The Tipping Point

I got the urge to clean out my filing cabinet recently; actually, I've been thinking about it for a year at least, but it was just time this day to get my bumpkis in gear and do it. I can't find anything I need to find anymore since we moved here and just started throwing stuff in the cabinet knowing we'd get to it in a few months. It's been 7 years! I pulled Love Bunny in here to help me to know what we could throw out and shred, what was necessary to keep and what we needed to do with some other stuff. He shredded papers for about 3 hours. The shredder stopped 3 times because it was overheating, but he finally got it all shredded and other stuff to the garbage can. It was a productive day for me.

I also have a filing cabinet drawer with things I've been saving for 20 some years from magazines. It was fun looking through them and seeing the old decorating styles and I fully intend to show you. I have to scan them first and that'll take me a while so maybe in a week or two I'll have that blog post ready. I couldn't do all of them because I had hundreds and scans don't come out very well. But I'm still going to show you several that I think you'll love and enjoy.

My concern now is that I have taken so much out of the bottom drawer that it will make the top drawer a bit heavy and tip over. It's a low light wood cabinet that can hold 2 rows of files in each drawer. It just has to be counter-weighted so I don't break my toes if I open the top and it falls out onto my foot. Hubs assures me it's alright but I don't trust him sometimes. ;-) They're my feet! Here it is:

So if I can do this, y'all can do it. Get busy and get organized around your home. It is such a good feeling to finally get this done.
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I love hydrangeas almost as much as I love roses. These are a stunning vivid pink. Beautiful!

This room is an idyllic place.

Cute chair covers. I'm needing new dining chairs but they'll have to be put on hold for a while.

Just eye candy I love.

Quaint way to wash the bounty from your garden.

Pink ruffles! Wonder what it is—a petticoat or a bed skirt.

A sweet sun room/dining room. I should be so lucky.

More hydrangeas and a sweet place to relax.

This cute picnic spot is adorable.

A sweet thatched cottage in the UK.

I really like this old rustic cupboard and the painting above it. The colors are gorgeous.

I saw this in a magazine a long time ago. I always wished I could duplicate the area on our patio but it just isn't feasible for us. I loved it though.

Another sweet spot.

Charming little vignette of kitchen items. I can tell from the labels on the cans though that it isn't in the US.

Just another adorable space to show you. Many more to come also. :-)

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Linking up with At The Picket Fence. 

Don't You Just Love Doctor Appointments?

A few months ago, I had an issue with my left leg—I think this is left over from a fall I took over 2 years ago at a nearby lake. I've had a shooting pain from the top of my leg to my knee at times. But it was annoying so I set up an appointment with a spine institute in Boise and went in for an initial appointment and an MRI.

Now, I am meticulous at keeping appointments and hubs even puts them in his iPhone for me and I put them on the calendar with the appointment card from the doctor's office. The first visit I waited for a very long time in the waiting room and then the "receptionist with an attiTUDE" told me they were backed up that day and could I come back another time. I was very nice and said I could and set up the appointment. Then I had to have the "other" surgery. I thought I could make it to the appointment to get the results of the MRI, but I phoned in and scheduled another time because I was still loopy on the pain killers. A guy changed it for me. Then he called a couple of weeks later and rescheduled because my doctor was going on vacation. That was not a problem for me at all. Then I go in and the "receptionist with an attiTUDE" for the appointment (third time) said I wasn't scheduled for an appointment that day. I said I had the appointment scheduled with a guy and could she check further. The "receptionist with an attiTUDE" insisted she was right. I could barely contain my anger at her. I almost asked her if I could speak to her privately so I didn't tear her apart in the crowded waiting room. But I contained my anger and scheduled another appointment. I went and it was fine, but I told th' hubs if they screwed this one up I wasn't going back. How can an office run on such inefficiency, plus have a "receptionist with attiTUDE"? I'm not known for patience most of the time but I am a nice person, just don't push that envelope too far. ;-) Spine? All I needed was a shot of cortizone in a certain area and that should take care of it. I told her I'd think about it as it wasn't particularly bad that day at all. But truly, I just want to visit with the "receptionist with attiTUDE" one. more. time. ;-)

Then I went to my general surgeon for a minor thing and love them at that office. They love me so much they said, "Would you like a job here?" I said, "You couldn't afford me." I make them laugh so much and uplift them to the point they want me to stay. But, hey, I really don't want to work. I love being home and having my time to myself.
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What a delightful red kitchen. It is in another country though.

Lovin' these purple blooms.

Another thatched cottage, very unusual shape though. I had a lot of fun in Ireland staying in a thatched bed and breakfast.

Cupcake anyone? :-)

This is one of the most beautiful blue bedrooms I've ever seen. Just gorgeous.

A lovely setting for a romantic dinner.

A cute display of small suitcases, a birdhouse and pretty wallpaper.

Now, this is a tent for camping! It has 3 rooms. I'd go camping in this in a heart beat. Mattresses and everything.

Aaaaawww, a little pumpkin carriage lamp. How sweet.

A beautifully wrapped gift of a pink scarf with french written all over it.

Romantic outing by a river, done right.

Just a beautiful pink, white and green flower.

Okay, here's one of my favorite pink and white striped rooms with my favorite Apple MacBook. How could I resist this one? Hahaha.

