Here I Am!

This is the view from our deck

We are finally here....left Texas and our beloved deer (a fellow who lived down our street called me, and asked if I had moved). "David,wasn't the big moving van in the driveway a clue"? I asked.
"Didn't notice that, but did notice the twenty deer, rambling around our yard, asking if I'd seen Jessica" ...I started to cry.
"I fed them Cheetos," he said, cheerily.  "And water," he added.
I informed him Cheetos were tasty, but not for deer.

We live up on the Cumberland Plateau (75 miles from Knoxville), on a lake, in a home we inherited in a resort with 8 lakes and 11 golf courses (or is that 8 golf courses and 11 lakes?  It is truly beautiful, and it finally stopped raining...going from dust and deerpoop in one's back yard to mildew and a lake is an adjustment.

This is our new home..sort of looks like the "Black hole of Calcutta" right now...The front door is chinese red..and the house is cedar..I didn't take this photo (the realtor did-the house was on the market for three years...wonder why it didn't sell?)....Lots of painting, landscaping, interior design/rehab)  The people who rented it for a year burned holes in the carpet in the lower level (there's a wood-burning stove), changed the door hardward brass to cheapstuff, along with chiseling the door frame, and left the house filthy..gah!

First thing I did was buy a bird feeder...meet our "bird" "Stretch"..she's terrified of the rocking (a squirrel afraid of heights)...but, she's adapting, as well.  We also have cardinals..!!

This is our lovely???kitchen...I hate wallcovering (well, at least, THIS wallcovering), and borders, and soffets, and dirty, white tile, but the cabinets are a nice cherry, and there's hope.  My late brother-in-law installed the wallcovering right on the drywall, so the going is slow removing it.  My 90-year-old mother in law was helping us pick at it one day, and said, "I'll be an old woman by the time this stuff is removed"..(love her).  My guy has most of it off (thank you Swiss Army Knife Guy)...and we have the paint ready...I'm going to do a back splash. (lots of plans as soon as we sell (long story) our Texas home...thought it was sold, but they lost their financing..hope is still in the air)

This is the view from our lower-level walk-out .We have a "work room", and a large room with a large, wood-burning stove, on a large "Crab Orchard stone platform and back wall" My husband gets the tiny office off mine..Hey, it's all he needs.

This is the "Sunroom", which I've made into the dining/sun room...painted it...put in our furniture, but I do not like the dark wood trim throughout, (can't change it out)..too much work...
So, I am off to eat my breakfast, while gazing out at the lake and my birds.
Hope springs eternal.

Finally! Painted and Staged

Six hundred and thirty-three trips up-and-down a ladder later ~ done..finished, praise God!

Our living room was dark, even on a sunny day.  This is Texas, after all, and when the 107 temps hit for months on end, we were grateful for the deep back porch, the cool, stained concrete floors, and the live oak trees off the back porch. 

As a designer and stager, I knew that the ceilings needed to be painted in the livingroom and the foyer...they were the same color as the walls, and sucked up what light there was coming in the one wall facing East....So, I decided I could do it...and I could, but as God is my witness, I will never paint another ceiling again...that said..what a difference!



This is still a "before", but I wanted to show you how dark the room was, even with the bright sunlight outside. Also, I didnt like the fact that the fireplace breast was the same color as the rest of the space, so I painted it the same color as the trim...and now....
"Viola"











So, the realtor came out with the wide angle lens (I don't have one), and took some shots..the "pro" will be here as soon as we have a sunny day, which is next week.  It's strange to have so much rain and cloudy days, but wonderful, as we've been suffering through a terrible drought.



<>



It seems that one of my three muses (we all have them, you know) is playing with the computer today - I have a kitchen muse, who loves to add too many spices to my chili, and one, who loves to play with my computer (while I'm trying to post), and one, who is my "creative muse", who mostly behaves..So, these photos and captions are a bit mixed up today...



My home is "Rattlesnake Limestone" which is named that because of the fossils in it (they are really sea shells, but look like rattlesnake rattles.



After a Long, Dry Spell

I have been neglecting my blog..not because I am bored with blogging, but if you read the post below this, you will better understand.  Every waking moment lately, I've been on an 11-ft. ladder..painting our ceiling, foyer, and fireplace breast.  Photos to follow.
Speaking of photos, while I've been out-and-about to some of my favorite places, I've shot some things I'd like to share..Here's a bit of a montage.

My favorite shop in Georgetown, Texas ..."Diva"

 I love the chest, and the entire look..Diva...

                               Usually, I amnot wild about silk arrangements, but these are lovely.

                                                                              Diva

I'm pretty sure I need to feed my bookend obsession with this stack of celedon turtles........love...Diva

I love birds, china, and combining the two is almost irresitable...

I may take a break from my painting, and visit Diva today...