I think I need a few more green McCoy vases for the top of that cupboard, don’t you?
The cupboard remains one of my favorite deals; it’s big and substantial and has shelves inside. I scored it for $100 at a local auction and I’ve never regretted it. We needed storage and the room needed something tall. This guy fulfilled the bill.
We watched Lady Bird last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a coming-of-age story about a teenager in her senior year of Catholic high school in Sacramento and it’s absolutely charming. I’m a big Laurie Metcalf fan and she is excellent, as usual. Saorise Ronan is luminous as Lady Bird. Excellent cast, excellent screenplay and direction (both by Greta Gerwig.) Thumbs up.
I just threw this in here as I posted it on Instagram yesterday. And I’m thinking of starting to do some needlepoint again, spurred by that framed project I made for my Mom years ago. I inherited it after my mom and dad passed away. I used to do a lot of needlepoint in the seventies and eighties, with each new niece and nephew getting their own needlepoint Christmas stocking. I’m thinking about doing some pillows for the sofas in the living room and den.
I cleaned out the closet under the stairs yesterday; a daunting project because it involves crawling about on my hands and knees. I threw a lot out and it looks much better. It holds paint cans and the pillows used on the Adirondack chairs and extra vacuum cleaner attachments and the Christmas trees. I wanted to make it easier to access all of that without having everything fall out of the closet when I open the door.
While there, I rediscovered a little shelf that I was using to hold paint cans and towels. The towels are a story in themselves. I stashed them in there and often used a stack of them when we gave the dogs a bath. We don’t need them anymore and they take up valuable space, so I washed them all and I’m going to see if I can donate them to an animal shelter or hospital. I used to work for a veterinarian and we always needed towels.
So, back to the shelf. We used it in our bathroom when we were living in San Diego. It’s not my best paint job, but it still sort of works. Don suggested putting it behind the couch because I had been talking about wanting more space for plants and pottery. (Big surprise, right?) It doesn’t take up much space so it doesn’t overwhelm the sideboard or access to the front door.
There it is. I’ve always loved the scallop-like edges to the shelves. And it’s appropriately chippy. (That’s the back of Don’s head.)
See? He’s wearing headphones so he didn’t even know I was there.
I rather like that splash of color. It will look even better when I’ve added some things to those shelves, but I’m in no hurry.
Yes, the tree is still up. Every day I ask Don if he’s ready for it to be taken down and every day he says no. We have reached a deal. I am taking it down on Sunday. I took down the tree in the den and the little green tree upstairs in the office yesterday. This one is still pending.
On reflection, Don said that he thought he was reluctant to say goodbye to the tree because it symbolized his vacation and he’s not quite ready to go back to work. I understand.
So it will be up through the weekend. Who knows? I may wait until Monday!
Happy Friday.
Lol! You two crack me up regarding your tree! I can certainly see Don’s logic….maybe Monday would be too soon? Yes…you need more McCoy in that beautiful turquoise color…I’m swooning here. As a matter of fact, I was looking on Etsy earlier, for McCoy in that exact color. I like the new/old shelf you rediscovered….great for pottery and plants…win win! ;)
We’ll play it day by day.
Oh my goodness, Claudia, I have that exact shelf! I can’t remember exactly where (probably an antique store) or when I got it but I’ve had it for a long time. Mine is painted white and has been in many different spots in our home and right now it’s being used as a night stand on my side of the bed.
There are times when I feel we are kindred spirits!
I got it at an antique store in San Diego many moons ago! We ARE kindred spirits!
I love that little shelf table! It’s perfect behind the sofa, too. Isn’t it fun to shop your own stash of things you’ve forgotten about? I can understand Don’s reluctance to end his vacation sooner than necessary by taking down the tree. Happy McCoy shopping!
Yes! No money spent, but something that seems new. Perfect.
How about taking the tree down right before Don leaves, Claudia? It’s kinda symbolic now… love the “new” shelf unit. I love older furniture, made of real wood, not veneer or melamime. I really scored with the pieces from my Uncle’s estate that my brothers didn’t want, including the desk my Mom used as a child, which my daughter uses now. I love everything I got.
We’re going to play it day by day. I am also going with Don to help him set up so I think it will have to come down a bit before that.
The tree is so pretty, and I’m sure the light that it shines from it is beautiful. My feeling is ~ what is the difference? If it makes you &/or Don happy, that is reason enough to keep it shining! I can see what he means about the symbolism he is feeling about it. More reason to shine on, and it seems that today we need all the light we can possibly soak in. Stupid seems to be the flavor of the day/ month/ week/ year/ society in which we live. Beyond my comprehension that it goes on and on and on. So, keep that sweet tree up and sit and enjoy it every moment that you can. Hope you have a good Friday!
The light is lovely, especially in the early morning hours when we first get up. Thanks, Chris!
