So, the busy season that was late summer/early Fall is now behind me. We had the students coming back into town in August, a big craft show in September that the booth had to be in tip-top form for, followed by the Junk Ranch, followed by the D and O Open House — I’ve pretty much been working non-stop on the booths for three months now, so it’s nice to be able to take a little breather. I’m heading into that part of year when it becomes difficult to find merchandise, so I really shouldn’t be slowing down — here it’s Saturday morning, and I’m sitting at my computer instead of tracking down any late-season yard sales — but I’m TIRED! We also had another death in our family, a favorite uncle, and it was sudden and fast so I’m dealing with the accumulated sadness of our losses this year and I think I just need some down time.
I was motivated to take some pictures around the house this week because I’ve been feeling kind of frustrated with the progress I’ve made since moving in here two-and-a-half years ago. I am still staying at home with the kids, though, so we’re a one-salary family, and there just isn’t any extra to put into major projects around the house that are primarily aesthetic and not strictly necessary. I did finish painting the master bedroom, though, so that’s huge, and have gathered some pieces for that room — basically, I have SPOTS around the house that I’m satisfied with, instead of rooms. But it’s a start. I’m in the process of listing things I want to do and I’m going to assign them a priority so I can start using some booth money each month on a project. I think if I can just continue to make small progress, I’ll feel better about it.
SO. Here are some SPOTS in my house that I LIKE (positivity! pass it on!).
I know I’ve shown pictures of this cabinet in the foyer (if it can be called that, it really is more of part of our living/dining room). I have switched it over to be all matte-white American pottery. I got this off of Craigslist when we first moved here for $150 and it remains one of my favorite CL purchases. There is a herd of cattle to the right of it.
These are just cheesy reproductions — I would LOVE to have an actual cow oil painting but GEEZ LOUISE have you seem how much those cost?
Across the room from this is my buffet in the dining room and my multiplying cloches. I can’t say no to a cloche.
The tall one in the back on the piece of industrial metal was purchased in my friend Paula’s booth (Emma’s Back Porch at Daisies and Olives). I love it. It has two little tiny brass birds inside of it. The print you can see just a bit of is the engineer’s print I had done at Staples last year. It’s about to be thrown over for this project — I have a shower curtain from Society6 on my booth-funded list. I just have to pick on out of the million cool ones they have for sale here.
A couple of months ago I got frustrated with the bookshelves in the living room, which had just become a gathering place for every little thing I brought home from yard sales and thrift stores without any real style to them. So I rearranged them, culling a lot of crap. My favorite part of the shelves now is the side with all of my colored pottery on it.
Makes me pretty happy every time I walk past it.
Moving into the master bedroom…I love this little corner.
(You can kind of see the paint color I used for the BR in this picture). That painting was found at a benefit yard sale for FIVE DOLLARS. I love it SO MUCH. The frame was originally a hideous green, but once I gave it a coat of cream chalk paint, it was a masterpiece. And matches the wall color so well. Those two chairs were $50 off of CL — SO comfortable and make the bedroom look a little more cozy.
I had it in my head that we would buy new bedside tables once I had painted the bedroom, but then I saw how much they would cost new and how difficult it was to find two matching used — so I painted the red ones we had used previously. These came from the Village Thrift Store on Milwaukee in Chicago and were half off the day I bought them, making them a grand total of ELEVEN DOLLARS for the pair. Geez, I miss Chicago thrifting. I hemmed and hawed about the lamps for about a week, because brass just seems so seventies to me, but I love the shape of these and one of you brilliant people had suggested using copper as an accent color in here (it was JENN! I went back and looked!) so I decided to go for it. Now I kind of love them — and they were $20 for the pair. Still looking for bedding. I think I’m going to get a matelasse or chenille spread in a cream and then layer it with a quilt. Nothing new is inviting to me, even if I look at expensive options (which I couldn’t afford, anyway).
And, of course, there’s the kids’ room, which was the first thing I finished in this house, and which still makes me smile when I’m in it (that is, when they haven’t torn it to pieces, which is ALWAYS). I know I’ve shared pictures of it before, but indulge me. (It was inspired by a photo of Ginny Phillips’ daughter’s room on her blog.)
So THERE are some happy spots in the house right now. I get kind of bummed out when I’m in someone’s house and it’s all beautiful and coordinating and designer-like — it seems like it’s a more “adult” way of decorating. But I don’t know if I would ever be able to do that, or if I were able, if I would be happy like that. I think I need old stuff around me to make me comfortable! But look who I’m talking to — I’m preaching to the choir! Viva la eclectic vintage! I’ll just keep conquering the house, one spot at a time, until you won’t be able to believe it was built in 1994. 🙂
by Lara Jo
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