I Promise I'll Never Ever...

Talk that much in a blog post again, like i did in the last one...

Who wants to read all that stuff!!  What was i thinking !

So just a few pics this time, and as little words as possible!

So i bought this cowhide rug at World Market,  for a pretty darn good price with a coupon.  A lot better than the prices i see online - and i LOVE it!  

My sofa is all messy in this photo... but whatever... i'm sooo totally completely not a photo stager...

I'm pretty sure i have switched pillows on this sofa a thousand times... that round pink one is already gone...

anyway avert your eyes from the messy coffee table and cords in the corner, and just check out the rug

I think i paid about $160.00 with the coupon, soooo... if you want one, you might want to check them out...

 This limelights hydrangea is blooming in it's full glory - 

So amazing, i want to kiss it...

It dries and fades to a soft blush

what could be better than that...

did any of you see this photo on Pinterest?

There is something about this photo that is like therapy to me... whenever i want to feel good i look at it

What is it about this combination that is so completely irresistible!?

I think it's the coral that makes it so perfect

....and...

I went to the beach since the last time i talked to you! 

For the first time in 6 years!  

and i love love love the beach... 

but due to money issues, and anxiety issues, and planning and sequencing issues... and basically every mental health issue you can come up with... it took me 6 years to get back to the beach which is only 3 hours away from my house... 

that shows you a little how crazy i am...

it was a duplex, and it smelled like old tennis shoes, and the decor was AWFUL, and it rained almost the whole 3 days we were there.... 

but we did have one almost sunny day where we had beach time

....and it was wonderful

And since it was rainy one of the days, We took a trip just up the road to the cutest little town called Southport, and there were a million thrift and antique shops, and old homes right on the water, where boats come in

so i was in heaven with that!

Why don't i live there? near the water? it seems so wrong not to be near the ocean!

I'm pretty sure i would be healthier and less neurotic if i did!

 ***

 I haven't told you, but i am working on a new cow painting for Miss Mustard Seed...

and oh how it is giving me trouble

it's kinda hard to beat "Eulalie"

sooo... major performance anxiety here

anyway, i've reached the maximum amount of words i will allow myself in this post after the last one

talk to you sweetie pies later!

...the end...

Hi Everybody, I'm Not Dead...

               

  I know I haven't posted in a long long time!

It's been a hard summer.... 

I mean nothing overtly horrible or bad happened...

It's just i've had alot going on, and alot of people around, ALL THE TIME, and i can't really talk about it all, because i would get in big trouble!.... except that...

HOLY  F!#$!, 

i need my space and my routine, and quiet time, or basically i get  anxious, and depressed and crazy as a loon...

So, i just couldn't bring myself to do blog posts...

I mean, i'm curious, How many of you get energy from alone time, versus energy from being around people.

Mr. Fractured is low maintenance, he doesn't pull at my energy force... he's quiet, he's routine, he does his chores... We have a rhythm, and it works.  Geeeesh, he can fall asleep in a chair in 32 seconds... it's insane

  He dosen't care if we're boring and neither do i.

  Relationships are interesting.  After living this long, i've decided, i have no idea what the hell to think of it all, except some people suck the life force out of you... 

STAY AWAY from them if you can, 

and some don't.  

It's ok to play with them

People always tell me how social i am, and how happy i always seem, and how they think i would be so fun to hang out with.

I HATE FUN!

Every time someone wants to have "FUN" i want to shoot myself in the face!  

Planning to do something "FUN" means you have to drive or fly somewhere where there are usually alot of people you don't know, and do things you're not used to doing, without your stuff that makes you feel safe and comfortable.

If i think of flying somewhere, i immediately visualize being trapped in a guided missile, made of thin metal, packed with highly flammable jet fuel, and being launched 25, 000 feet in the air through cumulus clouds and lightening strikes, where you could potentially plummet to the ground, 

(which, lets' face it, ... would take a really long time at 25,000 feet)

where you would then explode into flames

and if you survive and make it,  to wherever you are going

you have to do it again and fly back!

uhhhh...i don't think so

i can watch the discovery channel 

hang gliding

seriously?

nope

bowling

not a chance

skiing

it's freakin cold, what the heck!?

and you will break your leg and have to be airlifted outta there

and dangling up high in those ski lifts

nuh uh

riding a subway to a 6 story mall packed thousands of people

subway - terrorists

what if i have to go to the bathroom!?

trapped in the elevator

total sensory overload 

panic attack

Camping

just wrong in so many ways

i can do that with just about any suggesetion of "fun"

you should try me out, just ask me one

 

 Fun to me, is hanging out with someone i am completely comfortable with, listening to my music, staying at a little beach cottage right on the beach, painting, fixing up the house, a bonfire, shopping, (not with men)... picking flowers...fishing, that bud lite every evening... especially when it's summer and i can sit outside ...

I had a person who rented a room in my house once

(another story)

anyway, she would take naps on the sofa, help with the dishes, roast marshmallows with the kids,

just easy stuff you know...

