Random Stories Today 4/1/14

My 2 children both have birthdays in April, which makes their birthstone diamonds. I usually just call and wish them a happy birthday as they both have so much there's nothing we can buy them except Momma's home cooked meals. ;-) But most of our family's birthdays are all within 3 months of each other. But we're all planning a train trip for our 55th anniversary. We are ALL excited about that. All fifteen of us on a train for at least one night and then a weekend in San Diego sounds like great fun to me.
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My great granddaughter, who will be four years old in May used to go under the kitchen table to do her "business." Once while my granddaughter and her hubby were house hunting she got under a kitchen table at an Open House. When her mother told her to come out she said, "I'm doing my business, Mom." When they were visiting here about a year ago, I gave her an area rug for her kitchen dining area as I was buying a new white one for ours. She took it home and sent me a picture of it and it made her kitchen dining area look cozier. She also told me "business" has "improved" under the table. We had to laugh. ;-).
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Most of our friends have family photos lining their walls—living room, bedrooms, etc. I've never liked decorating like that. I have the 2 pictures that my husband had painted for me while he was in Japan on a wall that I see every single day. Those are my favorites of them. I love both of my kids and have them in my "heart photo album." The pictures on my walls are all serene (not that my kids aren't!) but I prefer that. I'm a very private person when it comes to showing my kids. Now, the great granddaughters are posted on one of my kitchen cabinets. But I've never liked seeing hundreds of pictures of someone's family. (I've been in some homes where political photos are on the walls. Never happen in this house!) It just doesn't interest me and I doubt my family would interest them. I do, however, have beautiful pictures that people rave about on the walls.
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Years ago when I was attending Weight Watchers meetings and was a relative new WW I stepped on the scale and told the woman weighing me in to not tell me what my weight was. She said, "Fine" and when I got on the scale she blurted out the weight! I couldn't believe it. What about "don't tell me my weight" did this woman not understand? I just wanted to know the loss, not my actual weight. That would have depressed me even though I knew it was getting out of hand. I don't do WWs anymore, but mainly because of the whining I hear at their meetings. Good grief, what about the program do these people not get?! The speaker will cover all the things for the lesson that day and invariably some nut will say, "Well, I'm going to a party tonight and there will be lots of food. What do I do?" Idiot. She just told you and other people chimed in also. Didn't you listen to her tell you? My opinion is that those people just want to be noticed. I just couldn't stand the absurdity of some people and stopped going to the meetings.
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As you all know I love vignettes. This one is particularly cute.

There is certainly a "lusciousness" about having an outdoor room with a place to sit even in the rain. I think this one is beautiful.

Another chair I should love in my home. These are beautiful.

A bit of eye candy for ya.

I've wondered where to buy these pretty little pots. I haven't found any in my neck of the woods but I'll keep trying.

I have this pillow and the matching ruffle quilt but recently changed back to my old Soft Surroundings all-white one with one long ruffle skirt to the floor. Hubs and I were tired of fixing the bed skirt. So I may sell the Summers at the Cottage one. If anyone is interested, just email me. It really is gorgeous!

I'm waiting for our rose garden to bloom. Love Bunny has cleaned it up after this long winter, clipped the branches back and got our yard looking lovely once again.

I have a keen interest in beautiful laundry rooms. Mine being pink and cheerful with signs, clothes pin bags and shelving in there. I don't mind doing my laundry at all!

Isn't this a darling way to store your dinnerware and glasses?

While this is a visual treat, I'm not sure I'd want my house to be this narrow between two walkways.

Cute dining room display.

Now tell me, would anyone actually wear a shoe like this? I'd think it would b a bit itchy.

Do all women love feminine bedrooms like this? I sure do. Wouldn't have it any other way.

While this is a fetching bathroom, all that lace would certainly collect dust. Just kidding. It's actually wallpaper.

My great granddaughter would call this a Princess dress. She makes me so happy.

~*~
Linking up with Pink Saturday.  

