Our Dining Room

For years, while we were renovating this very old house of ours, we went without a dining room. When we had our first child, our daughter, the space served as her nursery. Later it became the playroom for all three of our kids. It was right off the kitchen, which was where I spent almost all my time, so I could keep an eye on the kids while I prepared meals, made, bread, and did all my crafty things!

Eventually, we got around to making it into a dining room, and it's turned out to be one of my favorite rooms! It's in a tie with our living room, which has an over-sized stone fireplace. I might get around to taking some pictures of that room one day, too.

This is one of the sideboards, which started out life as our triple dresser base. I like the 'beat-up' look in furniture. My older brother used to call me the Queen of "Chip n' Dent," because nothing in our home is in pristine condition!

I love doll furniture and use the miniture hutch to store candles. I had to have the old crockery pot when I saw it in a local antique shop, because it has a perfect imprint of the potter's hand in the glaze. I'm sure he cursed when he did it, but it makes it more special in my eyes!

This is a view looking toward the cellar door and hallway. The sign was made by our daughter and me from the raised panel of an old door. 'Smoky Hollow' was the name given to our little area of town a long time ago. There's an abandoned railroad bed that follows along the other side of the river which borders our property. When the coal-fired trains were running, their smoke would hang in our little valley, thus the name.

 

Another view of the sign. The door to the right of the plant stand is a built-in cupboard which stores all our dishes, glasses and linens. You can see more of my doll furniture collection on the tea cart and on the shelf above it.

The original floor was wide painted pine boards, but the house was so old that it was literally worn through in places and couldn't be saved.  You could see into the cellar!  We replaced it with a light ash hardwood.

The small black rectangle on the floor near the caster of the tea cart is the handle to an old dumb waiter that served as storage for jars of canned fruits and vegetables. It used to be on counter-weights so that it could be easily lifted up from the cellar below. We hope to restore it to functionality one day. It's quite the conversation piece!

Hope you enjoyed this little tour!
Thanks for visiting!
Elaine

Mo's Challenge #110

Elves, Fairies, Santa, or Snowmen!

 Happy Thanksgiving! My husband and I are having twenty family members and friends for dinner! We always have so much fun whenever we get together! It's a pretty relaxing day, too, even with all the cooking. We've been doing it for so many years that we don't stress over it. I'm responsible for six or seven pies (which I make ahead of time and freeze, unbaked, then cook early on Thanksgiving  morning), the stuffing, and gravy. My husband does most of the rest with a little help from me. He doesn't like to have anyone bring anything, either...guess he wants to make sure everything is to his liking. LOL!

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 Pat has given us a lot to choose from for Mo's Challenge this week, and Mo has several images in every one of those categories...all of them adorable!

This is one of Mo's teen-aged fairies, and I think they are the sweetest little fairies ever!

I made the pink poinsettia using punched and embossed leaves and seed beads. The hat pin was made with a pearl-headed pin from WOC and various beads and jewelry findings. It's all held together with super glue.

Images: "Teen Fairy Pia" from Mo's Digital Pencil, Stamped sentiment from SU! set "Short and Sweet"

Tools: Copics, White gel pen, Spica pens in gold and clear, Cuttlebug with Marianne swirl die and Nesties, MS Branch punch, Nellie Snellen embossing leaf punch set, Tacky tape, Mounting tape

Papers: SU! Pirouette Pink, Gable Green, and Glorious Green, Neenah smooth white, Basic Grey DP

Embellishments: Hat pin, Seed Beads, Satin ribbon, Pearl cabochons, Jewelry findings, Ruffled lace trim

So, take some time after the big dinner and Black Friday sales and make a card or project using one of Mo's sweet images. You might even be chosen to win another one!  There are tons more that you want, aren't there?  LOL!

So good of you to visit!
Elaine

Mo's Challenge #109

Winter's on Its Way!

Pat, our hostess for this month, has chosen a "Winter" theme for Mo's Challenge this week. I love it because I really need to get some Christmas cards done. In fact, I'll be making Christmas cards for all the upcoming challenges when it's appropriate!

