Historical Home Tour End

I was going to do one HUGE post on this last Historical Home we toured. But as I was writing my post and getting impatient loading the pictures last Friday evening, I came down with the flu. YUCK!! I must have gotten it from my daughter whom I held while she was sick. I spent all Friday night hugging the toilet and didn't bother getting dressed or even get out of bed all day Saturday. And the wonderful plans I had to get sooooo much done this last weekend! Oh well, life goes on without us. I feel much, much better now, but it's taken a while. Anyway, as I was saying, I saved this much as a draft and now when I wanted to post the rest of the pictures of this 'Oh So Lovely Home', I can't find my CD. So it'll be a two part post. I think it's well worth it 'cause it's the BEST!! Grab your cup of java and follow me!

This home is owned by the Alber's. Kristin Alber was featured in the May 2007 Country Home magazine on page 54. They own Domestic Bliss in Mesa, AZ. If you ever get a chance to visit there, the store is worth seeing!

These first four pictures were a pass through/sitting area.

These show the master bedroom. She makes wonderful use of textures and colors. Sooo luscious!

I love how she's framed beautiful fabrics.

Here is the master bath... The peek of the blue room is where the commode is. And another beautiful piece of fabric/wallpaper framed.


Isn't it just fabulous?? She puts thought into every detail! Of course it was staged, but I have a feeling it still looks like this most of the time! Can you imagine bath time here? Ahhhhh.........


My husband told me he thought this room was too pink for a boy. Okay, it's not pink, but a deep red.
The furniture is out of this world! I'd give most anything to have this much beautiful furniture. One piece at a time, I suppose.


This would've been my dream bedroom as a little girl! Actually, to make a confession - it still is my dream room! I'd love to have one now just like this!! The colors - *sigh*


I love.love.love this papered wall! I wish I'd looked hard enough to see if it was pieced or from a roll. So beautiful. Wonder how hard it'd be to do it with scrapbook papers.

An older girl's room. More sophisticated. Still sooo lovely. I'd like it!!

I love the sweet patterned paper above and stripe below the trim. Beautiful message board - so easy to make!

My dream porch! A wraparound porch is my one request when we get to build our home. I adore porches! Of course, it's another excuse to decorate - it's another room!


I enjoy looking through these pictures frequently. I always see something new each time!

I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! Mine of course went too quickly with being sick. My husband managed to get a ton of yard work done and a few more things planted in our growing garden! On Monday he took the kids for a hike. I wanted to go, but didn't want to get there and then feel miserable the whole time.

All day Monday I thought of our Armed Forces and what they're out there doing for us so we can have what we have and enjoy our freedom here in this country. I found myself getting teary-eyed several times just thinking of those young people giving their lives for us. When our 6 year old daughter was snuggling with my husband and I in our bed, she told us she loved us and then added "with a thousand hearts". Awwww....how precious! Then I thought of all the mom's and dad's out there that have lost their child to this war and who won't get to hear their children tell them such things anymore. Or children that have lost one of their parents in this war that won't be able to tell them that they love them again.

I am thankful....

Yellow Rose...

of Texas. Oh, this is Washington. That song is the first thing I thought of when I saw this next to our front porch, and it's been replaying in my mind over and over all afternoon.

Just thought I'd pass that song along to you so that it would maybe, just maybe leave my mind for a while!

Peonies

Isn't she just beautiful??

I can't wait to get enough of these blooms to put together a gorgeous bouquet for inside the house. I've never had peonies before and they're pink to boot!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend with lots of sunshine, BBQ's, and memorable moments with friends and family!

P.S. Here is a bouquet I put together later...

Enjoy!

Chair Full of Bowlies

Yummy! We had our first bowl of cherries this season. So dee-lish!! They didn't last long, that's for sure.

My Mother's Day fuchsia. It has blooms galore! I actually find fuchsias fun to deadhead.

I think red geraniums are a summer 'must have'.

Our roses are starting to bloom now. Since we didn't plant any of these, it's fun to find out what colors come up.

This rose reminds me of the 'bullet' popsicles I remember buying from the ice cream man as a kid with the orange-red combination. Can't wait to see it in full bloom!

I've spent a large part of my day holding my 6 year old. She has some kind of virus and has lost what little she's had in her tummy several times now! Poor thing... I feel like nothing got done today except a little bit of laundry. I realized while cuddling her how quickly they grow and there will come a day that she'll no longer ask me to hold her. So I'll take advantage of every bit even if she's sick!

