Oyster Shell Passion

It’s that time of year when the oyster shells are calling me. Last year after I made my mirror and lamp, I’ve had so many requests from family and friends to do more. So I am.

We are so fortunate that the oyster shell industry opened back after after last year’s oil spill. Just before Christmas, I hauled a stash of fresh oyster shells home and have been cleaning, rinsing, bleaching, rinsing, and sorting them since. I even learned how to use my jig saw without cutting off any fingers. I’ve sanded all the boards, painted them, and are using french cleats for the hanging system. I’ve got 3 mirrors going right now.

This is the 36” X 28” rectangle almost complete, needs it’s last row of tiny shells.

Close up:

This is daughter’s whopper. It will be aproximately 47” in diameter. Needs many more rows, but this is a slow and tedious process. The outer rings have to dry completely before the inner rings can be put on.

The third mirror is an oval, like my originally one. No shells on that one yet, so I didn’t snap a picture. It’s sitting on the dining room table. And oyster shells are everywhere, in boxes sorted out by their size. Oyster shells have taken over my home, my thoughts and my dreams. So what am I going to do with all these mirrors and other oyster items? Not sure yet how I’ll procede but am thinking of a giveaway, stay in touch!

Inspiration after Christmas

We had an amazing Christmas and New Years. Just getting back to normal, Christmas decorations are all down and put away. What a job that is, always vowed never to put up so many next year when I’m taking them down.

After Christmas, hubby and I went over to Liz and Dave’s for a few days. The boys played golf while Liz and I made the flea market/antique/interior design store circuit between Ft Walton Beach and Destin. Liz was in search a a buffet for her dinning room and I was hunting for anything! Especially inspiration. After 2 days of searching Liz found her dream piece at Lovelace Interiors in Destin. It’s the Addison cabinet from Aidan Gray. It’s a weathered wood, grayish lovely piece. Just perfect for their taste. And stores lots of china:

I’m making them a Lamp Tramp special…. a huge oyster shell mirror to go over this baby. Liz is searching for new lamps. And old wood planks to re-plank her table.

My favortie store that we went to, twice, is Antiques on Holiday. So many heavenly pieces and vignettes to feast one’s eyes upon. Enjoy all this great inspiration:

There are 2 huge floors of all this goodness, too much to photograph and digest all at once.

My Master Bath redo is still going on, cute Brazilian guy just left. I’ll get some pictures when everything is cleaned up and back together. On Thursday morning a new plumber is coming to spray foam under master bath whirlpool tub. Tub has been floating on air instead of a base of concrete underneath it to support weight of many gallons of water plus a body. Plumber is also installing new handles, faucets, shower nozzles, and hand held nozzles in two other baths. But the down side is, has has two cut huge holes out the walls behind these 2 tubs to change out faucets, etc. Lots more dust, coughing, choking, and cleaning. But we are getting things done and that is always a good thing.

Happy New Year to all!

The nightmare goes on…

The Katrina nightmare will never end for so many of us here on the Gulf Coast. I consider my ongoing Katrina problems a piece of cake compared to so many others here. At least 6 of my neighbors have found out they have Chinese drywall installed in their Katrina flooded homes. When everyone was just starting to rebuild here, because the entire region was devastated and wiped out, supplies were far and few to be found. So guess where most everyone’s sheetrock or drywall came from….yep, China. Good friend’s of ours have to file bankruptcy, walk away from their Chinese dry walled home, and start over with nothing but their lives. They put their life savings into rebuilding their home after Katrina. This past year after all their appliances started exploding, they investigated. Chinese drywall was the culprit, it erodes all the electrical wiring and appliances in the house. Everything in one’s home begins to smell like to rotten eggs (sulfur) and is no longer able to be salvaged. Not to mention the serious health effects that can be incurred if you live in a home with Chinese drywall. There are many law suits pending but for now there is little hope available for people that have to move out of their homes because of this issue. 4 of my neighbors have moved out, left their homes, who knows what will happen to these homes and my neighbors.

