Dream, dream, dream, dream .....

So today I stopped at Lowe's to pick up a sink strainer and a washer for my kitchen sink faucet. My lovely Craiglist find has a leaky faucet and is missing a strainer.

So what was a simple and straightforward trip to the home improvement store turned into a lovely lesson on the power of dreams.

It is a cold, rainy and dreary day here in Ohio's capital city, so I guess I was looking for some inspiration at Lowe's when I stopped by the paint desk to look at mis-tinted paint. These are containers of paints that were custom tinted and for whatever reason, the customer was not satisfied with the color and did not purchase them. These paints are sold at a huge discount. I once got a gallon of satin Valspar paint for free.

Anyway, I have been dreaming of certain colors for the downstairs of the Big House that are from the Sherwin-Williams paint gallery called Pizzaz. You can take a quiz on their website and they will suggest a color pallette that suits your personality. S-W knows its marketing - I love this pallette.
http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/hgtv-home-by-sherwin-williams/color-palettes/color-pizzazz/

I knew the name of the colors I loved for the downstairs, and Lowe's has these little tester containers of paint that they can tint for you.

So I asked them to tint 3 of them in these colors: June Day (foyer), Mythical (front parlor) and Exuberant Pink (middle parlor). I want to paint the dining room Tango and my kitchen Frolic, but these rooms have no drywall or plaster - they are just down to the studs, so I will wait to test those colors later.

So I got home, and although I was really hungry, I skipped lunch and painted these colors on the walls of their designated rooms. And I was pleased.

A warm and inviting foyer needs a sunny color, like June Day. I like it a lot! I think I will use this color in the foyer and carry the same color up the front staircase and into the upstairs hallway.

Then I thought the Front Parlor will be a room for reading and reflection - and needs to be a soothing color. Like a soft purple. Thus, I chose Mythical for this room.

These are the same spot, but just two different views of the same thing - to give you an idea of all the curves and angles and details of the Big House.

Finally, for the Middle Parlor, I envision this room to be where people congregate - where the stereo and TV will be. I wanted a fun and lively color - like Mythical Pink.

Kiki looks pretty good against the pink - don't you think?

I so want to start painting - like now!! But alas, I need to sell some more houses so I can finish the mechanicals, insulate and drywall.

But it was pretty fun dreaming on this cold and rainy day.

Let me know what you think!!!

I also need to start selecting exterior colors. That seems so much harder for me.

What I am Thinking About the Most

Sitting here, drinking my coffee on this second day of 2012, there is one thought that keeps swirling around my head. It is aways there, and makes me really excited about this year.

The thought is: My Big House.

I have this house that is under renovation. And I love this Big House. I also have a Carriage House, and I currently live in the apartment on the second floor of the Carriage House. It, in the day of horses and carriages, used to be the hay mow for the stable that was on the ground floor.

But I long to live in the Big House. I think it longs for somebody to live in it too.

In November 2011, I hosted a neighborhood party in the Big House - even in it's unfinished slpendor. It has no functioning bathroom, and the only sink that works is a utility sink in my rather creepy basement (think 1865 era house basement. Yes - that is creepy).

At any rate, I was the third stop on a progressive dinner tour, so I provided coffee and desserts to about 35 guests. I spiffed up the house as much as possible, set up chairs and makeshift tables on the first floor, blocked off the steps so that guests did not go upstairs, set up a fire pit and chairs in the backyard, invited some friends before hand to help set up the desserts in a nice presentation.

Then the guests came.

My house did something neat. It took on the aroma of those desserts and coffee. That sweet smell of desserts filled the entire house as the voices and laughter of my guests filled the house too. Even in its unfinished state, people raved about what a great house it was, and how it had so much potential and how lucky I was to have such a great house.

Me, lucky, to have this house.

I am lucky to have such a nice house. I think the Big House enjoyed having a party in it too, after so many years of being empty. I think houses get lonely, because they are built to house people, and fun occasions, and create beautiful memories.

A couple weeks went by and it still had the aroma of sweets and coffee in it.

This year will be the year that I finish the house, move into it permanently and create fun times and memories for the house, for my family and friends and for me.

As my good friend always tells me:

"Onward and upward, Christina."

He is right.

Let's do this.