Southern Inspirations

Cloche Love

2011-07-20T13:19:00.000-05:00

Last year I was so inspired by a picture in the Pottery Barn catalog that I decided to make my very own book cloche. I posted about it here in case you missed it. Since Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life is having a cloche party I decided to re-post about my book cloche and show you how I am using it today!

This is the inspiration picture from Pottery Barn. See it there in the middle? Don't you just LOVE their great ideas!!

And this is the first vignette I created to display my own version of the book cloche.

Later it ended up on the table behind my ~~out dated but much loved~~ sofa.

Next it made its way to the "book table" in the great room next to the ugly fireplace (don't worry, the fireplace has been updated now and looks MUCH BETTER! See it here if you missed it!)

And now it is back where books belong, in the great room bookcase. I think I will leave it here for a long time - it just makes sense, don't ya think?

Be sure to stop by the Cloche Party over at A Stroll Thru Live to see all the creative ways our fellow bloggers have found to use their cloches!

Thanks for stopping by!

Fireplace & Oak Bookcase Update

2011-05-07T16:28:00.005-05:00

Wow, I can not believe it has been so long since I have posted anything! Truthfully, I have been a bit lazy since the first of the year. Now I find myself overwhelmed with the many unfinished (and UN-STARTED!) projects I have. At least I get to check a big one off my list - updating the OUTDATED fireplace and built in bookcase in the great room.

This is the "before" shot of my 80's fireplace. Pretty drab, huh? For years I have dreamed of a creamy white fireplace surround and now I finally have one!

Now don't you agree this is a huge improvement! Come on in and let me show you a close up....

I have to be honest and tell you I didn't do this project myself. In fact, other than describing what I generally wanted and picking out the color (BM Navajo White, love it!!) I really didn't do anything at all. You see, my philosophy is if you know someone talented, trustworthy and affordable why take a chance on doing it yourself? Now I take on my share of small projects but this makeover has to last the rest of my life so I needed it to be perfect!

Just look at those details! My friends Karl and Martha did me right again! Remember they did my oak kitchen cabinet makeover (see it here and here if you missed it) and they did my oak bookcase makeover below:

Believe it or not these oak cabinets were all the rage when I was 26 years old and built this house in 1987. For the past several years they have been a real eyesore to me. It took my a while to get my husband to see the necessity of painting real wood, but he finally came around and so here they are today:

Karl and Martha really pulled through on this one! I think they look so much more sophisticated now, don't you?

I had previously painted the brass door pulls with ORB spray paint and they go perfectly with the new hinges! I love the distressing on these cabinets - no glaze needed, the oak peeking through is the perfect color to make them look well loved.

We had a thicker crown molding added to the top

And a bit of trim to the bottom to give the bookcase a more finished look.

I love the way my old things look new again against the black backdrop of the bookcase. My sweet mother-in-law Linda spent the day with me "stylizing" the cases. Come closer and I will show you some of our handy work...

I recently went to an art show in Guntersville, Alabama and bought this beautiful painting named "The Red Door". I am so lucky to be able to showcase it right in the center of my bookcase!

If you have followed my blog before you know I love blue and white china pieces. I especially love the china men, which were a gift from a dear friend many years ago. Hey, do you recognize the book cloche?

I made it many, many months ago and yes, I am still using it! If you didn't see the post about it you can find it here.

This iron looking piece is a recent purchase from Willow House (formerly Southern Living at Home). I wasn't sure how I would use it when I bought it but I love the way it "crowns" the bookcase! If you are not familiar with Willow House you need to check it out. My favorite dealer is not even in Alabama but no worries because Willow House ships right to your front door! Check out her website here and be sure to shop the outlet and the weekly specials (new every Monday) - I have got some real bargains there! (No, Willow House is not a sponsor of this blog and I am not related to the dealer. I just LOVE their products!) Many of the items in my bookcase are Willow House.

So, what do you do with an empty, lidded wire basket? Why, put books in it of course! Just a side note, I always remove those dust jackets from hard cover books because to me they are so much prettier without them. If you haven't done this give it a try - I promise the book police will not come after you!!

