Bedroom makeover progress

I've shown you some of these changes before, but I have some new things to show you. First off I finally have a palate thanks to this wonderful pillow I found in Mo's booth at Winnie & Tulula's. I'm focusing on the bright green with a gray and just a splash of the burnt orange here and there.

I found the best coverlet and shams at Kohl's with a variation of Orla Kiely's stem print design. It's amazing how many things are out there that seem to be inspired by her designs. The coverlet is perfect as it has a gray underside, that I fold down to reveal both sides of the blanket and it gives the bed some dimension. The 3 euroshams are perfect to completely cover the very "countryish" headboard. I framed some prints from her book "pattern" that I got for Christmas and hung them on either side of the headboard and laced one on a small side table.

Even though I'm kinda going for a slightly modern look in this room, It'll always have elements of repurposing in it. Like the crates I use to store pillows and blankets. I'm on the lookout for some new lamps and I'll know them when I find them. The side tables and dresser need to be painted, but I'm still deciding on the right color for that. I'm leaning on the color of the matte in the frame above. A pretty slate-ish dark gray. What do you think about the gray for the furniture, and what should I do with the bed skirt? It's cream right now, but I'm just no feeling it. Any advise?

Fall Fun with Family and Friends

Mr Roboto is turning the big five-ohhhhh this Halloween, So I decided to throw him a little party with our boys, DIL to be, and a couple of friends.

On the menu were grilled steaks and lots of yummies.
The apple caramel dippers were a big hit.

I love parties, as I get to use my mis-matched retro glasses. Each guest has their own and it's easy to keep track of who's is who's, And they add a festive touch.

I had this string of paper lights from a previous party. I couldn't figure out where to hang them, so I just put them on the table. They lit it up like candles and added just the right touch to the festive table of goodies.Even Lisa wanted in on the fun... Bad Girl~!


Son #1 had this painting commissioned for MrR. It's based on the mustang he is restoring. He loved it!

Low key, like us. We had a great time. Happy BD to my Mr Roboto. And goodnight to a fabulous Fall evening with friends and family.

Dream Home

For 20 years Mr R and I lived in a ranch home in a suburb of Fort Worth. We brought home 2 baby boys during that time and basically just made a living and grew up. All the while longing for country life and our dream home. One day Mr.R sketched the picture you see above (sorry for the bad scan). It was the vision we both had in our heads of our Dream Home. I put the picture up in my closet and would occasionally look at it and dream.

In 2003 we planned a little weekend get away two hours east of DFW. We stayed at a B&B that we had stayed at before, and drove around the small town we had grown to love for it's lush greenness, and it's perfect size and old timey charm. It just so happened that Mr R had been watching the home listings for the area and we decide to view a house while we were here. No plans to move though.

This is the house we viewed. We fell in love from the outside, it was so much better than our dream. 5 wooded acres, in the country but still close to town. The inside was a wonderful as the outside and although we were not yet ready to move, we could not get this place out of our heads. Even though it was bigger than we needed, It really could have been a tiny cottage and we would have loved it. The property was wonderful, and it was just the style of home we were looking for. And the price...Let's just say, homes are cheaper in the country, than you'd expect.
Long story short, we bought it, worked on it during the weekends for 9 months, making it perfect for us, while waiting for Son #1 to graduate High school, and then moved in during the Summer of 2004. We continued major remodel for another 2 years while living here. It's now been 7 years and we are just as in love as were were in the beginning. Maybe more so as we've grown to meet people, and get established in the community.

When we happened upon the old drawing recently, we were both astonished at the similarity between the house he had drawn and the one we ended up with. Makes one think there might be a plan to it all????

I love my Wood Burning Stove

When We purchased this house, the big black box in the middle of my family room was a bit puzzling to me. I've had fireplaces before, and they are good for roasting marshmallows, hanging stockings or warming up the ambiance of a room, but I've found them to be mostly ornamental. "How was I going to use this black box??? I thought to myself". Well since we moved in in the summer I knew I would have time to think about that later.

