New House Journal: Slipcovered Sofa Set and Mantel Makeover

We're making a lot of headway at the new house, with several things coming to completion. The hardwood floors were installed before Thanksgiving and the finish of the carpet install was this afternoon. I'll share those once I get decent pics. Right now I have something hiding underneath plastic drop cloths that I'm anxious to share. One of my favorite things on my check list is the long awaited delivery of my new Slipcovered Sofa Set. Big Yay.

Blogging Therapy

Hi Friends...

I've been away from blogging for a few days, and the truth is I've needed a little break to try to get back up to speed; not just in blogging but life in general. I know we all feel this way from time to time. Sometimes we push through to try to keep our routine going, but this time I've not been able to do that, better to be honest I think. That's just my own opinion. 

(new old footstool for the bedroom)

Antique Armoire

The post I shared last week about the Kilim rug really started out to be about this armoire. You remember it? I had it in the kitchen sitting area at the lease house as a pantry/cupboard. Before that it was in the lower level family room as a quilt and pillow cupboard. Now it's morphed into a TV cabinet for the Master Bedroom. I added the little Kilim rug to give the space a little interest and "oomph".

Making a Statement

Sometimes all it takes is a focal point. 

One piece of furniture that sets the stage for the rest of the room.

 A piece that says "this is me; this is my style".

I've shown my favorite chair many times, and this month it's in the spotlight several times. It's not old, my husband bought it for me as a surprise about 15 years ago for our anniversary. That chair has been dubbed "The Christmas Chair", because when we all gather at Christmas to open gifts, that's always the chair I choose. Funny how little traditions come about. 

As you can see, it didn't start out as a neutral slipcovered piece. When I went to a more subdued "white" decorating palette I opted to try my hand at a quick slipcover. It was hit and miss, and certainly something I wouldn't want any professional to scrutinize, but it has served it's purpose well, and gave me a fast option in transforming my space.

covered arms with antique linens

I love it's lines and curves and I wanted to keep it's original dark wood frame to balance out all the white that was coming in to the room.

When asked earlier this week, I was thrilled to help One King's Lane let you all know about their new Home Decor Resource that is filled with ideas, historical information, and examples of furniture design. Not only chairs, but sofas, settees, chaise lounges, benches, and ottomans. Do you have a favorite style? They can help you locate pieces that will definitely "make a statement"!

Run by One King's Lane Design Resource and do a little browsing, then do a search for your favorite style. I just typed in "French Chair" and these were just a few of the options that came up in their wonderful inventory. Not only do they have current manufactured items, but also vintage and antique pieces to choose from. Have fun, then stay to shop throughout their website. One King's Lane also has a blog you'll really enjoy to keep you up to date on all that they have going on for the Holidays!

If you haven't joined in on Be Inspired this week, the party is in full swing. I couldn't get blogger to update my posts for two weeks, now it's publishing when I didn't ask them to. So just a break from our regularly scheduled party... just scroll down to the previous post! thanks everyone!

xoxo,

French Lavender

What is it about the fragrance of Lavender? 

To me it just smells like Summer rain..

My long awaited dried lavender bunches arrived from Antique Farmhouse and I couldn't be happier. It's so hard to find lavender here in the Midwest, and online prices generally run high for just a small bunch. I tried growing my own last year, but bees took over our back yard and built hives in the birdhouses and pool equipment... that was the end of my lavender growing.

If you don't know Antique Farmhouse then you should. They have beautiful items with new "events" daily. Things sell out fast so you have to be quick. I don't think it's available at this moment but keep checking back they may have more in. Anyway, I bought two orders of 3 bundles each, and I could smell that magical fragrance before the box was opened.

...so I had to do a little styling in an old Frenchy basket. Anyone know technically what this basket was used for? Harvesting flowers maybe? I've also used it for wine bottles, and French Baguettes. 

I collect these little gift books from the early 1900's 

and this one has precious illustrations.

We're in the Living Room on one of my Bergere Chairs that I slipped a few years ago. And I wanted to show you my new grainsack that I talked about here. It's heavier than my others and has two yummy caramel stripes down the center. 

