I don’t know what it is about January, but the dawn of a new year makes me want to conquer the world with a paintbrush and a gallon of fresh white semi-gloss in hand.  These days, I can’t help but feel an intense desire to paint my entire house white !  Perhaps it’s just the images of freshly fallen snow, but oh to start the year over with a very blank canvas and an all white home.  There’s just something about a beautifully executed all white room that makes my heart go pitter patter, and makes me want to settle in for a long winter’s nap. 

Would it be to much to ask to have my living room look like this ?

Swoon !

And my dining room look like this ?

Heaven !

And a bedroom, any bedroom, look like this ? 

Perfection !

Of course, this is completely impractical right now because I am surrounded by pets and children and dark wood furniture and messes and well, real life.  Not that I mind.  Pets, children, dark wood furniture and messes add a certain warmth to a home, don’t you think?  

So as much as I may swoon over these designer rooms, in truth, I wouldn’t trade my family and the mess they bring with them for all the glamorous white spaces in the world.   That is, unless these spaces came with a lifetime’s supply of bleach and free dry cleaning. 

My wish for the New Year?  Simply to have more of the same.  OK, so the economy completely stinks, but I’m looking on the bright side.  The bright white side.  I’m looking forward to more fun projects for this blog, more time with my children, a nice vacation with my family, and good health the whole year through. 

And to be sure, a heck of a lot more white paint. 

Image credit:  1) Cote de Texas; 2) Country Living; 3) Layla Grace

 Happy New Year everyone -

I’ll see you in the next decade !

We love to send them, we love to receive them.  Christmas cards are just one of those holiday rituals that some dread, some cherish, yet we all must decide how to display them every year.  Years ago, I used to apply some double sided tape on the back of the cards I received and I would secure them to a door.  Back in 2006, I bought one of those Christmas card display trees on sale from Pottery Barn – that worked fine too.

This year, I wanted to do something more creative, more unexpected.  When I ordered a new chandelier from Ballard Designs for my home office, it came with some extra chain that I never used.

My daughter tried to convince me to make her a Marley costume.  I decided it was better put to use as a tool to display some Christmas cards in front of my window.

Originally, I decided to just use white paper clips.

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I’m inspired by these tablescapes today, in anticipation of the big feast.  Fruits, vegetables, and abundance on display.  

Better Homes and Gardens 

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We’re carving up some pumpkins for Halloween and I can’t decide which ones to mimic – these are all so inspirational. 

From Country Living From Martha Stewart

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