I love that table and more pottery and plants will make it even better! I understand about the tree and I don’t blame Don. Time to be home is flying by. I had my pre-op today and I’m cleared for surgery as long as I don’t get sick so I’ll be avoiding public places as much as possible and lots of handwashing. I may have to avoid the Grands for another week…sad but I need this surgery. It’s been a hard day and I think I need a nap. Hugs!
Stay home and stay healthy! I’m so sorry about your mom’s cat, Linda. Much love to you both.
Love the little shelf! Can’ t wait to see what you put on it! I can understand Don’s sentiments about the tree; and the tree does look lovely. In fact, as usual, your house looks warm, comforting, and welcoming! Raining here now, but we are supposed to have another shot of super-cold weather coming in this afternoon and evening. I am so ready for spring, and we are barely into winter!
It’s been raining hard all day long here. There’s a flood watch! I AM READY FOR SPRING, Dottie!!
hopefully your knees aren’t hurting and the rest of you feels the closet clean-out was worth it because those new-old shelves look great behind the sofa! love those kind of finds – basically free now, immediate gratification and no waiting for them to be shipped from california … :)
hope the next week or so moves very slowly for you and don. :)
happy mccoy pottery shopping!
kathy in iowa
Knees are okay, lower back was a bit dicey but it’s much better today. We’re trying to enjoy every day together here. And I think, weather permitting, I’ll go along with him when he first moves in to help him set up.
Just catching up with your posts after being gone after the holidays – wow did you guys get the snow! I love that you are constantly changing up where you put things in all of your rooms. I’ve done that all my life too. In fact, when my husband and I first started living together, I told him when he comes home he should always put the lights on before he sits down. I just read the other day that needlepoint is making a huge comeback, so you will be quite en vogue if you take it up again.
I didn’t know it was making a comeback! I did see a neat needlepoint shop when I was in New Orleans. Maybe that put the idea in my head.
Hello Claudia. The little shelf/table is so cute. I love little tables like that and have a couple,
but don’t have room to spare for another one, but we’ll see. You know, after we took our tree
down because needles were falling like rain, I put up a fake/faux Charlie Brown tree and decorated it with little glass acorns, ceramic leaves, metal pine cones and tiny lights, wrapped
a plaid scarf around the base, and it rewards us with magic. Will leave it up thru February,
as some other little lights around our farmhouse. Not ready to let that magic feeling go.
It is snowing like mad here in Michigan. High of 55 yesterday, all the old snow had melted to
mud (yuck) and now there’s another 4-5 inches! There are 8 pair of cardinals at our feeders
and against all that white, wow! I also bought 2 little plants day before yesterday when it wasn’t too cold to bring them home. It all helps the winter blues doesn’t it?
Take care, Penny in Michigan
Oh, who knows? I may leave it up a while longer!
Yes, buying plants sure helps. I really wanted to get some recently but it was too cold and not fair to the plants to subject them to that cold air!
Say hello to my home state of Michigan!
Where are you actually from Claudia? We’re in a little burg (Davisburg), south of
Flint, near Holly. NOT very exciting, but pretty. We try to get to the west side of the
state to Lake Michigan . A good book, a little beach out of the
way of all the loud madness and I’m a happy girl. We even drive out in the winter just to
walk along the shore and see the incredible snow and ice formations. Ah, the little things
we find joy in! Take care. Penny
I was born in Detroit, raised in Dearborn. Went to school in Ypsilanti. My parents eventually retired to Rogers City on Lake Huron (before they moved to Florida) and I’ve spent a lot of time up north.
You sure are ambitious. You have given me the ambition and urge to clean out our closet under our stairs. We have a lot of things we no longer need or use. Those green vases are lovely as is the shelf.
Marilyn
Not really ambitious. I’ve basically been sitting around for the last two weeks. It was time to do something.
I see plants on the top shelf and some of those vases on the bottom. Wish I had such lovely places for my plants and so much light for them. I bought a sugar bowl and creamer and put it on top of my hutch and it surprised me how it just looked right! Boy, are my kids going to have a great garage sale when I leave this world!
I fear it will be up to my sister to organize the garage sale on this end!
Cute table.
Thanks, Donna!
I am in love with your big white cupboard!…Oh how I could use that extra space here!…Laurie Metcalf is a wonderful actress…I’m sure you know that she plays Jim Parsons (Sheldon’s) mom on Big Bang Theory…she is so so funny and such a good match for Jim’s character..Rediscovering that little green table was worth all the work you did in the stairs closet!
Yes, I’ve seen her as his mother. She’s wonderful.
Really like that big cupboard.
I am for leaving trees up for as long
as possible during all this cold
weather. It may be Feb before I
take down my little one in the living
room. Its twinkle lights are good company on these cold winter nights
and my thought is, “What’s the hurry?”.
It only takes about 30 minutes to put
it away. So it stays.
We might just leave it up all week, Joan! Especially since we’re going to get about 5 inches of snow on Wednesday!