 The bundles came banded with rubber bands, 

so I just covered them with some burlap ribbon.

I just used three of the bundles in the basket, so the rest came into the Dining Room and found a spot on the breakfront in a wine crate.

Styling Assistant at the ready...

she didn't want to eat it, just roll in it...

It's been raining for days,

and I'm ready for Fall...

joining in with these party gals:

Knick of Time Tuesday

Inspire Me at A Stroll Thru Life

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Blitzed on Pinterest at Debbiedoos

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Inspiration Gallery at Ella Claire

It's a Party at DIY by Design

Blissful Whites at Timewashed

What's it Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants 

TTT at Stone Gable

From My Front Porch to Yours

Craftberry Bush

French Country Cottage

The Charm of Home

Shabby Art Boutique

Jennifer Rizzo

Hope you're having a good week,

xoxo,

Seeing red...

I have a little case of Spring Fever. Last week when it was gray and gloomy my wheels started turning about doing something to change up the downstairs sitting area.  And when I say "most of my attention" that means the sofa. Yes, the sofa that's had a slipcover on it for the last almost three years.  It was boring me, and it looked a little "sloppy".  This is one of those areas I'm just never happy with, but it's not a place I want to put the big buck$ into.  

Enter 2 wonderful linen toile thrifted pillows...

yes, with fringe and real feathers.

I know there are several of you that have these, and you know how fabulous they are. I could not pass them by at $25 dollars a piece. I actually had to go back the next day, the whole time crossing my fingers and saying a selfish prayer that they would still be there. Yes, I can be selfish and self absorbed at times. ( I know, totally hard to believe...)

I passed them by the first time, because I didn't know what I would do with them...where to put them...because they're BIG. B.I.G. Back to the sofa... so a few years ago I bought the off-white slipcover for this monster red fruit and floral couch. I loved this sofa when I bought it 10 years ago, but as you can see...it's RED. R.E.D. and my "red" days were numbered. I broke my cardinal rule in decor. Only buy neutral big ticket items. Save the flowers and color and prints and busy-ness for the accessories. I broke my own rule, because I thought I was in love, and that I would be... for eternity. I think in 10 years it's been sat on a sum total of maybe 25 times and is in pristine condition.

OK, so maybe I was secretly wanting to try out having just a teensy bit of red back. maybe... just a teensy bit. I know that sounds silly to some of you, but when you've spent the last three years going "whites" and "neutrals" then it can be a little intimidating (and bright).

So out came a vintage quilt that has a fun little plaid on the back.

OK, that helped tone down the red.

better...

So, I'm kinda, sorta, getting used to the little bit of red again.

 maybe...

coming up...the Holiday Cupboard for Easter.

Thank goodness it's much easier, 

and less expensive to change than sofas.

joining in for these weekly parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

A Daily Dose of Mrs. Olson

TTT at Stonegable

From My Front Porch to Yours

Rooted in Thyme

The Charm of Home

French Country Cottage

xoxo,

The Year that was...2012

I always love putting up the new calender and exchanging it for the old. Fresh and clean with no pen marks, red lettering, strike thrus, or smudges. A blank slate for optimism, hope, and a fresh start. Looking back on the past year is requisite; something that we inevitably do in life. It's a time to reflect on our accomplishments, things that have changed and evolved, but also a time to see where we are heading and taking inventory of our own personal lives.

A header that I made but never used, 

this image just speaks volumes to me about life.

Hallway bath repaint in late January and February.

A start on lightening up my walls and surroundings.

Looking back on this last year I didn't feel like I had accomplished very much. This has been one of those years that even though there have been many good things, over all it's one I would rather not have had to walk through. My New Year's wish, instead of resolutions, is always said with a hopeful and optimistic prayer, that this next year will be a better one than the last...

realistically, that doesn't always happen.

Immediately after the bath refresh came the Living Room RePaint.

What a huge difference in my daily frame of mind.

There's just something about a clean white wall

that visually and emotionally "lightens the load".

Within a week I was on to the Master Bedroom,

and my quest for the perfect shade of "greige".

