Getting Ready for the Tybee Island Tour of Homes

the inspiration room

OR.....how many things can I stick under the beds before Saturday morning at 10:00am!!
                              Major de-clutter time!!!!!
Today I was weeding the garden and washing the linen curtains and planning to make new pillows for the sofa. Maybe I will just go to my storage unit and see what I can find in my fabric stash and create a little magic for myself. (Hope I am not to difficult  to please)
  "A Bohemian Cottage" is small so the dirt seem to show up more. 

It is a funny little place that was built in 1946 out of brick...at the beach... How odd!!!
 In the the new book, Coast: lifestyle architecture, Janelle McCulloch calls it the glamorous getaway. I don't know how glamorous it is but there are two crystal chandeliers that have to be clean and shined before the tour. I have many hours of fluffing and closet cleaning ahead of me so I better get moving. .

Happy Memorial Day from My friend Putty

That beautiful old face speaks volumes!!!!!!!!

Congratulation Key Lime Parrot Cottage

 Details of a special cottage....We spent all the money on the restoration but somehow we were able to create a wild fun place.........

NOTE: When there is less money to work with the creativity goes into overdrive and that isn't a bad thing.

             "All white inside.......How boring" they said.
                  "Give me a week", I said.

 ... the owners drove up with their uhaul full of Tennessee treasures and together with some serious bargain hunting, The Key Lime Parrot came to life.!!!



I went bonkers over this table when it came off the truck




slip covers with $5.99 a yard fabric by Duralee" second"




mirror mirror on the wall






gotta love the spray paint!!!!!




rick rack ,I love it !!!!! shower curtains for closet doors




Love this so much..and really love the floor




a little zebra never hurt anyone




a CD rack for wall art and treasures



outdoor shower and tybee back river chair



always use square real wood  lattice whenever possible.




white trim makes for a wonderful contrast against all the cottage colors

                It is all in the details..................

That was 6 years ago and things began to look a bit tired at Key Lime Parrot and The Shrimp Cottage( next door and part of the property). I loved restoring them and they mean so much to me.  I will always be grateful to the owners for allowing me to restore these wonderful cottages. They are located across the street from the park and a few blocks from the beach . The ocean breezes roll right up the street and into their screen porches. I seriously left a piece of my heart and soul on these projects so I felt bad when they began to look tired....

I could not believe it when the owners showed up with paint brushes and rollers in hand and did a wonderful job of painting the outside of the cottages . I was amazed at what a great job they did and now the corner of 4th and jones on Tybee Island USA just sparkles!!

she "matches"

A painting tip....if you you ever decide to paint your house , cottage or bungalow a bright color. A semi-gloss finish will resist fading much better than a flat or low luster finish. A good sealer/primer coat should be applied first.

After the great paint job ..we changed the color of the shutters to "Style me Turquoise" from my cottage collection of colors.

Key Lime Parrot is being featured in a upcoming issue of a new magazine called Fresh Cottage. . I blogged about preparing and styling for the shoot several months ago and I can't wait to see the story and photos.
If you go to my website there are interior photos of both cottages.
 http://www.mermaidcottages.com/ does the vacation rental for the cottages and they are definitely  bright and happy places to stay.

Sulley the New " Bed Linen inspector"

I am working on a plan to redo my good friend's UGLY guest room . As luck would have it, I ran across a wonderful duvet and shams at Marshall's  in Savannah. I am sooooooooooo in love with this pattern. It has every Jane Coslick color and almot matches her 20 years old slipcovered  plaid chintz sofa that isn't going anywhere!!! Actually, as the new 'yuppie style" resurfaces it will be "in" again.
 My friend loves polka dots and so I went shopping in my closet to add a few things that will be garage sale prices and yet make the dreadful space a Happy Place. I am not kidding I have been waiting years to fluff this room.
My friend lives in Atlanta so I must have everything pulled together before I leave the beach ................

Sulley , the "inside" black cat, has taken it upon himself to inspect everything I am doing. He definitely  agrees and wishes this was going to be in  his room.
I say................."a second opinion never hurts!!!!!!"

Learning to pay the bills...............

I love design and hate the "bottom line"...the invoicing of the massive amounts of sales receipts and return receipts and  more receipts...!! Invoicing, managing the paperwork and keeping track of ALL the receipts..... I avoid it like the plague.

My "artist soul" just wants to make things yummy...like you never want to leave the place!!!!!! I am always careful with the clients' money...I do a lot of designing on a 'nickle'. Making careful purchases for my clients while loving the bargains and the recycled treasures...that is my favorite!!
                Finding new uses for old things...top of my list!

Long story short...my "invoicer" retired and now it is up to me to sit down and DO IT!!!! I miss her, but she is on to a well deserved permanent holiday.

My attention span is short and the paperwork drives me bonkers. I am on  computer, but unfortunately it doesn't do everything.... I've got to provide some input...and when the credit card bills arrive it takes hours to match it up to the jobs!

This is a photo of what I call the "BIG" desk. I have 2 other desk and they ALL look like this..................................................

So alas, Kristin, my new assistant, has been thrown into the bill paying today and she is on the verge of a breakdown herself.. Remember she is an organization  freak...so this gives her anxiety overload!!! 

 My office was the old country store on the Isle of Hope.  On most days it is my refuge and a great place to empty the car between shopping trips.....

. I love this building and it comes complete with a kitty named "Lance"  and a new great four poster canopy bed which will most likely end up in some lucky clients home.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

I took the day off to "smell the hydrangea's"  and drink cucumber water.. My son and daughter-in-law gave me this beautiful hand blown pitcher as a gift for Mother's Day from http://www.draytonglassworks.com/
I snapped this photo just before I drank all the water and devoured the watermelon and fresh mint they also brought.


I have been so busy working that I have not had a moment to blog or catch up and everyone latest entries. I am finishing up several projects, so after this week I will have time to share all the projects, send out the bills,  take a walk  ,ride my bike, and have some fun.
  Fluffy is taking a hard look at me so I snapped her photo in the gazebo along with a few others..

I am having a party for my friend's daughter who is getting married on the 4th of June. " A Bohemian Cottage",my cottage, is on the tour of homes that day so I am trying to plan ahead  and be prepared for both of the events...............in my "spare" time.

The edge of the pond looks about ready..............the water lilies are blooming and there is weeding that needs to be done.

The cats love the garden and I am so happy when I am here...........weeding or sitting or "pondering"....... it is my happy place for sure. I gave Sissy a bit of catnip on the old palm bark for fun and exercise.................

A close up of the gazebo with the new addition........

my new/old chandelier. It hung in Fish Camp Cottage for years while I lived there. It was my first purchase from Anthropology's and I had almost forgotten I had it .  ............Nothing like a party or the Tour of Homes to whip me into shape............ Below are my latest"find" at the local thrift shop. Brand new, heavy duty ..  4 black director chairs with white canvas seats  ....perfect for the party.. no spray paint needed......

More folding chairs and tables ( so nice when one lives in a small cottage....) 

Under the shade of the crape myrtle and by the gazebo....

Here is a shot of Spooky through the windows I put in the privacy fence..by the way, the curtain rod is an old broom handle ( recycle..recycle.. recycle)

The neighbors just loved it when I did this....it was for the kitties.. but it did make for friendlier neighbors......If I want privacy I just close the wonderful  curtain made from Sunbrella Fabric.... Simple,White and invincible!!!!!