pictures & walls

Our home was built about 30 years ago....old enough that it has older home issues yet not old enough to bear the charm of an older house.

The girls & I bought this home the year after my first husband Gregg passed away. The girls at that time were all under the age of 4. The area was known for its top notch schools. My parents had also found a wonderful home in the same neighborhood with a pool! We have loved this area....we are just minutes from our church ( which we love), both our parents live within 10 minutes, savannah is loving life at a huge high school, dan is the assistant principal at a high school that is just around the corner, and our friends are here.

I'm not so sure this is our forever home, but for now i am content.

The house needed many cosmetic touches. Over the years I have personally painted every room in the house, including all the hallways. As much as i embrace my ocd tendencies...they fall short when it comes to big projects. I am one of those who 'wants it done yesterday'. Once I make my mind up to do something, i become completely impatient. Therefore my painting skills leave much to be desired. But hey, I'm cheap labor!

Just as everyone else, my style has changed dramatically over the years. When I look back on pictures of my home from years ago i think--why didn't someone stop me? I surely was the most manic decorator with clutter everywhere....tidy yes, but totally overwhelming with stuff. I'll never forget the day I walked into my home (about 7 years ago) and thought I must get rid of some of this. I needed calm surroundings that flowed from room to room. Well, what I need is a beach cottage, but that's another story.

I started painting many of the rooms more creamy whites. Bedrooms with white down filled duvets & oversized fluffy pillows. Hung a few chandeliers. Took almost everything off the walls. I have a huge clock face in the family room, a few large antique clocks here & there. Instead of using wall space I have chosen to prop things up like the large mirror over my bedroom dresser or portraits leaning up against the wall and some old chippy white frames grouped together over my mantel. This allows me freedom to move things around & avoid the dreaded 'nail holes everywhere look'. Now don't think its plainarama...we have lots of windows & i have chosen the no-window-treatment look. I love the sunlight.

We had a large scripture placed on my living room wall similar to the ones featured by wonderful graffiti. I would love to add maybe a large monogram over my bed someday too.

Don't get me wrong....i love homes and shops that are filled with eye candy... my eyes going from thoughtfully placed item to the next. But personally for me, keeping all these treasures dusted & in their proper place just took up too much time , so i chose to simplify.

I've jokingly referred to myself as a former clutter queen ( who saved everything & collected even more) turned minimalist~ but its really true. I have way pared down objects & have tried to have things in my home that are both functional ( snore) and lovely ( to me anyway). If it isn't being used, worn, or provides some strong sentimental value, than I've tried to sell it or give it away ( or at least store it in an organized fashion). When I shop I try to visualize where i will place the item before I get home with it.....if i really can't think where I'd place it...then i usually leave it at the store.

I love my girls. I love taking pictures of my girls. I love looking through those pictures over & over again. I print them, place them in photo albums, scrap book them, make things with them, play with them on the computer, print them on canvas, etc. Which brings me to my current dilemma. Since minimizing clutter I now have only a few shots framed , mostly in our family room. Most of my frames are from dry-ads dancing ( especially the wide molding ones). There are picture frames scattered here & there and some portraits hung in our foyer and up the stairs hallway. But I no longer have the plethora of photos on display ( sigh).

During the holidays I covered a 36x24 cork board with tan linen & placed in the kitchen. I have a couple dozen snap shots that I will change out seasonally. This does give me a great area to peek at my fave shots.

But I'd love to take maybe a 5x7 or an 8x10 of each of the girls and place each one in an individual over sized dryads frame and group these together---on the wall ( gasp)! I love this dramatic look but just trying to decide where I'll place them.

I have chosen my four fave individual pictures of girls that seem to flow well together, each similar but taken in four different years. I thought about ordering them each on a 16x20 canvas, but the frame gig will allow me to change them as I desire. Goodness, dare I say I've become practical :)

Which brings me to my second frame issue.

Years ago upon entering one of my beloved shops at Seaside, I saw these frames & they nearly took my breath away, seriously!

