Around the House

Well.....I hit a local antique store after reading about it on another blog. I was feeling a bit bluesy with all the changes of the school year and the drama that kids can bring to it, so I probably was an easy retail target that day. One thing I found that I am in love with is this little weathered parlor chair.

I wanted something with a touch of vintage flair to it that I could set my Diet Coke, iPad, and magazines on when I go for a long soak. (A bath is an escape around here). It is sturdy enough I can use it while slipping on my socks and shoes so it is perfect.

I am still in dire need of more decor around my sanctuary spot!

All the windows in the antique mall reminded me I had a few more in the basement of my old home. I ran home and grabbed one to bring to my new house.

I love the little flakes of blue that survived the high pressure shooting of the hose.

I did have a few other things on this armoire top, but I liked the size of this window better, so I swapped them out. With a few little touches I am liking this one better for the space.

I have added glass ware and bottles to my vintage 'to find' list, now that I have this little place to tuck a few more.

This next corner (I know, not decorated yet! Oh, the possibilities, right?)was one of the selling points of the house. I have always wanted a reading nook of some sort, complete with an outside view and plenty of shelves. This is a little wing in the Master Bedroom area.

Now that I have the space, I just need to add the shelves and outside landscaping to complete my corner! I got a shelf for Mother's Day, but it wasn't here yet when I snapped this photo. Let's call it my "before" photo and I will show you more as I get it done.

This weekend was the first day of our yard clean-up.

Have you ever looked at a pile of weeds and thought "wow...every thing in that pile was pulled by an (aching) hand." This truck full was a lot of work. We probably won't begin our landscaping until next spring, just due to some of the major stuff that needs to be done and we aren't ready to get to it yet.

But I do have my happy place on the porch.

I am anxious to get my house where I want it to be but life is reminding me....it's all about the process.

Little by little, we decorate our life

Spring Tag Time

One of the bonus benefits of being from a large family, who is also a creative group of women, is the instant artistic swaps we can organize. One quick Facebook message will start a tag swap for a dozen of us at a time.

I just finished my spring tags to exchange with sisters, nieces, and my mom.

I love the idea of running patterned and colored paper through the printer.

This tag background is from the free image gallery at Ceremony.

I love how it turned out on this paper.

After finding some sort of mixed media vintage image that I was excited about, (not hard at Moonlight Journey) and some spring sentiments, I could start assembling the tags.

Funny, I was so in love with that birdcage, and then I just covered it up.

Oh well, part of the process is loving what you do step by step.

Adding a few more tidbits and an ink stamp or two, and I am finally liking the final image

The quote comes from the following poem

If I Had my Life to Live Over Again

I'd dare to make more mistakes next time.

I'd relax, I would limber up.

I would be sillier than I have been this trip.

I would take fewer things seriously.

I would take more chances.

I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.

I would eat more ice cream and less beans.

I would perhaps have more actual troubles,

but I'd have fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I'm one of those people who live

sensibly and sanely hour after hour,

day after day.

Oh, I've had my moments,

And if I had it to do over again,

I'd have more of them.

In fact, I'd try to have nothing else.

Just moments, one after another,

instead of living so many years ahead of each day.

I've been one of those people who never goes anywhere

without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat

and a parachute.

If I had to do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had my life to live over,

I would start barefoot earlier in the spring

and stay that way later in the fall.

I would go to more dances.

I would ride more merry-go-rounds.

I would pick more daisies.

Nadine Stair,

85 years old.

What would you do differently if you did it over again?