella cover using Sunbrella Cabana Classic in black and white

which looks pretty with the black door and the white siding of the shed.

I will post more on how I did that project, but in essence it was simply taking off the umbrella

fabric (did you know you can do that?) and then copying it as a pattern to cut new fabric pieces

and then sew them together. Much quicker and cheaper than buying a new umbrella!

 So the shed is part of the backyard transformation, and it is really 

looking cute back here in the courtyard.  After I get all the tools put

away I will share some pics.

 In other news I have been doing a few things with Matthew Mead.  Yesterday he came out 

to the house to photograph my office studio for the magazine, Where Women Create.  

He brings flowers for the shoots he does, and they are an essential ingredient to a room looking as 

pretty as it can possibly be....and so after it was over I put one of the arrangements on the 

dining room table and I just loved how pretty it looked in the room.
Flowers really bring a room to life.

 Colby has recovered from being neutered and is just being terrific.  He is getting more affectionate as he gets older, and his one year birthday is coming next week, so we will be celebrating with a steak dinner for all!! 

The other fun thing I did last week was appear in a short film that Matthew Mead is 

preparing for the Haven Conference in August.  Haven is a conference for bloggers.  Yup,

like most industries with their conferences, blogging has several, and Haven is a big one.

While I was in a lot of the film with Matthew, sometimes I was watching him

 shoot his bits, and so I filmed a bit of the behind the scenes.  

Wouldn't it be fun to see more of this?  

He is so much fun to hang with, 

and some of this will be on our next Youtube video. 

 Stay tuned for that...and the shed....

and Colby's birthday party!

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French daybed debuts in the dining room

 Spring is coming, and I can't wait to get back outside.  Last year we

created a French style courtyard in the back of the house. Part of our 

plan was to access it by adding French doors in the dining room
 that will lead directly to the small narrow gravel courtyard.  We got the doors 

completed, leaving me to dream about how we will enjoy the courtyard as

soon as spring arrives.  When I spotted an antique French daybed at SOWA, our local

Boston vintage market, I decided it would be the perfect accent for the courtyard.

But for now the daybed is sitting in my dining room, and I figured I could just
 work around it if I made it look like it really belongs in this room.  So, here it is!
At the end of this post you can visit my design blogger friends who have 
all joined my in an ode to Spring, and see what they have done to usher in the season.

But make sure you check out my table, as I have been working on that too.

 A pretty table setting for Easter was one of the purposes of a recent photo shoot. 

 The table has my purple transferware dishes holding center court.  

Silver baby cups hold purple Easter grass and a few luxury chocolates for

 our grown up boys.  It is a new tradition for our Easter table, 

and it's a sweet nod to Easter when it once was all about the basket.
Vintage lilac colored damask napkins are folded inside of amethyst colored footed cups,
then set on top of the Clarice Cliff purple transferware plates.

White tulips reinforce the coming season so that this pretty dining room

 is all set for spring... even with the new unexpected addition. 

 Its a dreamy combination I think, a day bed in a dining room!

 For this dining room shoot, I moved in the piano bench and I think it might just be staying. 

 The slipcovered linen bench looks really pretty tucked under the table, 

which makes space for the daybed.

 The photo shoot I was talking about earlier, was actually a video shoot with 
Matthew Mead for our Decorating Channel on Youtube.  
We shot a video tour of my living room and I explain why I love it so....
from the newly painted blue walls, to the painted piano,
 to the antique Italian hand painted floral tea table,
 to my opaline chandelier and the romantic mantle I created using appliques....
well I LOVE it all!!
If you want to check it out you will see it all too. 
Seeing a room on video is very different than looking at photos.
 It comes to LIFE!

Visit my Living Room tour on our DECORATE channel by clicking HERE.
One more thing...!

Today I'm joining in with some very talented design bloggers 

to bring you some ideas to jump start your spring style! 

Please visit them all for lots of beauty and inspiration.

 French Country Cottage

 Housepitality Designs

Maison Decor

Savvy Southern Style

Shabbyfufu

 Stone Gable

Read more »

French Door Awning and Bad Puppy Tales

What a pretty courtyard!  I found this image when I was googling exterior fabric awnings.

