Home Dec. Ideas

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  • kmccraw423
    kmccraw423 Member Posts: 3,596
    edited March 2009

    Thank goodness your avatar is back.  I love that picture of you.  By the way, I also love that purple and blue chair picture.

    My sister has misplaced both cameras so I am waiting until she finds them to start work on the three tables I bought at the auction so I can take before and after photos.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2009

    The birds and squirrels make HUGE nests where I live. In fact, I have to wear earplugs to bed so the birds don't wake me up at 4 am! The big squirrel nests are, aparently, their "summer homes". Too cute! No one uses bird houses where I am. I've used them before as decorations, but never expected them to get used. 

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  • abbadoodles
    abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
    edited March 2009

    Kathi, that photo is so funny, isn't it?  I call it the two-headed bunny but it was really just a fluke of timing where they were lined up just perfectly so that they look that way.  Even I have a hard time telling which ends where.  They are baby angoras.

    Sahalie, I see my avatar.  Maybe bc.org was hiccuping when you got the red X. 

    At any rate, bunnies=spring, so that's why they are decorating this site.  Satisfying the urge when I don't have time to do real decorating.

    As far as putting the dryer lint out for the birds, I have to tell you that we angora raisers are warned not to put the wool trash/combings out for the birds because when they use that sort of thing in nest building it just mildews and harms the birds.  I don't know if dryer lint does the same thing but you might contact your local audobon society to ask.  I would like to know, myself.

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  • sahalie
    sahalie Member Posts: 2,147
    edited March 2009

    I see the bunnies now.  So cute   :  )

    This may not be about decorating our homes but how fun to find out about all the birds nest homes we may or may not know about in our own back yards.

    Excellent source link.   Audubon At Home

    Tina, you brought up a very important point I had never thought of and as I too like to ride on the side of caution especially when it comes to all animals and wildlife * I did some research to share.

    What humble home wastes can WE reuse?   

    As in the words of "Reuse Dryer Lint" Guest Author - Jill Florio  ( a link below)

    Who would of thought dryer lint can be reused to light fires.  add to the compost pile. and many more ideas.

    I don't wear wool so never have anything wool to clean.  It's too itchy for me. 

    All my things are cotton or cotton blends but you make a great point about what we actually should put out for the birds. 

    The one thing I hadn't thought about is fabric softener sheet residual on the dryer lint.  Not good for the nests. We learn so many helpful things on this thread.   

    A couple fun links:  

    Reuse Dryer Lint - Living Simply  

    All About Birds : Attracting Birds with Nest Material  

    I did find an article (copyrighted so cannot print here) that validates exactly what Tina said. 

    The dryer lint when used in nests and rained on will get wet and soggy and can cause hypothermia in the nestling's.

    No more dryer lint from me.  Audubon says to put out string. leave twigs all around yard.

    The one item they are adamant about not using is nylon mesh packaging that hold fruit from the market.  Discard that they say.   Can be used to hold nesting items just not the mesh to use for birds to use.  Audubon explains.

    I did find some interesting dryer lint problems while searching this out. 

    People actually blow out their dryer vents with shop vacs or leaf blowers and guess what they find in them besides yucky stuff.

    Birds Nests.  

    *

    Apparently they are a huge fire hazard for our homes.  

    Two nests for the price of one.  Cozy.

    Time to go fill up my bird feeder.

    * 

    Kathleen.  Thanks. 

    Sahalie

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  • sahalie
    sahalie Member Posts: 2,147
    edited April 2009

    Happy April all Garden Girls.

    Tina.  Any luck of a chair find?  Or stairwell solution?

    Comfy and Beautiful.

    Happy Spring time and blooms.

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  • abbadoodles
    abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
    edited April 2009

    S, thanks for thinking of me.  No furniture shopping at all lately as I've been up to my eyebrows in bookkeeping and taxes.  DONE!

    Today I'm clothes shopping and will see what's what at Crate and Barrel and any other of those stores in the mall. 

    Stairway solution?  HaHa.  There is none.

    Oh, getting ready to spray paint the outdoor furniture, though.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2009

    Love the tree and nest bed! When we let the cats in our bedroom (rarely) we tell them we are letting them into our nest....they understand nest now and will run to our bedroom door if we say it! 

