A month late (or so) and a dollar short??

We had guests this weekend...my in laws actually, passing through onto a warmer climate for the month (grrrr...need warmth). They haven't had a chance to visit since we moved in (well MIL was able to a few months back, but they have not been here as a couple since move in date) and of course things have changed in the DesRosiers abode :) first off is that the house is not covered in boxes....lol. The other big change is that I was able to paint. I LOVE to paint....it really is the easiest and biggest change in a room, not to mention the price.

Now if you know me then you know that I am NOT a neutral girl....while I always find that they look beautiful in other peoples homes....for me...not so much :) I our home before, our living room was raspberry and cantaloupe coloured with a chartreuse hallway/dining room....yes...I like it bright and loud. It was once mentioned that maybe I did not see colours "right"....this coming of course from someone who's home is all neutrals :)

So this new place, since it is not ours and I know that I will have to eventually paint it back to the original boring white, I painted only 2 walls (okay maybe really 4, but 2 of the walls are like half walls and in my mind they do not count) but I made those two walls count and then some. The living room I painted a really amazing deep magenta, it is such a rich and surprisingly soothing colour. I have a collection of oversized family paintings on the wall and it really makes some of the colours just POP that I normally would not have noticed....and then on that half wall that I painted there are some of Stef's photographs that he took that I have framed out it great black frames that is matted white....which also just POPS.

But I always felt that the space was missing something. While we do not have a lot of furniture in the room (dogs/kids destroy things like nothing) and it is slightly on purpose. I tried putting bench there...a chair...it just did not work. I had something in the back of my mind, but it was pretty much a lost cause. Price/would Stef approve kind of put it out of my mind. I did tell Stef that I did want this piece of furniture, and I had wanted one almost since we have been married...its an Apothecary. I have been looking at them in antique stores and in magazines for ages...drooling and then dying at the price tags. Always out of reach. They are such neat and interesting pc's of furniture...all those little drawers to put stuff in (more stuff). In my head it would be a great place to organize (HA) our little things...a place for gloves and hats ...heck a drawer for everyone. Mail would finally have a proper place as well...no more would it be absentmindedly left on whatever flat surface I would be off to next with. The apothecary would provide a drawer, not only a place, but a HIDDEN place. No longer a messy eye sore (because we have so much of those...lol)....sigh....an apothecary would solve all my problems. It would, I swear...

But years and budgets passed by and that lovely dream would not be mine...until our good friend went for what seems like his annual trip to Tibet and came back with his new business. Selling furniture that was made and handpainted by the monks in Tibet...all of it is just stunning and tells a great story and history with it. I have been in his "shop" a few times and drooled over many pc's of his, but the one that always stuck out was the apothecary. Not what in my mind was a traditional one...but an overdone and over the top handpainted one in such amazing colours...colours...yup that is what got me...just about always does :)It was just perfect, for me that is. I fantasized about it, eyed it in my perfect spot for the pc....even probably painted my walls for it, just in case. But the price always stopped me from truly getting it. Still a pipe dream.

Until Christmas....the day was as crazy as ever...morning chaos with the boys and friends over for Eggs Benedict Brekkie. Friends that owned the fabulous furniture...and while we were busy setting tables and making sure the holandaise sauce did not get lumpy....said friends wanted me to take a look at their newly car washed truck (it really was a dirty little thing and had been the butt of a few jokes) that they just had to show it off to me...like.....right NOW....in the back, in the bed of the truck, was the Apothecary, with a big purple bow on it :) Hubby had bought it for me for Christmas and with help of our wonderful friends they all managed to pull it off and I was just stunned.....and ecstatic. More than thrilled....such amazing friends for helping hubby pull this off, and really it boggles my mind at how lucky I am for having Stef in my life....not for the things he gets for me....but for because he "gets" me. Thank you so much sweets if I haven't said it lately...or enough...everything is starting to feel a little more perfect....and not because of the stuff. But because you make it so...










oh....and I will save it for another post...but I did not tell you what the other wall I painted was...and in what colour....can you guess?? :)