A Heart To Heart With Kathysue!!

This post is going to be a heart to heart. There won't be any decorating ideas or inspiration, just a real honest post about how I have been feeling lately. Grab a cup of coffee, relax and read on........

I feel as if I am going through an awkward stage. You know the stage when you feel like nothing in your closet fits or looks good on you. 

The disappointment in yourself because you did not lose the weight you thought you would lose by some miraculous happening, since you never exercised or went on a diet.

When you feel like your hair is no longer the right style, but are way too afraid to make a drastic change. 

The older women looking back at you from the mirror no longer resembles the gal that is pictured in your head.

This is a very awkward stage! Kind of like puberty right before you blossom into a beautiful young lady, but in reverse!!

Now I like to think I am a pretty positive gal, and I truly am, most of the time, but the past couple of weeks these feelings have been my reality. 

I decided to write about it to help me sort through it. I figured I am probably not alone in the way that I am feeling.

I am also very realistic, so I try looking at my past history to figure out what I will most likely do within reason. My past shows I won't do anything too drastic so I have to approach it all realistically.

 Yes! To top it all off I am a Libra and YES I require balance and peace in my life.

When I start to feel unbalanced I look inside to see which areas feel off kilter.

 Body, Soul and Mind

I have found it is usually because one or more areas of my life have taken over, or has been left behind.

We all need to feed our body, soul and mind so that is where I am starting.

 

Since we are about to change into  a different season, Spring, I figured I better start by being ruthless about what clothing pieces actually fit comfortably for Spring and only have those things hanging in my closet.

Let's face it there is nothing more disheartening than trying on 5 different items of clothing that don't fit properly right before you have to be ready to go out.

So I figured it is time to put away the things that ALMOST fit but not quite. Then I can evaluate what I truly have and can wear now. This will me seewhat gaps I have in my wardrobe.

I have to admit I have been feeling a little frumpy lately. Winter months will do that to you.

The other thing I am going to start doing is doing what I call a Kathy Perdue makeup, a little blush and lipstick, even if I am inside the house, Oh and curl my eyelashes. 

I don't like wearing makeup on my face unless we are going out for something special but without any makeup I look a little sickly, if you know what I mean.

I will say I am happy with the condition of my skin, minus the wrinkles which are a given at this age. My skin texture is still pretty good. I can thank the gene pool for that.

Probably one of the worst things I have done to myself lately is telling myself negative things about myself, just because I am not looking or feeling how I want to right now. That is counter productive so those negative thoughts are going to stop and in their place I will do something constructive and positive throughout my day.

The weather has finally settled into a lovely Spring weather pattern so a daily walk will be good for body, soul and mind.

There are always things we can do to make our lives better and more comfortable for the way we live. Just look inside and try your hardest to stay positive. 

 

 

Changes Are Happening Around Our New House!

This past week the kitchen back splash was completed. The original order for the handmade tile that I waited over 6 weeks for came in wrong, so there was more waiting. I chose the same tile we had used in our previous home. It is classic and has a beautiful glaze that almost seems iridescent in certain lighting.

 BEFORE finished back splash...

   This was taken right after the grout was finished.

 AFTER! TA-DA........

To say we love it is an understatement. This one project made our new house feel even more like HOME!!

 Now for other news around our home...

The construction has begun in our house!! All  the door openings in main living area are being wrapped and door facing will be added. 

There will also be crown molding added to the living area and small hallways. To say we are excited is an understatement.

For those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile you know I am a planner and I like to share my thinking process with you in order to maybe teach you how to look at your own homes differently.

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately, and the one saying I try to abide by keeps coming up in my head.

"When in doubt, DON'T."

There is one element I have gone back and forth on in my head, it is a small detail, but it could make or break the overall design for the molding.

Before we ever moved into our new home I thought the fireplace wall was my nemesis. As it turns out, it has worked out beautifully, and has not been the problem child I thought it would be.

All along I wanted to wrap the niche surround with molding just like it was a door in order to give it a bit more importance. 

I also had plans of putting one large molding frame on the back wall that would follow the lines of the niche. 

The little hallway back wall would have the same treatment. Very much like what is above the fireplace surrounding the mirror.

Now that it is time to do it, I am having second thoughts! REMEMBER> "When In Doubt, DON'T!"

I made a decision and I am going to have the carpenter finish all the openings, and the crown,  then I will address these two walls. 

For some reason it all of the sudden started feeling like too many lines in my minds eye, sooooooo. When in Doubt, DON'T!

