Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Second on the 2nd: Decorating For Christmas


I chose this post from December 5, 2012 because my friend Debbie at Crafty Moose requested it.  Although I've done a bit of editing and removed some photos that you couldn't really see, here is my Second Look at my main floor bath.  I apologize in advance for the quality if these photos, but now you understand why I'm so, so happy with the camera I have now.

Second Look

Debbie (at Craftymoose Crafts) asked me to share the cardinals in my main floor bath.  I confess, they are not ALL cardinals.  The collection started out as birds of any type, then morphed into cardinals (and a few redbirds).  Although I was a bit leery to show my bath, it seems nothing in my life is off limits.   So please join me in my main floor bath. 

We'll begin inside the door and work our way counterclockwise.  I never put these things away, whether Christmas or not.

These are some of the original birds I purchased.

On the top left of this vignette is a bird I special ordered from a craft show back in the late 80s.  It is made of eggshells, which gave me the idea to save eggshells and color them myself.  Of course, since I can't draw, mine will never take any apparent visual shape.

The cardinals came about because I lived in Webb City, MO. before I moved to Wichita.  The town AND high school mascot was the cardinal, and I assure you, they were far more plentiful there than they are here.  People who visited often gave them to me, especially since I had so many rocking horses, even back then.

The only "Christmas" addition to this room is the little red tree I bought on clearance a couple of years ago.  Note the cardinal tin with the cardinal magnet that sits on the side of the tin.  I can't seem to get that cardinal thermometer (on top of the tin) to stick to the mirror anymore.


More cardinals grace my back splash and vanity.  Yes, this is how it ALWAYS looks in here.


I almost forgot.  I added the red candle for Christmas, too.  It makes great ambient lighting when I'm entertaining company in the evening and it has a lovely scent, too.  Can you see I'm wearing a blue top in these photos?

When I moved into this house, there was a tiny medicine cabinet and mirror in this room.  I moved it to the bath in the basement and bought the larger one specifically for the tri-fold mirror.


This is the vignette I created on top of the medicine cabinet.  Note how I managed to NOT get a good photo of the wreath I made one year that fits over the shower/tub.


My friend Scott gave me the wood, and I built this really simple shelf one afternoon.  I needed added storage for the many birds I had no room for.  After all, this bathroom was much smaller than the one I had in Webb City, and I was tired of bringing a few out at a time, then packing others away.

This may possibly be a better view of the shelf.  Yes, I'm that short!
 
This is really bad lighting.


Maybe a bit of backlighting will help a bit.  You can see how most of the birds gracing the window are either stained glass, leaded glass, or sun catchers.

As we work our way past the window toward the tub and shower, the lighting once again improves. 


One large wooden rocking horse graces all these birds and bird related items.


More birds, some of which are cardinals, some not.

Here's a closer look when I stood on a stool to take this shot.

You don't have to tell me the middle picture above the door leading to the craft room is crooked.  I've tried to straighten it in the past, but when I open or close the door to the craft room, it moves.


Here's another view of the rocking horse and birds it holds.  The chair can be used for dressing, if someone needs to sit to dress.

Between the chair and laundry basket is a metal tin with several cardinals on it.  The tin holds excess toilet paper, although it is nearly empty after my company left!!  The star topper was something I won during a OWOH blog hop.  It has a white bird among the flowers.  It's supposed to hang, but makes a better tin topper.

These towels sit above the laundry hamper.

Here's a rather bad photo of the vignette above the towel bar.

And now we're back where we started.  Did you notice the bit of irony on the back of the toilet?  Yep, I thought this vintage cat shaped creamer would feel right at home here. 

 I hope you enjoy poking around my bath.  Please flush and put the lid down when you leave.  And please close the door, too.  Bleubeard likes to visit, and I try to discourage that!


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That is my second look at Decorating For Christmas.  I thought I would also share a few photos I took Sunday afternoon using my much better camera.

Not much has changed, but without realizing it, I changed the tree's position this year.

I noticed this stained glass piece never showed up in the previous photos.

And finally, a decent photo of the cat that lives among the birds.

Now it's your turn to share a second look.   All you have to do is bring back a post that you are especially proud of, or one you shared before anyone knew your blog existed.  Then link below and Bleubeard and I, along with other Second on the 2nd friends, will be by to visit.  If you are new to Second on the 2nd, and your blog post permits only GOOGLE+ responses, I (and several others) can´t comment on your entry.  It's all in the way you set up your blog responses.

Please be aware this link is only good for five days, so it's best to post on the 2nd.






12 thoughtful remarks:

Valerie-Jael said...

I loved my virtual trip around your bathroom, thanks! The cardinals are beautiful, we never get them here, sorry to say. You have collected lots of wonderful ornaments and decorations over the course of time, and use them really well. I have a picture in my bathroom that will not hang straight either, I have the feeling that someone/something moves it. My cat used to love sitting on the toilet lid! Have a lovely day, hugs, Valerie

voodoo vixen said...

How lovely your main bath is and I first came across cardinals when we were living in Calgary and they seemed to appear at Christmas time on everything! I love them, they are such a lovely dash of colour in the white winter months.

froebelsternchen said...

Gorgeous decoration - oh wow - this is all arranged with so much love to every detail - I am thrilled about it Elizabeth!
Have a wonderful day Elizabeth!
Hope your Party was fun!
oxo
Susi

My name is Erika. said...

Love seeing your home! How was your ugly sweater party? Thanks for hosting this every month.

Craftymoose Crafts said...

I loved this post the first time and even more so now!I noticed a few things that I don't remember seeing, such as the birds on the towel bars! Beautiful Bath! Thanks for the second look.

sheila 77 said...

Oh great fun and a great tour of your bird art and house. I like the last photo with the cat looking so contented and happy.
Thanks for the "second look" idea, Elizabeth, I enjoyed looking through my own backposts to find a favourite, and it's good to see the previous work of others too, especially much older work.

Darla said...

I look forward to these 2nd posts. I do remember your birdie bathroom but not all the details. It is so well decorated, everything looks like it is placed just where it should be. Smiled at the cat among the birds.

Krisha said...

I've never seen a real cardinal, so I'm envious of Annette and you. I really like your red and white bath and all the wonderful bird pictures.
Thanks for showing it all again.

Viktoria Berg said...

I really enjoy these tours around your house. Am absolutely in love with those glass birds in your window! There is something about stained glass that is absolutely magical. I also find that spiral tree on the washbasin so very charming!

AiyanaKalyna said...

Thank you so much for sharing your room again. I loved your first bathroom tour and loves the second just as much. Cardinals are one of my favorite birds. Your right living in Missouri there are a lot of cardinals. I really love your cardinal stain glass pieces.

Halle said...

I totally forgot about Second on the 2nd!! AGH!
I do enjoy your cardinals. My dad was a huge fan of them as well...your post makes me think of him. :)

pearshapedcrafting said...

Yesterday just dissappeared after I posted my second! A day of traffic jams for us on the 18 mile journey to pick up GD from school, then for my son who had attended a course on the other side of town, which in turn got us into rush hour traffic - by the time we got home we were wacked! I must say Elizabeth you are a shining example of how to decorate a home! I love pictures of Cardinals - never likely to see one irl! For the first time I have boughtsome Christmas soap (in a dispenser ) maybe I will add a few more things to my bathroom! I'mafraid I laugh at the shortening of the word to bath -although we shorten all sorts of other words! Hugs, Chrisx