Happy Halloween!

No crazy costumes for us this year! We did consent to the wearing of these cute T-shirts! Mom and Dad have T's, too, thanks to the $1 table at Old N@vy.

Bitsey has a glow in the dark shirt-

They didn't have any left in Eli's size so he got a baby shirt in size 18-24 m and it fits him very well

I forgot to take a picture of this porch earlier and the next one is the house down the street. This is only about 1/3 of their lights, they have green and purple lights that were not turned on that night!

Fashion Pug

Bitsey was getting ready to pose in her new T-shirt when the Evil One showed up. LuLu apparently was jealous and attempted to take the shirt off her.

Bitsey fought off the attack but was no longer interested in posing for the camera!

Thrift Store Shoes

I finished the nursery yesderday which means I rewarded myself with a thrift store trip! I have got to admit that my trip was a little disrupted by a couple of college-age girls who were loudly making fun of the "treasures" in the store. Many of the people who shop there do it out of neccessity. I felt embarrassed that those girls were saying things that would be hurtful. Some of us shop there because we enjoy the treasure hunt and value vintage, imperfect and previously loved objects. I think they hurt my feelings, too! So I moved on to a different store. Here's a few pictures of my finds today (don't make fun of me :) I usually don't buy shoes at the thrift stores unless I can tell they haven't been worn. I found these today and I was thrilled that they were my size and not worn! They were $5 -I looked them up online- new -at least $124!!!!

I love this 50's look candle holder- chippy paint and all!

The next 2 things will go to a Porch Tour display- I'm working on a Teddy Bear tea party- I need some old looking but inexpensive china. I'm still looking for some cups and saucers -but no more than $.25!!!

A Fall Walk

Our neighborhood does not get quite so excited about Fall decorations as it does about Christmas. This week I got up to a dead battery and nice, cool Fall weather - so I walked to work! (Only about 10 minute walk!) I enjoyed looking at the mums on every one's porches, so I went back today and took some pictures of houses that I haven't shown before.


There are only two houses between this house and ours. It was built before the Civil War and has tunnels that were used in the Underground Railroad. A girl I know grew up in it. It was also used as a church for a while. It has been restored in the last 5 years and I have not been inside. I really need to take a picture at night with the lights on.

There are gas lights in the lamp posts .

Ghosts dancing on the side of the house!

I wanted to get a picture of the conservatory, it is hard to see -but there are more ghosts in there. When this was a church they did baptisms in there! There used to be a fenced area behind it for rabbits - they were the biggest rabbits I've ever seen! They had tunnels that they would pop out of. I think they are gone now. Before the current owners bought the house there were some apartments in the back yard. We knew a couple who lived in one and fed their cat when they went out of town so we got to see the rabbits! The new owners had the apartments bulldozed- it was a good move!

This family goes all out as well. This house once belonged to the son of a famous man from town, General George Harrison, who was the Commander of Civil War Veterans.

Side view of the house!

I don't know anything about the history of this house, but it is beautiful inside!

Youngest Son likes this big spider!

Decisions

Traditionally we start our new project in January- after all of the Christmas entertaining. Usually we are sure which room comes next, but we are undecided. We need to choose now so that we can plan and line up supplies before the kick off. There are 3 rooms left on the main floor: the dining room, den or man cave, and the kitchen. I have ruled out the kitchen because I am not ready to give up my kitchen (such as it is....) and that will be the most expensive room to redo. So dining room or man cave??

Dining room:

1. We don't spend much time in there. But, since there is now a table in there we have been eating dinner (by candle light) this week. We also use it during holidays. The big tree goes in there during Christmas.

2. Popcorn ceiling must go.

3. Water damage under one window and surrounding floor.

4. Old Player Piano has sunk into the floor. One back leg is visible in the basement. The piano is in a nook -a tight fit- it is going to take some work to get it out (which is why it was left in the house by the former owners!

5. Electricity needs rewiring.

6. To strip or not strip the fireplace. Also, to open sealed fireplace like we did in the parlor or leave it closed. This is one of the two fireplaces that still have the original tile. It is lime green with a burgundy accent. (Those colors are not negotiable- I must use them)

7. The room is dark in spite of the 2 huge windows. I would like to lighten it up with white panels on the lower half of the walls and lighten up the burgundy on the top.
8. Wallpaper boarder must go, crown moulding to match the parlor and picture moulding needs to be added.

9. I hate the enormous framed tapestry that came with the house. DH likes it.

10. We think that the original plaster walls may be under sheet rock (sloppy job) which means much demolition because the plaster will fall down when we remove the sheet rock. The only good thing about this is that we will put insulation in the walls.

