Chez Nathanael's Faux Entry

The lovely Rene who blogs at Cottage and Vine started a new monthly party called "Room by Room".  I wanted to join too, so I thought I would share my faux entry.  Our 1980's Rancher doesn't have an actual entry way.  Side note: I would kill for one with a hall tree and umbrella stand or a center hall with a big round table in the middle (swoon!)  Anyhow, I created an entry area for my family.  Glass front credenza, with special treasures housed inside.  Mostly my "special gift" bunnies and other special treasures given to me or my family.  A lamp, a faux pathos, another bunny, a brass bowl for mail and a key box. I still want to find one of those cool umbrella stands for the left side of the credenza ~ next to the tiled "entry" area.  We tiled that little area to give wet shoes a place to land before hitting the carpet.  Mr Chez Nathanael does not like to ask guests to remove their shoes, so we compromised with a little tile area.







Some beautiful art for the wall by my favorite artist Betsy Brown; sorry about the flash glare in the first one.  I added a different angle without the glare : )

The "Entry" Credenza



Brass Bowl for Mail



I found this brass bowl at GW (I know, brass is so 80's but I love it ~ somehow to me it says "classy") the inside was all icky, probably used for a plant without a pot liner tray.  So I sanded it and sprayed it with black Rustoleum.  LOVE how it turned out, now when the mail comes I have some place to deposit it (after the junk mail goes in the recycle bin).



Box for keys



Keeps them all in one place!



Faux (dusty) pathos and Bunny
Funny the things you don't see until the flash hits them.

Thanks for stopping by, as always I love the company and would be soooo honored if you would consider following my blog.  I'm off to clean the pathos oh and and I'm linking to the Room by Room "Entry Way" Party at  http://cottageandvine.blogspot.com/ and Bunny (love the name!) at http://bunnyjeansdecorandmore.blogspot.com/ for her newbie party! 



LeRae







The Same ~ But Different!

I have a need to have balance in my life and in my decorating.  So when I found this great picture by James Lee I knew right where to put it.  On the wall in my exceedlingly tiny dining room.  I already owned the decorative shelves, so up they went too on either side of the picture.  Ahhh . . . Balance.

I already had the shiny(er) brass rabbit, which I feel complements the gold in the frame.  So for about a year the other shelf sat empty.  I couldn't find another brass rabbit. 

If I wasn't looking for one they would be at every thrift store or flea market I attend . . .

Then about a week ago I was browing e-bay, when "ta - dah" I came across brass rabbits.  I won the standing one and he arrived in the mail yesterday.

I like how they are the same (rabbits) but different.

One is standing upright, the other is crouching.

One is shiny brass, the other aged brass.

The same colors are in the frame

I'm still searching for something "scrolly" to put above the picture.

Everything is a process . . .and I love it!

Thanks for dropping by for a visit.  Take a minute to leave me a comment and I would be honored if you would consider following me too!

LeRae

I'm linking to Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday's

http://www.frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

I Have A Secret . . .I'll Share!

Okay it's a secret to ya'll, not to my beloved Family!

I do NOT like (dare I say loathe?) mis matched mugs!

Makes me itchy just to think about it. 

Pretty sure it's the same OCD thing that makes me "know" the exact spot the mat should be in front of the stove, even tho' everyone else can't understand -- 6 tiles from the left of the stove and 6 tiles from the right puts the mat DIRECTLY centered on the stove! 

Really??!!

How hard is that??

This

Make me sigh with contentment

(ignore the ugly cabinet - I can't decide what to do about them)

This

Makes me itchy and cranky.

But, there are good reasons why they exsist in my cupboard.

This one was a Birthday gift to me from my Son

I LOVE Hot Tea! 

Drink it every night. 

I appreciate the love and thought so the mug has stayed.

This one my Husband received when he purchased his newest "toy".

It used to reside at on his desk at work. 

Now he works in outside sales, he needs a travel mug.

So, home this one came!

This one was given to my youngest Daughter

The back says . . .

"I thought I'd won the Beauty Pagent

...but I was crowned Drama Queen instead!"

It stays because, well . . . ummm it's true!

Sometimes it's so hard to be 13.

My Son has no idea who the "Stones" are

He bought this one for the "tongue"

He watches "Gene Simmons Family Jewels"

I think he thought this was for him (snicker)

So, they have all stayed . . .I've tried hiding them so I don't have to look at them every time I open the cabinet, as soon as I do someone goes looking for "their" mug. 

There are two more I didn't include, one my daughter won in a raffle -- it's from Starbuck and another clear one with a creepy skull and crown, my son purchsed

Sigh . . .so we have an uneasy truce.

They stay because they mean something to some who is very important to me!

(and there are 6 of them so at least it even!)

Interesting how marriage and family force us outside of our comfort zone? I tend toward being very schedule driven, my family are all "go with the flow" people.