Honestly, the pictures do not do them justice. They are absolutely fabulous in person...I mean absolutely fabulous. You can find them in many great boutiques & shops, and even on ebay ( found some today 10% off plus free shipping). Sugarboo Designs has greatly increased their awesome inventory. Go immediately to the website & check out all the wonderful options. Anyway, the entire line is incredible. pick your colors & choose from the most amazing quotes. I would love this one, in cream-duh. Of course, i must first figure out exactly where it's going to hang, errrr I mean prop !

doesn't this one make you all teary?

this one is so me & dan~~

"An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstances. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break. May you be open to each thread that comes into your life - the golden ones and the coarse ones - and may you weave them into a brilliant and beautiful life."

So turns out, she now has a few items, a little less pricey through Pottery Barn kids..

don't you just love these!!

Oh , by the way if we ever sell our home, I'm sure the future buyers will be completely disappointed with the quality of my interior painting....shhh....maybe they'll be so distracted by the great frames they won't even notice!

speaking of love

a things that are making me love life today

starbucks grande non-fat vanilla rooibos tea latte


"Full leaf African rooibos tea(naturally caffiene free), also known as red tea, paired with Tahitian vanilla and cinnamon. Sweetened with classic syrup and topped with steamed milk and velvety foam." ...starbucks

girls i'm telling you....this is insanely yummy & weighing in at only 160 calories you can't afford not to have one!!
i think maybe now i'm feeling sorta sassy & sophisticated
now that i can say that i "drink tea" ..right?


my latest thrill from anthropologie, second only to the boots, is my new skirt :)
i must tell you , for the first time in my, albeit boring, fashion life, upon entering anthro the other day, i turned left.
do you know what this means?
it means for the first time ever, i went straight to the clothes side, not the home decor side.
huge milestone for me
for years , although i loved everything they have, i just never felt i could wear their clothes. i mean for goodness sakes, most sizes they feature are 0-2. i mean really.
but after working my tail off for the last year & thankfully being 30lbs lighter, while still far from a size 0-2, i finally feel i can put on a couple of their items. big thrill i tell ya!
my nike running shirt
mine isn't black , although i guess maybe if i was trying to keep up my newly defined sassy & sophisticated self, i would have picked out black.....but mine is a wonderful blue--actually the same blue as all these link highlight things.
i love to run is this-thus making it easier to fit in said anthro skirt.... it keeps me dry & warm plus it has these totally wonderful long arm thingies that my hands can fit into. means i don't have to run in my gloves & i love this... much easier to whip around my ipod to find beyonce's single ladies...which i highly encourage you to first pause my playlist, open the link up , turn your volume up, learn that dance & just try to tell me you don't also love this song


my new beth moore bible study
love her....well, both beth & esther

vera bradley's new spring line

hope garden, definitely too cute

this i don't have yet but i think i'd love to try it

anyone think its worth its weight in gold?

would it make me look as young as i think i am when i attempt beyonce's dance ?

i don't have this either

i'm thinking maybe its only cute if you too are a size 0-2 which she most definitely is & i've already confessed i'm not

& for my final item i must tell you i've stumbled ( i know, where have i been) onto big mama's blog. she seriously makes me laugh out loud.
go check her out, especially this post

love~~

made little one a snack today

she told me she left me a love note.....

how stinkin' cute is she?

a couple of things out there in blogland that i must share with you...

#1~She's back!!

I'm so thrilled I just can't stand it!

I have carried her picture around in my bible for months

Her family's picture is on my photoboard

& the little painting ( as shown above) i purchased for duhbuduh is hanging on my art table

not a day has passed where I haven't thought of her & prayed she would heal

today she made her first blog post since the crash

i had to email her, as i'm sure tens of thousands did also

i just had to tell her how much this girl in atlanta,

whom she'll probably never meet

just loves her so~

#2~ cutie pie Kasey is doing a totally fab give away.

in my next life, i think i should come back as Kasey
for crying out loud...

she has the cutest little home

& an anthrolpologie wardrobe that i sinfully covet..

#3~ precious Cathy

Cathy is one of the sweetest warmest people i've ever known. Cathy is amazingly talented & makes the most wonderful charms , beautiful handmade priceless treasures. I can tell you , she puts a her heart in each one she creates from her wonderful cottage home.

