what's been going on...

After the first 2 days of radiation, I flew to Orlando for the weekend to visit K&R and little Nathan. I've been able to see him every month so far and wanted to go if even for just a short visit. I got to see the house they'll be moving to, eat out at some great restaurants, and play with Nathan for 2 days. 

A quick visit because I had to be back on Monday for treatment. 

Fall tennis has started up again and I played for the first time since my surgery in June. It all came back to me and I felt great but it was only 1 hour of practice, we'll see how my stamina is in a match!

I've also played golf with the Gal Pals 3 times and once with Drew. It was so much fun to be back out there again. I'm a bit rusty and not as strong as I had been. It takes a few more stokes to get down the fairway, but I'll get back to where I was shooting eventually. 

Kelly and I are finally working on her master bedroom re-do (her birthday gift from March!). We painted the top of the wall Glidden "Navy blue" and wallpapered the lower 2/3's with beadboard wallpaper from Lowe's. It's been quite awhile since I've wallpapered, but it came out great! Today we cut the chair-rail trim for between the 2 sections. We still have to paint the wallpaper "trim white" and nail up the chair-rail and then we're ready to accessorize the room!
We started the Labor Day weekend out at the Lake house, but came back early on Sunday afternoon because the rains from Tropical storm Lee were on the way. We packed a lot into the short time we were there. We went out on the boat and Carter swam in the lake with us and even went tubing on our old Big Bertha with Kelly. We blew bubbles all weekend and just played and had fun. Auntie Alex held out giving Carter pretzels until he said her name, guess what? he did!

Tomorrow it's back to my daily schedule of going to treatment every afternoon. 12 down 19 more to go. I've felt a few side effects... I have a low grade nausea that comes and goes, and I've had to watch what I eat so I don't have to take too many Immodium. I really have to do better with that. I learned that pizza is a big NO, and salads are not good either, or any vegetables for that matter, while on radiation! Tomorrow I start my bland only diet! 

I feel like I still have a good amount of energy, but they keep telling me that will dwindle. I'm just trying to get as much done as I can before that hits me. 

So tomorrow... we work on the bedroom again! I can't wait to show you the finished room.

Big Reveal: a month of home improvements!

Our month of renovations started with a bang, a chisel and a lot of dust!

We ripped up the original marble foyer tile...

and replaced it with granite and travertine limestone.

Our 21 year old white kitchen was replaced with...

stained cabinets and granite counter tops,

black appliances turned to stainless steel,

we added new knobs and handles,

and a porcelain tile back splash.

Our 9 year old red sofa got a face lift...

and turned a soft sage green.

Our faded red striped chair and ottoman...

was reupholstered to a bright blue stripe.

The "new" keeping room!

I've got fabric to re-do my red kitchen chairs and desk chair too.

The white spindles and carpet were removed...

oak treads were installed and stained...

and wrought iron balusters added.

My desk alcove became...

an empty space, and then...

our new wine bar!

We also had the entire downstairs painted

"Tobacco Leaf" by Martha Stewart.

There were days I had 4 crews working at the same time. It was crowded, chaotic and dusty. Five weeks of contractors and mess... and we're finally done!

I love everything and feel like I'm living in a new house!

So yes... it was worth it!

linking to:

Metamorphosis Monday

Amaze me Monday

SavvySouthernStyle

TheGirlCreative

and Remodelaholics Anonymous

get the red out

To go along with my new kitchen and paint color, I needed to reupholster a few pieces of furniture. I had an arm chair re-done a few months back in the stripe below, and I just sent my small red sofa out to be done and to get it out of the dusty mess. I'm doing the sofa in a solid sage green and I've been shopping for fabric to do the seat cushions for my kitchen chairs. I wasn't coming across anything combining my two colors of sage green and Wedgwood blue. At long last at Calico Corners I came across a Ralph Lauren fabric that would work.

It's called Cottage Rose in Prairie Blue. I also found a second fabric to do the desk chair in, not sure of the name but it's the one with the bee's, and the colors are great together. The floral will be in the breakfast area adjacent to the keeping room. I'm a bit matchy/matchy when it comes to color and wanted all the colors in the open area to flow.

Both fabrics will be here in a few days, then I'll get to work.

There's no more red in my kitchen or keeping room anymore. All blues, greens and browns now. I'll have to show you the end result next week when it's all back together.

from carpet and pickled to stained white oak

Our house was built in 1990. For that very brief period of time, 1989-1990, pickled wood was being used. I can't even claim it was "in" because there really wasn't that much of it done. But... if you were one of the unlucky homeowners to inherit it, I'm sure by now you're ready to get rid of it. I know I was! The quote I got to re-do the posts and railings was more expensive than replacing them. So we opted to start fresh with all new wood.

Here's the carpeted before:

Fresh new white oak steps and railings:

Stained with first coat of polyurethane:

They're here this morning sanding, painting the risers my trim color, and putting a second coat of poly on. The house is still a complete mess on the entire main level. The only project that's completely finished at this point is the foyer floor. The painters are making progress, and the carpenter will be back on Monday to do the crown in the kitchen and finish up his work. Tuesday is the start of the back-splash, and the install of the balusters.

The days are growing longer as I'm held up in my bedroom, to stay out of the way. I give it all through next Friday, and then I should have my house back! Please!!! :-)