Finding Yourself

I think decorating your home is probably about the best way to discover things about yourself. As you pick up pieces to furnish and decorate your house you realize who you are. I've discovered I like strong contrast. Brown and white or blue and white or blue and yellow, etc, etc, etc. For instance I love my oak shelf with all my cream ware and milk glass collection. There's something about all that white against the brown oak that just speaks to me.

Lucky me found another piece for this shelf just the other day while out shopping with my BFF, Kelly. Which means I will be making changes in this display to add the new treasure. Well back to painting.

I'm linking up to :

                   Treasures and Trinkets Thursday

Summer project

 So everyone knows that late July/ early August is the best time to start projects, right? Because 100 degree weather is nothing, right? Actually I've got so many projects to get done before work/school starts in 3 1/2 short weeks. Next week I'll be extremely busy getting my daughter ready to go to Sacramento.  :'(   She's heading off to school. So what better time than to tackle the guest house. When I get back from Sacramento I won't have much time before work begins and I want to get her old room made over into my sewing/craft room. Is that terrible or what? She's hardly gone and I'm making changes already. So of course I just jump right in and take no before pictures, but I promise to have several after pictures. I've chosen a cottage by the sea theme for the guest house. Should be fun and should give me lots to do this fall, making it all spiffy. Here's a before picture though. My FIL has been living in the guest house but with both kids leaving we moved him into the main house and the kids to the guest house. Crazy I know. So of course it needs a makeover. We've painted over the green walls. The pictures below are what it looked like when it was the school room/craft/sewing room. I didn't take pictures of it when my FIL was living in there. Suffice to say it was green and messy. After pictures to come in the next few days.

Giveaway at Secret Garden Cottage

Hi there blogging friends. Thought I would tell you about a giveaway over at Jojeana's. She's a great lady and has reached her 300 follower mark. Check out her gorgeous garden and fabulous house. Leave a comment to enter her giveaway. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend. Stay cool.

Choices, choices

So I have this question I need to put out there because it is driving me crazy. We have been given an opportunity to move to a much larger, newer house. It's only 6 years old and has 2,664 square feet. It's actually cheaper than our current mortgage. Would you move? It's not a cottage house, possibly a ranch would be the closest to it's design. I've put a lot of me into this house, but it is just a house. My hubby has always wanted a newer house. We've made our pro and con lists, but still can't decide. What would you do in this situation?

Summer is here!

Hello! Sorry I've been absent lately. It's been so hot here and I just haven't felt like accomplishing anything except for reading a book in front of a fan. I didn't think that would make for interesting blogging. Though I have gotten just a few small things done.

Seth continues to plug away at the corner raised bed in the backyard. We hope to plant our strawberries here this fall when it cools off. I also want a potato bush. Wanted one of those for awhile now. 

I did finish the bag I was working on which made Tina happy. I've also been working a little at my favorite local shop. I'll have to share some pictures of the shop later.

The grape is performing exceptionally well and the grass, well the grass is competing with some kind of weed for backyard domination. Hub's is not too happy about it. I told him the Bermuda will choke it out eventually. Bermuda always wins. Thought I would share one before picture of the trellis and the grape to compare it to now. The dahlias and sunflowers are doing well now that it's really warmed up. The wild parrots appreciate the sunflower seed.         

Hope your weekend is an exceptional one. As always.....

Happy 4th of July

America the Beautiful

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!

America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassion'd stress
A thorough fare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.

America! America!
God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.

O beautiful for heroes prov'd
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.

America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine.

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears.

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.

Music - Samuel A. Ward, 1888

Words - Katherine Lee Bates 
1893

America the Beautiful as I see it. Have a safe and happy 4th of July!!
As always,