The Redo of the Family Room Wall

Okay, I promised you the results of the redecorating of this wall. I think I'll put a new "something" on the left side. Plus you get the view of what we see when we look in from our dining area with the lace curtains framing the family room.

Yep, I'll put something on the left bottom. Maybe some pretty storage boxes that are in abundance around here. And something on the right wall just above the mantel. I'm a symmetrical chick, maybe not totally, absolutely symmetrical but balanced better than this. I'm OCD about symmetry.

These chairs are 25 years old and don't especially go with the decor of this room but I've had them recovered 3 times with the last recovering about 6 or 8 years ago with this kilim-looking fabric and loved it. If I suggested recovering them now, Love Bunny would have a fit. Besides, they're gorgeous in person and still look almost new. They are Baker chairs and I paid about $800 each 25 years ago. So they're well made and last a long time. Plus I'm on a frugal kick and don't want to spend.

The tale of these shoes is: I couldn't part with them. I loved these shoes and bought them about 28 years ago at Macy's. I wore them out on the bottom but just couldn't throw them out so I made little princess shoes out of them by painting them, adding some froufrou stuff to them and using them as decorative items in this room. I know. I'm pathetic. But what can I say? I'll never love a shoe like I loved these simple red, plain 1" heel shoes.

And did you bloggers know that blogging is the test site for my photographing things around the house? I play at photography. I am definitely NOT a pro at this but I love doing it to experiment with my Canon Rebel XS. Love this camera!

See how my macros turn out? Great little camera for $500.

You all know how I absolutely hate camping. Love Bunny even bought a pop-up camper so I would go with him and be happy about it. I still hate it. I love suburbia and Applebee's, Olive Garden and Outback. I'm not a woodsy-type person. I love being home in my bed with my pillow. I love plugging my hair dryer and curling iron into a socket. I love eating indoors instead of fighting the horseflies. I hate the sound of four wheelers all night long. I hate the thought of being eaten by a bear. I hate having to go to the bathroom by a tree out in the woods; it throws off my digestive system. I hate not being able to craft, surf the internet and having to read by propane lantern at night. I. Hate. Camping. It's that simple.

However, if hubs could accommodate me with one of these slick little cuties, I just may change my mind a fraction and venture into the wilds of Idaho with not much groaning and moaning. Maybe.

This is definitely stylin'! And who would have thought the horns of an animal could be made to look shabby chic?


This looks like it could just possibly have my name on it also.

This could also fill th' bill for me.

This is darling also. The jealousy windows are a plus for me. Isn't this adorable?

And I'd definitely want it painted these colors.

I'd want this in the woods with me also... If I ever want to go camping, that is.

Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.
~*~

A Story about Guests

Several years ago when we moved to Idaho from California, we bought a house. Little did I know at the time we bought it that it was the most famous house in that small town simply because it was built and owned by a prominent family. It didn't even have a house number on it. We just had to tell the craftspeople who came to fix something where it was and they'd say 'Oh, the old ****** house.' We finally ended up putting numbers on the front of it. I just couldn't live in a house without numbers on it.

As life would have it since it was a huge house, we were asked to house visiting people from our church when a group of young people would come to town. So we ended up hosting basketball teams and volleyball teams. But once we were asked to help a family in need.

A friend, whose hubby was a leader in our church ward, asked if I could help with a family with 2 children living in a motel and invite them to stay with us until they could find a house to rent. I said I would and went to the motel and packed them up into my car with all their belongings and brought them to our house. I don't know why but I was thinking the kids were girls but they turned out to be 2 very lively, hyper boys.

After a day or two I realized how active young boys could be but the mother tried keeping them in the daylight basement downstairs which was a huge area for all of them—about 1600 square feet. They had to use our kitchen to cook though and that turned out fine. I had to tell the boys to stop putting their feet on the walls (I'm very persnickety about my home.) My kids never did things like that, but boys will be boys. I just sat down the rules.

