Painting Update - House Tour

Folks, we are closing in on the painting - could even be done this weekend, which is good because the tile just came in so it's time to move on to something new. Sixteen days until we hope to be done - gotta flip that construction mortgage to a conventional one! Everyone say a prayer it all gets done!

Anyway thought you might like a peak at the craft room colors!




Actually it is a little different because that was taken during a painting break. That's how I intended it to look, but I got carried away and forgot to cut in the left side, I just continued slapping paint around the corner and none of the original Morning Fog left to fix it back. So, I had to paint the top of the green wall the darkened Morning Fog (blue) like the rest of the walls. So the majority of the room is the blue color and the short wall is blue on top and hep green on bottom - divided by a chocolate chair rail.....not many would love this combo (or even like it) - but I do! I'm smiling just writing about it - there's something about that color - it makes me happy!

My husband falls into the first category - actually his exact words were "that makes me want to puke" followed by "is that the final color?" He's not smiling....

Terri saw the sample colors and is still laughing - and to think she purports to like green....I think she meant forest green though!

Just in case you didn't get enough - here's another look....these colors are truer and show the darker morning fog all around. The divided line will be covered by the chocolate chair rail.....love love love it!
That's looking out my craftroom door into the great room. See those boards? I painted those too, well stained them - all 197 of them. Just waiting now for Super Hubby to put them on the ceiling of the great room - 25 feet up. That's Min-Wax polyurethane in natural in case you were wondering - that's why I have hep green in my craft room....I didn't want the ceiling boards to be natural, I wanted a light oak, hubby "always dreamed of them being natural", sooo we all have to compromise - I think I got the better end of the deal - what's not to love about hep green?

It really does look pretty close to these colors - especially the green - gotta love hep green!

Oh and while we're touring the house, here's what the cabinets look like -

and one actually hanging....that's Super Hubby there...
The cabinets are all in now - looks amazingly like a kitchen....maybe pictures of that tomorrow! But you know me and the flash drive - often parted when needed!

We purchased the cabinets from Rail Salvage - these puppies are solid oak 42" tall. Our ceilings are 10 foot so we needed to go with taller cabinets. Eventually there will be a shelf and crown molding around the top of the cabinets - some day.....The cabinets were a really good deal.... The salvage yard uses every square inch of space and then some... things are packed in. The cabinets are new, so it's not a reclaimed salvage, I think its a wholesale and overstock place. But, they have the cabinets all the time, you have to search for other items - I really recommend these places as a resource when you're on a budget or want a good deal. I also found an iron coat hook - you might see that someday - if I can find it!!!! hmmm.

Post Script to my post -
Will ya look at that - check out The Inspired Room.....how about them apples? Green apples that is.....looks like a trendy hep green to me - who's the fashion princess now huh?????

It is True - I am a Princess!

Since Terri told you some of my true identity last week, I am here to confess that I am a Princess - I'm providing a rare look into my royal life and sharing some pictures of my royal journey with you before the unauthorized version is published....

Here is my Royal Family - this picture was taken in 2004 at HRH's 70th birthday bash. We were just waltzing around Nashville, Indiana when the paparazzi caught up to us and took this picture. I'm in the pink shirt.


Here's the Royal Family at my sister's wedding....



This is a shot of us doing a ritualistic dance - you may have heard of it "Walk Like An Egyptian"?


That's me in the Jessica Rabbit dress - no Terri wasn't kidding. Striking resemblence isn't it?








In 2005 the Royal Family took a little trip down to one of our smaller palaces.









We hobb nobbed with the other royals....
















Here's a shot from when I was young and on tour....we did extensive traveling when I was young - no doubt looking for Prince Charming.


Here's a picture of my personal body guard - she does duty for me around the palace in Tennessee, where I spend the majority of my time. The image is blurry because she wouldn't hold still for a shot, she doesn't want her cover blown. Notice the super silencer footgear she's wearing - nothing but the best for my detail.

Here's a picture of my escort detail when I'm on the road...and traveling incognito....this just happens to be Iraq. You never heard I was there.....shhhhh....











And finally to prove that I'm really a Princess here's a picture of my throne...

I would have had a picture taken with me sitting on the throne - but..., well...., never mind.....

Five Things Melissa Wishes She Had

Terri here, again, with another unauthorized takeover that Melissa will discover tomorrow sometime during her workday. It will give her a lift, and she needs lifts right now, what with all the painting and those high ceilings. So, what are friends for? Here goes!