Isn't this gorgeous?

Hat boxes come in all sorts of pretty colors. I just happen to like these pink striped ones.

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New Ottoman Cover

I finally finished it. It was NOT easy! And, yes, I changed my mind about the skirt fabric. My mind is forever changing. But the pink stripe didn't look as good as I thought it would when I took it out and really gave it a good look against the other fabrics in the cover. But then I came upon this little chevron-type fabric and it  really looked lots better and cuter. I cannot begin to tell you how much fabric I've given away lately. It was time to admit I'd never use all of it ever. I gave several boxes full of fabric to the thrift store and bags full to a friend in our church. I still have some left but it gives me enough that I can make a few things without having to buy more fabric. I truly am scaling down.

I'll never use 4 fabrics again to do an ottoman.

I could not get it tight/snug enough so I had to tie it to the legs. If I were smart, I'd redo it, but no one ever accused me of being smart. ;-) You'll notice hubs' shadow of his long, strong legs on the right. He had to put a cluster of his rimrod grapes on there. He's such a stylist! LOL Noooo, he really isn't.

What is interesting about this fabric is how the artist designed a series of dots and pink and white to make it look like a chevron when view from afar. While hand hemming this and being up close to the fabric I could see how the dots and the positioning of pinks and white made it look that way. Amazing.

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Look at the clever lace design in each of these hanging lamps.

A bedroom in a dilapidated vintage room.

Cupcakes for a king or queen. How cute!

Another dilapidated room, which seems to be all the rage now.

That huge iron pot sure makes a statement in this yard. Beautiful.

This is actually a manageable idea for a picnic at your favorite park, just take your own table, chairs and hanging lamp. I quite like it, but it'd be Love Bunny doing all the moving and lifting. I don't think he'd be too keen on that. ;-)

Lovin' the colors in this one.

I have some hat boxes like those.

Wouldn't you love an outdoor shower like this one?

One of the most adorable spots I've ever seen.

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Linking up with Create with Joy and SSS WOW and Open House Party.

Doing Some Cleaning

I invite you all to watch the two minute video; it's up to you of course. It is part of a speech given by a member of The First Presidency of our Church. It inspired me as no other video could ever do on creating. It will touch your heart. It will give you hope. I published it several months ago but thought it might inspire someone again.

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The weather has turned cooler and I'm trying to be productive. It isn't easy being productive.

Today I attacked some drawers in my dresser. Five drawers to be exact. So far I've rounded up and given to thrift stores: 11 shirts, 4 pairs of shoes, 4 of hubby's sport coats that are just too small but in great shape, 2 bathing suits, 4 hats, 3 t-shirts and 54 pairs of socks in good shape, but don't wear knee-highs anymore. That leaves me with 5 empty drawers. I'll not be refilling them with new stuff as I just don't need any more stuff. I'm trying to lighten our load and get rid of stuff. I cannot even recall what else we've taken to the thrift stores prior to today.

Why do we accumulate things? For me, it was partly because I wanted to make sure I had enough. Yeah, you heard me. I didn't just have enough; I had more than any one person needed. Then when I saw a rose plate or anything with roses on it, it was mine. I'd buy it. I am truly sad to have bought all that stuff long ago and now getting rid of it. Not the getting rid of part, but the money I wasted on accumulating stuff because I thought I needed it and certainly thought I wanted it. I see bloggers all the time accumulating more things—vintage, rustic, whatever—because they love it or want to have it. I've come to the realization that I don't need that stuff to make me happy. This is absolutely true. I didn't figure it out until a few years ago. All the thousands, yes, many thousands, of dollars I spent on clothes, plates, anything I wanted. What a waste. I see homes on blogs that have so much and the women keep on adding to it. Now, I'm subtracting from it. Funny how that works out but it is so free-ing to be able to get rid of it.

A friend on an eBay discussion group I had for many years told me that she and her hubby were just taking anything they could to the thrift stores or throwing it out. She said it felt good. I took a lesson from her and am doing the same thing and getting the same feeling. It truly does feel good. :-) And besides, my kids don't want anything we've got. I've already given them keepsakes from their great grandmothers and jewelry I no longer wear. My daughter told me if I didn't get rid of most stuff, she would put it on eBay for 99¢ with free shipping and I think she just might do it!
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Another gorgeous living room, shabby chic romantic kind.

A darling vignette of teacups.

Isn't this little hanging element adorable?

A cozy patio bench with beautiful pink pillows.

This would be a darling setting for a pink lover's party—stripes and polka dots.

Just a feminine setting with ruffles, lace, roses and a french chair.

A chocolate pot with gorgeous roses and green color.

Wow!!! What a stunner of a bathroom! Woooohoooo.

More roses for ya, but with feathers this time, sweets. ;-)

Got enough roses yet? Hmmmm?

Or pink???

Box of beautiful laces waiting for someone to do something with them.

Pretty pink, blue and white kitchen dining area.

Now, this one I adore. It could very well be the "perfect" kitchen in my eyes. Gorgeous!

Just like these vivid colors. Anyone who has been to Mexico probably has one of these. We've picked up a few on our travels down there.

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Everyone has a talent; I think mine is nagging.
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