making history your own

Anyone who has been around these parts for a while knows I've long been on the hunt for a great secretary. I mention it often, and even did a whole post here solely on my wish. So, when my parents had to make room for a new/old piece of furniture I was more than happy to take one (of many) pretty china cabinet off their hands.

Now I know you are thinking, "uh Elizabeth maybe I can help you with this - a secretary and a china cabinet are not the same thing". Yes, I know. But just as beer and gin aren't the same thing, I can make a damn good time out of either option.

My dad found this china cabinet in pieces in an old box in the back of a garage at some sale in the 70's (groovy) and had it refinished and restored. I remember this piece growing up, sitting in my parents dining room full of blue and white china. A great use for it of course, but I had other plans.

As soon as I got it home though I realized that I had the same beef with the piece that my mom has had for the past 40 years - it is a black hole. Those doors close and those shelves are like a tomb. Not the bright and fun look I'm in favor of.

Then, while on an antique trip I noticed a whole store full of great old china cabinets all with their insides painted. Chalk paint has been used on the inside of glass front furniture for generations - hello Williamsburg.

Chalky blue to the rescue. My dad growled but I reminded him that we saw the same thing at Monticello. And when you've got a founding father on your side, really no one can disagree with you, right?

Let their be light! Now let's take a look inside, shall we?

Some of my favorite design books, the bar (hand over your heart) a few pictures and accessories and of course some blue and white in a nod to my parents version of the same piece. A little of the old and a little of the new.

Have you inherited any furniture? What did you do to make it your own? Ever turned down a piece because you thought it wouldn't work? Maybe give it a second thought!

my home - 12 days of christmas tour of homes

The day has finally arrived! It is my day to host the 2nd Annual 12 Days of Christmas Tour of Homes and I'm thrilled that you're here. If you came from Cyndy's tour at The Creativity Exchange welcome. And if you are here thru a misguided Google search, welcome to you too. Basically, welcome one and all. Take a look around while I make your virtual cocktail.

In the entry this year I decided to reuse the ornaments and ribbon from last year's mantel for a bright and happy mix.

Speaking of mantels, this year's mantel turned out to be all about plaid, bark and fresh foliage. How very rustic of me.

Each year we save the bottom of our Christmas tree and make a candle holder out of it (writing the year on the bottom of the stump to keep track). It's turned out to be a great memory and it is fun to see how we obviously vary up our tree size each year.

This year's tree was no joke. Last year was tall and skinny, but this year is big in every direction.

When you put plaid all over one room, it has a way of seeping into other areas of the house. Plaid is too good. It will not be denied. So let's plaid up the dining room shall we?

Love mixing my B by Brandie plates and chargers with my grandmother's old Spode Christmas dishes. And I believe it was the excitement of that mix that led me to forget the silverware. Oh well, we are just drinking during this tour anyway, right?

A snazzy group of men (and some animals) standing at attention while we eat. Maybe they took the silverware. Amelia's ever growing Nutcracker collection has relocated to the dining room this year until Eve moves on from her nutcracker...discovery phase. I can only glue them back together so many times.

Christmas lights Amelia made her first year of pre-school brighten up the kitchen along with some drawings the girls did and our annual Gingerbread house. Oh, and what's that on the lampshade? Yep, that would be more plaid. I can't be stopped.

Herbie got his seasonal antler change and is ready for the season too. No one in the house is immune.

Even the hand towels in the bathroom have gotten festive thanks to Anthropologie. They say dish towel, I say hand towel. Tomato tomaato.

My parents finally got rid of the tree that they've had for 45 years (no that is not a typo - FORTY FIVE years) and willed it to us. So as I mentioned yesterday, we added the tree to the family room this year and it is already full of all of the ornaments the girls have made and collected over the years. I love having the tree that I grew up with, I swear it used to be bigger, and it is the perfect thing to look at while I sit on the couch with the hubs and endure another episode of The Walking Dead.

The pom-pom pinecones the girls' made a few years back sit happily next to the tree along with a mismatch batch of ornaments.

And that my friends is my house all dolled up for Christmas. Thanks again for coming and be sure to stop by Stacey @ Steward of Design tomorrow! And if you haven't checked out all the rest of the tours, what are you waiting for already?!

