Board and Batten Entry Refresh

November 20, 2017 By Linda 8 Comments

Board and Batten Entry Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray – Entry Refresh with Paint.

I have a new litmus test for choosing a paint color.

It’s revolutionary.

It’s mind-bending.

It’s a true breakthrough in paint-color-choosing.

Truly. 😉

Are you ready for this revolutionary-mind-bending-breakthrough?

Are you?

Really?

Can you handle the truth?

Okay. Here goes …

My new revolutionary-mind-bending-breakthrough foolproof (to me) way to choose paint is …

Does the paint color make the blue painter’s tape look good? And fashionable? And, dare I say, a color you might actually entertain to feature in your home?

I mean, come on. Just look at this picture and tell me you wouldn’t entertain painter’s tape blue as an accent color …

Am I right?

(Update: I received some questions about the black and white floral drum shade pendant light fixture. I purchased it over five years ago and, honestly, don’t recall the retailer. However, after much Google searching found a somewhat similar light fixture on Amazon (click this affiliate link) that has the same shade but with crystals.)

Now I realize refreshing the entry by swapping out one gray for another may not seem all that revolutionary. Or mind bending.

But swapping out Benjamin Moore Wolf Gray for Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray has made a big, big difference.

The entry is just so much more brighter. And lighter. Especially after I also painted the chest in matte Dorian Gray paint as well (followed by a waxing and distressing and second coat of waxing).

If you don’t believe me, let’s do a little before and after. Before …

and after …

before …

and after …

Oh, and this is just the beginning. Of the refresh. That’s right, there will be more painting in 2018 …

🙂

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Decorating with Wreaths Indoors

November 15, 2017 By Linda 1 Comment

Decorating with Wreaths Indoors – Mini Wreaths on KitchenCabinets, Pictures, Mirrors.

In my teens and early 20’s I worked at a jewelry store. In the Paramus Park mall. It was fancy and sparkly and felt oh so glamorous …

especially after my short stint working in the food court at the very same mall. At a Greek fast food place where, at the innocent age of 16, I had my first #metoo moment.

But that’s a post for another day.

Today it’s all about the fancy and sparkly and glamorous … 🙂

Now, I never had much use for jewelry before I started working at a jewelry store. And then, suddenly, I couldn’t live without those gems!

Rubies and diamonds and sapphires, oh my.

During the down times (read: the 11 months of the year that did not contain Christmas) we would wile away our time trying on the jewels.

Rubies and diamonds and sapphires, oh my.

I think it’s fair to say that a quarter of each pay went back into my employer’s coffers. 😉

Funny how frequent exposure to something (like jewels) can turn you into a jewel fan.

So when I ventured into the blogging world (a venture that took place 40 years after I first stepped foot in that fancy and sparkly and glamorous jewelry store) all of sudden I couldn’t live without board and batten walls …

and burlap …

and painted & distressed furniture …

and white painted kitchen cabinets …

and mason jars …

and …

and …

you get the idea.

Without the influence of all those other bloggers in my new world, I would probably be sitting here on a red couch looking at my red painted wall surrounded by red and green and purple jewel-toned rugs and pillows.

However, there is one trend …

though, not sure I can call it a trend …

let’s call it an ‘idea’ …

and ‘idea’ I arrived at 100% my own. It’s an idea I arrived at during my first Christmas in this house. Twenty-two years ago …

… hanging mini faux pine wreaths on my kitchen cabinets.

I found those little wreaths 22 years ago at a store that no longer exists (I offer links to similar wreaths on this blog post and this blog post). And offer a quick tutorial on how I hung those wreaths on this blog post.

And since that time 22 years ago, I’ve also expanded on the mini wreath at Christmas theme an added some grapevine wreaths to the kitchen cabinets this fall (click here) …

Another idea I “added” to the blogging world …

though not sure I can claim to have added anything to the blog world, but I’ll pretend that somehow this contribution has taken off …

was adding wreaths on top of picture frames to dress them up for the season. Like with dollar store wreaths hung with neutral burlap ribbon for Christmas (click here) …

And dollar store faux pine wreaths hung with red & white ribbon (click here) …

And here’s Fall with grapevine wreaths and burlap ribbon (click here) …

and grapevine wreaths with blue & white striped ribbon for fall (click here).