Well Winter rolled around and our first cold month electric bill came in, and I decided it was time to figure out how to use this black box also known as a "wood burning stove".

After all the basic problems were figured out, how much wood, seasoned or fresh, how long to season, how to get it to light, how to circulate the heat...this big black box has turned into a wonderful tool for keeping warm on cold winter days.

First hurtle, how to start a fire. No gas jet was attached to this thing, not that I've ever had one but getting a good "worth it" fire going was quite the chore. Over time I've conquered this task. And am now the master fire builder in the family.


There is an optional screen, if you want the beauty of the fire, But I usually use the doors.

I can start a fire in the morning and keep it going all day long with minimal effort. And has it helped the electric bill? Youbetcha!!!! Big time, it's like a contest for me every winter, how low can we keep that bill!!!!

So despite the one chimney fire I had, oops!! my fault, Get those chimney's cleaned yearly. I love my black box. Here are a few things I have learned in building and warming your home with fire.

If the heat is not circulating but the fire is going strong, try turning on a ceiling fan on low.
This will push all that hot air that has floated to the ceiling back down to earth where it belongs.

I use the small rectangle fire starters and old phone book pages or newspaper to get the fire going. First I crumple up about8-12 phone book pages and make a bed for the firestarter, and then sit 1/2 of a firestarted on top. I light the pages which in turn will light the firestarter. When it's going I add small branches (not Pine I like to burn Oak) on top of it, and add larger branches then logs as it gets going more and more.

Close the doors, open the vents and leave it alone. Let it do the work of getting started. Closing those doors will keep the heat in and ignight the wood faster. If my wood is wet, I'll place a few pieces inside the fire box on either side of the fire, this will dry them out and they will be ready when it's their turn to be place on the fire.

Fire wood should be stacked for a year to season well. Trying to burn fresh wood is a task in futility.

You can tell well seasoned dry wood by looking at the ends. You'll see cracks there where the rings are. Dry wood is also lighter to carry.

I use kitchen tongs to move my kindling into place and adjust smaller pieces of wood. They are easier for me to control than a long handled grabber.



Right now this is the scene outside my back door, and the temp inside is 70 and the heater is not even going. $$$$$$$$

Do you have a fireplace or woodburning stove. Do you use it to heat your home???
Do you have any hints or tips.

Little Changes

OK, so I have this very inexpensive shower curtain and it came with these tassels hanging from 3 panels. That's all fine and dandy but it was missing something.

This idea came to me awhile back, but I would just think of it when I was sitting on the throne and then I would forget about it.

Then I saw something at the Bachman's Idea House that encouraged me to get it done. I changed out those tassels for some old keys. It was easy as apple pie and is definitely more "Margo"

There you have it, 10 minutes and no tools needed.
The Bachman house had different little bits of this and that hanging from the curtain rings. That would work too, but this is what I had in mind.

A Little Something for Me

I don't know why I love things with drawers, lots of drawers. I joke that it's my attempt to compartmentalize my life.

A few weeks ago I walked into my friend Alison's Flower shop and saw these great multi-drawer oak cabinets. There were 3 of them, as seen above. Then she put them in the Gresham Barn sale and I stared at them for several days. They almost sold on preview night but the lady changed her mind. So there they sat, people oogled over them, but continued to pass them up. Knowing they had not sold, I contacted my friend Alison on Monday and told her that I had decided I wanted them.

Today I went and picked them up and brought them home. Those suckers are heavy!!!! First thing was to feed the dry wood with some Howards feed-n-wax, this stuff is great.
I've had several folks ask me where to find Howards products. If you are local here in Tyler, you can purchase them at Our Little Corner in Noonday, or go here to buy from their web site.

see the difference in the top drawer and the other drawers. I think this piece had once been painted as it appears to have some remnants of paint in some of the crevices. I love how it makes it look shabby, beat up and used. I love the industrial handles and the little card pockets on the fronts.

