I have wanted - no, lusted for - the ability to paint roses for years and years. Finally last year, I decided to take the plunge. Starting with the "pitiful" top picture you can see my progress. I am only showing you the very, very first attempt (top picture) and the roses from the past week (bottom three). There are, of course, variations in between, but trust me, they are as bad or worse as the top sheet. All but the 3rd one down are painted on colored paper. I've had reams of it for years! The 3rd one down I did a pale blue color wash on a white sheet of copy paper. Just wanted to share and...
Wedding Bouquet & Cake Toppers
Jack and I have been married over 46 years now and I just thought you might like to see some "vintage" cake toppers! This is my wedding ("weeding" now!) bouquet and the 2 cake toppers we had on our wedding cake and shower cake when we got married. Looks kinda sad but I display all of them on a shelf in my living room. See what you can do with making your home entirely yours?!?! No one else in this world has the exact thing and they all mean a great deal to me. :-) Decorate with anything and everythi...
Lamps and Lights
Lighting is tremendously important to a room. Most rooms are dark and dreary. They are building them with more glazing in the last several years but for the most part rooms are dark and dreary. That will dampen the spirit. You need to have light. Our home faces north from the front making for a very dark home. I have to light lamps in some rooms because I react negatively to light-deprived rooms. Even in daylight hours we need to light lamps if need be. Overhead lighting is fine but we need the "mood" setting light of lamps.~*~Above are some of the lamps in my home. They were plain old lamps and...
Importance of Comfort
More "eye candy"I made these little sachets for a lady who wants to include them in her wonderful linens that she sells on ebay. They smell incredibly wonderful! Almost like being in Hawaii.~*~While we all want our rooms to look nice (I know I DO), we often neglect the obvious: comfort. If a room doesn't have comfortable seating the room won't feel right. I see a lot of rooms that have stiff formal chairs that in no way would be pleasant to sit on. I've been in homes where the sofa requires an extra hand to get an elderly person up from the sofa. That is too low. Or the sofa that is so soft/cushy...
What a Monday!
What a day!!! Girls, I'm telling ya I'm beat and it's only 6 pm.I received some delightful surprises in the mail today.........one from a sweetie named Amy. You will notice I've added the envelope and note to my message board in my laundry room. Also I put up the invitation/announcement to my gorgeous granddaughter's "wedding." Now she and Ivann have been secretly married for 7 years now, but she wants a big wedding. THEY are paying for it! (His mother has no clue they've been married all this time.) Anyway, I'll be displaying pictures next month after the big "TO DO"!!~*~Couple of thoughts:1....
Romantic Vinegar?!?!
I've been slackin' since getting home from California. I mean to post several times a week, but sometimes "life" gets in my way!! Hah......Anyway, I found the most wonderful vinegar. Vinegar?, you say. Yes, a vinegar that is beyond description. Now I love balsamic vinegar but I've never tasted this particular brand. But we decided to give it a try and "WOW"!! This is incredible. Can I say it is a "romantic" vinegar - all sweet and delicioso? (Smacking her lips!) It is just vinegar with no sugar or sweetener but you will think you're drinking a sweet drink when you add this to salads. We particularly...
For Amy Joy Henry
I heard today that a very special humble sweet lady has breast cancer. Both breasts have to be removed and lots of chemotherapy must be endured. I was very sad to learn of it. This ribbon was created for that lady. Take it and post it on your blog or website. Pray for her and her family. They will need a lot of prayers and support to get through this difficult time.She once granted me permission to use one of her graphics on her ebay page and I've never forgotten it. What a gracious and kind woman! Thank you, Amy, this is for y...
Making Humdrum Chores Fun
There is no such thing as a humdrum chore. It is our attitude that affects us. As I've said before, I find joy in the mundane things around the house because of the way I approach it. If I have ironing to do, I may take a bit longer to do it, but I go about it cheerfully. It's a difficult chore if one has a bad back, so I "break it into periods of time." I'll iron a few shirts and then come in on the computer and do something, then go back to it and take another "break" when I'm feeling as though I need one. Same with most things. If it is boring to you, it is only because you make it so. Make...