Melissa wishes she had:

1) A chihuahua. Yes, Melissa has chihuahua envy, and that's a sad, sad thing. She should just admit it and come snuggle my dogs!

2) A chihuahua WITH a WIG! Because, nothing beats a chihuahua except a chihuahua with fake hair. The picture speaks for itself. You know you want it! Personally, I'd go for the dreds, but Melissa is a bit of a traditionalist, so she'll probably go for a tamer style.

3. A donkey. She loves the call of the donkey, especially when it starts at around 4 a.m. - it's a beautiful thing!

4) A dried pufferfish. She begged for one of these when I lived in Florida, and I'm so callous and unfeeling that I refused to send her one. I'll make that up to you one day, Melissa!

5) A skunk. Two would be better. I actually think she already has one of these, and she keeps trying to share him with me. That's just the kind of generous soul she is.

So, there you have it, everyone - five things Melissa wishes she had. Stay tuned for next weekend, when I fill you in on the five things Melissa wishes she could do! It'll be a hoot!

Terri

Busy, Busy

Well after Terri's great post revealing my inner most secrets what is left to say??? Except of course "Off with her head!" but that's been said before....

Actually there isn't much to say these days, I'm a girl of action - PAINT action that is! I'm getting painters wrist, but I'm sleeping really well....

We put in the kitchen cabinets last weekend (a break from painting) and stopped at Lowe's to buy some stain for the ceiling boards (we've had them a while but it's time to think about installation - the cathedral ceiling is tongue and groove board. I had a 40 board quota nightly to get them done by this evening - I'm 42 behind! So - I've extended my deadline to Saturday! I'm very lenient with myself that way....I don't want to stress myself out, then I'd have to go on strike, and I don't have time for that!!!!!

I also did something very daring yesterday

Don't get excited - this is a demo - not the actual room. I went to the Sherwin Williams website and played with the colors (after I bought them!) That's the daring thing - I bought a gallon of Hep Green paint!!!!!!! Yippee!!!!! Are you rejoicing with me? Are you smiling?

Remember the icky blue paint (you didn't actually get to see it because I keep forgetting my flash drive at work!) - well it's only icky during times of direct sunlight, turns from restive spa blue to robins egg! ....the rest of the time it's just OK.

Well I took it to Sherwin Williams to fix it. They hooked me right up from Morning Fog (aka Robins Egg) to Aqua Sphere! The booklet I saw also had this really cool bright green - I have always been a fan of the bright almost neon green even before it was trendy. Well they put a room together with the Soft Aqua Blue, Hep Green and Chocolate - it is very trendy chic....yes folks, I bought a gallon of the Hep Green - my hubby is not going to be happy. Just having the gallon of paint in my car on the way home made me smile. It is the happiest color ever! I know it's not easy bein' green but every time I look at it I smile. Terri will just laugh when she sees it. My hubby will be horrified, but I promise I will put it on the wall he won't see, because he does not venture into the craft room often! He thinks it's scary in there. I also plan to have built in's to house my yarn so I will paint the box portion of the cubbies the bright green and leave the back side the wall color and trim it in chocolate - the cubbies should really pop - I might not want to fill them!

Well enough day dreaming - back to painting and staining and painting! Pictures on Monday, if I remember my flash drive!

An Unauthorized Biography

Melissa wanted me to tell all of you that she won't be back until Tuesday - she'll spend the holiday weekend painting and doing finish work on the new house. Which is exciting, to be sure, but it leaves me in charge of the blog. Bwahahahahaha!

So, I've decided that a little unauthorized biography is in order. See, I think all of you need to know the real Melissa, and, well, she's a little bashful about reveailing her true talents. In fact, you could say she hides her light under a bushel. This post is all about bushel-bashing, folks... here's the straight dope on Melissa.

Melissa was born the child of a sharcropping crocodile farmer and a debutante. This accounts for her unique sensibilities and fashion sense - she's practical, and frugal, and sensible, but has a killer instinct for a truly great dress. Still, a person can get mighty sick of crocodile shoes and fried crocodile tail, which explains why Melissa broke free at the first opportunity -

her musical talent was her ticket away from all things reptilian....

and it brought her into a new world. A world of order, and self-discipline, where hard work and strength of character would carry a person a long, long way from the crocodile farms of Southern Indiana. So, Melissa bid goodbye to her pet crocodiles and her beloved family, and she headed off, into the wild blue yonder, flying high - oh, wait - that's the wrong service!

