Blue Monday

Frazzle the Bluebird from Jeanetta. My new favorite Splendid creation.

Blue plates and eggs in the china hutch.

I don't know that I could ever have enough blue plates or nest...

Color of the Day

The next 2 weeks are going to be a marathon. Both for me and for Nathan. He has more gigs and rehearsals than I can remember in a long time - something almost every night. I have a huge install coming up in a week, plus 4 other projects, (2 new, 2 ongoing) and both shoppes to update. The fun news is that when it is all over we are going on vacation to Destin for a week! If you know of any good flea markets/antique shops around there let me know. Otherwise I am sure it will be all about outlet shopping and beach combing.

So to simplify things I thought I would do a "color of the day" post each day this week. Want to play along? Comment and let me know if you want to do it too and I will list everyone who is participating. Here are the colors and their assigned days:

Monday: Blue
Tuesday: Red
Wednesday:Green
Thursday:Pink
Friday: Brown
Saturday: Black
Sunday: White

These are all colors I use and love the most, my pallet if you will... should be fun to see what inspires each day!


SHOPPE NOTE:
*new Mother's Day banners will be at Storia Home by 5PM central time, 4/30

Down by the creek

Or rather, in the creek...

These days are golden.

Keeping up Appearances

This is the house directly across the street from us. They are always improving something...

They are nice neighbors, always waving hello when we are outside. Their kids are grown and they have golden retrievers. We can tell what they are remodeling by what comes out - sinks, counter tops etc. I would love to get a full tour of the inside...

This is the brown house. It is to the left of the other house. We don't know much about the man who owns it except that he is a professor out of town. He comes on weekends and in the summer. We all keep an eye on the house and they have a great alarm system, so intruders beware! We think this is the home the owner grew up in. The brown house sits on a bit of a drop-off and we can see an addition that goes a long way back. I have dreams of buying this mystery house with it's addition and circle drive, hidden by bushes... It seems as if it is never hot in that house it is so completely shaded by old trees.

This is our house. This is it's best angle by far. You can't see the broken shutters on the end and the gross lack of shrubbery isn't too obvious. Except that I just pointed it out. We often joke that our neighbors must be so put-out with us for not giving them something prettier to look at. And I can only agree. In the few short years that we have been here we have had Miles, started a small business, & and continuously worked on the inside of the house, which while not in horrible condition had been neglected for some years. Oh, yeah, and kept up our fairly busy life.... Things like dishwashers and roof repair seem to eat away at any monies that could be used for fun things like landscaping and new shutters. But someday.... We have grand plans for our little home's exterior that include front and back porches, new paint colors and lots of pretty foliage and a white picket fence. So stay tuned, maybe one day we'll be able to keep up with the neighbors...

This just in...

There is new stuff @ Storia Home... I've added a few goodies for Momma's Day . PLUS custom Happy Birthday Banners now available!

My house is once again covered in glitter... but I think we could all use a little more glitter in our lives, don't ya think?

When you're not even looking

Inspiration can come. Healing can come. Grace can come.

Today it came late, but sweetly when while glancing through back issues of my favorite magazines, I found the following quote:

"Be not a slave of your own past - plunge into the sublime seas. Dive deep, and swim far, so you shall come back with self-respect, with new power, with an advanced experience, that shall explain and overlook the old." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I needed that thought today.

I remember the first time I ever saw an episode of Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic. I felt as if someone had suddenly swept away all the cobwebs in my brain, and I could remember who I was and what I liked. Fireworks went off in my brain, everything wood in my house got a white paint treatment and nothing has been the same since.
Another year or 2 down the line I found Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine and again - FIREWORKS!! The colors, the ideas, the people.... I couldn't (and still can't) get enough of it. All these pictures are from some of my favorite issues of Home Companion.

Then last year I found Alicia, Her Royal Poseyness and the whole community of creative bloggers opened up to me. I felt as if suddenly the final piece to the puzzle had been found, and I had found my niche in the world. The rest is just history in the making now...
These sorts of things might not mean much to everyone, but moment's like these keep me going. Moments like these are the tangible expression of Grace and Hope in my life. Moments when I realize I am not alone in such simple things as a love for old fabrics, cracked china and beat-up furniture.

There are other areas of my life that can still feel fuzzy and full of cobwebs. Areas that aren't so simple. Areas where I still don't always feel connected in or accepted in. Places where I think people are looking at me with their heads cocked to one side as if to say "huh?" But in the world of Rachel, Mary, Alicia (and you dear reader,) I am not odd or different or lost. I am welcome and home. And for that I am so very grateful and inspired.

Pretty Progress

These are the top halves of my new curtains, designed my yours truly, sewn by my wonderful mother, for our master bedroom. They are a combination of several fabrics I have collected over the years, mostly all bought out of the dollar bin or in a discount store. All of them except the stripe. That is Ralph Lauren pattern that I love and that cost me an arm and a leg for only 1 yard. It took me a while to decide what to use it for.

