Friday, June 26, 2009

Our 16th Wedding Anniversary!

Today is our 16th Wedding Anniversary! I love this picture, it was taken from the balcony of the church. This church stands way out in the country, is very old and so special to our family. Mark's grandparents were married here as well as his parents, aunts and uncles and many cousins as well, Mark was baptized here as a tiny baby! I remember walking down the aisle on my dad's arm and felt such a warm feeling as I smiled at our friends and family, we had waited 7 years for this day and everyone was so genuinely happy for us. It was a wonderful day for our families and we cherish the memories of that day. Almost every family member from the first two rows have since passed away, we have surely been through alot in our 16 married years together but I am so thankful that I have such a wonderful man to stand beside me through it all. I love you sweetie! Happy Anniversary!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Summer Decorating

I found this antique dough bowl at a garage sale and filled it with my shells. The huge shell was from our honeymoon almost 16 years ago!
The dining room is always my favorite place to change with the seasons. I added lots of greens and glass. It looks so fresh. I still love my huge window. I took the leaves out of the table that we never use and folded the sides down, made the room seem bigger and brighter!

I took a huge framed family picture and propped it up with an antique mirror that I found in my travels for $4. I love the cloche with the tiny topiary in it, I put it on top of a new tray that I found at Violet's Blue (my favorite store!)
I brought some blues and browns downstairs from my bedroom and I like how they look in the family room. This pillow was a Christmas gift to myself for $14 from Ballard Designs. Actually, the new Ballards catalog came the other day and inspired me to do these changes.
I brought this table down from my bedroom too, it was a family piece and I made a no sew table cover for it last year. I found those cool candleholders at a garage sale for $5, The price on the bottom totalled $80 for the pair! I love garage sales!
I moved my brown plates to the table above from this wall so I added an architectural piece and a little star. I also moved my tall dining set up from the rec room instead of the little white set and I like it so much better!

I love starfish!

This tray can sit on my bar area or my dining table.

I bought a $2.99 succulent from Ikea, looks so summery!
I took this old jar and put a few pictures from our visits to the beach inside it. The beach is one of our favorite places to spend family time, looking at this jar brings sweet memories to mind.
This poor shelf has taken a tumble and I lost some of my favorite pieces. I decided to keep it light this time and added beach pictures of us. The shelf isn't crooked, my head must be! My good neighbor Ken fixed my shelf for me and put some heavy duty hooks on it, he said I could hang from it now! Let's not get carried away now!

You must know me well enough by now to know that I change things ALOT! I decided to bring some summer elements into my decor. I love all things natural so it was easy for me to walk around my house and steal pieces from other rooms to put in my family room/kitchen area. I love blues, browns and whites so I made that my "theme". I love the fresh new look! I have been garage saling again and have come across some cool things. Have you found any good stuff lately? I have gotten very choosy in what I purchase but I can't tell you how many good things are out there. Seriously, you could re do a whole room for pennies.
Sorry that I have not been a great blogger, it has been another crazy month for us, my husband's step father died suddenly 3 weeks ago. I have also been taking care of my own health for the first time in a long time and you would be proud of me! Lots of Doctor appts. but that is good, I need to get answers and feel good. Decorating is my therapy, I have finally had the energy to change things up a bit and it makes me happy. Summer is here and in a day and a half Dayton will be out of school, I will have a freshman in the fall! Yikes! I cannot wait to spend time with my family over the summer, we need to get the boat wet, this weather has not been cooperating! Today it is rainy and 59 degrees, as I type I am watching Footloose, boy does that bring back memories! I was the same age as Dayton when it came out! I forgot that Sarah Jessica Parker was in it! I love her!
Well, I will sign off for now, I promise to bring more to this blog in the future! I am working on my flower garden so hopefully I can get some good pictures of it soon! I am so ready to spend time outside!