Winging It

In most aspects of my life, I'm a planner and list maker.

Surprisingly, when it comes to blogging, I pretty much wing it.

I see all sorts of planners, lists and tips on being organized, 

but unless I have just completed a project or have joined a blog hop,

I simply snap a pic for Instagram each day.

And that explains why I don't blog regularly.

But yesterday, this pic I snapped for Instagram actually led to a blog post.

I was looking for a quote to use as a caption and I came across these lovely words from Charlotte Moss.

There are plenty of things "off-key" in my decor,

but the objects "tell our story" or as Charlotte Moss suggests, "play our song".

Grandpa's pitchfork and grandma's sewing machine base make me smile - no singing because you don't want to hear me sing!

The window was used in our son's library themed wedding.

 I found the copper container in boxes Joshua left in the attic - it's mine now.

The hand is just one in my silly collection.

Books are definitely part of who Steve and I are and tucking books into vignettes is one way I can show our love of reading.

Colorful flowers snipped from the garden add just the right touch to the table.

I love keeping the door open so I can look out at the porch.

I should do some planting, but the garden bench is calling me.

So, I'm curious - are you a planner with your blog and/or Instagram or do you wing it like me and just go with something that catches your eye at the time?

It's been over 8 weeks since my surgery and today was my first long walk and this is the view that caught my eye.

Making Necessary Changes

I have been trying to come up with a solution for the living room after two actions left the room bare.

First, I moved this cabinet from the living room to the entry.

Second, the truck painting sold and left the wall bare.

Yesterday I went looking for something along the lines of this table I saw on The Virginia House.

I found three possibilities (sorry for the iPhone pics).

All three have the right measurements and a little extra storage would be nice, but I didn't leave the shop with any of them.

Last night my dreams had bits and pieces from the house flying around my head trying to come up with a solution for the living room.

We moved another large painting, this one of my garden, to the empty wall.

Since I couldn't find a table, I decided to use what I have.

This is sort of a family altar because my mother's cedar chest is topped with an old box of my father's.

The green stripe on the box is actually the original color - I left the stripe when I painted the box with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Old White.

The bottles were gathered from a vignette in the hall.

The spoons were discovered in a cupboard when I was looking for something else.

You can't see it clearly, but the top spoon is engraved with Bates - my maiden name.

The bottom spoon is engraved with Carl so I assume it belonged to my Uncle Carl - close enough to Carol.

The mantel got an update for Thanksgiving with a quote about LIFE in the cast iron urn.

GIVE THANKS is spelled out with some of my favorite blocks, dried flowers team up with candlesticks to give the mantel slight symmetry.

A colorful cabinet that came from the entry had its shelves updated with books, clocks and hands.

I was planning to paint the cabinet in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Old White this morning, but time got away from me.

I also planned to paint this old oar a neighbor found on the beach.

The oar has hung over the window for 15 years so I guess it can wait a few more days for a paint job.

With the white cabinet gone, this wall was bare so Steve added a few paintings for a gallery wall look.

The green table was moved from another wall and a little white cabinet came down from the attic to hold some of my hand collection.

The tweaking took me all morning and even a little of the afternoon, but I feel a little bit like a car mechanic.

I am finished with the living room, but what do I do with all these left over parts?

I will end with a photo to keep me honest.

I always wondered how people kept their white sofas clean.  

I have to keep a quilt on the white sofa at all times because of this little one.

. . . . . . . . 

Drop by these great blogs to see what others are up to:

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesday

Helene's Legacy - Everyday Vintage Link Party

Coastal Charm - Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

White Lace Cottage - The Scoop

Cozy Little House - Tweak It Tuesday

Ivy and Elephants - What's It Wednesday

Sunny Simple Life - From the Farm Blog Hop

Elizabeth & Co. - Be Inspired

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

Heart and Hand

I've been in a changing frenzy for the last few weeks.

First I changed the Expedit in our guest bedroom.

I took things from all over the house leaving empty space wherever I "shopped".

Over the weekend, I finished organizing the guest room  leaving the mantel empty.

I raided my hand collection.

and my heart collection

to create this mantel.

It just wasn't doing it for me so I left it as is for a few days waiting for what I call my "aha" moment.

The moment came last night while reading  Poofing the Pillows.

A stack of books on Stacey's shelves gave me the inspiration to get me to a "happy place" with my mantel.

A newly painted red caddy sits center stage.

 Mary Emmerling's "Hearts and Flowers" and a heart photo album tie the "Heart and Hand" theme together.

I have given up trying to decorate around the painting over the mantel.

This is Steve's most recent painting and it is going to a show next week.

 Who know what will appear next?

It is less than a month until school is out ( Steve is counting) and my retirement party is exactly one month from today.

I have to finish four more pillows for the fire pit.

And two cushions for the patio chairs.

The changing frenzy must end.

Let the creating frenzy begin.

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

I am joining everyone at the following parties

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

Savvy Southern Style - WOW Us Wednesdays

Green Willow Pond - What We Accomplished Wednesday

Pretty Things for You - Whatever You Want Wednesday

books...books...books

Last night while Steve made dinner, I made a table runner.

Before I photographed it, I dug out the yellow box from my work space.

 I couldn't use it with 'cards' so first I had to alter it.

there is no meaning to the number 5, it was just sitting on my work table

A scrap of paper and a rub-on number changed the look.

First came the flowers - hard to find in the garden after 2 days of rain...

Then a book...

And another book...

Some hands...

A clock face plate...

And finally my little C tile.  

I set it on the table and added candles.

Looking around the room and into the living room, I was struck by the number of books I saw everywhere I looked...

under tables and on tables.

placed on shelves and stacked on furniture.

I was reminded of our move to this little cottage 15 years ago.

I loved this house from the beginning, but one thing I didn't like back then was the lack of places to put books.

Books are definitely a part of who we are, but it took us time to remove walls and replace furniture so that we had a place for books.

Now,

there are books to fit our life style,

books about decorating and making books.

There are books I made

including a book for people who are staying at our house to watch Dorje.

There are books for reading. but more and more

we are reading books and magazines on these.

Despite our electronic reading,

I know I will continue to decorate using books.

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

I started to tell you about my heart table runner

But, as in the saying, "the best laid plans of mice and men...",

my plans went astray.

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

I am linked up at

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Twigg Studios

Primp

Six Sisters

The Gingerbread Blog