My Decorating Frenzy

I've been on a decorating frenzy for several months now but, truthfully, there is only so much decorating I can do to this house. It's our "forever/retirement" home and a smaller size so how much decorating can you do to 1800 s.f.? But I'll continue to do what I can as long as I can. I get tired of the same thing after 6 or 8 years and feel the need to update or, at least, move around some things. It will be less and less the older I get but it will be done.

But that brings me to blogs I see from time to time where the women are changing things every year or so. How do they do it? Are they that bored? Do they have unlimited funds? I don't see the need to do it every year or two. Seems wasteful to me. Also, are they never happy with what they have? I'm a happy person and love the things I do have. In our 52 years of marriage I have probably changed furniture maybe 8 times. That's with relocating to new places and homes. I don't think that's a lot. But to have the same house and change every couple of years just seems a waste to me. But I'm having to buy higher and higher sofas just to meet my butt at my age! I don't get up off the sofa as easily as I used to when I was 45. ;-)
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A darling spot on the side of a house for a relaxing nap.

More pots of pansies.

Love this idea of hanging stuff needed to hurry out the door very near.

Beautiful roses and hydrangeas.

A queenly bed. Love the bed linens.

Pretty evening purse.

Got any extra teacups? Here's how you can display them.

Clever way to put lights up.

Gorgeous French chair, luxurious sofa and a pail of roses.

A little wire basket to hold mail.

I just loved this photo when I saw it.

You can actually buy these shoes for kids. Look up Joy Folie and check out their cute designs.

Just a cozy corner in a bedroom.

Pretty handmade chenille pillows.

Yes, I love this lamp also!!

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Tidbit:

Our state is #1!
Continuing with the "N" states on what makes them #1 in the nation at. (Terrible grammar but I couldn't think of a better way to put it.)

Nebraska:
Livestock
Domestic violence

Nevada:
Gold mining
Home foreclosures

New Hampshire:
Lowest percentage of people living in poverty
Skin cancer rates for women

New Jersey:
Millionaires
Population density

New Mexico:
Lowest cancer rate
Children who drink alcohol

New York:
Charitable donations
Longest daily commute

North Carolina:
Most diverse population of salamanders
Lowest teacher salary

North Dakota:
Lowest rate of AIDS
Lowest rate of seat belt use


Sir Francis Bacon died of pneumonia. He was experimenting with freezing a chicken by stuffing it with snow.
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The World's Ugliest Ottoman Transformed!

You get an extra post this week. Isn't that exciting? LOL Anyway, Happy Valentines Day to everyone and hope your sweetheart makes you as happy as mine makes me.
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This is the world's ugliest ottoman and I am almost ashamed to admit I bought it in 1973. Yes, I did! But the upside to this is that as ugly as it is, it's been used every single day since we bought it and hasn't lost its foamy-ness (just try to figure out how to spell that since there isn't a word) or its usefulness or its cushiness. It was well worth the price. The chair it came with is long gone. I just couldn't stand it anymore. Gone to chair heaven with all the other hideous stuff I've bought over the years. Remember, when hubs was a Marine, we took hand-me-downs and whatever we found cheap at garage sales. This was the sixties so you can imagine what we had. This ottoman and its matching chair I actually picked out myself new. Bleecchhhh!! Must have been cheap because I wouldn't even consider it today. That's why I gave it a new cover. This is what I made for it a couple of years ago. It's in the forefront here.

Here it is uncovered, ready for a new fresh cover.

I used a $20 drop cloth from Home Depot and had some left. Now, here's the story.

I used the old cover as a pattern so that worked out well. But when I put the skirt on the two seams were inside out. Now, I did this over a couple of weeks to not get frustrated and hurried and make mistakes. Sigh. Mistakes happened anyway. I ruffled the skirt and them sewed it to the border around the middle with the seam showing on the outside. Hubs told me to just take it apart at the two seams and turn them. I started doing it for then I realized I not only sewed a straight seam but I also sewed a overcast seam and that wouldn't come out as easily. So I thought I'd be creative, leave the seam inside out and add a feather stitch up the seam. Turned out fine. I simply didn't want to take it completely off and turn it around after sewing it on and overcasting all the edges.

This is the top with a ruffle of rose and cream stripe. I still need to iron the whole thing and hem it. But it's pretty much what I wanted to do.

Here is the seam if you look closely. Just a cute embellishment, I must say and there are only 2 seams so that's a bit of luck.

A fence with a plethora of roses on it.

I thought this wintry snow-covered road was beautiful.

Look at those darling little crocheted shoes for a little baby. And those little legs? Adorable!

Just a beautiful look at fall foliage.

Another look at a European village and the beautiful homes and walkways.

A lovely study in blue.

Just can't get enough of these thatched cottages and will display them as long as I can. They are so serene-looking.

And I love looking at dining chairs now that I am on another quest to find 2 more chairs for my dining room.

I love this setting but I think it's more than one tablecloth. I could do this and think I shall when I get some time. First come the dining room table and 2 French chairs, painting them with some chalk paint. This may take a while though. I'll be looking for some old cotton sheets for making the 2 cloths.

I thought this was one of the cheeriest 2 rooms I've ever seen. Just so bright and cute.

