Redecorating Birthday Gift

I  have started a new decorating project.

My good friend is having her special (80th) birthday this coming April!

I told her for her birthday gift, I will redecorate her house!

She has been feeling a bit overwhelmed with having

so many "things" in her house. I think we all start feeling like this since

we have collected so many treasures over the years.

I will try to do one room each week, so hopefully by her

birthday on April 8th, it will be finished! 

DAY 1-

We worked on the tops of her kitchen cabinets.

This is "BEFORE"

 The top decor is pretty, but a little much

according to today's minimalistic decorators!

AFTER:

We took away the "small" items.

She requested we use this unique clock,

so I paired it with the tea pot and large plate

that has the same colors.

BEFORE:

This is the next bank of cabinets to the right of the ones just shown,

you can see the tea pot and plate were here first.

 AFTER:

I only used two of the items in the center.

The small item is from India.

 Here's the AFTER long shot:

 Below the cabinets on the right is a pass-through to the dining room

above the bottom cabinets and counter top.

 BEFORE:

 This is another bank of cabinets across the room.

AFTER:

We took away the small items, kept only half of the 

greenery in the blue antique basin (that was her grandmother's)

and added a pagoda with two Chinese figurines on the right

She has a little International theme throughout

her kitchen, dining room, and family rooms.

I will share the others weekly.

So, what do you think? Do you like the pared out look better? 

It really does look better "in person!"

Jan was very pleased with the results.

I'm joining Susan's Met. Monday, click on her name for lots of inspiration.

Also see Vignettes re-do here: 

http://thingsienjooy.blogspot.com/2018/02/re-decorating-birthday-gift-contd.html

Please return weekly to see what we do to the other rooms!

Thanks for joining us!

Our January Anniversary!

We had a business appointment in Daytona Beach today,

so since it's our 21st anniversary we decided to celebrate

at Chart House Restaurant!

 

 It's a beautiful restaurant on the water beside a marina

It's a round restaurant with a pointed roof:

 

Below is how the roof looks from the inside:

 

I love the nautical decor in the Chart House

 

 Those columns are wrapped in rope!

You can see the famous salad bar:

Stairs down to the second level:

We were seated on the top level

overlooking the water!

We also saw a beautiful sunset!

 

A Happy Anniversary! 

The food was delicious!

Great atmosphere!

Great guy!

Woody rides again!

I hadn't planned on doing a tablescape because I ran out of time before Christmas, but I received several gifts that just screamed "do a tablescape!"

 Look at this pretty table runner

my friend Kathie gave me!

The car with the tree and presents on top  

go with my other trucks and cars with trees.

 My niece, Cynthia, gave me this cute little truck

 I found the little Woody in back at Target this year, it's a tree ornament.

My friend, Barbara, from my hometown Huntsville, AL

mailed me this beautiful glass Woody ornament:

 

I bought the water ball snow jar at Target two years ago.

  And, of course, my little red truck!

All perfect for a centerpiece using the table runner!

Last year I found the salt and pepper shakers at Walmart

The Woody plates below were also perfect for the tablescape!

This year's tablescape:

 

 I did this tablescape twice.

First I used red woven placemats:

It looks good, but just a little crowded:

What do you think?

Placemats, or No?

 

 

 

I chose the "use LESS" look since that has been my mission lately.

 

I always like to do a goblet shot featuring something special behind:

 

 Another goblet shot with the centerpiece!

Little red truck is happy to be back!

 

 For those of you who prefer the placemats:

 And those of us who don't!

A few other items in my 

truck collection!

 I'll be joining Susan's Tablescape Thursday, click on her name for more inspiration.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Highlights of our Christmas:

Christmas with my family didn't start until December 27th through the 31st. Below are some of the highlights of our fun times together!

Cooking:

Grandson, Caden (11) loves to help cook, here he is helping his Aunt Alyson make our "famous" 

Spaghetti Pie!

He is layering the cheese and pepperoni with the cooked spaghetti

 

I also helped Caden make our "famous" 

Chocolate peanut butter fudge!

Here he is serving it to his mom and his Uncle Dave:

 

Opening presents:

 

My middle grandson, Tanner, and his wife Heather

were also with us and since they are expecting their

first baby in June, we gave them a box of baby items

(all white since we don't know which it is yet!)

No it wasn't a toaster oven, just the box! 

 

 That's "Big Joe" my husband on the left!

Playing with presents:

One of Caden's gifts was a Nerf shooter and target

Games:

 I forgot the name of this one:

 

 Working a Christmas Puzzle:

Ashleigh and Dave love puzzles!

So does Tanner!

 

 Alyson (left) is reading my Magnolia magazine!

"Impossible" Christmas Puzzle has identical Christmas trees:

 

The "Impossible" puzzle was finished in under 30 minutes!

 

 Bowden, Tanner and Heather's dog was very good!

 And one of our "Star" meals is

Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast!

We always have our "famous" cornmeal gravy with

biscuits, scrambled eggs, and (far left)

is some special NC sausage Shawn brought!

Speaking of Shawn (Caden's dad) He isn't in any of the pictures, 

so here's one of him being served fudge!

 

 Somehow I missed getting Heather, Tanner's wife in the pictures,

here's one at their wedding three years ago!

We loved having my family here with us,

but the visit was too short!

I hope you enjoyed your holidays as much as we did!

 I still haven't taken our decorations down, will do that soon, but still enjoying them.

Happy New Year!