Spending Time & Money
I've been very busy with my laundry room but it is finally finished. Haven't I said that before?!?! I made a darling little clothespin holder and couldn't find a hanger to put in it that would fit. I eventually went to the infant's department at Wal Mart and they gave me a little plastic hanger. That fit, but I shall be more careful with the next ones that I make. Above is a photo of it.~*~I received a magazine the other day that I don't subscribe to, but it had my name on it. I've never cared for this magazine because it is 90% ads. But I wondered why it was sent to me. I immediately emailed...
Finding Unexpected Uses
I was at the crafts store the other day and bought some little cherries for a project I was doing. When I got home I didn't have any room in my sewing/craft room to put them! I kept them on the kitchen counter until I cleaned my sewing/craft room. I have some order in there now - some being a relative term. Hah. Anyway, I had this old vase and some vintage hankies I display and thought "hmmmm........well, what if I just put them in there until I can figure out what to do with them and then wrap a hankie around the vase. Voilà! It turned out even better than I could have imagined. They look adorable...
Make a Date with Yourself
Time for yourself. It is alright and "just fine" to say "NO"! So many people have a hard time saying that when asked to do something. Now, I understand that there are things you have to do, but there are things you don't have to do. The problem is determining which is which. I have no problem saying no. Sometimes when someone asks me to do something, I have a stock answer: "Oh, I'm sorry, I have other plans." I doubt I'd turn down a luncheon date! But when caught unaware, just have a ready answer available for it. I sometimes "schedule" in time for me. I'm a stay-at-home wife, but that does NOT...
Laundry Room Finished Finally!!
Take a look what can be done with a pass-through laundry room from the garage to the hallway. It's a tiny space probably 7' x 8' but I've given it a little "oooomph" with a rose border. I could not find a laundry room border appropriate to my taste and roses never fail! Then I found an old clothespin bag and hung it on a little metal hook. The laundry sign I decoupaged and tried to sell on ebay and didn't sell. Now I'm glad it didn't because it looks adorable in my laundry room. I can make others just like it though, so if anyone is interested go to the miscellaneous page of this site and you'll...
Hubbies DO Love Shabby
I realize I've put on 3 very long photos today, but you need them to see the "spectacularness" of this crystal chandelier. (Only paid $99 brand new!) I've put on yards of chiffon, tied it with organza ribbon and pinned on some little roses I bought from a sweet, magnificent lady on ebay. So I'm showing you what can be done to "fix" a chandelier.We bought it and hubby said, "Our home isn't a crystal chandelier home." I said, "Trust me." (My usual phrase to him!) Our home can be whatever we want it to be, and I wanted that crystal chandelier!! He put it up last saturday night and it was too high....
Do What YOU Like
I tried something different with this little china cabinet I bought when we moved here. Our old home had a built in mahogany buffet and a china cabinet also, so when we moved here we had to get a small china cabinet to hold most of our china and stemware. I whitewashed it and added decals but didn't really like the whitewash because it didn't let the decals show up, but haven't had time to change it until now. I painted the drawers a white and left the rest of it whitewashed and quite like it actually. Then I put on different decals. I really need to change those knobs though. If I like it and...
Don't Be Afraid to Paint It!!
Several years ago my husband, who is a realtor now, was showing some property to a couple. They didn't like the blue color of the house. Telling me the story, he said it's kind of sad that people don't look beyond the superficial things of a wonderful house that they probably would have liked if it had been another color. After all, they only had to paint it! But I've seen a lot of people who pass up great deals and darling items because it isn't "this or that." So I'd like to show you something today that I did.This little butcher block storage cabinet was purchased at Wal Mart of about $85.00...
Laundrys Can Be Attractive!!
