Black Rooster Cottage

A New Dining Experience, and then some...

2012-02-24T10:57:00.000-08:00

The furniture painting is done!

Is it perfect?

No, not by a professionals standards.

Is it perfect to us?

Absolutely!

I really, really love the difference it has made.

Hubbs is picking up the table glass today (yay!).

You can see some before pictures in the previous post.

I just like this picture.

Smart thinking: Chippy paint is idyllic with boys!
You can't tell if it's damaged or supposed to be that way!

It really, really brightened the room

Love the worn look

I used the same fabric as before, they're just cleaner now. :)

I so love this fabric. I saw it on a bench in a magazine a long time ago
and contacted the writer of the story so I could get it... Calico Corners!

This end table was a bleached wood in it's previous life.
It went with NOTHING in our house but my Hubbs was attached to it for some reason.

Wall of babes. We salvaged the archy piece from an old headboard that was trashed.
I did the same treatment to it as everything else.
I am now on the hunt for Vintage, Ornate, chunky frames to change out the current ones.
(I won't paint them black or white though... well...)

Super fast pillow makeover: Used my existing pillows and just sewed right over them.
I still need to add trim-I was in a hurry, we were having company.

Coffee table. Still debating on painting the top.
It does match the cabinet that hides the TV and speakers, though.
Any thoughts??
Oh, on the left side of the table where it's brown in the crease... color crayon.
My sweet Trey says to me, "Look what I did for you Mommy!"
Gotta get Mr. Clean magic eraser. I just thank God it wasn't magenta. :)

Super dark picture, sorry. I have to take some tonight.
I replaced the black gingham and made a valance for the
sliding back door.

I am very happy with the progression. It makes me happier that the Man of the House likes it as well. Hey, I'm saving us time... pre-decorating for our next home!

What's even better is that it was CHEAP!

~ Gallon of flat paint: $5 (we got connections)

~ Sandpaper: free (we had already)

~ Glaze: free (I had a couple of bottles leftover from

a job I did back in my Home Staging days)

~ Fabric on dining chairs: re-used, just washed

~ Toile fabric for valances and pillows: FREE!

My sweet friend Missy gave me yards and yards of it.

Thank you honey!

~Burlap lamp shade: $9 at Walmart (!)

~Lamp shade embellishments: free, I had it already

A new look for the kitchen and family room: Priceless.

I hope this gives someone a boost in re-vamping what they already have.

Always remember: It's only paint! It can be changed if your piece doesn't turn out the way you envisioned it.

Most importantly (this is real advice especially for painting rooms), live with it for 48 hours before you really decide you hate it. When your brain is used to living with something for a long time, it's conditioned. It takes a couple of days for it to "re-align".

Okay, I'll stop now.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Don't forget, Southern California Girls...

The Vintage Marketplace is next weekend!!!

It is going to be FABULOUS!!

Hugs and Love,

~ Amber

Kitchen Table Makeover

2012-02-16T07:29:00.000-08:00

Our kitchen table was our dining table in our previous maison.

It matched the hutch I recently stripped of glass and 1990's sophistication and added chicken wire and painted black.

This one:

Our table... what can I say.

It was the ledge that we hung the boys high chairs from. You know, the kind that cantilever off the edge?

It was also the best drum set money didn't have to buy.

It was trashed!

It became one of those things that you were embarrassed about but forgot about because you just got used to living with it.

(I can only imagine what family and friends thought)

Well, I had enough.

I have gone to the other side.

WHITE!

(kinda)

As you know I have posted about the removal of all things red in the house.

I am slowly replacing things with more soothing colors.

Although, yesterday I was blog browsing and found a gorgeous French Country blog where she had lots of red! Hmmm...

Well, I'll keep the reds, just in the closet for any mind changing. :)

I am finishing up the chairs today and re-covering them. Same material as I had before, I just took it all off to wash because they were gross. Now my "Do Not Wash" fabric looks good as new!

I already re-vamped the coffee and end tables (they didn't match anyway, but they do now!) but I won't reveal those till I'm completely done with the whole room.

Here's what I did so far:

Primed and painted with paint my husband got for $5 a gallon at Sherwin Williams

(they were blowing out pure white so he bought ALOT because he could take whatever in and have it tinted-FREE). We tinted it Swiss Coffee.

I did a rough, sloppy paint job because I was going for the "many layers of farmhouse painting" technique.

Sanded down to the black to create the worn, chippy look.