12 Days of Christmas Tour of Homes Schedule:

December 1 - Jenny @ Evolution of Style

December 2 - Amanda @ Amanda Carol Interiors

December 3 - Amanda @ Dixie Delights

December 4 - Pam @ Simple Details

December 5 - Lisa @ Shine Your Light

December 8 - Kris @ Driven by Decor

December 9 - Jennifer @ Dimples & Tangles

December 10 - Cyndy @ The Creativity Exchange

December 11 - Elizabeth @ Little Black Door

December 12 - Stacey @ Steward of Design

December 13 - Andrea @ Oak Ridge Revival

  AND

December 16 - YOU - Link up your Christmas Home Tour

Cheers and Happy Holidays!!

williamsburg fabrics and giveaways

*This is a sponsored post by Williamsburg but all opinions are my own.

It is no secret to anyone who has read this old blog more than a time or two that I love fabric. Almost to a fanatic, stalker level. And I'd be willing to bet that since you read this old blog, you share my obsession. And let's be real, only a fool wouldn't get excited about the possibility of a new fabric to play around with and occasionally pet in admiration.

So when the Williamsburg brand contacted me about trying out something from their newest collection, Williamsburg Classics IV, I couldn't type YES quick enough. I've long been a fan of the way that Williamsburg and their partners are able to take the classic and traditional gems from the world of Williamsburg and give them a fresh spin in their fabrics. The fabric I used on the lampshades in the girls' room (the jumping off point for the whole space) is a Williamsburg fabric and it is still one of my favorites. This new collection is all about chinoiserie and vintage Asian-inspired fabrics.

Dunmore Dragons in Sapphire

Since I've got plans to make some changes to the dining room, I found this opportunity rather fortuitous and decided to get something great for the curtains. Right away, the Dunmore Dragons in the Sapphire colorway said "pick me". And when fabric speaks to you, it is best never to ignore it. It is the exact direction I'm wanting to go in the dining room, blue and white and awesome all over. More dining room changes to come, but for now I'll just enjoy these (foo) puppies.

Here are some other options from the new collection that are definitely on my wish list.

Lamerie Lattice in Sapphire

Asian Arcadia in Black Orchid

Bray Flamstitch in Ladybug

Georgian Geo in Smoke

Lightfoot Garden in Sapphire

Pretty good, right? And the best part is that the lovely people at Williamsburg are ready to spread the love again and gift one lucky person with 2 yards from the new collection. Just enter below and cross those fingers. The giveaway ends next Wednesday. Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

dining room updates

I've been meaning to tell you, my mom is a genius. Of course I knew this already, but let me just share with you her latest example of genius-ness.

I am generally happy with my dining room and the church pew works like a charm to corral the girls during dinner but there was one small problem with the layout. When anyone over the age of 16 sat at the pew, they had a good chance of knocking their head against the mirror before dessert was served.

So often I would blather to my mom on the phone about wanting to put something behind the bench to create a bit of breathing room between guests and the big O (that would be the mirror, not Oprah). A console would be perfect, but I can't find a console that is as long as the bench and isn't thousands of dollars. Blah blah blah. It was probably around this point in the conversation that my mom would tell me she had to go so she didn't have to listen to this conversation...yet again.

Then we were downstairs (pre-family room makeover) and she said, "What about this console for behind the pew?" Uh, that's not long enough mom, duh. And it's too deep. To which the smarty pants said, "not if you cut it in half."

Mind blown.

I should clarify that this woman is a furniture lover of the first degree and doesn't normally condone furniture mutilation. But this particular piece was a random HomeGoods buy (we all have a few of those around the house) and is by no means precious.

So of course I took that sucker outside as quickly as I could, measured to find the exact middle of the table and asked the hubs to buzz that sucker in half. We kept the tape down as he cut to prevent any splitting and in no time flat I had myself one. long. console.

Although each side of the now super long console still had two legs to hold it up, it was a bit wobbly. To remedy this we just screwed each side of the console into the wall to hold it in place and we were done.

So nothing earth shattering but now all of my dinner guests can enjoy themselves without bonking their head in the middle of an animated story. (we host a lot of animated storytellers at our house). And really I'm a fan of little updates to a room. It feeds my constant appetite for change without chucking a room and starting over again every few months ($$$$$$)

The runner is a temporary one I made from fabric leftovers and extra ribbon. It will hang out until I find a more permanent replacement one day.

What about you? Do you make a lot of little changes around the house to pacify the 'itch'? Ever cut a piece of furniture in half? I'm willing to rent my mom out to anyone who needs her, although maybe I should ask her first.