Along the way, my mantra became “you can’t have too many wreaths.” So I added them my mirrors as well (click here for pom pom wreath) …

Click here for dollar store faux pine with red & white ribbon …

We can’t forget about fall, right? How about a faux cotton stem wreath on a mirror faux window frame (click here) …

And a grapevine wreath with fresh lavender tucked in for Spring (click here) smells heavenly …

And after I covered all the pictures and mirrors and cabinet doors with wreaths, I turned to chairs (click here) …

And click here ….

And last … but certainly not least … I made little pine wreaths for my Christmas countdown calendar last year. Click here for tutorial.

I hope you enjoyed my legacy to the blogging world. 🙂

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Decorating with Wreaths Indoors

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Neutral Gray, Greige, Jute Decor Ideas

November 9, 2017 By Linda 11 Comments

Neutral Gray, Greige, Jute Decor Ideas – Fall Family Room in Neutrals.

Much like our current president, it seems I derive inspiration from television. Though, there is a major difference in that my inspiration is merely used for innocuous blog posts. Instead of matters of national security or healthcare or tax reform.

Ah well.

So much for my political commentary. I typically reserve that for one of my politically-charged Twitter accounts.

But, unlike our current president, my inspiration for this post did not come from Fox & Friends or Hannity or Tucker Carlson. Instead, my television-fueled influence comes from Live with Kelly & Ryan.

I know, I know. Don’t judge.

But today’s Live with Kelly & Ryan TV-inspired blog post focuses on “Style Regrets.”

Where to start?

Certainly there are decor regrets. Like the bright yellow rag painted kitchen. To which I threw in red chili pepper accents.

Sigh.

And then there’s all the green. Why oh why did I buy into all that 90’s hunter green?

Sigh. Sigh.

And we can’t forget the floral couch. The Laura Ashley-inspired floral couch.

Sigh. Sigh. Sigh.

Then there are the fashion regrets.

Oh my.

I’m a product of the 70’s and 80’s, which means I have oh so many fashion regrets to choose from …

Let’s just say, unlike my very fashionable older sister, I was not that person who invested in classic pieces that could transcend time. Or even transcend a single season …

I would describe my teen and early 20’s style as “disposable” fashion. Things I could buy for dirt cheap knowing they would end up in the trash heap — or Salvation Army bin — at the end of the year.

Now, I wish I had more documentation to share of my teen and early 20’s fashion mishaps, but iPhones were still science fiction back then. Instead I have one quintessential moment to share. A moment that sums up my fashion faux pas in a single pose …

and a moment you’ll need to scroll to the end of this post to see (and don’t be fooled by the professional photography and photo retouching of the shot).

But today, let’s talk home style. In the family room.

I decided it was time to change up the family room style … starting with the rug.

This wonderful neutral 100% jute rug. A rug that comes in almost any size you could ever desire.

I opted for an 8′ square. And I ordered here from Wayfair (click here). I also found the very same rug for slightly cheaper on Amazon at this affiliate link (click here).

Then there are pillows. Again, like the neutral rug, I went for a neutral greige. And I ordered the fabric from this Etsy seller (click here).

And now I’m left to wonder in how many years will I regret these design choices? Two years? Five? Ten?

Sigh. Sigh. Sigh. Sigh.

Oh, and here’s that promised fashion flashback (on this Throwback Thursday) in all it’s bad perm/Sun-In/mullet glory …

which also begs the question, “Why am I awkwardly lying on the ground?” 🙂

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Fall in the Kitchen

October 25, 2017 By Linda 4 Comments

Fall in the Kitchen – Neutral Kitchen Decor for Fall.

I’m going to TMI (too much information) you this morning.

Please accept my apologies.

Especially since TMI and pictures of the kitchen don’t really go hand-in-hand.

But … there is a point. I promise. However, to get to the point we must start with the TMI. So here goes …

I’m bladder challenged.

And now you see how this is a totally inappropriate topic to bring up during a kitchen blog post. But again …

patience people.

Now, I’d like to blame the whole bladder challenged thing on childbirth. But that would be unfair to my children.

Turns out — much like the Grinch’s heart is two sizes too small — so is my bladder. Or maybe it’s three sizes too small. Or four? All I know, my bladder is the size of pea.

Oh, I just got what I did there! Tee hee. Bathroom humor. Yes, I’m 12.

So me an my two-or-three-or-four-sizes-too-small bladder spend a lot of time visiting bathrooms. I map them out the moment I enter a store or restaurant. I know the best stops on the expressways and highways …

… come to think of it, I could probably put together a best/worst bathrooms guidebook. Or blog. 😉

Oh, and here’s where we get to the TMI bladder challenged point:

You see that fall flower arrangement up there? The one with the pretty reds and yellows and rusts with a splash of purple?

