My Kitchen

Linda at Restyled Home has done a wonderful post of painted cabinets. Terrific inspiration. She was kind enough to post a few pictures of my kitchen. Here are some additional photos. Please check out Linda's blog for some great ideas.
Heather

Yeppie, My first Award

I received my first award today from Rue at Rue's Peanut butter and Jelly Life. She is a fantastic lady and her blog is wonderful. Thank you Rue for making my day.

Looking for Trouble in all the Right Places.

You know how sometimes you move things around, change this and that and suddenly you are looking at what must be the ugliest wall in your home. Yep, that happened to me. Removed the decorations and discovered that I had a horrible, outdated, not matching wall with my "New Style".

Venetian Plaster(old look)


European Country(new look)


Now I know the picture is a little blurry. Trying to take with out flash to get color right. Still working on the decor. I do like the drama of the brown with the rest of the adjoining spaces. (little circle is the wall protector from kids slamming door into walls. I hate patching.lol)The antique mirror and table really do not show their glory in photos. We all know how that feels. It is a narrow space so I replaced the heavier table with the iron to open it up. I am into the simple look right now and will show more of me home soon. Hope it inspires you to tackle "THE UGLY WALL"
Heather

Thrifty Finds

So many of you have been posting your trash to treasure ideas. I thought I would give it a shot. Being in the businesses for years I have so many. I thought I would start with some projects that I have been working on during the transformation of my home.


I found these chairs a few weeks ago at a tag sale. I needed two for in front of my fireplace. The price was good ($30), the scale worked but the look was off. See below to what happened next.

Before


After


They're Home

Simple Summer Beauty

Simple Summer Beauty


There are several things that come to mind when we begin to daydream about the up and coming summer. We imagine the vacations that we have planned , the quality family time, BBQ’s, pool parties and just time to relax. Two of my favorite things about summer are actually smells. The wonderful salty air that I breath insatiably at the Ocean. I never seem to tire of it and in that moment in time I realize what a wonderful gift taking a deep breath is. So healing, so relaxing and revitalizing to the spirit. My second favorite smell of the summer is fresh Lavender. My parents live in Southern California where there is a wonderful Lavender Field. In the summer the lavender is harvested and sold to the local merchants and public. There is an essence in the aroma of Lavender that just calms my soul. I contemplate the bounty of flowers and beautiful plants that God has given the Earth. I enjoy every year purchasing a fresh batch from Matilda’s Mouse and adding it to a vintage bottle or old dough bowl to be savored throughout the year. I have to admit that I so enjoying running my fingers through the crushed lavender as I pass through a room stimulating the wonderful perfume. Oh, I so do look forward to the summer. What are your favorites?

Songbird

Songbird

Songbird, Please sing me a song
So sweet to my ear.
That I can imagine a world
Soaring freely in air.

An Old Friend

The Bench

Come sit for a spell, I will listen you
Bring me your thoughts and your stories
Even if only a few.

Your troubles, your worries
Your laughter , your tears
Come sit for a moment, I have time for you.

Heather

Charming

The sun was shining as I sat in my yard today enjoying the wonderful warm breeze and admiring the new spring growth. Listening to the trickle of our waterfall I glanced over and my little friend caught my eye. There he was amongst a bed of beautiful white lantana. Know I am one of those woman who can disappear quickly back into the magic of childhood. My mind started to wander.."What if he really was a magical frog?" I imagined the stories of my youth running through my head. The beautiful Princess, so longing for love that she kisses a little frog as her last resort. The magical land that he would return to led me into a wonderful afternoon daydream. I thought about the day he arrived. My daughters with all their beautiful innocence placed him in the perfect place next to the pond and appropriately named him "Charming" I asked myself often, "Where does our imagination disappear to?" "Why do we need to loose our sense of wonder and the simple thought that Life is magical"? I wondered what I would wish for. What would I truly desire? One wish ladies, what would it be? I am reminded of a phrase that once popped into my head in a moment of silence.."Boredom is purely a lack of Imagination" Today, join me in adding a little bit of your inner child into your "Big Girl" life. Find something that allows you to dream a little and helps you find the magic again. I would love to hear the stories.

Imagine,
Heather

Welcome

Welcome to Cottage Dreaming. Today I begin a journey. One that will be shared with you. At the age of 36 I am at a turning point in my life. Some of you may have already crossed this bridge and for some it is still awhile away. As a women, I have found, that we go through many stages in our lives. In our twenties we discover our Independence and our adult voice. Some of us find true love and begin families. Some choose careers. We feel that we know ourselves and the direction our lives are heading. Still youthful in our thoughts knowing that the World is our oyster and time is irrelevant. Then it hits.... Thirty something and you wake up one day and the things you thought worked..don't, the idealism of life has changed, you suddenly have a deeper sense of who you are and an awareness of how quickly life has gone by. You question your priorities, your job, your ability to parent, your finances and decide that today is the day. Every moment is precious. You want to be surrounded by people and experiences that only add a positive direction to your life. In some ways for the first time you truly validate yourself and give yourself permission to completely be happy. I am here. This freedom has provided me an insight into my life and I am making changes that were Oh so needed. Please join me as I create the life I was born to live, the home that I wish for my family to be surrounded by and the person inside and out that I want to be.