This is the bottom half.

It may be hard to see but the last bottom panel is a white chenille. I designed the curtains with change in mind. If I get a bee in my bonnet I can simply flip these panels and have the white at the top and the burlap at the bottom.

They are hanging in a spot in our bedroom where I can't get a good full length shot. When we hang the other 2 pair and get the room painted I will take more pics... When I finally pick a wall color. But that is for another post. For now I am enjoying the pretty progress.

His Truth is Marching On

Yesterday Wylie watched the much anticipated Sherman's March. Today he and Miles recreated it in the back yard. All the while singing "Glory, glory, hallelujah, glory, glory hallelujah..." at the top if their lungs...They have even filled the part of our yard affectionately termed "the Jungle" with all their toys and rocking horses. Turning it into some sort of encampment or hideout.

Sunday while working on the yard Nathan asked if he could please cut the jungle down. My response? "You can't cut it down, Wylie loves it. The kid doesn't have a playhouse, at least he can have a jungle!" So the jungle stays for now. And Sherman continues his march.

I am so curious to see where all this History will take us as the boys get older. For now Miles follows Wylie in his play but I wonder when and if that will change. When it comes to their interest we just try to follow their lead. I wonder about my boys and their love of make-believe, their love of Pirates and Cowboys and Soldiers. All things that involve guns and swords and death. I wonder if they will grow up and want to become real soldiers. Or if they will simply make movies or write books about it. Being a mother I of course prefer the latter option. But being a mother I also know that then, as now, I will have to let them follow their own God-given imaginations and interest, sharing my thoughts and feelings, but ultimately releasing them into their own lives. I can not hold onto their minds anymore than I can hold onto their bodies. They will grow, and they will do. And I will continue to pray.

*NOTE: As soon as I posted this Wylie called me outside to watch his "Civil War Re-enactment Play." After I took my seat he handed me a fly-swatter to be my "fan," so I could be a proper Southern Lady, I can only assume. Then he instructed us the audience (my mom and I) to "turn off our cell phones and wait until the end to clap. And talk softly." Which we did.

Flower Power

I am a Canna What Flower Are You?

"You stand up for what you believe in, even if it gets in the way of what other people think. You are proud of yourself and your accomplishments and you enjoy letting people know that."

Does that describe me? I guess it describes part of me. But not all of me. I hope I don't get in the way of other people...but I am sure I do some. Part of being a broken human being I reckon.

As far as the flower itself, it is funny because I am not much of a gardener so I don't know if I would recognize this if I saw it in person. My favorite flowers are Cabbage Roses, Hydrangea's, Gerbera Daisies, and Sunflowers from the market in the summer. Wonder what kind of personalities those have??? If you take the quiz and come up as any of those please let me know what they say and if you agree...

A nice little distraction on a Monday.

Today

Today was yard day. The weather was perfect, and we were all worn out from a long week of work, travel, gigs and late nights. Working in the yard was a good way to all be together and still get something done. The boys cleared toys & sticks, I swept & rinsed, Nathan mowed & raked and planted my new Cala Lilly plant. When we were done, we celebrated by building a fire in the firepit and playing a few rounds of croquet - my favorite sport. A good way to celebrate Earth Day don't you think?

Also I made some Almond Chocolate biscotti. Yummy. Figured I could save at least $5 a week if I made my own instead of buying it at Starbucks everyday. I just love the crunch and crumbliness of it. Did I mention how yummy it is?

And then Ta Da! The icing on the cake: I was featured by Kim over at Today's Creative Blog! I am so honored to be among all the other talented women who have been featured there. Such a great blog birthday gift!

'Till I Can Unpack

I am home. My car is full. More to come soon...Until then here is a picture from the Ethan Allen catalog that was awaiting me when I got home. I just love the color combo and the worn edges of the table. I love the mix of the old and the fresh. And the simplicity of color and line... Would look great framed & hung in a kitchen don't ya think?

Happy Occasion

Today is my blog's 1 year birthday.

Happy birthday to me - And to you dear readers! Drink your favorite coffee beverage or eat some chocolate & celebrate with me!

So much has happened in a year. Sometimes I feel like Alice...Things have been down and up and down again. And then back up and then.... well you get my drift.

You can find my very first, albeit brief 1st post, here.

I still think though, that even after perhaps the craziest year yet, that the question is still the same; What do you see?

I am off to the big D in the morning to go to the big "I"- for work of course...such a burden really. Hehehe...