I can’t take credit.

I saw that very same arrangement in … you guessed it … a bathroom. The bathroom of my local grocery store, to be exact. And that red and yellow and rust with a touch of purple flower arrangement was styled in a mason jar.

I was inspired.

And lo and behold, I found the exact same arrangement at the grocery store florist.

So I scooped it up. Took it home. Put it in a mason jar. And declared my kitchen ready for fall!

I also added some mini grapevine wreaths to the cabinets (you can find these mini grapevine wreaths at this affiliate link on Amazon).

And tossed some mini white pumpkins into my two-tiered fruit basket to finish off the fall in the kitchen decor.

So, you see, sometimes my bladder challenge comes handy …

and serves as inspiration for seasonal decor!

With the lesson here being you can sometimes find inspiration in the most unusual of places. Like the bathroom. 🙂

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Fall Decor in Navy & White

October 20, 2017 By Linda 14 Comments

Fall Decor in Navy & White – Neutral Fall Decor Decorating Ideas.

See that chair up there? ^ The worn faux brown suede chair with a white furry pillow?

This one? (Again, up there ^).

Well that worn-faux-brown-suede-with-fuzzy-pillow chair is where the all the magic happens.

And no, not that kind of magic. Get your head out of the gutter people.

I’m talking about the blogging magic.

For six years I’ve parked my butt in that chair and worked on this blog.

For six years I’ve parked my butt in that chair and edited pictures.

For six years I’ve parked my butt in that chair and wrote blog posts.

For six years I’ve parked my butt in that chair and linked up blog posts to blog link parties.

For six years I’ve parked my butt in that worn-faux-brown-suede-with-fuzzy-pillow chair and answered your questions and responded to your comments.

Now keep in mind, there’s typically a laptop table pulled up to that worn-faux-brown-suede-with-fuzzy-pillow chair. With a laptop sitting atop.

And then there’s a power strip and wires. Lots and lots of wires and charges plugged into that strip.

And on that table beside the chair? That’s my makeshift desk where you’ll find pens and notebooks and pads and pieces of pad paper with scribbled notes of blogging brilliance. There’s also my coffee mug (typically filled with tea) and water bottles and my iPhone and …

and …

a lot of stuff.

Some might describe it as messy. 😉

On October 29, 2011 I hit publish for the very first time (click here for that very first post).

It was thrilling and exciting and frightening and mortifying all wrapped up in one.

When I first started the blog, I had this crazy idea I would publish a blog post 7-days-a-week. 365-days-a-year.

I even wrote a few posts before that first “publish” figuring I had a head start on this thing …

… and oh boy, was I wrong. So, so wrong.

Two-and-a-half weeks in I broke down in tears. The stress of a 7-day-a-week, 365-day-a-year publishing schedule was unreasonable.

Some might even describe it as insane.

And naive. 🙂

So I gave in and strove for 5-days-a-week. Then 4. Then 3.

And now?

Now I’ve removed the stress altogether. Now I blog when I love it. When I feel inspired.

And now I take unannounced breaks when I’m not loving it. Or inspired.

So much healthier for me. And hopefully a better blog reading experience for you!

So thank you to all of you have stuck around for six years. I appreciate your support … and patience.

Oh, and do you remember when the blog looked like this?

And for you newer blog readers, Welcome! For you, it’s almost like today is the first day I hit publish. 🙂

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Fall Table: White Pumpkins & Hydrangeas

October 18, 2017 By Linda 15 Comments

Fall Table: White Pumpkins & Hydrangeas – Holiday Table Setting Ideas.

I hate my house.

There, I said it.

I realize it’s a bold thing to say when I blog about my house.

And ironic.

So let’s be clear: while I hate my house I don’t hate my home. The distinction being this place … this structure … holds so many memories I’ll forever cherish.

And this place … this structure … holds so many fun (and challenging) DIY projects I tackled and documented here.

But this place … this structure …

… this shell that houses all those memories? That’s what I no longer love.

You could say I’m ready to shed this place …

this structure …

this shell of a house.

Now, I didn’t always hate this house. In fact there were many years where my heart had nothing but love and adoration for this structure.

From the moment we first met, it was love at first sight. I knew it was the one for me.

For us.

