Rest in Peace

James Louis Lloyd

February 5, 1957 - November 18, 2013 

Never have the words "rest in peace" meant so much. 

Jim was my older brother by 2 years. 

We all felt the passing of our mom, but Jim never seemed to get over it. 

He wrestled with that pain off and on for years to great cost. 

Jim has been very sick for the past few years and today his body succumbed to cancer but he was finally reunited with our mom and dad. 

I believe he is up to his old tricks. He is displaying sarcasm and wit and he's once again his mischievous self. 

The painful effects of his life cannot be undone but I know that God does bring beauty from ashes and that there is beauty in his complete healing - physically, spiritually and emotionally. 

He is probably relaying to mom and dad all that they have missed with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

"When we all get to heaven?" 

We will get on a bus and go to a Mets game.

We will fish in a reservoir.

We will go camping in the Catskills and we'll light the campfire with our dry wit.

We will all put on our red footy p.j.s and wait for Santa.

We'll climb into the stagecoach and ride into the sunset.

We will wear tennis shoes in Lake Sinissippi.

We'll have pork chops and applesauce for dinner.

"If I hear somebody say "moving forward" one more time they are going to get a Skilsaw to the head."

Oh Jim, I love you so.

 Love you forever.

Rest in Peace, brother, REST IN PEACE! 

Katie  

Banister Painted!

I have never liked our banister - never.
 I remember thinking it was ugly the first time we toured the house.

We always planned on redoing it.
I wanted something like this.

Source: The Blooming Hydrangea

When those waned in favor, I wanted something like this.

Source: Pinterest

We never had the money for a redo.
Three kids, 5 cars, college....
The list could go on and on.
 I chose to ignore the banister. 
I flat out chose not to notice it anymore.
When I finished altering my mantel, I tried to figure out how I could add lumber to the newel posts.
I couldn't figure it out.
Ignore, ignore, ignore.
I thought about getting the carpenter out to see what he could do but other projects were more pressing.
Ignore, ignore, ignore.

I tried to make it darker with stain a few weeks ago but I could still see the orange when the sun moved to the back side of the house.
Ignore, ignore, ignore.

Source:Country Living

I've been thinking about Christmas and looking at Pinterest.
I started seeing all these wonderful banisters dripping with swags of garland.
They were white!

I also noticed that many of then had clean lines and were very linear-like mine.

Even though I knew this would be a job, I decided to bite the bullet and go for it.

It was as bad as I thought. Getting in all the nooks was tedious. I had to look at it from all different angles to make sure I got it all. Just when I thought I got it all, I would see a spot I missed. What a bizarre way to build a banister but
Bill says it was cheaper to build it this way.

The color is Sherwin Williams, White Duck in a Satin Oil Base Enamel.



It looks cottage instead of Craftsman or 80s Mission Revival. Yeah!

I love it.

I don't have to ignore, ignore, ignore!

Are you wondering why I didn't do this to begin with?
I'll tell you.
About 15 years ago our neighbors painted their cabinets and banister white. 
I didn't like it in their space because it looked cold.
But they had white tile floors, white walls, red leather sofas and a red brick hearth. I don't even think they had window treatments.  
There was no warmth or softness in the space. 
I was left with such a negative impression that for years I wouldn't even consider painting ours.

It is a relief to have this project behind me except for the little bit upstairs.

I can't wait to decorate it for Christmas.
Katie
P.S. Don't pin the images that I sourced from Pinterest. 
You can find them on my Stellar Stairs Board. Repin from there, please.   
Linking with, 
Funky Junk Interiors 
Between Naps on the Porch   
A Stroll Thru Life  
Lavender Garden Cottage   
Savvy Southern Style   
French Country Cottage

Faux Greenery and Flowers

 My sister busted me about a former favorite of mine. 

I had a plethora of faux greenery and flowers.

If you are old enough to remember the 90s, you have to remember faux greenery. 

Everybody had it. 
We had it draped everywhere.
Homemakers had it dripping over bookshelves, picture frames and over the top of the kitchen cabinets. 

I had faux greenery draped, swathed and adorning almost every surface. It was a terrible idea. 

Most of the time it was a dusty, greasy mess.
(Do you say greasy or greazy? Bill says greasy and I say greasy. )
It was even worse with plastic grapes woven in and out.
  My sister pointed out that she doesn't "do" fake flowers or greens ever!
She makes do with pine cones, fresh fruit or flowers, antlers, sea shells and other items that are apropos to the season.