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  • sahalie
    sahalie Member Posts: 2,147
    edited April 2009

    Aren't cats the best.  A dear friend of mine just lost hers and it is very devastating. 

    I love all animals.  My 12 year old pound puppy is right here sleeping at my feet while I transcribe and chat.  

    BARBE.  I didn't reconstruct either.  Never have regretted that decision.  Free to be is my motto.

    TINA.  Keep the dream.  You will get that comfy space just like you want it.  Taxes.  Today is that day isn't it.  All done here.

    Mall stores.   One of my favorites is Pottery Barn.  And Anthropologie.  High as the sky pricey but sure fun to window shop. 

    I love it all but especially the plates.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2009

    OMG! I LOVE the plates. Didn't we already do the "My name is Barbara and I am a plate-aholic" or was that on another thread? If so, I just gave myself away! 

    We just bought 2 sets (same) when we visited our son at his new place. They're kitchen sets, reg $145 for $35!!!! Gorgeous! Look handmade with an amber centre bleeding out to a deep yellow....I love plates....sigh. 

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2009

    These seem a bit brighter than they really are. The centre is like looking into a fire ember...

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2009

    ooooooooooo, I'm just so proud of myself for learning how to post pictures! 

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  • sahalie
    sahalie Member Posts: 2,147
    edited April 2009

    Good job BARBE. 

    Wow.  What happy plates.

    *

     

    I wanna hang out here today and the pup can stay too. 

    I must look into the above purchase for my deck.  For relaxation.  I like.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2009

    Saw that 'hammock' in another thread, too. LOVE it! Must be about $1,500 or so, though.... 

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  • sahalie
    sahalie Member Posts: 2,147
    edited April 2009

    I want it.  :  )

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  • Blundin2005
    Blundin2005 Member Posts: 1,167
    edited April 2009

    I loooovveee this thread!  Thanks ...doodles!  

    Now help me please....how do I post pictures.  I apologize in advance if this question was dealt with before.   

    The plate design are similar to classics made in Florence.  I can post one if you help me learn how to do it.

    Thanks ladies  

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  • abbadoodles
    abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
    edited April 2009

    For posting pics, try photobucket.com  You can upload your pictures there and then right click on the link to copy.  Then, come back here and start your post.  To insert the pic, click on the icon in the toolbar, the little tree, and it will give you a dialog box where you paste the link.  Easy peasey.  Let's see some pictures of Italian style!

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  • sahalie
    sahalie Member Posts: 2,147
    edited April 2009

    ONE OF THE BEST HOME DECORATIONS IS * * *

    JUST THINK IF WE EACH PLANTED A TREE TOMORROW.

    PEACE.

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  • abbadoodles
    abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
    edited April 2009

    Home update:  The roofers are probably going to finish the last, remaining section of our cedar-shingled roof today.  Just in time to beat the black flies.  HaHa.  No wonder they have been working so hard.

    We have open, beamed ceilings.  You would not believe all the c--p that has been falling down into the house what with all the banging on the roof.  Ah, the charms of country living.

    Am thinking of painting the bedroom.  Two walls are natural, unfinished pine planking.  The other two are plain, old white.  I want something totally different from the white but don't want anything too dark.  The carpeting is a teaberry color, which is an off-shade of pink.  Very toned down beigey pink.  NOT clear or bright in any way.  A value between light and medium, very unobtrusive.  What are your thoughts?

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2009

    Tina, I am a colour expert. Really, stop laughing! Doesn' the teaberry fight with the yellow of the natural pine? In my professional opinion, green is the only colour that you can throw into this loop if you want to stay on the pale side. I'm thinking a soft pale sage, but what you have to do is get some samples and hold them to the rug in the room the paint is going in. No sense taking a sample of the rug to the paint store as the lighting in the bedroom as well as the reflective quality from the pine will change everything. There you go. Next! 

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  • abbadoodles
    abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
    edited April 2009

    You won't believe this, but I have a color-related company.  Cool

    Actually, the tones of the pine look great with the beigey-pink.  I don't know if taking a picture would help show things as colors get so mangled.  Trust me.

    I do like the idea of a pale green and green is the first color that comes to mind.  Do you think, though, that the green would cast a sickly glow on the old complexion?  I look horrible in green so I am afraid to use it in interiors on the walls.  I have been looking at a Farrow and Ball color, though, which is greenish but very toned down.  I think it's French Gray.  Will have to check it out online.

