Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Matters of the heart


My sweet mama has really had a tough week battling

her cancer {we were in the valley}

and this table brought such joy to her as I begin the story




 Mama has very limited places where

she can be comfortable and has a special chair that

is in our family room.  It is the place she loves to sit and

look out into the garden while watching our Lola girl outside.

She eats all of her meals in our family room with a pull up table

and I knew she missed the togetherness that we had.


So when this table was given to me by Sue's Boy Bryce

I changed the brown/ gold wood and painted a gray white wash

it came out so lovely it had to come in our home

I brought her inside and removed our coffee table.

My mama's face lit up as she said to me

" Now we can all eat together again "



Her special chair tilts forward so that she can get up and

move when she needs to. I have cleared most of our furniture

to help her move around with her walker.

Isn't life so amazing how one simple thing can make

such a difference to one's heart !

I think of Bryce and his kind heart when I set that table now

for our meals. It's only been a few days and she is so

tickled that we are all together in the same room.



I always left the french door open from the kitchen but

it was not the same...




I found this urn at Truly Tattered in Tustin

and filled it with my signature use of coral




sewed this cover for the wire of the chandie

Mama did not like looking at the wire

another little gift that mattered to her.



Our industrial kitchen makeover means a lot to mama

 when she was well she cooked like a mad woman

My big punk & I did this reclaimed wall and  

then we hung the salvaged letters...



The wood is so pretty just worn and tattered

reminds me of our journey mama & I

it tells a story...



As the story goes while Sue is enjoying her days off with her

precious grandbabies I went in to change up

my spaces at the store. I brought in my new love

a vintage steel tanker desk {swoon}

Mama is always smiling when I show her

the new displays...



Are you in love yet?



Almost?



I am !!!



Mr. Dior took her down to the steel

all shiny waiting for that perfect office to call home



I stayed for awhile...



Speaking of displays I had the pleasure of meeting

fellow blogger Marie of Marie's Masion

at Country Roads. We hugged and chatted like

old friends, she is utterly adorable.

Mama was right outside waiting

so happy that I had met Marie...



Marie has a beautiful home and a darling space

where she sells her finds in Carlsbad California.

Country Roads continues to bring my heart

such joy as I meet others who share our passion.




Before closing I shared a story with Sue & the girls

and she thought I should share it since mama is a

such a little character.

 Mama adopted me at age twelve &amp therefore

we have a bond that is very very strong.

I love her beyond words and when she was diagnosed

last year with terminal cancer I decided to stay strong

 and hopefully I would not fall apart.

 She has been such a strength to me since I was

diagnosed with Lupus just months prior and I was going

to well " hold us up."

 Here is my mama at her finest...

When she is feeling well we take a ride out of the house. She loves

to have me take her to Country Roads where we park in front

so that she can look in the windows at the displays and

people watch since she loves to see what they purchase.

Well one day awhile back she was feeling pretty good and in

a hurry I forgot my money, debit card etc.

We arrive at Country Roads and have to park on the side across

from the liquor store and as I am putting the truck into park

low and behold the Hostess Cupcake truck pulls up.




mama looks over at me with her sweet smile

and says " oooh a cupcake and twinkie sound so good right now"

now of course I am frantically looking through my purse

and trying to explain that I forgot everything and that I have no

money whatsoever on me. Then she replies " well be creative"

while I'm looking at her I reply " like what" Well then with the most

serious face you can imagine she says " Go over there and tell that man

Hey mister my mama is dying of cancer and I have Lupus do you

think you could spare a few cupcakes and twinkies?"



At that moment I burst into tears and then into

laughter. Lord knows I needed a good cry and then

mama was laughing too. Looking back I could

have ran into Country Roads and borrowed a few

dollars from Sue but actually we laughed so hard

the thought never crossed my mind.



Mr. Dior loves her...



I love her endless...



Mama thank you for loving me just as I am


You could have adopted any baby

instead you just wanted a child to love

and chose me half grown already

 I was your girl...

I thank God everyday for the gift He has given me

I love you

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

100th White Wednesday " Industrial Mix "

The 100th White Wednesday

Kathleen has taken us into the lovely white bliss

week after week...