Bedroom Shelves new ideas

elfa® Home Storage - Platinum & White

Put elfa® Easy Hang Shelving to work in your office to maximize space and create smart storage.

elfa® Girl's Room - White

With limitless possibilities and easy installation, elfa® is our most popular storage solution. A wide variety of components and finishes can transform your child's area into an efficient study and play area - making use of ever-important wall space

elfa® Shelving Unit - White

The experts at The Shelving Store have the cure for all your storage dilemmas. Toy with a wide variety of shelving possibilities that will help you take control of clutter in your child's room.

elfa® Boy's Room - Platinum & White

elfa® is simply smart when it comes to organizing your child or teenager's room. Our strong Solid Shelves provide storage space for all of his trophies, books and treasures, right above a spacious desk top that's perfect for studying or playing on the computer.

Antique Chinese Living Room Furniture

Decorating With Chinese Antique Living Room Furniture

A pair of red and green Chinese wedding cabinets found in Belgium fit perfectly into Lina Kanafani's living room alcoves. ¡°Their colours are a source of warmth and add playfulness to the general ambience of the room,¡± she explains. In practical terms, they are used to store the music system, speakers, CDs, books and magazines. For Kanafani, aesthetics is more important than value: ¡°They may not be ¡®important' pieces as far as Chinese furniture is concerned, but they have perfectly achieved the effect I was after.¡±

In a corner of the living room is a Japanese screen which dates from the late 16 th century and depicts the Imperial horse stables. The carpet is late 17 th century Chinese and the pair of Huanghuali horseshoe back chairs are part of a set of four 17 th century pieces.

Clean lines, lack of ornamentation and a subtle colour scheme characterize Kai-Yin Lo's living room, where Chinese art is hung on the walls with architectural precsion. A pair of window panels features the persimmon in a four-petal design. ¡°One of the earliest plant motifs used in China, the persimmon dates more than 1,800 years to the Han dynasty,¡± she says. On a Ming side table at the back of the room is a pot filled with 200-year-old fungus called Lingzhi found in Anhui province.

A pair of sofas dressed in pale textured fabrics stand in the center of Kai-Yin Lo's living room, defining the seating area in the flowing, open plan space. Recessed and spot lighting illuminate her extensive collection of Chinese art and furniture. A low platform functions as a coffee table; it was originally one of the earliest types of raised seating in China. This rare piece dates from the 18 th century and is made of nan mu (a variety of cedarwood). It is constructed of three modular sections which can function as a single platform (pictured here), or used separately as smaller seats, stands or low tables. On top is a miniature Ming display table featuring a collection of Buddhist knots of destiny. A silk padded screen, featuring artworks in ink and colour, shields the dining room from the living area. A 3 rd -century Gandhara Buddha from the Indus Valley stands serenely in the entrance hall.

¡°Rocks are treasured by Chinese collectors as objects of art,¡± explains Wu. ¡°They symbolize nature and can be brought inside so one can contemplate nature indoors.¡± This malachite stone from Shilu Mountain is an impressive example.

A classic 16th-century Ming lute table stands against the far wall; it would have been an important part of the scholar's accoutrements of the time. Calligraphy is regarded as the highest form of art in China and Wu Bruce has a spectacular collection. Hanging behind the lute table is a 16 th -17 th -century scroll by Zheng Da Qian which depicts the lone scholar in the mountains. The pair of calligraphy couplets are by early 20 th -century calligrapher Lin San Zhi; they refer to furniture. In the foreground, a dash of contemporary style is added with colourful Iranian rugs. The extremely heavy yellow wax ¡®Lashi' stone symbolizes nature being brought inside.

Floor-to-ceiling glass panels overlooking a central stairway help open up the interior of this four-storey London house. In the living room, things are kept architecturally minimal with white walls, a pale wood floor and spot lighting. The clean-lined approach is maintained with select pieces of pared-down antique furniture. A Ming luohan chuang (couch bed)-which would have originally been used for relaxation, meditation or conversation, often moved onto a terrace or into a garden to enjoy nature from-stands against the rear wall; to the left is a carved candlestand.