Her daughter & my middle two girls have become best of friends. They instant message & email each day & have done so for months. They speak of Kirstie as if she's just right here & truly a part of their day.

I love talking to Cathy, sharing secrets, asking mom advice

( she's an incredible "mum"~ wink) & just truly treasuring our friendship.

Only bummer....precious Cathy lives in Australia. Well, that in & of its self is not truly a bummer just makes it hard to hang out & have tea together.

Sweet friend wrote an entry today that just warmed my soul.

I am so glad I found you sweet friend

You are a kindred spirit indeed

& one day, yes i truly believe one day,

i'll hug your neck in person instead across the sea

xo

these were in one of the devotional emails i receive...

thought you'd enjoy

smk summer 08

– Never outgrow your love of sunsets.

– Love God more than you fear hell.

– Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.

– Make major decisions in a cemetery.

– When no one is watching, live as if someone is.

– Succeed at home first

– Don’t spend tomorrow’s money today.

– Pray twice as much as you fret.

– Listen twice as much as you speak.

– Only harbor a grudge when God does.

– Treat people like angels; you will meet some and help make some.

– ‘Tis wiser to err on the side of generosity than on the side of scrutiny.

– God has forgiven you; you’d be wise to do the same.

– When you can’t trace God’s hand, trust his heart.

– Toot your own horn and the notes will be flat.

– Don’t feel guilty for God’s goodness.

– The book of life is lived in chapters, so know your page number.

– Never let the important be the victim of the trivial.

– Live your liturgy

score!

This past week I spent a great deal of time cleaning out drawers, closets & cabinets.

This former packrat, now proudly, shall I dare say borderline minimalist, loves a good decluttering! Filled up the suburban more than once & headed over to goodwill & the local co-op. When I arrived out our little community co-op I went inside to see if anyone could help unload & sure enough, there was a table , just beside the door labeled "free items".

At least 14 dozen vintage pink ornaments in their little vintage boxes were there

...are you kidding me?

I asked the lady if all of them were really free...I mean where have these people been...a tiny fortune in vintage goodness laid there before me! She said yes & please take them... please. So I picked up a couple of the boxes & then again she tells me to please take them, that they really needed the space.

Couldn't bring myself to take every last box but I did leave with about 10 dozen---I honestly think she was more relieved that I 'took' all the ornaments than that I had a huge car full of donations!

So coming holiday '10 we'll have a super cute vintage pink shiny brite wreath

....or maybe I should whip it up for valentines.....

As I drove home that day, I thought about the little lady who these ornaments must have belonged to. How 50 years ago, surely she had the cutest tree on the block all filled with pink shiny brites. I wondered , am I driving by her cute little home now? Does she still live there? Or did her family just donate them opting for the newer fancier or maybe even some nonbreakable style ornaments. Well, either way, thank you sweet lady~I'll take good care of them.

finally....

so our computer starts acting funny wednesday of last week--yes new year's eve. by friday it was obvious something was amiss. unfortunatly our computer fixer guys were closed until yesterday to celebrate the holidays--the nerve.

so between having four girls home all enjoying their own computer time

me working extra hours last week to make up for taking off almost all of december

& then the virus or spyware or highjacking blah blah blah of my computer....

i feel like i'm totally out of the loop & way behind in catching up with everyone.

i missed you!

yes, christmas is all packed up. except for my terribly late blog entry, where the christmas music was apparantly still playing...everything was packed up by the saturday after christmas.

as much as i truly love december,

the anticipation

the excitement

the license to have the color red everywhere with glittered goodies all about

the time to spend with my family doing extra fun things that usually only happen in december

the celebration of the birth of christ...

i do love the calm of january

the unhurried, uncluttered, unscheduled month of january

things settle down & time to just snuggle up and enjoy everything all clean & crisp ( give or take maybe a few too many dreary days)

i will say we enjoyed one of our best christmas seasons ever.

everything just went smoothly. i never felt frazzled or overwhelmed. shopping & wrapping was all finished early. no one was sick. even all the multitude of nutcracker performances went well. so proud of madison...she truly loves every little detail about ballet & performing!

i pray your holidays were wonderful too.