The Cottage Around the Corner

Everywhere I read lately has been about how people have their own private creative space. I felt really jealous. Then I read about how you should look at your house with different eyes to carve out a space. In a house with 7 people, that is no small feat, but I think I found a spot.
I recently bought a desk on craigslist. Already black, so I didnt have to paint...it was the color that I wanted anyway. Then I hit the thrift stores for decorative accessories. I think I made it cute...!!! I am happy with the results and I will post pictures tomorrow.
I am writing this blog on my new iPad...and it is very strange to say the least. So if I have bad grammar, please forgive me...

Decatur City has been out of water since yesterday. I can't tell you how important water is...unable to clean dishes, flush toilets...even get a drink. Needless to say, my house is a wreck. There are tons of piles up dishes and no way to clean them. The city decided not to warn anybody, so by the time we found out we would be without water for 24 hours, all the water in the stores was sold out.

I will have so much clean up to do when this is all over. It might be a nice cleaning break, but when you can't flush a toilet and people still have to go to the bathroom... then the scented candles don't really help.

It should be back on by 1700 tonight. Oh yeah. I am very disappointed how this has been handled. We live in an 1100 sq ft house with 7 people. I can't tell you how much of an inconvenience this is. One thing I have learned from all of this is that indoor plumbing isn't that great without water. I would do anything for an out house right now...

From me to you....have a wonderful new year!!!

Battling depression...losing some and winning some. It has been really hard to get motivated to do anything. I felt as though all the sunlight had been sucked out of my life.  All the air felt stale...nothing fresh or alive seemed to exist. I felt like a foreigner in the world...like I did not belong.

Then one day, I remembered how I used to read blogs. There are some blogs that are like sunlight in themselves. The ones that always impart a sense of beauty to simple, every day tasks and objects. Blogs like www.deardaisycottage.typepad.com where Kim has the gift of making everything seem more beautiful. Even laundry at her house sounds enjoyable. A simple cup of coffee more delicious in a lovely, bright colored coffee cup.

And if you are looking for delicious food, look no further than www.bunnysovencom.blogspot.com as she has the most wonderful recipes. They will make you feel warm and safe. They nurture you in the way food is meant to nurture you.

Another blog filled with beauty and color would be www.cherryhillcottage.typepad.com, a place of cottage joy. A place of innocence and simplicity. Color is not used sparingly here and I believe that between this blog and Kim's Daisy Cottage, there is no way you can leave without at least cracking a smile.

If you are looking for romantic beauty then you will most certainly enjoy www.bunnyrosecottage.blogspot.com. Amy has a passion for bunnies and anything shabby chic. She recently bought a new home with her love and they are restoring and decorating it. As gifted as she is, I look forward to seeing how it all turns out. Although, I will admit to being jealous.... but then you will be too when you see her sitting room. Did I mention she has ANOTHER sitting room, too? See? I told you that you would be jealous.

There are quite a few other blogs out there that aided me in the time where I felt I was so lost, and I will share them with you every friday. It amazes me how people can find such beauty in what some would call a mundane task. Manuella at www.thepleasuresofhomemaking.blogspot.com always has the most creative and beautiful ways of turning something from an ugly duckling to something that looks like a heirloom treasure. Even cleaning to her becomes beautiful.

So now you know where I have been, what I have been dealing with. You also now know some of the blogs that helped me remember the sunlight and the fresh air breeze, the scent of life. I hope you will also enjoy these as much as I have and will find, or begin to find, the joys in simplicity. May you enjoy the fresh scent of snow, the soft glow of candlelight and the warmth of family and friends. Remember that although you may not find your blog to be deep and meaningful, there are others that will find solace and warmth in the simple lines that you express. Nothing is lost that cannot be found. Nothing is spoken that someone does not hear. The most important thing to remember is that no one is alone.