Every bookcase should have something unexpected, therefore, I have a cow planter in mine! It was a gift from my "other" mother-in-law many years ago and I love the touch of whimsy it adds.

So, I have a question for you: Where does your hubby keep his camera and cell phone charger? Mine took over this planter a long time ago and that's OK with me. At least he doesn't leave them lying on the kitchen table like he used to! Now, if I hadn't told you that you would have never guessed there is such a tangled mess inside this pot, would you??

Well, today I got a new washer and dryer (mine was 25 years old and FINALLY broke this week) so I guess I need to go do laundry.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there in blogland!

Thanks for stopping by Ya'll!

I am participating in the following link parties:

(Click HERE)

And to Wow Us Wednesday over at Savvy Southern Style here.

My "fake" kitchen microwave hood

2011-01-24T15:12:00.000-06:00

Since I posted about my oak kitchen update in August (read about it here), I have received several request for info about my "fake" microwave hood. In response to your questions I have taken some additional pictures.

In my kitchen I do not have an over abundance of counter space so my microwave/ fan/ light combo is mounted over my stove. This is really functional but I have always wished I could put the microwave somewhere else and have a grand hood built over my stove. So, when our cabinet maker suggested a "fake" hood over the microwave I was "all in"!

Before my kitchen cabinets were updated with new paint and trim, I had cabinets over the microwave. This was fine but it really lacked personality.

When the microwave "hood" was built and installed it really spiced things up. Now my cabinets looked newer and more stylish! I love my kitchen now and love to look back at old pics to see just how far it has come!

My microwave is the vent-less kind (it is not vented through roof), but it does blow air out the top. Since I didn't want the hood to just be hollow, I had a thin piece of board cut to fit in the opening above the microwave.

In this picture you can see the board inside the hood - it has slits cut into it so the air that blows out the top of the microwave can still go up into the empty hood.

Below are some additional views of the microwave hood. If anyone needs more info just email me!

I have been lazy since the holidays and have many, many projects waiting for me to get my groove back. Please be patient with me - I promise to be posting more very soon!

Thanks for stopping by y'all!!

What is all that White Stuff???

2011-01-10T22:13:00.000-06:00

Can you believe we have so much snow in Alabama??? This picture of our house was taken this afternoon. We have at least 7" of snow - something we very rarely see in the south. Not only did it snow all night but we had "thunder-snow", a term I never heard until this morning. I love the snow and the way it makes everything look so wintery and clean!

Our dogs, Ringo and Carly, really didn't know what to think about the snow. It took them a few minutes to figure out how to walk in it and a few minutes more to figure out how to do their business! My sweet husband was freezing by the time they came in!

This is our sweet friends and neighbors, Mary Ann and Chuck, all bundled up today. The tree in the background looks so beautiful all drenched in snow they just had to have their picture made in front of it! (This will make a good Christmas card pic for next year - their friends won't believe it was really taken in Alabama!)

I love the snow covered rooftops in our neighborhood and the way the trees just pop out of the sea of white. I can't imagine living where this is a normal occurrence - it must be breathtaking!

Quick Change in Sitting Room

2011-01-10T12:02:00.002-06:00

I am slowly getting the house back to "normal" after Christmas. I don't know why it is taking me so long this year - guess I just hated to see the holidays end! Any who, you might remember the book page wreath I made and decked out in the big red bow for Christmas...

Here is how it looked in my sitting room for Christmas....

I have enjoyed the wreath so much I just wasn't ready to take it down. So, I took off the red bow and added a burlap one....

I really like the way it turned out and think I will keep it up for a bit longer! I really like the brooch added to the center, it was a gift from a dear friend and a replica of one owned by Jackie Kennedy.

I removed all the other "Christmassy" (is that a word??) items, and the red bows from the sheet music candles and created this little vignette over the TV cabinet. I left the tarnished silver tray and bowl because, as you know, I love the look of old silver! I haven't decided yet if I want to put anything in the bowl, but the thick snow outside is calling me to come play so that decision will have to wait!

