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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Everything's Coming Up Roses!

Three things were tossed up onto our
front porch by delivery guys on Monday.

 I brought them into the house.
Left to right . . . a roll of toile wallpaper to finish off the back stairs.
Black and white, it matches the kitchen wallpaper; that's the back stairs on the left,
with a basket of (thankfully) clean laundry on the landing.
It's wallpaper doesn't (yet) go all the way up to the second floor.
Yes, this picture is from November '10, shortly after we finished the kitchen.  Stair wallpaper still not done!

Next, another roll of wallpaper, this one thick paste-the-wall beadboard,
destined for the kitchen at the beach house on Long Island. 
We used it last spring on the kitchen backsplash at That Old House.
Here, that work in progress:
Graham & Brown beadboard wallpaper.  It is great.
And ... on the right, in an amazingly compact package, wrapped in white plastic, is an 8 x 10 rug.

No, really.  It is.  Daughter Annie unwrapping it:
And unfolding it . . .
We don't have a rug pad for it yet, so Anne and I just spread it over the sea grass rug beneath --
 just to see what it will look like:
Anne:  "Mom, this is a bedroom rug."
Me:   "Yes, it is, but won't it look great in here for the summer?
In the Fall it can migrate north to the pink guest room."
Anne:  "It would look better in the yellow guest room."
Me:  "Yes, it would, but I think it might go wall to wall in that room . . . ."
 Bottom line:  the new pink and cream rose needlepoint rug will summer in the Parlor,
and that is A Good Thing, because it means I don't have to hurry to reupholster
those two lolling chairs we got at the consignment shop in Williamsburg last month.

Below, the chairs are on the right, in pinks and greens and blues.  It works for the season.
See the table leaf blocking the doorway?  That is our Dion-blocker; that little bit of wood keeps him out of our parlor, and keeps his doggy hair off the black wing chairs by the fireplace.  In 3 years, he still has not figured out he can step over the barrier!
  I love needlepoint rugs.
 This one was an auction on eBay.  It is new, and I think I was the only bidder;
I got it for what is a song for an 8 x 10 wool needlepoint rug.  Really.  I still can't believe it.
 Now I need some needlepoint rose pillows, don't I?
Loads and loads of flowers for the summer!
 



 I'll banish the few remaining bits of red from the winter decor in the Parlor,
pile on the whites and creams and greens and pinks,
and we'll have a lightened-up living room for the warmer months.
It will be nice to get a rug pad, and get rid of the wrinkles!

I've been searching for a slightly vintage Persian rug for this room, one with mellow colors but not too much wear.  I found some lovely ones, but they cost 10 times what this needlepoint rug cost us, and that's not going to happen anytime soon!  Or, ever.  I'll need to score that elusive eBay auction buy again.

And guess what I found on Sunday?  I pulled out my big red purse, and there in the bottom was my missing point-and-shoot camera, missing no more.  I've been using Howard's big heavy scary Nikon since February; I am delighted to have my little Canon back again.

I'm sharing this post with Tam at The Gypsy's Corner for Three Or More Thursday.  Click here!
And also at Sugar Bee Blog, for Take-A-Look Tuesday.  Click here!
 And enjoy.  -- Cass

20 comments:

  1. I love it , it's really nice! you look very,very busy, the wedding is coming soon now!blessings Catherine

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  2. Hi Cass...

    My friend, it looks like you are keeping very busy with wallpapering but it is all looking sooo very beautiful! Of course, I just adore the black and white toile paper...sooo pretty! Ohh my goodness...as soon as I seen your beautiful needlepoint rose rug...I just swooned, my friend! It really is lovely and I think it is perfect for your summer living room!!! Hehe...can you believe that they had that big ol' rug folded up and so compact to mail? Thank you for sharing your new pretties with us today!

    Well dear friend, just thought I would stop in and say hello and see what you have been up to! It has been a little while since we have visited! I hope that my note is finding you and your sweet family all doing well!

    Warmest wishes,
    Chari

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  3. Cass -- that rug is wonderful! And I do like it in the parlor -- but it is a summer rug -- you definitely need a Persian in there for winter!!!!

    I love needlepoint rugs and we bought a small one -- only to be the FAVORITE place for our Cat to sharpen her claws -- rug didn't last long!!!!

    Dog can be fooled so easily!!!! It's a barrier -- you're not supposed to cross so you don't even try!!!! As the Cat would say (as she was flying OVER the barrier) "Stupid Dog"!

    I did find a set of Indies in an Antique Center (read Mall -- I'm becoming bilingual -- American and Brit) for 200 pounds -- it was nice to see it but I haven't seen a whole lot of china here - much more in America!

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  4. Visiting from three or more.
    Beautiful rug, I lov needle point also and it looks like you found a great one. Nice that it is light enough to move easily. I'm a new follower...hope your week is wonderful.
    Cindy

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  5. Oh my, I am in-love with that rug!! I am on ebay all the time looking for vintage stamped embroidery pieces so now my new destination will be rugs!! Don't worry, I won't bid against you!! LOL!!
    Have a Wonderful Day!!
    Marilyn

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  6. The rug looks great. And don't you love those surprise finds? (your camera in your purse.)

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  7. Toile and needlepoint ... what a classic pair! You KNOW that I'm drooling over your rug. I would love to put one like that in OUR living room. Everyone knows that I have a clinical rose addiction, but my needlepoint fixation is almost as overpowering. Needlepoint pillows can be had for almost nothing on eBay.

    I'm really glad you found your camera! I have my camera ... I just lost the memory card over the weekend. It has some really good photos on it, too. I bet the kittens made off with it. I'll have to speak to them. (In the meantime, I bought myself another memory card.)

    I love your living room!

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  8. How Gorgeous!!! Needlepoint is one handcraft I enjoy doing. What a stunning rug!!!!

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  9. O Cass that is simply a LOVELY needle point rug! I think the colors are delightful and no matter which room it goes in after its stint in the parlor is finished it will look cheery and bright.

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  10. What a great rug! I love it! The colors are so beautiful....you can't go wrong with roses!

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  11. Pretty rug. Glad you found your camera.

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  12. Hi Cass,
    I have been wanting to use the bead board wall paper for some time now. I will goggle Graham & Brown a great tip thank you!
    Also I love your floors the wood is so beautiful, I really like the wide planking. The needlepoint rug is wonderful and I think its perfect in your parlor. It all looks so delightful!
    Have a sweet day and hugs, Elizabeth

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  13. Don't you just love it when the Wells Fargo Wagon comes!

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  14. Still loving the wall paper. The rug is wonderful!
    So glad you found your camera!

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  15. That rug is beautiful! What a great buy!

    Beadboard wallpaper? Sounds interesting! Do you think it's better than the real stuff say for in a bathroom?

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  16. Missing in your purse...love that. The rug is beautiful. Some rugs are so costly they want your right kidney for one.

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  17. Change is good, keeps things fresh.
    The Dion blocker cracks me up!


    Melinda

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  18. Wow, you did score, I really like that rug. I think it would go well anywhere you wanted to put it. Lucky girl!
    Kat

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