My YUMMY New Find!

Cruising around Craigslist Thursday I found a tiny little ad for a "Antique Desk - $20"

W H A T????? I've been looking for something "special" just for me, a place to make my own. 

So I clicked on the ad to and saw this . . .

(ignore the missing baseboards, I took them off to make BIGGER ones and haven't gotten back to it - the never ending list of "to do's)

The ad said to call or text for more information.  I did BOTH then held my breath, crossed my fingers and waited and waited and waited . . . (all day Thursday, Friday, Saturday, by now I had almost given up hope).

Finally, Sunday morning I got a text that said "my mom asked me to post the ad for the desk, but now she wants $40. Do you still want it?" I admit I became a little sarcastic, "oh yeah she got tons of responses and now has decided to up the price". Followed by a few moments of "how rude!" and "WTH???" Then and I admit (sheepishly) I kinda played a word with my texting friend.

"Had many replies? "

"17"

"Anyone coming to get it?"

"No, not yet"

After about 30 minutes of the back and forth, I get a text that said

"since I listed it for $20, you can have it for that if you come get today". 

BE STILL MY HEART!! 

Called my son and asked if he would take the truck and go get it.  You will????  You are AWESOME son, thank you!!

Here she sits . . .battered and dingy; but look at her legs, so curvy and her precious little feet.  Even better the drawer, already has dividers built in!

So awesome (I am using that word alot today).
I even love the little brass drawer pulls so lovely.  My poor DH just shook his head.  Now what to do to make this little lady shine? 

Stain the top dark and paint the apron and legs?
Paint the whole desk, wax and distress?
Strip and see what's underneath?

What would you do with this amazing little gem?  I have so many ideas swirling around in my head (and heart) I can't decide. Help me lovely lady bloggers, tell me how you would refinish this piece?

Thanks so much for stopping by my little corner of the Blogsphere, I enjoy each visit and read every comment!

Have a Happy and Beautiful Tuesday

LeRae

Easy Homemade Butter ~ From Williams Sonoma

Buzzing around on Pinterest today I came across a pin for homemade butter from the William Sonoma Blog  "The Blender".  I do not care for Margarine and real Butter is becoming more and more expensive ~ so I figured I'd give it a try!  The recipe uses one ingredient ~ heavy cream, which is still reasonably priced. Most of the work is done for you by the food processor, there is the drain the butter step which removes the excess moisture and the cold water bath, but all in all the steps look easy and Chi Dixon (the author) includes clear images. She gives ideas for flavored butters too, I'll let you know how it turns out!

Here is the information if you want to make some too!

Easy Homemade Butter



Source: The Blender: A Williams Sonoma Blog



Here is the link to the Blog and the Recipe.  http://blog.williams-sonoma.com/easy-homemade-butter

I have made the Homemade Mozzarella using the recipe from Stone Gable, it was fantastic! If this turns out as good I'll have one more "skill" to add to the resume.  Happy Thursday Everyone!

Thanks for stopping by,

LeRae

I'm So Excited I Can't Stand It!!!!

Sunday, December 4, 2011 was a very sad day for me, let me expain. 

I had found Miss Yvonne at the amazingly beautiful Stone Gable earlier in the year and was immediately smitten!  Her home is amazing, her photography makes me want to take classes, her menus challenge me to prepare better meals for my family, I had found in her blog my Titus 2 Mentor and I thanked God for someone openly living her life for Him.

Earlier in 2011 I began (timidly) blogging, then I abruptly stopped in August when crushing news about the big "C" came into our lives through my 23 year old daughter.  I just couldn't focus on home and decorating when faced with guiding my child through very BIG decisions, decision that would affect the rest of her life.  BUT ~ when I needed beauty and calm in the middle of the chaos I would hop on the laptop and browse around Stone Gable.  Miss Yvonne never failed to inspire me. 

Then came December 4th and I read with a sinking heart her last blog posting about needing to follow the Father's leading and stop blogging, that the time spent preparing for and posting was coming between her and Him.  I cried (got a little selfish for a few minutes and pouted) then prayed God's best for her and thanked Him for the "time" we'd had together, I put her blog on my favorites list so I could refer back when I needed inspiration or a good menu idea. 

BUT YESTERDAY I was on Facebook and lo and behold right there on my page was an announcement from Miss Yvonne that she will be rejoining us on March 5th!  I scared the sleeping cat when I whooo hoooed!  I am so thankful that she is coming back and thankful to all of you who blog and lift the name of the Lord on high!! You inspire so many without even knowing that you do, keep the faith and God Bless.

Warmly,

LeRae

Just a quick note:  My Daughter is fine! When she went into surgery the surgeon was completely stumped - there were no cancer cells in the tissue.  NONE!! He rechecked the Lab results, called the Lab to verify their report with what they sent to him and then called me completely baffled.  He must have apologized 100 times for scaring us, putting us through "all this" and attempted to explain.  He kept saying over and over "it's right here in the lab results.  She has cancer, but there is none in the tissue, I can't explain it".  I replied "I can, God healed her". 

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