This has also given me an idea. I have a chandelier just like this over my dining table but done in pink. But I am going to add some little roses to the lower arms like this. Truly, I can't get enough roses! :-)

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Tidbit:
Worldwide, Norwegians drink the most coffee and have the highest rate of anxiety disorders.
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Linking up with Inspire Me Monday.

A Word About My Photos

I get questions all the time about the photos on here—where do I find them, etc. I scour the internet and I do mean scour. There are billions of photos and images out there. You just need to know where to find them. I'm not divulging my sources. If you want to find them just start looking. I can't wait to post sometimes because of the beautiful photos I'm finding. Being more computer savvy than the average person though I am able to find them more easily. But sometimes I'd like to post every single day to share all of them with you. I just can't post every day.

I'm having a problem with my hands doing so much on the computer. Let this be a lesson to those of you that are texting. Your thumbs will be so bad in the coming years you'll either have to give up texting or have surgery. Trust me on this. My contemporaries are now experiencing this phenomenon. It all takes a toll on our bodies. You're talking to th' queen here now!

Youngsters have been warned by there mums and dads for years about the danger of loud music. Those teens today will be deaf or need hearing aids in their forties or fifties. It happened to my hubby but his was being in the Marines and all the training he did for the recruits on the rifle range. He regrets it now. The military does give him free hearing aids though so that's a plus, but nothing takes the place of your own hearing. You have been warned!
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There is just something I like about this room. I can't explain it but it is a room I'd like even though there isn't any color in it. Just has a timeless feel about it.

Isn't this a clever idea? Use an old wheel with spokes for holding things.

Does it feel like autumn yet?

Lovin' this little rustic can of posies. ;-)

Yes, I'd like this fuchsia chair!

Clever place setting.

Don't you just love beautiful old roses pitchers? Sigh.

This is a cute kitchen dining area with red and yellow.

I have one of these but don't use it. Just sitting away somewhere waiting to be given to the thrift store.

Looking at all that bougainvillea reminds me of Mexico. This looks to be Italy though.

A gorgeous box!

Clever idea for gift giving for the holidays.

Don't you just love the look of these old buildings with the tall thin windows?

And a touch of vivid pink raspberries for you. :-)

And a vivid pink bench with lots of beautiful pots and flowers for ya.

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Rambling 11/18/2012

Americans have nothing to fear from Europe on food. This comes from a sampling of friends, relatives and hubs and me from traveling. I'm also partial to the California cuisine. I believe nobody does food as good as Californians.
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 Some relatives and friends who have been to Russia have noted some things while there. Russians still want communism; they lament the change! They don't know how to fend for themselves. I hope that never happens in our country. There are specific instances but I'm not going to cite them here. Just horrible when a people can't take care of themselves and have no such wish.
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We've hosted a few exchange students while living in Idaho and I must say I doubt I'd do it again. Some were wonderful; some were horrid. One, Rafael from Spain, was very good and we loved having him. One day he asked me why I had my name all over my Tupperware. I told him because when there's a church dinner or luncheon, there's so many Tupperware bowls we have to put our names on our own or someone would inadvertently take home the wrong bowl. Hence, my name is on every single bowl I have. He thought that was funny. I didn't; I'm still missing some pieces and some metal bowls that have never surfaced!
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Recently during the Presidential campaign, Cher weighed in on Mitt Romney's underwear, calling it "Magic" underwear. Well, I wear the garments also. It's a requirement for being temple worthy. It's a form of modesty. How silly can anyone be for making fun of someone's underwear?! And Cher, of all people?!!! At least, we wear underwear.
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Okay, more postal rules for other countries:

Britain: no horror comics can be mailed to them.

Venezuela: no credit cards can be mailed to them.

Russia: color copiers, honey pollen, wax or honeycombs. Hmmm. Wonder why? It's not as if they have a glut of copier companies in Russia.

Philippines: coffee, lottery tickets.

Nepal: bearings of all kinds, cameras, cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, photographic paper, watches or spare parts.

Guatemala: gardenia plants or seeds, police whistles, powder of all kinds.
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If you've ever given someone good/excellent advice and they say it's totally impractical for their lifestyle but love the advice, then you should tell them to change their lifestyle. It's just that simple. Why wallow in a lifestyle that's detrimental to you? Boggles th' mind.
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A sweet girl's bedroom.

The requisite posies in a lovely tin can. ;-)

Think about wrapping your Christmas gifts in white paper with scraps of fabric for bows and a pink, white or silver ball instead of the usual red and green.

Can we say caaauuuute?!

Another pink ruffled pillow. I just love the ruffled ones.

Now here are cups with roses that I think even the hubs would like. If that's a tractor, then I know he'd love it. He also has this "thing" about tractors. Just start talking and he can tell you more than you'd absolutely want to know. He's knowledgeable about trains and tractors. My man is just a jock!

A serene room with splashes of color on the wall and floor.

I've wondered what these are. Could they be rings? Whatever they are, they're beautiful.

I'd have no problem having this chair in my home. 

Another gypsy caravan. This one looks really nice though. Love the bed covers and pillows. Not as gaudy as some I've seen.

 

I didn't know cupcakes grew in clay pots!!

A bunch of petit fours.

Beautiful pink walls with fuchsia flowers and a white curtain blowing in the breeze.

Ooooooh, is this ever so cute!

Just another idea for an old rustic bucket.

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Linking up with Create with Joy.