Dining Room Make Over (before-after pics)

Well, we were supposed to host Thanksgiving at the cottage this year...unfortunately we were ALL struck down with what I think must be the bubonic plague?

A few days before the plague hit us, while Sir was working much overtime, I was struck by the renovation bug.  I really can't help it when the creativity strikes...really, I just have to embrace it when it does.....

So, the dining room and the whole living room is a nicotine-white? painted, grass covered, 900sq ft. of blah.  I loath this part of the house.  We really never even use it...well the heirs scatter their toys all over it for no apparent reason, but really it is not supposed to be used.

I am working on phase two of the Little Sirs' room and had in my hand a gallon of festive, evergreenish, well....green.  I LOVE GREEN.  Kermit is green.  My eyes are their own hue of swamp puke green.  My gardens are full of green.  Green is good.

Ugh. 

Another view of the yuck.

Do you see the magic paint tray???

Oh Crap!  I mean, I LOVE color, but I have NEVER done anything this dark before...yikes

But, oh my....I LOVE it!!!

Reminds me of a 100 yr old house now...the dark wood, the traditional paint...

Oh look!  Look at that cool built-in...I never noticed that before...

The picture of the little boy holding the kitty was painted by Sir's grandmother and that little boy is...Sir, himself!

A word...painting grass wallpaper cannot be done with a roller...because, that would be too easy.  Every project at the Cottage hast to be a laborious task...therefore this was all hand-painted with a BRUSH.  Applause is appropriate...

Rumor is that we are putting up some trees tonight.  I have decided not to put up the monstrous 20foot tree this year, but have been moving some things and making plans for some real changes...wait and see!

A quick fall dinner...

I was craving potpies the other day at the store...yeah, those gross frozen nightmares my mom would occasionally make when my dad was working.  Well, I thought, there must be a quick easy way to get the same satisfaction but with less pre-made guilt.


So this is what I came up with.  FAST AND EASY....

To begin, make some biscuits.  I mean, I buy the frozen types, but the can works just as well.  And if you are mad about your own special,  recipe handed down by family MeMaws for generations-type of biscuits...well, knock yourself out.  No matter how you get them, get them

While the biscuits are cooking, cook a pound of meat.  Whatever.  I usually use Bob Evans pork sausage, in a tube-thingy.  You can use whatever you have.  Brown the dead animal.  Next make your basic white sauce.  (Melt 6 TBL  butter. Add 6 Tbl flour.  Stir.  Add 3 cups milk slowly.  Stir until thickened to the right gravy type texture).  Now, add your dead animal.  Then add any veggies you have laying about.  Tonight we had corn and peas. 

Tah_Dah!  Seriously, you have no idea how easy this is.  I have topped it with shredd chedd and green onions, or parm and chives.  You could add about anything and top it with whatever your family likes.  The nice thing is, it is warm and satisfying, and you can "hide" all kinds of veggies in it!

So give it a try and let me know how it turns out!