A New Clothing Trend?

Sittin' around again just thinking. This is starting to become a habit. I probably need to spend more time doing something other than reading, which usually gets me thinking more than usual.

Anyway, I was searching the internet for beautiful gowns to post on my Pinterest. What in the world is the fashion industry doing to clothing?! I saw high-end clothing that was sheer enough to be almost invisible. Beautiful suits, dresses, gowns, blouses, etc. All showing the full glory of a woman's body. I could not believe it! No sane upscale woman would wear something like that and certainly no woman over the age of 35 without a boob job. And please pardon me for being so frank, but it's getting ridiculous. Okay, okay, maybe the Hollywood-types...no, wait a moment, they definitely would wear that type of clothing. But I just cannot see making clothing so sheer your underwear shows. And, yes, that is the case in a lot of those designs. No professional business woman would wear what the designers are coming out with today. I think they're doing it to shock women. No husband would want his wife wearing something like they're designing. I'm sorry but I'm not going to post any of those dresses, blouses or gowns on here. If you want to see some, you'll have to find them yourself.

Then—and this is the most bizarre thing—they're designing clothing for the head. Yes, they're making sure they're following the politically correct designs for the countries that want their women's heads covered. Some look like anyone wearing it would be smothering. Is this what designers really think women want? Are they catering to some other country's idea of what women should wear? Puhhhleeeze, cut this out; it's disgusting. Some of the "headwear" even had the look of an iron mask. Some were so disgusting to even be mentioned here. What is this world coming to? Enough!
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Another mosaic I made. I loooove eye candy, don't you?

Cute entry way.

Gauze curtains surrounding a patio area.

Pale green and pink roses.

This looks like a delightful store!

Pretty packaged gifts.

Another pretty living room.

Chocolate dipped Rice Krispie bars. Yuuuummmm...

Bejeweled fabric.

Prettily painted chest of drawers.

A dining room in an attic. How lovely and clever.

Beautiful dining area.

Cute idea.

Just flowers.

Lovely wicker basket packed with pretties.

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Tidbits:
English-speaking kids read more novels and fewer comics than kids of other language groups.
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Another Rant

I see a lot of women with copyrights on their photos. I'm not at all territorial about my photos. If you want to use any of them, even my personal ones, you have my permission. It's a form of flattery. I wouldn't put them out in the public domain if I didn't want them looked at and used. As I said, I'm not territorial. But...

I see some out there from other sites—and I'm talking graphics sites here—and women/bloggers are putting their "copyright" on them. They cannot be your copyright if you get them from a graphics site to use and put your name on them! How ridiculous can you be? And then you complain about someone taking your photos to show how beautiful your products are??? Puhleeeeze! How ridiculous can it get? Be flattered that someone considers them beautiful enough to use them. Rant over. ;-)
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Another cottage in Carmel. I think this is a bakery.

Lovely textured and colored window probably in France or Italy.

Urn holding a gorgeous plant.

A sweet cozy outdoor room.

When I saw this little lace dress with pink ribbons on it, I immediately thought of a blessing dress for a little girl.

I would love to have this to display in my home. It just touches my heart in a number of ways.

A lady finger dessert with roses thrown in. Yuuummm.

Just a little bling thrown in for ya, chicks. :-)

A mailbox? Cute, whatever it is.

Every time I see baskets like this I want some, but I know I'll never get them.

Another upscale sun room not many of us can afford. I can appreciate it though; it's gorgeous.

I do love these chippy old boxes for putting on patios and porches though.

I think a pink plastic bucket like this would be just fine for a bouquet of roses.

While I wouldn't want to live here, I'd sure love to visit and have lunch on that dock. That would be fun.

Now, have a cupcake and enjoy your own life!

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Mantel Starting to Look Good!

Again, this post is being written on thursday to be published on sunday.

I've spent the better part of the day working in this family room of ours. Still a ways to go with the mantel decorating and behind the sofa, but here's what I have done so far. Nothing is "static" in this house; it's always "kinetic" around here!! LOL

Before. Just put mantel up last night.

This is what I've done so far. I wanted it centered on the wall but due to 2 outlets on that wall it's off by about 2 - 1/2". Eventually I might have hubs change the phone outlet and the electrical outlet on that wall but that can be a lot of work so this may be how it is foreverrrRRRrr on that wall!!! Two and a half inches isn't bad though but to kind of balance it out a bit I'm doing an asymmetrical treatment on the wall. If anyone has any other ideas, please let me hear them. I'm open to any suggestions. This is the best solution I've come up with so far though. This room is a bit more cottage, shabby, chic than the living room.

I've also hung the french antique wire basket on the wall inside the insert area to camouflage as much of the phone outlet as possible. Why do they always put phone outlets in the most inconvenient place in a house??? Could they put 2 or them in a room just in case you change it around?!

Ooooh, and don't pay attention to the tools lying around, pictures all over the place and some behind the sofa and chairs that you don't even see and the rest of it because it'll definitely change between now and next week! That table on the right side with a quilt over it will also be out of that room and in our bedroom before long and more pictures on the right side. Just give me some time and I can change/decorate/frou frou up the world, chickadees!!! Hah!!!
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Just a thought.