Now, layering paint on thick creates some crazing in areas and stuff, which is perfect for my glaze. Plus it gives it the "Old Age" effect.

I like to use glaze ~~over~~ instead of stain because it is extremely user friendly.

K, enough talking. I will post again soon with the final, final results.

Wait till you see the table! I LOVE it!

We are going to have glass cut for the top so it'll stay nice.

I have to say, I am really happy with the results.

What makes it even better is that Husband likes it too. ALOT!

K, off to do more sanding, glazing and stapling!

XO, Amber

One little, two little....

2012-02-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

Something fun is in that box!

Someone hears squeaky toys... NOT!

Not one, not two, not three, but four little balls of fluff!

(I would've bought more, but these girls will suffice for now!)

When I say balls of fluff, I do mean that literally.

The Cochin breed is a fancy bird with lots of fluffy feathers,

including on their feet.

We chose two White and two Buff chicks.

Here are their names:

Brock named his Chickie-Poo

Trey named his Birdie

Karli named hers Annabelle

and mine is named Mabel.

Husband didn't want a chick, he just wants EGGS.

I added a dot of food coloring to the tops of the boys chicks,

just to make it easier for us to decipher (no rivalries!).

So, in about 6 months, we'll be getting our first eggs! Yippee!

Now the fun part... designing a coop.

xo, Amber

p.s. I will be releasing our E-Newsletter tomorrow on the website!

Just in time for a yummy Valentine recipe.

My Patriotic Duty!

2012-02-08T18:06:00.000-08:00

In keeping with my Namesake, I thought I'd share this with you because the words Urban Chicken seem to be used quite a bit these days.

Towns and Cities have prohibited backyard Chicken keeping, for whatever reason.

Mine included, which is Temecula, CA.

Huff!

I admit- we were, at one time, Outlaws.

Law breakers, to be honest.

We bootlegged chickens at our previous home.

We never got caught, thankfully.

I know if they came a-knocking,

it would have been because of a busy body neighbor.

In the poster below,

Uncle Sam thought it was an American's

duty to have 2 hens (I say 3 or 4) in their backyard.

So, my question is, when did it become "illegal" to have backyard chickens?

Well, luckily, we moved into an area that is "unincorporated" so we are allowed to have them. I know there are others in our HOA governed tract that have them too.

I hear them in the morning giving their "laying cackle" (I miss that sound).

According to a friend that lives in the same development, someone has a Roo and the HOA can't do anything about it.

That's a little rude in my opinion.

Especially when our houses are literally 10 feet apart.

Hens are no louder than the black crows that fly overhead and are waaaay quieter than the dogs that bark around here. Lets not talk about the sirens, traffic, noisy kids (oh wait, those are mine playing karate chop in the trampoline), etc.

In other words, LIFE is noisy.

Chickens are not stinky either unless you have a ranch with hundreds or are a poor chicken keeper and allow poop to pile up. I fertilized my entire garden (veggies and flowers) in the previous home with composted chicken givings. My yard was gorgeous.

Waste Not!

PLUS, they are the best garbage disposals! Leftover fruit and veggies, grass clippings, old bread and other little treats are better for them than the garbage can or septic system!

As many of you can attest, there is no greater taste than your OWN home grown eggs! And if you're lucky, you have an "Easter Egger" that lays such serene hues of colored eggs.

Here's that poster...

As a Patriotic Girl that loves her Country,

I am printing this and mailing it to our City Officials on a regular basis.

Maybe one day they'll get it.

As noted in my previous post, we're living in the Here and Now!

I cannot wait till Saturday!

To be continued....

Have a wonderful end of the week.

See ya here on Sunday! ;)

xo, Amber

Fate vs. Desire

2012-02-02T13:52:00.000-08:00

Sounds Romantic, doesn't it?

If only life could be so accommodating to our desires, all the time.

I just have to trust in Fate (this time).

Our "dream" house... SOLD to someone else but that's okay.
I looked it up this morning and the taxes were OMG! Phew!

Where am I going with this?

As Fate has it, the job potential in Boise is a no-go for my Man (bummer).

I am a bit sad, but,

there must be a reason why.

"Everything always happens (or doesn't) for a reason", right?

So, instead of wishing and dreaming about my

idyllic life that I would like to have, I am going to

Bloom Where I'm Planted.

Thank you, Mary Engelbreit, for coining that phrase.

I am going to make it happen, right here, where we are, right now!

How?

My very accommodating raised beds vs. an acre parcel of plowing and daily weeding

My 3 or 4 hens vs. two separate coops. One for layers and one for fryers

(yes, we will be having some babies soon!)