And over the years, we’ve painted and decorated and painted and decorated again as we’ve grown as a family and made those memorable memories.

We even added space on the back to accommodate our growing family.

But sometime over the last five years or so, I’ve soured.

Mostly because we’re at the point where big changes need to be made. Big, expensive gut changes to bathrooms and kitchens and basements. Oh, and there are big, expensive things that are pushing the limits of their warranties (like roof shingles and appliances and heating/cooling systems).

In a normal real estate market, we would make those investments and see returns when we sell …

… but we don’t live in a normal real estate market. In my Chicago neighborhood, my house is a tear down.

And it’s not a tear down because it’s a horrible home. It’s a tear down because this market can bear a much larger, much more expensive home. Something in the $1.2 – $1.5 million range.

And to get that $1.2-$1.5 price tag, it’s so much easier to tear down and build anew. I’ve watched it happen time and time again …

In fact, there are two such projects happening on my stretch of block as I type this.

So any big investments we might make (kitchen, bathroom, roof) will net nothing.

Nada. Zero. Zilch.

Our home’s value is not in the structure. But in the land upon which it sits.

So here we live. Biding our time. Painting walls and buying new rugs to refresh our homes interior as we wait …

and wait …

and wait. All the while hoping the next big storm doesn’t blow off the roof shingles. And holding our breath as we turn on the heat for the first time each Fall …

and the A/C each Spring.

But when finally do move (hopefully sometime in the next 4-5 years), there is one house love I’ll miss most …

the screen porch.

It was a top reason we feel in love with this house. And continues to one of the top things we love about this house. 🙂

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Fall Dining Room Decor 2017

October 10, 2017 By Linda 8 Comments

Fall Dining Room Decor – Neutral Decor for Fall.

Is it really fair to call this “fall dining room decor” if I exerted the minimum amount of effort that I could?

Is it fair to call it “fall dining room decor” if I dug a few faux pumpkins and faux acorns and threw them in the bowls on the dining room radiator cover …

Including this cutest ever mini grapevine pumpkin I found at JoAnn’s?

P.S. I also found some mini grapevine pumpkins on Amazon for you. Just click here on this (affiliate) link.

Is it fair to call it “fall dining room decor” if I just added a few faux white pumpkins to the table and called it a day?

Is it fair to call if “fall dining room decor” if I added a few mini grapevine twig wreaths to the backs of the chairs?

Okay, this one might be fair to call “fall dining room decor” …

… because some “effort” was extended to tie them up with a bit of burlap ribbon. 🙂

Whether it’s fair to call if “fall dining room decor,” this year I kept it simple. Natural. Easy.

Navy and white and natural …

for Fall. 🙂

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Falling for Fall Candles

September 19, 2017 By Linda 2 Comments

This post is sponsored by Chesapeake Bay Candle but all opinions are my own.

Brace yourselves people …

I’m going to equate each season of the year with a sense. Not scent. Sense. Human sense like taste, touch, smell, etc.

I know, crazy.

And yes, I do realize we have five senses vs. four seasons. But in the spirit of Tim Gunn, “I’ll make it work.”

Let’s start with winter. Which I’m assigning taste. I mean, there are Christmas dinners and candy canes and homemade cookies. Not to mention Valentine’s Day chocolates, Super Bowl party fare and St. Patty’s day corned beef and cabbage to consume. It’s a season of tasty morsels …

and expanding waistlines. 😉

Which brings us to Spring. And sight.

Yes, there will be the sight of what we look like after winter sweaters come off and we get to see the months of tasty morsel damage. But there’s also the sight of rejuvenation and growth as flowers burst through the soil and foliage returns to the trees. A true sight to behold.

Summer is all about touch. The touch of the sun on our skin. The touch and feel of sand between our toes. The cooling touch on our skin when we jump in the water.

But Summer is also about hearing. Throwing open the windows to the sounds of children playing and birds calling and cicadas cicada’ing. Not to mention waves crashing.

And then there’s fall …

and smell.

The sweet, delicious, decadent smells of fall. It’s all about the pumpkin and cinnamon and chestnut and spice.

Can you smell it?

I can.

Well, I can smell it because Chesapeake Bay Candle sent me their Heritage Collection of fall scents to sample.

And smell.

But before we talk smell can we talk packaging?

