Tea anyone?

Aren't these tea containers so pretty?  And wouldn't a collection of them look so nice.

Lucky for me I have 12 of them...

of varying shapes and sizes.

Scored at an auction yesterday.  You know something like love at first sight....but really don't have a place for them.  Thinking they are destined to be sold...but I don't know that I can bear to split them all up.  They look so pretty all together.

They instantly reminded me of this....

Grant Gibson's San Fransico showhouse.

via house beautiful

via antique chase

via House Beautiful

 Mixed in with a beautiful Ironstone Collection.

via Country Living

via Country Living
(I bet she might be able to fit them in, no?)

There is just nothing like a collection of the same type of object with varying heights and weights and textures. 

Near Miss-tint...

I have a project that I am working on...a pretty exciting project.  (to me anyway).  I am painting my first piece of furniture...actually, let me back up...I am painting my first piece of furniture, THE RIGHT WAY!  I have painted many pieces of furniture with less than stellar results, because I don't follow the rules of Priming (2-3 coats), sanding in between, Painting (2-3 coats) sanding in between, and putting on a final finish coat.  But when my finisher was out of town, and couldn't do the work that needed to be done, I thought...."you know, lots of people paint furniture all the time, with wonderful results...I am going to try it."  And the results are, well, lookin good:) (if I do say so myself!) I have had a bit of coaching from a Pro painter friend down the street, so I wasn't all on my own...but still, the paintbrush is in MY hands.

Anyhoo,

Back to the point of the post.  Miss-tints. 

Ya'll know I LOVE my Benjamin Moore Paint Deck   It goes with me everywhere...you never know when someone is going to ask..."What color would you paint this??" 
But my favorite Ben Moore Paint store has gone out of business, tear....but my local Ace Hardware has Ben Moore Paint, and a selection of the paint chips (that is why I loved my Ben Moore store, because I could find the paint chips and not have to carry around the whole paint deck.  sooooo, I walked in and told them my color, (Ponderosa Pine 531)....saw on the screen they had punched in all of the correct info...I am controlling like that:)  Lookin good up until the point they put the dot on the can...WAAAAAYYY off!  And here is what happened after that!

They said "it will probably darken when you paint it on, and I was like, um, I don't think so...and I am not going to take a chance with my client's furniture...." After a little bit of talking, and few other eyes it was diagnosed as a MISS-TINT.  The formula in the computer is wrong.  So now what am I to do?  I have been there for 45 minutes, gotton a miss tint, and Need to start today!  So I asked them to do a color match...but MY paint deck wasn't fitting into computer, and guess what the manager did....HE TORE THE PAINT CHIP OUT OF MY PAINT DECK!  He said "gotta do what you have to do"  And I was like, "you just dismembered MY paint deck!"   He said "oh, well" and walked away, leaving poor Mr. Guy(that was his nam) the sweet man that was helping me to pick up the pieces.  I said " are you going to fix that?" and he said "sure no problem".  I said while making a grand sweep with my arms "well I am sure you have the tools around to fix it, ha, ha"!

So back to the Miss-tint....

15 minutes later, after the color match.  The color looked good.  Completely different to the original formula.  So I got my primer, paint, brushes, foam rollers, and Minwax Polyacrylic payed, and walked out of the store...leaving my poor paint deck to be put back together by ol Mr. Guy.  I didn't have the time to sit around and wait...

The moral of the story on Miss-tints....it is NOT a myth, they happen...for real!  Pay attention to the dot on the top of the can.  If you think the color is wrong, it very well might be.  Don't let them tell you "the color will  change on the wall".  It will,  but not by 30 colors on the wheel!

Oh, and don't hand over your Paint Deck to a clerk.  Make them use their own...

Because, turns out you can't fix a torn paint deck.  I went back and THE MANAGER said "it's fixed, and I had no idea that was YOUR paint deck!"  But, it wasn't... he just jambed it back into the deck, and hoped it stuck...which it DID NOT. 

Oh, and Ponderosa Pine 531, it turns out was too yellow...I changed my mind to the Vienna Green 538...so this debacle could have been averted if I had just picked out the right color in the first place!

vienna green on left.

But on a lighter note....the painting is coming along Fabulously, and turns out when you follow the painting rules and the steps, and have just a little patience you can paint things on your own.!

This is the piece I am painting.  Will show it finished soon.  (just have one more coat of Poly!)

Have a great Day...and don't let those Paint People push you around:)  Can you tell I am still a little bitter!

Rain or Shine!

This is the first race....Shine...notice the clouds in the background.

The 45th Running of the Aiken Steeplechase....will be run RAIN or SHINE.  Well it turns out we had both, and a Thunderstorm no less.  In the 20 something years that we have been going to the races, it has NEVER poured down rain.  They decided to change the date this year, from the 3rd Saturday to the 4th Saturday...sometimes you just need to leave well enough alone!  Anyway, besides the rain, we had an amazing time. And I have to say it will be memorable...

oh,no here comes the rain....

This is part of the Parade of Carriages...hurry it is about to POUR!

