Ready for company...

Well...almost...I still have to do the grocery shopping, but I just didn't have it in me today.  Carey is going to pick up his mother tomorrow, so I will grocery shop before they get back here tomorrow evening.

The guest room has been a long time being finished.  We started by painting it right before we began the kitchen remodel late last year.  Since it was empty, we ended up storing most of the kitchen things in it instead of finishing it.  Though the kitchen is long since complete, the guest room languished in its undressed state ever since.  Having Carey's mom coming to stay for three weeks was the perfect incentive to finish it up and make it comfortable.

I love this bed in here!  I bought it years ago at an antique auction, and we have been using the headboard (with some diy side extensions) in the master bedroom with our king size bed.  I love SO much more seeing it with its footboard attached.  The mattress is a new purchase, and I hope will make all future guests comfortable.  It is a Sleep Number that can be set to suit individual firmness preferences, and can also have the head and knees adjusted up or down as needed.

I have been looking madly for the framed samplers as I've been decluttering and organizing for the past month or so.  I looked everywhere I could think of with no luck.  We rent a storage unit* for some things that don't fit in the house, and today I asked Carey to go with me to see if maybe they were there.  I didn't really have any hope that I'd be able to find them even if they were there, but lo and behold there they were within easy reach!  These were all ones I made between the ages of maybe twelve and twenty-five.  Not something I've wanted to decorate with in the recent past, but they look lovely with the soft green walls and the vintage furnishings.

And I finally have the perfect place to use these old beauties (suitcases).  Boy was I excited the day I found them all at the same store for $8 each.  I've used some of them before in the living room, but like them much better here.

A few days ago my m-i-l emailed me saying that her antique picture of her beloved grandmother (circa 1891) needed a new home.  She was wondering if we might want it, and if so she would bring it when she comes.  I super promptly emailed back an emphatic, 'YES!'  I told her we have the perfect spot for it.  She doesn't know yet that said spot is in the room in which she will be staying.

I've been contemplating making the fourth blank wall of the room a gallery wall of antique photos I have inherited, and I am beyond thrilled that we will now have one from Carey's side of the family to include.  Here are two of the ones that will also go on the wall.  The baby in the rear picture is my grandfather (circa 1895) and the toddler on the left of the front photo is my mother (circa 1918).  I'm really excited to put the wall together, but I'm not going to start on it right away.  I will be sure to share later, though.

For now these are housed in a bookcase along with vintage books.  I am going to add some folded quilts to the bottom two shelves tomorrow.

Man it feels nice to have another home project finished!

*My goal is to empty the storage unit by late Spring.  It's a job that definitely has to be done during the cooler months.  It is so crazy to pay to keep stuff you don't have room for.