Spring Refresh - part 1

It's feeling like spring around here, despite the snow everywhere.  THIS is what makes me so excited though...GRASS!!

Look at that!  Yes, it's long and brown, but you wouldn't look that great either if you'd been buried and frozen since October.  I watch out the window every day to see the snow recede back just a couple more inches.  By May, I'm hoping to be able to get out and do some yard work.

This sweet thing is one of the 2 bunnies that has been hanging out in our back yard for the last month or so.  Last month, they were totally white.  This is what he looked like last week

 

And check out the color changes we really noticed today.  Isn't he darling?!

 

Here is the brightened and refreshed dining room

 

 The burlap runner.  Where do I start?  I LOVE the look of it.  But, it sheds...a lot.  Also, it doesn't wash up all that well.  Since I don't iron (ever), I'm trying to embrace the disheveled look ♥

 Every time I wash it, I also lose a couple of more threads along each side.  I actually like the way it looks, but 3-4 more washes, and it will be all the way to the muslin :(

 

The living room, lighted up

 I took the large round coffee table out to the garage just to mix things up.  It functions better in the space, but it is HUGE and it needs a little TLC.  I'll decide what do do with it later.  My favorite chest is working great for now.

Warning, lots of old chest pics are ahead...I can't help it, I just love this thing

I adore all the wear and tear it has on it.  I found it at a fun winter flea market about 8 years ago for $40.  I usually use it for seasonal blankets and sometimes games

 I wonder what it's original purpose was?

For the living room, I also traded out the red blankets and gray pillows for my white ruffly Ikea blankets (BEST ones ever)

Also these great Jacobean style feather pillows from Ikea.  I really need to get a few more of these.  They're backed with a darling gray and white plaid and button closures on the reverse side.

I have big plans for the left hand corner over the stove.  2x3 canvases of home made subway art with our own special theme, one for each wall.  I'll move the kids' picture to another wall to clean up the space and let the art shine on it's own

I switched out the small trees in the entry for this empty frame.  Then I just rearranged the rest of the accessories

I'd been planning to paint this one white, but I think I'll leave it for a while

There is the little tour I have for you today.  I just have the kids' refreshed rooms left, but I'll save those for another day so I don't overload this post.  I hope you're all having a great week!  I'm working on getting over the flu and trying not to be such a wimp for my poor family through the rest of this pregnancy.  Just 4-6 more weeks left until our baby girl is here!

Lovely "spring" day

I have been craving spring so badly, but the snow is persistent here in Alaska.  It looks as though we'll have snow for another 4-6 weeks unless the weather changes and decides to prolong the pain of winter...

But today was just a gorgeous day.  The sun was shining bright and the temperature got all the way to 26 degrees with no wind in sight.  We actually spent some time outside basking in the warm(ish) sunshine.

 

I got the urge to change out my fall/winter wreath for the Easter/spring one my sister bought me last year.

 

I love the speckled eggs with just a touch of color

 

 

 

 

It's a nice change.  I'm thinking I may need to add a bright ribbon or something to the top for some pizzaz, but I'll live with it a little while until the right idea comes to me.

Front Door Reveal

My front door has been done for a couple of weeks now, but I've been so busy, I haven't had time to show it off.  I hardly find time to blog.  My husband was sent on a short deployment (5 weeks) less than a month after we arrived, and it's left me here in Alaska with no contacts, and an unknown style of winter bearing down on us.  Add in another surprise that's making me a little tired, and I'm totally worn out.  But, I'm pressing forward with projects as fast as my poor body (and kids) will let me. 

So, here's the front door

BEFORE

AFTER  (ignore the overgrown yard.  We have no yard tools yet, and I figure the long grass won't matter when it's covered with 4 feet of snow for 7 months): 

 

Does anyone have some tips on how to make the paint stick to the plastic surrounding the glass?  I painted it, but it's peeling.  I think I'm going to need to sand it off and redo that portion.  Can anyone help?

Quick question about my front door!

I'm painting my front door black.  I was doing "Sealskin" by Sherwin Williams, but noticed immediately upon opening the can that it looked green.  After starting the project, I realized it is green!  Not black.  Gross.

 So I called Sherwin Williams and they said it was just a greenish base and it would be black by the next coat. So I did another one. It was still green, just darker green.

I took it back today and they said it was truly green and was a rare fluke with their mixing recipe.  They apologized and replaced it with a real black. I chose "Black Fox" this time.  So, the door is well primed and will need 1 to 2 more coats to make it fully black.  More work, but hopefully we'll get it right this time.

So, my question for you is, should I paint the stained glass surround black also?  My painter thought I should leave it white for contrast.  I'm not sure he's right.  My husband likes the white surround, but I'm very on the fence.  I think it makes it more modern (or maybe dated) and less timeless.  Thoughts?  Please!!!