Beautiful Patio Blinds

I detest vertical blinds; however, when we had this house built we had to have them. I scoured the stores and catalogs until I come find one I could live with. My main problem with them is that the "swing" when opening or closing them, thus sometimes causing them to break. I may not have found the "prefect" solution, but they are definitely much, much better the way I bought them: with a sheer curtain over them. Actually the "panels" are inserted into each of the sheer curtain panels. They hardly swing at all and even provide a light filtering privacy that I adore. So you have the ethereal looking privacy; they add to the decor ; and they don't have that "swingy" effect. Very nice indeed. I've tried to capture them in the pictures below.
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Bed Sheets

Bed sheets. I'm fanatic about soft sheets. You can buy vintage sheets, but sometimes they are hard to find in queen or king size. But that shouldn't stop us from truly beautiful sheets. My ideal sheet would be white cotton. I love flowers but white sheets are my favorite. I have a blue sheet that I just love because it is the softest one I have. It is all cotton and I purchased it from a K Mart. Yes, it is the softest sheet I've ever lain on. I feel it in my whole body. It is a delicious luxurious feel to legs and feet especially. Sheets that are only polyester are rough. They may last longer but who would want a sheet that lasts longer but is harsh to lay on. So try it. Feel the difference. I would eschew poly/cotton also. I might buy cotton/poly if the cotton content is much higher than the poly, but for all out luxuriousness cotton is the ONLY choice!! Our senses are so important to us.
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Being Happy is the Goal

I thought of something today. Being happy and peaceful, especially at home but also in any place where you spend a lot of time, is the goal: stimulating the senses is one way to start. Learn to "tease" yourself into doing necessary and useful tasks by stimulating your senses. Think of the fountain pen squeaking across fine white paper. Smell the fragrance of the ink. Feel the smooth pen in your hand. Have a light bulb ring with the glorious scent of plumeria; you'll think you are in Hawaii. These oils can be bought for very little in many natural food stores or on line or ebay. Put a lovely small french style lamp on your writing table. Have a lovely little antique footstool under your desk for you feet. Set up the task so it will be pleasurable for you.
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Make Workspace Gorgeous

I'm a work-at-home-wife. LOL Aren't we all?!?! Anyway, I keep my office girly girl chic. I have so many ..... well, check below for all the things I've said so far. This is a picture of a little antique sewing drawer I bought on ebay for all of my CDs that I work with to create templates, logos, business cards (like you'll never ever find anywhere else) and gorgeous address labels that I'll be selling on here within a week or so. This is my own little world in my own home. It is a refuge for working. If I'm reading, I'm in a big cushy leather chair in my family room. Hmmm, I'll post pix of my home very soon. Anyway, all the essential are right here in this room for bill paying, writing, designing my "stuff" and all the things I do on the computer. So I try to make it welcoming and attractive for me. It's where I spend a great deal of my day. Stimulating the senses through the details of daily acts makes work fun. I set up my projects so that they'll be pleasurable for me to do and complete. I love rituals that are satisfying to my soul. Flowers, music and a glass of juice are almost essential for me. It gives the task panache!
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Being Nice

It's always in good taste to be nice. Seriously, there isn't any reason to not be kind and nice. I try to live like this, but don't always succeed. However, I am never, ever nasty or unkind to the woman who cuts my hair: the best hairdresser in this state!! Remember that because she is the woman who holds the scissors and can ruin your day - or even weeks ahead!!
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