Dream...And the Mantel is IN!!!

Hello All!  Well, the fuss and busy pace of the holidays are over and it's time to get back into the swing of crafting.  Woo hoo!  A Day For Daisies has a new challenge beginning today and it's to use pastels.  I used this precious mermaid image from ADFD's new release, "Mermaid of Star."  She's colored with copics and embellished with Stickles.  I framed her using Nestabilities and pastel cardstock from Bazzill.  The "dream" sticker came from the $1 bins at Michaels.  Doesn't she look so magical!?

Speaking of magic - I am ready to show you the mantel!  Dan and I got it painted, along with the room, and although we still have to finish the trim work,  I HAVE to show you!  For the biggest WOW factor, I need to show the room BEFORE.   We didn't have furniture so the room has sat empty.  Well, except for the junk that collected in there from time to time ;)  It sort of became a catch-all for stuff we didn't feel like taking up or down stairs!

So this is the way the room has looked since we've moved in.  It's funny how long it took us to realize how bland the beige walls were!  The light fixture was chosen months before the house was even framed and most of the ones we picked we've changed.  But I liked the fixture in the living room with the exception of the colored shade which would cast a sickly yellow light when illuminated.  Amazingly, we were able to find the perfect new glass shade so I was able to keep the fixture.  The carpet will be replaced with wood flooring but that's not happening for a while yet.  I know this pics aren't the best but I had to show you the bare bones of a room :)  This first pic shows the blank wall where the mantel was put up and the pic below is the other side of the room.

Ok so here's the AFTER ...

 Oh I just LOVE it!  The little green chair is going to go; I brought it up from the basement to play around with the placement but another armchair will replace it once I get it.  I still need wall decor and curtains but to see it this far along is so.darn.exciting!!!  Gotta put in another pic of that mantel:

The mirror was pretty worn -- I'm not sure if that's how one describes a de-silvering mirror but I wanted to keep it intact exactly as it came.  Those gorgeous crystal lamps were a Christmas present from Dan (more about that later!).  The hearth is black granite tile but it has a slight sparkle in it - totally gorgeous!  You can see in this picture where trim is  needed around the base of the hearth and around the base of the mantel (where is sits on the hearth).   We painted the mantel with the same semi-gloss the rest of the trim is painted and for the final coat, we added a chemical called, Floetrol, which creates a smooth finish and removes all brush marks, etc.  I love that stuff :)






Here's a close up of the crystal lamps and the ceiling fixture:

And since I've gone pic CRAZZEEEE - here's a shot of the dining room too :)  We still have to paint the trim in here, add wall decor, and curtains for the bay.  

Ok, so that's all for today as I believe I have broke my own record for the most pics in one post :)  I hope you have a great weekend!! Happy Crafting, <3 Lisa

My Favorite Things: A Day For Daisies, My Cat Lilybelle, and My circa 1900s Mantel!

Happy Friday All!  Oh my goodness, December is whizzing by and I'm still not finished with my Christmas shopping - YIKES!!  Dan and I have been working like mad around the house and it is crazy how much time goes into even the littlest project.   But it's so rewarding when a room comes together so it keeps us moving onto the next!  We are now working in dining/living room and I cannot wait to share the pictures of that room.  I am so excited about one of the improvements we are putting in there that I have to show you!!  But first, I want to share a card I made using this A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. A Day For Daisies image (from the wonderful new release today).  I couldn't resist using Tammy's "Kitty Gift" image because it reminded of my LilyBelle - see her crazy little frizzy fur!?  She is a Himalayan mix and her coat has really gone through some phases - hee hee!

Here she is the day I brought her home July 13, 2009:

 and here she is now:

She is my constant companion and is always crafting with me...you know, chasing ribbon or sleeping on my table or batting about a bead she found on the floor :)  So.darn.cute!

Ok, enough of my going on about Lil; now it's time to get on with GUSHING about my latest Craigslist find! *giggle* I am so excited about this -- an antique Victorian double mantel!!!  

She is a beauty  - see for yourself:

SWOOONNN!  Look at those columns and that mirror!!!!  and you will never guess what I paid for her!   ONE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE smackeroos - WHAT WAS THAT!?  yeppers $125.00 -  I couldn't believe it - I did one of those cartoon moves when I saw it:

I did not pass go, I did not collect $200, I moved directly to the phone and (1) called the owners, (2) arranged pick-up, (3)  rented a U-haul (cause she's 7 feet tall and 4 feet wide), and (4) changed out of my jammy jeans (no, I'm not kidding, my sister got them for me for Christmas last year) and was on the road less than 15 minutes later to Bowling Green to pick 'er up.   As it turned out, it had been listed previously for three times as much and it wasn't selling.  The owners were moving and it needed to go ASAP so they dropped the price.   Here's another look:

This amazing piece of history was removed from one of the historic homes in Bowling Green during renovation.   We actually passed the house it came from on Main Street on our way to get her!  I have written down these details and am placing them inside the mantel when it's installed (hopefully soon).  

Happy Crafting! <3 Lisa