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February 27, 2012

Office progress....

It was a slow but progressive weekend. 


 A coat of primer went up to cover the old color first...


The sun danced in and out and as you can see it's still very wintery around here...

 

I chose "White Chocolate" by Benjamin Moore...

 

No sun today, it's a gray day today, 
but this is how it looks now!


The room feels fresh and more vibrant!

Six years ago we took the plunge and 
started adding color all over the house.  
I had lived with the "beige" thing for 
years, and it was very challenging to take 
the step into the "color" world!  Our son 
referred to it as we finally got color 
courage!  Going back to an off white was a
 big step but in this case I think it's going 
to be the best choice!
I have a ton of ideas in my head for
how I'm finishing it off.  

The curtains I've selected are going
to work out great and I picked
up the picture from Pier 1 and
lucked out as it was on sale!

I'm so ready for this! 
 I hope it meets my own
expectations!  


I am joining My Little Home and Garden
for Sunlit Sundays

February 23, 2012

Perennial Optimism


"To create a garden is to search for a better world. In our effort to improve on nature, we are guided by a vision of paradise. Whether the result is a horticultural masterpiece or only a modest vegetable patch, it is based on the expectation of a glorious future. 
This hope for the future is at 
the heart of all gardening. "

- Marina Schinz

The last line sums it all up for me!  

There is really nothing quite like witnessing 
the season of Spring-
Plants start crawling out of the ground, 
sprouts of life start to emerge,
Lots of green and color emerge...
2011
I find it quite magical and it renews my faith in life!
2011
Everyone feels it, even if they don't care
about gardening.  There is a smell in the air,
a real sense of change in the atmosphere, it's
everywhere!  
2011
I'm ready to work and play in my garden....
Perhaps since we've had such a mild winter 
we will be having an early spring???  
I did use the word "optimism" didn't I??

Now if it would all just hurry up!!
(Oh yes, patience is not my best virtue!!)

Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by!







February 22, 2012

New office!

I've decided to move my desk out of the living room and put it in a small bedroom that I'm converting to an office. 
This is the small bedroom I'm adopting (previously my daughters room).  I redid it a few years ago with this new bedding ensemble from Kohls.  It was a Spanish inspired print (the blue print looks like Spanish tiles up close) and the terracotta quilt and pillows inspired me to paint the room this color which is called "Soft Marigold" by Benjamin Moore.  My daughter is the only one who has used it when she comes home for a visit, but now a days that's only a few times a year.  Hence the reason I'm taking it over!

This is my kidney shaped desk and chair I got a year ago.  I took this picture moments after it arrived!
The chair is kind of a cranberry red and that's not going to be changed. I love it dearly and it's real comfortable!
The two lampshades will be in the room and I've been examining different whites to use for the room.  I'm very wishy washy about it.
For instance I saw these pictures with Benjamin Moore's Davenport Tan. 
 I love the drama of the color and I know it would be rich with my red chair and the desk. It's such a small room I'm debating whether it's wise to go with such a deep color.
This picture represents another color I'm looking at called Linen White, but it has a hint of yellow and I'm not so sure I want to do that.
This one is called Moonlight White and when I put the sample of it near the new white lamp it really has the right tone in it.
 This wall color is called White Chocolate and I really like it too, it's on the same card as the one above and they both could work.  

My new lamps inspired me to go for a little lighter modern look so this light wall color has been my focus, but the drama queen in me also likes that dark color I showed above!
I took this picture with no natural light and with two lamps on and it made the room look orange!  We took a large piece of cardboard and laid it on top of the desk, traced it and cut it out so I could set it in the room and get a feel for it.  
 The 4th color down on the card is the Davenport Tan color but I am pretty sure my hubby will look at me quite cross eyed if I show him that one!
I bought the curtains on the left at Pier 1 and then I went into Bed Bath & Beyond and found the other pair which I think is going to be the winner now!  
I found this at T.J. Maxx yesterday and snatched it up.   I love the picture but I don't think it's got the right vibe!

These are both from Pier 1 and I'm seriously considering one or the other.
 This one has a truer red and I do like the 
colors in it.
This one has a muted red almost rust but I really liked the painting the best.  In person it has hints of gold that catch the eye with reflection.

We have a ways to go on the prepping and painting and the new carpet will be in next week.  Once that's done things will move along quickly!

So that's my project for now and I'm pretty wrapped up in it!

As always, Thanks for stopping by!
Liz

February 19, 2012

Blue Skies, Sun and Garden Dreaming!

It's a beautiful Morning!
 I'm so pleased the sun is out and it's 
another beautiful day! 
To my dismay it's still winter but
I do enjoy the blue skies and sun!

The sun was streaming in through
the kitchen/dining area and I
loved how it looks on the terrarium.

I added more plants to my terrarium. 
 I found some more potted
silk plants from Pottery Barn.
I was delighted to see the
flowers of tulips, daffodils and
hydrangeas!

I've been thinking of naming my Angel so
I did a little internet searching.  I googled 
"Angels of Gardens" and came up with
Cathetel- Angel of the Garden

I know it's not a real garden, but I like
to pretend it is and I love her
 sweet face.  
Perhaps I could call her "Cathe" 
for short 

The sun is impatient and
minutes later it is quickly moving away.