I had realized that the darker colors I had loved 9 years ago were causing me to feel overpowered and claustrophobic. Sort of like the walls were closing in on me. It all had to go and this was the last bastion of dark and "heavy".

I still wake up everyday feeling the freshness of this change.

With the old darker color I was getting tired of all the dark wood,

 but once the paint was changed, I looked at it differently.

The bedroom RePaint ended the major projects of last year.

It was late Spring when my world needed to refocus.

(a few small projects like the trompe l'oeil print on canvas)

My new slipcovers for the Dining Room chairs were a huge success.

They got to put on a new "dress".

Joy, oh Joy!!!

and then the Dining Room became my "happy place".

June brought one of the highlights of my year;

getting to spend a week with this gal.

and then heading up to St. Louis 

to share a weekend with Elizabeth Maxson,

our dear and precious mutual friend.

After this trip, projects became few and far between,

but I managed to play a little with some fun Fall decor.

My favorite time of the year;

but then I've said that a gazillion times.

But this next photo sums it all up...

this guy.

I haven't talked about it too much here on this blog, but he's the center of my life. God has placed him there to love, trust, and to take care of me. I like to say that my hubby is the "pole" to my "tether ball". I may be hit and bounce around every which direction, but my guy is always the stable, unmoving, center of my life. Ten years ago I had 3 massive heart attacks and almost died. After that, our lives changed. We both had a wake up call to the important things in life...like waking up every day with those that you love still here. But this year he was the one with health challenges and I was the one that had to be strong for him. He was the one feeling like he was walking on quicksand...and I had to be the one that was immovable and unshakable. 

Without God as my strength, we would have been flailing. 

For several years he'd been having occasional attacks of vertigo, then they started becoming an everyday occurrence that changed everything. He's just never been "sick". Oh, you know occasionally a bout with the flu, but nothing serious. Last summer started a journey to not give up, but to seek God for guidance in a place of uncertainty. Tests, doctors, more tests, more doctors...I know that many of you have been through something similar. If it's not you or your husband, it's our kids or loved ones. It takes everything out of you, but then with God's help, He fills you up with His Spirit, His outlook, His Word. 

Fast forward six months and we've been seeing a specialist in St. Louis for Meniere's Disease. It's a tough one, with no cure (they say). We had no help in our area, only a fatalistic litany of defeat for the future. But we were not going to roll over and play dead with this...we faced it head on and now we are seeing positive results. He's not over it, but he's improving significantly. 

So many of you out there know people that are dealing with this life changing condition. The first thing we did was radically change our diet. no salt. Actually, we had to rethink our whole outlook on eating and how inevitably it defines our health, and then eventually, our life. Meniere's is basically the inner ear deteriorating to the point that fluid cannot be regulated so you feel dizzy, nauseated, like your head is under water (filled with water) and dreadful...most of the time. Can't drive, can't eat, can't walk with confidence...can't think straight. OK, I won't dwell on this, but let me tell you there are options out there that work. You don't have to live with this...it CAN get better. 

As with any illness, or life changing circumstance we've learned that there IS hope. God has a good plan for our lives and He has answers that no man does. not doctors, not ourselves, not our friends...He's the one with the way to make things change.

So if you thought that my posts had changed, well, they had. I had changed. I am changed. Walking through something life altering has a way of changing a person. Hopefully, for the better, but still changed. My Bible Study blog went on "hold", because I couldn't concentrate on much other than getting through each day with my husband. Encouraging him became my priority. But as I said earlier, what I lacked in output, I gained with God's "input". If we let circumstances defeat us, there is no "lesson". I want to learn all the lessons I can from God. Don't ever go through a "problem" without seeking God for something deeper to be given you.

I know this has been long, but now seemed like the time to share it all. If I haven't commented, please know that I haven't meant to slight any of you, there have just been days that I didn't have it in me. Thanks for hanging in there with me. I love you all; you have become such a big part of my life. I'm still here, just different. But still believing for a better year.

My prayer for each of you this year

 is for you to stay strong, seek God, love without limits.