All Things EARTH... part 2

[MJC]

Sally, I agree. We slept so well on our last Princess cruise, we found out what the mattress was and that's what we bought. However, we couldn't agree on firmness, so after two tries that got sent back, we ended up with two twin xls of different firmness and now both our backs are happy.

 

At the lake we have a Dr. Brues mattress and that is my favorite of all time.

[MJC]

https://www.pantone.com/color-intelligence/fashion-color-trend-report/new-york-spring-summer-2021

 

Let's look forward to spring! Anyone like any of these? I'm fond of Rust and have hopes for Amethyst Orchid for myself.

[laurspag]

Ah, mattress shopping....we went through this about two years ago, I think?  Maybe not that long ago, but at least a year.  We both like a very firm mattress.  We had been getting up achy for a while.  My joints, in particular would be so sore.  

 

I would need to look up what we ended up with, but we were in Macys, and they have a mattress department so we started to check them out.  It was a slow Saturday, with hardly no one looking at mattresses so we tried them out a lot, and kept going back to two of them.  We decided to go with the one that that was firmest, and we haven't regretted it.  While we both have some arthritis and wake up stiff, we feel so much better than we did before.  

 

We wanted a king, but a king doesn't fit up the stairs so we did what Melody did.  We ordered two twin XL and put them on a king bed frame.   I think the only thing for right now is that because we went from a queen to a king, we just have the basic frame and we would something more.  We have lots of other things going on, but at some point we will address that.

 

I am thinking a lot about the pillows, throw and rug for the living room.  We found out that the couch will be ready mid December.  Between now and then, we will have the reupholstered chairs, and we already have the coffee table.  We haven't put it out yet, because we still have the ottoman in there that goes with the chairs and all.  I shouldn't have a problem getting the dining room chairs and all the drapes done, since I think the holidays are going to be low key for us this year. 

 

I know it is probably hard to envision details.  One of the things I was doing was copying images of the fabrics and putting them on a word document to help me.  

 

I have realized that I don't really want a print or patterned rug.  Matching the green is hard to do, and I don't want the rug to be a solid green with the couch anyway.  Ivory or cream is an option, but the chairs...well, I'll know for sure when they come in but I don't think that is going to work great.  Like a green couch with a green rug, it doesn't really appeal to me.  

 

So, what to do?  I am taking you all up on your suggestions and checking out websites.  I am looking for golden tones.  There is quite a bit of that in the curtain pattern, and it will create contrast with both the chairs and couch.  Also, the two pillows that come with the couch will be used on the chairs.  I am looking for a really warm cream for a throw.  I am going the route that Anita was mentioning and I'm getting two.  One for fall and winter, one for spring and summer.

 

Now, I am on the fence with getting a furry one, I think because I have never had anything like that before?  I can image crawling under it and spending a whole lot of time on the couch!!!  But from a decor standpoint, it is different for me.  I think the other options will look nice.  I threw them all in my shopping cart for now, and I will figure it out.

 

I saw a rug, and got to thinking about how it would work well with everything.  Then I got to thinking about the feel of the room.  It is on Wayfair, and I'm looking at their return policy because I don't want to have to run into a bind if it isn't right and I have to send it back.  I feel the rug can really toy with the feel of the room.  This here will move the room to a more casual feeling.  That's okay - casual elegance works for me. (note: it doesn't go with a fur throw.) But the elegance factor isn't there, so it may not be a contender.  Also, looking at the photos, I can't figure out just how bright it is.  It's fine with the curtains, fine with the chair, not sure on the couch.  Make sure you tab through the photos.  

 

https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/mistana-makhi-abstract-hand-woven-flatweave-gold-rug-mtna3526.html

 

This is very simple, but feels refined.  I feel like it needs more texture though.

 

https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/zipcode-design-kyree-gold-area-rug-w001472901.html?piid=1726857090

 

This here is a bit more refined, with a bit more texture?  It seems more muted too, so it might make a good backdrop to everything.

 

https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/bayou-breeze-dionne-hand-hooked-wool-gold-area-rug-bbze1225.html?piid=21599276

 

Another thought:

 

https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/highland-dunes-wold-handmade-natural-rug-w000981302.html?piid=162897978

 

I feel like I am making some progress.  