I’m inspired by the clean, rustic, modern simplicity of the design: frosted glass, wood lids and twine loop pulls. I especially love that each soy blend candle is natural in color and the frosted glass jars they’re housed in are reminiscent of ocean glass. Overall, a perfect fit with my coastal-inspired home design style … from a company that gets it’s inspiration from Maryland’s idyllic shoreline.

Like I said, a perfect fit … 🙂

Okay, let’s move on to smell.

Oh the delicious smells!

This Cinnamon Spice small jar (retailing for $15) offers a nostalgic scent of rich cinnamon spice intertwined with fresh notes of eucalyptus. Distinctive vanilla, bay leaf, and warm nutmeg mingle with sugar clove and cinnamon bark.

And you can enjoy that delicious cinnamon-spice-vanilla-bay-leaf-warm-nutmeg-sugar-clove smell for a 20-hour burn time.

Then there’s the three-wick Chestnut & Acorn Coffee Table Jar Candle which retails for $25 and can burn for 34 hours.

The fragrance is an earthy, chestnut nutty aroma with rich vanilla notes. The smells of a stroll through the park on a crisp fall day.

And it looks (and smells) perfect on my living room coffee table!

The Pumpkin Latte Large Jar Candle ($25 retail price) did not disappoint with notes of brown sugar, maple and creamy vanilla.

And, of course, pumpkin. And spice.

Seriously, this is Thanksgiving in a jar.

The Vanilla Biscotti Double Wick Tin Candle ($15) was claimed by my daughter before I even had a chance to light those double wicks.

The fragrance is a creamy vanilla with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and toasted almonds …

… with a dash of nutmeg.

It smells like freshly baked cookies. Yum!

The best part: the Vanilla Biscotti candle, in its stylish galvanized steel tin, offers 20 hours of burn time. So while my daughter’s room may look a mess, it won’t smell that way …

well, at least for 20 hours or so it won’t. 😉

Finally, the Balsam Fir Large Jar Candle ($25) is the perfect segue from fall to winter with its scent of evergreen pine, fresh balsam, and spiced pomander.

This candle’s hints of clove, amber, and spearmint will inspire you to start making your list …

… and checking it twice. 🙂

You can find out more about Chesapeake Bay Candle here and the Chesapeake Bay Candle Heritage Collection here

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Nautical Table Setting

September 12, 2017 By Linda 9 Comments

Nautical Table Setting – Summer Table in Navy & White

Yes. I’m sharing summer.

In September.

Because … technically … per the calendar it’s still summer. Technically.

And while the rest of the blog world is embracing pumpkins and pies and dreaming about Halloween trick-or-treaters and Thanksgiving feasts and (gasp) Christmas …

I’m bucking the trend and talking about how much I like to eat outside.

In fact, my desire to eat al fresco has become something of a “thing” of mine that the kids rib me about.

Which is fine. Because in the end, mom’s win to eat outdoors is a win for all! 😉

I’m not sure how or when my need to eat outside started. Perhaps at all those family reunion picnics while growing up …

… perhaps it was all that time spent at the beach in my 20’s ….

… or perhaps (most likely) it’s all the cute sidewalk cafes and beer gardens that pop up in Chicago the minute the temperature is above freezing.

Because, honestly, when I’m driving home from the grocery store or the gym an I see people relaxing and conversing and eating and drinking at any one of the outdoor cafes along my route, all I want to do is stop the car and join them.

Which would be awkward, of course.

I also enjoy eating outdoors on our screen porch.

And we push the whole eating outdoors on the screen porch well into September …

… and even into October if we are blessed with an Indian summer.

So while the calendar may be pointing towards the arrival of fall …

and others are celebrating the arrival of Halloween and Thanksgiving and (gasp) Christmas …

we will continue to buck the trend in our backyard …

with a nautical table setting …

as we dine al fresco! 🙂

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Red White Blue Americana Summer Decor

June 15, 2017 By Linda 16 Comments

Welcome to my summer home tour! I’d like to first thank Marty at A Stroll Through Life for once again organizing this fabulous event!

If you’re here from Life & Home at 2012, welcome to my humble little abode. And I have to say I love everything in Vel’s home including her kitchen. Oh, her kitchen! That is like double love! Make sure you check it out …

and now on to my summer tour!

Let’s face it, it was only a matter of time.

I mean, the moment I rolled that first coat of navy the walls we all knew that one day … some day … I would get there.

I mean here.

Sure I’ve flirted with pink. And green. And brown. And coral. And lavender.

There was even a hint of it one Christmas.

