A splash of color...

I've been very busy lately, trying to make this house we are renting look more appealing.  It's a nice big place with lots of space, but all of that space was off-white/cream, very boring to me.  I didn't realize quite how bad it was, till I started adding color and love the results!  We plan on staying here for a long time, so it was worth it.

The casual entry/laundry/computer area looked like this:

My little helper.

He was quite sure he could do the whole job if Mom would just let him take over.

What's a farmhouse without some barn red?

(to be exact, "cherry cobbler" red)

Then I added some border left from our previous kitchen.

It's so bright and cheery I could just stare at it!

I've had this quilt hanging by the front entry, so thought some of the extra paint would cheer it up a bit too.

And the opposing wall, was a little leftover from the boys' room.  Levi badly wanted this wallpaper border from our first house in Alaska, but this is all I had left.  He was quite thrilled when I put it up here.

Didn't get a picture before I started, Levi was quite interested in the painting of his room.

Matches with both the queen-size bed quilt....

And Levi's bed quilt and newly painted orange bed.

All the shades work great, but are also that aweful beige color.  Now that the walls are painted, those shades look fine!

Part of our room before.

Now a light brown that contrasts nicely but is very neutral.  Hard to get a good photo, but it's the same as most of our last house in Alaska.  Most of my Valentine's tulips are done, but a few are hanging in there.

And the back bathroom was very... um... maybe "retro"?  The pink counter isn't too bad, but that wallpaper...

Etcetera.

The house is older and has been well-maintained.  Just the lack of color was bothering me.

The old-style light fixture was holding the bulbs too close to the wall, and they had actually burnt holes in the wallpaper and crinkled the paint!  Will be replaced, the landlord agreed that needed fixed.

Now with some green and a new curtain.  I was somewhat limited by the pink countertop, but it will all match nicely with some of the towels we got for our wedding.

The wallpapered wall is still a nightmare, so I've been avoiding it as long as possible.  We used a goo to get rid of the wallpaper paste, but the old paint is also 1/2 peeling so it's kindof a mess.  Not sure where to go from here, so I've been focusing on the rest of the bathroom & house.

So that's why I haven't been blogging.  Or sewing.  Painting is fun, but when you have to mask so much it takes time and becomes quite a chore.  I'm loving the look, but think I might take a break and sew a little.

Speaking of breaks, Breanna was home for the holiday on Monday, and it was a gorgeous sunny day; so we went for a long walk.  I'm not sure how far we went, but at least 3, or nearly 4 miles.  Our goal was to visit some friends across the field, and I didn't realize how far it actually was.  (I still need to drive it to see).

Breanna rode her bike so was able to go quickly, and actually did about 3x's the distance because of always turning around and coming back to us.

 These photos don't really show it; but it was a beautiful day, and you could see mountains all around.

It was a bit breezy, though, so the boys were bundled up for the ride.  This stroller is working great!

And a good story from Dad one Sunday afternoon.

While Daddy was home for lunch, Andy decided to walk in his shoes for awhile.

We sold our table when we left Alaska, and Tyler was going to make a new one.  We've been using this fold-up "Lifetime" table that was handy but has had a very rough life.  It was free, so can't complain there, but there wasn't room for food once you got all the dishes on.

Then we found this fun antique one at Goodwill for only $14.99!!!  That's right, less than fifteen bucks, and it's very sturdy and cute.

This is why it was so cheap, but I think we can make do.  =)  With a tablecloth you can't even see the gauge, and it looks repairable.

This couch was given to us when we came down, and although older; it's very comfy, and perfect for the family room!  But I didn't like the green curtains.  The color didn't match, and they were worn to almost see-through.

While at Goodwill I found these blue gingham Pottery Barn curtains that I thought would work.  I obviously misinterpreted the size of that window. 

So, I sewed them together, shortened them, and added some lace to cheer up the kitchen.

This is what was here before.  Kindof cute, but needs some more color!

And in the closets I found these that Marlene had given me in Alaska!  I had wanted some similar but in red, but I like this too!  They are a heavyweight gingham.

And they even go nicely with the red wall.  There were 4 sections, and I'm debating on whether or not to put the two from the doors in our room.  They would match perfectly, and then I could make some smaller ones.  But for now, I'm enjoying the green ones gone.

And for Alma, some close-ups of some of my quilting.  Sorry, I couldn't get photos to turn out very good.  Guess you'll just have to come visit instead.  =)

Stars, loops, and stipling.

Lots of tiny hearts for the table-runner.

And when I looked for backing, I found that this piece was not only big enough; but also matched the binding perfectly, so it's reversible!

Wow, that was a lot of pictures, and one long post.  Hope I haven't bored too many of you!  And yes, Sue, that quilting lady is amazing, thank you for sharing!