No, not the Air Force, folks - Melissa joined the Marine Corps. Yes, Melissa became a Marine, and it was here that she learned to be tough as nails. Yes, the Marine Corps molded this woman into the sort of woman who would run a marathon with her crazy sister-in-law; the sort of woman who would run three miles the day before her back surgery (no, that part's NOT made up - she really did that!); the sort of woman who, in a word, makes strong men look like wimps.

Lest you think, though, that this experience left Melissa lacking in feminine charms, though, remember her debutante mother and relax - Melissa can pull out all the stops when she needs to do so. In fact, I have seen her in this very dress AND a tiara, dancing the night away. The belle of the ball, she was, and the life of the party! And you'd never know she'd spent a large part of the day planning and setting up the exact same party - she's multitalented, our Melissa. In fact a person could get a complex, hanging around such sheer perfection, day after day... so, that's why I've decided to let you all in on some of Melissa's weaknessess:

1. Melissa is afraid of horror movies. Of course, I am afraid of horror movies, too, but I am not a

Marine, right? So, I can be scared of horror moves while simultaneously ridiculing Melissa for the very same trait.

And ridicule her I will - see that photo to the left? That will give Melissa the heebie-jeebies, even though the monsters are muppets! Hahahaha!!!!! That will show you, won't it, my pretty!!!! Okay, maybe the muppets won't scare her, but I know she's scared of Vincent Price! Come on, it's Vincent Price!!!! And that creepy voice and those eyes and that lantern jaw? Holy cow - now I can't go to bed. Thanks, Melissa! Some friend you are!

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2. Melissa has a weakness for sugar cookies. And vanilla cake and white icing. She particularly loves fresh cupcakes, straight out of the oven, with soft pale icing melting over the warm, vanill-y tops... okay, hang on a minute while I go get a snack.

Hey, I'm on a diet! I'm supposed to be eating carrots and celery - I'm not supposed to be raiding the pantry for vanilla cookies! Excuse me while I brush the cookie crumbs away from the keyboard!

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3. Melissa cannot resist a rock. She would, in fact, probably think she could pick this rock UP and carry it in her truck to her house. This is why both her truck AND her back have seen better days, while my car is in pristine, untouched condition. Ignore that hay and the edges of those grain bags sticking out of my trunk - we're talking about Melissa here! :)

So that's it, everybody - now you know a little bit of the story behind the woman who singlehandedly named Thistledew Farm AND selected its colors, on the same day! Go ahead and finish your painting, Melissa - I've got your back!

:)

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Terri

Baby It's Cold Outside!

In true Global Warming fashion it is a whapping 20 degrees for the high in the Knoxville TN area today. The good news is, that is going to feel warm right about tomorrow when we are predicted to be at 5 - FIVE - degrees for a day or two. This is a sad state of affairs for a family living in an unclimatized 1980's motorhome. "Awww", you say, but "don't feel to sorry for us" I say....Actually last night we moved into the house - with the functioning heater! and slept on air mattresses. Yes, the hippy life is alive and well at ThistleDew Farm but we're movin' toward domesticity! These are the times we'll look back on and laugh and admire how tough we were!!!! If we live that long!

This temperature reminds me of something I've done with Ashley aka The Princess since she was born eight years and some odd months ago.....and also reiterates what I posted a few days ago about having this tick that requires me to complete certain
words with published works - like I can't say "I don't know why...." without ....inserting "she swallowed the fly". I can not say "It's cold outside" without performing it in a singing voice and prefacing it with "Baby".....insert Dolly Partons voice as you say the line

Anyway, I always used to sing this to The Princess when it was cold....it's kind of our thing. Do you have a link with someone like that....now all I have to do is say "Baby It's Cold Outside" and she says "I really must go"....come to think of it, she says that everytime I burst into song (which is always spontaneous and often)....hmmm maybe there's something to that.

I often feel I'm living in a musical, and since I'm a limelight hog, I sing the lead parts just in case....who knows, we could be living in an alternate reality as a t.v. show - I want to look and sound my best.....

Really, I'm not bonkers, it's just cold outside....

Here's a few titbits taken from Wikipedia: "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is a pop standard with words and music by Frank Loesser. Loesser wrote the duet in 1944 and premiered the song with his wife at their Navarro Hotel housewarming party. The female voice in the song is called "The Mouse" and the male "The Wolf."[1] The lyrics consist of his attempts to convince her to stay with him at the end of a date; her indecisive protests reveal that although she feels obligated to go home, she is tempted to stay, partially because, as the title suggests, "it's cold outside." In at least one published version the tempo of the song is given as "fantana," a humorous reference to the composer's name. The recording by Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer was recorded on March 18. 1949 and released by Capitol Records as catalog number 567. It first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on May 6, 1949 and lasted 19 weeks on the chart, peaking at #4. Today, this is the most commonly heard version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and is often mistaken for being sung by Bing Crosby and Doris Day.

