12/31/13

Happy New Year!!!


We are only a few hours away from 2014...




and no matter where you are ...


...or how you are celebrating...


...I wish you all the happiest...


and healthiest of New Years!!!

XO

Our Most Popular Post of 2013 and a Very Happy New Year

Here we are my bloggy friends, the last day of the year and wowzer what a year it has been! As I look back at 2013 a lot happened here at 21 Rosemary Lane in the way of home projects, decorating for the seasons, travel, the ever so wonderful thrifty finds, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading my posts and the pictures accompanying them. However much to my surprise the most popular post of the year wasn't a room makeover, fabulous vacation or even a painted furniture project which we all love to ooh and ahh over, but with 18,000+ pageviews since its publication in February, by far the most viewed post of 2013 was...


Yup...the overwhelming winner! It was the first blogging tutorial I had ever written. The post was picked up by the good folks over at PicMonkey and I was absolutely shocked when in June they published it as one of their top ten photo editing tutorials made by bloggers. 
(To see all top ten tutorials just click here.)

But the best part of the experience in writing this tutorial wasn't just the traffic it drove to 21 Rosemary Lane, but the comments received by people who used the tutorial and found it helpful! 

YES!!!! 

 I was thrilled that in some small way the tutorial was actually able to aid people in navigating through this learn on your own self taught world of blogland! And that my friends is a cherished experience !

So as you look back at the year of 2013, what was your biggest accomplishment, brightest moment, the event which will mark the best of year? I pray that it will be hard for you to choose.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and may God bless you and those you hold dearest to you. 
I am hopeful that 2014 will be a most wonderful year for all of us!

XO

To read the tutorial on How to Create a Blog Header Using PicMonkey Editing Site just click here

12/29/13

21 Rosemary Lane's Big Reveals of 2013


This year 21 Rosemary Lane had 3 big makeovers both inside and out.

Mantel Reveal

The year started with Mr. Rosemary Lane finally tackling a MAJOR project I have wanted done for quite some time now which was building a much more substantial mantel and surround. 

When we moved into 21 Rosemary Lane our living room looked like this...


Pretty blasky right??? Then a few years later  bookcases were added to flank the fireplace...


Much better but still in need of the "WOW" factor! So the beginning of the 2013 saw this change.


Ahhh...very cozy and warm...this is what I have been dreaming of for years! 

To see the entire post just click here


Back Patio Reveal

The next reveal was our thrifty back patio. This year the patio was refurnished on a $5 dollar budget. Most everything was either a roadside find or a yard sale score.


The Breakdown...

1. Hand me down table and 4 chairs from my parents 17 years ago...cost $0

2. Serving cart which was a yard sale casualty from 2 years ago...cost $0

3. Wicker rocker was a yard sale find...cost $5
4. Freebie table from my sister Kim...cost $0

5. Wicker love seat found on the side of the road last summer...cost $0

6. End table re-purposed into a coffee table was a curbside find from just last month...cost $0

7. Curbside find from last year that I found on my own block...cost $0. (To see the rocking chair before it's paint job just click here.)

8. (Not in Picture) The small wicker table between the love seat and rocker was a $2 yard sale find my sister purchased and then passed on to me...cost $0

To see the entire patio click here



Dining Room Reveal

And finally the last reveal just happened a few weeks ago. Our red red red dining room received a fresh new look!



The color above the chair rail is Boothbay Gray and from the chair railing on down is Navajo White, both colors by Benjamin Moore paints. The new color, and the beautiful wainscoting Mr. Rosemary Lane added, seem to make this room feel not only larger but also allows the furniture to take center stage!


The windows were also treated to new Jacobean Floral drapes from Country Curtains.

To see the entire makeover just click here


The project ideas up my sleeve for 2014 includes a master bedroom makeover and possibly some more changes in the living room. Once the weather begins to warm attention will turn to 21 Rosemary Lane's exterior and in taking on the project of painting the white brick facade plus the addition of new shutters. 

So 2014 should prove to be a very exciting year!!! 

XO

12/27/13

On Christmas Morn 2013


Christmas morning usually begins with sleepy children waiting for the grown-ups to awake...


...and other times they just can't resist a peek around the corner to grab a gander at their Christmas take!


The tree is lit and the ornaments a glow...


..with  all of it's glorious treasures piled up below!


So they rip through the packages one, two, three at a time...


do I really have to make the next line rhyme?


Their happy little faces are filled with joy and elation...


you would think some one had given them a Disney vacation.


Pop helps Michael put together his new music stand...


...as Grace shows us her freshly unwrapped snow boots...one in each hand.


Once the packages have been all opened...


and we've enjoyed a small bite to eat,


It's off to church we go...


for a most joyous retreat.

Hoping you are all enjoying this wondrous season!
XO 

12/25/13

Relax...Enjoy...it's Christmas


Remembering the reason for this most joyous season!!


From all of us at 21 Rosemary Lane
Wishing you a very blessed and happy Christmas!

XO

12/21/13

Christmas on the Front Porch


 For some reason this year I am totally drawn to black and red, in particular the cabin plaid of a throw I found over at Walmart last week. So to decorate my front porch for Christmas I decided to move the white wicker love seat (a roadside find no less) which usually lives on the back porch, to the white sided wall on the front porch. Then I just added my new throw with a few other black and red items from around the house. 



The wool gloves were borrowed from my entry. I did this when I decided to use its matching scarf to wrap the skis together. Oh and the skis...solid wood with bamboo poles...vintage yard sale find from last spring for only $15. To read more about them just click here.


Vintage post card included!


 Around the front door is fresh garland purchased from a local farmer's market. 


The door received a bouquet of fresh greens mixed with faux berries and a big red bow.



The Coke box was a find last winter when visiting with some college friends. We went to a fabulous thrift store which was a actually a barn filled with all sorts of treasures!!! I loaded my box with pine cones and silver Christmas balls along with a little faux tree.



Another wicker piece works well as a stand for my little lighted tree.


Here's hoping for a little more snow!

Have a wonderful weekend!

XO
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12/18/13

Our Welcoming Holiday Entry


We are having lots of snow and I am loving it! The kids surprisingly had school today, so it was the perfect tome to tackle more of my Christmas decorating while enjoying the peace and quiet of a tranquil snowfall. This year in the entry I decided to showcase a wonderful antique radio and turntable console Mr. Rosemary Lane managed to salvage from an estate sale a few years back. So with the buffet from the foyer moved into the dining room, I had a clean slate to work. 



I brought the radio/turntable console in from the dining room and placed it under an ornate mirror I borrowed from the upstairs hallway. Garland was wrapped around the mirror and a Christmas basket filled with red satin Christmas balls, along with two candlestick lamps, adorn the top of the console . My sweet little Antibes green chair flanks the right side of the console, and above the chair two Christmas plates were hung to balance the wall.



A small wire basket filled with scented pine cones and a faux pine tree to give the display some height, was placed on the floor to the left of the console. The wonderful cinnamon aroma of the cones greet holiday visitors as they enter the foyer.



In the corner of the stairway landing is an old wooden sled my dear friend Dawn gave to me before she moved to South Carolina. Usually the sled enjoys the Christmas season on the front porch, but this year I decided to bring her inside and top her off with some faux garland and berries, and some nice bright red ribbon. 

Never underestimate the power of a red bow! 


(I couldn't help adding the gloves!)


And that is our festive Christmas entry for 2013! 

I am a just humming along with my decorating and hoping to be done with a few days to spare before Christmas. 

How are you doing with your decorating this year?

Wishing you all a wonderful and productive week!
XO
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