Friday, September 30, 2011

Pink Saturday

Hello everyone,
       Another week has gone by so quickly and it is time for Pink Saturday again.So, I hope you are not tired of seeing my roses etc. because I have a few more to share with you today.

A touch of frost adds some sparkle to the roses.


This is a second flowering for these pretty pink lupins.

My pretty chintz teacup with a pink dahlia from the garden.


Well, I know there are lots of pretty pinks for you to see at How Sweet the Sound so I won't keep you but thank you for coming to visit me and have a wonderful weekend!

My good friend Linda at Beautiful Ideas is having her first giveaway so please pop in and check it out.

Carolyn

a bright surprise


Don't you love it when something unexpected turns up - especially if it's pretty!




I walked in to the house yesterday afternoon to find a wonderful silhouette pattern on a wall.  The autumn afternoon sun had come down low, and bounced off something shiny outside, through a window, throwing the perfect outline of candelabra, and window frame, as clear cut as if it had been painted.



little things please little minds .... 
it certainly made me smile!


oh, and don't forget the giveaway, running until next Friday


6 Ways I Get Back to my Happy Self



Warning: This almost essay length post might bore you, but if you want to get to know me a little better and have some time to spare please keep on reading.

In my last post I told you that I have been recovering from an angiogram. While I had lots of time to spare laying down I was feeling lots of things, and this is one of the ways for me to sort things out in my head and organize... well which is to talk to you all. :)

First I have noticed that so many people that I contact either in person or on blogging refer to me as "very nice", "sweet", "lovely", "cheerful" and in some cases they "look up to me" and so on. Some of these descriptions of me makes me blush and humbles me at the same time. Thank you so much for thinking of me that way and I deeply appreciate that.

BUT, I just wanted to clarify that I am not this perfect angelic being or saint, even though I strive to be one someday. Maybe that will happen when I am in my 80s' or so.

I am generally a happy person 90% of the times, pretty optimistic, trying to do good and be helpful and kind to others. Although, I don't think you want run into me when I am in my other 10% of the mood (Mr. TRH might attest to that). I get mad sometimes, especially when things are not fair, I get irritated, I feel envious and can be sad.

I have been in this 10% of me in the last few days and quietly having a self-pity party.

Seems to me that it is a pattern going on that when things are starting to pick up and going well for me, I start having health issues. It has been like that ever since I was little. I remember all the field trips that I had to miss, things that I had to give up because of my medical condition.

When I was in my late teens and early twenties, it was the same thing. Just before I started a new job, I got ill and I was hospitalized for a couple months. I was still able to work for this company later on, desperately hoping to save up money for Art/Design school. Guess what? Seven months later, I had problems with my leg and the doctor STRONGLY advised that I should quit working. (I am not going in to the details about my disorder and such in this post, but I wrote about some in this post and this other post).

Since I had to learn how to cope with my disorder and disappointments growing up, I think I became resilient adaptable person and I can go with the flow of life. Though sometimes... I am just tired of this same old same old routine, and want to say "enough already!"

Times like that I just have a good cry and allow myself to be sad...

But you know what? One of the gifts that Heavenly Father blessed me with is that I am quick to redirect my thoughts and get back to the other 90% of myself (the one I like much better).

There are few things that I do to get in touch with my happy self. I am not saying that you need them or anything. You might be someone that never gets sad or you already have some method that works for you. If you are someone like me, these might be some useful tips. ;)

1. I count my blessings. When I am in the self-pity mode, it is hard to do this at first. But hey, seriously, I am blessed with a husband that who loves me and goes the extra, not just mile, some many miles for me. I am blessed with my amazing kids who are healthy and happy. As a mother I am so glad that I am the one with the disorder, not them. We all live under the same roof (so many Tsunami victims/survivors are living separately from their family after 6 months!). We have food to eat each meal, other necessities and more are taken care of too. There are so many others. Sometimes I even write them down to see them, since I am a visual person.

2. I watch, read and listen to anything that lifts up my spirit. It is good to immerse myself in "good things" and soak them up. This sounds simple, but it is very effective.

3. I try not to compare myself or my situation to others. There are always people that are doing better than me; it doesn't matter if it is financial, health, career, looks, and housing. Celebrating the differences and uniqueness instead of being envious is a short cut to inner peace. Also I try to remember there is a season for everything.

