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Houseplant Journal

By Lorraine

Keep your indoor plants healthy and thriving. Record and track light, watering, fertilizing and care requirements in this free houseplant journal download. Great for beginners to record purchase date, re-potting, blooming and all important notes.It just happens. While shopping you notice a display of plants. You glance over the varieties and think you’d like to take one home. You make it your own and give it a special location and watch it thrive. Before you can refill the watering can you are a bonafide caregiver to an array of living greenery. Keep track of those gorgeous plants in a houseplant journal.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Flowers Plants & Herbs, Home and Garden Tagged With: decorating, gardening, Home and Garden, houseplants

Houseplants

By Lorraine

Many indoor houseplants have low-light and easy care requirements. They add much appeal in décor when displayed in the home and create a welcoming environment.

Streptocarpus

I am a houseplant enthusiast from way back. In the mid-1970’s, just starting out as newlyweds, we had more plants than we did furniture. Houseplants were relatively inexpensive and filled in lots of empty places in our apartment. Four decades later, I am still a ‘happy houseplants’ lady but I am not alone!Continue Reading

Filed Under: Flowers Plants & Herbs, Home and Garden Tagged With: decorating, gardening, Home and Garden, plants

Toad Lily

By Lorraine

Beautiful purple tricyrtis toad lily is a  shade-loving  herbaceous perennial with creeping rhizomes and a lovely garden plant.Summer is waning and there isn’t much happening new in my yard this time of year. Except for this little gem. Beautiful, purple tricyrtis, or more commonly known as toad lily. It is a shade-loving herbaceous perennial and a lovely garden plant.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Flowers Plants & Herbs, Home and Garden Tagged With: flowers, Home and Garden

Changing it up ~ Christmas Decorating

By Lorraine

Do you make a plan and then arrange when decorating?  Or are you more like me and get a sudden burst of inspiration and change things around.
This mirror had been happily hanging on the upstairs hallway wall and without warning, I wondered how it would look above the fireplace mantle.

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Home and Garden Tagged With: Christmas, Home and Garden

ladders and painting

By Lorraine

Painting the patio ceiling can be scary. We rigged some scaffolding and worked together completing the job for a fresh and clean area.
I like this quote. I think there is some wisdom in these words. What I do not like is heights.
But when I got an estimate for a painting job that was higher (ha, that could be a pun) than I was willing to pay, I looked for alternatives.

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Home and Garden, Home Decorating & DIY Tagged With: Home and Garden, Jared, Lorrie