If I feel it needs something more, we will add the framing after everything else has been addressed.

Remember...  

Design plans are a wheel in motion and you can stop them or make them proceed, just do it at the right time, better before than after something has gone up. You are the one that has to live with it, so be happy with your results by planning things out and be willing to undo the design when you have doubts.

Here are the very beginnings of the entry door frames...

All the door frames are 3 1/2 in. casings.

I can already envision how it is going to look even in its raw state. I am so excited!!

In the background you can see the little wooden lamp on the mirrored table. I finally found the box that it was packed in and my hubby got it out for me to play with.

I got the little bunny print on Etsy and it holds a special memory for our family. 

The little black and white specked bunny looks just like a pet we had. His name was Domino and he was a very special bunny. My son found him in the park behind our house. We guessed his age to be about 6months old.

Right out of the gate Domino was user friendly. Bunnies either are or they are NOT.

 via

We could hold him like a baby, he could stay in the house and he actually taught himself to be let out when he needed to go out. He was house trained all on his own. 

He ran freely in our backyard and every morning when he heard the water running to make coffee he would hop quickly to the back door for his morning treat. He was so special to us all.

Now back to the mirrored tables vignette...

I knew it looked perfectly fine, but something bothered me about it. I was not quite sure what. Maybe too cutesy, sweet, contrived??? Too many small pieces not saying enough.

Then it came to me!!

Add a black lampshade like I did in the great room, on the white lamp...

Having the shades match made more sense to me and would keep the eye flowing instead of stopping.

The black lampshade would ground all of the mirrored finishes in this area, as well.

So I did a switcher-roo .......

 I like the look and feel of the black with the texture of the natural wood and the shine of the mirror.

I tried some books under the picture but it felt like too much to me. I think I need different books to do that. 

I have a feeling this little area will always be in process!

So there you have it! Things will really be on the move this week with all the molding so I will keep you all posted!!

 

 

My 2017 Spring Pillows In My Great Room

 

It is so fun to change things up a bit for Spring and I have done this for years. The easiest thing to change out are the pillows in a room. They can add color, design and texture. Before I ever make a change I also have a plan.

I order fabric swatches of possibilities and then I put together a combination that will work the bes tin my room. I figure out where each pillow will go, whether it will be in the front or the back, and what size I need.

Here is the mock-up I did before I placed my order for my Spring pillows....

I have written before how sometimes what looks good on paper doesn't always translate into real life.

However I will say this, it is always good to have a plan in place so you can make adjustments as needed.

The first pillows that arrived were the yellow pillows and they were just as I expected, the perfect shade of yellow and they added just the right amount of freshness to my room.

I already had the blue and white pillows. I liked this direction and couldn't wait for the next pillows arrival.

The next pillow that arrived was the white pillow with the black Greek key design. Now this pillow and I have a little history. I have wanted to add this motif to my room for a very long time, but I knew it had to be the right combination to work.

Another puzzle piece that fit perfectly. It looked like it belonged in my black bobbin chair. Uh Oh, it is suppose to go on the sofa next to the yellow pillow.

The last two pillows to arrive are the bright Spring green pillows.........

This is how they looked according to the original plan in my mock-up that you saw at the beginning of the post....

Not bad, not bad at all. However it was not quite right in my minds eye. I was missing the Greek key pillow in the bobbin chair. This looks good for a picture, but to live with it was a bit different for me.

No worries here!! Time to play musical pillows until I get the right placement. I already had a great combination, but placement is always the last key piece.

I played with them and had a lot of fun and then I came up with what I feel is a winning combination for me....

What I discovered was I put the green pillow in the bobbin chair and right next to the bobbin chair is a green pedestal. It was just too much green in that one area for my minds eye....

I prefer the Greek key pillow in the white bobbin chair. I love the way the Green fan leaf pillow pulls out the green in the plants and the green pedestal by the bobbin chair. That little pedestal is one of my favorite pieces in our home.

Here is a close up of the details, it has a Chinese scener carved into it. The top is wood and the column is plaster, it is painted a Kelly green with a gold glaze to bring out the characters  on the column.

In our previous home I used it to place guest towels on next to the tub. I am so glad it works out so well in our new home.

I am very happy with the final decision and I do plan on using the other green leafed pillow with blue for a cooler feel in the summer, using blues and greens.

I hope you all have enjoyed my little pillow journey and the explanation of my decorating process. 

Happy Spring to you all!