I could come home from work and say "don't even talk to me now..., i have to go take a nap" 

and it would be just fine

i LOVED her, that's fun to me, having a friend like that

 

 Do i sound crazy to you?

Well, I am

The way i see it, everyone has their "crazy" when stressed

Anyway,  i have talked way too much

sorry

let's just look at some things around the house

Get some visual's going on here, i'm sure no one came here to read a book about my weirdness and opinions

Okay... 

 

 This little shelf is my solution to dealing with a massively ugly heating vent thing...

the air can pass through, and it is a little less visable...

The cute little shadow boxes with shells in them are from Kohls, i got them on clearance and I love them!

I bet Kohls might still have some...

Ok, so i thought i was so clever with this

I had these target canisters, and i decided i could just tape them off and paint chalkboard paint on them and write on them... and that would be the best idea ever!

Except then... on Pinterest i saw that you can get the cutest little chalkboard decals that are a hundred times more charming... so then i felt stupid

 whatever....  !

Here is a cool old velvet pillow I found at the thrift shop.  It is pretty raggedy, but it is the best color and so soft, and i really like it

Hmmmm, what else can we talk about... 

Ok, you know how everyone is being all Bohemian and layers tons of bracelets together... Well, the thrift shop is a great place to find old necklaces and bracelets for nothin'!  And you can just wind a bunch on your wrist for a few bucks, and mix them all up!

You see that one with the shell on it?  Those are actually napkin rings from Pottery Barn... They are on a stretch band, and they came in a box with six separate rings, and i found them at the thrift shop...

Ok, the best trick ever, i found on Pinterest... Get some eucalyptus and hang it near your bathtub on in the shower... and every time the bathroom steams up it smells wonderful like Eucalyptus!  I had some that was dried, that i bought at Whole Foods months ago, and just tucked the bunch in a little handle on my bathtub, and it really really works... plus i think it is good for you 

I love coral and shells

I found this pretty little piece of coral and just grouped it with another shell i have and put them right on my coffee table

as you can see that candle is just about spent!  it is a Henri Bendel candle, they are the best candles ever!

This one is called Lavender Leaves, and it will make your whole house smell heavenly in about 5 minutes

they're a real treat for me, because they cost about $30.00 each

Bath and Body Works used to carry them

BUT OF COURSE THEY DISCONTINUED THEM!!!

oh yeah, do any of you use Bath and Bodyworks wallflowers?
( and, yeah i know, those plug ins aren't good for you, but i've decided to accept the risks)

because there is a new scent that is wonderful

it's called London Calling 'tea and lemon'

and it makes your room smell like fresh brewed iced tea and fresh lemons

i love it!

you wouldn't believe how dusty that plate was when i was snapping this photo... i just wiped it off with my hand... i'm not really that clean you know...

i mean, cobwebs don't freak me out... 

my mom would have a heart attack and fall over dead before she would have a cobweb in her house

in fact i'm not sure i actually even really know what a cobweb is... i don't think they are spider webs???  are they?  - i mean what are cobwebs anyway?

Here are some pretty dried hydrangeas i tucked in this silver ice bucket - 

I love it when they dry this deep blue...

more dried hydrangeas on a silver tray, with a silver bowl (all thrift shop) - and some happy little chrysanthemums that look like daisys

Here is one of my meadow paintings i gave to my sister hanging at her house...

meadow paintings are some of my favorites, i never get tired of looking at a meadow...

Ok, so have ya'll had enough of me for the day?!

geesh that was a long post
i hope you don't hate me now...

I'm gonna be so embarrassed after i push "publish"
do you ever get embarrassed after publishing a post like I do?

anyway don't forget to tell me...

do you get energy from alone time

or energy from being with people

...the end...
 

 

I FINALLY Got My Chairs Covered !

Finally, finally had these two chairs recovered!

i need to get Amy from Maison Decor to advice me on the paint finish on this girl, it needs a little work and she knows EVERYTHING  about creating a beautiful patina with painted pieces and Annie Sloan paint!

anyway....

 I have had them for years, and i have draped fabric on them...

  glued fabric on them...

but never was able to get them recovered

until my friend told me she could have it done for me for around $50.00 each!

i probably wasn't supposed to tell anyone that...ooops

I was like oh heck yeah!

Of course then i had to decide on a fabric to cover them in and not be all indecisive because i wanted to jump on this chance to have them finally done!

Ok, so let's just say, that was the second hurdle.

How does one decide on a  fabric when there are 18 gagillion possible fabric combinations to choose from!!!?

I have always loved buffalo gingham check

like this...

probably one of my all time favorite dining rooms ever...

from the Cote de Texas blog

wish i could find a less blurry photo 

 

ok, here's a better shot

isn't it just so completely to die for charming!

her using buffalo check again

anyway, i didn't have any taupe buffalo check so i just needed to get over it and move on!

 

 But it just so happened that i had a few scraps of one of my favorite toiles in the world

'Covington Bosporus'

and a sweet lady i know at the local fabric store got in some linen and saved a little for me...