I have been looking for one of these for a very long time and finally found one! I want to make my laundry room as attractive as the rest of the house. I'm a believer that every room should be lovely. (Of course, our garage is a different story. It may never be frou frou-y but that's okay. Garages are utilitarian.) But the laundry room is getting a lovely roses border, has a memo board over a panel where all the cable wires are for the house. It just fit nicely there and I couldn't stand having a white panel with "Honeywell Command Center" printed on it showing any longer! Ugh. So this little...
Preferences & Styles Change!
Collections can truly be only papers covered with ribbon as seen in above picture. Whatever you want........it's your choice and your collection. :-)Two of my favorite sayings are: "Do it now "and "There's nothing to it but to do it." I am a "Now" kind of woman. Get it done; don't procrastinate. Instant gratifiction! YES!! So if any one of you is sitting out there now and not sure what to do, just get up and do it. Make that decision. You'll feel much better of course and you won't be stagnant.Our tastes change over the years. When we were first married, we got hand me down furniture from my parents....
Displaying Collections
I rearranged some things on this little sofa table that I have in our entry. Grouping things together is always ALWAYS better to display than just one of something. That's why I "collect"!! I love collections: pitchers, bowls, plates, bird houses (some I buy and some I make) and pretty storage boxes. Other things too but those are the main things. The little suitcase on the right is one I bought from a sweet woman on ebay. I love it and it came smelling divine of vanilla scent. I tucked the little sachet into the pitcher with black and white stripes and you would not believe how sweet my room...
Decorate the Way You Love
I've spent the day rearranging my kitchen and dining area walls. Only one picture today, but it is a roses print by Pam Hall of a_vintage_rose, who is one of my favorite artists. I have a few that I absolutely love and she is one of them. There are decoupaged signs on both walls, a baby dress that was mine when I was a baby, a vintage rose plate, an old wooden box from a California winery that I've painted white, put rose cups on and hung on the wall. Just a plethora of my favorite things that I love looking at on a daily basis. Never be afraid to hang something that isn't "one of the decorating...
Vintage Hankies
Another one of my "hide in plain sight" tricks. I have these vintage hankies and am going to make them into pillows or use parts of them for pillows at some point. However, I am out of space in my sewing/craft room. It's not a big room and so I have to improvise! This is a vintage gate I rescued from our previous house. It is hung on the end of a soffit in my kitchen. So I simply hung the old hankies on it. It not only makes a wonderful and pretty display but it has the added bonus of finding somewhere to "stash" them until I use them in some other way. They truly are gorgeous old hankies too....
Reflections from a Mother's Heart
I am not a journal writer; in fact, I find it very hard to put my thoughts on paper. I am trying to write a history for my children and grandchildren, but that is a great undertaking. I may not ever complete it but there are some thoughts I've put to paper. I really do it on the computer though since I'm usually on the computer and love computers! But we really need to write some things down for our posterity that will be handed down to those who come after us. Soooo I bought these little books in a book store several years ago. I bought one for my son and my daughter. I filled the book and then...
Instead of Framing a Picture...............
I've added some decals to the soffit. And I went shopping to buy some more whimsical plates. Here are the results above.I spent saturday and monday taking plates off the soffit of my kitchen and trying to come up with some new ideas to do. I follow my own rules in decorating. I rarely follow the "established" rules of the decorating divas because I figure I'm "unique" and my home should reflect ME not the magazines or friends. Just ME! So here's what I did. I collect all kinds of ephemera - postcards, cards of roses that people send me, calendars that we used the previous years, just about...
Look with a Different Eye!
This idea came from a friend, Stephanie, who put bunnies in her glasses for the Easter holiday! I thought it was delightful since I have so many stemware glasses. We don't drink any alcohol, but I just love the beauty and gracefulness of stemware and sometimes just use them for water or juices at meals. These are crystal and cost a little more than some can cost, but cheaper one can be found in department stores when sales are going on or at yard or estate sales. You could think of many different things to do with them, but they always add sparkle to a room. I remember when we were in Ireland...