In the library, a 19th-century Anatolian kilim hangs on the wall; to the rear is a 17th-century Huanghuali painting table and a 16th-17th-century southern official's armchair. In the foreground, and Elmwood and red lacquer 19th-century ladder rests against the bookcases. The occupants prize the form of the furniture over the media used to create it as the most important feature in their collection.

Living with Ming: in a corner of the master bedroom, a Huanghuali Ming table and a southern official's armchair function as a desk area; above the desk hangs a textile from the Kaitag region of Daghestan, dated to the 18th-century or earlier. Neolithic pots, Japanese 19th-century baskets and a modern pot by Jeff Shapiro fill shelving units on either side. The landscape painting on silk is by Fu Shan (1607-1684 )

Carol Lu elegantly installed classic, clean-lined Ming furniture within a quasi-industrial palette in her light and airy Hong Kong apartment. In the entranceway, the concrete floor is tactile, durable and childproof. A sliding oak door seals off the space that features a burgundy back wall, a spindleback chair and a huge atmospheric canvas by Paris-based artist Zao Wuki.

White walls, a striped cream sofa and beige carpeting form the backdrop to a collection of Chinese antiques in the living room. With a nod to practicality, Chang added a glass top to an old wooden trunk engraved with country scenes. Against the wall stands a pair of Qing dynasty wod and brass doors from Shanxi province; near the sliding doors to the dining room is a 1930s cabinet which demonstrates the mix of Western and Chinese elements characteristic of the time. The glass in the bottom section is original.

In the living room of Brad Davis and Janis Provisor's apartment, a seepskin throw is draped over a pistachio green sofa; a 1940s chair is covered with leopard-skin print fabric and an Isamu Noguchi lamp stands in the corner. Hanging above the brick fireplaceis a watercolour by Janis Provisor; on the mantelpiece is a collection of Italian glassware from the 1950s alongside antique Chinese jars and vases. On the wall hangs a pair of calligraphy scrolls.

In the living room, a rare 18th-century child's horseshoe backed armchair made entirely of bamboo stands next to a 16 th -centruy Ming Kang table covered in woven bamboo and lacquered in red over black. In the foreground is a low table displaying 18th - and 19th-century Tibetan silver bowls. The Tang horse is a fine example in apple green glaze, with its original unglazed saddle.

Bedroom Furniture, Bedroom Set

Bedroom Furniture Set 1 in Oak - Canopy Oak

Includes:

1 x Canopy Oaks Twin Size Bed in Oak (88-5271-400)
1 x Canopy Oaks Night Stand in Oak (88-5271-42)
1 x Canopy Oaks 5 Drawer Chest in Oak (88-5271-41)
1 x Canopy Oaks Double Dresser in Oak (88-5271-43)

Bundled set of items. Details

Bedroom Furniture Set in Golden Oak - South Shore Furniture

Product Description:

Your child will cherish South Shore's River Valley Collection for years to come; it can also be used to warmly welcome visitors in a guest bedroom. This unisex collection features a distinctive louver motif adorning the dresser, the night table, and the headboard. Bed with rounded legs that enhance the design.

Includes:

1 x Full / Queen Size Headboard (3481090)
1 x Night Table (3481062)
1 x Door Chest (3481037)
1 x Double Dresser and Mirror Set (3481-DM)

Bundled set of items. Details

Bedroom Furniture Set 1 in Light Oak - Braywick

Includes:

• 1 x Braywick Twin Size Bed in Light Oak (88-5272-400)



• 1 x Braywick Night Stand in Light Oak (88-5272-42)



• 1 x Braywick Drawer Chest in Light Oak (88-5272-41)


• 1 x Braywick Double Dresser in Light Oak (88-5272-43)

Bundled set of items. Details

Bedroom Furniture, Bedroom Set New Ideas

Product Description:

This sleek bed looks fabulous in any bedroom. This model is constructed of durable particleboard with an attractive Black Onyx finish that is sure to provide years of use. Create that clean contemporary bedroom look you've been searching for.