4. Reach out. This has two different meanings for me.

I reach out to who would love me and listen to me no matter what. Most of the time, it is Mr. TRH that listens to me. Just letting off some steam (nicely though, you don't want the people around you to get "BURNED") makes me feel so much better.

I reach out to help other people. If my problem is not physical and I am capable, I try to do something good. Feelings of being useful, and making a difference in someone’s life energizes me even though it is something very small.

5. Well, you know me. I sew. That is one of the things that have been a constant in my life. Concentrating my energy in designing and sewing lets me forget the pain and sadness. It is very therapeutic. Also looking at the finished product gives me a feeling of accomplishment.

6. I pray. I am not going to lie, sometimes I just don't feel like it but I do pray anyways. I know in times like that it is more crucial for me to pray. My faith in God helps me to see why I am here and why I need to endure (well, preferably with a good attitude) to the end instead of being in my cave of misery.

I hope I don't sound preachy, but really, all these things help me to be who I am in hard times. I am also aware that there are people with mental illnesses or depression and these things won't help them like they do me.

I am just hoping that you will remember these tips and your little blogger friend on your blue days. :)

The Do’s & Do’s of Gallery Walls

Nope, you didn’t read that wrong. I did mean to say “do’s and do’s”. After I posted my blog post on Monday about gallery walls I got so many emails with questions about them. Most were asking if there are any rules to creating a gallery wall. I’m here to gladly say that there really are no rules to gallery walls. The only “don’t” that I can think of is “don’t” be afraid to experiment and think outside the box.

Gallery walls tend to be very scary to the general public because there are no true guidelines to them. I’m hoping that for those of you who are intimidated by them, this post will help you out a little.

Do #1: Mix and Match Frame Styles

Don’t feel confined to using one style of frame. You can pretty much use any style and size you want. This is the perfect time to mix traditional with modern, square with round and framed with unframed. 

[image via Decorator Dozen]

Do #2: Feel Free to Use the Same Frame Color

To give your gallery wall a more crisp look you can use the same color frames. When using the same color you can do two different arrangements…1.) All the same shape in a more structured pattern, or 2.) Different shapes in a more loose and scattered pattern. 

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[image via Elements of Style]

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[image – yhl]

Do #3: The More the Merrier

When doing a gallery wall make sure you go all out. Don’t just stop at 3 pieces. Go big! Feel free to fill up an entire wall. It will make for a truly interesting conversation piece in your home. Don’t feel like you have to achieve this overnight though. You can start small, and then add on as you collect new pieces.

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[image via Elements of Style]

gallerywallisuwannee

[image via I Suwannee]

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[image via Kentucky Mama]

Do #4: Mix and Match Art Styles

Combine abstract art and still lifes, portraits and line drawings, watercolors and Crayola masterpieces(…from the kiddos). They will all become one big happy family once they are hung together.

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[image – kate spade]

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[image via Rusty Hinges]

Do #5: Have Fun! 

Gallery walls are the perfect way to tell a story about your life as well as let your personal style shine through. So, have fun with it. If the spacing between each piece isn’t exactly the same don’t sweat it. Add some quirky pieces in just for the fun of it.

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[image – kate spade]

Designer Tips…

Here’s a great tip for creating your gallery wall. Arrange all of your artwork out on the floor prior to hanging. By arranging your artwork on the floor you can see how it all works together, and you can move pieces around to create that perfect arrangement.  It’s much easier than hanging the art on the wall and having to patch a lot of holes when you need to change the arrangement. 

Another tip that I got from John and Sherry is hanging newspaper on the wall in the shape of the artwork first to make sure you hang the arrangement in the correct location.  I used this technique when I hung the gallery wall in my son’s room and it worked wonderfully.

IMG_1971

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Chase Nursery 6

Happy Hanging!

Learn About Katie's Krops

Katie and the Giant Cabbage


The idea for Katie’s Krops began with a 9 year old girl and a 40 pound cabbage. In 2008 Katie brought home a tiny cabbage seedling home from school as part of the Bonnie Plants 3rd Grade Cabbage Program. She tended to her cabbage and cared for it until it grew to an amazing 40 pounds. 


Knowing her cabbage was special she donated to a soup kitchen where it helped to feed over 275 people. Moved by the experience of seeing how many people could benefit from the donation of fresh produce to soup kitchens, Katie decided to start vegetable gardens and donate the harvest to help feed people in need.


Everyday Health has a new TV series that profiles ordinary people who overcome extraordinary obstacles and who are helping others lead healthier, happier lives.


