Master bedroom's painted

So while we were away, the mice did not play...they worked diligently. Mandy had the house to herself & our cat MJ. MJ does not like it when we leave him, in fact he cries the entire time.
It's an extremely irritating, annoying & continous cry that frequently reminds you why some animals eat their young.
So the peace & quiet that Mandy envisioned she would enjoy (from us, her 3 children,her husband, dog & 2 cats) while creating her faux finishes was actually an environment that would create "free hand" painted chair rails that weren't quite straight.
(Mandy-really only kidding-it's different & growing on us)
Mandy's first focus was the Master bedroom and damn she did an awesome job! The bottom half is all the same color paint, she taped off random stripes & used different paint finishes to create the effect.
My mom stopped over while the blue painters tape was on the wall for the lines & told Mandy how much she liked the blue stripes! Poor Mandy-didn't quite know how to take her....
For those of you that don't know my Mom-(I got nothing from her)-She has a dry sense of humor, can say it with a dead pan face & because of her age (78) you wonder if she's losing it. She's not, she has the most optimistic outlook on life & we joke that she looks at life thru "Rose colored glasses".
I on the other hand am starting to share my 1$ store reading glasses with Mandy. Hmmm-another reason for not straight lines???
Just kidding.....we love you.....
Whether we still love MJ on the other hand is questionable......
He has decided to punish us by continuing his annoying cry all day & frequently at odd hours of the night.
Tom, of course, does not hear him.....but what a symphony I'm treated to at night between MJ's cries & Tom's snoring. Welcome Home!

Side Trip!!!!

We stopped at The Boyds Bear Country Barn on our trip, what an amazing structure! It looks like it was built by the Amish, post & beam style construction. It housed three floors of Bears and a basement with two restaurants and a fudge shop. Hey-when you're shopping you need sustenance. So we took a couple of hours (OK-maybe 4 or 5) to look at everything.
WHAT??? I hear you asking what could poor Tom possibly do for all that time?
Well he actually kept himself busy, in addition to inspecting the building itself, there was an entire area devoted to the history of Boyds Bears & their inception.
There were very clever sets displaying the bears in the environments they had been created for. For example: there are bears created to portray the soldiers and families of the Civil war and the Battle of Gettysburg. An entire area on one floor was devoted to this theme.
Bears are stuffed or resin figurines, I collect the resin figurines. I have some very special stuffed bears, which were give to me as gifts. Those mean much more since a friend chose it for me for a specific reason.
The resin figurines are more whimsical and chosen for events in our lives.
So I'm sharing a couple of the newest additions to our collection.

The first one is "Sophia Grin & Bare It". We bought this one to remind us of our trip to FL and the outdoor showers at "The Cove".
The caption says "We're all the same inside". How true.
Damn-isn't she cute? She'll have a place of honor in our Master Bath.



The next one is for all our friends & family who have had to listen to me B*#@% about the weight I've gained....including the fact that I had nothing to wear to FL!
Her name is "Natalie Nuttinfits"
and the "Top Five Reasons...." is what's on the back side of the figurine.

She will, of course, have a place of honor in our walk in closet!

Martha's new pool by the river???

1. 

Nope-just a couple of shots of this really cool backyard pool & hot tub we saw while we were in FL. They laid out the concrete then stoned it, so it looks just like a sandy beach that you're walking down to get into the water. (You definitely want to click on this one to enlarge the pics.) We had looked at a few model homes with our friends for decorating ideas, needless to say this was my favorite. I'm thinking Tom didn't quite have this in mind when we went looking. Maybe paint colors, different types of trim,lighting,etc., etc., but not quite a pool/pond for the front yard. Pretty damn cool though.

Crown for the Queen

What the heck happened between the week before Christmas & the 3 weeks after???
Not alot, the framer didn't show (suprise, suprise) even though the weather was in the 40's & 50's. We took a couple of days off before & after Christmas, then Tom and Mandy got back to work; measuring for the crown molding to be installed around the perimeter of the tray ceiling in the master bedroom. The inside of the tray is painted a deep rich "Merlot" (go figure). Once the crown is mounted, recessed rope lighting will be installed behind it.
By New Year's we were exhausted & brain dead & cancelled our plans to play.
A little more work-misc- was accomplished and by the 7th of Jan
we were driving south to FL for a much needed vacation.

The Laundry Room

Is no longer bare! It's been decorated with my bear collection. I've collected bears since I was 11 y.o. & my parents bought the "expensive" paper towels so I could save the Viva seals & send away for my Viva teddy bear! (They went back to the store brand towels after that.) My love affair with teddy bears had begun.You'll find them surreptitiously placed thru out the house as each room nears completion (notice I did not say "when completed", unsure if it ever really will be). But there has to be a primary bear room & the laundry room just seemed to lend itself to it. So I unpacked my favorites from the attic& they all have a new home. Hey-if you have to do laundry it might as well be in an enjoyable atmosphere.
A few years ago Tom felt like he was being overrun by bears so we came up with a compromise. I wouldn't buy anymore bears, but if they were gifts -well no problem!
For example: For Eva's 1st Birthday, her Grama made her the most beautiful bear for her room. Of course being the dutiful aunt, I oohhed & aahhed over it.
(OK-I drooled & whined & begged.) In the beginning of Dec, a pkg arrives & isn't there the two most adorable bears looking for a home! Not one mind you but two! Talk about a spoiled Auntie! The "Grama Colleen" originals have a special place in the laundry room! Thanks Grama!

Master Bath

The stairs to the Jacuzzi tub & the trim around the shower are done. The vanity unit has been installed & the door hung. The tile trim work around the casing can now be installed & we'll order the counter top for the vanity. The molding around the bay window & the crown molding in the tub area are next. We're getting closer!!!!
We learned our lesson & sent Mandy under the Jacuzzi tub before it was closed in to take pictures of the location of the valves, pipes & motor. Thank goodness it was before Christmas cookies & she still fit under there!

The Finished Foyer

Beautiful!
Need We Say More?????