By the way, I took the mat out of the kitchen -- to much stress!! 

Besides it hard to cook with four cats sleeping on it : )

Thanks for stopping by, I love the company!

Happy Wednesday ~ Everyone!

LeRae

Where Should I Put These?

My Son went snow camping last weekend at Lochleven Lake in the Sierra's (Northern California). He sent pictures from his phone but they wouldn't transfer to my computer (sniff, sniff)

ANYWAY. . .

Hiking on one of the days they came across a pile of these, pulled from downed poles due to the heavy snow.

The colors are amazing, one is wonderful turquoise green, the other is clear.  My Son's buddy got a beautiful deep garnet red one (sniff, sniff). 





The poles have a wonderful rusted patina with the added bonus of being threaded.  I've toyed with the idea of having my son make me two more of his amazing light poles so I could put them in the yard.




Maybe on either side of the fountain?



So many possibilities, I've never been so excited and so stumped at the same time.  They are so cool, I want to display them in a way to do justice to their beauty and I suck at tablescaping! I'll shut up now and show you the other pic's I took.  But . . . . I would LOVE input on how you would display them.  I drool over all the amazing tablescapes in Blogland but mine NEVER seem to look as good, at least to me!

And, as always; I am so thankful for all the comments and visits.  I would be honored if you would consider following my little blog.  I'm joining Courtney at French Country Cottage for the Blogger Block Part.  Courtney's theme is Shabby Summer Cottage.  I think my patined Insulators would be amazing in Summer Cottage Garden.  Come join all the fun at http://www.frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

LeRae

My Path Lights ~ He Fixed Them!



Two years ago when I removed the front lawn in favor of a front yard garden, I installed low voltage path lights.  They are wonderful, they add just the right amount of light to the slate path and are great ambiance at night.  Problem is, after two years of heat and cold the plastic pieces that screw onto the bottom of the lights so they can be stuck into the ground were snapping off. I was very frustrated!  I tried several "fixes" (see the little piece of rebar in the bottom right of the picture?) but nothing allowed the electrical cord to come out of the fixture.  I was venting my frustration to my son, he asked if he could take a look at them.  I said "sure", which really meant "your going to fix them??"

Plastic piece that goes into the ground
and (used to) screw onto the bottom
of the light so it would stand upright
in the ground.

End of plastic piece that used to screw
to the light.  The "screw" part
snapped off.

Two days later he came to me with these.  A short piece of galvanized pipe with a hole drilled in the end of the power cord, and short bolt on adapter that will screw to the bottom of the light and then with the little screw attach to the galvanized pipe that will then be pounded into the ground.  I was amazed!  They work great!  The light stay upright, now matter how many times the dogs or grand babies bump into them.  They won't snap off due to heat or cold.  I was so happy I think I did a dance and then hugged him really hard!  I am so proud of him.  He fixed my path lights ~ one small thing that makes me very happy.

Thanks so much for stopping by, I cherish all your visits and read every comment.  I would be honored if you would consider following me.  Until next time . . .

LeRae

P.S.  I'm linking to Kim at Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesdays http://www.savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/ and to Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Fridays http://www.frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/.  Be sure to drop by these wonderful Blogs and join all the inspiration.

Home! The Best Place on Earth

I am so fortunate that my favorite (only) son loves to be home!  At 17 he still says "I love you Mom" everyday. He spent the day at the lake with friends and was wiped out, but wanted to stay up and watch a movie with me.  So I watched the movie and watched him, the dogs and cats sleep. 

He is also quite the engineer, tomorrow I'll show the idea he and a friend created to repair my low voltage path lights.

Children and pets -- make my heart happy!

LeRae

THIS A GOOD DAY!

For the past few months life at Chez Nathanael has been a little tense.  My Husband and I were victims of the employment economy in California and while prepared; we didn't anticipate the length of time it would take for both of us to become re-employed.  The good news is; after much prayer and loads of paperwork, we get to keep our home!  Praise God!

To celebrate I took a trip to my favorite GW location - and it was a good day there too!

Really neat cork board for my office $3.00.  The bunny hopped right into my cart, and for $3.00 I said he could stay!  The brass ball - my mom calls them "A Nice", when you asked "what is that" she responds "oh, that's Nice".  So a "Nice" for (again $3.00) seeing a theme?  The fleur de lis was only .99 and I thought would be nice for tablescaping - when I learn how.  I spend hours studying the amazing tablescapes in blogland.  Maybe I could get Marty from "A Stroll Thru Life" to come do some for me, hers are always amazing. 

But the piece de resistance is the Coach Bag for $4.25!  Sold!! I love vintage Coach and it's in great shape.  Happy Day!  Even the rain and cold of Northern Caliornia can't dampen my mood or my spirits

Thanks for dropping by to visit, it's always such a pleasure.  I love your comments and read each and every one! 

I'm linking up with Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays.
http://www.savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

Thanks again

LeRae