So that was that

like it or not

i was going with that combination dadgumit!

no more indecision!

and i think they turned out pretty cute...

Maybe one day if i find some great taupe buffalo check fabric,

 i can have a big feather stuffed cushion custom make for the seat...

wouldn't that be cool!

 

(will she ever ever be satisfied!???)

...the end...

A Little Yellow, A Little Pink, and Stormy Skies...

A new painting...

I love doing atmospheric paintings like this...

so funny... but i started this painting right before the tornadoes that hit Oklahoma

 

I've done a few skyscapes

painting them involves big swoopy strokes, and soft whispy watery colors

and a different kind of energy and emotion

it's almost like the whole body is involved with the painting

One of my favorite all time paintings is of this tornado

I painted this many years ago

 

and this one too...

I stopped painting tornadoes, because, well,... who's really going to buy them?!  

Not many people want a painting of a tornado in their home

I've had people ask me why i would want to paint tornadoes because they are dark and scary

Then recently i was at one of several galleries in my little town on a Friday night Art Walk , and they were featuring a new artist...

His work is amazing, photos don't do it justice

His paintings sell for around $8000.00 !

His name is Larry Gray

he does lots of moody, stormy skyscapes

and i am enchanted by his work

see the similarities!?

I mean, mine aren't the same really,

but in many ways, it's a similar concept

just goes to show you, that when you do something from more of a spiritual -  life energy place - a place that feels right to you...

you shouldn't doubt yourself so much

****************

Ok, enough about tornadoes and paintings!

Lets look at some pretty stuff!

how much do i love this little cluster rose...

let me count the ways...

found another great pillow at Marshalls

it's the prettiest shade of yellow with a little white bird on it, and down filled insert

$16.99

I love the yellow in the mix with the pinks and whites

it's such a happy color!

and check out this wooondderful vintage pink chippy door that's at the cutest little shop ever called "Nest"   in Mebane, NC 

and finally, i'll end this post by going back to one last skyscape

 

I did this one right before 911

Later it occurred to me that it looked a little like the plume of smoke from the world trade center

but in this painting, the stormy cloud is dissapating and a bright star appears as a guide...

***********

last night i was sitting outside on my little patio dealing with some troubling thoughts 

just me, with the glow from the patio lights, the mosquitos, 

the stars,  and my bud lite...

and the soft night air was the perfect combination of humidity and warmth and scented with all manner of green things, and mulch and loamy soil

and then for just a few moments the scent of gardenias appeared in the air and floated all around me

 lingering there just long enough to slowly breathe it in over and over until i felt like my whole being was infused with gardenias

and then the scent slowly just dissipated

...and was gone

it was wonderful

...the end...

I Don't Call It "Rosebud Cottage" for Nothin!

Ok, i'm gonna bore you to complete death showing you pictures of roses blooming in my yard right now... it is just crazy there are so many rosebuds !

Last year i decided to name my house 

"Rosebud Cottage"

and i know,... 

it's kind of hokey...

I was a little embarrassed because it was such a cutesy hokey name

but i finally decided it was gonna have to be just fine

So "Rosebud Cottage" it is, and it has sure lived up to it's name this year!

 This is a rose i bought from Home Depot about 3 years ago, it cost about $7.99, and i have no idea what the name of it is... But it gets as tall as me and blooms like crazy all summer, single blooms, clusters of blooms, and no rose diseases ever bother it!

it's amazing!

 the color of this is so intense, it's really hard to photograph!

And here is good ole "New Dawn" a prolific climber !

Very old fashioned look and light sweet scent...

corner of the yard with "New Dawn"

Arbor with "New Dawn"

one more...

and just look at this precious little thing

It's a small little cluster type of rose, and i LOVE it...

I think it is called "Peach Drift"

isn't it sooo cute...

am i the only one who talks baby talk to my roses?

and of course there is big fat juicy "Eden" climbing all up over the front porch...

and finally there is sweet little "Pearly Gates"

It is a climber and is the most gorgeous soft peachy pink color when it blooms

but it is a little bit more fragile and sensitive than "New Dawn"

Isn't "Pearly Gates" a great name too...?

Ok, so a quick little story...

I have this peony,  it was at the house when we moved in 6 years ago

and every year it would get more and more blooms

till each year it was chock full of blooms

 

but they are this purply pink color and i don't like it,  it clashes with my other flowers

(i know, you can't believe i said it clashes with my other flowers)

anyway, last winter and spring, i would look at it and think, maybe i should dig you up and give you away,

and, i don't really care if you bloom, because i don't like your color

and, oh my gosh, last spring it didn't bloom at all, not one!!!

i felt sooooooooooooo guilty!

what a hater! 

i felt so sad that i had hurt it's feelings and damaged it

it's hard to even tell the story

                                                            

So this spring, i sent it much better vibes

and softened towards it

and felt grateful for it, and appreciated it

and phew... it is blooming again!

Isn't that just so weird

it knew...

 

...the end...