Kitty Eleison

I have been itching for a number of years to redecorate our manufactured home. It is a big house, and it had a lot of big white walls when we moved in 7 years ago. That first summer, while I was pregnant with my second child, I painted the kitchen with a sponge roller, using a honey-hued paint mixed with glaze over solid cream paint.

The next time I was pregnant, I painted the Master Bath "Neptune Blue" (dark) and added metallic gold swirls freehand all over. I like it, but it definitely does not look professional. I am considering covering it and painting something else that might be less scary to potential buyers.

Then, during another pregnancy, my Sister-In-Law came over and watched the kids while I painted a fairytale mural in the girls' room. I should say I STARTED the mural. I painted the background land color and sky on three walls, and added a castle on a hill, a big tree in a corner, a lake by the hill, flowers, and clouds in the sky. I meant to paint the wall surrounding the closet doors to look like a wooden wardrobe, but I never got that far.

Another time my Mother-In-Law and I painted the living room and mudroom a beautiful color called "Roasted Cashew." I got paint chips back then in shades of tan and rose that coordinate with that color, which I have wanted to add to the walls of the dining room, hall & Master Bedroom. More recently I found paint chips in blues and greens that also coordinated with those colors for the boys' room and the guest room/storage room/ whatever else room and hall bath.

Instead, though, right after I gave birth to my 14 month old, I invited a family with teenage and pre-teen boys over to help me paint the boys' room and the dining room white, because I thought that would be more appealing to potential buyers. Well, no one made an offer on the house in the 18 moths that it was on the market (perhaps due to the "scary" Master Bath, but no one ever said anything), so now I am looking for a more colorful way to express "home" that would still be appealing to potential buyers.

I just found this over at Starry Sky Ranch.

This country look would work well in our home. We live in the country (on 5 acres), and most of the year we have cool if not cold winds blowing. I think cozy colors would make this house, with its large white walls, more inviting. I don't necessarily like the "shabby" look of the used furniture with the scraped paint job or ladder used as a decoration, but I think the wall colors used here (warm barn red in the dining area paired with the black furniture, and the warm honey walls of the family room with new upholstered chairs) are charming. The light fixtures and other "country" decorations add the finishing touch.

I have been too afraid to put much on our walls. I know I probably have plenty of things that would look nice on display, but I lack the confidence in painting & putting up shelves or even putting a nail in the wall.

I am pregnant now, and the weather will hopefully be getting warmer soon, so it is the perfect time to do SOMETHING! I tend to have the creativity, energy & will to do that kind of work when I am pregnant, if you hadn't noticed.

I have decided to put each of the rooms in a different post for easier reading. This post was getting way too long. I hope I am not boring anyone. These home decor posts are basically so I can put my thoughts into words and decide what I can do and what I cannot do to make my house run more smoothly and be more peaceful.

Here's a neat set of contests for Moms! I entered today. Go see all the cool stuff you could win.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter


Discussion questions: Did Peter do as he was told by his mother? Did he get into trouble? What did he get for supper? Did Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail obey Mrs. Rabbit? Did they get into trouble? What did they get for supper? How should we behave when our parents tell us to do something?


Outdoor Activities:
Mr. McGregor's Garden
Plant Peter's favorite vegetables (carrots, lettuces, radishes, parsley, etc.) in a small garden plot or in containers if you don't have the space in the yard. You might consider planting "rabbit tobacco" (lavender) and chamomile, too! Take care of your garden throughout the summer and harvest your vegetables.

Make and run an obstacle course, like Peter running away from Mr. McGregor

Take a nature walk through a rural area: spot bunnies or rabbit tracks. See what other animals or tracks you can find! Keep a nature journal an draw the animals, plants & tracks you see.


Indoor activities:
Pretend to be a bunny in the living room or play room. Hop slowly, like Peter did when he was trying to find his way out of Mr. McGregor's garden (lippity, lippitty).

Draw Peter and his family in various scenes from the book, or use your imagination and draw what you think they might do on another day.


Snack: carrot sticks, salad, veggies with dip, chamomile tea with a little sugar or honey (and milk if you like)