I have an opportunity to work with Matthew Mead and Sunbrella and this could be the perfect 

project for my new French doors and courtyard.  I plan to make the awning and am considering 

either a wide grey and white stripe fabric or a classic black and white stripe.   The french doors are 

officially installed, and now we have to do the interior and exterior trim work, as well as 

put in the steps to access the outdoor courtyard.  After that a fence will be coming so I can

contain the new puppy and hopefully that will make a world of difference in my quality of life!

Just to see how far we have come, it wasn't long ago that this uninteresting back side of the house

looked like this.  A good place to throw a random tire or whatever, you know?

Since it is the north side of the house there are few windows, and that makes the facade look

strange.  But since no one sees this side of the house, it isn't the biggest deal.

But it is a private area and I came up with the courtyard idea...but the problem with that

was that to access it you had to leave via the front door.  With the outdoor grill set up 

out back for summer dinners and entertaining the front door was not ideal.  At that

point the french doors came into play (meaning in my minds eye) and finally I got hubs to 

go along with the concept.  I think it will become our most often used door, as hubs drives up
to the back of the house in his truck.  I may just start doing the same as I can bring in the
groceries without climbing two flights of stairs as our house is built into the side of a ledge,
and the front is at a higher elevation than the back.

Some granite blocks were set so we could start using the door.  When completed
the granite blocks will run the length of the door.  I have a pair of lanterns to flank the
door, and they are solar so that this space will be illuminated all night long.  They still need to be
wired, and I have no idea why that is, but we will get it done.  Now imagine the awning over the door.  I have to make it just right, as the doors swing open to the outside, and I really don't
want to look at an awning from inside the dining room, but I don't want it mounted too high on
the outside of the house either.  So that is where I am at with the planning.  Of course all the trim will
be put in place and it will look wonderful.  It already is awesome just going in and out the back.

 I have to mention Colby....he is running us ragged.  He is one bundle of energy
and Mr. Mischief is his tag name.  I think we are making progress on the house
training, but on the eating and chewing and biting front, we are not as successful.
So its a constant eye, and I am finding it hard to get anything done.  Its really been 
a huge adjustment,  imagine having given birth to a newborn who can instantly run 
and has sharp teeth.  Its not cool. 
 Colby does like to lay on the lap of whoever is 
lucky enough to be in hub's recliner, which is where I am finding myself these days
because that is the room he is quarantined in for the time being. I had no idea there were 
so many shows on day time tv.  I admit I am enjoying Who wants to be a Millionaire.
Last time I saw it the show was hosted by Regis Philbin. Now it is Chris Harrison from the Bachelor!
Who knew?
I will not get sucked into the soaps (I used to watch in highschool)  
and I will try my best to avoid the Kardashians.  I have NEVER watched TV
during the day, and now I am all about the questions on the Millionaire show. 
Anyway, back to Colby.  Its all his fault.  I have to stay in the TV room now with him.

 Sometimes he can be let out into the kitchen.  Look at him looking like 
he is the perfect puppy. He is NOT!!! He just wants another treat.  As long as I 
am in the kitchen he hovers and hangs out hoping I am going to whip him up a meal
or a snack.  Now I have to make a confession...I found out that I have been underfeeding
him by about half the calories he needs!!! OMG!!! I was talking to hubs and I said he always
seems so hungry, he acts like he is starving all the time.  And he did look skinny....
so I just grabbed the computer to google the caloric intake for a pup his age and size, and I 
was in shock!! OMG! No wonder he is being a pain chewing every rock and piece of mulch in sight. Not to mention our arms, legs....the vet told me how much to feed him when he was tiny, but I 
guess I didn't increase it enough.  How would anyone know exactly how much to feed a puppy?
Compound that matter by the fact that he has been having digestive issues (diarrhea) and we 
finally have that resolved.  So to introduce his new dry puppy food has been scary business
as I don't want to slide back into the bad tummy scene.  Oh man, this puppy thing is not for 
anyone who has a life to live.  I am in over my head, but now have to go with it.

The little gate we set up to contain him in the man cave TV room is not going
to work for long.  He busted through it this morning.
So wish me luck, and if I get anything accomplished on the home front it is
truly a TRIUMPH!!
PS. Just as I hit publish, I hear a loud snap right next to me....
what was Colby doing?

He ate the trim piece off the new door sill!!! 

OMG wait til I tell his father when he gets home.

See what I mean?  This dog is relentless.
Good thing I enrolled in puppy classes last night. 
Amen

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