Thrifty Thursday - Family Photos Home Decor...

One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to decorate your

 home is with family photos.  I prefer photos in black and white for

 less jarring color.   And they blend with any decor style. 

I use photos in many sizes - whatever I happen to have in 

my collection.   This one is approx. 4" x 5".

(Me and 2 of my brothers)... 

And here's a wallet sized that is currently in a dish on a shelf. 

I prefer older photos - but any photo can be made black and white

 and look great.

For many years I had no old family photos.  I'd find old photos at

 yard sales and use them instead.  Then as the years passed - 

heirloom photos started to come my way.  

This one features my dad and his siblings...

And I use photos from all eras... some old - some less old...
(My Love's family...)

Sometimes it can be a challenge to find a frame for an older photo -

 especially cabinet cards like this one.  But it's been amazing to me

 how I stumble upon frames that fit.  This photo is very special to me - 

my mother as a baby!  And considering that her mother died when

 she was 8 weeks old - it's amazing that we have it.

This was another special frame find.  I found it in an antique shop - 

went home and measured and sure enough - a perfect fit for this 

old school group photo.  (my mother is in there...)

I prefer the older photos - but current photos in black and white 

(or sepia tones) look great too.

And an added bonus - family photos will be in vogue no matter

 what the latest decorating trends are.  You'll always be in style!  

Enjoy the home you have and make it yours!  ~Joyce

A White Basket Through the Seasons...

Do you follow the 'don't wear white after Labor Day' rule? 

 How about white in your home?  Does it feel 'cold' in Winter?

   May I suggest that white works all year long - it just depends what 

you pair it with.  (White sandals with snow on the ground may be a stretch.) 

 But for most things - it can totally work.

 Let's take this white basket...

Fill it with it with colorful leaves and pumpkins and you've got Fall...

Pine boughs and ornaments...

...or bunches of berry branches make it Christmas...

A cozy blanket with take you through Winter...

Some yellow forsythia or tulips or whatever strikes your 

fancy will bring it alive in Spring...

And summer?  Even empty white says 'summer' - so we're good.

And if you'd like to take this vintage gathering basket through the

 seasons in your own home - it's available right here in my shop.   

White - it's a season's best friend!  ~Joyce

Linking to Let's Talk Vintage

Budget Electronic Decor...

I realize I still have a kitchen reveal to show you... soon!

  

In the meantime - the room next door (we call it the Family Room)

 has been seeing changes too.   For starters, we did not have a good place 

for our electronics.  So we made a purchase from a local

  used furniture store. 

(Bonus:  the drawer handles match our kitchen hardware!)

Our TV works great - as does the rest of our sound system.  

And since we don't have cable or watch much TV

(give me a good clean movie any day!) - our budget-

friendly solution was to just keep what we had - speakers and all.

  (Am I the only blogger alive without a flat screen?) 

 To give the corner a little charm - I did a little snipping in my flower beds...

...and plopped them right on top of said speakers.  

(Yes - that's a doily on there.)

I also revised a grapevine wreath with a few faux greenery sprigs...

And our electronic corner now has a bit of cottage charm.

I'm loving my white achillea and hope it will dry and stay a bit white.  
We'll see...

Keeping up with the Jones' is not always budget friendly.  

If it ain't broke - you don't have to fix it!

Do what works for you and your lifestyle. 

Can't wait to watch My Fair Lady in this room. 

Just picked up the video (yes video) for 25 cents!

(And no wonder since nobody has a VHS player anymore.  Oh yeah - we do!) 

Come on weekend!  ~Joyce

How To Pick a Wrong Wall Paint Color...

Our family room - which adjoins our 'almost finished' remodeled kitchen - 

needed an overhaul.  I was tired of white.  Although it worked - 

I was just tired of it.   And the border needed to 'go'!

 

 'Do gray' many said.  Now I know that's a current popular color -

 but I wasn't sure it was in the right tones for me and all the 

honey colored wood we have going on in this room.

(And for some reason - I want to keep that wood - in style or not!) 

But I listened to the voices & went out and found 2 samples and

 slapped them up there for a week or so and then picked one.  

(The one on the right).  And I tho't - 'ya know? This can work!'

And I don't like it!  Not sure I 'hate' it - but I don't like it.  

It's just not quite the direction I want to go.  

Feels too 80's country or primitive or something...

 And next to the kitchen (you're getting a sneak peek here again...) -

 it just doesn't feel right (and looks really 'blue').

I had my own gut feeling at the beginning of this paint choosing process.  

But I didn't listen to it. 

I feel a bit like Eve who was fine with what she knew to do 

('You may eat of any tree in the garden except this one...') - 

until someone suggested something 'else'.  I realize my paint

 choices are not right or wrong in the sight of  God.  But still - I was swayed 

by popular opinion... which in this case was not wrong - but also

 wasn't right - for me.  Thankfully - it's not the end of the world.

  And today I picked out another color.   I'll share about that process shortly.

May all your decisions today be God honoring and make your heart smile!  ~Joyce

Winter Decor - From the Woods...

 Did a quick outdoor hunt in my back yard today (which borders woods) 

for something to get the inside of this house looking like Winter.

I was inspired by this post at Cabin & Cottage.

I liked the left over blossom pods from the Rose of Sharon bushes...

