Simple Minded

Thank you everyone for your wonderful support, and I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one with too much holiday decor...for every season!

After donating some of my fall items, I have found that the pieces I decided to keep mean even more to me and look even better now that they can stand alone.

I've decided that my new approach to holiday decorating will be more simple minded, kind of like me!  I have always incorporated natural elements into all of my holiday decor, but I feel like now I will put even more emphasis on bringing the outdoors in, and trying to embrace the less is more philosophy that I am so drawn to these days.

I find that everywhere I turn I am seeking simple, clean lined items that are easy on the eye and super functional, like these cute little white cafe au lait style bowls I picked up yesterday.

I had passed by these many times at Target, and I really loved them but talked myself out of them each time.  Then, while surfing blogdom the other day I saw these on someone else's blog and thought, you know I really should just buy them.  I can't remember which blog it was...sorry...that would be my simple mindedness that I mentioned earlier.  Whoever it was, they had found these on sale and picked some up...I was not so lucky, at my Target they weren't reduced.

While I was at Target, searching for my perfect little bowls, I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in quite awhile.  Her daughter and our son Bugs had gone all through school together, and as parents of older kids know, once your children leave middle school and beyond, you hardly ever see the parents anymore, so it was nice to catch up.

She looked great, which she always did, and she had her arms full of stuff for her house, which was always beautifully put together.  When I told her what my mission for the day was, she mentioned that if I could wait until Sunday, the bowls would likely be on sale here too.  Not a snowball's chance in you know where of that happening.  Along with my simple mindedness, I'm also horribly impatient.  And the thought of slogging my way back over there, which is about 1/2 hour away to save maybe $4 just wasn't enough incentive for me to wait...sorry Mr. Tide! ;-)

After walking through my living/dining room for the past few days with it looking a lot like a bad, bad photo studio a la lighting equipment and props scattered all around, I finally had had enough and set to clearing out some of the chaos.

Things are looking better in there, but I still have a few tubs of stuff to put back in the garage, but that will wait until tonight or tomorrow.  My mission today, besides a meeting I had earlier today, is to go buy some new walking shoes.  Ever since we returned from Europe, where we estimate that we walked between 6 and 8 miles a day...sometimes more, I have tried to continue that by walking at least 2 1/2 miles every day.  It's not nearly as much fun to walk down our little lane instead of the streets of France and Germany, but where we live is beautiful and quiet, so I can't complain.


 

Before I gave all of my props and equipment the 'ole heave ho out of the living/dining room, I did take a few more still life shots, just for the heck of it.

I wanted to create a few that had a feminine edge to them, so I used some of my great grandmother and grandmother's antique pearls, and of course some pink roses from our rose bush.

These will be the last roses of the season, which always makes me a little sad, but I know they will be back next spring looking and smelling as wonderful as ever!  The winds of change showed up last night, quite literally as it was a blustery evening, and today there is a chill in the air and gray skies which look a little too much like snow for my liking!  

I got a lovely email from Lili today and she said that up her way in Maine they are expecting a record snowfall this weekend!  And Joan did a post today showing the 2 inches of snow they received last night!  EEK, can you imagine?!  The thought of snow in October is way more frightening than Halloween...at least for me it is!

I hope each of you has a wonderful weekend!

Feeling a Little Blue

When we went through my parent's things we all took items that had sentimental meaning for each of us.  Of course everyone had specific things in mind that we knew we wanted and chose those first.  But there were lots of other things we came across in their attic, and various other places, that my siblings and I had either forgotten about or never even knew existed.

I didn't really make a mental note to pick things that were blue as we went through the items, but I did find myself gravitating towards the blue pieces for some reason.  Like these old books which now sit on our old shutter table.

Or this little trinket box...

With the delicate little blue rose on top!

My mother always had a few trinket boxes on her dresser, some held straight pins, others held jewelry...

But this one contained buttons!  Mostly white and cream buttons, but there was this one beautiful aqua button which I love!

I also brought home this unusual little creamer.  I have no idea who this belonged to, maybe my grandmother or a great aunt?!  It was tucked away, and I don't ever recall seeing my mother or grandmother use it so maybe it belonged to my great grandmother?

The floral design, which is worn in places, is gold as is the graceful handle.

It almost has an art deco feel to it, and I would love to know more about its origin and when it was made.  There aren't any markings that I've been able to find.  Regardless of its age or value, I just think it's charming!

And my blue fetish isn't just restricted to old things these days.  

I recently purchased these blue pillows (and the ones I showed you on my front porch in my 4th of July post) at Target on clearance for $6.99!  They make sitting on our bench on the back patio so much more comfortable!

In case you think I'm off playing and not working, know that I am busy typing my little fingers off on stories!  You gotta love "auto" posting!  

What great decor items have made you feel a little blue lately?

This Little Light of Mine

I've been looking for a new lamp for the sitting area off of my kitchen for months now.  The old stoneware crock lamp that I had was just not giving me the beachy vibe I was looking for and looked much better in my old house with more colonial colors.

Every time I stopped at a home goods, or when I would troll Pottery Barn or other websites, I would peruse the lamps but came up empty handed with nothing really striking my fancy.  Then, while wandering around Target the other day I hit pay dirt! 

There it was, a beautiful glass lamp in the most awesome shade of sea glass green...swoon!  There was only one left, and I made a mad dash for it like a six year old does for the last chair standing in a game of musical chairs.  Nobody was going to take my perfect lamp from me now that I had finally found it!  Of course no one was really even nearby, but if they had been I would have gone down fighting...and more importantly I would have won!

The shade they had sitting nearby just didn't do it justice, so I wandered back a few aisles to where the lampshades are sold and picked this square beauty.  I love the color and I like how the lamp is round but the shade is square!  I'm weird like that and like it when things don't really match, but instead compliment one another.

So here she is perched atop my shutter table in all of her No. 5, green sea glass, beachy glory!  She was worth the wait and this little light of mine is definitely going to shine around my house for a long time!