Garden Stools

Open any decorating magazine, they are there.  In the east, in the west. by the sea, or in the mountains, Garden Stools are everywhere.

I found my two at TJ Maxx quite a few years ago, on sale of course, and probably paid about $25.00 each.  They have been in almost every room of my house, together or by themselves.  

Garden Stools are right up there with upholstered benches, pillows, and mirrors in my book, they go so many places and are so versatile.

I have two of these, the next one I get will be a bit bigger and rounder, but these have done well by me.

For a magazine, a glass of wine, or a cup of tea by the fire, it works. 

Hiding in the corner, it works. 

Flanking the front door at Christmas (there is one on the other side too), it works.

And next to the you know what, in the you know where, it works. 

Downstairs, upstairs, and finally outside on the porch. they work. 

Garden Stools are a must, don't you think?  

One even made it to the garden! 

Do you have a thing for Garden Stools like I do?  


P.S.  Look up at Hobie, our yellow lab's, photo at the right, there's that Garden Stool again!

Pink or White, No Red Please

It's Valentine's Day, be good to yourself, you deserve it. 

Pink or White for me, keep the Red for yourself, today or any other day.

I am so attracted to Pink, whether flipping through a magazine, scrolling down Pinterest, or out and about doing my daily thing, Pink catches my eye.  

Pink and White, even better. In my mind there is nothing finer than White with a splash of Pink.  Pink makes me happy, simple as that.  So here I go spreading a little happiness, the Pink way.

Come on now, you know you're smiling.  The world needs a lot more Pink and I am doing my part right at home . . .  at the bottom of my stairs.

Spread a little Pink your way, and have a very pleasant Valentine's Day.

                                            Melinda

Waterlogued

For the past few days House Beautiful Magazine has been absolutely raving about a new app called Waterlogue.  I just had to check it out! 

So here it is, spend $3.99 and unleash the artist within.

Choose a photo, choose an option, and adjust your beret.

I started with a few photos of my home.

Then tried a still life.

And finally a few landscapes.

Thank you House Beautiful, Waterlogue is everything you said it was and more!

Warning:  Waterlogue is very addictive and may cause one to spend excessive amounts of time producing masterpieces.

White Towels Please

Nothing looks fresher and cleaner than white towels.  Gray, light blue, sage green, and cream are all popular but, in my book, they don't hold a candle to white!

White towels seem more luxurious, they make you feel special, and they just plain look nice in the bathroom.

Hanging, stacked, in a basket, or on a tray, white is right.

 I guess I'm not the only one that sees the virtue in using white towels.

And I always do.

There is no reason not to have white towels.  Bleach, Borax, or vinegar and lemon keep them looking new. Colored towels can look faded or dingy, not so with white.

Don't you deserve to feel special with luxurious white towels in your bath,  of course you do!

You Need a Touch of Black

A room does not feel right to me without a touch of black.  Just a bit here and there makes a world of difference.  A room feels more grounded with a touch of black.

Fabric, trim, a cache pot, or a lampshade are all easy and inexpensive ways of adding black.  I have used gold lined black lampshades for years, this one from K-Mart a very long time ago.

These black lampshades add sophistication, make a statement and just plain look good!

I totally agree!

My living room with black sprinkled throughout and an antique or two.

Give it a try, I'll bet you'll agree, a room just doesn't feel right without a touch of black!

Silver Makes It Special

I am always on the look out for old silver plated pieces, be they from grandmother's attic or some once fabulous hotel. 

Repurposed silver adds sparkle to a room. . .  any room.

Thrift shops, garage sales, and auctions all have these pieces. Who knows you might just luck out and take a sterling piece home for a song!

Hotel silver can be plain or fancy.

 Its fun, it's inexpensive and look what you can do with it.

I keep mine polished, for a more formal look, but the tarnished look works well with shabby chic.  They say the more you use silver the less you need to polish it.

Grandmother's old tea set need not be used just for tea anymore!



                          Couldn't your home use a little sparkle?