This is the back staircase off our kitchen…where does it lead?
I love a back staircase, it’s very mysterious, but the mystery is over, and so is the wait to stay in our master bedroom…the renovation is done!!
This is half of the bedroom before the renovation, as you can see the floors were the best part of it. We think this room was added above the kitchen to be a sunroom, off two of the other bedrooms, originally. This room has 8 windows…we thought it would make a lovely master bedroom!!
This is the finished portion of the bedroom…however, the biggest challenge of this renovation was the windows!! We had the 6 windows facing the back of the house replaced with eco windows to keep the cold outside. We could not get new windows for the two side ones because of historic preservation rules for our area of this city, they have to be original to the house. Another challenge with the windows was the treatments!! This is how I solved it, shades to roll all the way up during the day, lace panels on tension rods for added privacy and satiny triple lined drapries for insulation during cold weather.
Before, a closet in the middle of the room, Victor ripped it down and threw it out the window, into the dumpster!! The French door led into another bedroom…we took part of that room to make a master walk-in closet.
After…the closet is gone, revealing the banister for the staircase going down to the kitchen…
We bought this antique headboard at a local shop…
The bed painted white, just fits between the two doors!! When I bought the comforter, I ordered a wall hanging to match and made pillow shams from it. The comforter had a white back, not very interesting, so I lined it with fabric that matches the walls and also made the round pillow out of the same fabric. The gold and rust colored pillows bring out the colors in the comforter and shams!! The doorway on the left…
leads to a hallway with the master bathroom off to the left, this was made from another bedroom and the door at the end of the hall can be closed to separate the two guest bedrooms and bathroom, so we can have our own private suite when we have company and they can have their privacy!! The photo on the right is our new closet, we put a white dresser in it and Victor made the cubbies and racks for hanging clothes.
This is the guest bedroom before we took part of it for the master closet…
A pano vision photo of the bedroom, it is actually long and narrow, but this photo makes it look like it’s V shape, I just wanted you to see the whole bedroom in one shot!!
🌶
Now for a special recipe…This is one of the best horderves I have ever had and it’s covid safe, in that everyone gets their own little cup of veggies and dip and its eco friendly because you can eat the cup when you’re done!!!
These are the raw ingredients…
Cut the french bread baguettes in 3 1/2 inch lengths and dig out some of the bread from the middle leaving about a quarter inch around the edges and about an inch on the bottom. Let them stand for about an hour to harden a little.
While the bread is hardening, cut the vegetables…I used celery, carrots, red peppers and string beans.
Spoon the dip into the bread cups,
then garnish the cups, I used 2 of each vegetable…
And there you have a very impressive horderve for parties, brunches or just snacks!! The great thing is, you can use any kind of dip or veggies and it’s so easy!!
This is the veggie dip recipe I made, it makes more than you would need, but trust me, it will get eaten!!
Veggie Dip Recipe
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons onion flakes
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 8 ounces mozzarella shredded
Instructions
- Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, garlic powder, onion flakes, parmesan cheese and sugar.
- Fold in the mozzarella cheese.
- Refrigerate 2+ hours, I made this a couple of days ahead, it gets better with time!! Enjoy!!
🏠
We brought the horderve to Gina and Tom’s celebration for their hot tub being installed and the club house that Victor made for the boys, being nearly complete!! Anything for a celebration now-a-days!!
Gina, Tom and the boys enjoying their hot tub…it was too hot for Victor and me… This is a wood fired cedar hot tub, no need for electricity!!!
This was the beginning of building the club house for our grandsons…we gave it to them for Christmas, but had to wait for the good weather to start it!!
Aaden and Parker enjoyed helping Papa with the construction…it was a great learning experience for them.
Yikes, Victor on the roof…he still has it in him!!
The finished clubhouse, complete with a climbing wall and rainbow colored walk!!
This Ninja is practicing his moves on the climbing wall!!
We had to make sure that Raffa could make it up those stairs and now we have one happy dog!!
❤️💙❤️
This Memorial Day let us remember the brave souls that have passed, during the Covid Pandemic❤️ They didn’t even know they were brave soldiers!!
A great artical in AARP that sums up 15 lessons learned from the Pandemic, click here to read it!!
A safe, reflective and happy Memorial Day to all my readers❤️💙
Visions of My 70s 
Amazing as always Mom!!