 

Sally, I know you mentioned before that you often just pick things out, and I was talking about how me and my husband pick things together.  I have some throws chosen, and I'll do the pillows too.  I'll probably just pick them and order them. The rug though, he has some definite ideas on so we will pick that together.

 

 

[laurspag]

This may help to envision the rugs I posted.  It gets dark fast, so with these on the dining room table and the overhead light, you can see that the colors are fresh and vivid.  That's why I like the neutral light chairs as an offset.  I feel a more muted take on the gold color will work well.

 

 

Edited November 8, 2020 by laurspag

[awhfy]

18 hours ago, MJC said:

https://www.pantone.com/color-intelligence/fashion-color-trend-report/new-york-spring-summer-2021

 

Let's look forward to spring! Anyone like any of these? I'm fond of Rust and have hopes for Amethyst Orchid for myself.

I’m in for the French Blue & Raspberry Sorbet

[awhfy]

12 hours ago, laurspag said:

This may help to envision the rugs I posted.  It gets dark fast, so with these on the dining room table and the overhead light, you can see that the colors are fresh and vivid.  That's why I like the neutral light chairs as an offset.  I feel a more muted take on the gold color will work well.

 

 

Laurie, my choice for rug would be the last one, highland dunes. I don’t tend to like light colored rugs (way too much maintenance), but I like that one, very neutral

[Sailor_Sally]

Laurie , Do not pick the first rug . I have a very similar rug in my foyer and while it is perfect for that area it would look awful in a living area.. I know you do not want to do this but maybe you should wait until the couch and chairs come before you make the decision on the rug . 

[laurspag]

Melody, there are some good Pantone colors for us!  I saw a few I liked a lot.  The rust was really good, and there was a nice golden tone towards the end too.  I am very curious about the purple.  It is definitely warm, not cool. I find warm purples usually work good for me.

 

I also like the same rug that you do.  Since I have the big swatch of fabric for the couch, I am pretty confident about the color.  

 

When I was talking to my husband this morning, he started to talk about what he was thinking, so I just listened.  Long story short, he was thinking we should go with a shade of muted gold, which was the same direction I was thinking of.  I then showed him the options.  He like the first one and the last one.

 

I wouldn't mind ordering them both and sending back whatever we decided to keep, once the furniture is in.  That is the best way to see what I like.  I'm in the hunt now to see what is out there, simply because the choices available are immense.  I save these to my favorites and this way I don't lose track.  So I am pretty much doing as you have mentioned, Sally.  I'd have to be 100% sure to order now and I don't feel I am to that point.

 

My biggest concern in ordering a few is the return policy.  Wayfair does state you can go online and print out a return label and then bring it somewhere to be shipped back.  It doesn't tell you if there are free returns, and I can't help to worry how much an 8 x 10 rug would cost to return.  Ouch.    If they have a fixed rate for returns that the deduct from the refund, at least I would know what I am dealing with.

 

Good news on the hunt for a throw.  I found the first one on sale at Macy's, and then they were offering an additional amount off.  For the fun of it, I googled it and found it cheaper at another store. The same thing happened with the new tree skirt.  I like it when that happens.  🙂

[Anita Latte]

Great shopping on the throw Laurie. I don't have much opinion on the nuances of the carpets...but what I can see is that you are pretty consistent in your styling. They are all very similar. I would definitely be reading the comments...there were some that were talking about the shade variations of the gold being not quite gold. I don't recall which ones...I just skimmed the first few reviews as I was looking at the rugs.

 

I haven't shopped Wayfair yet. It comes up on my searches for things but I've slowed on my new purchases. I've been searching Craigslist. I just purchased a teak bench and coffee table. Only $50! and in great shape. Weathered to the gray that teak does and I'm debating how much effort I may put into it to restore the honey teak color. It's first landing spot is under the big oak in the back

 

 

I am so surprised that Rust is a spring/summer color!! It could be a very good year to pick up some warm weather basics and maybe exploring some new color combinations that look less like autumn.