always a beautiful song

By Lorraine

Here is a glimpse of some of the music playing at our house…

I peeked into Abbey’s room while she was working on an assignment for her digital animation class and found it very interesting to watch her progress.  Yes, she has two black lights and a blackboard bolted to the wall, black-out coverings on her windows and only about 3-feet of empty floor space in her bedroom with way too much stuff bursting out everywhere.  
 but, she loves what she’s doing!
Jared enthusiastically shows John each step completed as he creates a computer game.
 My favorite $3.00 bench purchased from a garage sale 25 years ago and painted and repaired dozens of times got to the point that John just couldn’t fix it and keep it fixed. Mostly it was the arms that took the brunt of the abuse but even the legs were not staying together any longer.
{ha, that sounds like my body recently}
 We considered making a porch swing from the bench but I really wanted it back in the kitchen to hold all of those little grandchildren. So we sent it off to a furniture maker for a complete overhaul .
Please, please, little bench, stay strong!
We have been moving furniture, boxes and rearranging rooms as Erin and Jared return home. The nursery has become Jared’s room and the guest room is now Erin’s room. Making them feel loved and comfortable, and though sad about the circumstances, we love having them home.
The painting above Jared’s bed was something my sister gave me when she moved out of her house last fall.  I wish I had taken a photo of the before when it was in shades of bright green.  I knew when I saw it I would paint over the canvas. Wanting something masculine for this room, I went to work. Nothing artistic but it works to fill a big blank wall.
We’ve done lots of yard work and home repairs.
Weeding, planting, painting, edging, raking, digging, dividing, potting, sweeping, blowing, washing and, well, you know.  You are probably doing the same things at your house.
 Who would had thought removing 20-year old, dead boxwood bushes would be so hard! Eighteen in all.
 The last five with some much appreciated help from Jared.
Always the sentry, Raider keeps watch while we work.
Now, it hasn’t been all work.
My streptocarpus is blooming profusely in our bathroom.
Jared, the oldest grandson, and Keri, our oldest granddaughter, had a great time together. Last weekend we went to his high school spring musical, Mary Poppins. The following day, after getting those bushes out, Jared tried his best to hit Keri’s wild wiffle ball pitches (one that had to be rescued from the roof) and they had some impressive exercise challenges. As if push-ups aren’t hard enough, imagine doing hand clap push-ups! {The thought takes me back to the old broken bench feeling}
Our favorite time to visit Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery is Memorial Day weekend when all of the graves are decorated with an American flag. Both my parents are interred here. A perfect place to find a bench, remember loved ones and the Veterans that gave their service for our freedom.
Haven’t had much time with the littles through all of these changes but John snapped this pic of Chloe sleeping soundly the last time she was over. Playing it tiring work!
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Psalm 40:3

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: Abbey, Bible, Chloe, Erin, Faith, Grandchildren, Home and Garden, Jared, John, Keri, Love, Patriotic, Quote

Paint by Numbers

By Lorraine

Paint-by-number kits… do you remember them? Have you completed one?
This Playful Kittens piece was painted by my mom in 1954 and truly a piece of Americana.
 

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Crafts, Vintage Tagged With: Childhood Memories, Crafts, Home and Garden, Mommy, Sisters

Dining Room Hutch

By Lorraine

I cannot tell you how excited I am about this beautiful hutch from my sister!
When she asked me if I wanted it I could not believe her generosity.
Not only is it white, but it is big and deep. And able to hold many of my larger pieces that I did not have easy access.

 This is the view from the kitchen. John and I moved the hutch that was in that space to the opposite wall. Carol used the top and bottom of the hutch in different rooms. The top section was on the floor as a book cabinet and she didn’t light it up.
 Wondering about the strand of lights?  There’s a story…
Since the electrical plug hadn’t been used for several years, there was green gunk on the prongs.  I wiped away most of it but some remained. John insisted plugging it in.  As he was heading to the outlet, my words to him were, “You better not plug it in.  You might electrocute yourself!”  
“It’ll be fine,” he said.
Then, POP! POP! POP!
Yep, not only did he blow all of the bulbs along the inside edge of the cabinet but many of the bulbs shattered throughout the cabinet. Now its off to a lighting store to find replacements.  
The little twinkle lights strand was just so I could get an idea how the crystal pieces will look when there is illumination from working lights inside.
 This china cabinet holds dishes and linens,
 Carols also gave me a pair of rugs that are the perfect color and pattern for the dining room.
Though too small for the area, I am determined to make them work.
Since this photo was taken, we have added a backing and taped the two rugs together on the bottom so they appear as one.  The chairs do not remain on the rugs when pulled out for sitting but, I can live with that because it looks so pretty!

Filed Under: Home and Garden, Home Decorating & DIY Tagged With: Home and Garden, Sisters

The Nursery

By Lorraine

 
Sleepovers and playtime, this bedroom has become what the grandkids call
The Nursery.
It is a mix of vintage, garage sale and whimsy.
A room where cousins sleep and little ones head to as soon as they arrive.

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Home and Garden, Home Decorating & DIY, Vintage Tagged With: Childhood Memories, Home and Garden, Mommy

Vintage French Provincial Bedroom Set

By Lorraine

My sister, Carol, just went to closing on a house she sold.
I lent a hand helping her pack.
We began in mid-November and through sorting and wrapping, taping and stacking, hauling and heaving, lugging and loading, stooping and stretching, sunshine and raindrops, lost keys and cell phones and frustrating inspections, there was much chatting and memories, stories and updates, giggles and laughter and sisterly love.
 
