The ramblings of Mrs. Smith as she shops, decorates and anything else she deems funny!







Saturday, January 30, 2010

The Smith Hotel's Master Bathroom

When we moved into this house over 5 years ago now I wanted to do something different.  In our other house, our master bedroom and bath was Americana, denim comforter, navy, red, tan......I liked it and it was "masculine" enough for Mr. Smith too. This house was new, fresh and I wanted a change.




So began the idea of black and white....It didn't take over night but it's been a work in progress.  Picking up things here and there.....

 That's the thing when you are hunting for treasures....My latest addition is this Eiffel Tower lamp that I actually bought 2 of-one is in the kitchen.....I didn't know what to do with the second one plus I didn't have a lamp shade......


I found this black shade at my favorite thrift store for $8.  It stayed at the store for awhile. I wasn't sure it would be the right size.  I didn't really want to spend $8 if it didn't work....  Until it went on sale-25% off.   It came home with me and it worked out just fine.....I always liked a lamp in the bathroom but still didn't think it would work until......Mr. Smith suggested I put it on the counter in between our sinks.....That's right.....my husband comes up with some pretty good decorating ideas (plus he can bake a mean pie)...So I added a rusty, chipped enamelware pan, a ugly gold tissue box that I repainted black with silver details (99 cents-price tag-$29.99 still on the bottom). 




I love toile.  I came across this pair of really nice toile curtains for $30 (at a store that is now sadly out of business).  I had no idea at the time what I would even do with them since I already had white curtains in the bedroom.........They just barely fit between the molding and hang just a little on the tile by the bathtub.   I have a large wall that I hung a candle thingy on but I would really like to put a HUGE picture on canvas of the Eiffel Tower.  I have seen one that is pretty cool at IKEA....No money for it now but I might find something at a garage sale sometime.



At the same store that is now gone-I bought this kitchen cabinet/hutch.  It was shabbily painted black, scratches and dings....I loved it.  You can never have enough storage in a bathroom (in my opinion).  It fit right into the nook where the towel bar was.   I bought a smaller hook for the towels and put it on the little wall that kinda jogs behind the cabinet. 



I was able to decorate the open part of the cabinet with different white items.

Another large wall by the toilet, I tried to fill up with a large black and white print.  The mirror was a garage sale find years ago for $1.  I keep repainting it to go with the current decor. 


Hope you enjoyed this "tour" of the master bathroom.  It's still a work in progress-always on the look out for more unusual things to add. 


Jody (aka Mrs. Smith)

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Mission Impossible......

Okay cue the theme song.....

You know the one......

Mission Impossible......

If you chose this mission......


Here goes.....I am spilling my heart out for all to read.....


I am a stay at home mom(you know-I don't stay home that much-used to when the kiddos were little).

My husband found out he lost his job last Thursday or  the political way of saying "displaced".

It's been a little rough around here, some tears, lots of phone calls, me sleeping in till 11 am on Saturday morning, him getting up at 4:30 am yesterday......Grieving......

I packed up my sewing machine, fabric, paint, craft stuff, junky stuff for Etsy on Thursday.....
Cleaned it all up so he could come home to a clean house at least......


I felt like all I did was just a big joke-playing house..........



Wednesday......

almost a week now.....

It's all back out.......

I didn't lose my job......


I have had this job for 11 years now and the "fruits" of my labor are beautiful......

My kids......

Drama Queen turns 9 years old next month.....


I have 9 years left for this job.....

I am not going to quit......

Whatever happens to all the "stuff", the house, cars, etc.......

I have a job to do.....






So if you feel inspired visit my Etsy store.....


Say a prayer for our family.....





Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The winner of the first Smith Hotel Giveaway is.....

Boy Wonder and Drama Queen did the drawing.......


So there you have it the winner is Betty!


Just contact me!

No this wasn't an unfair drawing! 
Ask the kids!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Sad day today.....

My husband-Rob-aka Mr. Smith-was let go today from his job.  He is traveling when he got the news.  Please keep us in your prayers as we are hit with this reality that so many others are hit with too(like my brother-in-law, brother and sister-in-law have all lost jobs in the last year).


We will be married 18 years in March and have never experience unemployment.  I have been a stay at home mom for 11 years.  Not sure what will happen but I will go anywhere with my hubby.  Don't want to leave our home, friends, family but we will go wherever he can get a job.  Neither of us has lived outside of California so moving to a different state would be kinda interesting.  I might be out of touch for awhile since my internet is through my husband's job.  Any thoughts on survival, bills, house, etc would be nice to hear about. 

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

The Smith Hotel's First Giveaway!!!

The Smith Hotel's First Giveaway!!!




It's cold, wet and no sun so I thought it would be nice to add some cheer into someone's life with a new tea towel that I made for Valentine's Day! 

I got a ruffler foot for my sewing machine with my Christmas money and have been playing with it.  It is going to take more practice so my tea towel is an "Experiment"-meaning don't look at the back of it!!!

