Looking forward...

If you happened to read my post "2013: The Year in Review", you know I had some news about what's coming early in the New Year. If you didn't catch it then, here goes...

One thing I've learned in my Spiritual walk is not to spend too much time revisiting the past. God keeps us continually growing and moving. Maybe not always in the physical sense, but allowing Him to change and challenge us, is part of His plan for our life. He always has a plan that is for the "good"; sometimes it's hard to see exactly how that works, especially if we are hanging on too tightly to the past. So I'm looking forward, and not focusing on the past, except to take some wonderful memories, and times of blessing with me.

My husband and I have known for at least two years that there would come a day when we would need to downsize and be in a more manageable home. We live in a wooded area and have a pool, both of which need to have a young family to take care of the maintenance. My husband is thinking about retirement and this is not the place to do that. 

So after months of prayer and waiting we've taken the first step toward our goals and have leased a smaller house so that we can move in and get settled, then take the time to have some updates made to this house before we put it on the market. We need to lighten up and thin out our load of "stuff". I'm actually excited to be in a place where I don't have to yell at my husband to find him, and that I don't have to spend all day watering flowers and shrubs in the heat of the summer.

(Aren't these plaid tea towels adorable?

 My mom made these for me for Christmas with her new Monogram machine.) 

Now comes the part that I don't like even a little bit,

and that's the sorting and purging and packing.

(I mentioned earlier that I ordered 80 Paperwhite bulbs this year, so it's kind of a sea of Paperwhites around here. The ones below are planted in recycled candle jars. This is one of my problems...I hate to throw perfectly good "things" away, when there might be a way to reuse them later.)

This year will be a year of change, and right now we are heading for the first move. Hopefully, after this house sells we'll be able to start thinking about buying another home or building one. As much as I love the character of an older home, my husband and I both know we want and need new construction. I grew up in a 1840's farmhouse and it was cold and hot and unpredictable at best. 

We can't see the "big picture" here, except to know that God has called us out of this place and is asking us to be ready to move forward with whatever he asks us to do. Being "available" to God is what I've always been about. I don't want to miss out on the good plan for our future in any way. If it looks a little scary and overwhelming, then I'm trusting God to give us daily direction and wisdom. He sees the big picture so to speak, when I can only see what's right in front of me.

I'm still planning on blogging, but it may change up just a little. I had to crop out boxes and packing materials just to get these photos today. I'll keep you updated on how things are going, and you may even see some of the day-to-day work going on around here. Can you stand wading through cabinets filled with vintage decor and sorting my stash of magazines? My posts may be shorter, but you'll be with me through it all. As I said in the Review post, I consider this more of a "lifestyle" blog than a decor blog. It may not be all pretty pictures, but it will be "real life"...and right now I need to stay connected with you all through this blog. Hope you'll stick with me while we take on this new year of change, and blessing. 

sharing at:

French Country Cottage

Rooted in Thyme

Shabby Art Boutique

The Charm of Home

Wishing all of you a wonderful New Year.

love y'all bunches,

Today's Sponsor

Elliott-Heath Designs

Looking back, toward Thanksgiving

Boy, am I thankful for that extra hour today...I've been trying to play catch-up since getting back from St. Louis, and I'm behind on almost everything. So today I thought I'd just share a few pics from year's past Thanksgivings. It's such a short season, that sometimes I don't get a lot of photos of how things transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving, and then on into Christmas.

Planting Paperwhites, which is a tradition I've had for the last 8 years or so.

(remember, you can click on the image for it to become much bigger)

Setting up a small tree in the Dining Room right after Halloween, which then became known as my Autumn Tree. Filled with woodland creatures, owls and berries, I think I love it as much as a Christmas Tree.

 My urn on the Living Room table went from Pumpkin

 to multicolored dried Hydrangeas and preserved leaves.

A shot of my Hall Sideboard for Thanksgiving

and a few of the Entry and another small tree in the Living Room.

And last year's Dining Room table with some paperwhites

 in an ironstone tureen on simple white burlap.

I've mentioned before how this blog has really been a virtual diary of my seasonal decor.  I'm working on a vintage Thanksgiving tablescape that has been really fun putting together. I love the colors of this Thanksgiving Season... bringing in the jeweled tones of Autumn, with just a hint of Christmas to come.

Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday.

I'll see you tomorrow for 

If you have an Etsy Shop or Online Boutique

please come link up some of your items currently For Sale

then stay to have some shopping fun!

joining in on these great parties:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

A Stroll Thru Life

Coastal Charm

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farm

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Savvy Southern Style

xoxo,

A little Grain Sack Inspiration

If you're like me you need a jumping off point; something that inspires you, and gives you direction. I had it in my head this year that I wanted to do something less fussy, maybe a little more "Winter-ish" than an all out Christmas blow-out. I've seen some amazing "all out" Christmas decor, but for me, I just wanted something simpler that could maybe make it at least through part of January.

During the late Summer and early Fall I used a table runner made of dark grain sack fabric with a black stripe. I loved it, and started looking for a runner in a red stripe with a light background early. Chalk one up for me... I'm usually late on making decisions. I waited too long and now the infamous BOXWOOD wreath has eluded my grasp this year...grrrrrr.

I knew I wanted to use this white wooden lantern that I've had for awhile, so it had to nest in the old windowbox. Now, back to the tablerunner issue...soooo....I couldn't find the fabric, but actually did one better by finding this amazing antique grain sack on Etsy from a wonderful gal named Christina from Austria. (From The Etsy Store Grain Sack) I ordered early in October, so it was here just in time for the Thanksgiving change over.

I took out the binding that held the sides together, so I would have one long piece in a single layer. Then centered it on my off white burlap. I want to cover up as much of the B-R-O-W-N table top as I can...

Perfect.

Christina's Photo

It's really beautiful and immaculate with no damage or age showing at all. I highly recommend her shop.

Then, I started digging in my linen stash and came up with this vintage "Turkey Red" tablecloth for the buffet.

I just folded it lengthwise.

A little more "grainsack" with the ribbon.

And a grapevine wreath with a red transferware cup. The more I look at that wreath, the more I know it must have lost an apple or two since last year. Sorry, it's now on my "to-do" list!

Had to have some plaid, ya'll!!

My sister made these adorable pillows for me for Christmas last year.

more red stripes

(and birdies)

big pillow was a Pottery Barn must have last year!

I changed out the bittersweet on my little Fall Nature Tree for some festive winterberry garland. I put the snow owls to bed and added in some glitter birds in their place.

I have an old friend that's making an appearance in the Dining Room this year. I'll share him this weekend! (If you look closely you'll see a peek of him.)

I'll be joining in these great Holiday Parties this week:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Blissful Whites at Timewashed
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
TTT at Stone Gable
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Shabby Art Boutique
 French Country Cottage
Inspiration Friday at The Picket Fence

Hope you're having a fun week,

be sure and check out 

It's live all week.

xoxo,

On the table...

Since our younger daughter and her husband will be hosting Thanksgiving at their home this year, I haven't had to be concerned about a proper tablescape.  But I have changed out a few things on the table last week. I filled my ironstone tureen with about 10 paperwhite bulbs and sat it and my white velvet pumpkin  on my dark harvest-y vintage tray.

The Dining Room has beautiful soft light most of the day.

I took out the "orange" leaves in the windowbox centerpiece

 and in their place added some faux evergreens.

adding a little "Winter" and removing a little "Fall"

But a bigger change came on the table by swapping out the dark grain sack fabric for this lighter creamy burlap fabric, which I just folded over once lengthwise and left the edges raw. I like the lighter burlap for this week which will soon be changed out for Christmas. I found a wonderful antique grain sack with a red stripe on Etsy from Austria. I'm planning on adding it over the burlap for my Christmas Season tablerunner. I'll share that with you soon, and the Etsy shop I purchased it from.

A set of my lambies approve.

See you Monday morning for

The Marketplace,

where we list our Etsy and Online Boutique Stores

then shop our little hearts out.

I'm joining in for these parties:

Sunday Showcase at Under the Table and Dreaming

Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

TTT at A Stroll thru Life

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Knick of Time Tuesday

Cowgirl Up at Cedarhill Ranch

Blissful Whites at Timewashed

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Share Your Cup Thursday

House Party at No Minimalist Here

French Country Cottage

Primp

The Charm of Home

Rooted in Thyme

Shabby Art Boutique

Have a wonderful Sunday,

xoxo,