 

I have found that the colors in the stores can really vary...the same color can be muted or clear, warm or cool depending on the designer...but still basically be captured by Pantone's color...so I'm eager to see what several of the colors actually look like. For neutrals though...I'm excited by the Desert Mist and the Willow. Both of those are GREAT colors for me...

 

Talk about incentive to get moving and reshaping this current shape of mine...

 

We started the rework of our pantry. Took out the 36" door...WHO puts a 36" door on a pantry? It was so ugly...anyway...took that out, the hardware, the trim, the shelving, the interior baseboards, and the trim on the top of the wall. I call these walls cubical like walls...on the other side of this 8' foot wall is technically the formal dining room...I think of it as a flex room...and it is what we call the yoga room. So there was trim under a sort of wood shelf cap thing.

 

 

That trim was all very traditional looking and we're taking our interior away from that look. So we will not be replacing the trim...it's just going to be dry wall which I think is more in keeping with our single story, open concept stucco house.

 

The painter's tape on the floor outlines where the new pantry walls will be. This outline squares out the two back walls. There are no lights on right now...it's just the skylight creating  the shadows...so we're not going to put a "roof" or ceiling on the pantry either. Just the walls without a door also. The opening will be standard for a future door, if ever needed...but I find that I always leave a pantry door open...and I've taken the door off of pantries several times over the years...I enjoy the look of a well organized pantry...so no door.

 

The wall space on the right side of the pantry is headed toward being a coffee station. We're not sure if we will go for built in cabinets...or do more of a furniture kind of thing? We'll get there...but that's where the machines will live and definitely wall storage above for cups and glasses. Again though...not sure what style.

 

Next steps are to remove the roof/ceiling and the door surround walls. You can see that there isn't much construction here. The floor will be a challenge. The old tile in the pantry used to cover the entire kitchen I think. The sellers had replaced all the flooring in the house except for this pantry, the laundry room, and the small wet areas in the two bathrooms. We'll need to remove the tile and then also some of the laminate. Not sure what we are going to be doing for new flooring. Our hope is to eventually replace the laminate but it's not a high priority so...that's something we have yet to figure out.

 

Meanwhile...I'm planning how I want to do the storage in the pantry. I want deeper storage lower, to accommodate things like my big crockpot and my roasting pan. I'm debating creating a countertop in there...and also moving the microwave into the pantry so that I can replace the OTR micro with a bonafide range hood. We have really reduced our usage of the microwave...we do still have a countertop unit that DH had used in his apt up north. 

 

A big challenge is what to do in the corner...corners in kitchens are the WORST. The thinking cap is on for that one...

[MJC]

Anita, if you're thinking about putting cabinetry along the back wall, perhaps consider a lazy susan cabinet for the corner. Mine has two shelves and I store all my baking supplies, mixer bowls, apple corer/slicer and odds and ends like that in there. I imagine it would work equally well for bulk staples. Because it spins you get to take advantage of that deep corner space that you can't get to with shelves. I am also a fan of deep drawers for pots and bowls, crock pots, and the like. Things I don't use every day go in the bottom one.

 

One of my favorite spaces is this tall skinny one for trays. We entertain a lot at the lake so I have lots of them to cart stuff out to the outdoor table or the grill and back. I think it's important to use every bit of a kitchen wisely for how you actually live.

 

[57redbird]

11 minutes ago, MJC said:

Anita, if you're thinking about putting cabinetry along the back wall, perhaps consider a lazy susan cabinet for the corner. Mine has two shelves and I store all my baking supplies, mixer bowls, apple corer/slicer and odds and ends like that in there. I imagine it would work equally well for bulk staples. Because it spins you get to take advantage of that deep corner space that you can't get to with shelves. I am also a fan of deep drawers for pots and bowls, crock pots, and the like. Things I don't use every day go in the bottom one.

 

One of my favorite spaces is this tall skinny one for trays. We entertain a lot at the lake so I have lots of them to cart stuff out to the outdoor table or the grill and back. I think it's important to use every bit of a kitchen wisely for how you actually live.

 

We have a lazy susan type spinner in our corner cabinet & ❤️ it!