Thanks for stopping by and ya'll try to stay warm today - we have about 8 inches of snow here in North Alabama!

I am linking up to...

Make it 4 Monday @ Cottage Instincts here
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch here
DIY Project Parade @ The DIY Show Off here
Get Your Craft On! @ Today's Creative Blog here
Making the World Cuter Monday @ Making the World Cuter here

I am being featured on Remodelaholic today!

2011-01-06T12:01:00.000-06:00

My Family Heritage guest bedroom has been selected to be featured on the fabulous Remodelaholic blog today! I could not be more thrilled and honored! You can read the post by clicking here. Cassity's blog is filled with wonderful projects and lots of photos - if you are not familiar with her blog take some time to check it out - I promise you will LOVE it!!

2010 Projects in Review & My Top (favorite) Project

2010-12-30T10:34:00.000-06:00

I have only been blogging since August so I don't have a slew of amazing projects to share like so many of you. But, as I look back over the past 5 months there are a few projects that I really enjoyed doing....

My oak kitchen make-over is by far my "top" or most favorite project of 2010.

This is how my kitchen used to look - yucky oak, ugly green counter tops, and unfinished space under the oven.

This is how my kitchen looks now - all fresh and creamy white, granite counter tops and an actual door under the oven!

This is my island before the make-over - pretty, huh??? (NOT!)

And this is my island now - same piece with new top (longer than before), corbels added, new hardware and all decked out in distressed black paint with copper glazing. Love it!!

You can read about my total oak kitchen makeover here.

My other favorite projects of 2010 (in no particular order) are below:

Guest bedroom turned into "Family Heritage Room", a place for our over-night guest to learn more about our family history. You can read about it here.

Old Clock turned into picture frame (find post here).

Drab to fab candlesticks (with WalMart vases added!).
You can read the post here

Old silverware box turned into beautiful serving utensil storage.
Read all about it here.

Brass candlesticks made-over + sheet music candles.
(The post can be found here.)

I am linking this post to Rhoda's Top Projects of 2010 link party over at Southern Hospitality. Go on over and check the party out and while you are there check out Rhoda's amazing blog!!

Happy New Year y'all!!

Christmas Book Page Wreath

2010-12-21T21:59:00.001-06:00

I finally did it - I made a book page wreath!! I have wanted to for a long time, even started once by wrapping my wreath form in muslin strips. But now, it is done! Just in time for Christmas!!

I hung it over the entertainment center in the red room - my little TV / sitting room right off the kitchen. I love the way it pops off my old, faded ~~dying to be ripped off~~ red wallpaper.

I paired it with these sheet music candles I made last month. I love the way the sheet music and the old dictionary pages of the book wreath compliment each other!

And I added these cute little girls just because they make me happy!

Don't their cute little faces just make you smile? I have had these forever and can't even imagine parting with them!

And it just wouldn't seem right not to include some old tarnished silver and shiny Christmas balls. I used to hate tarnish and I kept my silver trays and bowls behind closet doors - now I actually like the aged look of tarnished silver. (Do you think that is weird??)

My sitting room (affectionately known as the "red room" around here) is too small to have a lot of decorations, but I am very pleased with the way this little vignette turned out.

Thanks for stopping by!

I am linking this to:

Savvy Southern Style's BTB Party here
Someday Craft's Whatever Goes Wednesday Party here
Trendy Treehouse's Creative Share Blog Hop here

Texas Millionaire Candy - a Hamilton Family Christmas Tradition!

2010-12-21T20:42:00.006-06:00

This year, like the past 26, we are making Texas Millionaire candy for our Christmas gatherings. It's really not a hard thing to do but it is no job for sissies either. So if you are afraid to get your hands coated with gooey caramel or to have chocolate running down the front of your shirt and crushed pecans all over your kitchen floor, I suggest you steer clear of Texas Millionaire making.

Now this is a recipe I normally hold close to my heart but this year, in the spirit of Christmas giving, I have decided to share it with you. So, here we go...

