My imaginary mirror wall

 I love old, foxed mirrors. Well, that's only kinda true. I actually obsess over them and want to own them all. At estate sales and thrift shops I grab the wavy, black-speckled mirrors every time. Luckily for me most people regard them as ugly and damaged and not worth having. I've even been asked what in the world I would want "that" for. All I can say is all the more for me. Bwah ha ha ha ha.

I plan to do a 'gallery' wall with my lovely-flawed frameless mirrors once I have enough variety of sizes. Then I'll need a wall and sadly, there's only one available. I just have to finish a faux barn door project to free up the wall space and I'm not able to do that without major help. So, until then my wall is in my imagination and in blogs all over cyber-space. I live vicariously through other people's mirror walls.

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 Be still, my heart. I love this and it is my 'go by' for when I actually do my own wall. Ribbons, frames in front of mirrors, foxing on the mirrors ... oh heck, when can I move in?

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This is one of my favorite looks.

dishfunctional designs

Easy and pretty. What could be better?

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I love this bathroom. This, after I just finished coloring-up my own beige bathroom.  Mirrors make all the difference! And isn't that white fan tower adorable? Looks like a fairly simple DIY.

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Come in? Thanks, but I'll just kick back here in the entryway.

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Sometimes you just have to mix it up. The reason I like frameless mirrors for gallery walls is they look uncluttered. This wall appeals to me as well because all the elements compliment each other and are monochromatic. I could relax in the tub and look at this wall for hours.

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The minute I find 5 matching mirrors this is SO happening on
my new mantel!

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This is another project I can see myself doing because it would make a great focal point. I have the perfect mirror for it, too.

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I would give up all my mirrors if I could have this Venetian mirror. Well, there are a couple I'd keep, or maybe three. Or four. Ah-hem, I would give up LOTS of my mirrors if I could have this Venetian mirror.

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 Venetian mirrors in collages - not as busy as one would expect. They make a more feminine wall than the plain frameless ones. I think Mr. Bad would react the same to a venetian wall as he did when he (mistakenly) thought I was painting the bedroom pink.

Christy of Our Southern Home SC posted the before and after of her wall which illustrates why  I, personally, think coordinating to reduce the chaos factor is important.

Before

 This is her trial layout on the floor. The mismatched frames and red shelves don't have the same inviting feel as a more monochromatic wall.

After

Christy painted the frames and shelves to match and the look is entirely different! She created a fabulous wall chronicling her children's Santa pictures through the years. And changing that old golf print into a chalkboard was inspired!


Here's my own 'before' wall - on the floor.

Yep, my mirrors are too big or too small for the most part. I need to find some mid-size mirrors that are juuuust right.

Remember  I said I had mirrors I wouldn't give up?

This is my favorite mirror out of the couple dozen I have. I just happened upon it. I was driving through a neighboring town and impulsively followed a yard sale sign. The sale turned out to be at what looked entirely like a meth house. I would have driven on by except there was an old juke box in the yard making me think there was a possibility of other fun stuff. I love my $1 mirror! I'm so glad I stopped.

However.
 I do not advise stopping at scary looking houses when you're alone.
Just sayin.'
Actually, let me rephrase - Just. Don't. Do. it.
really

In collecting my inspirational images I ran across 2 blogs that are wealths of inspiration and ideas. One is dishfunctionaldesigns.blogspot.com  and the other is littlebluedeer.com. Dishfunctional Designs has ideas for windows, doors, shutters, you name it! And Little Blue Deer, well, you just have to go there. It's eye candy for creative types.

You'll love both those sites!

Sharing with:
shabby nest
french country cottage
redoux
five days five ways
tater tots and jello
the dedicated house
pjh designs
common ground
primp

What the heck?

This warning came up in Blogger as I was writing my next post. Has anyone else had this happen? Am I not to post my blog address? Yikes. What gives?

Buh bye, White Room

While glue or paint was drying on the jelly cupboard I redecorated the eastern half the guest bathroom. I guess I'm working my way around the room but I didn't plan it that way. It just kinda started happening.

Years ago we got rid of the wallpaper that had ducks wearing giant blue bows around their necks running around the perimeter. It was cute for about a minute. We got rid of that and then didn't do much of anything to the bathroom until I got
a wild hair a few weeks ago.

I had to change things up. The beige walls, beige windows, beige carpet (sigh), beige cabinet and the boring glass tub enclosure had their days numbered. I was a woman with a plan. A half-baked plan but none the less ......

I didn't take a picture of the first step because at the time I didn't know it was a first step. I had a collage of white frames and mirrors up on the wall, but it just didn't work and I didn't want to struggle to get it right. It would have involved repairs and spackle and molly bolts and I prefer old windows anyway.
So we're starting here with Step 2. "Adding Color."

Notice that the bathroom is carpeted? All the bathrooms were carpeted. Why would someone do that? Was it a fad in the 80s? When I do the other half of the bathroom, this carpet is a goner!

This is one bland room, really bland.

 Until you look closely,

and see that the windows are chippy perfection.

I found some images of bohemian bathrooms and put them behind the windows,

along with some checkerboard fabric that reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. I would love, love, love to paint a large harlequin on the floor just like the photo. Has anyone painted wall-to-wall carpet? Kidding.

Out came the Milk Paint.

With all its unpredictable chippiness.

 I didn't have any of the bonding agent so all I could do was stand back and yell "Stop! Stop!"

Wow, did it ever chip! I might redo it, I haven't decided yet. My MMS bonding agent arrived today so I just might .......

Interestingly, the drawers didn't chip as much. And the body of the cabinet had only one wee chip and a few scraggly spots around the door frames.

I thought stark white pulls would be nice against the distressed paint.
I'm liking it so far. 

