Kitschy & Whimsical!

Everyone should have something kitschy and/or whimsical in their home. It surprises your guests and makes them smile. Isn't that what we want to do - bring smiles, happiness and "unexpectedness" - in a lovely way, of course - to visitors to our homes?
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Puttering!

For me there is nothing better for me to do than "putter" around the house. I love just rearranging knick knacks, bibelots or cleaning out and organizing sock drawers that I haven't gotten to for a long time! I know, I know........most of us hate that kind of thing. But look for the gloriousness of it. You have a "clean" palette to start fresh. Old socks or nylons are thrown out. You see your treasures in a new and different light. And nobody can do it like you can. Just have a glass of ice water or lemonade near for drinking or a cup of your favorite beverage and start in on your task. Putter - one of my favorite words, too. That time is for you because you need to schedule time in your busy schedule for just "YOU"!! You could even rearrange or clean out some of your beautiful boxes. If you don't have any, I suggest you make some or go looking for them. That way your clutter will be in "plain sight" and no one would know it. I've included some more beautiful boxes and magazine holders for you to see. Now you know how beautiful they can look!
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Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk

When I talk the talk, I walk the walk so to speak. I cannot tell other people to do this or that if I don't! But I always practice what I tell others when it comes to decorating. I love color as you probably know by now. In my kitchen, living and family rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, office - everywhere. So this tip is about your home office. For so many years people thought that their office or computer room had to be utilitarian and boring. Not so today. Femininity, softness and genteelness has entered into our everyday existence in the form of lovely offices. Mine is truly a shabby, chic, girly office. Here I've got a pale birch file cabinet in which I have my household accounts in the top, but the bottom drawer is for my personal files. Again, the file folders are pink and purple No need to have those old green or manila ones when these are available. Then the envelopes also can be colored as seen here. I used pink and purple again, but they come in other colors. Then my daughter bought me some beautiful file folders with roses and strawberries on them. I adore them. So pretty to look at and colorful yet utilitarian. Live colorfully!!
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Ribbon Box

Let the walls of your mind be filled with many beautiful pictures. Start a "ribbon" box. Just simply collect snippets of ribbon, put them in a pretty box and pull them out when you just want to play. Put a color chart in there also to familiarize yourself with colors. I have several books on ribbon work, one of which I've pictured above with the box. Also there is a picture of some of my ephemera in a box. Start a crayon box and keep all those lovely colors in another pretty box to add to your collection. Think beautifully!
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Live Colorfully!

Bear with me, please! I'm taking all the articles off of my website and posting them on here. There are 40 of them so it'll take me several days (weeks?!) to do it. But I'm not putting them on the website from now on; they'll be here. This is about living beautifully!
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Have colored pencils in a pretty cup with roses or your favorite flower or design on it and a pretty notepad and keep them by each phone. Note paper can also be lovely. Get it in the design of your choice. For me there is no other choice but flowers usually!! I also use colored staplers and colored staples. Yes, they are available and why not have something that is necessary be beautiful also?! Below are some samples of pencil cups, staples, staplers, paper clips and notepads I use in my home for both their beauty and being very utilitarian. "Live Beautifully!!"
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