I really can't stay
But baby, it's cold outside
I've got to go away
Ah, baby, it's cold outside
This evening has been
Been hoping that you'd drop in
So very nice
I'll hold your hands,
they're just like ice
My mother will start to worry
Beautiful, what's your hurry
My father will be pacing the floor
Listen to that fireplace roar
So really I'd better scurry
Oh beautiful, please don't hurry
Maybe just a half a drink more
Why don't you put some records on while I pour
The neighbours might think
Oh baby, it's bad out there
Say, what's in this drink
There's no cabs to be had out there
I wish I knew how
Your eyes are like starlight now
To break this spell
I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell
I ought to say no, no, no, sir
Mind if I move a little closer
At least I'm gonna say that I tried
What's the sense of hurting my pride
I really can't stay
Baby don't hold out
Ahh, but it's cold outside
I simply must go
Oh, baby, it's cold outside
The answer is no
You know it's cold outside
This welcome has been
I'm lucky that you dropped in
So nice and warm
Look out the window at that storm
My sister will be suspicious
Oh, your lips look delicious
My brother will be there at the door
Like waves upon a tropical shore
My maiden aunt's mind is vicious
Eww, your lips are delicious
Well maybe just a cigarette more
Never such a blizzard before
I've got to go home
Ah, baby, you would freeze out there
Say, lend me a comb
You know it's up to your knees out there
You've really been grand
I thrill when you touch my hand
But don't you see
How can you do this thing to me
There's bound to be talk tomorrow
Making my life long sorrow
At least there will plenty implied
If you caught pneumonia and died
I really can't stay
Get over that old out
Ah but it's cold outside

The Bestest Surprise

On my drive home yesterday I knew I had only a hard evening of painting to look forward to, sigh..... But what to my wondering eyes should appear (not a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer) but a neatly wrapped package from the USPS lady. I did not recognize the address so with my usual finesse, I tore into the wrapping.

Out popped the cutest apron that has ever graced my house! And the first apron to grace this house!

I was the lucky recipient of this wonderfully made apron giveaway from The Apron Goddess












Here is what the apron looks like in MY kitchen -

I know what you're thinking - "Wow what a kitchen!" - We're going through a minimalist period right now!

If you want decorating tips - I'd be happy to help you - I can definitely recreate this look in any kitchen.....sledge hammer please! Now stand back....

Notice also that I am wearing three layers of clothes and a scarf - no longer though, the heat is now turned on and I don't mean as a result of my sexy little apron either. The heating guy actually turned on the heat now that the dry wall is done!

Not only did I receive the lovely apron through The Apron Goddess from Practically Necessary
but as I reached my hand into the elegantly finished pocket (lined and brick a bracked)what should I find but an embroidered hanky. Not just any hanky but a Practically Necessary hanky with pansies on it! How did they know Pansies are among my most favorite flowers?
The hanky was so beautiful it brought a tear to The Princess' eye.....




















But alas, even Cinderella has to go back to scrubbing floors - in my case the paint pail....

That's the slate blue primer I was talking about to go under the Chocolate - I mean Rootbeer Float - brown....guess what I'm doing tonight? Want'a pop over and help?

Painting Update

The saga continues - another day, another pail of paint. The primer in the Master bedroom looks fab! I can't wait to see the paint color - it's supposed to be 25% darker than the primer.....it is very earthy and definitely induces sleep - it was all I could do Sunday to keep from curling up in a corner and taking a snooze - oh maybe that's because I painted for 12 hours a day in addition to doing my other motherly and wifely duties!

I painted the Master bath and loo (our toilet is a separate room inside the master bath) on Saturday until 1 a.m Sunday morning. The color is China Moon and reminds me of porcelain - if you break a piece - the middle part, kind of an off white on the gray/skin tone order....very delicate and nice. Not sure what the trim color will be - Super Hubby doesn't want it to be the green brown of the Master bedroom, but I think that would tie the two rooms together nicely.