Why do I love frogs!! Because they eat BUGS!! I strongly dislike bugs. I am arachnophobic, maybe even bugaphobic. I once had my neighbor from across the street come over to my house to kill a flying bug in my house. It was really ugly. And it freaked me out. Sadly, my 8 year old kills bugs for me.

Back to what I was saying... I love frogs. We have TONS of frogs in our yard. And I am looooving them!! I am not having the crazy bug problems I was having last year. In the hot, humid south, there are way too many bugs!! Some of them are pretty (from a distance and under glass stuck with pins to a display), and some are just the ugliest things you have ever seen. Too many sting and too many bite. We are really enjoying the frog invasion this year. They aren't getting in the way or making a mess, we are just enjoying their bug eating proficiencies. They are growing well, and I am just happy as a lark about them. The kids are enjoying catching them and I now have several requests to get little frog statues for the front and backyard. I must admit, I don't think they would have to twist my arm to convince me of that idea!!

So, I am going to watch the frogs in my yard and maybe even take a coupla pictures. I hope you are having a wondiferous week!! Have a very hoppy tuesday!!!!

 

 

This week, I have a lot to do. Alas, I have a fever and I am sick. Will that stop me? Oh no!!

In fact, this morning I "colorfied" my guest bathroom. It was very pale and pastel, which is pretty, but with two boys that are always covered in dirt... it wasn't very user friendly. So I added splashes of red! Red is my favorite color, so that is no surprise. As soon as I can charge my camera, I will post pictures. I also plan on buying some red and white gingham ruffles (if I can find it) and embellishing my towels with it. I am not a good sewer, so I will use fabric glue. I am sure I will have to make more anyway, as my kids have a way of "discoloring" towels.

I am working on my front porch, but that might take a week or two. That is a couple of painting projects. I have to fix a wicker chair (it decided to unravel) and then paint it, the bookshelf and a table I plan on putting out there. I still need hanging plants, but I can't say I have felt motivated to go to the store since I got sick. That reminds me... I still need garbage bags. Oh, well. We have WalMart bags. And 5 healthy kids that can take it out often.

I also weeded one of my beds. That was an ordeal. Of course, it was a heat index of 100 degrees when I did it and I couldn't possible stop. I had to get it done. Just blame it on my OCD. I still have another long one to do. It is amazing how quickly weeds grow. Why can't my plants grow like that?!?

My daughters made me a beautiful flower arrangement for the table. I tried to put it there, with a lovely tablecloth, but my 21 month old kept trying to knock it all down. No tablescapes for me, unless it's nap time. Oh well. He is cuter than any china! ;0)

I hope that you are having a productive week. Take it easy and stay out of the heat. I will post a pic of the arrangement my daughters made me a little later. See ya!!

I have been trying to figure out how to do the window treatments in my rooms. For 5 years. Seriously. I am indecisive. I get an idea, can't find the stuff and then get stumped. Get another idea, can't find the stuff and get stumped again. I go back and forth. I think I want it one way, then I see another idea from somewhere else. What is a girl to do? So, I have decided to go the
neutral route. Quite unlike me, but I figure when I find the perfect curtains the shades will match. Here are two ideas I found on this site: http://www.greatinteriordesign.com/tag/cottage-window-design/

I think I am leaning a bit more to the bamboo or matchstick blinds. I love the texture and it might save my house from looking like a McDonald's play area. What can I say? I love color. I want my house to be colorful and happy looking for my kids. Actually, if I could convince Kim over at http://www.deardaisycottage.typepad.com/ to trade houses with me, I wouldn't have to worry about it. Hers is perfect, but I lack the ability to look at things objectively and to know when to stop. I guess that is what makes my home mine. It may not be the best dressed, but I love it anyway. Kim recently made a post about not following "rules" of decorating, and I really took it to heart. If I want fake plants (my kids eat the real ones) then I can. I can paint anything any color I want. It's just paint. So, I will take her advice with my window treatments. I will pick which ever ones appeals most to me, "in style" or not. After all, if we don't call the shots in our own house, what's the point??