MORE FIREPLACES

This is my fireplace.

The large piece over the fireplace is for sale.  It was once a table top that was converted to a wall hanging.  I can email you close up pics if you are interested.  

In our next home, I want something a little more rustic

WINNER OF FIRST GIVEAWAY

First place goes to Sandy McClelland

Second goes to Shannon

Thanks for participating and thanks to those of you who participated and sent me emails instead of comments on the blog.

WHAT TO DO WITH FIREPLACE MANTELS?

I recently received an email from a good friend of mine from Lafayette, Barbara.  She sent me these pics of her fireplace mantel and said she just wasn't feeling it.  I think it looks great, but if she does want a change I could give her a few ideas.  First of all Barbara is very creative and resourceful.  I think an old wrought iron piece would look great, it could be hung as it is or if it was not in the best of shape, sanded down and faux painted in a rubbed bronze look.  OR she takes great photos.  She could take a photo of her beautiful kids and have it printed on a huge canvas.  It could be in a sepia tone to go with her decor or color or black and white.  I think she needs something that says look at me when she walks into the room, so she can "feel it".  

Please comment to this post and let me know your thoughts and ideas for Barb's mantel.

Thanks,

Deb

MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!!!!

I love to give gifts.  

I would like to generate more traffic to my blog.  So this contest is to do just that.  I would like you to send an email with my blog site address to as many people you think would find my little blog somewhat interesting.  THE BLOG SITE ADDRESS IS:  debbietibbs.blogspot.com

 The person who has the most recipients of the email will win the prize!  

Email me with the number of recipients you sent the blog site address to.  Please be honest or the blog police are going to make a visit to your home.  My e-mail address is debtib1@mac.com 

 Please leave a comment on this post letting me know that you are going to participate.  You have until Wednesday to do the deed.  On that day I will post the winner of the contest and ship your goodies to you.    

The prize winner will receive a painted canvas of pears in a bowl, perfect for the kitchen or dining room/area and a cd entitled Feast of Joy and Love by Laura Sullivan, A musical bouquet of piano, strings and more.

Good Luck and thanks for participating!!!

HOUSE PLANS

We will have 3 sets of doors on the front porch instead of the windows.  We are not going to do the transoms that are shown.  

Our future dream home
Stucco only
Stucco only, we are doing posts like this on the front porch
brick with stucco or painted brick, I can't tell, but this is the look
Brick with painted stucco
The doors will be similar to these

Well because of the never ending bad weather we've been having, we have not been able to start on our future home.  But I'm including a couple of pics of the house plans.  I will also include exteriors that I like.  We're still trying to decide if we want stucco, or brick covered with a layer of stucco.  Leave a comment telling me which you prefer.  I would love to hear other's opinions.  The look we are going for is Acadian/Creole. 

MY FIRST DECORATING JOB......

     SOFA WALL BEFORE

     SOFA WALL AFTER
     MANTEL BEFORE
                MANTEL AFTER
                     SHELVES BEFORE
                     SHELVES AFTER
THIS IS THE WALL YOU SEE WHEN YOU FIRST WALK IN THE ROOM, IT IS ALSO HER FUTURE READING NOOK

I FOUND THIS LITTE PIE SAFE/CABINET IN HER BACK FOYER FULL OF STUFF, I EMPTIED IT AND FOUND ITEMS FROM AROUND THE HOUSE TO PUT IN IT, CUTE COTTAGE LOOK

LAMP AND BASKET FROM WALMART, FOUND FRAME IN HER CABINET
               MY HAPPY SISTER

My first job...............Alright is was for my sister.  But it was so rewarding.  My sister buys nothing for herself.  I will take her shopping and I will find cute things for her and of course myself and usually she comes home with nothing.  It is so frustrating.  She works hard as an elementary school teacher and she so deserves it.  She puts her husband and her children first always.  Well, she and her husband just put in new laminate flooring.  I love it, it looks like hickory stained walnut.  It looks so much like real wood.  Anyway, they took everything out of the living room and she did not put anything back except the furniture because she wanted a new look.  But she didn't know what kind of look she wanted.  When she'd go shopping, she would pick something up that she thought might work and then put it back because she would question her choices.  What if it doesn't look good, what if I don't like it, is this a good price and on and on.  

