Final reveal ~ Project Light and bright.

When I say done, that means... until the next time I decide to change things up a bit.  If you have followed along, thanks for your patience.  I finally decided, I love my red couch and for now.. it stays. I will start with my two favorite changes to the rooms.  Go here to see..the new front door and "new to me" buffet.

The buffet was a Craig's List find!  Solid mahogany, 1980's Kindel buffet.  The new iron door brings in so much more light and we love the Flemish glass panes.

The dollhouse had to stay because all the grands love playing with it.

MissRaylyn loves my pink magnolia needlepoint chair.  She says she is a princess when she sits on it and we do have a tiara for her to wear.  Of course!

Hubby and I just refinished the floors.... aren't they purty?

My little grouping of crowns reminds me of Mardi Gras and my Louisiana roots.  Thankfully none of my family in Louisiana was caught up in the flood.  But, my sister is helping all over Baton Rouge and housing a displaced family.

The project began with recovering my dinning room chairs.  Then new sheer curtains and finally the door and buffet. The plan was to have the couch changed to an ivory color.  But, after shopping the house and moving things around to other rooms, the sitting room makes me happy. 

Changes

Curtains - Pottery Barn
Buffet - Craig's List
Paint for Buffet - Sherwin Williams - Pure White
Door - will not name source, would not recommend them
Fabric for chairs seats - Cutting Corners, Dallas
Mirror - At Home

Pinterest, this time I love you...

After seeing so many DIY projects about painting garage doors with Gel Stain, I took a leap of faith.

So very glad I did.  Love our new "wooden" garage door.  

Step one - hose down and dry your garage door.

 Step two, tape off wood border. Step three take about two hours to paint the door.  Your project will be almost dry by the time you finish painting.  I did not seal the one coat of paint that it took.  Several DIYers said their project has lasted for years without sealing.  

Now, go buy a can of Minwax, Gel Stain.  I used the color Hickory.  $16.99 total project cost because we had the three inch brush already.  New "wooden" garage door, priceless! 

Extra little tip.  I stood and painted, no ladder necessary.  I just would up the door a foot or two and paint the next lower section till done. All painted at eye level!  

Pineapple shrimp skewers

If you want an easy dinner for two try this.  I skewered one pound of shrimp, pineapple chunks and yellow onion slices on a wooden skewer.  I used my indoor cast iron grill and just kept turning them till the shrimp was cooked.  While grilling,  I sprinkled with Tony's creole seasoning, salt and pepper and basted with Catalina salad dressing.  

 You must try the Trader Joe's frozen chopped basil and the frozen garlic too. For one of our sides, I sliced Farmer's Market tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and drizzled the basil plus balsamic vinegar over the top. Then a dusting of black pepper and done.

Summer Days drifting away....

Fort Morgan was were we spent the last week of July.

 We talked about the beach for so long, hip, hip hooray we finally are here! Our pretty blue house for the week was perfect.

 MrHayes and MissRaylyn were the first to arrive with their Mom and Dad.  Soon MissLayton, MissHadley and MissAllyAnn plus Mom and Dad arrived and the gang was all here.

 Papa was in heaven (well we all were) and the twins took to the waves like fish.  That is until day three when the jelly fish came for a visit.

 If you want to see the perfect beachy top knot, MissRaylyn was sporting one.  Lala also surprised the littles with matching night gowns.

We had my Mom's 80th birthday celebration that week too! She and Karl made it down to the beach and my sisters and their husbands joined in too!

 We had a turtle nest right by the house, but, sadly it was not time for them to hatch and swim away while we were there.

 MissLayton and Barbie had fun in the sand. And the same Barbie, in the below picture, had fun flying a kite.

 Guys chillin' under the tent and littles chillin' and cleaning shells with the hose.

 It was a short walk to the beach from our house and an even shorter week at beach!  The time went by so fast!

Fort Morgan, Alabama is a fifteen minute drive from Gulf Shores, so we made a lot of trips back and forth for dinner and shopping.  But, the beach reminds us of what Gulf Shores used to be.  Mainly, houses and no high rise buildings.  

We will be back!