Happy New Year!

This is who I am celebrating New Year's Eve with -

Yes, I'm at home with my friends over at Bravo at the Bravo New Year's House Party.

But I used to go out seeking the biggest and best New Year's Eve Party ever....

After many years of disappointment, I've decided it's best to just stay home.

A word of caution about New Year's Eve.

Be very careful when opening those bottles of champagne.

Once a long time ago my friend Pam and I planned on going to a great New Year's Eve Party.

I had the most gorgeous dress to wear.

It looked straight out of the 50's - black velvet with a black tulle underskirt that made it stick out.

Totally like something Rosemary Clooney would have worn in "White Christmas".

So, Pam and I decided we needed champagne to drink while getting ready. 

We got out the cork screw and I tried to get it open with no luck. 

Pam said for me to go take my shower and she'd work on opening it.

All of a sudden I heard a loud explosion and Pam say,

"Ugh"

I ran in to the room to find that the bottle had exploded and one of her fingers was barely attached.

We did not know that you are not suppose to use a cork screw with champagne.

You are to pop the cork...but we were young and stupid and we did not know.

There was a wild trip to the hospital where they checked her in and scheduled her for 

surgery early the next morning.

I still went to the party...after she was checked in...(well, there was nothing I could do).

But it was a dud and I quickly left.

Pam had to do weeks of therapy and that finger has really never been quite the same.

I absolutely will not open a bottle of champagne to this day.

(Happy New Year, Pam!)

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Snowy Cottage

Conghaile Cottage

Have you seen this home?

It's a new build. I just came across the blog of the owner today.

Conghaile Cottage

What a beautiful home and setting.

When I first saw this I thought for sure it was in Europe somewhere.

No, it's in Connecticut which might as well be Europe, I'm so far away from there.

But I just had to share.

This is her side door!

I love that she has a name for her cottage.

I've always wanted to name mine but have not been able to come up with a suitable one.

Her's is named Conghaile Cottage.

And after last night...perhaps I should name mine something similar.

Can you believe...we had a hail storm about 1:30 am this morning?

Craziness...I tell you.

I've never seen hail in December.

Although...we did have a strangely warm day yesterday.

It was in the 70's!

Today it's down to the 50's and suppose to be 36 tomorrow.

I guess I should feel lucky that we didn't get a tornado blowing through here last night with all 

that warm air hitting the cold air.

I guess I should feel lucky that hail is all we got.

But this is like the 4th hail storm at my house this year!

At least this one was pea sized and not the golf ball to baseball size that destroyed my roof, gutters, trees and plants last year.

I'm thinking I should name my cottage,

Hail Cottage.

Doesn't have quite the ring to it that 

Conghaile has.

Perhaps, Bonghail or Denthail or Expensivehail Cottage.

Now that Christmas is over...I could go for a little snow.

We haven't had any yet and I would like to be snowed in for just a day or two with the weenies.

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2010 Year in Review

A Year in Blogland

Personally, this was not one of my better years, 

but as far as how my year was in cyberspace...it couldn't have been better!

I thought I'd review some of the things I accomplished and shared this past year.

In one of my earliest posts, I shared how I built my vintage inspired fireplace.

It continues to be one of the more popular posts on my blog.

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I had fun with this quick project.

A little chalkboard to leave messages to the weenies.

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I painted my front door my favorite color - Periwinkle.

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A hail storm came through in May and wiped out my roof and destroyed the paint on my house.

After much consideration and much more talk about it on the blog.

I finally decided on a slate colored roof and painted my windows 

Sherwin Williams "Underseas". The whole month of August was spent on outside house projects.

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My backyard deck was so lush back in September.

I miss it so much and can't wait to plant stuff again in the spring.

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In September I shared my glamorous, yet small hall bath. 

This bathroom has been an ongoing project.

I kept adding mirrors till I had over 60!

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Spurred on by a challenge on Funky Junk Interiors....I finished my gallery frame wall.

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In October I did a whole month of Halloween.

This was one of my little projects that people seemed to love.

A little ghost trapped in a container. I had a blast all month doing nothing but scary stuff.

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I finally showed my kitchen in November after adding some accessories.

There is still much I'd like to do to this room but I got so many kind

comments that I decided perhaps it was not so bad.

Still there are lots I'd like to do to this room.

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Following my kitchen reveal I shared my breakfast nook.

I made this simple curtain for the room the night before.

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After that I shared lots of my Christmas decor and got so much great feedback that it really made my Christmas special.

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Now is the time where I am suppose to do New Year's Resolutions or create a list of things to do 

for the New Year. 

But I think I need to just go back to 2010's list and try to complete it.

I still have many projects in the works...and I'll be sure to show them off as I finish them.

I am a bit perplexed at how quickly some in Blogland turn projects out. 

I just have to tell myself that at least I'm moving forward and not backward. 

Like that dining room that was suppose to be ready for Christmas 

which I have not been able to work on at all since well before Christmas.

Oh...well....it will probably be the first reveal of 2011.

Or maybe not...Maybe I'll do some small ones before that. 

We'll see how it goes.

H A P P Y      N E W    Y E A R ! ! !


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After Christmas Sales

After Christmas Fun!

Monday, after Christmas, Shannon, Heather and I hit the after Christmas sales. 

First stop was "The Clover Leaf".

Remember how I said, I never get up early to shop?

Well, Shannon gave me a gift certificate to "The Clover Leaf" and 

she said I must be there first thing Monday morning to get the good stuff at 50% off.

I never do this.

But armed with my gift certificate given to me by Shannon...I really had a good time.

First I picked up this Bethany Lowe house. 

It goes very well with my pink church.

Then I picked up another bottle brush tree.

The new one is the blue one on the left.

And this sweet little glittered bird that will stay out most likely through Easter.

 Then it was off to "The Market" where Shannon added lots more to her Christmas decor.

Because you know from seeing photos of her house in a previous post...

she did not have enough.

Have you hit the 1/2 off Christmas stuff?

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Christmas Report

My Christmas

I had a lovely Christmas at my friend Shannon's house.

This was the tree in the dining room.

and into the living room with it's blazing fire

another view of the Christmas tree

Fred is the best present under that tree.

Christmas in the master bedroom.

Isn't this bed great?

And the master's pretty little tree.

Wouldn't want the bathroom to do without a tree.

On to the office tree.

with it's big red star on top

The guest bedroom...where surely the guest dreamt of sugar plums.

guest bedroom has a tree too.

and into the kitchen

and finally back to the dining room for Christmas dinner

We simply had a Wonderful Christmas Time.

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