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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Photographers and Stylists

When I read a magazine or book, I read all the little, seemingly inconsequential, things in it - who did the photographs, styling, editors, staff, date it was published (if a book) and all those little things with which we don't concern ourselves very often. I can actually tell when the editor of a magazine has changed just by perusing the magazine even before I sit down to peruse it leisurely. They each have a certain "style" as evidenced by the "recent" (few years ago now) changes in Romantic Homes magazine. I noticed it immediately with Country Home and Country Living through the years.

But besides seeing who the writer of the article is, and let's just talk about magazines in this post, I look for the stylist also.

I didn't think it would be a particularly hard job, but certainly glamorous, and would have loved to do it. But since I've become a photographer, and I use this term very loosely here, I learned how hard both jobs can be! Getting the light just right. Cramming all the lovely items into a small space to add pizzazz to the photo. Hard work I'm sure!! I don't even come close to being good at either. I am barely adequate when posting pix for this blog. So with great "reverence" I salute the photographers and stylists of those truly beautiful stories we read in the magazines today.

Now, the the proofreader I've noticed is slacking on the job though. The current issue of Romantic Country, summer 2008. Have you noticed that on page 21 in the top left picture the clock is running backwards? And just below that one the clock looks like it's upside down. Now, that can't be a reversal of the photo but what's with those people hanging the clock upside down???? Page 28 left photo of the buddhas. Read the description and look at the buddhas. They've reversed the photo. Then we have page 50! Whooooa chicks! The pink telephone dial is backwards, the writing on the shadow box on the wall is reversed and the clock again is running backwards. I know, I know, not a big deal, but those proofreaders should have caught those "goofs"! Yoohoo, Romantic Country, I'm available!!!!! I'm not cheap though!! :-)
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The shutters were put beside the archway on the dining room side. I'll probably spend the rest of the year patching nail holes........uhhhhh, only the visible ones though!

I've put one french wire basket under the picture off center. I could not get it centered with all the other stuff. AND since I worked so hard to get it out of my daughter's shed and home to Idaho I'll be darned if I'm NOT going to put it up somewhere! Now I just have to figure out where the other one will go. It will have to be low because of not being able to see what is in it up high. I also hang items HIGH and low on walls. I think it adds visual interest and love it. I've even put pictures leaning on the wall on the floor or on baseboards too.

Be creative in what you do in life and how you decorate your home. It sets you apart from all the "cookie cutter" or "accepted" decorating styles and shows YOUR style, not your friend's style or the show room salesperson's style, but your unique style! I do and I highly recommend it. :-)

Today I went to Boise since Love Bunny is away. I bought these 2 feather pillows for $24.99! Squeeeeeal, yes for both! That's $12.50 each for a 20" x 20" feather pillow. I am truly blessed. :-)

Now for this next part you're going to have to use your imagination since I didn't get "before" pictures but they're in some picture somewhere on this computer but I'm too lazy to find it so I'll just describe the "before" to the best of my ability. Ooooohmygosh!!!! Yep, that's what it was before. (I bought it but for the life of me I can't remember WHY I would have bought it!!) An "ohmygosh" lamp! Dark wood with a beige shade and amber crystals hanging down. Pretty ugly let me tell ya, chicks! Soooooo, I decided to take my handy dandy spray can of white paint and spritzzzz it. I had that other shade - remember, I stuck a faux fern in it till I could figure out what I was going to do with it?? Okay, after taking off the amber (yuck!) crystals and painting the lamp white, I then decorated the lamp shade.

Now, a sweet friend named Sharon gave me a little charm last year and I wanted to do something reeeealllly special with it since it is so teensy tiny. I don't see how she paints on them. Very tiny! I decided to put that little pink roses charm on the new lamp. Voilà, the new frou frou lamp with parchment roses, lace and Sharon's lovely exquisite charm!! Very little effort for spectacular results!!!



Sharon's hubby is really into western movies. He watches them frequently. I have this art print by Chuck Haan in my hallway. No, I am not into western art, but when I saw this many years ago in a little antique shop in the Niles area of Fremont, Calif. it touched my heart. It's an Indian brave looking sweetly at a little bluebird on a snow covered branch of a tree in the dead of winter. It just stole my heart away and I had to have it. So even in a romantic, shabby, girly pink house this print holds a place of honor. I thought Sharon might like to show it to hubby.

The point of this story is: If you love it, if it touches your heart, then you should have it no matter what the decor of your home is. Ooooooh, and btw, please don't tell Love Bunny I said this. It DOES NOT apply to model trains!!! No no no no no no no no no!!

Pink Saturday 8/16/08

I get "edgy" when I don't get "personal" on my blog. I really can't explain it, chicks, but just don't like posting pix from magazines all the time. Too "impersonal". Soooo today, after doing this post about 3 days ago, I decided to put in the latest with the redo and ask for some help from all you creative decorators.