The guy at the store where I bought the ruffler  told me that I would need to sit down and practice and drink a Diet Pepsi-

1. I drink Dr. Pepper (sorry for all those Diet Pepsi diehards).

2. I drank more than one(okay more like 3-well maybe 5).

3. I just about threw the whole thing in the pool(then I thought about how to get it-sewing machine-out of the cold pool). (Anyone else like the Maytag commercial with the wreaking ball and the refrigerator while looking glamorous in a flowing dress?-I don't have the flowing dress-darn).

4. Burlap isn't so easy to ruffle(who decided to try a double ruffle?).




TA-DA!!!! Behold a Valentines' Day tea towel with 2(yes 2) ruffles and I'm also including a Valentine's Day ornament thingamabob(with a white ribbon that didn't show up in the pictures)!


On the back is cute cupcake picture-so it's not just for Valentine's Day!


How do I enter this giveaway?

Glad you asked!!

Just become a follower and leave a comment(Like hey that towel is really ugly really cute).
Your name will go in a second time if you announce it on your blog(if you have one and leave that in the comments too).


But wait there's more......

An added Bonus-If you shop at my Etsy store

and enter "TheSmithHotel Giveaway" on the order.
You will get 10% off your order(will credit you the difference upon purchase).
This offer ends the same day as the giveaway-Monday, January 26th!



The Giveway will end on Monday, January 26th and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, January 27th!

Good luck!!!


Jody (aka Mrs. Smith)


Saturday, January 16, 2010

A Little Bit About Me......Master Bedroom

We moved into this house a little over 5 years ago.  I wanted to find a color of water for the bedroom.  We decided to only paint one wall-Mr. Smith painted and he was gone for work the first 7 of the 8 weeks we first moved in here.  It would give us color in a little time. It's called "Rain washed" by Behr.  It still makes me happy even after 5 years.


I wanted to create a "hotel" feel with the white bedding. I bought the duvet cover and matching pillow cases for $40 last year online at Walmart. I made the "Annivesary Pillow" out of burlap to add a little interest to the bed.  I recovered my glidder rocker with an old shower curtain found at a thrift store for $2. 


The night stands were purchased at a garage sale for $18(my dad bought them for me).  I sanded them and painted them white(actually Mr. Smith took that over)  and I had Mr. Smith repaint the drawer handles since I liked the shape of them already. The cedar chest was made by my grandpa for my high school graduation gift.  The quilt rack was made by him as well for our wedding gift.


I just did a simple, clean look on the dresser. A piece of burlap cut with pinking shears and some books I recovered in brown paper bags (like back in high school).  The blue candle sticks were found at a thrift store. The white fleur de lis bowl was purchased at a garage sale (I bought 2-they had ugly rings on the sides that I just removed).


I found the basket that is on the ground hiding the cord for the lamp at a thrift store for $10.  I don't normally spend that much on thrift store baskets but I really loved this one.  Looked very "French" to me.


I originally wanted to create a beachy cottage feel and a few years ago I threw in some Eiffel Tower pictures too.  So you could call it my french, beachy cottage bedroom!  I will post my master bathroom soon.  It's a little unusual........


                                                           Thanks for taking a tour!
                                                            Jody (aka Mrs. Smith)

I am partcipating in Funky Junk Interior's Saturday Nite Special!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Room makeover........




This is Drama Queen's bedroom........ 


I warned you...........




Her room was getting out of control so Mr. Smith and I spent all day yesterday-gutting, purging, dumping, organizing.....well you get the picture......

ALL DAY LONG!!!!


No tears......When she came home from school I think she was a little relieved.......
It wasn't quite done so she had to pick 30 stuff animals to get rid of   part with.....
She was brave....
said her goodbyes.....

Now her room looks like this.....





 Ah much better.....I can breathe in there.


Making  chocolate chip bar cookies helped everyone to get through the day.......



Like my cookie jar....thrift store $3 purchase....just in case you were wondering......

Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Smith Hotel's mantel-I guess it worked!

Beth over at The Stories from A to Z posted all of her favorite mantels from last weeks mantel party.  The Smith Hotel got a nod!  Check out all the cute mantels that are being decorated for winter!http://bethcrabtreehunter.blogspot.com/2010/01/mantel-party-review.html

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Another treasure with a little history!

So the other day I brought home this pair of wooden shoe lasts......Looking on the bottom I see this marking for Jones & Vining, Inc.  So I do what I always do and looked it up on the web.....





Only to discover this company"s long history of manufacturing....on it's website the Jones & Vining, Inc. state  "A last is the foot-shaped form over which a shoe is made and is the single most important and scientific element in shoemaking. The last determines the shape, look or fashion of the shoe; it determines the fit and size of the shoe; as well as influencing the shoe's tread, heel height, toe shape, comfort and overall balance and proportion of the shoe."   They are still in business and have moved on to more technologically advanced shoe lasts.   http://jonesandvining.com/history.html

Okay I am probably the only one that....
1. Even cares about the history of the shoe last.
2. Thinks that is super cool how a shoe is made.
3. Has a shoe last hanging on her wall (have had it forever and just think it looks neat).

