Merry Christmas Guest Rooms

 Well, turn up the brightness as high as you can get it on your computer. 

I had the worst time getting photos. 

This is what makes me want to throw in the towel with blogging. 

I'd rather share them with you rather than throw them out because next Wednesday they are worthless. 

Our bedrooms are so cute and Christmasy even if the pictures aren't great.  

The pom pom garland. I made it from pom pom ornaments that I found on clearance a couple of years ago. 

The pillow was made out of a tablecloth that my sister sent me. She doesn't do blue and white anymore. 

This is my favorite bedroom vignette. 

The painting came from an estate sale this fall. It was $1.50. I painted the frame which took it from an ugly dog to a beauty. 

The garland is Raz from their warehouse sale. 

The cottages are thrifted and painted white. 

We're on trend with the vintage Christmas tree. It was $5.00 at a garage sale about 20 years ago. I'm afraid to light it. Bill needs to rewire it for me, I think. 

The stocking was downstairs last year. The cottage was from Walmart. I've painted the roof several times. I love it green. A worthwhile expense since this cutie was only $5.00. 

If you can fathom, the next pictures are even worse. 

It was a bright day but the lighting in Jonnie's room is horrible. 

I've struggled with this room since we moved beds around last year. 

The walls need to be painted but I can't right now since my injury in June. 

I took out the crib headboard and moved in this one. It was a dark, dark stain which dated it. I painted it gray and bolted it to the wall.

I added a gray throw and pillow and a red plaid bedspread. 

The Merry and Bright art piece was a gift bag. 

I just cut it and framed it. I thought is a fabulous idea if I do say so myself. 

I love the wall art on the opposite side of the room. 

Some Christmas cards from my first Christmas are strung with antique post cards on an old window. 

My original stocking hangs on the peg board. 

A church, cow pitcher, and greens were added to the tool box. 

The winter bedding is back on my bed. I added a plaid Pottery Barn throw. 

Pictures of my sweet children sit on my bedside table. They were so annoyed that I made them wear matching plaid flannel shirts but I'm so glad that we have these photos. 

There you have it. Thanks for stopping by. 

There is an antique piece in the garage for my side of the bed. I've wanted to replace our night stands for a couple of years because the tops are in terrible shape. Bill's nightstand is not salvageable. Mine is, so we'll move mine to Bill's side once I've refinished it. 

I'll be back tomorrow with the dining room. 

I hope this gives you ideas on how to cozy up the bedrooms for Christmas. 

Have a great day. 

Katie 

4th Of July Guest Room

My heart longs to get away to a lake cottage in the summer.

The muscle memory of time spent at my grandparent's Wisconsin lake house pulls like a cord.

The perfect painting was a long ago garage sale find.

I unearthed it in a closet a few weeks ago so the guest room deserved a summer makeover in its honor.

The heirloom Eastlake chair got a new seat cover out of some thrift store calico.

I found a perfect gem in the desk.

I'll be framing this coloring book from the 1930s. It belonged to my mother in law.

 I can't even get over how so, so cute it is.

The bed was already dressed in a patriotic theme.

The gingham quilt was a T.J. Maxx find a few years ago.

I stitched up the flag pillow a few years ago when I was feeling crafty.

A few vintage postcards are clipped to the Victorian towel bar turned art piece.

Somehow I was able to manage small children and quilt. I'm not sure how I did that.
I made the blue and white quilt about 20 years ago.

The toy boat came from an antique store.

One of my favorite things in the room is the flag painting.
It was a hooked rug design that I translated into paint.
I just love it.

A few patriotic touches layered onto a white base equals a perfect summer guest room.

Instead of jetting off to Wisconsin, I only need to walk down the hall.
Thanks for stopping in to look.
Katie

Linking with these fun blogs,

Worthing Court

Savvy Southern Style
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olsen
The Red Painted Cottage

Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
A Stroll Thru Life
Bluesky at Home

Guest/Room Office Reveal

About a month ago I told you that Bill and I weren't thrilled with the guest room/office. 
It was awash in creams and golds and I was over it.
The room was just so dark.
One thing led to another and I ended up painting it with a white that reads a little gray.

    

I switched focal points so now when you walk in the room you see the bed and breakfront instead of the desk.
  

It's much brighter and lighter.
I love it.

I picked up the Pottery Barn pillow cover after Christmas thinking it was on sale because it was on the sale table. Silly me!

It wasn't but I loved it anyway even though I had no idea where I would put it. 

The suitcase came from a thrift store in Galveston. 

The art has to coordinate with our antique Blue Bonnet paintings.

I told you how prized they are. I took some photos of bluebonnets on our way back from the coast.

Individually they are pretty ho hum but when the hillside is awash in blue, it is amazing.

Seeing the Bluebonnets should be on everyone's bucket list.
Read about it here.  
I'm serious. Come visit Texas Highways during the later part of April. April is a great time to visit Texas anyway because it isn't so hot that you think you will self combust. 
Do not visit us in August. JUST DO NOT! 

Bill is not that thrilled with the blue and white German porcelain and said it wasn't "manly". 
I contest that Meissen porcelain was probably designed by a man.

All the bird prints came from a book I found at the Half Price Books super store.
Bill asked: "Bird prints?" " Bird prints aren't very manly."
Me: "John Audubon was a man." "I tried to pick out manly birds." 
The bird prints are birds commonly seen in Texas. 
The state bird, the Mockingbird, wasn't the correct colors so it didn't make the cut. 
The frame started out with a series of hunt prints and hunt folderol nailed to the frame itself. [faux horse shoes, a riding crop and a bit.] Cheesy and probably made by my grandfather or my mom. She could have made it for my granddad's mancave. It needed a new life.
 One of the prints was actually a cover for a department store shirt box. 

The gun came from the creek behind our house years ago. Rebekah found it. I think it is a b.b. gun because part of it is plastic. 

 

The desk chair was Bill's dads. 

I love the gold chair now that it isn't lost in a sea of gold.  
The desk got some attention. I straightened up the clutter.

The desk was Bill's breakfast room table growing up. 
Bill picked out the cute desk lamp at Lowes. 
The shelf was a DIY copycat we made from one we saw at Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel. (I really can't remember which.) I suppose I could do massive amounts of research to find out for you but I don't care that much. :)

The barrel lamp came from a garage sale. I think the bowl his grandfather made filled with baseballs is very manly. ;) 
Instead of being an irritation every time I walk by, this room is put together and cute.

I love the hint of red, white and blue for summer. 

I hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend.
Katie   

Linking with,
Metamorphosis Monday
A Stroll Thru Life
The Scoop
Coastal Charm  
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia   
Savvy Southern Style    
From My Front Porch to Yours   
Funky Junk Interiors