Take Flight

It really feels like spring is finally here.  The warmer weather has motivated me to get crackin' on a few things that involved paint and sawdust.  Those things are better off outside, in my opinion, although we've done plenty of sawing in the house this past winter too.  You just do what you can, right?

Anyway, I've been working on my bedroom again and want to show you what I've finished so far, but first, I've want to tell you about someone I met...online.  (I had to word it like that, because I'm old enough and I've been married long enough that we didn't have that kind of thing back in my day, so I'd otherwise never get to say, "I met someone online.")

Please meet Julie.

Wait, that's not Julie.

Actually, I don't have a picture of Julie.  I don't even know what she looks like, but I do know this,

she is a very sweet and talented lady and this is picture is proof of that.

We met, like I've met some of you, through blogging.  After leaving eachother comments and a few e-mails, she sent me this amazing picture she took called Take Flight.  I fell in love with it the first time I saw it in her etsy shop, jules J gallery.  In fact, every time I look at it now, it still makes me smile.  Something about it really captures my imagination.  The vintage look makes me wonder, where are they?  What year is it?  And the one, lone bird flying away makes me wonder, where is he going?  The whole thing is captivating.  Thank you Julie.  You're too kind.

Her shop is full of her wonderful, original creations including vintage style photography, beautiful reproductions of her wonderful paintings, a variety of lovely and professional looking note cards as well as some of the prettiest jewellery.  Her art covers many styles and I'm sure she has something  for everyone.  Any of it would make great, unique gifts.  You really ought to go take a look.   

Back to my bedroom.

I've been working as fast and furious as Sophia will let me (which is an extremely slow pace) to spruce up the place, but I'm pleased with what I've managed to finish so far.

Originally, I planned to have a slightly different layout of our furniture in our somewhat small 10'x13' bedroom, then my mother-in-law surprised us with a beautiful armoire that required a change of plans.  It started out a little cramped, especially on Jeff's side of the bed where he had barely a foot of space between the bed and the wall, but I came up with a solution that I'm loving.

Here's part of the problem we had.  Evelyn still sleeps in our room in a toddler bed because that's how we do thing around here.  I had planned to turn it the other direction to accommodate night tables a little better, but the larger and awesomer armoire forced me to turn the little bed this way instead.

Up until yesterday, Jeff and I each had night stands by the bed that were about 12"x12" each that forced us to cram each piece of furniture on that main wall very tightly together making it hard to even make the bed.

My solution was to take out my night stand, scoot the bed over and hang shelves we made on either side of the bed instead.

Now Jeff has closer to 18" between the bed and the wall, which is still probably tight for some people but it's just right for him.  He likes to sleep with the curtains open anyway so he can see the stars at night.  He wouldn't be able to do that if he were much farther away from the window.  I left his night table, which is actually a small narrow bookshelf we built, so that he has a place for his bible and loads of crap with cords.  He has a lot of that and he'll be happy to know that I unplugged everything for him then wadded it up in a ball and stuffed it all under the bed so I could take some pretty pictures.

I put Julie's picture on his side to make up for it.

It's beautiful without being necessarily feminine or masculine.  Just perfect.

Her picture got me to thinking that I really like the vintage look in my little cottage so I also bought Jeff a 1927 green, wind-up alarm clock on Ebay.

I couldn't have been more pleased yesterday, as I was getting things wrapped up in the bedroom, when Jeff brought in a box from the mail with the clock in it.  It was just meant to be.  Doesn't it look perfect with Take Flight?

I didn't completely leave myself out though.

My sister took this picture of a robin's nest full of eggs in her back yard a couple of years ago.  It reminds me of my five sweet babies.  It also reminds me that someday they'll be leaving the nest making me an empty nester so I don't like to think about it too much. *sniff*

I love the little touch of blue it adds.

See that box in front of the clock?  That's where I keep my bedside paraphernalia.  Mints, lavender hand lotion and Sophie's snot sucker.  Disgusting, but necessary.

Speaking of stashes, here's one of the reason's I love the armoire my

 mil gave me.

Since I now have to share one bathroom with everyone in the house, it turns out that this single piece of furniture couldn't suite us better.  The drawers hold the little girls clothes and the shelves hold all of my beauty products.  The door has a full length mirror in it and I keep a stool under my bed and pull it out when I do my hair and make-up.  When I'm done, I just shut the doors and no one but you is wise about my little mess, so let's keep this between us.

I finally finished the curtains and hopefully they no longer look like bedsheets.

It was really simple and I may get around to doing a tutorial one of these days.

I also made a bed skirt and a couple more pillows.

Jeff asked me if they were supposed to look like that.  Humph.  Silly boy.

I'm happy with the way they turned out even if he thinks they look a little off.  I'll add them to my list of tutorials.  Maybe.

I still have lots more I want and need to do in here, but is it something that can ever be truly finished?  I don't think so, but look how far I've come since we moved in!

 

Yikes!

☺

Please visit the Inspired Room,

Poppies at Play ,

Show Off Your Cottage Monday,

Just Something I Whipped Up and

Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday and