Things that make you feel good.

Sorry I have been gone.  My computer died and I can only log on when a friend allows me to use her PC.  Thank you friend!


Things that make you feel good:
1- Falling in Love
2- Laughing so hard your face hurts
3- Hot showers
4- A special glance
5- Receiving a unexpected package in the mail
6- Driving on a country road
7- Singing out loud to the radio and your favorite song
8- Lying in bed listening to the rain
9- Bubble baths
10- Giggling
11- The Beach
12- Midnight pizza runs
13- Running through sprinklers
14- Laughing for absolutely no reason at all
15- Having someone tell you that you are beautiful
16- Laughing with friends
17- Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you
18- Waking up early and realize it is the weekend and going back to sleep
19- Spending time with old friends
20- Making new friends
21- Sweet dreams
22- Hot chocolate on a snowy day
23- Road trip with friends
24- Swinging on a swing
25- Warm chocolate chip cookies
26- Receiving homemade cookies from a friend
27- Holding hands with someone you love
28- Watching the expression on someones face as they open a desired present from you
29- Watching the sunrise
30- Watching the sunset
31- Waking up and being grateful for another day
32- Knowing someone misses you
33- Getting a hug from someone you love
34- Getting your hair professionally done and LOVING it

I can relate to many of these.  Hope they sparked some good feelings for you too.
Peace,
Stephanie

The Month of LOVE

Wow, another month has gone by so fast and it is February already.  Where is time going?  Don't get me wrong I am glad the winter is appearing to go by rapid, as I am a Spring/Summer time girl.  I love to be outside!!
I personally have not done much decorating for Valentine's Day, but I have found a lot of inspiration.  Some eye candy for you.  Enjoy.

A unique take on the traditional heart.  I would guess it is made of either Lavender or Sage.  Either way it would smell pleasant.

Decorate your windows with hearts from tissue paper.  How fun.

I actually have a branch from our birch tree that I used for pine cones during Christmas.  I thought about leaving it up all year and decorate for the various seasons. I do like the puffed hearts.  They could be made from felting and stuffed or simply craft papers.

Melt your children's busted crayons for a fun pin or a simple crayon for the little ones. These "pins" say "Happy Valentine's Day for Crayon Out Loud."

These hearts could be made of tissue or fabric.  Your choice, whatever you had laying around.  Cute!!

Simple and fun.

Votive filled with "sprinkles".  You know the kind you use for decorating cookies.  OR you could fill with beads, candy....so many options.

Yum, Yum.  Candy for decorations?  They would NOT last at my home!!! Still pretty...EYE CANDY.

Simple and elegant.  Roses in a silver vase.

Hope you are inspired to decorate your home.  When you are done you can come over and do mine. ;)

Peace,
Stephanie

Time In Between

I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year's celebration.  All of the Christmas decor is down and put away. Now the house seems a little empty.  What or how do you decorate during that time in between Christmas and decorating for Valentine's Day?  I find that January and March are difficult for me.  I get into that winter funk.  You know, no inspiration, no color, the winter funk.

So I went in search of some inspiration.  Some ideas to try something new and different for me. 

I do not have a fireplace, but if I had a non functioning one this would be fun for something different.  I like the way the logs are bundled together with old belts.

 Source:  Bahman Idea House

I have "toyed" with the idea of incorporating a coffee table in the living room. What a fun idea. An old grate as a top.  This calls for a stop at the Restore.

Source:  Bachman Idea House

Not planning on changing the color of our bedroom. Especially not since the addition of the beautiful "Anniversary Quilt" ( see previous post for more details). I do like the bedding, the chandy and the wall art.

Source:  A Well Dressed Home

Look really close.  The tie backs have cookie cutters and the top of the curtains are clothes pins. I like the "potted stars" as well. A little pick me up for the kitchen.

Source:  Bachman Idea House

Check out the idea for the headboard.

Source:  diy Design Fanatic

Love the idea of using old serving trays as wall art.  They wouldn't even have to be expensive silver or pewter trays.  You might pull it off with the trays from the grocery/deli section.

Source:  Bachman Idea House

Just love the colors here.
Source:  The Yellow Cape Cod

If anyone actually reads this blog, input would be greatly appreciated.  What are your plans to get through the winter funk.  Any inspirational ideas welcome. 

Anniversary Quilt

WARNING:  THIS IS WORDY, THERE ARE PHOTOS BE PATIENT AND READ FIRST :)