She is holding on to her hat, becaue a big Clap of Thunder and lightning just happened!

And the the Rain....luckily we brought LoTS of umbrellas.

And the The Sunshine...and the fun resumes.

Until a couple of years ago, we had a jump right in front of our spot...but they took it away.  NOW we have all of the races start close to us...a small consolation, having the jumps next to us was VERY exciting, but dangerous.  We have seen many a jocky and horse hurt right in front of us.  Dangerous stuff.

There might have been a little bit of money exchanged...and a VERY happy little girl.

Turns out the way you win a race is to throw flowers onto the field before the race begins...if I had known that all these years I may be rich!  At least NOW we know the secret.

Someday soon I will write a post(s) about my beloved Town of Aiken.  These signs are not uncommon in a town where horses are still a huge part of it...

And dirt roads are still part of the downtown map.

Happy Monday! 

BTW: it is still raining here....at least it isn't snow, which I hear has fallen on my friends up north.

Off to the Races

A painting that I have that has yet to be framed. 

Literally.

A family tradition of going to The Steeplechase in my hometown of Aiken, SC.   Every year, my whole family descends on my parent's house, (it is like a holiday), to celebrate the Aiken Steeplechase.

My parent's have had the same spot on the rail for almost 20 years.. So tomorrow, along with 25,000 other people we will be watching the horses race and jump.  Eating, drinking and being merry.!!! It is so much fun, and I can't wait to see everyone.

I will have a recap of all the festivities on Monday...


Have a great weekend.

Op-ge-north

written on an old family slate.

It just occurred to me the other day that there are probably many people out there mis-pronouncing my name.  It is really quite easy once broken down...and like I say to everyone, just a little bit intimidating when you see it....and that I REALLY loved my husband when I took his name...it was really the only thing I could find wrong with him:)  I decided a long time ago that I would embrace it, and own it....I mean it is kind of cool that there is not another Gretchen Opgenorth out there. (that I can find anyway!) 

It is of German descent....and it just so happens that my first name is German too.  I laugh and say that people probably expect something like this

to walk through the door when they have only seen my name and haven't met me.!!!!!  You know the quintessential German Barmaid who says...." Hi, my name is Gretchen Opgenorth."  In my best brusque German accent.

I like to think they are pleasantly surprised, and upon hearing me speak are quick to learn I have been a southern girl for most of my life...and know that they don't need to ask me "how long have you been in this country?"

 Oh, and I am more of a wine girl, but do love an occasional cold beer in the summer....and I bet I could carry that many beers if I tried really hard:)  Maybe next Halloween!

Almost at the end of the week....YAY!

Snoratorium???!!!!!!!

Via House Beautiful, Tom Scheerer Design
(this is where I imagine the Snoratoium to be)

Yes, it is true.  Snoring sufferers/ and spouses unite....there is a restful sleep a snoratorium away!!!  According to Tom Scheerer, (awesome, and amazing architect and  interior designer) in the April issue of House Beautiful  it is the latest craze...along the lines of his and hers bathrooms and closets!  To all of you sufferers, (you know who you are....) you/ or said snorer should not be relegated to the couch, guest bedroom, porch, or bathroom tub.....or

a cot in the bathroom...it has been known to happen!

but to a very nice retreat of your own...Here are a few ideas of what I imagine a snoratorium to be. Maybe they already are...he, he!

via Traditional Home

via wonderlust

via Apartment Therapy
(I am assuming the snorer has woken themselves up and  is having to read instead...
or spouse can't sleep and needs a good book:)

via decorpad

via The Lettered Cottage

via House of Design and Style

if there is no room, maybe one of these in the closet, or hallway, or bathroom.

Sooooooo, call up your contractors/designers and get to work.   All snorers out of the closet and into the snoratorium!  HA!

Lost post...

I had a post written...and the computer ate it, cyberspace ate it, etc.   WAAAAAA!  This isn't the first time, and I am sure it isn't the last.....Anyway, don't have time to rewrite it...so I leave you with this. 

Isn't the nice blank paper, juxtaposed nicely on the teal???

Hope the day gets better:) Actually, it is the only thing that has gone wrong...it is actually a pretty nice day.

Happy Monday.

For Japan with Love.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.!

Photo Via Moi...notice Lucky Charm right in the Middle:

 It is only fitting that I do a post on my all time FAVORITE color...

So hold on for a nice green ride....

If this hasn't become the Iconic green wallpaper I don't know what has....and I STILL want me some:)

One of my favorite bedrooms....LOVE The green chair!

One of my all time favorite rooms by Steven Gambrel

via decorpad...my kind of bathroom.

on of my favorite green tiled bathrooms by Brooke Giannetti

via Celerie Kemble...lovin the curtains

I HAVE to paint a piece of furniture green very soon!

Maybe I will....

This is a design plan for a powderroom renovation  that I am working on...
can you tell we are working on the faucets choice???

I will do a post on this vanity transformation very soon...gonna be a good one!

Hope everyone manages to get their Green On today!