Well, after several days and through a set of circumstances, I found out the father had just been released from prison. I was flabbergasted and when I told our bishop about it I just blew up. While they were trying to preserve the family's confidentiality, I told them they had no right to ask me to take in a family with a father who was just released from prison without telling me about it. He could have been in for robbery or murder for all I knew. I think it was a white collar crime but I don't know for sure. I was furious and told them to please find them a house to rent asap. They did and actually turned out to be nice people and active in the church. They moved and divorced not long after that. But I told my hubby I wouldn't take in any more people that I didn't know. It's not a holier than thou attitude; it's a matter of safety and extra work for us now that we're getting older. It just takes so much more energy and time to do things now that we could accomplish much faster 20 years ago. But anyway, that's the story. I didn't like being deceived and not knowing what kind of individual I was hosting.
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We see many of these types of homes in California and I just loved the quaintness of them.

Another duvet I love.

Beautiful window, balcony and hanging flowers.

Another beautiful window.

A very brave homeowner indeed to have these colors in her kitchen.

Beautiful bedroom and she can hang things above her window with those coat hooks. Very clever!

Do I even have to say anything here? Sigh...

It is never too late to be what you might have been.
~*~

Goldfish and Animal Crackers for Pink Saturday 3/10/2012

Time once again to visit Beverly's blog and view all the pink participants.

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But first let me rant once more.

I have joined other Linky parties but Beverly's is my favorite. Probably because she's such a sweetheart for one but also because she actually visits you when you leave a comment on her blog and she cares; you can feel her love and she's always willing to help you with a giveaway. I mean she leaves a comment on your blog also. That is NOT why I join her for Pink Saturday though. I've done PS for a few years now and truly enjoy it. I don't get around to all the participants because I simply don't have the time but I visit some of them.

But I thought recently that I'd participate in one or two more just for fun. And, no, I still don't have the time but as long as I'm posting blogs I may as well post them to the Linky parties once in a while.

Well, recently I joined one, commented and she never visited me. If she wants us to join her Linky party why doesn't she visit us? She sent me an email saying thanks but don't they have them to get comments on their blogs also. I did it because I enjoyed it, but no more. I'll always join Beverly's Pink Saturday because it was my first and I love it. And Beverly is a real lady. The others don't care as long as they get enough participants or followers to visit them so they can make money with their ads. I'm getting sick of this scam. I'm through with every other Linky party.
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Last Sunday during our third hour of church I went into the nursery. I just didn't want to listen to a lesson from our Relief Society, but preferred to be with little munchkins and eat animal crackers and Goldfish with them. Yes, I made sure they had some animal crackers after I heard a mummy complained that they shouldn't be giving them that in nursery. What does she think is going to keep them interested for an hour if they don't get a snack mid morning? I tell ya, sometimes - kapow! But it was delightful because a little boy fell in love with me. Now, he's only about a year or so old and I probably smelled of animal crackers, but he was so clingy and adorable with his sweet smelling blond, spiky hair that I couldn't resist staying in there for almost the whole hour. I don't think I'd want to be in with eight kids under 3 years old for any length of time because it is very tiring for this old lady. Has anyone heard of getting Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome from nursery at church?! ;-)
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Now, Beverly said to help celebrate St. Patrick's Day we could post some green along with out pink. Let's see what these gorgeous rooms do for ya, chicks! Personally, I think they are absolutely stunning.

I am not fond of dark spaces but this is one I found stunning. Very regal looking. Just changing that wallpaper would brighten it up and make it acceptable to me because I do love the gold and purple together. Reminds me of a king.

I cannot resist any photo with a sweet little birdhouse in it, but the snuggle-y bed just adds to its appeal.

Lots of white with splotches of very bright color thrown in. Gorgeous!

Day dreaming...

Just some beautiful eye candy for you on how to display lovely clothing.

I cannot resist inviting entrances.

Yes, I know...you're lusting about now. :-)

See what you can do with just simply old picture frames. Create your own collage that can be switched out rather quickly if you only fun-tack them to the wall.

These little journals covered in gorgeous roses fabric just touched by heart.

Quaint cottage window with the prerequisite window boxes filled with brightly blooming petunias and/or geraniums.

Have a piece of white and pink cake! Yummmm...

I wouldn't give anything if my office could look like this but I'd consider giving a great deal if it could! I think it's gorgeous.

Darling way to display kitchen items if you don't have a cabinet to hide them somewhere. Make them a vignette!

Sometimes it's just simple things that can make us smile, make our day or just lift us up at a particularly tough moment. This does it for me.



People who throw kisses are hopelessly lazy.
~*~