[Anita Latte]

A lazy susan in the corner is something that I have pondered. I've seen photos on Pinterest where the corner of a pantry is basically a tower of lazy susans. The issue I might have with that is the lack of a ceiling in the pantry. I'm not doing standard cabinetry in there...I would like the lower storage to possibly be covered...anything too close to the floor...well let's just say that being covered would probably be best...but I'm not sure how I might go about that. 

 

I've had a corner cabinet lazy susan in several homes...very handy.

 

And I also have a skinny tall cabinet for trays and cutting boards and baking sheets. I love that cabinet...first one of those for me. I've always had to "make" one in various other cabinets in other kitchens. 

 

I thoroughly agree that every bit of the kitchen should be set up to facilitate how you use it. One reason why I'm designing the pantry in an open design.

 

I haven't yet catalogued what is currently in my "pantry"...the temporary pantry that is. There's SO MUCH inspiration out there...I need to start designing pieces and then work to put them together and THEN solve issues like the corner and where there might be covered storage.

[MJC]

Anita, I meant to add that I really like the walls without the trim. It is a more loft-like feel and makes the space feel bigger IMO, like your eye doesn't stop there any more.

 

Also Laurie I vote for the last rug too. I think it will be a nice anchor for the room where a light one might float too much? Also love how your curtains turned out. Such a pretty color. You have such good taste.

 

Edited November 10, 2020 by MJC

[awhfy]

5 hours ago, 57redbird said:

We have a lazy susan type spinner in our corner cabinet & ❤️ it!

So do we

[laurspag]

Anita, when we remodeled, the shape of our kitchen and location of appliances meant that we didn't have a need for a corner cabinet as far as the base cabinets went.  There is a main section that is U shaped, and the dishwasher was in on one side, with the sink on the other.  When you round the U near the sink, there is a pull out trashcan so there are only spacers in the corner. The other side is a straight section between the built in ovens the refrigerator.  It has the cooktop.  One cool thing over there is the skinny tray cabinet like Margaret has, and a pull out spice rack.  I love both of those.  

 

My old house had a lazy susan.  It wasn't my personal favorite.  I think it depends on how you use it.  They make them with basic materials on up to solid wood.  Mine was plastic, but very sturdy.  I used to often close it too fast, and things would fall off the shelf.  It's a bit of a quandry when you have to open the cabinet, move things off the shelf, and reach back into the unknown to retrieve the can of soup.  They might make then different now.

 

After doing this 3 or 4 times, I learned to be more careful closing it.  This same kitchen was in my old house, and when we remodeled, we put in a corner cabinet with a hinged door.  That was really, really cool because it was very deep, and I could put things like my crock pot in there.  It was like this:

 

 

I don't know if that helps you at all.  I am very big on organizing and storage, and we are planning to re-do the cabinets in the laundry room and I have been working on the layout for a while now.  It is farther down the list for me.  I would love to have it done like yesterday, but in the big scheme of things, I don't mind waiting a year or two.  I plan on putting one of those narrower floor to ceiling cabinets in there to hold the bucket, mop, broom, etc.  if you stop at a big box store such as Home Depot and Lowes, pick up a Kraftmaid catalog.  It will give you a lot of ideas of what you can buy to maximize your space, if that is what you want to do.

 

Margaret, I am really liking that one rug a lot.  I think it is a really good choice.  I want something that anchors and brings things together.  I don't want the rug to be a focal point.  I am beyond excited to see everything come together in the next month.  

 

Speaking of things like that...the ottoman is in.  I was a little nervous, because we chose a larger one.  We were using two ottomans pushed together previously, and I was originally focused on one that was smaller and square.  We did a lot of debating and looking, and realized that we utilize the space a lot, and we would likely be disappointed if we didn't have as much space.  The family room gets a lot of use, so function is important. 

 

I think it is beautiful, and works very well with the room.  While a smaller table might look more magazine worthy, we are happy with our choice.  I will try to get a picture later!

[Anita Latte]

Laurie...I have thought about just having the corner be L-shaped shelves. We'd have to plan the supports appropriately so they didn't interfere with the corner. There won't be any cabinets in the pantry...but the organizational structure of different cabinets is helpful to look at.