My future black HEN vs. my black Rooster (sigh)

Taking the kids on pony rides vs. the cost of owning and upkeep

(that ones a toughie, I love the smell of horses)

Planting English Roses in Pots vs. Sticking them in the ground

Revamping the home to a Cottage feel vs. Waiting till we live in a Cottage

(that'll be a fun one to blog about)

I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

My business is flourishing,

and although I am usually restricted with my "alone" time to work,

I manage just fine... especially when there's a deadline (thanks to coffee)!

HM. I don't think I'm sad anymore.

I have set some goals and I am achieving them.

That's the most important thing.

The website is up (well, my generic one for the time being), and though it's not full of my wares as of yet, I am working on it. :)

I guess my reasoning for this post is to say, out loud, more so for myself, but if it applies to you, yay!, that I am happy for what I have, in the now.

I still have the dream (desire) to have our Cottage on acreage, by a lake,

and I know we will one day have that.

Today though, we are exactly where we are meant to be.

So, come see me here in a few weeks!

XO, Amber

available on the website!

Let the Garden Gate Open!

2012-01-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

On February 1, 2012, the Garden Gate will fly open!

Black Rooster Cottage will re-launch its Online Boutique

and...

Our very first Quarterly E-Newsletter will be sent out!

If you are not on our email list and would like to receive our

Quarterly E-Newsletter, please go to:

www.BlackRoosterCottage.com

and add your information to the Contact Us link.

Our E-Newsletter will share fabulous pictures, decorating ideas (staging, too!) yummy recipes, great venues and shops to peruse, awesome Blogs to visit and in the future, a Guest spot!

So, if you're interested, jump on board! We'd love to have you in the Cottage!

Have a great weekend and we'll see you on Wednesday!!

XO, Amber

p.s. If you do sign up, please add LeBlackRooster@aol.com to your contact list so the Newsletter doesn't get delivered to the spam folder. :)

Fluttering Hearts

2012-01-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

Sunday was Flea Market day at Whimzy in Olde Town Tustin.

Kerri, Rita and I went shopping!

I didn't photograph my purchases but I did take pictures!

This is show, then tell....

First, I love this picture!

I can envision a day long ago where someone in an old Oldsmobile would pull up and buy some ice for their "ice box" back at the house. Just soo cool that it's still there. I think it still works.

Now, Begin...

Whimzy is the host to the twice yearly event in Santa Ana called

GLITTERFEST.

I have had the honor of being a Vendor and let me tell you, it's INCREDIBLE!

You must make a trip sometime! Their next show is in March, so google

GLITTERFEST and check it out!

~Lunch Break~

After Tustin, we hit the Cirle in Old Orange.

My heart flutters everytime I see this...

(remember show, then tell)

Rita, Debbie (this is her space with Kate) & Kerri

Me, Debbie & Kerrie

This amazing room is inside Country Roads Antiques.

They have the most amazing selection of things.

Often times (always), my ooh and ahh list greatly exceeds my checkbook balance.

(maybe I need a sugar daddy. No, that's gross.)

Debbie (Blossoms Vintage Chic) shares this room with Kate of Salvage Dior.

I haven't had the honor of meeting Kate yet, but Debbie is a Vendor at The Vintage Marketplace, too.

These girls together, in the same room... AMAZING!

I always tell Debbie I want to live in her space, where ever it is!

You must visit their blogs:

www.blossomsvintagechic.blogspot.com

www.salvagedior.blogspot.com

True Love...

2012-01-20T20:03:00.000-08:00

Meet my friend, Mr. Gregarious

~Gambler, to those that know him.

Such a handsome man.

Dignified. Strong. Gallant.
So Very Strong Willed.

Yet, a Beautiful Soul.

I wasn't looking for him, he just came into my life at precisely

the right time.

I swore I would never be in the company of another

Gray-haired man

(I was done with white horses and dirt!).

But, as fate would have it, there he was.
It was just meant to be.

My favorite times were getting to the Ranch super early in the morning, letting him nibble some hay, then ride out, by ourselves.

When we moved to the country, he came with.
Every morning,

I'd stand on the tub and look down at the barn. He'd be there looking up with pricked ears waiting to
hear the front door open.
He'd always nicker.

As soon as I started down the hill, he'd mosey inside to wait for his hay and senior feed.

I miss the smell of the barn.

I miss the sound of the horses eating.

I miss cleaning poop.