 
 

 
This vintage French Provincial bedroom set belong to our parents, purchased in the early 1960’s.  It went to Carol when Mommy passed several years ago and I got the new set mommy was then using.
 Carol doesn’t want to take this to her next home and though I wasn’t in need of a bedroom set, the sentimental value was too great to pass it up and now resides in our guest room.
 The chest on chest belonged to Daddy and how I remember, as a kid, snooping through his top drawer and seeing his neatly folded hankies, perfectly placed wallet, coins, keys, pens, deck of cards and trinkets stored there. 
I left the white iron bed that we had purchased and used until we received mommy’s new set. It is a queen-size and better suited for visitors than the full bed that is part of the set. I think it works with the other pieces.

 

 

 

Searching old photo albums for shots with the furniture in the background, I found these:
My 8th grade graduation
Cousin, Karen and I as flower girl and junior bridesmaid for Carol’s wedding
Daddy and his first grandchild, Chrissy (Carol’s oldest) at his organ
and
Carol ready for her senior prom
Carol, John and I looking a wee weary, took a selfie after a long, busy day, with only the steps to sit upon. Still happy together
(John may have been a just a tad grumpy being forced in a silly selfie photo, but he was a good sport)
and still finding fun in being together.
yes, sisters.  she is so kind, smart, poised, beautiful and generous and I love her to pieces
❤
Next time, I will show you where I put the bed to this set and then my dining room changes.
ta-ta for now!

Filed Under: Home and Garden, Home Decorating & DIY, Vintage Tagged With: Childhood Memories, Daddy, Home and Garden, Karen, Lorrie, Mommy, Sisters

Christmas at Home

By Lorraine

 “Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given-when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes.”
Joan Winmill BrownContinue Reading

Filed Under: Home and Garden, Home Decorating & DIY Tagged With: Christmas, Home and Garden

Favorite Houseplants

By Lorraine

Fill your home with favorite Houseplants tha are easy to grow include African Violet, Streptocarpus, Hoya, Pothos and Orchids.
A couple months ago, I was a guest host on Laura’s beautiful blog, Decor to Adore, to share My Favorite Five Houseplants. Here is that post.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Flowers Plants & Herbs, Home and Garden Tagged With: flowers, Home and Garden, hoya, orchids

Porch Planters

By Lorraine

Redoing a garage sale urn was a DIY project that resulted in a beautiful, farmhouse style porch planter for spring garden flowers with lots of curb appeal. Shade loving annual coleus does exceptionally well.
Do you have beat-up, sad looking porch planters that have seen better days? I do, or rather did. I finally got around to tackling a project that was easier than I thought making me regret my procrastination.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Home and Garden, Home Decorating & DIY Tagged With: flowers, Home and Garden, Porch

Beautiful New Family Room Seating

By Lorraine

Our oldest daughter, Erin, recently moved into a new home and had the opportunity to purchase some of the furniture. My heart skipped a beat when I saw her sofa and chairs and couldn’t help thinking how perfect they would be in my home. They didn’t really match her other pieces as she prefers soft, cushy leather.
So…
we traded!
Of course, not until I agonized over the decision.
The pieces were beautiful and the colors so right.
But, for my family room?
With 11 grandchildren?
Sticky fingers
leaky sippy cups
I even asked my friends opinion
they all agreed
go for it!
They suggested I spray them with Scotchgard.
Has anyone done that and if so, did it help prevent stains?

what do you think?  just right, huh?
The tan sofa and the two patterned chairs came from Erin.  The two oval-back chairs belonged to my mom and have been in our bedroom.  I took the two garage-sale wing-back chairs that were in this room to our bedroom and they actually look okay there.  I also switched the rug under the coffee table with the one in our living room.