Sunday brought me to the Guest Bath and Ashley's (aka The Princess') Boudoir. The primer is Morning Fog - a soft spa blue/green. Unfortunately I don't think I stirred the bucket enough because the bathroom looks like a muted robins egg blue but The Boudoir looks about the correct color - trouble is though, if this paint color is also 25% darker than the primer we're back to the robins egg color - definitely not what I had in mind.....Super Hubby says to wait and see, but he doesn't like the color of the bathroom primer either....well he didn't like the paint chip but I got my way on that one! He thinks the spa blue color off the Chocolate walls won't look good. He doesn't believe me when I tell him Chocolate and light spa blue are very trendy! Or he doesn't care if it's trendy - maybe that's it.....hmmm.

I did take pictures but forgot to download them to my flash drive so I could upload them for you.....maybe tomorrow....did I mention that painting is hard work???? Rewarding but hard work!

We're Painting!

I know there are lots of you doing improvement projects - I've been spending some serious blog time checking them out! You guys are doing some awesome projects and sooooo pretty too. But folks - I'm painting My very own bedroom in My very own house (well, mine, my hubby's...and the banks - well, mostly the banks). I have never painted MY OWN bedroom before.....I've painted a lot of OTHER people's bedrooms, and living rooms, and fences.....you get the gist.

The house is starting to look like a home -
I primed the dark wall of the game room last night. It was to be Belgium Chocolate but Sherman Williams translated that to Rootbeer Float! hmmm, think I like Chocolate better - but we'll see.
It will have a granite texture in the paint - I'm so excited, except for the primer part - it looks like a slate blue.....
Hope it works ok
I would have thought they'd recommend a brownish or blackish gray as the preferred method but what do I know????? I suppose I should trust 'em, they are the professionals.

Then I moved to the bedroom - remember it was going to be Prairie Moss
.


OK, so he's not Prairie Moss Green, but he's cute. It's not easy bein' green ya know.


The green in this fiber died with Mushrooms is more the green it was - maybe deeper. However - every time my husband referred to the color HE selected, he'd say "Green - I don't know why, because I don't like green" (do you know how hard it was not to say "she swallowed the fly" after I said "I don't know why"???? - I have a problem with certain groupings of words - I feel compelled to complete the phrase. Like I can't say "I feel pretty" without singing it - does anyone else have this problem or am I out there?)

Sooooo, I went back to Lowe's and brought home another truck load of samples (for like the 12th time)- they probably think I'm wallpapering the house with paint chips, as they sigh and restock the cubbies. Super Hubby wanted restful and dark to induce sleep (he likes to work all night and sleep late - if he has a chance.) So I brought home some deeper earthy brown greens. He spied Dry Creek Bed and decided someone was sending him a sign (hee hee hee) - he loves creeks but you can't have a wet creek in the bedroom....so that's what I was priming last night, a dry creek bed right through the middle of my bedroom. The color looks more like mushroom to me - a deep earthy deep taupe greenish brown.
I'm ok with it though, I think I can use lot's of accent colors to spice up the room - it will be an excellent backdrop and easy to change the look with accent color changes.

I didn't download pictures of the actual painting process because I fell into bed exhausted...I'll have some on Monday to wow you.

Have a great weekend - here's another tip for a happy life.....

Don't compare your life to others'...You have NO IDEA what their journey is all about.

Things to do for Free

Here are some tasks from a sheet I've had for several years - these items are intended to motivate you and allow you to live a more fulfilling life. I included some editorial comments! (if you can stand them)

- Take a 10 minute walk - every day, and smile - it is the ultimate anti-depressant. The funny thing about smiling is if you walk around with a smile, people smile back at you and they ask you where things are, especially in a grocery store. This makes me feel popular and needed so I smile all the time.

- Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. I have never done this one - I think it might make me crazy to be alone with myself - besides I'm not sure where to go to be alone unless I park on a deserted road....sounds kind of dangerous to me, I think I'll skip this one.

- When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, "My Purpose is to ____________ today."
This sounds pretty good - I might change this to "the most important thing to do today is...."

- Play more games and read more books this year.
I'm all about that - only not the electronic type of games, actually get dirty outside and use what nature provides! I love doing that.

- Make time to practice meditation and prayer.
I could definitely use more time to meditate - maybe I'll do this instead of sit in silence....maybe I'll listen - you can pick up on so much if you just sit, listen, wait...

- No one is in charge of your happiness EXCEPT YOU.
I forget this often....I let others try to make me happy or I try to make others happy - you can't force someone to be happy, I've tried!

- Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
This goes a long way in showing humility - sometimes I forget it's not all about me and that my trifles aren't foremost in others minds - I know it's hard to believe.

- What other people think of you is none of your business.
I worry about this a lot. I am much happier when being me, instead of that person I want others to see....Me is much more fun anyway, She can be a pain in the kester!

- Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful. I might be awhile on this one.