Looking at "Fluff"
This little note holder that I made about 3 years ago is on the wall behind my desk. It holds beautiful roses note papers for when I want to send a lovely note along with something I sell, but it also a visual reminder to me of beauty. When I start feeling frazzled from being at this computer (for hours sometimes!) or in the sewing/craft room, I look at all the "fluff" – this is what I call all my knick-knacks, bibelots and furbelows in my home – and just smile. So I truly do advise people that when you are feeling overwhelmed or simply "whelmed" get out of your chair and walk around. Look at...
Hiding in Plain Sight
As I've said before, use what you have and "hide in plain sight." Well this is a good example of that. I bought this little wood box many years in California and just kept it back in my hobby room for years before I decided to make it into something special. I painted it and made some graphics and text to decoupage onto it. It's relatively small but I love the look of it and it is "my box!" As you can see it contains some wonderful little glass beads that I intend to make into something very special shortly. But my message here is that everything around you can be beautiful - even plain little...
Enjoy Your Age and.......Chocolate!
Life is a process; never rush it! There are some 12 or 16 year olds that are trying their best to look 20 or 25 years old. I've seen young women or pre-teens today who, when asked how old they are almost inevitably answer with "almost 12" or "almost 16" in lieu of admitting their true age. Almost all of them have a friend who is older than they are - even if only a few months. I tell them this: "When your friend is 50 years old you will be able to truthfully say that you are still in your 40s." This may not make sense or even register with them what it means now, but they will when they are 49!...
Feed Your Soul.........
Never halt in the ascent of trying to touch the human heart. It feeds our soul. Sense stimulation helps keep us in touch. Learning to see is the basis for all the arts except music. Music is the fourth great material of our nature–first food, then clothing, then home, then music. Beauty nourishes. Food feeds all our senses, as well as our bodies. Our eyes and noses are especially essential in the eating ritual. Pick up a fresh strawberry or orange or a bright red apple. Feel it, look at it, smell it. There is beauty in mundane things....
Don't Throw That Away!
I had a little candy dish that I loved, but during our move in 2005 it got "crunched" - a word I like better than broken - and I waited and waited for my sweet hubby to fix it, but he is so busy that I just gave up. The lid survived and was intact though. I didn't want to throw it away as it has roses on it. And if you know me or have been reading this page or my blog you KNOW how I feel about roses! So instead of throwing it in the trash I hung it on the wall in my office behind my desk. It has a little "lip" that make it just perfect for hanging. If you love something enough just find a new...
Celebrate "Ordinariness"
There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and, after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. Of course, we have special events in our lives, but ordinary days need to be celebrated also. You have power over your daily life; no one else. What you do with it is entirely up to you. Celebrate even the mundane daily tasks. As I've said before, I like to putter. For me that can be taking apart a sock drawer and weeding out the socks with holes in them to discard or the silverware drawer and cleaning out the little crumbs that get in there. It can...
Aprons!
Aprons.....yes, aprons. I wear one when I cook or do my painting. I love aprons. They come in all kinds of sizes, prints, designs, shapes and can be just so pretty. I've made them for my use and sold a couple of them, but my favorite is one I purchased at a yard sale. It is a huge butcher's apron with "Art's Grocery" embroidered in red across the top. It was so long that I had to cut if off some at the bottom. It came to my ankles! Now it just comes to my knees. But it is heavy canvas - a true butcher's apron and it has softened over the years of washing it, but I love it. I paid 25¢ for it!!...
The Joy of Fresh Scented Towels
Something I thought of today while toweling off from my shower is freshly scented towels. My granddaughter asked me a couple of years ago what kind of laundry detergent and fabric softener I used. I asked her why and she said, "Because your sheets and towels always smell so good." What a compliment!! She noticed!! And I did tell her. But I have always been sensitive to smells - in the good way, not the allergic way. I love lovely scents. I have so many perfumes I'd never have to purchase another bottle in my lifetime. But today my towel smelled of a new fragrance I bought recently. A perfume....