 

You could call the look I'm going for in the pantry General Store Chic. LOL. I don't mind the look of open shelves at all and seeing all the inventory, assuming that it is well organized. I think I make the best of what I have with organization and do have a pretty well organized pantry. I haven't seen too many other people's pantries...but for the few people that I have seen from close friends and family...I know that there are people out there that literally just stuff things into their pantry in any available open spot with no attempt at organization whatsoever.

 

The big thing for me then will be that the pantry shelving etc is wood. And other than that...

 

Laurie...one other idea for the rug since you don't actually want a pattern and you don't want it to be a focal point. You can have wall to wall carpet bound into a rug. It's a more common request these days so many different places do it. A major plus is that you can have the rug be sized to exactly the dimensions that you want it to be AND you can pick the color of the binding. A major draw back is that most carpet has a very rough underside and so you HAVE to use an underlayment BUT if you were planning to use a no-slip rug mat anyway...it might be something to look into. You can get a really nice carpet for the same cost per sq ft as many rugs.

 

I think it's wise to recognize how you use something and when "upgrading" to not lose a favorite feature or characteristic...so kudos for not being caught up in a magazine worthy set up. I often look at such magazines and half the time, I think how hard it would be to actually LIVE in the photographed rooms.

 

Margaret...I so agree with the visual effect of removing the millwork on the tops of the walls. I have a sort of reverse mirror of these walls on the opposite side of the kitchen and they still have the shelf cap and crown molding on top...I look back and forth between these two and think that we will definitely be removing the millwork on that other wall. There isn't much millwork in this home...baseboards and around the doorframes...so this trim at the tops of the walls is really out of place.

[laurspag]

Anita, I think that based on your style home, removing the trim is a good idea.  Open concept is really disrupted by walls and trim, and changes in paint color.   It's so funny, because my home is the opposite, to a degree.  There is more openness than you would find in most homes built in the 50s, but each room is pretty distinctive.  The setup is with some wider doorways so I still need the harmony from room to room.

 

 I took a picture of the ottoman this morning, completely with my puppies.   It is a family room in every sense that most people envision.  Last night, my husband, me and one of my daughters were on the couch, with the dogs.  I often feel like this room was the catalyst for making changes in the kitchen and dining room/living room area.  I was realizing that while I love darker, moody colors, I wanted something fresher.  I am happy I am adding light touches without going all light.  

 

You will notice that I did get new end tables.  I'm not sure if I had mentioned it.  We got a great deal, and we felt that having the same wood as the base of the ottoman would create some harmony to the room.  At the same time, they are a nod to the mission furniture throughout the house.  It is definitely not the same, but just enough for the house to feel like it goes together.

 

 

The living room and dining room will be a bit lighter than this due to the chairs in the living room and the chairs at the head of the dining room table.  So overall, we are loving the changes.  Ignore the chair to the left - while I do love how comfortable it is, I really can't take the style, and having a black chair in this room.  My daughter really likes it, and she has been looking for a chair to put in her room, so I think my husband and I are going to bring it upstairs for her later.

 

Anita, I think you mentioned once about the reasons for having a chair separate from a couch or sectional.  I have thought about that a lot.  I often often felt that if I bring down my Nook and do a little reading, I want a chair in that corner for that purpose.  Eventually, we plan to put a chair there.  It will be interesting to see what we come up with.  I like recliners, but I don't like oversized, overstuffed furniture.  I thought about some sort of chaise too, but I have dilemmas with that.  The pros are that I would love it, my daughters would love it.  Harvey and Mason would love it, since you can see they love the couch.  My husband would love a recliner, but not a chaise. And then if we have people over, it is awkward because they may not want to scoot back with their feet up, you know?

 

But I am moving away from what I think guests would want.  our entertaining has mostly been holidays, and that has started to get quieter and quieter.99% of the time, we live and use the house, so I am more focused on how we live.

 

I have a pantry combined with a closet, as you know.  I love closing up them doors, lol.  We do have the shelves organized, I just don't want to see it.  At the same time, I understand the benefits of not having a door there.  You are doing such great things with your home, Anita.