 And I also found thin little twigs - almost like paper - 

with feather like tops.  I made 2 piles and got to work... 

My white coffee table trunk got the Rose of Sharon twigs... 

...and a glass urn beside my fireplace got the other twigs...

Leftovers filled this ironstone pitcher...

...and a freebie wooden trough I picked up from who-knows-where...

I removed anything overtly Christmas from this terrarium grouping

 and called it 'winter'...

For more pics on the making of this winter decor- 

check out my 

Facebook page.

Have you put away Christmas yet?  (and it's OK if you haven't!)

  ~Joyce

Linking to Home Sweet Home

2015 Fall Mantel...

 Now that I've begun outdoor Fall decor - it's time to embarque on indoors.   

I always start with my mantel - its just seems right.  

I haven't touched it since spring. Visit the link to see what elements I've kept in place.

Its fun to drag down my big box of Fall and rediscover what's in there

 from year to year.  And of course each year I add new things.

Hello Fall Mantel 2015!

 It rests right on top of my brick fireplace that My Love

 would prefer I not paint - so I haven't...

In a perfect world - I should be running those cords down the fireplace and along the floor
 to better hide them.  But I haven't and probably won't...

 A few years ago I was energetic and made these sweater pumpkins.  

I still love 'em...  One of my favorite projects I think.

This year I discovered a piece of lovely plaid ribbon in a drawer

 and quickly made a bow to adorn the grapevine wreath.

The wreath was a little plain - so I wrapped some natural looking

 garland around for more 'oomph'...

 Turns out I've got a lot of different textures going on this year.

  And I'm OK with that!

And in the fireplace itself - my ever present candles.  

I just change out the colors of the candles to the season.

(I have a lot of candles!  I pick 'em up for 50 cents here and $1 there...)

I thought I would be fun to share my Fall mantel from when I first

 started blogging - back in 2011.  I am SO glad we painted over that paneling...

I'm realizing my style hasn't changed all that much in the past 4 years.   

I'm OK with that too...

Enjoy being you my friends!  ~Joyce
Linking to Let's Talk Vintage

Silver - It Gives a Room Class...

Don't overlook the power of silver in your room decor.  

It works with 'primitive'...

(think silver that's not perfectly polished - or silver with wear or a few dings - or pewter)

It works with 'cottage' - in any form!

  It can work with modern...

  (think clean lines and straight edges - square shapes...) 
And of course... it works with 'Victorian' or 'Shabby'.

Just up in my shops...

This delightful Silverplate Trivet - expands from 10" to 14"!  

How sweet for under a small plant - with some old photos on top -

 just anything you want to call a little attention to.  

And look at the adorable little round feet!

Also - this Silverplate Tray is newly listed. 

Perfect for serving cake pieces or again as a decorative element.  

I can picture rose calling cards or post cards on here...

Aluminum is a close second to silver - when its pretty... 

like the lid on this Butter Dish...

Embrace silver!  It need not be expensive or have a pedigree.

Happy hunting...  ~Joyce

Decorating A Room With 'Issues'...

 Are there areas or rooms in your home that you almost despise
 because they have 'issues'?  

Perhaps the floor needs replaced or the ceiling isn't finished... 

 

Today I helped a  friend see past the 'issues' of her basement. 

 I have no 'whole-room' pictures to show you because there still

 piles of things that need going through.  But after getting the furniture

in a cozy arrangement - we worked on a few vignettes.

 These help distract from anything in the room that is less-than-best.

 

Amazingly - she had just inherited an awesome dome topped trunk.  

A little stool inside for height would have been perfect - but we had none. 

So we stood up an abandoned drawer (yes really) and covered it in lace.

 

 

The lamp is electrified and needs rewired.  But here?  

It  doesn't matter if it works or not!

 

 

I was delighted to find some old books on her book shelves. 

This Mother Goose piece is a gem!

 

This next grouping on another old chest was a happy coincidence.

  We started with the child's chair and the window (another recent acquisition).  

Then we found the checkers game packed away in another room.

  Perfect!  

I'd like to believe that someone just may decide to play with it again,

now that it's 'out' and looking cute...

 

 My friend has blessed me many times over the years. 

Today - I had the privilege of blessing a bit in return -

all while doing one of my favorite things! 

Life is good...

Linking to Knick of Time's Vintage Inspiration Party and
What's It Wednesday

 

Empty Tomb On My Easter Mantel...

Better late than never - I've reworked my mantel to offer a taste 

of Spring and Easter.  And look what happened...
 

 ...a version of the empty tomb appeared!  (yes, that's a birdhouse...)  

I wasn't planning to use it this way - it just sort of happened.  

But it works I think - and what a great reminder that Jesus lives!

 The twig wreath is a reminder of the crown of thorns Jesus wore for me.  

And purple?  It's the color of royalty - for My King Jesus.

 The bibles hold the Easter story - from beginning to end -

and were once lovingly held and read by my parents.

Paging through them brings tears, smiles and all sorts of emotions

as I read their notes and verses that shaped their lives. 

How very blessed I am to have had this Godly heritage.

May yours be a blessed Easter.  And if Jesus is not the King of your life - 

please consider inviting him to that role this season.

 I promise, there is no better Ruler and no better Kingdom to join. 

True Joy Awaits ~Joyce