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Thank you Veej!!! You’re amazing too❤️
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Well done , Carol! Just love the colors you chose, beautiful!
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Thank you, Denise💞 I know it’s weird, but I feel color in my soul!! I tried to do an all white bedroom, I started out with white but the color just crept in😂 Hope you and your family are doing well💖
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You and Victor are so talented.
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Thank you, Phyllis💖 That’s our thing, we love it!!
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All I can say is, you never cease to amaze me with your decorating and cooking talents! Did you go to decorating school? Amazing. I wish you could come here and offer some tips to me. All your places look so very charming, cozy, and inviting. They should be displayed in “House Beautiful” or better still, “Country Living.” I can wait to try your recipe too. The fresh veggies with the dip and yummy French bread look like an appealing and healthy treat. You and Victor are awesome and are so blessed to have such a close and loving family. Take care and have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Sending you both hugs and love!
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Thank you, Nancy, for all your sweet compliments!! I could help you with your decorating, but in the end I would tell you to go with what makes you happy!! I like lots of material around, like draperies, pillows, rugs and throws and that is not very popular nowadays, but I like it anyways, it makes me happy, and lots of color too!! So my advice is always, do what’s in your heart, you can never go wrong with that☺️
We are heading back down to VA soon, my daughter tells me the cicadas are out and making lots of noise, do you have them where you are? They only come out once every 17 years and this is it!! I’m kind of looking forward to experiencing them🤣
I hope, you and Art are enjoying this post covid life and getting out! Thank you for always checking in with me, wishing you love, peace and good health as we go into our summer months❤️💙
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Carol, your bedroom looks beautiful!! And I love the colors you chose! I so enjoy reading your posts and seeing your photos! Your grandsons will get many many years of enjoyment in that tree house!!
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I so appreciate your kind comments, Cathy💗 I picked that color for our bedroom because it is called “Zen,” and that sounds so calming, but when we had to paint the hallway going down to the kitchen, it really didn’t match the kitchen color, so I had to use the two colors in the bedroom, to make it work!! I didn’t like the blue and green at first, but now I do, it reminds me of sea glass. Thank you again, for checking in with me, have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend, love to you and your family❤️💙
And, I wanted to say that, yes the boys will get many years of enjoyment from their new tree house, but when they grow out of it, Gina wants to make it a “she shed,” and I’ll be right behind her, decorating it🤣
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Beautiful Carol. Once again a beautiful blog.
Stay healthy. 💞🌸💞
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So glad you liked it, Denise!!! Hope you and your family are staying well!! Wishing you all a happy Memorial Day weekend❤️💙
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Hi Carol.
VJ is right (hope he is doing well) you are amazing and so is Victor. The clubhouse will give the boys and Raffa lots of fun and pleasure. The train house is really special. Love the back staircase and your beautiful
bedroom. I didn’t know you were a talented sewer (guess you inherited
your talent from your mom). The bedspread, pillows, everything are
perfect, enjoy.
I like the recipe, even I can do it with out any trouble.
Hope all is well at the Cape. My sister said to say hello to you and Victor , and sends you warm wishes. She misses the Cape too.
As we remember all those who have passed , especially those due to the pandemic, we have much to be thankful for this Memorial day.
Enjoy Memorial Day weekend.
Much Love
Lucille
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Thank you, Lucille, for your kind comments!! The boys are so excited about their clubhouse, after Victor builds the bunk beds, they’ll be having sleepovers in it!! Nina and Papa won’t be chaperoning those sleepovers, the clubhouse is on the edge of the woods😬
My mother taught me to sew when I was a child, I used to make my own clothes and I’ve been making drapes, bedding and throw pillows for all the houses we’ve had!!
The recipe is super easy and very versatile, you can even buy the dip and the vegetables cut up, all you’d have to do is put it together!!
Tell Dee we say hello, hope you both will be able to visit one another, now that things are opening up!!! And you are so right about being thankful, this Memorial Day!! Love and best wishes for a safe and enjoyable start of our summer season❤️💙
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Love It!!! Wow…you guys are busy!
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Thank you, Norine!! Yes, so busy, but all good!! Miss you and all my friends at school!! Hope you and your family are doing well, enjoy your long weekend❤️💙
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