Enjoy the little things today and every day! Life is so fleeting....

Historical Home Tour IV

For some reason, I overlooked taking a picture of the outside of this home! However, I did take a picture of the outside entryway. So cottagey and sweet! Love the little bench, pavers, and plants.

Another simple, but becoming home. The use of salvaged architectural pieces is always a drawing factor for me. We have some old windows, that have moved with us from our first home, I'm thinking of hanging above our humongous fireplace.

Sorry for the blurry kitchen photo. Small as cottages go, but lots of storage and homey.

The owners tied in the old blue tile so nicely with their choice of fabric.

These flash cards make a very cute banner for a child's room.

The nursery was so sweet and without a "theme" that a child would outgrow.

I had seen these letters at Target this last Valentine's and liked them a lot. I just wasn't sure what to do with them, so I was elated to see an example of how they could be used. I know the frames were also from Target and their Simply Shabby Chic line by Rachel Ashwell. Now I have so many ideas using frames! I hadn't ever thought about removing the backs.

I hope you enjoyed your time here today and that you might go away with a new idea or two!

Historical Home Mini Tour

This was one of the homes on the tour. I absolutely loved the outside - so darling! And that front door....but, the inside was a bit of a letdown. I know it's a historical home and that's why it's on the tour, so maybe my expectations were misplaced. There are decorators and then there are decorators. This home did not have a decorator living within it's walls. The outside, though *sigh*. I would've loved to have moved in and made it mine. Just because the inside didn't meet my expectations doesn't mean it was any less loved, I'm sure.

This was the extent of my picture taking here, but I loved this part and wanted to still show it!

Happy Birthday to Us!

Yep, it's that time of year... Our Birthday!! Yes, you thought it was my birthday - and it is! But it's also my TWIN brother's birthday as well! He's older - by 1 minute. Happy Birthday, Donald! I'm in Washington State and he's all the way down in McKinney, TX. Sure wish I could be with him today as that's where my thoughts are... He is my hero! Love ya and Happy #33! I'd show a picture of him, but can't find any at the moment. Don't know what I'm doing today, but hope to enjoy it somehow! Hope everyone else has a wonderful day as well!

Historical Home Tour III

Come with me to tour the third house in the Historical Homes Tour...

I love the chairs and little table this family has on their patio. They go so well with the yellow house and blue door! You could tell this home was well loved and thought out with the attention to details.

Isn't this just a gorgeous dining room? Look at the ceiling! What talent!

The living room just as you entered the home. They have beautiful chandeliers throughout. I wanted to sit down and start playing the piano!

Sitting area in the master bedroom.

The man of the home told me his wife did the painting. Look at those fabulous stenciled walls. They were out of this world! The walls reminded me of flocked paper. So beautiful! And the bed...sigh....




Closeup of the walls not to mention the beautiful picture!
The blue and brown bathroom. Very elegant! Such a beautiful vanity, too.

The nautical inspired child's room in the basement.
A lucky teenager's room in the basement as well.
This was a tiny kitchen, but no less attention was paid to details. The sweet little chandelier over the sink, a small window seat (behind lady). Love the little shelves of dishes!
Thank you for coming with me! Now let's go have a bit of tea and a scone...

Historical Home Tour II

I am sorry for not continuing right away with the home tours - I couldn't get the pictures to load for some reason the other night. I see that they're backwards now as well. Oh well, can't win 'em all!

Here is the second home we toured. You can see the first home here just in case you missed it.

Aren't these old suitcases wonderful? I bet they store all kinds of great goodies as well. This family also seems to collect plaid items. You'll see them displayed throughout the home.

This table was full of some tempting goodies, but nope - I didn't try anything. Didn't know if they were for us to look at or sample...

Fun vintage items in this child's room.

Great boy's room! Love the wall lamps.

I think the cabinets and hood were beautiful in this kitchen. However, they seemed to almost overwhelm this little space.

I'm thinking of finding a place to put up bulletin boards like this for each of my children to display their own artwork, etc. It seems to be the one thing I accumulate soooo much of and never have a place to put (besides the poor refrigerator). See the plaid??
I'm not a huge yellow fan (I like it, but worry about tiring of it), but this home had such a lovely golden color on the walls. Great bold color with the contrasting white trim. Plaid anyone?

I want a built-in like this!
The built-in bookshelves in the living room flanking the fireplace. The picture doesn't do the beautiful windows justice. All original. See plaid on the mantel?

Have a Super Duper Tuesday! Two more days till I turn 33. Yikes!! Where does the time go?