Cute as a Cupcake, and a Juggle Act

Go buy Jeanetta's stuff. It's too cute and she'll adjust it anyway you want. Aren't these cupcakes to die for? And they are less fattening than those silly edible kind...
Tomorrow promises to be one amazing juggling act complete with movers (for a client,) lighting-speed local shoppe update, another meeting with a client about fabric ideas for a playroom, a much needed and anticipated playdate with some of lovely ladies, then on to packing Miles and I for our trip - him to my moms, & me to Dallas (and too Ikea! For work. Poor me.) Plus Nathan has to work late and the house is a wreck. But what is new really? This is the current ebb and flow of my life. I am told I will remember these days as the best of my life. I am not arguing, I am just curious about that...

New at the Shoppe

First let me say a quick "thank you much!!!" to all those StoriaHome shoppers out there. It means so much to me that you like my stuff and want to pay real money for it. I am blown away every time something sells. I feel like Sally Field winning an Oscar.

New this week at StoriaHome online (and at the local shoppe) are my Treat Pouches. There are several styles and 2 sizes available. These little creations can hold treats, like candy or dried flowers or whatever you can think of. Buy them as a gift, buy them for yourself, but buy them to enjoy most of all!

Coming Soon: Mother's Day and Birthday Banners

I should be cleaning but...

I am posting instead. I will clean in a minute. My in-laws are coming over for dinner and I need to clean off the table, and wash down the bathroom sink, but first I had to link to some fun sites that I think you might like too...It's been a really long time since I did a "Site of the Week" post, so I am going to catch up a bit and list several:
C.S. Post & Co.
I love the colors, I love the layout, I love the stuff. A great site for online window shopping on a rainy day.



The Curiosity Shoppe

Always fun and curious. Just love it.

RedShoes
I just found this little gem last night. So cute and lovely. I wish I could go on a "shoppe tour" across the country and see all my online fav's in person. This one is going on the list for sure.



And last but not least check out Ms. Nancy's new blog. She is the mother of my best childhood friend Tracy, and it is so good to have her company in Blogland!

OK, no more excuses...I guess I will get back to my cleaning now...

WIP Friday

Today it is cold,windy and overcast. There is faint thunder in the distance but it hasn't shed a tear over here. Yet. Probably will bust open as soon as school lets out. Well, just as I typed that a shower of hail fell. We shall see where this all goes... What an April this is turning out to be.

Fridays are my official "nesting day" and I try to guard them from appointments and work as much as possible. This is the day I stay home and clean house, putter around and cuddle with Miles. I also try and catch up on all the TV I have missed during the week. Shows I have taped that I haven't been able to watch yet, like Friday Night Lights. (That show makes me cry at least every other week. I love it. This week was the season finale. What I am going to do till the fall???? )

This Friday besides the usual kitchen floor moping and clutter clearing, I worked on our Master Bedroom a bit. There are curtains coming soon (I designed, Mom is sewing. Aren't I a lucky girl??) and I am keeping my eye out for the perfect armoire to appear on the side of the road, and perhaps I'll attempt a paint job? I dunno, but despite my list of "to do's" we are still making good progress.

Last week we got the bed put up and this week I have managed to get the new side tables moved in, and the love seat moved out. Right now we still have 1 too many chest in the rooms, but when and if I ever find that perfect armoire I plan to consolidate 2 of the chest into the armoire along with the TV. Then add a chair and a rug on my side...

So for now I guess this is an official WIP room. But it is cozy, and the bed is wonderful. We feel like are in a hotel every night. I pretty much just want to live in it...

Thinking Women

I was recently tagged by the lovely Pat at Back Porch Musings for a thinking blog award. I am so flattered by her tag and for her kind words. So, thank you, thank you, lovely Pat!!!!!

Here are all the gals I am tagging as thinking blogs, aka the blogs that make me think, and laugh, and cry, and always inspire. There are so many good ones out there (basically just look at my blogroll) that it was hard to narrow it down, but for today I think I will tag the following 3 ladies:

Alison @ Chino House

Manda @ Tree Fall

Jen @ The Cottage Nest

it's lovely how things work out...

I have this dream of having 2 homes in one. A Winter home and a Summer home.

The winter home is full of warm colors, the glow of a fire, and cozy fabrics and blankets. Every nook calls to you to curl up and enjoy a good book.

The summer home is airy and breezy. The fabrics are crisp and clean and the rooms are lit by the sun filtered through cotton. Everything exudes freshness.

My plan is to do this over time by having slipcovers, curtains, lampshades, pillows and tablecloths that are seasonal and can be switched out to accommodate the changing weather or my mood...

The winter set would include colorful prints and some touches of velvet or corduroy. The summer set would be defined by bright whites and would contain burlap and thin cotton materials. Also, I could combine pieces of both sets in the fall and spring, easing into the changing seasons gradually.

