Bathroom: Panache and Whimsy.

  Warning: If you're expecting normal, turn back now.

 In the ceiling/chandelier post,

you may have noticed a hint of this Laundry sign.

It is there because the vintage vanity mirror opens. Inside is a laundry chute. (smile)

I found the mirror last summer at a garage sale for $1.

The Cabinet Maker made a frame for it and turned it into a door.

The back is stamped '1940.'

  

  

Here's the scoop below:

The vanity is a dresser transformed.

The medicine cabinet is super old. I bought it at a garage sale a few years ago for $40.

The Cabinet Maker added the scallop edge. 

They were white for long time, but now they're black. 

 With 4 kids, toilet paper is always running out.

My solution was to find something handy and cool.

I found the wire basket and a big flea market. It works!

We no longer scream; "Get me some toilet paper!"

The mail box.  I knew I'd find a spot for it.

This one I found at Goodwill for $6.99.

I liked the scalloped edge and the lion embellishment.

I added 'soap' and threw wrapped bars of soap inside.

The newspaper holder at the bottom is spiffy for a hand towel.

The picture 'frame' is just an old wire display thingy.

The D R Y hooks - well, why use a normal towel rack?

Take your seat please.

Last but not least - I've been wanting to add this sign

since I saw in it December in Lori's house.

I printed it off and put it in a silver frame. 

Here's the full view with the chandelier and how it looks from the hallway.

I hope it's not too competing chandelier-ish.

I need to find a big beige bathroom rug.

Oh, the fab numbered plates were a Valentine's gift from the husband.

(He's catching on!)

I'll get off my soap 'mail' box now. ha ha.

Stop by and Please, seat yourself.

xo Jeanne

Big Mantle, Big Spring Pop.

Time for a time for a change

 in my livingroom.

• I took down the tar paper/words above my fireplace.
• I painted the upper part of the brick above the mantle to match the walls.
• I added my found objects that I've been wanting to use.

Then just like that - Spring arrived in my living room.

Here is a progress pic, after I had painted the upper brick.

The Cabinet Maker added the ceiling moulding -

This is from the 'free stash' at a garage sale a few weeks ago.  Score!
Pretty fabulous.

 

 Fishing line:

The vintage frame is hung from the mirror.

The lampshade is hung with an eye hook from the ceiling.

The silver coffeepot, boy statue and Mary

 were my thrift store fines last week.

Decorating co-captian Linda gave me the Tulip tag. Darling. Thank you.

The black cabinet is at the other end of the room.

It was nice to have the bright happy room for the Easter Holiday and company.

Thank you to The Cabinet Maker for whipping up the moulding.

Happy Monday Everyone.

I hope Spring sprung for you too.

xo Jeanne

Ceiling meets Chandelier. Love.

Now my guests can look up.
Yes! The bathroom ceiling is finished. (finally)
I'm loving the color
 Behr, Embellished Blue.

 Ceiling Before:
(as close I as I could get -  picture giant water spots,
no crown moulding and drywall tape hanging down, lovely.)
I looked at it for 4 yrs.... I don't need a picture.
* please bow your head and observe a moment of silence as I feel my sanity return*

Below: Quite the fantastic find at $22.

This puppy's come along way from sitting sad and lonely in that box at a garage sale.

She's been spray painted black and her prism's polished.

Chandelier Before:

I painted the drippy plastic candle tubes. Nothing fancy, just white.

For the black paint, I used a basic flat black spray. I already had it on hand.

4 prisms were missing. I replaced them from my stash.

I haven't seen this shape of prism before, have you?

They look like ladybugs.

I'll show the whole bath when it's clean and happy - the Easter guests coming and all.

It will explain why I have a black chandelier in there.

Why be normal?!

(be yourself.)

xo Jeanne

Nasty Ceiling Secret

Ohhh, this is a dirty little secret.

A few years ago when my three oldest were tiny - my daughter walked into the kitchen and said:

"Mama, it's raining in the bathroom."
She was right. Water was literally raining from the bathroom above it.

That darling little sentence started a whirlwind of bathroom ceiling repairs. 