Episode 5 airs this Saturday, October 1 on local ABC stations, and features Katie Stagliano, an inspirational 13-year-old girl who founded Katie’s Krops, a movement designed to gets kids to grow food and feed the less fortunate in their communities.


Plus, there's surprise guest Ellie Krieger, New York Times bestselling author and registered dietitian. The show is inspiring and feel good for everyone who participates in the fight against hunger.


For more details on the show, recap episodes and other information, check out:

http://www.everydayhealth.com/tv


This courtesy announcement is provided by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel for Everyday Health and Katie's Krops. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

A Frosty Morn

Hello everyone,
     Although we have had many beautiful warm sunny days this month ,we have had a white frost a couple of nights.So,early in the morning I went out with my camera to take a few shots of the garden etc. The photo above is from the dock my husband built over our new pond. I like how there is a mist rising from the water.Because the pond is new the water is still brown so it will be next year before it clears up-so I like it in sepia tones better this year.
I like the sunlight shining through the trees with the mist coming off the water in the background.

The roses look so pretty with a touch of frost and a light frost doesn't hurt them-they will still keep blooming until we get a hard frost.



The limelight hydrangea is turning pink.
This double peach daylily is still blooming.


Well, that was my first frosty morn of the season. Last night we had a warm rain but today the sun is shining and it is going up to 22 degrees Celsius.We are really enjoying all the sunshine as we did have a lot of rain in the summer.

Today I am joining My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday again.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Carolyn









Thursday, September 29, 2011

and bath mats...


Ok, I know I have been talking about all our little Library projects a lot lately, but I am just so excited about all of them.  Coming soon is our bath collection starting with these fabulous bath mats.  I can never find a bath mat I actually like and usually end up with one of the generic fuzzy ones that fall apart after one wash.  I cannot handle how much I love the look of these in my bathroom and they are super durable.  Best of both worlds.  Thoughts?

falling in love again


I have always loved the used of stone, brick and flint stone in the traditional Normandy buildings but I haven't often seen such a beautiful example as this little château, currently up for sale.


This place must have been designed by a man in love and full of bubbling enthusiasm and admiration for the woman he adored !!  He made this château as pretty as possible with intricate designs in the brick work, a multitude of fancy  windows on the roof, carved stonework and a couple of asymmetrical towers, just for fun!


This black and white diamond design, is created using specially cut and split flint stones for the black, and local stone for the grey - the château may be 16th century, this sort of detail is still fashionable today! 




To create beautiful hand carved stonework like this over the main entrance, he would have employed the nomad craftsmen called 'les compagnons de France', who travelled around the country selling their expertise as they went.






In case I've got you dreaming, you might like to know that this pearl is up for sale for just under 800.000 euros.  It has 8 bedrooms and 10 hectares of land.  A beautiful family size château, I am totally under it's charm!  Inside there are fantastic fireplaces, wood clad walls and original window panes, I believe that  major restoration is required.





I love this monochromatic portrait,, framed by stunning stucco leaves and fruit, and more pretty patterns in the brick and stone walls.



Any takers?  I'd love to come and visit if you do buy it!


Temporary Fix to Ugly Tiles...

One room hasn't been shown, and that is our Master Bathroom. Let me show you what we started with.  It was yellow and pretty gross. The following photos were from when we walked through the house right after buying the house + are with the previous owners stuff. I honestly look back at these pictures and think we were pretty brave for taking this house on...



Awesome eh? But we had no room in our budget to replace anything. We were faced with a dilemma. What was a way that we could update the bathroom temporarily and inexpensively, to help us hold off on doing any renovations. I also wanted a nicer bath, as I love my baths. So, our fix was...you paint!

 We hired someone to come refinish our tub, and at the same time, paint the yellow tiles.
It was a temporary fix that cost us $1,000. It was money well spent as since them I've been able to enjoy baths and feel as though our bathroom is somewhat appealing. 

But here is the flip side. With any temporary fix, there is that word temporary. The bathtub is showing signs of wear and the paint is chipping in certain spots. We are doing everything in our power to extend the life of our little bathroom. The two rooms, our Kitchen, and Master Bath are the only 2 rooms we never touched, and, the two rooms that are showing MAJOR wear. Aubrey actually said to me "It would make sense to do the bathroom at the same time as the kitchen." to which I freaked out at the idea of TWO renos going on. (Not a good freak out, but panic freak out!) So we kind of have two renovations that we are researching now....Give me strengh.
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