Calico Petals

If you read Bittersweet's blog then you'll know how I recently changed the look of my living room and fireplace mantle. You will also know the oval picture above is an actual photo of my great grandmother's family as well as my second cousins great grandmother.
I am so very blessed to have a collection of these old photographs and treasure each and every one of them.
I'm now on the hunt for two small antique mirrors to hang on each side of the picture, creamy to match the look and add cohesiveness.
I've also put in a request to my carpenter husband to build enclosed book cases on each side of the fireplace.
Finally, my book collection in one handy place. I will love that and I'm so very excited to have it.
He has however informed me that we have a number of home projects that take priority over the cabinets, one being the painting of our vintage home. We were planning on painting last year, but somehow it got away from us and we postponed it to this year.
Our home is not an easy home to paint. It's 1920 stucco and the home itself stands over 40 feet in two sides.
Luckily for my husband I'm not afraid of heights and can assist him in the house painting, prepping.
We have lived in our home for 22 years this February. I love my home! Although ownership of an older home automatically comes with continual maintenance. Again, luckily for my husband I have experience in most carpenter skills and enjoy the before and after of old home projects.

I have cut and layed quarter round trim around hard wood floors that we did ourselves, messy by the way, the re-do of wood floors. Knocked out walls, kind of fun, hung sheet rock, not my favorite thing, the mudding and taping, yuk! Installed new cabinets, ceiling to counter, painted the exterior many many times, and too the interior almost as often as I change clothes. Cut and placement of new cedar molding around exterior windows, new storms. The list goes on and on.... The painting,,,
Always go back to neutral colors it seems.
We've installed new dishwasher, furnace, air conditioner, gutters, hot water heater, thermostat, a new roof, driveway, major landscaping. All of which since it's been 22 years is time to start that list over!

Doing the work myself gives me a feeling of contentment and pride.
This year I hope to experience more hard work and those same feelings.
I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.
Happily,
Jill 00
Two hugs are better than one