These 2 photos are the family room in its current disarray. If I'm looking for something for another wall in the house I go to this room and "shop" and usually leave a nail in the wall where the item was. But sometimes I take the nail out to use in the other room. AND when I leave the nail there and bring something into the room I'll just hang "whatever" on it. (This you can see in the 2nd photo below.) This drives hubs nutsy but he doesn't say much at all. He loves me and only lives to make this chick HAPPY!!! And truly, what can he say when HE bought the trailer and the seller didn't have a keeEEEeeey for the dooOOOOoor to the trailer so I had to call a locksmith to come out yesterday to make a keeeEEeeey for it and the cost was $80.00!!!! Yes, 80 buckarinos!! Soooo he'd best not say tooooo much, huh?!?!

I've taken the trellis apart and moved them to opposite ends of the sofa. (Oh, btw, some gals have asked what the fabric is on that sofa. It's a heavy twill with green ticking stripes that I bought online and just LOVE it. Plus I've washed it numerous times and it comes quite clean and still looks wonderful!) So I've been combing the internet for some prints of favorite artists to hang in there. I want one big print/picture hanging there with other small ones....the small ones I have already. Just some shabby chic/romantic/roses pretty prints or posters. I've searched a bit on ebay but haven't found anything yet. Any ideas or things you might have come across that you think I might like would be greatly appreciated.

I did take a few minutes to make this pillow for Love Bunny to rest his head while napping. (See the one in the middle of sofa.) I caught him falling asleep the other day and he looked so uncomfortable trying to sleep sitting up. So I took a feather pillow, made a pretty roses cover for it and just put it on there for him to grab when he feels his wee head lolling over! :-)


This wall is just waiting for the faux fireplace surround and mantel which will ship on or about 8/25 so not much can be done until then. Looks kinda sad at the moment though. My tool box is ever present now. Things have just been dropped in there to get out of the way in other parts of the house.

My "dilemme du jour" are the little french wire baskets. They are antiques that I scavenged from daughter's shed during our visit to Calif. last month if you'll remember. I love them but want to put something "unique" in them. Now, I have what I think is enough "greenery" around the old homestead at the moment so I'd like some ideas of what I could put in them so I can get them hung up as I've been tripping over them on a daily basis. ;-)

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Love Bunny (Hubs to those new readers) and I picked up this little cow bell years ago in an antique shop in Pennsylvania. (I was "into" my country period then, but I've repented and am now "into" my shabby period.) We'll probably never go back there again since I refuse to fly any where anymore, but he has a brother and several sisters living there or in neighboring states. But it was a pleasant experience to tour the antique shops and Amish country.

Anyway, it has been sitting "around" in different homes with its rust and heavy wire on the top and I got to thinking, yeah, yeah, I know, I know, but give me some slack and read on annnnyWAY. Hubs says that usually means he's going to have to do something for me, but I got to seriously thinking about its color. It didn't go well with all the frou frou-y type stuff in this house so I decided to paint it pink. Now, you might say "PINK"(!) for a cow's bell? And then I'd say "whaaaaaa, ya never seen any fashionable cow critters?" (in my best hillbilly accent and pardon me if you're a hillbilly but I hold great reverence for hillbillies since I descended from a long line of them.) So I took my trusty can of pink spray paint....spritzzzzzzzzzzz.....and here it is in all its glory! I know there must be pink cows somewhere out there because I've seen the "strawberry (pink!) milk at WM!! So kiss my grits, sweet chicks!! Hah......

I just love this color but this can kinda got away from me if ya know what I mean here!

I made 8 of these little chair back pads several years ago and they are as red and pink as they look in the photo. They will be for sale in my selling blog soon.

Now don't laugh but this is one of my mouse pads and my "mouse" resuscitator on the left - the pink towel. Once in a while my mouse's scroll wheel needs a bit of "massaging" to perform the scroll. I wet this towel and vigorously "scratch" her little back. She purrrrrs like a kitten for several weeks after that and then we have to do it alllll over again: wet the towel, massage her "wheel" and dry off her little backside. (Ronda Ray Juniper said it has to be a HER as a HIM wouldn't be so finicky! And she knows because we both have Macs and Might Mouses that scroll up and down and sideways for our Macs.)

The painted rock below means a lot to me. It was painted by a friend. She is in a group on ebay I am in and they did a swap of painted rocks - rocks coming from the area of the painters as a friendship momento. Well, I couldn't paint worth a lick at the time and still can't paint worth much now but she painted one with her roses for me and sent it to me. She's a Nevada homesteader and has one of the most gorgeous bracelets up for sale on her ebay but look at her selling blog also: Apetalapart. It is beaded and Katie has done her gorgeous silk ribbon embroidery and a decoupaged button for this bracelet. You have GOT to see it. It is truly beautiful, unique and one-of-a-kind!

I thought I'd show you the darling little newborn booties Katie made for her new granddaughter that are for sale on her selling blog. And they're "PINK"!!! Aren't they precious?!??! This is her own design and I think she did great!
And isn't this blue cobalt bottle just scrumptious? I just love that color. Of course, I love Katie also!! ;-) She's a peach! Plus she has peacocks visit her on a regular basis. Don't even get her started on the goats and baby peahens! Whoooooa, she's so funny about the goats, too. But maybe that's another blog though. ;-) Hah.......