Industrial White mix for Kate




vintage white camping chairs

and salvaged letters from an old building

 "R" for Mr. Dior and an "A"

for my sweet mama





Mr. Dior turned this old rusted industrial cart

into a lovely bar cart perfect for summer

get togethers...




he lined it with some of my reclaimed

wood from an old table at Country Roads


I mixed the whites with my industrial pieces

today at the Store 




I added lots of white coral, old white chippy cabinet

doors and some salvaged white shutters on top




I created a small room to set the scene for the

vintage mid century chair now for sale




I love how the white "pops" against the dark colors

I took "frenchies" door off

so she could showcase some of my coral collection...




I will be adding more linen this week

duvets & shams




also a few more chippy white doors will be arriving

for you gals that want to use them as headboards



I heart old doors...




There are so many beautiful entries at the

100th White Wednesday at Kathleen's




signing off with much love from me to you!!!



xoxo

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Rustic Love & White Wednesday

Rustic farm table and reclaimed wood are part of my kitchen at the Dior home



I mixed the dark reclaimed wood with the white wood


its a perfect marriage with my table that

I got from Sue's Boy Bryce



pieces of this wall are all part of things that belong to my

heart. Some of the planks are from my grandfathers shed

some are from Bryce and others are salvaged wood

that Mr. Dior & I found together

my son used his wood working skills to build this mirror

out of 2.00 salvaged white fence post that I picked up at an estate sale



we are still working on the handicap bath for my mama




Salvaged Shutters at Country Roads




there are pairs and sets of three available



the patinas are amazing



white potting bench with vintage bowl



Mr Dior just finished some wonderful industrial pieces

and many new items arriving by Friday



leaving you with this beautiful vignette by Christina

dealer # 64 at Country Roads


Please join the lovely Kathleen





Much love to all of you

Thursday, May 5, 2011

My Give Away Winner

Thank you to all of you who left me the sweetest comments during my

giveaway this week...





my mama drew the lucky girl's name



My lovely winner is Karen of A Shabby Moment in Time her blog is just

filled with beauty and elegance....


Thank you again to everyone who participated. It was so great to meet a

few new bloggers and see what you gals are up to in your part of the world...




Please email me Karen so that I can send you

your gift

much love to all of you this week!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Urban City Kate

I have been daydreaming about the makeover for my princess Gracie's

bedroom for sometime now while she made it clear to me that

she is not about butterflies and hearts " no not my girl"

she is like her mama beating to her own drum...

so after much thought and sticking to my frugal decorating style

I decided to play off my girls love for horses and give her a fit for

a princess room Urban City style...

I put together my inspiration vignette to begin my design plans



It started with the Craiglist petite antique dresser

that had me at first sight...

it was so perfect for a little girl




I then started hunting for the elements of this room

I wanted that rustic urban feel without cowgirl



I had purchased these beautiful pillows from

my friend Princess Rose of The Tarnished Crown



 I am still deciding on which linen bedding for her room

I want that expensive look and yet be kid friendly



and who doesn't love a hubby who finds sweet

birds nest for me & Rose...



I gathered old school books from estate sales and

added my mama's gardening scissors that she used

when she was a young girl

I want Gracie to know she comes from strong women



the prop chair is made by Tori West

who sells her pieces at Vets & Irvine Flea Market

once I saw that chair

{swoon}


my inspiration vignette includes

beautiful paper princess crowns made for Gracie

and I by my friend Amy of  Mittens

and a vintage tin given to me by two sweet

sisters who are regulars at Country Roads

to celebrate my one year at the store




I hearts these ladies...



this vintage suitcase will be part of Gracie's room

given to me by my dear friend Jo Lee who gave me

the name " Salvage Dior " for my blog



I will be using shutters that I salvaged from the trash

and reclaimed wood on some of the projects for her room

to keep the cost low


her makeover budget is less than 300.00

and that includes paint, bedding and furnishings




I picked up her vintage school desk for 5.00 along with

a vintage chair and hamper for 20.00




here is the vintage chair for the school desk



I will be posting as we make progress in her room


wait till you see the head & foot board I found

to go along with this dresser



many of the vignette items will be at Country Roads

this week along with vintage furniture



This is Deb and I lounging at the show yesterday

Deb gave me the most incredible day out filled with

shopping, food and most of all her friendship...

love you girly...

then I go the added surprise to see my friend Missy

of Chateau Chic Boutique and her sweet hubby




my mama will be drawing a winner on Wednesday

so there is still time to enter the giveaway in my

previous post



lots of love from

me and my Gracie girl