11. DH has already stripped and refinished one side of the pocket doors, so the other side needs to be done.

Man Cave:

1. We use this room daily. The TV is in here. It would be nice for it to be pretty to look at.

2. Large windows make it hard to watch TV. So we would like window treatments to open or close easily.

3. Ceiling is water damaged from upstairs bathroom flood.

4. Plaster walls ,water damaged, no insulation, paint pealing.

5.Would like built in bookcases.

6. Would like built in bar area.

7. Would like TV built in/ replaced with flat screen + storage for entertainment clutter.

8. Open, strip, refinish, tile, electric insert in fireplace.
9. Has an outside entrance that needs work. Door is crooked, needs refinishing, transom window is cracked.

10. Electricity needs to be rewired

11. Has an awkward closet- I think it could become a computer desk- DH is not seeing that vision!

So - both projects look like a lot of work- I guess we have some thinking to do!

This and That

I have had to get back to the "real" world this week -which means Porch Tour, soccer, and sewing. I still have another week off of violin, but I did go by school today to get a flu shot! Ouch! I didn't take any pictures of my sewing job this week yet. It's a baby boy's nursery in primary colors -very bright and cheerful!



At the Santa Studio we are really getting into the heavy repairs. This week we worked on this display.

This is Millie, her neck was broken, I had to pull back her dress and replaster her neck. Then I replaced the lace collar and made her a new slip and pantaloons. After she dried we repainted her neck and shoes-then redressed her. She sits in Santa's arms. Somehow Santa fell off the truck last year and the wire that held her in place cut through her neck! Santa was bashed. First we had to undress him and go inside his chest to fix his neck and body.
In his chest we found that he was built in 1994 , so he was one of the early Santas.Trust me - he will look a lot better when we repair him!



Thursday night I was a soccer mom. Youngest boy had a game that had been rescheduled and only 5 players showed up for our team. The other team all showed up. We lost- but they played hard- no breaks- no substitutions. They were really tired. The Dads cheered them on and offered bribes to keep them going. DH offered him an ipod if he could score 2 goals- these were desperate times! He scored one and had a good assist on the second. Even the ref was hoping he could score. On the other team the goalie's Dad said he was taking away his son's cell phone if T scored! I know this sounds crazy- but it was all in good fun! This is a really laid back sport and the parents cheer for both sides no matter what team your child is on. Our older sons played baseball and the parents were out for blood. We did not like that!

This is one worn out boy!
Trying so hard to get the second goal! Maybe Santa was watching.....
I was embarrassed to pick up Bitsey at the vet's Monday. Her harness was so dirty and ripped! So today the princess got a new one- War Eagle or pumpkin orange!

More From the Weekend!

I had to add my food pictures from 518 West in Raleigh! Mom got a Spinach and Feta Pizza which was wonderful -she shared with me and had leftovers that made it home to K-ville for a lunch. I had the "small" salad with chicken-not so small! With all of the picture taking I bet people in the restaurant thought we were food critics!

We left after breakfast Sunday morning and drove about 90 minutes back to Mom's. The Husband and Youngest Son had relaxed Saturday. I took DH for a ride around K-ville to see the sights. First we went to the local car museum to see the car I drove in high school. It is a 1967 Plymouth Barracuda. The mayor of town bought it from my parents and refurbished it! The original color was a darker metallic blue. It had bucket seats and I had to sit on a pillow to drive it!

Next, we rode by Korner's Folly. I only lived in K-ville 2 years before going to UNC. This is the only "touristy" place in town and I had never been inside! Since we are so interested in old houses we decided to go on the tour.

What a treat this was! The house was built in 1880 so it is about 27 years older than our house. It has 22 rooms, 15 fireplaces, seven levels and a Little Theatre on the top level! I took about 200 pictures (which made up for not taking so many in Raleigh!)

Each fireplace had beautiful and different tile.

This is the Reception Room. I think it was on the 2nd floor - there were different levels on each floor. The ceilings were from 6 feet to 25 feet tall! The ceilings had murals and the woodwork was unreal!

Here is DH in the nursery -one of the short ceiling rooms!

And I'm in the ladies dressing room which also had short ceilings. There were all kinds of passage ways, tunnels, trap doors and teeny tiny staircases. Then there were huge rooms as well! I would like to go again in a few years to see how the restorations are going.

We had a quick visit with my brother and sister-in-law then began to pack the truck to come home!

We looked like the Beverly Hillbillies! All we needed was Granny sitting in the back in her rocking chair! We tried to talk Mom into coming home with us -but can you blame her for turning us down?

Back at home I unpacked my treasures from the weekend-

My soap from Girlville!

My candy from Sandy!

Cute little Victorian chair Mom bought me - didn't know she packed that pillow in- I made it in the 70's!

More suitcases- I haven't unpacked them yet- they are full!

My Grandmother's table and chairs. I guess now that I have a dining room table -this room may move up to the top of the next project list!