 

We had to wait a couple of weeks to make the switch because of all the snow we have been having.

This is the leather sofa. Nice, big, cushy, soft, easy to wipe off sticky stuff.
With matching over-sized armchair that held lots of wee folks, with an equally over-sized ottoman.

Very nice.  But… dark.  And, you all know I like light and white.

I even draped a white, crocheted afghan over a large portion of the dark sofa

and added pillows
but, still
dark

now, if you keep looking, you just might see me zip by doing a happy dance
I’m happy
and
Erin’s happy
🙂

Filed Under: Home and Garden, Home Decorating & DIY Tagged With: family room, Home and Garden

updated foyer

By Lorraine

We have lots going on right now but last night I did a small foyer change.  It was an impromptu change brought about as we are readying the patio for winter. I like the change for now.
 I just pulled a few things from nearby places
  bringing together the chartreuse green in the flowers and apples 

this is how it looks this morning
and i still like it
(it is hard to see, but Raider is lying in a sunbeam under the living room coffee table)
John’s 96 year old Aunt Marie passed away yesterday.  We have been visiting with her in the hospital making the hour drive each way for the past couple of weeks.  Aunt Marie never had children. She has one niece who lives in Indiana, John and his brother.  We will all be making funeral arrangements and working together to liquidate her home.
Our Jamie is scheduled to have her baby tomorrow!
Life can get so full and this is one of those times.

Filed Under: Home and Garden, Home Decorating & DIY Tagged With: Aunt Marie, foyer, Home and Garden, Raider

Rosemary Wreath and Rosemary Parmesan~Crusted Pork Chop Dinner

By Lorraine

I’ve got another wreath idea to share with you.
This one is not just decorative but also useful in the kitchen
A wreath made of Rosemary sprigs is both aromatic and handy to snip and add in meal preparation.
For the base of the wreath I looked for a small circle.  I found a package of four, five-inch metal circles in the leather supply section of the craft store.You could use a heavy wire and make the circle yourself.
After cutting the rosemary into 5-6-inch pieces, I wired several of them into a bundle. 
It took six bundles to go around and fill out this 5-inch wire circle.
That’s all there is to it.
It smells wonderful too!
My Rosemary was a windowsill-size gift from a friend.  I kept it indoors for a year and then planted it outside in a pot.  It grew and I transplanted it into a raised bed herb garden two years ago.
Rosemary is an aromatic, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves. The leaves are used as a flavoring in foods such as stuffing, pork, chicken and turkey. It is native to the Mediterranean region. The name “rosemary” derives from the Latin for “dew” (ros) and “sea” (marinus), or “dew of the sea”.  Rosemary is reasonably hardy in cool climates and it can withstand droughts.  I live in zone 6b and my rosemary has no problem wintering over. It is easy to grow and pest-resistant and can be grown in pots. Be sure it has good drainage and a sunny location.

Parmesan & Rosemary Crusted~Pork Chops
adapted from Giada recipe

PRINT RECIPE
Ingredients
1 large egg
1/2 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2-1 tsp. snipped rosemary
3 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork chops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Whisk the egg in a pie plate to blend.  Combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and the rosemary in another plate. Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper.  Dip the pork chops in the egg and then into the cheese/bread crumb mixture, coating completely, patting to adhere.
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side. Add additional oil as needed when cooking second side.  (My chops browned quickly, so I covered pan with lid, leaving slightly ajar and cooked for less time until just cooked through keeping them nice and juicy).  I served with mashed potatoes and fresh green beans.

sharing at
Cupcakes & Crinoline Project Inspired party

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Pork, Recipes Tagged With: Crafts, Garden, herbs, Home and Garden, tutorial

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Hi! I'm Lorraine. Welcome to Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart. A place to find food for your tummy, projects for your hands, and encouragement for your heart.

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