These are actually 3 separate cabinets that fit together like a puzzle, see above and below

All waxed and cleaned up, they are now in their new home. These came out of a doctor's office on an Indian Reservation. And they are oh so cool. Lots of storage there. I may add feet, I may add a top piece, but for now they are as they are, lovely compartments for all sorts of stuff.

Thanks Alison for a great find!

Outdoor Patio Side Yard Project All Done

Do you remember about a month ago I started posting about our backyard, side yard makeover? Well It's finally done.

It started like this



I could only imagine...Between the arbor and the deck,
rock pavers, bench & lots of shade plantings.




He built and I stained,




He bought rocks and I helped place them





I bought plants, he dug holes.



Boston Fern's hang from either side of the arbor


Now it's all finished!!!!!

Remember when I said, "can you see the vision"? Now we don't have to imagine.

I planted some thin blade grass between the stones to hold the dirt together and give it a natural grout-like look. I've also planted that grass on this side of the arbor but it has not started growing yet.
I'm so happy with the results. Good Job to DH for his vision and muscle.
I joke that "He builds it and I make it pretty". We are a good team.

The back deck got a makeover as well. DH added a section to it, we got new a grill,

These 2 Garage Sale chairs found their place on either side of our back door.

And a couple of Garage Sale pots full of summer color



Now Where is my Lemonade??????

You can see the whole project, start to finish here

More Photo Fun-My Creative Space

Just to show how a good camera can make a difference in photo's here are some pics of the same spaces with 2 different cameras.

Above with a pocket camera, Below with a 35mm. I was able to get a much wider angle on the room.



Above Pocket Camera, Below 35mm Able to pick out more details



Above Pocket Camera, Below 35mm, better color and crispness


Now for some more fun shots from my creative space


I love to use old displays to keep my pretties out and easy to find

Basket full of perfume bottles

new use for my French Bottle Drying rack

I need to work on shadows. One step at a time.

Junk Around the House-Guest Room-Junk Revisited

Some of you have seen this room before. It is my Junked up guest room. When my oldest son moved out, I waisted no time turning his room into my dream junk guest room.
The room has 2 windows and I covered each one with a topper using an old burlap coffee bag, cut in half, and hung by old hinges,
That big thing between the windows is 1/4 of a windmill I purchased in April
The cabinet below is really cool when you open the doors, it is full of little cubbies. I added the feet. I found the rocker at a Garage Sale for $5. The metal candlelier was an item I traded another dealer for. It's a fun piece. And an old shopping cart as a hamper. Wooden gears and a valve handle accessorize the top of the cabinet.

I've had the dresser below for at least 2 years, holding it for this room. I paid $5 for it, and painted it white and then distressed it. The mirror above it I've had for at least 5 years. Framed this-n-that on either side.

The red vanity had no top or front or mirror, I paid $10 for it, I used a piece of masonite, cut to size and decopaged old dictionary pages to it for the top and front piece. The mirror is off of an old medicine cabinet, and I screwed it onto the old mirror frame. Old Corbels (traded with a dealer) hang on either side of the large topographical survey map of Louisiana. The map is a way to cover a huge area of wall, easily. The wall needs some repair from Son #1's hanging of shelves. An ol dressform sports a vintage lace jacket and strands of pearls

Above the bed are parts from old fans. The cabinet on the left is a medical cabinet of some sort. The table on the right was a transmission stand from an old car shop. I attached an old marble top to it and now it's an industrial side table. I made the catch-all on the right from an old ammo box lid, and various hardware, and on the left is an old chippy door, complete with hinges, and knob. The lamps are re-purposed trouble lights. I know I still need a headboard but that will have to wait for now.

I've made some changes since the pic above was taken. I turned an old piece of a piano into a headboard, and changed out the chippy door for an old gate piece.
Making it easy to change what I hang from the old gate without having to put new holes in the wall.

I had so much fun making this room complete from re-purposed items. Even the lamps are re-purposed. I continue to have fun changing and updating it. It's a great backdrop for my junk experiments.
There are lots of little details in this room, so look around the pictures and see what you can find.