Friday, finally

Hello, all you Friday lovers. Do you have some fun lined up for the weekend?

Today I thought I'd show you one of my first blogging projects and how it has evolved. It started with a blog party. My inspiration was this:

 

a picture from a magazine, saved and framed. It might have come from an issue of Real Simple. My recreation was this:

 but more than a year later it had gotten messy and disorganized. With a little work, we now have this:

It's neatened up considerably, but still represents my interests well. There's a button from the Betsy-Tacy Society,sheet of caricatures of Mr. B made by a co-worker years ago,  photo of a favorite author, Anne Tyler, birthday card from a friend featuring a fat gray cat, stamps from packages received, Texas postcard and much more, including the so true statement, Everything is better with bacon. Instead of just tacks or push pins it employs hooks, clothes pins and envelopes to handle the contents, and is a good place for favorite pins acquired over the years, including one the cheerful demonstrators of Tillamook cheese gave me the last time they visited our local Kroger. Can you see the little deer clothespin? It's one of a set of cute woodland creatures middle daughter Mary gave me for Christmas. I rotated the table in here, so now the board is in front of the window blocking some of the blinding sun this room gets, facing east, right behind the laptop. It's always cheering to rest your eyes on things you enjoy when you lift them from the computer screen, isn't it?  Thus winds up this week. I hope yours was restful and/or productive with something nice to anticipate for the weekend!

Have a good one,

Michele

Just a little decorating

Hello, all,

This is going to have to be short and sweet because the day is racing by.

Continuing my movement through the house at approximately the speed of a glacier, today I made it to the dining room centerpiece. Here is the end result:

It seemed like a good idea to add a little glitter and shine to that table of mine because the room is dark and this time of the year days are short and light at a premium. It is a round tin tray with a mercury glass pedestal bowl heaped with cut glass decanter stoppers and a mirrored piece once part of a candlestick under the big cloche. Nothing fancy, but good till next month and Valentine's day!

And now I must love you and leave you and go do some early dinner prep so Mr. B won't complain he's starving when he walks in the door!

Till next time,

Michele

Slow but steady

Hello, all,

I said the dining room was next to be fluffed after the great glitz removal, so that's where my effort was concentrated today. It's simple, to go along with the plainer evergreens from yesterday:

The terrarium has pine cones and one candle in a mercury glass holder.

Here is a closer view.

Also, since it's right there next to the terrarium, here is the new shade picked up at the Manna store Monday. Isn't it too cute? Especially for $2.00.

I haven't forgotten the center of the table, am am still working on something to go there. Do you have trouble coming up with ideas after December?

Take it easy!

Michele

January

Hello, Friends,

Did you get a new calendar for 2014, or maybe more than one? Mine is very funny, a gift from a friend. Looking at this month, although it is super busy for our family, there isn't a whole lot to use as a hook to decorate. We just took down the glitter and glitz of Christmas, and in a couple of weeks it will be time to think about Valentine's Day, more bright colors and excuses to shine. But until then, maybe a little austerity is in order.

Here are two areas fixed up simply for this in-between time:

The end table by the sofa, close to the door and the desk have both been treated to some evergreens in off white containers, a pitcher from Ikea and a shabby chic can. These are artificial, since our cats try to eat anything live indoors, which exacerbates the hairball issue no end. It's easier to use fake greenery in the house. I like the touch of color and simplicity of these modest displays; it's a start. Tomorrow, on to the dining room!

Do you have a general theme through the year and never deviate, or try to work with holidays and seasons, which can be confounding at times. Right now this feels like an adequate start. 

Have a good one!

Michele

A new week

Hi, Folks,

Sorry for being AWOL, but I'm having a hard time adjusting to 2014. Between extra cold weather last week, two celebrations between Monday and Friday and trying to get used to Windows 8, my brain about seized up for good. However, I'm hoping to do better from now on. 

Although the picture at the top of the blog hasn't been changed, there are a few others around here, notably in the Fairy Garden. It looks like the gnome has decided to roam for a while. He left a pretty fairy to house sit for him:

 

Here you see she just flew in and is perched on the chimney, perhaps wondering if she should stay or not. 

Now she's standing by the front door; that seems like a good sign. There is a new mushroom that's popped up to greet herand the little dog stayed behind. 

The neighborhood has also acquired a mailbox and she has a little fire pit for chilly nights; really, along with the birdbat and little table, what else could she ask for?

This is a small Cicely Mary Barker Flower Fairy ornament found in a bag of assorted things at a local thrift shop recently. The gnome took such a beating from the sun he's in need of re-painting in the worst way. It is wonderful to have pleasant weather now and be able to spend a few minutes outside without being miserable. Yes, Texas weather isn't even considered cold by some of you who live farther north, but think about it--if we live for months on end with temperatures over 95 degrees day in and day out, getting to 25 is a huge shock to our systems! 

May your week be off to a good start and only get better!

Later, Michele

First '14 Thrift Scores

Hello, Friends, 

Are you busy TG ing the day of the week, glad of a weekend ahead even after all the recent holidays? I suspect you aren't alone. This is a good time of the year to visit thrift shops, at least here, because people seem to be in a frenzy of clearing out at the first of the year. Here are some of my recent finds.

A nice vintage Christmas tablecloth, two Villeroy and Boche place mats with a border of holly leaves and berries. Two winter themed plates with cheery cardinals and a red mercury glass candle holder. A pink and brown new ornament with a C on it headed to my granddaughter, and red and blue plaid sheet and pillow cases in cozy flannel that will pair with a solid red fitted sheet. These are nice, but not remarkable. Then we come to this:

This score came from Goodwill. It is new, with tags still attached made by Jan Constantine. A search on the internet showed one smaller than this, 10"x 14" versus mine which is 18" x  13". The one online was $67. The one in the picture was $2.99. Score!

Almost as big a favorite comes an item with a back story. Years ago, maybe 10 or more a friend and I were shopping for books. We stopped at one thrift where the books weren't much, but I did pick up this:

Ever since it's been a trusty companion for overnight trips with never a problem. The zipper works, handles are sturdy and it holds a lot. Imagine how delighted I was then, to find its first cousin:

a backpack purse in the same pattern! None of these things cost more than $5 and many were considerably less, like the Mercury glass candle holder that was .30 cents. It seems the thrifting year is off to an auspicious start. May your finds be just as thrilling in 2014!

Take it easy, 

Michele

Happy New Year!

Hello, all. 

How were your holidays? Wonderful, I hope. Ours were nice. I am sorry they're over and hate taking down the decorations. I am writing this post on my present from Mr. B, a spiffy new laptop. It's giving me brain strain trying to use it, but it's a dream compared to my old one.  Today has been all about trying to clean up and find places for the stuff from the attic, which has been a challenge, since there don't seem to be enough containers and storage items for what we used. It's very strange. Tomorrow there will be a real post. For today, though, there is this:

 

Till next time,

Michele