 

I was thinking about doing just what you said, Anita - having a square of wall to wall carpet bound and using that.  I am looking to create some texture, and I do like organic type things a lot.  I was just realizing that all the fabrics that I  have chosen so far are either linen like or the type of fabric where the weave or texture is very noticeable.  If I go the route of carpet being bound, I was looking at one in Lowes that was a tonal pattern, maybe like this one.  But I do like the freshness of the one I was looking at, and definitely, I want some sort of rug pad or something underneath.

 

https://www.lowes.com/pd/STAINMASTER-Signature-Galesburg-12-ft-Pattern-Devango-Interior-Carpet/4193799

 

 

[Anita Latte]

Laurie, that’s exactly the kind of carpet I was picturing, with the texture from the design in the weave. My concern over that last Wayfair rug is the materials...jute and sisal. I would do some research on jute...I think it might make you crazy in the long run because it is very hard to clean and if it gets damp, it releases it’s natural oils and turns brown. It also hangs in to odors which would make me think it is t a pet friendly rug. Maybe not a big deal, but I had a negative about jute in my mind and a quick search showed me why, so I recommend taking a look at that before spending that much on a rug.

 

Our home is very open concept but there is the ability to get away. I will be breaking up the space a bit with paint color. That big cathedral wall will be the gray we picked out and I’m debating how much the blue-gray we picked out will wrap around on the pantry wall. The other side that is in the yoga room will be the blue-gray but I’m thinking to wrap that blue-gray around and paint at least the wall on the other side next to the pantry and possibly on the pantry walls.

[awhfy]

Veterans Day 

[awhfy]

Laurie I love that ottoman 

[laurspag]

Thanks, all.  The ottoman is really, really nice.  It has exceeded our expectations.  It was kind of funny, we kept saying "let's wait to put our feet up.  It's new."  Sure enough, we've had our feet up, lol.   Once thing you don't notice in the pictures is that it comes with two wooden trays that set on the bottom.  We can grab them, add food, set then out.  

 

So I found a cute Christmas pillow that I ordered two of for the couch.  It is what we were looking for, and has a nice shade of green in it that should match the couch nicely.  They came in today, but they actually sent me two different pillows!  I contacted Overstock, and they told me that I could keep the wrong pillow, but they would need to refund the amount for the pillow I wanted because it was out of stock.  Supposedly, they will get more in.  

 

I like the pillow enough that if they don't get more in, I'm okay.  I can see the pillow off to one side, with the new throw.  And the throw came in.  It is sooooo soft.  

 

We got a call from the furniture store, which I thought was weird at first since we have the coffee table and ottoman in and the couch isn't supposed to be ready until mid December.  Well....not it is mid February.  Go figure.

 

Then....yesterday, I decided that while I wasn't going to do any sewing, I was going to take the fabric off the bolt and fold it.  Since my space for cutting fabric is limited, I wanted to fold it in half the long way, use a T square to make sure the edge is straight, and then measure out the panels and mark them.  When I unrolled the fabric off the bolt, there was a cut piece of about 2 1/2 feet.  I had my fingers crossed that this was an extra piece they threw in, additional to what I ordered because the drapes are going to be 84 inches long.  Add on the hem and the 4-5 inch fold over at the top, and there is no way I can use such a small piece.  It wasn't extra.

 

Now, I'm a firm believer in giving places a second chance.  When I placed my first order, they were to send me a coupon to use for my first order by signing up for their mailing list, and I never got it.  They did give me a credit back to my account so I was good with the customer service.  I was polite when I sent them an email about the new issue last night, but I told them that I had to have continuous fabric.  I needed them to send a replacement 3 yard piece.  If they wanted to send me a paid shipping label, I'd be glad to send them the cut piece back.  They sent an email and they are going to make it right.

 

Fingers crossed they fully understood the dilemma, and send me the right sized piece!

 

So it's been an iffy few days on orders, lol.  But life is good.  I try not to let things get to me.  I guess I'll have a long time to get the drapes ready, right?  But I figure if I get them done, who knows - maybe the couch will come in sooner!    I like that there isn't going to be as much pressure, since the holidays are around the corner.  While I am off near Thanksgiving, I have the holiday, then Christmas decorating and a few appointments.  I'll be busy.  The main household item I want to get done besides the decorating will be painting the bathroom.  It's not a huge room, so it isn't a big job.  We do have these shelves next to the tub area that are really deep though, and they were almost impossible to paint the first time.  My husband is going to create a false wall for each shelf since we never needed them to go all the way back like that.  It's just the way the contractor left them.

