Sunday, July 18, 2010

Mourning Room


Greetings from my hovel!


I'm spending my early mornings, before I go to work, painting the kitchen. It's my morning room. The light is good, and I'm refreshed, and it is a lovely way to start the day, working on a project I love to do.




I have the walls and ceiling finished - just have the dreaded stairway to do. I have also been painting disparate piece of furniture, and gathering accessories.


Visual Vamp kitchen - I picked up the mirror for over the fireplace


Sometimes I just sit (or stand ) and look at everything. Cholo usually gives me a bark, and I tell him to be quiet because Mommy is having a think.

Cupboard in the kitchen - the back panel got a coat of paint
The color is Oyster Shell given to me by Mitchell


I had alot to think about this week. Our last lively discussion HERE was wonderful and disturbing.

Detail of the cupboard filled with cookbooks and Majolica
I love the wire insets in the doors


In the midst of it we lost one of our decor bloggers HERE


The painted back panel of the cupboard in the kitchen


It's so haunting, and sad, and she and her family are much on my mind. One of you said we lost an angel, and surely we did. Did heaven really need a wonderful interior designer to make a perfect house for someone there?


Oyster Shell painted on the back panel of the cupboard



I wanted to write something. But what? I "know" the blogger like I know so many of you: Through your blogs and e-mail exchanges. I have only had the pleasure of meeting a handful of you in person.

Blogging makes instant friends out of all of us, and since we do spend so much time with one another blogging, we truly do feel connected to one another.


I painted the off-the-rack kitchen island,
and added the handles from the old cabinet doors



I couldn't really write a long detailed account of the woman we lost. I heard the details via a phone call, and talked about the accident via e-mail with some of you. And for days, this sad event has been much in my thoughts.


This is what the island looked like before I painted it
We bought it years ago when we were renting, and it's still a handy thing



The services for the young woman, a lovely wife, a wonderful mother, and an accomplished designer, take place this weekend. Every detail has lovingly been arranged and taken care of as if she were there helping those who feel quite helpless right now.


I painted this credenza that I use for storage in the kitchen
I was inspired by the "Wisteria" knock off I got HERE


Beyond leaving a comment on the last post of her blog, I really didn't know what else to do, except keep her and her family in my heart and prayers.


Sorry for the blurry picture - the "Wisteria" wannabee was just delivered
Scott at Discoveries changed the hardware I asked for, and it looks so good


I wondered if her husband thought her blogging was frivolous and her blog friendships odd. I hope all the comments and posts about his wife give him comfort in knowing how loved she is.


This paint job inspired me to do the same


I also hugged Alberto tight. He has been helping me so much with the kitchen revamp, and we enjoy working together very very much. We feel so blessed to have one another.

So hug someone you love. And be careful out there.



Bakers Rack awaiting the paint brush


Happy Weekend, and say a prayer for Marija and Corey and Olivija and Nigel, and Marija's parents, and for all of her family and friends who love her.

19 comments:

  1. Valorie, this was a lovely post, you making a parody out of your trials with decisions and dealing with the tragedy of what happened this week. Marija will be missed. As bloggers we all want to do SOMETHING......Not ignore....I think what you are doing with your home is going to turn out beautifully. Just keep on keepin on ang go tango for God's sake!
    Maryanne xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's looking beautifull. And there is nothing better than a project when you are feeling blue: they either help you think if you want, or give you something to focus on so you don't have to think too much.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Valerie, a great post and tribute to Marija. I have read several and it must be very comforting to her family to have the outpouring of love at this terrible time. I love how your kitchen is coming along, especially the lovely tall cabinet. Please take lots of pictures when the project is finished. You are doing a great job. Stay inspired!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a lovely way to share your thoughts and your feelings. It is such a helpless feeling when we only have our words and prayers for those who are in so much pain, and we wish we could just fix it and make the hurt go away. Beautiful post, Valorie.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This weekend I plan to peruse Marija's blog. Looking for new ideas.

    Perhaps old ideas, with her varnish.

    Absorb bits of her knowledge, talent, energy. Moving it forward into my own days.

    Knowing remembrance is an act of spirituality.

    Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

    ReplyDelete
  6. Between you and Tara, I'm tearing up again! I have felt very helpless and totally at a loss of what to do. I had emailed with her a few times, and I loved how generous of spirit she was...so ready to be helpful. She was a natural teacher. I started to write something, but I really didn't know her well enough to say too much, and others who knew her better, like yourself, have done such a good job of honoring her. I left message on her blog not knowing what else to do.
    But on another note...I'm painting all over to....just planned to paint the bathroom, and you know what came next....the rest of the house!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Valorie
    I am so sorry that anyone would say something so cruel. I can't even imagine speaking those words to another person - honestly, I can't. It makes me want to quit blogging - it scares me.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Valerie - beautiful work on your kitchen and a kind and thoughfull tribute to our recently dearly departed special person. I join you in prayer
    Helen Tilston

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anon 8:27 And you are the arbiter of common decency and know your boundaries? What a disgrace to see your vile response to this post still standing - a tribute to the host in my opinion. This post would have received a lot of attention because of its content even if Valerie had not mentioned the tragic death of Marija Stephens. The spirit of her post was simply to say that we go about our daily lives consummed by our interests, projects, etc., and yet we find ourselves confronted by others who must do the same, but do it with heavy hearts broken by grief. "Every man's death diminishes me for I am involved with mankind". That is the spirit of the post, dimwit. I was only introduced to Marija's blog over the past few days and I can tell you that my heart breaks for this young family, her mother, friends, and colleagues. How dare you show up here with your ugly bile and attempt to cast what is a beautiful post as one seeking to attract comments. Now crawl back into your hole and eat worms you low life.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello everyone,

    I do not administrate the comments every moment of the day, so the Anon hater that keeps turning up here gets one in once in awhile.

    I apologize for all of you having to endure these comments, and I assure you they will always be deleted.

    I add that sad Anon hater to my prayers. I forgive whoever it is.

    Such hatred comes from unhappiness I cannot even imagine, and I feel very sorry for that person.

    When sad creatures like this surface here, it makes me love and appreciate people like Marija even more.

    There are more good and fabulous bloggers out there than the sad anon hater stalkers, and I cherish every one of you.

    I thank you for always keeping things bearable.

    Hate comments really do not disturb me or frighten me. But I wish the anon hater stalkers would get the message that they are not welcome here.

    xo xo

    ReplyDelete
  11. i am so very excited for this kitchen to be revealed!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cannot wait to see the final product - it's all coming together wonderfully.

    Lovely way to do this post. Marija seemed to have touched the lives of so many of us bloggers with her extremely kind heart whether we had actually met her in person or only shared words with her via emails.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I think you are fabulous to undretake the big jobs you do. I looks and sounds great.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Gracious in your post, and gracious to those without grace.

    Thank you for both.

    ReplyDelete
  15. fun stuff. i can only dream of the fun little trailer. a love nest for two. oh la la.

    you have such spirit VV, it shines in your words, ideas, images, designs.

    thanks for the blog post.

    have you ever visited my blog? please stop by.

    ReplyDelete
  16. You're such a sweet person, Valorie, and your project is coming along beautifully. xx

    ReplyDelete
  17. so lovely, who wouldn;t want a green caravan mourning room. thanks for the inpiration. Carla

    ReplyDelete
  18. can you, uh, come to my house and revamp everything?? you're so talented!

    ReplyDelete