I am so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.  Sometimes I dwell on the negative in life and forget how BLESSED I really am! 
I have a dear friend that I have been friends with since Kindergarten.  She has been a part of my life FOREVER. Later in life we come to find out ,that funny enough, we are distant cousins....like 5th.  Does that even count?  Our parents are friends and even though she lives in the Washington DC area, we try to visit with each other on her visits to our hometown.  Usually we see each other at least at Christmas time, but sometimes twice a year.
Let me back up a bit.  She works for the government. (Crazy woman) and for a hobby she designs and pieces masterpieces of quilts.  She was home this past summer for a visit and had a private trunk show of her quilts.  I was lucky enough to be invited to the show.  I am amazed and in awe of the work she does.  I am amazed because one, it takes a brilliant mind to design and patience to piece the quilts to the perfection that she shows.  I can sew, a very little bit, not well, but it will hold together whatever it needs to.  Now give me a hot glue gun and I can conquer the world.  Seriously some of her work is so tiny and exact it is amazing!!
Anyway, I was in awe of her work and asked to bring my husband back to her parents home later to see her work.  He comes from a family that his Grandmothers and Mother both do old fashioned quilting.  Not for beauty, which some are beautiful, but for the simple warmth the quilt provides. So Hubs, appreciates quilting as well as I do.  I have been told now that during the show I pulled several out many times to ooh and aah over the design and fabrics.  Little did I know I was being "watched" ;) 
So Christmas arrives and we plan our yearly visit.  I invite her to eat pizza with my family and stay for our yearly chat, gossip and B***tch session.  All in good heart. She brings along some of her current projects for us to see.  As I said before I love to see her works, so no surprise to see her pack along her quilts.  She opens up her bag and proceeds to show us her works.  Beautiful!!!  Original and unique as well.  She opens a quilt in light green and pastel muted colors in what I call a Star design.  I am drawn to this design and say how beautiful it is!  She states, "This is one I have put a label on." She brings the quilt over for me to read the design.  She chuckles, because I have to remove my glasses to read the label.....old age stinks!  I read the first few lines and say the dumbest thing.  "Seriously?"  "Are your serious?"  I must look and sound stupid.  I am not at a loss of words very often but this dumbfounds me.  She laughs and says of course I am serious.  The label states the quilt was pieced and made by my friends name, specifically for Hubs name and my name and our last name in honor of our 29th wedding anniversary.  Amazed.  Simple amazed.  Now comes the best part.....photos of the quilt.  The pics do not show the beauty of the quilt.  I am honored and AMAZED!!
Enjoy the photos and her wonderful work....

Anniversary Quilt

A square from the quilt

Another beautiful square of the quilt

The back of the quilt.Which is reversisble!!

Showing the beautiful quilting.

The Anniversary quilt, in the process of being quilted.

A gift that can not be duplicated.  One of a kind, just like the woman who pieced the quilt!!
Forever in my heart. Thank you!!

Inspiring Christmas

I thought I would share with you some inspirational decorating photos.  Words will be limited, so enjoy the ambiance.

Credit:  Funk Junk Interiors

 Credit:  HGTV

 Credit:  Holly Mathis Interiors

 Credit:  Home by Heidi

 Credit:  Jen Rizzo

Credit:

 Credit:  The Yellow Cape Cod

Credit:  Back Porch Musings

 Credit:  Better Homes and Garden

 Credit:  Cottage Instincts

 Credit:

Credit:  Forever Decorating

Simple and elegant.  Go check out these talented ladies at their blogs.  A must see.  Please share your favorites or inspirational sites.
                                                                                    Peace,
                                                                                      Stephanie

Getting That Warm Fuzzy Feeling

The weather around here has been BEAUTIFUL.  It has been in the upper 50's and 60's and sunny.  Not TYPICAL for Ohio in late November.  I wish our winters could be like this, however, I know we will pay for this in the near future. 

We decorated the inside of the house for Christmas.  Weird decorating in the sunshine and warmth.  Today I actually have the windows open a small crack.  I again I remind you this is NOT typical Ohio weather !!

Thought I would share a few of our vignette's of the upcoming holiday season.  I normally go all out with garland on the stairs and in the dining room and den.  This year, just not "in to it".  Went simple and hopefully pleasing.

Up close of the door wreath.  All made by me :).  Thrift store Styrofoam balls, painted and glittered.

Packages.

Front entrance to our home.

Our "pencil" tree.  Now sporting our handmade red glitter balls.  Made by me from thrift store items.  So much more practical $$$ wise than buying the store made glitter balls!

So glittery!!

Snowmen a top the TV cabinet.

Decided to add the snow sign to the silverware tree.  Still disappointed that the silverware are not more distinctive.

Kitchen sink vignette.

Tree in den, decorated with....what else....snowmen.  Have you noticed I collect snowmen?  I edited the display this year and only put out a fraction of the men.

Even though I decorate with "SNOW" signs, does not mean I like SNOW in any way, shape or form.  Well I like it on TV, not in my real life :)

We are not blessed to have a fire burning fireplace.  So we warm the den with an electric version.  Decorated with my pottery.This

This pottery is made here in Holmes County!!

Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, but it is our home and we feel blessed to be in it!  What does your home look like during the holidays?  Do share.
                                                                    Peace.

What? Already?

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

I decided to take advantage of the warmer weather here and decorate the outside for Christmas.

I broke my own rule.  I NEVER decorate for Christmas until at the very earliest of the day AFTER Thanksgiving.

I was inspired by so many wonderful ideas on pinterest that I decided to change up my holiday decor.

I am cheap frugal and refused to pay the big $$$ for my "new" decorations.

I had priced the glittery balls for the tree and was SHOCKED at the price of one ball.

I had priced florist ribbon and again about fell over at the price of a bolt of ribbon.

So what is a woman to do when they want to change up the decor on a budget?

THRIFT.

Hubs and I purchased  2 bags full of assorted sizes of Styrofoam balls at our local thrift store.  Ready 50 cents a bag.

Garland $2.50

Small tree $8.00

I painted the balls and then covered them in glitter to match.

The other supplies were from our craft room box(es).

 The ribbon was "borrowed" from my Mom, along with the urns.  Hubs painted the once well worn white urns black.  The boxes are empty and recycled from my office junk pile.

Up close of the balls and ribbon. Must say I am very pleased with the outcome!!

The cheap camera does not show the pretty color of the paper.  The paper is actually a lime green, red, white and silver.

The silverware also came from the thrift store for a mere $2.50.  I must say it didn't turn out as pretty as I had in my mind.  I have seen these trees on pinterest and their silverware was front and center and bold.  Mine tends to blend into the tree.  Not sure what is so different except the trees on pinterest are smaller and the branches are not so full.

Well there you have the beginning of our Christmas decor.  More to come next week when we finish with the inside of the house.

Would love to see your decorations.  Send me a note with your blog and I will stop by for a peek.

Peace.