It's been great fun.

A few repairs later...Not quite really sure it will never leak again,

I can safely say that the repairs were never quite finished.

And for a good 4 years -in my very cute bathroom- the cieling has looked like this:

Okay, so that's not the picture I wanted to show. 
I took a bunch of before pics and somehow
they have been lost and or cannot be transfered from my SD card. Sigh.
But in the interest of me needing sleep,
I am substituting with this old picture with a hint of the horrid ceiling. Look close, it's there.

I have just hoped that when ever we had company -
they just did not look up when they pee'd. 

I will show the whole bathroom soon,
fab new ceiling, darling chandelier and doo-dad heaven.

Easter Brunch is at my house on Sunday
and finishing that $#@!! ceiling is my bargaining chip.

Happy Wednesday.
(i crack myself up.)
xo Jeanne.

Bachman's 2011 Spring Ideas House - Part IV

Yikes! Part IV.

The last one, I promise.

I took more pics than I thought.  All good though.

Here is the rest of the house.

In the bedroom:  Antique tin ceiling tiles make up the headboard.

I liked the little chandelier hung on cool brackets - the cords hidded by the tin.

Decorating co-captain Linda dug these large old spools.

They're hung on the wall and repurposed for hanging necklaces.

Very cool.

The craft room is pretty cool.

The pinks and greens are very welcoming.

This post-it note calendar is super functional.

The table is made of:

Legs: porch columns on the left.

Table:  a door.

 Legs: pink file cabinets on the right.

  

I liked these old windows made into bulletin boards.

The storage table is cuter than any I've got.

 The bathroom had these two features I liked:

The old step stool and the 'framed shoe horns' as towel hooks.

  

Back outside.

Here in Minnesota it's still too early to plant window boxes. Sigh.

But they had a cool display to get us gardeners excited and hopeful.

We liked the watering cans stuck in there too fill space.



The house numbers.

Plates.

Overall the designers at Bachman's did a great job!

Thanks to Bachman's to opening it up for those of us who love

to find inspiration in paint and all things decore.

I am already looking forward to the Summer Ideas House.

Yay!

xo Jeanne

Lastly, here is the link to Bachman's.

**clarification**
I did not have anything to do w/ the designs in The Bachman's Ideas House.
I was merely a tourist. To answer a few questions:
Yes, the calender is cool and they sell
the Day of the week magnets
at Bachman's - link above.

The tin ceiling headboard:
It was for sale when I toured the house.
 If you are interested in vintage tin, I know it can still to be found.
For my own tin ceiling in my kitchen, we bought it from a farmer at an antique show,
the whole load for $200.
OR can can buy new stuff and Home Depot, paint and scuff it up!

Hope this helps!
J.

Bachman's 2011 Spring Ideas House - Part III

Heading upstairs.

Hanging on the wall are cool old metal grates. So cool and chippy.

Old family pictures attached with vintage earrings repurposed into magnets. 

I loved this arrangement over the stairs window.

I currently have a thing for vintage mirrors.

Below: At the top of the stairs are these neat pully/floral thingies.

And the hook with the flower jar thingies.

Both would be fun for a party or if you love fresh flowers around.

This season it was pretty traditional.

Two child's bedrooms. The bathroom. An adult bedroom and a craft room.

The Girl's Room:

The wall is done with ribbons, mirror flowers at the ribbon crossing w/ a flower in the center.

Notice the pink stools topped with glass to make tables.  The buckets are super easy to do.

The pink chippy hutch is fab.  The wall as ballerina mirrors is quite fun. 

 The Boy's Room:

This room is my favorite. Tons of ideas.

This is where my light bulb went on for the basket light in my own son's room.

Love the suspended bridge.  The pullies holding the crates.

The crates and the walls shelves. The big sliding door as the headboard.

 Maps as the valances.  The whole map desk area is fab.

I'll have to add the remaining bedroom, bathroom and a few more extras on a 4th post.

All good!

I hope you're enjoying your weekend {thingies.}

xo Jeanne

Here is the Link to Bachman's.