Storage Can Be Beautiful!
I've sung the praises of beautiful storage for years and years. Today is just another example of what you can do.Since we downsized 2 years ago to about 1/3 the size of our other house, finding places to store has just about gotten the best of me! One of my "mottos" has always been: Hide in plain sight. So I'm always looking for ways to be creative while living beautifully. I don't have the area I used to have for my hobbies so I have been trying to "make do" with the kitchen countertops area. While my sweet hubby never ever complains, I still wanted to get it out of the kitchen - especially the...
Eye Candy --- Yummy!!
I'm a visual person. I like to see "eye candy" and so I decorate thusly. One of the things I did was make these delightful faux petit fours. Very easy to do. I bought the little strawberries in a tiny boutique in Bend, Oregon on a vacation once and they are so real looking I have to watch children who visit because they try to eat them! The little pastry stand on which they are arranged I bought very cheaply at an online store. It serves no other purpose than to please my eye. As I said: "eye candy." Oh, the apples? They're my husband's snack! They are for real....
Beautiful Patio Blinds
I detest vertical blinds; however, when we had this house built we had to have them. I scoured the stores and catalogs until I come find one I could live with. My main problem with them is that the "swing" when opening or closing them, thus sometimes causing them to break. I may not have found the "prefect" solution, but they are definitely much, much better the way I bought them: with a sheer curtain over them. Actually the "panels" are inserted into each of the sheer curtain panels. They hardly swing at all and even provide a light filtering privacy that I adore. So you have the ethereal looking...
Bed Sheets
Bed sheets. I'm fanatic about soft sheets. You can buy vintage sheets, but sometimes they are hard to find in queen or king size. But that shouldn't stop us from truly beautiful sheets. My ideal sheet would be white cotton. I love flowers but white sheets are my favorite. I have a blue sheet that I just love because it is the softest one I have. It is all cotton and I purchased it from a K Mart. Yes, it is the softest sheet I've ever lain on. I feel it in my whole body. It is a delicious luxurious feel to legs and feet especially. Sheets that are only polyester are rough. They may last longer...
Being Happy is the Goal
I thought of something today. Being happy and peaceful, especially at home but also in any place where you spend a lot of time, is the goal: stimulating the senses is one way to start. Learn to "tease" yourself into doing necessary and useful tasks by stimulating your senses. Think of the fountain pen squeaking across fine white paper. Smell the fragrance of the ink. Feel the smooth pen in your hand. Have a light bulb ring with the glorious scent of plumeria; you'll think you are in Hawaii. These oils can be bought for very little in many natural food stores or on line or ebay. Put a lovely small...
Make Workspace Gorgeous
I'm a work-at-home-wife. LOL Aren't we all?!?! Anyway, I keep my office girly girl chic. I have so many ..... well, check below for all the things I've said so far. This is a picture of a little antique sewing drawer I bought on ebay for all of my CDs that I work with to create templates, logos, business cards (like you'll never ever find anywhere else) and gorgeous address labels that I'll be selling on here within a week or so. This is my own little world in my own home. It is a refuge for working. If I'm reading, I'm in a big cushy leather chair in my family room. Hmmm, I'll post pix of my...
Being Nice
It's always in good taste to be nice. Seriously, there isn't any reason to not be kind and nice. I try to live like this, but don't always succeed. However, I am never, ever nasty or unkind to the woman who cuts my hair: the best hairdresser in this state!! Remember that because she is the woman who holds the scissors and can ruin your day - or even weeks ahead!!...
Kitschy & Whimsical!
Everyone should have something kitschy and/or whimsical in their home. It surprises your guests and makes them smile. Isn't that what we want to do - bring smiles, happiness and "unexpectedness" - in a lovely way, of course - to visitors to our homes?...
