A Little White Vignette

Most of the rooms in my home are in some stage of revision. I decided to show you one little corner in my bedroom. It's not completely finished, but it may be closer to finished than any other space in my home at the moment. 


You might be asking why my home is in such a state. It all started when my son moved back with me in January 2010, and brought his dog. She's a brindled lab, and you could not ask for a more wonderfully sweet, loving dog. She is a GREAT watch dog. (So great, the paint on the front door is now a chippy mess - and not in a good way.) She goes crazy when the postman puts mail in a drop box that empties into an old wooden drawer on a chest. Two years ago she was still a puppy. And if you've ever had the pleasure of knowing a 2 year-old lab, you'll understand; the dog ate my sofa.

I promise I am not exaggerating one bit, and if I were a little less prideful, I might post a photo of the sofa to show you. But, I was raised to make sure your home was clean and in order before you invited company inside, so I hope you'll understand why I just can't do it. Now, the sofa has become a giant dog bed. C'est la vie.


Aside from the sofa and the chippy front door and window, I can't stand the hair. Poor girl - she sheds so much I am just amazed that she has a single hair on her. I am really NOT exaggerating when I tell you I often sweep up a dustpan FULL of hair in ONE room each week from her. It's everywhere. I love her, but I'll be happy when I can visit her at her new house and take her doggie treats and such.  


Now, it's time to take back my house. I'll miss the safety factor. I'll miss having a loving creature who is excited to see me when I arrive home from work. (I know I will.) I'll miss how she eats anything I drop, 'cause I'm a klutz. I'll miss how she puts her head on my foot when I'm sitting on the sofa. But, I won't miss the hair. If she were bald, I'd probably arm-wrestle my son for her, but she's not bald. And I want a lovely hair-free home.


If things go according to plans, they will move in September. The half-eaten sofa will go with them. Mason will buy a slipcover for it.  I'm making plans about what  to do to a living room with a chippy door and no sofa.

• I'm turning Mason's room into a studio/exercise room.
• I'm turning Hannah's room into a guest room. 
• Den furniture will be relocated to the living room.
• Two twin beds from Mason's room will be used as day beds in the den. (Any good ideas?)
• Everything is getting a fresh coat of paint. 
• Furniture will be moved around - some to new rooms. 
• Favorite objects will find new spots to dwell.
• I will finally tackle projects I'd put on the back burner because they were lower priority than texturing and painting every wall and ceiling when we moved in 8 years ago.
• I will update and freshen up my home using items I already own, and filling in with thrift store finds as needed.
• I will find a venue to sell treasures that I like, but that don't work in my home.

Over the past year, I've begun to pare down a bit and relegate things to the garage for a future garage sale. I painted my bedroom.  It was green before, and now it's mocha cream. I've begun to take down artwork and clear bookshelves - all in anticipation of the new updates.  I'm getting excited about being able to repaint the front door - it will be shiny black instead of red - inside and out.

Today, I swept up the dog hair and took a few photos of my little white vignette in the corner. 

The dresser in the photos was free - a gift from my church. It was in exactly the condition you see. I will probably tweak it later, but for now it works. It was in an old three-story house where our Youth groups meet and they wanted to get rid of it. They also gave me another "ugly lamp" to remake, so I'm on the lookout for a nice shade.

It has great storage, and it is ONE HEAVY PIECE of furniture! It's so heavy that I couldn't get those little furniture moving things out from under the feet in a couple of places.  (See the bottom left corner of the dresser? As a single woman, I LOVE those things because they make moving furniture on any surface easy.But I'll have to ask Mason to help me lift the dresser to get it.)


Every mirror in the vignette but one is from a thrift store. They were once wood finishes and I have painted them various whites, and distressed or stained them. They each cost a dollar or less.


The capiz shell bowl on the left is from Target originally and came to me via Goodwill. It still had a label on it. I paid $3. The little pedestal on the right is from a thrift store, as is the crocheted doily and the bird.

Very few things were purchased new - and they are old! The angel above the French mirror is a keepsake from a trip to San Antonio from over 10 years ago. The two lamps were from Dollar General, and I think they cost about $12 each - including their former shades. They are about 9 years old. They had little beaded shades but needed an update.The lamp shades in the photo are from some of those brass lamps like I spray painted last week. (See here if you missed it.)


I kept the vintage burlap shades because my daughter already has lovely patterned drum shades purchased at World Market. I'll take the lamps to her next weekend, along with other goodies I've collected for her house.


I'm working on making some drum shades for these lamps, and you can be sure I'll let you know how those turn out. 


Next week when I visit Hannah, we'll arrange furniture, stage book shelves, wall art, etc. I will take photos and show you her house and our projects. After all, she and her new house are what started me down this path anyway!

The white ceramic candlesticks and bowl are all thrift store finds. I once read that you should always burn candle wicks a little, so they don't look unused. I guess it struck a chord with me, because I do it now to all my candles. The walnut tray is from a garage sale - one of three purchased for $4.00. The vintage crocheted piece and small ceramic tray are thrift store finds from years ago.


Word of the Day: 


Matthew 7:6


“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."


Have a lovely weekend, everyone! I look forward to seeing what treasures you find next week.

Many blessings,

Revi