I started to wonder if it was possible to live and decorate without needing a Hobby Lobby floral department fix every now and again.
 I can't say I've been 100 percent successful but I have made progress and I'm in fake floral rehab.

Here are a couple of ways I added the real and nixed the plastic without having a stark environment. 

Lliriope or Monkey grass in a glass jar can be tucked in another container. It lasts about a month. I've got an abundance of this stuff in the yard. Ivy or clippings from shrubs would work as well.
My yard won't miss a thing.

Philodendron is by far the easiest house plant to grow. 

Even I can't kill it.

I trim the vines and re-root them in a vase. I've been doing this groovy thing since the 70s. 
I have even passed the technique onto my offspring. 

The other way I have added color without the silk is with dried flowers. Status is wonderful. It is cheap and it lasts for months.

I ordered these hydrangeas last year from Oregon. I got a big box for $25.00. They still look great a year later.

I love baby's breath. It also lasts a while and is very inexpensive. I found some at Kroger for $3.99 a bunch.

Hobby Lobby and Michaels have a great dried section. I have even gotten feathers to add to arrangements. 
Of course roses from the grocery store are wonderful too. I just turn them upside down to dry. 

Once they are dry they can be used in different arrangements.

I do use faux fruit. I really don't want the family eating my displays all the time. 
So what are my exceptions?
I do have a few bunches of fake flowers.
I like the ones that are made of velvet or velveteen.



Most of my fake ones are from a local wholesale company, Raz Imports. 
I use them in small doses and only as they are blooming in nature. Pansies when they are blooming outside, etc.


My favorite artificial would have to be vintage milner flowers. 
This one is off of one of my grandmother's flapper dresses. 
Love!
If you go with the faux, there are some good quality fakes out there.
I still have a plethora of fake Christmas greens. 
I went with more real last year than I ever have but it sheds so bad and I had to get new greens mid-month. 
What about you? Faux or No?  
Katie 

Thanksgiving Decor

I told you about my recent finds for the sunroom.
The vintage needlepoint and the Faribo throw set the tone for some vignettes I have been working on in the sunroom.



I wanted Thanksgiving decor but I didn't want to limit the decor to just turkeys. 

I don't think the turkey necessarily makes the list of top ten attractive birds. Bless their hearts. 
(You can say almost anything unkind down here in the south as long as you say "Bless their heart." afterward. 
It's a rule or something.
 #yankeelearningtobeasouthernlady.
#newyorkerintexas
#Ihopemysouthernfriendswillstillspeaktome
 ;) 

I had some other turkeys but they were resin.
 Resin and ceramic don't mix… because I'm a little over the top about some things.



I was trying to think of some other hearth and home accoutrements to add to the mix when I remembered a
 Currier and Ives book of prints I found at the thrift the other day. 
Most of the good prints were taken out already but it contained this print.



At the time I didn't think I needed it. 
At the time I didn't think I needed it?
 Thrifting fail! 
I ran back up to the store but it was gone so I did what any spoiled, heart set on something person would do. 
I bought it off of e-Bay. 
(It cost the same as the one I failed to buy at the thrift store.) 
 But because I am impatient and now my print has to be shipped, I started thinking about other house blessing knick knacks I may have nestled (crammed) in this house.



I found a couple of houses, a early winter Currier and Ives print, and some other organic, acorny things.



I also found a circa 1984 cross stitch made by yours truly.

I popped it into a vintage Adirondack style frame and paired it with a little painting I did a few years ago.
  
I love the dish dresser like this. 



I kept the green Meakin china and majolica (some real, some reproduction).



I haven't had my birdcage out in a long time. Would you believe I found this for $1.00?

I ordered the bittersweet off of e-Bay because I don't think it grows down here.



I collect vintage postcards. 

All the searching I did for cottages somehow  

  unearthed a crazy looking spider.



I was immediately sure I had been bitten and that I could be meeting my maker at any moment. 
I'll let you know.
Katie 

Linking with,
A Stroll Thru Life  
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia  
The Scoop at White Lace Cottage   
Savvy Southern Style 
Common Ground 
French Country Cottage   
Helene's Legacy: Everyday Vintage Link Party  
Lavender Garden Cottage