A Little Turquoise Rug

I blame the little turquoise rug.

Nobody wanted him. And he was lonely.

I had gotten him for my married daughter but she said he was the wrong color. My engaged son didn't need him. I already had a nice bath rug in the main bathroom.

So I stuck him in the master bath. He seemed to like it there.

And that is how the whole bathroom mini-makeover began.

The beige curtains felt a little jealous. 

So I threw on the turquoise pashmina we had used for our Tropical Christmas. 

The shelves had accessories that were a good color but the wrong scale. 

Also some extra accessories that would be better off in the cupboard.

I found this nice candleholder at a thrift store. 

Originally I was going to paint it turquoise with some chalk paint...

but I ended up deciding it was perfect the way it was.

I found these candleholders and container at a thrift store. 

(are you sensing a pattern here?)

The peach candles aren't working for me any more so I think I will paint them.

Or get some taller ones. In a better color.

Did you know you can paint candles?

You need to buy candle painting medium and then you can.

Works like a charm. 

But that is going to have to wait for another day. 

Because this post can either be perfect or it can be done.

And today, I vote for done.

"After"

Someday I may thin out the seashell collection shelf but for now, it makes me smile.

And the little turquoise rug isn't lonely or unwanted any more.

Christmas at Pooh Corner--The Tree Skirt

I needed a new tree skirt for our Tropical Christmas themed tree. Red and green was not going to cut it this year. I was about to resort to putting a white sheet around the base of the Christmas tree. Then life happened and I had to think about other things for awhile. Like thrift store shopping. And the costume my daughter needed for her upcoming play.

I found a perfectly darling little poodle skirt. Alas, the perfectly darling little poodle skirt I picked up at the thrift store was just that, too little. No other cast members needed a perfectly darling little poodle skirt either. Lonely, perfectly darling, little poodle skirt.

Then I had a crazy but brilliant idea.

I could turn that lonely, perfectly darling, little poodle skirt into the most perfect Christmas tree skirt for a tropical Christmas! So I got out my seam ripper and ripped that waist band off the skirt. 

Perfect shape, perfect color, perfect french poodle.

Oops. 

So I just turned it over.

And if I ever have a pink poodle 50's themed Christmas, I have the perfect tree skirt!

Tropical Christmas tree with perfectly darling little pink tree skirt!

Tropical Christmas 2012

Once upon a time, there was an odd, scraggly little pine tree sitting on a shelf at a thrift store, waiting for someone to happen by and fall in love with him.

I was that someone. I thought he was a very cute little tree, and although I had no idea what I was going to do with him, I bought him.  My daughter took one look at him and christened him the Tropical Tree. And with that, our theme for Christmas 2012 was born.

odd scraggly tree decked out with small ornaments

more of the mantle with shells, flamingo and candles 

the word NOEL inspired our color scheme

We found a soothing seascape picture and propped it up on the mantle, too.

We glittered sea shells and made a garland out of pipe cleaners

We stepped out of my Christmas comfort zone with glittery flower picks and bright colors.

And some  pretty crazy ornaments!!!

We knew traditional green and red would look out of place so I came up with the plan to use brown paper and brightly colored curling ribbon.

Piglet seemed to approve.

The finished tree with Matilda, my Christmas hippopotamus lounging among the gifts.

My word for this year...