Those Terrible Steps

When I bought this house the steps looked like this. Sure it doesn't look awful but what you are missing, is the kitty pee pee smell. Apparently the former owner had a cat that expressed his anger by peeing on these wooden steps with a runner down the middle. And you know, I don't recall smelling a thing until the day I moved in. They must have really sprayed that carpet with some very powerful deodorizer. But pee or no pee I was planning on ripping off the carpet and stripping the steps to their natural wood finish. So my brother helped me by pulling up the carpet and what was underneath was just a mess. There was layers and layers of stain and paint, glue and tacks - LOTS of tacks and nails. From this picture you can see the work I've done on the bottom 6 steps - stripping, sanding, tack and nail removal. And after all this work, I have to say these steps were ugly - there wasn't going to be any beautiful wood coming through. There were too many tack holes and the wood not pretty. So the task was set aside. I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted but Plan A was definitely out. So the stairs have been left in this in between state. Yes I'm sure kitty is sitting there thinking, "What's up lady, these are nasty."

I had a couple of ideas buzzing in my head - but wasn't sure. Then like a gift from above I was looking at the MadeByGirl blog and I saw my entrance stairs and I had my answer. Voila.

photo is from the stylist Lucyina Moodie

It's still a fairly big project and right now I'm prepping the steps for paint. I'm not sure I'll try doing the runner myself or hire someone. I'm really like the sisal runner but need to check prices. I realize it may not go so well with the formal look of the black and white marble tile, but then, that' s another project one day. I just can't wait to get it done! Thank you Jennifer!!!!

Lilac Inspiration

I confess, I've always wanted to write one of those inspiration books. You know, the one you have by your bed or on the back of the toilet. The one that changes your blue day to a sunny happy one. But now that I think about it, the authors who have inspired me most to keep my chin up and try it again are ones that have gone through a great deal of pain themselves.

Does Life Equal Pain? Is that the only and best way to grow?

Today was hard. Between sales calls I cried in my car and talked to friends. (Thank God for my friends.) And I'm at a place where there is really nothing can do or should do. I just have to wait it out. And truly it's like waiting for a storm to pass. I'm tense with anticipation for the next clap of thunder - never really knowing when it will hit. And I know there are plenty of folks out there in this cyber world going through harder stuff than I am. But it's all hard and we all need inspiration or just a drop of hope, a promise. Here it is.I always find hope in flowers. I walked in my little spring yard - all I had was wild honey suckle - but it smelled delicious. My neighbor has a lilac bush and I snapped off a piece for my bedside vase. It's a little bit, just a reminder. And every time you start to worry smell the flowers you collected.
Inhale the beautiful fragrance, exhale thanks.

Abandoning Ship

Earlier this year, I started this blog because I was seeking anonymity because my boss was "visiting" my blog at least once a day. For the last few months, I tried to barrel through at my old blog and just keep posting in spite of my fears. But it hasn't worked out so well. Soon, I found that I was over thinking, over editing anything I posted. I was writing with her in mind, and I didn't enjoy blogging, it wasn't fun anymore. So from now on this is THE blog. And I'm a bit sad to say good bye to my first blog, my original blog, my blog of 3.5 years. I just have to let it go. It may take me a bit to build the momentum and enthusiasm I had with my former blog, but I hope that I am able to encourage, inspire and paint as before. It's a building process. Maybe this blog will be better. With every new beginning there is hope.

So Close to Finished

I still have the floor to paint and windows and window treatments to make. But these pictures show you the portion of the kitchen that is completed. It's been a long road. And I'm going to take a break from working on the house so I can do some watercolor painting, blogging, writing and cooking. It's so much more pleasant to cook in a kitchen you like being in.

And a HUGE BIG THANKS to my brothers -
both who did the work to make my kitchen lovely.
THANK YOU!!!!