These boys (I say that because they look like men's feet) are at my Etsy store for sale......http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38473194

Burlap love!!!

My newest burlap addition to the The Smith Hotel. Check it out at http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSmithHotel

Tracy over at Loving Pretty Things blog included my burlap stockings!!!!http://lovingprettythings.blogspot.com/2010/01/burlap-juteand-more-burlap.html


Burlap really is HOT!!!!

I am working on something for a giveaway (if I don't kill my sewing machine first-more on that when I post the giveaway)!   Oh and yes it of course includes burlap!!!!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Thrifty treasures

So I went shopping today...... Please don't keep track.......I love the hunt....



I found 3 different dominoes packs for 49 cents each........









An enamelware pan for $2.99......





And they packed it in this......A Brown Bag.............Like I was shopping at a Boutique!!!!!!  I always love a good brown bag-great to reuse!!!!!   This thrift store is just too good to me.........





Is that kinda of sad that I get happy about a brown bag?  Mr. Smith would have an opinion!

Flowers........









I bought a small pack of English Daisies the other day at Home Depot. I was craving sunshine and spring.....neither of which are happening in Northern California......
I realize some people in the US are shoveling snow and trying to keep warm..........
Just thought I would give a little cheer........
Spring will come..............


Until then I have some flowers on my window sill..........................

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Completely Coastal Giveaway!!!


Wow-Giving away 2 pillows made from used sails-very cute and would look cute on my denim couch for the summer-So don't go and enter to win-Just Kidding-no not really-since one of my "friends" just won a very cute pillow from another blog!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Redo Mantel Again......


In blogland, I was reading about "Accessories on Parade" at The Nesting Place. So I looked at my mantel and changed it again........got out the trusty step ladder and moved things around and took some stuff off......Well?????


Linking to The stories from A to Z mantel party!http://bethcrabtreehunter.blogspot.com/2010/01/announcing-mantel-party-every-friday.html?

Escape......


I had to escape today.......
Mr. Smith is spending loads of time out in the garage getting his '65 VW Bus running.....
Needless to say the fumes, the loud pops as it backfires and then looking out the window to discover he tried to drive it around the block only to stop working and had to have some helpful neighbors push it back home....
It was making me a little jumpy so I escaped......
I found these lovelies....little spoons......15 cents each.......turned one over and.......
fleur de lis.......
I was meant to escape today and find this treasure.........

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Thrifty finds and a little history lesson

Yesterday was a rare day when the whole family wanted to go with me to some thrift stores. I picked up a few treasures. This cute little squirrel toothpick holder was too adorable to pass up for 25 cents. Made in Japan in 1978! Drama Queen wanted to put it in her room on her shelf-I had to wrestle it from her hands!!! At another thrift store, I found this plate for under $3. I bought it because I liked the white and black look. Plus the little picture was intriguing too. Maybe it's the historian in me but I love to come home and try to research my treasures. Where they came from, what they were used for, etc. I found out that this plate marked Sterling on the back is restaurant ware. What I also discovered was the Nassau Inn. It's in Princeton, NJ! It still is in business and with a rich history. I linked my title to the official website-very interesting! In 1776, the signers of the Declaration of Independence stayed there.

Then it makes me wonder-how did this plate get to Northern California from New Jersey? One of these days if I ever make it to Princeton-say Boy Wonder gets accepted there- I may just have to check out the restaurant!


So for under $4-I am a happy camper. Not only did I pick up some things that I liked but also have some history. It really doesn't take much to make me happy!!! Does anyone else like to research their treasures?

Monday, January 4, 2010

Shabby dry goods new online store and giveaway

New online store and she is giving away a Starbucks gift card!

Friday, January 1, 2010

A New Year, A few changes to my mantel

Late night, last night playing games and eating-6 kids running around yelling and having a good(sometimes a little grumpy) time. The Smith Hotel's yearly January 1st's tradition of heading to the snow for some snowman building and sledding with friends is minus Mrs. Smith and Snow(the dog). I am not a lover of snow or being cold. Maybe it has something to do with growing up in Southern California (we weren't rich-my dad was an elementary teacher and we shopped at Kmart not Nordstroms). So the house is quiet and I decided to fix my mantel.

I added shutters that I had purchased at a thrift store for $3. I bought them without having any clue what to use them for but I couldn't pass them up. I felt like more "height" was needed around the mirror. What do you think?
I used the ladder. Can you see how tall that mantel is? I didn't get hurt either (just an FYI for my mom and Mr. Smith).


Snow is soooo tired from partying last night. I just had to take a picture of her. I know she is enjoying the quiet house too.

Vintage Junky giveaway

Michelle at Vintage Junky is giving away 2 really cute pillows. Check it out!

Happy New Year


Happy New Year!!! Here's looking at another year!!!
Every year I wonder-"Why do I have to stay up till midnight?" Good night!