Something Old; Something New

I guess it is the change of seasons, but I have been in a mood to change things up.  I rearranged my living room furniture, changed out my decor to more subtle colors and have even started changing out to some fall clothing, even tho it is still in the 90s here.   I have also visited some vintage shops and estate sales and came away with some treasures - old  and new  

One of my favorite new items is a sweet throw pillow handmade by Judy at a wonderful blog called http://20northora.blogspot.com  Judy has an Etsy shop where she sells some of her wonderful needlecraft creations.   https://www.etsy.com/shop/20northora.  I am totally in love with this pillow.  It is a beige linen fabric with a vintage doily sewn on the front and a precious pink rose shaped button in the center.  I just redid my bedroom in pink and white so this pillow is perfect!  Check out her shop and her blog!  This is not a sponsored post -- I saw the pillow, bought it and then asked her if I could share on my blog so everyone could see her beautiful work.  

She also tied a bit of vintage silk as a tassel on the top right corner.  Very sweet

In my living room I added this vintage wood and iron piece along with my urn filled with my daughter's bridal bouquet that I dried.  They were cream colored roses and they dried into this beautiful soft creamy pink.  

I also changed out my china in my breakfast room hutch to my grandmother's Johnson Brothers Olde English Countryside transferware.  This is such a warm, beautiful scene and it is perfect for Fall.  

Found this fabulous chippy wood mirror at an estate sale!

Bought some faux hydrangeas for the galvanized watering can that I found at the side of the road a few weeks ago.  

My next project is to find some little white pumpkins, acorns and pine cones for a table centerpiece.  I don't use orange in my decor cause I have so much pink in my house.  I prefer to stay with creams, greens and browns - always with a touch of pink.  

I am really enjoying seeing how other bloggers are changing things for the new season.  Whether we call it nesting, fluffing or, as I like to say - preparing my den to hibernate - this season seems to bring out a need to create a comfy, nurturing indoor space in preparation for the winter ahead. 

Do you feel this change in the air?

How do you Spell REFRESH?

A REFRESHING cool front came through this weekend and cooled down the temps and lowered the humidity!  I spent the entire weekend outside - mowing the lawn, grooming the flower beds, going for a hike and just simply feeling REFRESHED by the pre-fall weather.

The morning glories on my gate are still greeting me each morning with their happy blooms and gorgeous deep color.  They have taken over the fence row and I couldn't be happier. Their translucent beauty REFRESHES my spirit.

Isn't this little moss clump on a rock with a tiny flower blooming in the middle of it a wonderful example of nature's simple beauty?  This was in the creek near my house. Ahh- sitting on the bank of the creek enjoying the sounds of the rushing water and gazing at this beauty REFRESHES my mind!

My three day a week low stress job has suddenly turned into a 4 day a week, stressful one due to my boss announcing her retirement and another woman in my department being on maternity leave.  I am pretty spoiled and have enjoyed so much freedom for the past few years since semi-retiring from my high pressure job in the corporate world.  It is hard to shift gears and put my nose to the grindstone now. I am hoping it will only be this way for a few more months but it is going to be pretty fast and furious through the end of the year.   In order to keep my perspective and not let myself get overworked, I am making sure I "escape" into nature regularly for REFRESHMENT.  I have been going on a hike in the woods at least once a week, and am walking in my neighborhood every other evening. 

I am also reminding myself to be conscious of all of the beauty around me at any given moment.  The morning glories are just outside my door when I get in my car for work.  The little moss island is in a stream around the corner from my house on a walk.  When I am at the park near my house, hiking in the woods I see deer, otters, herons, ducks, geese, owls and gorgeous vegetation that ALL remind me there is a natural rhythm that is an undercurrent of life and if I allow myself to plug into that current I am rejuvenated and REFRESHED.  I am then able to do what I need to do at work without allowing myself to get burned out.  If I don't get my regular nature "fix" I get anxious and easily flustered.

Once again - I go to John Muir for inspiration --- 

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity...” 
― John Muir 



Yes!  For me - wilderness IS a necessity and is my favorite way to spell REFRESH!  

How do YOU spell REFRESH?

Need Help with a Design Dilemma!

I am struggling with a design dilemma in my 1960's ranch style home that has a living room/dining room combo so it is a long, narrow room.  Because I don't use my dining room for anything except storing odds and ends of furniture, I have put a Shoji screen up as a room divider.  Some day I plan to make the dining room a functional space that can be open but right now, I need to "hide" it.  

A Shoji screen is a wooden frame - mine is a natural color - with rice paper as the screen part.  Because I am on a very tight budget I would love to figure out a way to make it look better as my room divider.  

I have been searching Pinterest for ideas on what to do to somehow make it look better - maybe even pretty - but not having any luck.  I have thought about painting the entire thing white but not sure how that would work on the rice paper part.  I have thought about trying to remove the rice paper (not an easy task) and replacing it with a pretty fabric or paper.  I have also thought about simply stapling some lacy curtains or fabric on it.  

So I thought I would turn to my blogging friends for ideas and thoughts on what I might be able to do.  

Have any of you ever repurposed a shoji screen?

Any other ideas - i.e. hanging a curtain rod, etc. as a divider rather than the screen?  

I am open to ANYTHING. Except - sewing -- cause I don't sew.  lol.   I realize it isn't the greatest option - but it is what I have and what I can afford.  

Thoughts?  Ideas?  Please forgive the mess -- I didn't "stage" these pics so there are a few random wires, etc. hiding in there.  lol.