So, has anyone seen the note cards

that feature a penguin, standing with 1000s of penguins, 

belting out the song "I've Got to be Me!"

 Yep, I've got to be me. And Holy Cow, take a look at the size of that rabbit!

The White Rabbit and Beatrix Potter's Fierce Bad Rabbit were my inspiration in naming Bad Rabbit Vintage. I love images of them both. And while the rabbit on the shower curtain isn't the actual White Rabbit, it's still fun. 

I don't know that this shower curtain will stand the test of time but for now it puts a big, goofy grin on my face. And that goofy happiness is a real weapon against Stupid Cancer!

   

 Who even knew there were shower curtains made for us White Rabbit fans?

 Well, I said I wanted color, right? Some visual interest?

Here we're looking back across the hall to my workroom. Wait, what's that?

Let's zoom in.

Huh. Inspector 19 looks to be locked in. Silly boy. Always where he shouldn't be.

So, just to wrap it up - here's the before and after wash stand which pretty much summarizes the entire bathroom re-do.

Hopefully it won't take me forever to do the other side of the bathroom. But I can't forget I want to redecorate the utility room and get rid of that ice cream cone wallpaper trim! Unlike big White Rabbits, it DOES NOT put a big goofy
grin on my face.

 

Buh bye trim!

Linking to:

miss mustard seed
shabby nest
my repurposed life
redoux interiors
french country cottage
nifty thrifty things

the dedicated house
my uncommon slice of suburbia
primp junktion
domestically-speaking
savvy southern style
designed decor
tater tots and jello

Jelly Cupboard Continued ......

Okay, where were we? If you missed Part 1, it's here.

Day Five where we start getting crazy ideas

Against all odds, we managed to get the cupboard kinda straight. We attached a strap cross-ways down the back and Mr. Bad tightened while I pushed against one side. Then we found and tightened old screws and re-attached the top to hold everything in place.

Whoo Hoo!! It seemed to have worked.

The dark areas along the back corners are the unpainted areas exposed when the cupboard shifted. So it shifted about 3/8". 

I'm not painting the missed parts yet since they are my only way to tell if the cupboard starts to shift back. Well, that and the doors all flying open.

 Let's see what we have in the morning.

Day Six where I hope for the best

 The doors were level! But they kept popping open! I spent all morning fiddling with tightening and untightening screws! Push the door closed ... out it pops. grrrrrr

 I think I see the problem. The door is convex.

 And all the way to the top, too. Can this thing be any MORE warped?

Here you can see that the bottom of the door is smashed against the frame and just above that the door bows out and you can see the white interior. Then I saw that the strapping tape ....

I started to see where my day is going. What's a girl to do?

I amused myself painting stencils. La la la la la. What tape? What? Warped you say? La la la la la

Then I got busy. I moved the hinges out and then put shims between the hinges and the frame.

It worked! I was so optimistic that I put pulls on the doors.

Day 7 where I ignored the cupboard completely.

 I needed a break.

Day 8 la la la la la. Cupboard? There's a cupboard?

Day 9 where I get back to it and finish 'er up.

I'm not used to projects taking this long! I put the second window in and did another wash of green to get the 1930s color I wanted.

 I applied clear and brown wax and after a good buffing it was time to get the camera. For a crusty old thing, it cleaned up pretty good

I didn't age the white shelves because with the cabinet interior being so rustic I was afraid it would look dirty.

 I kept the original, unusual pulls.

Since I dry brushed as well as applying a wash, there was a lot of texture.

The Props

 I found this chunk of door at a salvage yard in Nevada. I added the door knob from my stash.

 This is an old, old coffee can. I have no idea why there are Alice in Wonderland characters on it.

My favorite. He's even on my shower curtain!

Ta Da! Not bad for an old girl, right?

Linking to:
diy show off
under the table and dreaming
nifty thrifty things
mod vintage life
between naps on the porch
the gunny sack
twigg studios
pjh designs one of a kind
the dedicated house
kammys korner
primp
domestically-speaking
my repurposed life
miss mustard seed
french country cottage
my uncommon slice of suburbia
five days five ways

Time gone by

I go by this house every day and wonder what happened? Where is the family? Will anyone try to save the house? 
It's standing empty and the front door was kicked in when I stopped to take pictures.
When I went back to photograph the front I found the doorway covered with plywood. It pretty much ruined any chance of taking good pictures. (That and having to stand in the middle of the road.) The kicked-in door, hanging from a hinge, had mystery and intrigue. A big sheet of plywood is just sad and boring. Or is it? After all, it tells a story too.

The back porch

This house is one of the last surviving historic homes built in the Applegate Valley back in the late 1800s.That's one of the reasons it kills me to see it left to rot away. There are 4 other houses still standing in their original state. They are being used and are in good condition. Another couple of the old homestead houses have been remodeled over the years but are still recognizable from old photos. Descendants of the original homesteaders still live in them.

Derelict houses have a certain beauty. I've wanted to photograph them for years and now I'm finally 'just doing it.' I'm not a "photographer" but I'm not going to let that stop me anymore.

The water tower

There are a handful of water towers still standing in the area. I've seen a couple converted into guest houses, how fun is that? Except for the 100 steps up to the bedroom, that is.

 

The windows in old houses pull at my heart-strings, I am completely drawn to them. Maybe it's the bleakness?

The neglect

Here's a picture from a history book, just to let you see what the front looks like. I believe this picture was taken in the 80s.

I'll keep hoping someone decides to save this house. I think it's a matter of economics - to bring back a house like this would cost a fortune. But still, I keep my fingers crossed.

Sharing with:
under the table and dreaming
nifty thrifty things
between naps on the porch
the gunny sack
pjh designs one of a kind
the dedicated house
redoux interiors