Product Description:

This tastefully designed rich, dark Chocolate Contemporary collection exudes casual warmth mixed with a hint of drama that will spice up any bedroom ensemble. All items in this collection, aside from the headboard, are enhanced by matte chrome accents and a subtle arch design on the base. Made of engineered laminated wood panel, these pieces coordinate with other furniture in the Chocolate bedroom furniture collection for a great uncluttered designer look. This collection includes a roomy 6-drawer triple dresser; tall, slender 5-drawer chest; 2-door chest with one blanket drawer, nightstand with drawer and book cubby; stylish headboard; and matching mirror.

Product Description:

This tastefully designed rich, dark Chocolate Contemporary collection exudes casual warmth mixed with a hint of drama that will spice up any bedroom ensemble.

Product Description:

The Pablo Collection distinguishes itself with a sophisticated euro contemporary style with it's clean European Espresso finish. It gives it a distinctive look to give it that new generation look.

Includes:
1 x Queen Size Bed (890-1)
1 x Night Stand (890-4)
1 x Dresser (890-5)
1 x Mirror (890-6)
1 x Armoire (890-7)

Bundled set of items. Details

Includes:
1 x Full Size Mates Bed (3210211)
1 x Full Size Bookcase Headboard (3210093)
2 x Night Table (3210062)
1 x 5-Drawer Chest (3210035)

Bundled set of items. Details

Living Room Shelving & Storage

Modern Designer Sideboard - Storage

Contemporary Storage Solution in a wide variety of finishes

These sideboards offer fantastic quality & value with many choices of finish for you to create the perfect storage solution. Great for living rooms, dining rooms, even home-office set-ups and bedrooms. By selecting the finish that complements the surrounds, you can work this storage solution into any room of the house.

Modern Designer Sideboard - Storage

Contemporary Storage Solution in a wide variety of finishes

Dimensions: W216.2 x D46.7 x H74.2cm

These sideboards offer choices of finish for you to create the perfect storage solution. Great for living rooms, dining rooms, even home-office set-ups and bedrooms. By selecting the finish that complements the surrounds, you can work this storage solution into any room of the house.

People DAY Modern Designer Floor Storage System

With an understated contemporary aesthetic and clean lines, choose from the characterful grains of Daniellia wood, or a matt or high-gloss lacquer. Then complete with wooden door modules or with doors of polished or metalized glass – and internal shelves are supplied in transparent glass.

MDF Italia Random Modern Designer Shelves

Launched in Milan 2005, this is THE perfect bookcase for those who like to have clean, sculptural library systems. Shelves at various standard heights fit into the backs through concealed dovetail slots; appearing fitted they happily stand alone. The Random Shelves have a lasting appeal that looks as if they have been made to measure. Create your own sculpture with the colours and objets d’art that you place within. Whether yellow or green is your current theme you can tailor the feel to suit your pleasure. We LOVE the Random shelves when placed side by side to create a whole wall of sculptural shelving. A complementary backdrop for classic and minimal modern spaces alike.

Alfabeta, Modern Designer Shelves

Bought in pairs, the Alfabeta shelves work equally well as suspended bedside tables as they do in bathrooms and petite living spaces. Two chrome bars hold the glass in place, while the letter-like shapes provide cubic sculptured shelving that does not dominate the space. The glass refracts light, making these ergonomic shelves great for smaller spaces.

Modern Designer Shelving

Modular Shelving Designs

These simple and understated Artico shelves simply work well in any modern environment, compliment and add clean lines to refurbished and traditional spaces. We love their versatility, available in 3 x different lengths and in a variety of finishes to suit your space. The Artico shelves can be positioned wherever you want on the walls, staggered or stacked.