The older she gets....

 ...the crazier she gets!

 (photo altered with picMonkey)

This is a photo of Baby sitting on the jelly cupboard, one of her favorite places to hang out. And why not? It's up high so she can look down on poor Mr. J, a floor dweller. It also allows her to oversee the entire living area of the house. But probably most importantly, from this vantage point she can easily watch the action at the screen feeder mounted to the dining room window.

Once upon a time, this little corner of the dining area looked so neat and tidy.

And even after sweet Baby came along, she was always so careful while perched on the corner.

But lately, she's been a wild woman. With reckless abandon, she leaps across the half wall from the family room to the top of the jelly cupboard. Therefore, all breakables have been completely removed. The crocheted runner isn't even safe anymore. I find it on the floor more often than not. If Baby's not around, I attempt to put it back on the jelly cupboard; if she is around, it just gets tossed over the back of one of the dining room chairs.

The bay window decor doesn't escape her shenanigans either. The placemat that sits under the plants is always bunched up due to her leaping down to the window to 'attack' whatever poor creature or bird is at the screen feeder. Just look at her up there, eyes locked on the feeder through the window!

It's the same thing in the living room, where I'm always having to adjust the lampshade on this vintage lamp. Sadly, there used to be two of them. We all know who is responsible for there only being one now.

Two days ago, this was the view outside our window, some lingering snow and frigid temperatures. The snow is long gone now (as temps rose in the 50's and 60's for 2 days!!)...

And something else is gone as well...

The runner that usually sits on the apothecary chest was in a heap on the floor, the calling card of you know who. (I love how Mr. J is on his way over to investigate. Don't worry, Mr. J, I know the culprit!)

It's this little beast, who races from one end of the house to the other, and then leaps!

And just look at this face. Not a shred of guilt!

It's okay, Baby. We know you're just being precocious, curious, and athletic... a trait most younger cats share :) And you're awfully cute, and quite entertaining, so I think we can overlook some of your messy tendencies.

We're bracing for some frigid weather again, I'm afraid. We sure were spoiled by the last two days!

This week I'm joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday
and Claudia at Mockingbird Hill Cottage for A Favorite Thing Saturday.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Donna

The Jelly Cupboard Still Life...

... isn't quite so still all the time.

 

Almost any surface in our house would be more comfortable than the top of the little jelly cupboard that sits in the corner of our dining area, but it is one of Baby's favorite spots.

This was how the little pine cupboard looked back in the early 90's.
At that point, the little mirrored cabinet I bought as a finishing touch was resting upside down on top while the cupboard beneath waited for its makeover.

It's amazing how a few appliques, a glass knob, and some white paint can transform a piece.

 Baby precariously perches on the outermost corner, always taking care not to disturb the aqua Franciscan platter and my thrift store St. Therese and St. Jude planters.

 From this spot, she can easily keep an eye on the screen feeder
attached to the dining room window.

She's also able to watch over the kitchen, dining area, living room, and entryway of our little split level, as well as the family room behind if she looks over her shoulder.

 And as we all know...

...those beautiful eyes don't want to miss a trick.

I think she just spotted a bird out on the screen feeder.

So while Baby watched over her world from the corner of the dining area...

...I headed to my office to play with PicMonkey! 

Oh-my-gosh, I am just loving how my photos look after a bit of tweaking!

I'm linking to Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend, everyone. It may hit 80 degrees here in New England this weekend!

Such crazy weather!

Donna

Spring + Sunlight = Happy!

The warm spring sun was shining through the window the other morning and I had to grab my camera!

This time of year is so exciting when you live in a region known for harsh winters 

 (although I have to admit that here in New England, we had a pretty easy time of it this year!)

I set up this spring vignette on a little table that sits in the dining area of our small split entry, using things from other areas of the house.

The birds flanking the nest were 'borrowed' from the mantel.

They're such a pretty 'mottled' shade of robins egg blue (a favorite of mine).

I know they're not robins, but they are guarding the three pale blue eggs in the nest until Mrs. Robin returns.

The nest was originally purchased as an ornament several years ago 
(nests in Christmas trees are considered good luck).
I like to keep it in the house year-round.

I love the quote on this frame, "Humor is mankind's greatest blessing," by Mark Twain. The girls were hamming it up one Christmas morning, trying on their new cloche hats, complete with tags hanging down and stuffing still inside the hats to helped keep their shape.
(It seemed an appropriate photo for this particular frame!)

One of my favorite lampshades with a very spring-like pattern.

The sun was shining through the "faux" plant in this cherub planter.

And now the sun has gone behind some clouds, but that doesn't change the fact that
SPRING has arrived here in New England!

Pop over to Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home to visit everyone else participating this week.

Have a beautiful Easter weekend, everyone!

Donna

Fall decorating for the lazy...

... which is what I am lately...


Sprigs of autumn leaves (faux, of course) have been tucked around the white hydrangeas (faux, of course)...


Witchy woman has donned her witch hat... not even a scarf to accessorize with this year (soooo lazy... me, not her)


A green and white checked quilt has been thrown over the white tablecloth (it's the reverse side of my peachy-pink floral quilt)...


And that's the extent of fall decorating that has been done in the dining area... I'll share what little else has been done around the house in my next post. (I don't think I was ready for summer to leave, which is why it's really hard to get into autumn right about now... Summer, please come back for a bit!!!)

Donna

A blast from the past... (The Dining Area)

This is how our dining room is decorated now (made with that fun Flickr toy!)...


I love the light, bright cottage look, but I'll always have a soft spot for primitive decor, which is how I used to decorate. Just today, I came across some old pictures from the 90's...


The photos below show the furniture before my 'makeovers,' when it was still stained dark brown, and before the blue chandelier was painted white. The jelly cupboard still sits in that same corner, but back then the hutch was turned to make a dividing wall between the dining area and living room, and the trestle table was positioned differently. Also absent are the old windows we eventually hung above the half wall ...


(click on this picture to enlarge all 3 photos)

The first photo was mid-90's with stenciling on the upper walls; the next two were from the late 90's, after we'd purchased new chairs (the old ones were falling apart), put up a Warren Kimble wallpaper border, and painted the lower walls... But I sure don't miss our old wall to wall carpeting! With kids, cats, and dogs, it always needed to be steam cleaned!!
It was fun coming across these as I hadn't seen them in quite a while. I really like the prim look but the older I get, the more I prefer a lighter color palette (maybe it has something to do with wanting the house be bright and cheerful during the long, dark New England winters!)...

Donna