Ingredients: for a single batch, that will make around 70 pieces, you will need the following:

2 lbs of caramel (from candy store, I uses Peters, aka Nestle)
2 TBS milk (I use half and half, it makes it creamier!)
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups chopped pecans (I buy them already chopped, its easier!)
4 cups milk chocolate (I buy in 2 lb bags then measure it out)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate (same as above)
wax paper
Pam spray
candy papers (we use gold - it is so "rich" looking!)

The first thing you need to do is cover your countertops (or kitchen table) with wax paper and give it a light coating of Pam. This is where you will be dropping your candy and trust me, you will be moving fast so if you skip this step you will be sorry!

Cut your caramel into roughly 1 inch square pieces and place into microwave safe bowl. Add milk and heat on high for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir, even though it will look like nothing happened. Repeat this process until caramel is smooth and creamy like this...

Working fast (before the caramel cools) stir in vanilla.

Then gradually add nuts. This is where hubby comes in - this stuff is HARD to stir!!! Don't give up, keep on stirring until it is all mixed together.

Using 2 spoons drop caramel and nut mixture onto the wax paper. We have learned this is much easier if you spray the front and back of each spoon with Pam, then use one to scoop up a spoonful candy and the other to "rake" it off the spoon. The caramel will "set" fairly fast so you have to work quickly.

Now it's time for chocolate! Mix the milk and semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt in 30 second increments just like you did the caramel, being sure to completely stir each time you take it out of the microwave. Once the chocolate is all melted it's time to begin coating the caramel and nut candy pieces.

The best way we have found to cover the candy in chocolate is to throw several pieces in the bowl of melted chocolate then use a fork to turn each piece and remove it back to the wax paper. As you do this shake the excess chocolate off into the bowl. Again, you will need to work fast because the chocolate is cooling and will begin to thicken. If it gets too thick to you can microwave the chocolate for another 30 seconds but be careful not to "cook" it.

This is a close up of my candy - you can see I am not the neatest girl when it comes to making candy!!

At this point you can take a well deserved break and let the chocolate set (aka dry). You can leave the candy out for up to an hour but we normally let it set about 30 minutes before moving on. Your candy is officially ready for packaging now! We like to wrap each piece of candy in gold foil candy papers (purchased from our local candy supply store), but you can just layer between wax paper in an airtight container if you prefer.

Here is our candy all dressed and ready! Little red bags of 5 pieces each for the girls in dear hubby's office, a plate for my walking buddy and a mound of extras to serve guest on Christmas eve!

WARNING: Adopting this tradition creates demanding friends and family members that will begin asking you before Thanksgiving when you are making the "Christmas Candy". Just tonight my husband's brother called to make sure we would have the candy on Christmas eve!

Below is a recap of the recipe (without pictures) that you can copy and paste into a word document if you would like:

Texas Millionaires (makes about 70 pieces)

2 LB caramel candy, cut into small pieces

2 TBS milk (or half and half)

4 Cups chopped pecans

4 Cups milk chocolate candy pieces

2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate candy pieces

2 Tsp vanilla

Wax paper

Pam cooking spray

Foil Candy wrappers (optional)

Cover counter-tops or kitchen table with wax paper then spray lightly with Pam
Melt caramel & milk together in microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir, and repeat until caramel is smooth and creamy.
Stir in vanilla and nuts (add nuts gradually). Mixture will be very thick and hard to stir.
Drop onto wax paper using 2 teaspoons (one to scoop, one to scrape).
Melt chocolate in microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until all chocolate is melted. Do not overcook chocolate!
Drop caramel & Nut candy into chocolate a few pieces at a time making sure to coat both sides. Remove with fork back to wax paper.
Let candy sit until chocolate sets (about 30 minutes). Then, wrap each piece in foil candy paper or layer between wax paper in an airtight container.

Merry Christmas!!!

I am linking to:

Remodelaholic's Recipe Party here
Today's Creative Blog's Get Your Craft On Party here
Sugar Bee's Take a Look Tuesday Party here
Trendy Treehouse's Creative Share Blog Hop here
Someday Crafts' Whatever Goes Wednesday Party here