 

Anita, great score on the teak set!   While we sell things on Craiglist and Facebook Marketplace, I can't say we've bought anything that way.  We love going to estate sales though.  We like those unique older finds. Plus, you walk in, and there is such a sense of history...you learn a bit about who lived there when you see their belongings, and what they have chosen to hold on to for so many years.  At the same time, it is sad too.  

[awhfy]

Laurie, that’s so irritating about the fabric!  Hopefully all will work out well. I’ve never bought fabric that I didn’t watch them measure (twice please) & cut in front of me. I’m sorry your couch is going to take so long, but now you can decorate for the holidays, enjoy the holiday & get everything put away & cleaned up then enjoy your new space. 
 

I'm having my (hopefully last) foot surgery this morning so we actually decorated our Christmas tree!  Haven’t turned on lights or anything but all set to go. 
 

we bought these little battery operated (batteries included!) live pine trees at Costco & I found the bows at Michaels. I had the huge planters. We’ll plant the trees somewhere in the yard later. I was pleased at the way they came out. Melody

[purduemom1]

Melody, sending good wishes your way for a successful surgery. Your  little trees look very nice and it’s great that they can be planted after the holidays are over.  A living reminder of Christmas 2020 and our hope for better things to come!

Sharon.

[Anita Latte]

I hope everything is sorted with the fabric Laurie...total bummer on the delay for the new couch. 

 

A while back we had purchased some fabric for new window coverings for our bedroom...I had planned to glue the fabric to inexpensive vinyl roll up shades. Well...I never got around to putting the fabric we had purchased onto the shades and it had been about 2 months...and that's when I realized that I didn't love the fabric.

 

Cutting to the chase...I have figured out a country style that I really enjoy...Moroccan. Learning a bit more about what defines Moroccan and Moroccan-inspired helped me today! We went back to JoAnn's to return the fabric I didn't love and we found one that DH and I both really like. This photo is from online and it has a big white border on the top and bottom.

The fabric definitely has a faded look to it...but it isn't quite as faded IRL as this photo would suggest. It coordinates very well with the teal color on the walls...and the golden and brown tones pick up on other accessories in our bedroom. It's the shape of the print that makes this fall into a Moroccan inspired category. There are likely other countries that could be applied here as well...

 

What is interesting was to see how many things over the years I have purchased (some I still have...but a lot I don't) that could be called Moroccan inspired. Other fabrics...curtains...

 

I never want to get too caught up in a label and definitely am not going for a whole themed room or house...but just being able to have a label for some general searches has helped me to zero in on some appealing prospects for things like this fabric, etc. Super helpful.

 

Melody...hope your surgery went well. Very cute trees. Not something that would be well advised here LOL.

 

We're planning on doing a cut our own Christmas tree again. Haven't been able to do that for several years...totally looking forward to it. After years of cutting our own tree, I had ended up with a reusable, pre-lit Christmas tree when a friend found several in the attic of the house she was renting...she let me pick one. One section of lights never worked but I used that tree for many, many years. It didn't make the cut to leave GA to NC as we didn't have space for a big tree in the loft there...and even last year, I just used our two little trees (3' and 4'...I've had the 3' one since the December before DS turned 2 in January (2002)...not a bad cost per use at $9.99 LOL)...it was just the right height for him to help decorate before we traveled to spend Christmas with my parents in AZ).

 

Anyway...a reusable Christmas tree is all well and good...handy and all that...but the whole storage aspect is always something of a pain. There's something to be said for just getting rid of the tree at the end of the season LOL. Only problem is that I also had to leave all my Christmas behind in GA...

[awhfy]

Surgery went ok, I’m in a surgical boot 24/7 for likely 12 weeks. I can’t shower until after I’ve seen surgeon in Monday (sponge baths for me). Just got this surgery in before they stop elective surgeries again due to COVID. Feeling very fortunate. Melody