24 June 2010

Primer Me White

Hiya all, I'm home!  My Mom's 80th birthday celebration in Idaho was a great success.  My sister and her husband hosted the most fantastic party in her back yard, which looks like a spread from Home and Garden Magazine.  Seeing that Idaho is so green and full of vibrantly colored flowers this summer, it was a big shock to come home to this.

The entire inside of the cottage has been coated in primer.  The windows are covered, for protection, in plastic with blue painters tape which, even now is painted white!


If it helps those of you who are not complete and utter fans of white, the kitchen island will be a gorgeous shade of green.  But it does have a white marble top.  Sorry.


Things are moving along at a clipped pace now.  Even since these pics, there has been incredible progress.  This fireplace now has a hearth and the wall is almost covered in stone.  I promise more to come on that in a future post.


For all ya all who have no interest in religious stuff, especially of the Roman Catholic persuasion, you can skip on down to the next picture because, this won't be pretty for you.  Bye, bye now.

Can you see (through all this white) the niche above the stairwell?  An aside — no one has fallen down that pit yet but, the railings can't go in until after the wood floors do, so be careful!  Anyway, back to the niche.  When I was traveling in Italy, I noticed that all over the Country they honor Our Blessed Mother with her own little niche.  She is lovingly placed in homes, plaza's and churches.  I have a special fondness and devotion to Mary,  and I thought in my cottage she should have her very own niche.  There will be photos of my family and friends on the walls so I can remember the good times, and there will be my statue of Mary in her niche so I can see her every day and remember that she said YES to God. 
My awesome, artistic and amazing electrician Rick, put a light in to shine on her.  I know her presence will bless us.  After all, she's the mother of Jesus!  What better way to get closer to Him than through His Mother?


Okay, hi again to my non religious friends!  "You know I love ya like my luggage."  These are just some of the cabinet doors primed white (and ready to paint white) in the cottage.


How do you like our doors?  Pretty basic cottage don't ya think?  The door knobs are on back order for four weeks.  Of course they are!




The newly remodeled Master Bedroom has some space saving built ins and a window seat.  Think I'll ever be sitting there reading a good book?  I can't imagine it at this point but,  won't somebody please tell me it's true?




I think you've seen about as much white as you can handle in one post.  I know I have.  So here is a photo I took in beautiful Kuna, Idaho.  Bet you don't know where that is.  Me either.  Every time I go visit my sister there I get lost for 3 days.  So. Cal beach chicks who are direction impaired, don't do long, flat, winding roads too well.  But, can you see the rainbow?  Right smack dab in the middle of the sky?  I know that's a sign.  A good sign that all will go well in the next couple of weeks as our Cottage By The Sea transforms back into our home sweet home.  

P.S.  Andy's coming back to help us move!  Remember Andy?

Love you more than all the white primer and paint being sprayed in the cottage today!

Blessings,

Tia

  

12 comments:

Seawashed said...

I can never get too much white! I love it all...can I move in? tee hee I'll just sleep on the ledge near the Mary niche. I too admire all those niches in Italy, though I have never been, I've seen them on the internet and of course in one of my favorite movies "Under A Tuscan Sun". I am new to the Catholic church...I became a Christian my senior year of H.S at a Campus Life spring break camp on Catalina Island(our leader was the youth leader of our Catholic Church-St. Michael's) Anyhoo...I married a Catholic but we spent the last 22 yrs in non-denominational churches. Just this past November the Lord lead me to St. Joseph's...hubby followed. Now this Fall we will go through the RCIA. I had always been told that Catholics worship Mary..but I have found that not to be true...I have always had a holy admiration for Mary so I understand how Catholics feel about her. I have found a statuary of Mary at French Larkspur that I want to get, whenever she gets more in stock.

Okay now, sorry for the long comment! I do love seeing the transformation of your blessed "Cottage By The Sea". ox~Fairmaiden of Sea Cottage

Everything Coastal said...

You know, I am not a religious fan, but I LOVE your idea of having a niche for Mary. I think that is just simply beautiful! Thanks for sharing you HUGE project

Denise Covey said...

I'm so glad I found your blog through Ocean Girl. I also love living by the sea (have a house overlooking the ocean on Queenlsand's Sunshine Coast) but currently have to live in Brisbane, the capital city. I'm going to enjoy following your exploits..:)

NanaDiana said...

My dear Tia- Oh how I LOVE the smell of primer and paint...How I miss construction and the excitement that precedes actually moving in..and the planning...and finding the perfect spot for something you forgot you had. One day soon you will be perched in that window seat reading a book and it will hit you- Dreams really do come true. I love your niche-I think everyone should be proud to display and honor that/those that they love. You are a gem!

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

OOh, this is getting exciting. Very clever niche for Mary.

Unknown said...

Can't wait to see the finished hearth. The house/cottage already has so much personality and you haven't even moved in yet! It is going to be a real gem. Great going. Rosemary

Margaret (Peggy or Peg too) said...

The cottage looks very modern Craftsman style. I love it. I love it all even the niche. How's about that from your unCatholic friend? My parents have Blessed Mary in the front yard at every home I lived in. They have a shrine right now with roses etc in their back yard today. In fact she's on my blog today. funny how that works. :-)

Glad you survived your trip.
Didn't you say you had to be in by the end of this month?

Heaven's Walk said...

Tia - There's no such thing as too much white...especially for us beach-lovin' girls! How exciting this all looks from our perspective, however, there must be times of total frustration and anxiety for you on your end. But we are loving the transformation! And I think a niche for Mary is just exquisite and a beautiful touch, even though I'm from the Reformed Church in America and not Catholic... :)

xoxo laurie@heavenswalk

bichonpawz said...

I love your Mary niche!!! It's going to be spectacular!!! I had to put on my sunglasses to read this!!! hahahaha! Love all that bright WHITE! How exciting this is for you...almost move-in time!! I love that movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" also....Diane Lane is amazing in that!

Suz said...

Wow! Things are progressing quickly! Love your idea of a niche for Mary, especially having a place for photos of loved ones. I live with bright white walls. It makes for a large white and bright space.Susan ;)

Rachel Cotterill said...

That's VERY white. So clean and pristine... you won't want to move in ;)

Anonymous said...

I found you via another blog and have been following your remodel for a few months. I'm in Connecticut and I love the white and love the ocean! Trying to make my cape-style house a bit more beachy, too! You're doing a phenomenal job and I look forward to your updates!

Guerrina in Ledyard, CT