I miss my Gambler.

The bond we shared is one that I have never felt with man or beast.

He was perfect (Sorry Honey).

He listened.

Never offering me advice,

but always, always offered a warm neck to hug, a long mane to keep my hands warm,

a mischievous and sometimes hard nip and

the biggest brown eyes that said,

"It'll be alright. I love you, my darling".

(Okay, maybe not THAT, but a girl can pretend!)

I didn't have Gam in my life for long enough,
but I felt he was in my life forever.

There will never be another. Maybe someday close.

It's been three and a half years but I still think of him often.

I love hearing the boys say his name,
"Gam-baller".

Anyway, this post comes from seeing an amazing video my friend, Lisa Loria, shared on facebook about the bond between man and Equine.
Click here to be mesmerized:

The New DVD LORENZO is available

She recently lost a beloved pet and it made me think of Gam.

So, I dedicate this to all of you that
have had a "Gambler"...Equine or not.

Big Hugs and a Cheek Kiss,

Amber

p.s. My Gam and my Man happen to share the same birthday.
I guess that makes him a keeper. ;)
Love you, B!

This Little Roo Went To The Market...

2012-01-19T06:39:00.000-08:00

Preparing for The Vintage Marketplace...

handmade faux cupcakes and pastries

vintage medallions and cherub switch covers (I painted one white and distressed it-CUTE!)

Cow print with rustic, handmade frame (also available in creme and distressed black)

Madame/Monsieur pillows plus many, many more!

vintage marble cheese stands

vintage silver

more vintage silver

candelabras and chandy's

Lots of handmade goodies

puppy beds (new design with headboard and footboard coming!)

Monogram pillows and family of ___ (by order)

Yummy silver and pewter

wonderfully worn silverware

Watch out, I'm playing with Chicken Wire!

Burlap Purses, both handbags and shoulder bags

New garden art

Plus, sooo much more!

Looking forward to a fabulous Traveling Boutique at

The Vintage Marketplace!

I hope to see you there!

xo, Amber

Rise and Shine (the Roo's Crowing)!

2012-01-16T14:53:00.000-08:00

Although we are in the midst of Winter, I have awoken!

I miss the girls! Ruby the red-head and Laverne & Shirley

A New Year.

New Views.

New Beginnings.

AHHHH!

Being away hasn't meant doing nothing.

The creative juices have started flowing again and it feels so good! Taking the time and coming together with my friends has given me new breath.

Thanks, girls!

There's still alot going on, and I will share some. Part of my hesitation in divulging anything was because so much is/has been up in the air.

BUT, you deserve to know a little, because you are my friends.

For starters... we hoped (still have those fingers crossed) to relocate to a new place:

Idaho.

Not sure if it's in the stars for us, but we are (still) trying.

For our family, it's just the type of quality of life we'd love for our children and ourselves.

If the position opens up for my Hubs, then it'll happen.

If not, then... we will remain here (grumbling).

I do have to say,

I would miss my dear Vintage Marketplace Girlfriends!

Speaking of which.... March 2 & 3, 2012

Black Rooster Cottage will be there,

along side, Pansy Cottage Garden!

www.pansycottagegarden.com

Let's call it the Rooster's Cottage in the Pansy Garden! :)

This Spring show will bring the Garden and

Country Cottage alive!

We're leaving the black at home this time, in lieu of...

Light, Airy, Farmy, Cottagy, YUMMY!

If you love Chicken Wire, Wood, Burlap, Lace, Tulle

and Cottage Chic, you'll want to be there!

EXCITING NEWS:

Jacqueline deMontravel (editor of Romantic Homes)

will be there signing her newest, beautiful book...

HERS!

Friday, March 2 from 11-1:30

You can purchase your copy there!

I just feel so... Henrietta Hen-ish, right now! :)

Anyways, good to be back and I look forward to visiting YOU and you visiting me!

xoxo!! Amber

Winter Hibernation

2011-12-20T11:20:00.000-08:00

Black Rooster Cottage is hibernating for the winter!

The website, blog and facebook will be

sweetly sleeping while we:

Plan

Build Inventory

Work on a new website

Work on advertisement in publication

Get ready for a "New" Re-Grand Opening!

If you are not already on our email list and would like updates along the way or would like to know when we will be on the road, please go to...

www.BlackRoosterCottage.com

then, click on 'Contact Us' and leave your email address.

Voila! You will be added to our email blast!

See you in the Spring, fresh and renewed!

xo, Amber