I can hardly wait for spring so I can get
out and breathe fresh air daily and
watch the gifts of the earth unfurl!
I leave you with this poetry....
God's Garden
THE Lord God planted a garden
In the first white days of the world,
And He set there an angel warden
In a garment of light enfurled.
So near to the peace of Heaven,
That the hawk might nest with the wren,
For there in the cool of the even
God walked with the first of men.
And I dream that these garden-closes
With their shade and their sun-flecked sod
And their lilies and bowers of roses,
Were laid by the hand of God.
The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,--
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.
For He broke it for us in a garden
Under the olive-trees
Where the angel of strength was the warden
And the soul of the world found ease. 

Dorothy Frances Gurney 

Thanks for visiting!

Good Sunday Morning!

Good Sunday Morning!
I'm so pleased the sun is out and it's 
another beautiful day! 
To my dismay it's still winter but
I do enjoy the blue skies and sun!

I added more plants to my terrarium. 
 I found some more potted
silk plants from Pottery Barn.
I was delighted to see the
flowers of tulips, daffodils and
hydrangeas! They made me happy!

I've been thinking of naming my Angel so
I did a little internet searching.  I googled 
"Angels of Gardens" and came up with
Cathetel- Angel of the Garden

I know it's not a real garden, but I like
to pretend it is and I love her
 sweet face.  
Perhaps I could call her "Cathe" 
for short 

The sun is impatient and
minutes later it is quickly moving away.

I can hardly wait for spring so I can get
out and breathe fresh air daily and
watch the gifts of the earth unfurl!
I leave you with this poetry....
God's Garden
THE Lord God planted a garden
In the first white days of the world,
And He set there an angel warden
In a garment of light enfurled.
So near to the peace of Heaven,
That the hawk might nest with the wren,
For there in the cool of the even
God walked with the first of men.
And I dream that these garden-closes
With their shade and their sun-flecked sod
And their lilies and bowers of roses,
Were laid by the hand of God.
The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,--
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.
For He broke it for us in a garden
Under the olive-trees
Where the angel of strength was the warden
And the soul of the world found ease. 

Dorothy Frances Gurney 

Thanks for visiting and I hope your
Sunday is blessed with beauty too! 
Please join me at
The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays
and
My Little Home and Garden for
 Sunlit Sundays  
and A Stroll Thru Life for
Tablescape Tuesdays 

February 16, 2012

Trays and Decorating

Marty over at a Stroll Thru Life
blogged about an idea that inspired 
her to copycat another blogger.
  Marty was inspired by a silver tray 
cleverly mounted above a stove in a 
kitchen at  the blog Jennifer Rizzo 
 That inspired me to show my trays I 
have displayed in my kitchen.  
 I have this large rattan woven one with 
handles from Pottery Barn  
(from a group called Farmwire) and my metal tray I 
got from Wendell August stacked together 
along with a plate set in front.
The PB tray is deep enough to support the
2nd tray and the plate
 I secured it with a plastic zip
tie wrap and made a loop that
I hung on a nail to keep the tray
from sliding down
 I rarely show my kitchen because
it's so tiny! It's only 8 ft. wide
The wire basket was also from
Pottery Barn and the picture is
a print I selected on line from one
of those poster Co's.  I used a frame
I found at T.J. Maxx for it
 A friend of mine gave me these lovely
canisters from J.C. Penney and I recently
got the salt and pepper shakers
The tiered tray is another piece
from PB from the same group
 they had a couple of years ago
(I actually cut the top tier off because it was too tall to fit)
 My little "Louigi" as I nicknamed him
from Kirkland's 
(I featured him on my dish blog)
 So that's a quick mini tour of 
part of my kitchen and my
featured trays!


February 15, 2012

Sugar Hearts

I got the information from my daughter 
for the sugar hearts she made for the 
cupcakes I recently posted about.
Here is a link to the page with complete
instructions

February 13, 2012

Valentines Day Cupcakes

Happy Valentines Day!

 I visited with my daughter this weekend 
for her 25th Birthday and her roommate
Lauren had made these 
Neapolitan Cupcakes for her birthday.  
They insisted we take some home, so
who were we to refuse!!  :-)
They also worked together on making 
these sugar hearts.  
 I understand the recipe for the 
Neapolitan Cupcakes came from 
someones pin on Pinterest.
  Basically they consist of a brownie mix
that are poured into the bottom first, then 
a layer of Strawberry Cake is added.  The 
frosting is a white Cream Cheese frosting 
so you get the three colors.  
 I looked up recipes on Pinterest and there 
are a variety of ways of making them.  
 These are tasty and not too hard to make. 
 My roses are still doing good from last 
weeks post on my dish blog
We were gone a few days and I
figured I'd come home to dead
roses so I was pleased they were
still in good shape.  The tulips are
just about done but they lasted a
lot longer than I expected.

 I hope your Valentine's Day 
will be sweet!
  Roses we gave her for her
birthday and Valentine's Day

I'm joining 
A Stroll Thru Life for



ABOUT ME



Welcome to Home and Gardening With Liz. I have combined my previous blogs “Infuse With Liz” and “Sit With Me In My Garden” into this new blog. I love interior decorating and gardening. I enjoy redefining interior spaces by moving things around and reusing decorative items already found in the home. I also enjoy creating tablescapes and an occasional crafting project. I'm so pleased you've stopped by. I invite you to follow me and I do hope you will keep coming back! Liz
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