tweaking

Saturday, I tweaked!

The sun porch in the back of our house had become the unloading dock

for most everything all winter long.

While trying to get it straightened a bit, 

I came across both the print AND the empty frame (above).

My husband took the frame to the local hardware store and had a glass cut to fit in,

cut in insert to cover the back and applied a hanger.

I have JUST the place for it!

THEN...

he stitched the binding that had begun to detach from one of the rug's (below) back sides.

When surveying the finished product, 

I realized there were roosters in each corner and the middle!

How could I not have realized this?

Having noticed that, the logical place to put it was in front of the faux mantel

in our dining area where the five roosters join

more roosters, swan, geese and a few other miscellaneous fowl.

All items seen in these photos were garage sale or thrift store purchases

or -in the case of the mantel, for example - curbside treasures!

cozy or chaotic?

"If you thought I found this room attractive,

would you still want to be my friend?  (Just checking.)"

Wednesday, I passed an hour or so in the library

where I thumbed through magazines.

I was drawn irresistibly to this photo and took a photo of it.

Eventually I posted it on my Facebook page along with that question.

I received feedback - some assuring me friendship isn't based on decorating style.

Others said things like:"It's my kind of green (all shades of green are my kind of green)! It looks like a room filled memories and warmth! A great place to sit a spell!"

"I would...enjoy visiting your beautiful and unique home."

"Cozy."  "Yes, it looks very comfortable and comforting."

"Collected and cozy." 

"Cozy and stimulating at the same time."

One said tactfully, "I see some interesting things in it!"

Another honestly commented, "Sorry, but my eyes got tired!"

"My kind of cozy."

"Colorful, bold, interesting and artsy!  I think of Henri Matisse with all the patterns,"

Friend Diana said, "Yeah.  I like that stuff." 

*** 

By the way, I DO like this room.  
It says, "Welcome!  Come in and sit a spell.  
Look around.  Let my color and comfort embrace you."
(And we even have a small bedroom painted this color.

It was a mistake, but I've grown to like it.)

OK.  It's YOUR turn.  What would YOU say about this room?

room for one more

 We were there when the doors opened at 5:00 p.m. last night

for our favorite Church Rummage.

 Usually I wait until Saturday's $5/bag sale,

but I'm sure glad I didn't this time!

Priced at only $3, I'm positive this rug runner would not have been left.

 It now joins two other patterned rugs in our kitchen/dining area.

It is an absolutely gorgeous accessory on our dark laminate floor.

always evolving - never static

 While reading the August 1993 issue of 

House Beautiful last night,

 I came across THIS sentence, and my heart leaped:

 "The farmhouse seemed a retreat far from the world—a  place where an ascetic aristocrat

 might retire to read philosophy and reorder his soul."

 Ours is not a farmhouse;

 nor am I an aristocrat...

 but in every other way,

 I believe this is the inner ideal that I have long held

 for my surroundings.

 I look around me and see bits and pieces of just such a

"retreat from the world".

Like me, our house is a work in progress--
a place AND a soul reordering itself.

Always evolving.

Never static.