I pray every day that we don’t have Chinese drywall. I consider us lucky that we don’t, so far. We do have a myriad of other Katrina related problems due to faulty workmanship, rip-off artists, and unscrupulous subcontractors as we were so desperate to rebuild and get back home. This is our biggest issue and project #1. We have hired the PREMIER custom home builder on the Coast and are willing to pay more so that HE deals with the subcontractors, not me. And, yes, he started today, a week before Christmas. But I’m feeling lucky and blessed and promise to roll with it. My husband has been after me for 4 years now to get all this fixed. I just couldn’t deal with having workers in and out of my house. Until now. The week before Christmas. UGHH!

WARNING: These are NOT pretty pictures, so turn away now if you have a weak tummy!

I’ll be showing the progress of big issue #1: Our Master Bath shower:

All this was brand new, installed after Katrina. Almost lovely until you look closely at the details. The grout or lack of, was not applied correctly. The step-up that the glass frame and door sits on should have been beveled. It also was incorrectly grouted.

The shower seat as well, should have had some type of beveled edge, the grout is nasty and falling apart. You can see mold everywhere as the grout issue allows water to seep in.

See the hole right in front of the glass below? One of the many OOPS! And the nasty, falling off grout? I want gross you out anymore, I sure ya’ll get my point.

8:00am this morning, the glass surround and door was up.

A few minutes later, the glass company arrived to take it down. Assuming it would be an hour project. HA! 6 hours later, blow torches, screws sawed off and broken glass I now have this:

This is what should remain, ready for the granite guy to come in and start ripping up tiles. And the granite guy is Brazilian and really cute. Supposed to be the best around. I feel blessed. I wonder if he’ll let me take his picture?

No, really, I do count my blessings. We don’t have Chinese drywall.

Portraits in Courage

I hope you will all take a few minutes during this very busy Christmas season to view this.

It is the Air Force Portraits in Courage, Vol . V. by General Norton A Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the USAF. I adore his opening line: “ The indomitable character of our Nation is typified by ordinary people who accomplish remarkable deeds in the face of daunting challenges.”

So many amazing heroes, touching stories, some lived, some did not. Our David is included in this tribute.

US Air Force Portraits in Courage, Volume V

I am so grateful to and pray for our men and women in uniform. I wish them all a blessed Christmas as well as their families that sacrifice so much.

Christmas Tour 2010

Thank you Nester for holding your yearly Christmas tour. Thanks, Daphne and Shannon for your Home Tour Tuesday

Welcome! I’m still not finished decorating. I am always in a constant state of changing things that I’m not happy with. As the saying goes, “IT’S THE PROCESS”. Yes that fits me, always in the process of redoing. And I do enjoy the process!

There are a few rooms that are the same as last year since I love them and want to keep those themes. But there are lots of changes this year. My words are purposely kept to a minimum. I hope you enjoy my home and I look forward to viewing yours!

Front door:

Mantel:

My special little room:

Living room:

Tree in aqua…

or this? With gold, aqua, and fruit…

Son’s room:

Kitchen:

Front hall:

Dining room:

Daughter’s room:

Join the Nester , Daphne and Shannon for all the beautiful Christmas home tours!

Kingston Charleston chest for son’s bedroom redo

All you ladies that find awesome furniture at Goodwill, thrift stores, yard sales, or on Craig’s  list are so lucky. I’m quite envious when I see all the great deals that are rehabbed and look spectacular here on Furniture Feature Friday.

You see it’s not possible to find decent used furniture anywhere here in my area. Why? Of course, Katrina! Katrina completely wiped out the used furniture market. Yes, we get antiques shipped in from all over, but those are usually way too expensive.

I’ve searched and searched for the right size chest to go next to son’s bed, E Bay, Craig’s list, and new online. Finally found this chest from Ultimate Accents and ordered it from Mercantila for almost half then the first price I saw. To my surprise, it was delivered within 2 weeks from ordering it online.

Here’s the online picture. I loved the detail on the side.

You can’t see that detail where I’ve put the chest in the room. Now I think I’ll have to rearrange the entire room.

I love the lines of the chest but not the so fake distressing. See what I mean?

So I’ll be rehabbing my new chest, rearranging the entire room,  taking the bed apart and painting it for the 6th time. I don’t know if I’ll ever finish this room!

Joining Miss Mustard Seed for Furniture Feature Friday and Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home.