I love this image.....well, actually, I love all of Mo's work! This little guy is adorable, though. I love that look of innocence!

Image: "Who, Me?" from Mo's Digital Pencil

Tools: Copics, White gel pen, Cuttlebug with Embossing folder and Snowflake dies, Snowflace punches, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Mounting tape, Glue dots

Papers: SU! Taken With Teal, Neenah smooth white

Embellishments: Satin ribbon, Beads, Star charm

Now it's your turn to grab one of Mo's wintery images and make a card or project for Mo's Challenge for a chance to win! We'll be waiting!

And the Winner Is........

My husband picked a number out of a cup!

It's # 5 fairysparkle!

Congratulations! 

Thanks for dropping by!
Elaine

Mo's Challenge # 108

How Fancy! 

Pat Frank is our hostess for Mo's Challenge this month,  and her first challenge for us is to create a card using a fancy fold.  I usually stick to making regular cards that are 5 x 7, so this was a real challenge for me. 

I needed a baby card, so I chose "Spit Happens" for my image, because it just makes me smile! It also reminds me of our oldest grandson when he was a baby....his head was huge and round! He ran everywhere, and being so top-heavy, he fell all the time! His poor noggin was always getting banged up! He's eleven now, and, luckily, he grew into his head! LOL!

 This is a gate-fold card that measures 5 x7 when closed.

This view shows the card open. The right-hand flap slides between the image panel and the left-hand side to keep the card closed.

Image: "Spit Happens" from Mo's Digital Pencil

Tools: Copics, Prismacolor pencil, Nellie Snellen Embossing leaf punch set, , MS lace border punch, Cuttlebug with Nestie label die, mounting tape, Glue dots

Papers: SU! Pacific Point blue, Daffodil, Gable Green, Neenah smooth white, My Mind's Eye Stella Rose DP

Embellishments: Prima Sprite flowers, Flower brads, Metal letters, Narrow ribbon, Lace

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 Sassy Cheryl

 I'm entering this card in Sassy Cheryl's Challenge which calls for embossing.

 Images: "Bee on Your Nose" From Sassy Cheryl, Digital Sentiment

Tools: Copics, Cuttlebug with Embossing folders, Mounting tape, Glue dots, Tacky tape

Papers: SU! Cool Caribbean, Melon Mambo, Neenah smooth white, Cosmo Cricket DP

Embellishments, Ruffled ribbon, Picot satin ribbon, Buttons

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Candy!

I giving away a new paperback  copy of the Copic Coloring Guide! A winner will be chosen at random from the comments left on my blog during this challenge week. No other requirements,  just be sure to comment for a chance to win! Of course, if you'd like to spread the word, that's fine with me!

So make a card using a fancy fold and one of Mo's images for a chance to win one of Mo's wonderful images, and leave a comment here for a chance to win the Copic book!

Can't wait to see your creations! 

Elaine

Mo's Challenge #107

Thank You, Thank You,

Thank You! 

The theme this week at Mo's is "Give Thanks", and you have the option of making a card for

Thanksgiving or a Thank You card!

I chose to use Mo's adorable little "Peaches" to  make a Thank You card, because I never seem have enough of them on hand!

I'm always trying to use up my growing mound of scraps, and this layout was perfect as I didn't even have to trim the scraps...they fit the 4 3/4" x 6 3/4" card front perfectly!

A bit of machine stitching, a few embellishments, and it was done!

Images: "Peaches" from Mo's Digital Pencil, Stamped sentiment form SU!

Tools: Copics, Prismacolor pencils, Cuttlebug with Marianne swirl die and Die-Namics border die, Circle punches, Sewing machine

Papers: SU! Daffodil CS, Bazzill textured brown CS, Neenah smooth white, Assorted scrap strips

Embellishments: Grosgrain ribbon, Prima daisies, Brads, Pearl cabochons

So show some thanks and make a card or project using a fabulous image from Mo's Digital Pencil and enter this week's Challenge for a chance to win another of Mo's images!

 

Love to have you visit!

Elaine