We were sitting in her living room last weekend in all it's emptiness and I said, "I am just going to go shopping and buy what I think might work and if you don't like it, we can bring it back."  She was joking around and said yeah, you do that.  Not thinking that I would, she was wrong.  I decided to go shopping for her and she could just pay me back.  Sooooo, Thursday I went to Burke's outlet, Fred's Dollar Store and Walmart because I know if I were to spend big bucks it would all have gone back to where it came from.  

Friday while she was at work I snuck into her house.  I thought her hubby would be at work but he had worked the night before so he was sleeping.  Shoot, that meant I had to try to be quiet.  Well ladies, you know when you are on a mission it is hard to be quiet.  First, I took out all my goods and decided where everything was going to go.  Then I walked around her house and chose items that I thought would work better in her living room.  Then I got to work.  As luck would have it, her hubby woke up around 12:00 noon, just in time to hang the curtain rods.  He was so impressed with what I was doing, that he said not to tell her how much it cost, that he wanted to pay for it.  It would be her early birthday present.  

I went home around 1:30 to take a shower.  I returned about 2:40 to light candles and put on relaxing music.  She got home around 3:10.  Her husband covered her eyes and walked her to the living room.  Well she saw my car outside and knew something was up.  He walked her to the living room and we gave her the surprise.  Needless to say, she loved it.  I also spruced up her office which is next to the living room and over the computer I placed a large framed scripture reading about love.  We read it together and started crying like big babies.  When we went back into the living room her hubby had tears in his eyes too.  It was very emotional and lots of fun.  

Please leave a comment and let me know what you like best in the room.  The only thing I would change are the pictures over the couch.  They are kind of small for the space, but they really are pretty and simple and that is what she likes.  If you would like me to do this for someone you know that totally deserves it or if you want me to do it for you, please let me know.  I'm on a roll.

Decorating by Deb

Hurricane Ike

We lucked out again.  Wow, check out these pictures.  The water in the bayou across the street started rising yesterday.  Today it is at our front steps, BUT not in our house.  We are on the corner lot and it is built up a few feet so that has helped us.  Some of our neighbors have not been so lucky.  I've heard that a couple of them got at least 5 inches in their homes.  It has not risen in the last few hours so hopefully this is as high as it gets.  There has been so much devastation from this storm in such a widespread area.  Let's remember all in our prayers.  Thank you to everyone who checked on us via email, by telephone and some of you have even come here to see if we needed help and/or check out this unusual sight.  I'll keep you posted.

Thanks,

Deb

Fireplaces

Ok, fireplaces......I love these.  I love the angled part above the first one.  I love the shape of the mantle in the second picture but am thinking of having it made to look like that but out of old cypress.  And I love the way the bricks are inset in the third picture.  If you know of anyone having anything similar, please take a pic and send to me.  debtib1@mac.com

Hurricane Gustov

Wow, it was close.  We were so blessed in our small town.  Hurricane Gustov came with a vengeance, but did us no harm.  My husband is Mr. Weather himself.  He does not leave for hurricanes, but I used to.  That was before we got our big generator.  Now it's more of a hassle to go than to stay.  Gas costs, food costs, hotel costs, people, people, everywhere people.  I'm so glad that this Ike character has decided not to visit us.  I've posted pics of  our experience with Gustov.  

Sorry I have not blogged in a while.  Life has been happening in a big way.  My four offspring pull me in four very different directions.  And I love and treasure every moment, even when it's not fun.  

We have not started on the house yet.  Which is dangerous, because I keep changing my mind about things in the house.  Are you surprised?  At first I wanted all acadian, brick and cypress style.  But now that I am 45 years old, (Sept 7th) I am really being pulled in the French country direction.  After all that's where we originally come from.  I will post pictures of things that inspire me for fun.  Who knows, it might inspire you too.  Let me know what you think.

Love, 

Deb