Empty Hutch... Empty Room... Can you hear the echo? Echo...

      ***  Those of you who are just reading this post: Please note the change of guidelines for the giveaway below.  Teacher is trying to make this easier for her students... This general post will close for comments at 12 am PST tonight (8/25).  Look for the next post tomorrow to help me decorate!!!***

Ugh.  The last few days have been emptying ones.  First, I took ya'lls advice and emptied the hutch (Mostly...). Okay.  Empty.  Now what?  Well, my creative juices have fallen to another empty area.  Moving my classroom.  **Insert foreboding music of some kind... your choice...**

     Let me show you the hutch first, since most of you are probably reading this because, well, ya like primitives.  If you really want to know about the Schoolmarm in the blog's title, that part is at the end.  Okay?  Fair warning...

     So this is all of the junk treasures I took off.  When you are doing a complete overhaul, I would suggest grouping your items into like categories.  For example, put your crocks together on your work area, or textiles, or however you wish.  Reason?  Well, it is easier to shop in a grocery store for items that are grouped, so, it is easier to "shop" your own items when redecorating.

 

    So, now what... Now what??? I am not sure what to put back on!  Like I said in the previous post, I would like to go for a primitive buttery look.  Here are 3 things I would like to accomplish:
          1.  Well, "The Look"
          2.  Less cluttered, thinned out.
          3.  Balance and grouping to allow the eye to focus.

You can see what items to "shop" on the table.  What suggestions do you have for the 3 zones?
Zone 1- The main large area
Zone 2- Shelf #1
Zone 3- Shelf #2
Zone 4- The top

     Now, it's your turn as my dear friends who can't be here in body, but are present in spirit, to voice what would you like to see.  I will try your ideas, and then post them for you to vote on.   

When we get "the look", we will celebrate with a Giveaway!  Rules for the Giveaway:

1. Be a follower. 

2. Post on the first post that is open with your desire to be entered. For the "extra credit"- see below!

Now, for extra credit you can:
1. FOR EACH ZONE- Make a viable suggestion in the form of a sentence (An example of an answer that would get a big, fat X would be- "Move a crock to a shelf.").  I have listed zones, and I will do a post per zone for us to play around with.  Once you and I are somewhat satisfied, we will "close" the postings for that zone at midnight and move on to the next zone.

2. You can only make one VIABLE suggestion per post.  BUT, each post in which you make a suggestion on counts as extra credit.

3. If I don't use your idea, it doesn't mean you won't get credit, or that I don't like it. Please don't feel sad if I don't use it.  I will feel sad. Charlie will feel sad.  Bailey will feel sad.  And that, my friends, is a stinky giveaway.

4. I will declare the entire hutch finished with my husband giving the final vote that he likes the whole thing.

5. I will then give one week fair warning for anyone who wants to enter by just leaving a comment on the FINAL POST (The reveal of the finished, husband-approved hutch). It will be titled "Final Answer".

6. In that final post, I will announce the date at which I will pick the winner.

***You do NOT have to post this giveaway in your blog.  I am not going to give extra credit for that because some of you don't have blogs.  But, if you want to, here is a funny picture you can use.  Be sure you link to this post if you use it because all of my wacky directions are on it.  Really you all get an extra post for just reading the directions (More that what some students do!  Did I say that out-loud?)***

Hmmmm... What do you win? A box of prim goodies.  To be revealed as we go...

     And now to "The Marm" part.  Okay, so here is my old classroom.  Empty.  9 years of memories of dear children. Everyone at school keeps remarking on how big my classroom is without the stuff in it.  Well, duh, of course it is!  It is missing desks and children and projects and centers and comfy chairs and well, you get it.  Here is my new room, new style, waiting for organization and new memories...

More to be revealed later...

Here are just some silly pictures.  I posted these on Facebook because Charlie needs to go into hiding because he ripped up a couch pillow and the corner of my "Home is Best" pillow.  So, he is in "hiding".  He kind of looks like Ponch from "C.H.I.P.S."! LOL!  Well, Charlie, if that truly is him, says, "Let the giveaway begin"!  Put in your request below, and if you like, you can make a suggestion for the decor of the hutch.  I will post more pictures of specific items to "shop" through to place on the hutch in a few days.  Let's just brainstorm now, okay!  Thank you all for reading, encouraging, helping, whatever part you play...You are appreciated!

Love and hugs,

    Heather

For Your Consideration...

Hey! Look at that!  I remembered to put a title.  Genius!  So this picture of "bricks" is some wallpaper I picked up for $4 a roll.  I bought two.  They are textured and have a lot of the colors through out the room.  Now, I am only going to make an accent wall out of it.  I haven't showed hubby it yet, I figure that I would tape it up so he can see what I am thinking.

Old Arrangement

     So, here are some areas I need your opinion on.  I wish you all could come over for coffee and help me figure it out.  I get in a holding pattern sometimes, moving things and then staring at them for a while.  But,  I feel like I am always in a pattern of staring at different arrangements for awhile.  

     Ugh.  I have these little houses on my window sill right now.  Above is what it looked like before.  I am not sure if I am loving the houses or not.  Do you think this is the right place to display them?

      Okay, so this is really where I need help.  This is the hutch I told you about yesterday.  I want it to be like a buttery.  First off, the top.  It doesn't have to be a buttery, but I feel like it is too busy.  I have other big crocks and such I could use.  What would you take off or what would you leave? Ugh.

     Then, the middle shelves...  I have looked at all kinds of pictures of primitive butterys.  I have some old bowls and crocks and such.  I can't find any example that is similar to my style hutch.  I just feel like the shelves and top are very hodge podgey.  That isn't bad necessarily, but what do you think?  I just think there are too many things, and your eye doesn't have a focal point.

Well, that's it for now!  Thanks for stopping by to help me decorate!  Feel free to have as much coffee as you would like!

Still have some items for sale on eBay.  I also have other goodies for sale on the pages on the tabs at the top of the page "The Marm's Pinkeeps and Hand-dids" and "The Marm's Treasures for Sale".  I have seen other blogging friends who have stopped selling on eBay.  I am really debating that one too.  One week, there are lots of views of items.  Then, this last time, there were a lot that had zero.  I am heading in the direction of selling on the blog and on Facebook.  Stay tuned... :)

Love and Hugs!!!!

Heather