    There is also a Benj Moore blue I love in their historical color collection.  I think it's the Stratton Blue, which is a slightly greenish, very low tone blue.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2009

    Okay, colours either have blue in them or yellow. The pine walls would have a yellow base, the carpet a blue base. Whatever you use on the wall will magnify either the pine or the carpet. One solution is to use a combination of both blue and yellow. Green!

    Putting blue on your walls will make it very cool. The greenish-gray would be a better choice, but I still vote for green. Your husband will look at you for 30 seconds as he kisses you good night. You will lie awake all night looking at your pretty green walls!! Keep a nitelite on...

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  • abbadoodles
    abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
    edited April 2009

    The teaberry is slightly to the peach side of pink, so it's more yellow than blue, although not so yellow as the pine, of course.  The pine, not being varnished, is not that yellow yellow color it turns from varnish.  And the browniness (is that a word) is also warm, so both walls and floor are warm.  I could go with more warmth or go for the contrast of something a bit cool.

    I do like the idea of a cool green.  I am afraid the blue, with the pinkish floor, might look too babybaby.

    I love color.  Tell us about how you are a color expert.  We have a lot in common.

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  • Blundin2005
    Blundin2005 Member Posts: 1,167
    edited April 2009
     
    Work is not finished...geranium to be planted...sunflower...and chairs to be waxed (bees wax)
    Facebook doesn't work 
     
    .....doodles I think I'm failing pics101
     
    It's not me.  I tried through my HP Photosmart Studio service to upload pics.  It goes through all of the steps until upload and then it freezes.  It seems it's my location in Italy that limits the service. 
     
    I wanted to share my photos from the garden work this month.  Oh well.  
     
     
     
     
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  • sahalie
    sahalie Member Posts: 2,147
    edited April 2009

    Blundin.  Keep trying and it will happen.  We would love to see your garden pictures.

    Do you have access to Photobucket?  If you open a free account there then you can upload the pictures you wish to share . . . then click on the little tree above and it will pop up a square that gives you lines to add your url and demenions.  500 X 500 is good.  Won't take the page off the wall.   Good luck. 

    :  )

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  • abbadoodles
    abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
    edited April 2009

    Update on plantings:  Zinnias germinated in three days.  Tomatoes took a full 7.  Here they come!

    Photobucket:  You upload from your computer.  Don't be afraid.  It's alright.  Then, do the copy/paste to here.  But remember that you have to click on the Photo icon in the toolbar above.

    You can DO IT.

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  • Blundin2005
    Blundin2005 Member Posts: 1,167
    edited April 2009

    Hope this works

     

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  • Blundin2005
    Blundin2005 Member Posts: 1,167
    edited April 2009

    Photobucket" alt="" border="" hspace="" vspace="" width="" height="" align="" />

    I'm getting there.....sorry for the duplicate. 

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  • Blundin2005
    Blundin2005 Member Posts: 1,167
    edited April 2009

    Photobucket" alt="" border="" hspace="" vspace="" width="" height="" align="" />

    The doubles must be my impatience to wait for it to appear.  Sorry again.

    So above is my herb garden on the balcony and plants to go in the ground.  The little bottle is bees wax for the chair (still haven't finished that work).  I did plant the sun flower...but my dog ... well he .... "watered" it for me and it's struggling at the moment.

    The tree is a wild cherry, not real sweet, great for pies and topping for gelato.  The bees were busy with the blooms that are now gone.  The orange tree in the lower left corner is blooming now.

    Hey, this is fun!  Thanks ladies.   

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  • Blundin2005
    Blundin2005 Member Posts: 1,167
    edited April 2009

    mce_src="Photobucket" alt="" border="" hspace="" vspace="" width="" height="" align="" />

    OK what am I doing wrong?  why 2?  This time I waited.

    This is the basil and tomatoes ... the lemon tree (newly trimmed) aloe and lavander  just beyond.  I did this work just before Easter and it's already grown a bit. 

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  • Blundin2005
    Blundin2005 Member Posts: 1,167
    edited April 2009

    Photobucket

    This is where we spend a lot of time in the summer with friends.

    Notice I''ve corrected the problem....only 1 picture now.  But I still don't know why two appear when I post it.  ahhhh the mysteries of life!

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