Chipped To Perfection

Last week was beyond exhausting.

I had only 1 night at home the entire week 

and

I had a weekend conference in Los Angeles.

When I got home yesterday, all I wanted to do was sit on the sofa and read.

When I got up this morning, all I wanted to do was be outside enjoying the spectacular day.

After a walk on the beach, a casual paddle out to the ocean, and a relaxing lunch in the garden, I decided there was time for another favorite pastime - shopping.

I have been looking for a cabinet for the hallway.

As much as I love the red bench, it serves no purpose.

With no time for shopping, I was looking on-line and found a few possibilities at unfinished furniture stores.

I checked my local unfinished store, but they weren't open today.

I have been craving a stroll through my favorite local shop, American Home & Garden.

 I decided that it was worth a look.

Tucked in a corner was this little chippy cabinet.

The color isn't right for my palette, but that can be fixed.

In addition, I found a wire basket and a key on a ring and still came in under budget.

The red bench is gone and in its place is my new chippy cabinet.

It is amazing that the color of the cabinet actually changed when placed in the hallway.

With my favorite Bleecker Street door painting hanging above, it takes on the blues of the door.

I'm in the process of putting up my Halloween mantel so all of my number items were available.

Now, I have time to decide just what will be stored in the cabinet.

Fall break is less than 3 weeks away.  

That will give me time to live with the cabinet and decide if I want to paint it or leave it as it is.

I'm not sure how I got so lucky to find just what I was looking for.

But, after the week I had, I deserve it.

....................................

I am linked up at

No Minimalist Here

Have A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

My 1929 Charmer

My Romantic Home

Common Ground - Vintage Inspiration

Enjoy It

When I got home from school yesterday I told Steve that I just wanted to spend time at home this weekend.

The hardest part of being back at school and coaching volleyball is that my house is not 'perfect' during the week.

At breakfast, I flipped through a digital copy of Homebound Magazine from Post Road Vintage. 

Oh, my!

What lovely photos and inspirational ideas.

I decided I would move a few things around and 'spiff up' the living room.

First I moved my sewing machine base from its home next to the sofa to the other side of the room by the chair.

I moved my antique record cabinet from one side of the sofa to the other.

My little red ladder and red pole lamp ended up on the other end of the sofa.

I can't believe the difference in the room by just moving 3 pieces of furniture.

Decorating the glass top sewing machine base proved to be a bit of a challenge.

With the glass top, the tips of the 4 legs always look funny when viewed through the glass.

I always try to cover them up by whatever is on top of the table.

I tried several different vignettes and finally ended up with a look I like.

The red, yellow and blue cabinet was useless to the right of the sofa because I couldn't open the door.

Now, on the left of the sofa, I will be able to use it for storage.

By moving it, I realized I need a new lampshade.

That will have to wait for next weekend.

I'm not totally sure about the height of the little red ladder to the right of the sofa, but I like having the pole lamp for reading.

I guess I will live with it for a few weeks before making any changes.

When JP got home, I asked him what he thought of the changes.

He looked around the room and said, "I don't see anything different."

Steve walked back and forth through the living room multiple times while I was cleaning and moving.

He didn't notice any changes either!

I notice even the tiniest change, but they are clueless.

My last touch before I sat down to read and look around my room was to change my little scrabble tiles.

Steve is now cooking dinner and I am doing just what I said I should do -

enjoying my house.

I hope the neatness will last through the week!

,......................................

I am linked up at

Common Ground

French Country Cottage

You Can't Always Get What You Want

A new Restoration Hardware catalogue came last Friday.

Flipping through the thick catalog, my eye was drawn to this room.

from the Restoration Hardware catalogue

I love clock faces.

I'm not sure why, except that I love numbers and circles.

I also love letters so this room with oversized eye charts elicited a sigh from me

from the Restoration Hardware catalogue

as did this room with the subway sign.

from the Restoration Hardware catalogue

The chairs are definitely NOT my style, but they are certainly conversation pieces.

As much as I love the Restoration Hardware look, I know I won't ever have it in my home, for a couple of reasons.

First, I can't see myself spending $1200 on a clock, even if it is amazing.

Second, marriage to an artist with a home studio/gallery means my walls are not always mine to decorate.

But, don't feel sorry for me that mine is not the final say in our wall art.

I spent Sunday night away at a conference.

When I returned home, the entryway painting had changed from this painting of a vintage Mercedes in the jungle of Nicaragua, 

to this 'hot off the easel' painting of houseboats in Sausalito.

We rode our bicycles across the Golden Gate Bridge in the summer and I made Steve stop and take photographs of the colorful boats.

I love primary colors and the red, yellow and green houseboat stood out among all the other houseboats.

I may not get to copy the looks I see in my favorite catalogues, but Steve fills my walls with memories.

And, in the long run, I guess I really do get what I want.

Day At The Beach

This is where I spent my work day.

Every year, 

on the third Monday of September, 

I attend a conference in Avila Beach at the San Luis Yacht Club.

The conference,

DAY AT THE BEACH,

is for Activity Directors from the central coast of California to network.

We meet at the yacht club, because we are able to use it free of charge and it is a halfway point for all of us.

In addition to all the great ideas I get for classroom lesson and school activities, I love my short getaway to Avila Beach.

I live at the beach.

But,  I do not live in a beach town.

Ventura is a beautiful town on the coast, but most people in Ventura do not live at the beach.

Avila Beach on the other hand is a charming little beach town.

It is just a two hour drive from Ventura.

We stayed last night at the Inn at Avila Beach and shared dinner on the deck with my colleagues.

Our view from the deck was the sparkling ocean sparsely occupied with mid-September tourists.

Actually, one of my colleagues corrected me and said that few tourists visit Avila Beach.

Pismo Beach is more of a tourist destination because the freeway runs along the ocean.

Avila Beach is off the beaten path and frequented by locals.

It was a beautiful day in Avila, a lovely drive through the golden hills of the central coast and now I am back at home relaxed and ready for another week of work.

Nothing To Do

I awoke this morning with the wonderful feeling that I had nothing to do.

That is not exactly correct.

I have lots to do.

I just don't have anything I have to do.

The third week of school has just ended,

I am settling into my routine,

and we have nothing on our agenda the entire weekend.

Our morning began with our usual walk on the beach.

After breakfast, I worked in the garden which has been feeling neglected since school and volleyball season began.

I knew I should weed and spruce up the garden, but it was a beautiful day so we grabbed the kayaks

and walked over to Little Beach for a paddle.

Back home, I still didn't feel like doing much so I sat on my bench and read.

I was beginning to feel a little lazy and guilty.

Steve was at the store buying the ingredients for his fabulous beef stroganoff and I was simply relaxing.

I decided that dinner in the garden was in order.

I found an old tablecloth and chose my favorite Sabre polka dot utensils.

I took an old watering can and filled it with flowers from the garden.

I have not written a blog post or even looked at my favorite blogs for almost two weeks.

With the table done, I decided to write a post and spend a little time getting inspiration from my favorite bloggers.

The best part - it is only Saturday and I still have nothing I have to do on Sunday.

I just might repeat my Saturday... walk on the beach...work in the garden...kayak...read.

That sounds pretty good!