For the living room, my original plan was to buy this sofa from Ikea and have 2 slipcovers, one in red cord and one in white twill. Seeing as how our current financial diet wasn't going to allow for that, I had resigned myself to being happy with our colorful, albeit worn, patchwork sofa, that was more along the lines my ideal "winter look." Then, a great thing happened. My Maw went to Big Lots and found a bright white tailored slipcover for her sofa. Then decided that she didn't need it after all. And guess who benefited from her impulse purchase? Lucky me that's who.

So here are the pics of my new Summer sofa (wrinkled to perfection I might add) and my good ole' Winter sofa. What fun it is to play house, don't you think?

My Ideal Self & the War Within

In this post here by Jess I am reminded of all the things that I "should on myself" about.

How in my low moments I get lost in what "I should have done" or "Should have said" or even "Should have felt." But those things are mostly, 99% bogus. They all flow out of the struggle between Me and My Ideal Self.

Have you met her? Let me introduce her to you then. My Ideal Self homeschools her kids and loves it. She also takes them to the park and to lessons. My ideal self likes to hike and garden. She can afford all organic products because she knows how to pinch her pennies 'till Lincoln screams. She doesn't work, well maybe a little. But only as an artist in a very vague way and it never interferes with her home life. She enjoys reading to her children for hours on end. She doesn't overeat or overspend. She likes to exercise and she gets pedicures. Her house is always clean. Even the baseboards. And she never minds anything. She can just go with the flow, never frustrated or anxious or tired.

She sounds lovely doesn't she? Well she is who I thought I would be when I grew up. When Nathan and I decided to start a family 7 years ago, this is what I thought my life, and I in it, would be like. Boy was I wrong. Let me pause here and say that if you do do those things I listed above and you like them, and maybe even love them, and they come naturally to you, then hurrah for you, and I mean it. I don't hold it against you one bit. Be who you are and be proud, but here is the the truth about me; The truth is that I don't homeschool cause I think I would claw my eyes out. I am tired a lot, probably because I stay up too late. I do overspend and overeat too often. I hate to hike and I hate to garden. Sometimes I fall asleep reading to my kids. Sometimes I suggest the TV instead. And we never go to the park. Ever. That is what grandparents and school is for, right? I don't clean my baseboards much, and I do get very anxious, especially about once a month. But the biggest shocker of all?

I do need to work, and I do like it mostly. I don't like having to, but I hope that I am past the point of being petulant about it and can just enjoy that I get to do something that I love. How many people can say that? Cause the truth is even if I didn't "have to" work I probably still would somehow...I would need something to filll that creative and entrepreneurial space in me, to push me beyond my comfort zone. I like working. And I am not ashamed. There I said it.

It has been a rocky road to be able to admit all these things out loud - to you and to myself. Letting go of Her has not been easy and at times been very humbling. But the truth is I am a lot freer without her looking over my shoulder all the time. Without her shadow always behind me. Being who I am, authentically, is a daily process. One that I am growing in more and more. And hopefully one without a lot of should-ing on myself.

To Grandmothers House We Went

Despite the freezing temps, there was much laughter and warmth all around...

And a lot of lovely eggs...

And a GrandMaw with an Easter Basket...
And very handsome boys...

And a beautiful table set by Judea, all by herself...

And some successful Egg hunting...

And finally, a very loved, but very worn out Momma...

I will be back with more words and less pictures soon, but till then...

Many happy returns!

JG

For Jemimah, From Our Yard

As promised, here are some pictures of the boys for Jemimah & Adam.

I'm letting both of them grown their hair out until they say "cut it!" Miles' is too beautiful and wavy. And it goes with his cheeks so well.
Wylie ran in the other day and exclaimed: "My summer freckles are out, my summer freckles are out!!!" So true, so cute.


Don't you love his hat?

For those of you who don't live in the south, let me share something with you. If you go to find a Civil War hat for your kid, and you live in a southern state, there is only one kind available. So there ya have it. Yesterday Wylie was pretending to be a Confederate Soldier and there was a plot line similar to the one in Where Eagles Dare, which takes place during WW II and which he watched last week with my dad.
I haven't watched it in years, so it is a bit hard to follow when retold by a 6 year old, and remade into a Civil War story. You can understand my confusion I am sure.

These croquet mallets where helping to create a trench around the fort. I believe on the other side of the trench they were planting 'crops.' I think. As I said, I get confused with all the plots and subplots of Wylie's playtime adventures.

This is our yard angel. She watches over everything and everyone. Right now she is guarding the baby bunny that we rescued from the jaws of Chole. Yep, that's right, our dog tried to eat a baby bunny. On Easter weekend. And Wylie witnessed it all. The brave little solider boy was sobbing over the fate of the baby bunny. The baby bunny is now resting in a shoe box with some milk and parsley. Hopefully he will revive nicely and can be released back into our jungle of a yard. Wylie has named him Roosevelt.