Maybe I was even avoiding the inevitable …

the inevitable red white & blue.

So this year … finally … I have embraced it. Red white & blue in the living room ….

… red white & blue in the dining room …

… and on the back screen porch.

For more summer decorating ideas, be sure to visit the other bloggers on the tour. Starting with the fabulous Summer at Simple Stylings.

And here’s the full line-up …

Monday – June 12

A Stroll Thru Life

Pink Peppermint Design

Cuckoo4Design

Nesting With Grace

Life On Virginia Street

Decor to Adore

Tuesday – June 13

Thrifty & Chic

21 Rosemary Lane

Decorating Delirium

The Chronicles of Home

Hymns & Verses

My Sweet Savannah

Wednesday – June 14

Thursday – June 15

Life & Home @ 2102

It All Started With Paint

Fri – June 16

Sharing: Between Naps on the Porch * Savvy Southern Style

Pink and Navy Living Room

June 2, 2017 By Linda 10 Comments

Pink and Navy Living Room – Decorating Ideas for Spring.

This time next week I’ll be in New York.

Alone.

Mike and the kids will hold down the fort as I reconnect with college sorority sisters …

Alpha Chi Omega sorority sisters who I haven’t seen or spoken to in 30 years.

30 years!!!!

I’m also squeezing in a mini reunion with my former co-workers who I haven’t seen in over 20 years.

over 20 years!!!

Through the power of Facebook, we’ve reconnected. And I’ve been able to piece together pieces of their lives — milestones likes graduations and weddings and major trips and major moves and major career changes — that they’ve decided to share on Facebook.

But we all know that is a tiny microcosm of their real 50-something lives.

So off I’m looking forward to finding out what’s really going on behind those smiling Facebook photos.

🙂

Now, to say I’ve been preparing for this trip would be an understatement. There has been lots of cottage cheese, lots of trips to the gym and lots and lots of Pinterest pins as I tried to pull together the perfect outfits.

So, naturally, I’ve stared to fall apart. Physically. And literally …

There is a burgeoning cold sore blossoming on my lower lip. I fear it will be a doozy.

A blemish has formed on my chin and has stubbornly stayed securitly in place for the past two weeks. We are in a constant battle and the blemish is winning.

And then there’s the sty. In the eye.

I don’t even know what to do with that one.

Sigh.

I’ve also been working on a summer home tour before heading out ….

which reminded me that I never shared some pictures of the Spring pink and navy living room.

So here you go …

before I go.

Literally.

And physically. 😉

Here’s the full series of Spring home tour posts. Featuring blue and pink.

Spring Mantel Fantel

Spring in the Dining Room

Spring in the Kitchen

Spring in the Family Room

Fantel Mantel for Spring

May 24, 2017 By Linda 3 Comments

Fantel Mantel for Spring – Decorating with Navy & Pink.

Yesterday I ran errands.

Now I realize that statement sounds like running errands is a rare occurrence. When, in fact, it’s a daily event.

So it’s pretty fair to assume that today I will be running errands too. 🙂

Some days my errands are short and sweet. A quick hop to the grocery store or the CVS. Others it’s a pre-planned-and-mapped-out circuitous route. Carefully plotted for maximum time and mileage efficiency.

Now, admittedly, there’s not a lot of personal prep to goes into these errand outings.

And by personal prep I mean outfit picking and hair brushing and make up wearing.

When said errands include a trip to the gym, yoga pants and oversized tee’s and hoodies are often the outfit du jour.

Oh, who am I kidding. The yoga-pant-oversized-tee-hoodie-combo outfit does not always correspond with a trip to the gym. It’s my go-to regardless of whether or not a workout is involved. 😉

Yet, in my mind’s eye, this yoga-pants-oversized-tee-hoodie outfit is sporty. The make-up-less face is fresh. Clean and scrubbed.

So yesterday when I headed out for errands wearing jeans and ankle boots (and perhaps a dab of mascara and bronzer) my daughter wanted to know why I was all dressed up …

dressed up?

In jeans?

And ankle boots?

And it all came crashing down. Reality hit. And it hurt. My mind’s eye was playing a cruel trick on me …

… oh silly mind’s eye. How you mislead me!

All these years I haven’t been sporty at all.

I’ve been sloppy.

Sigh.

Sometimes it takes the measured eye of a teenage girl to teach that misleading mind’s eye a lesson or two.

🙂

And what does this fantel mantel for Spring have to do with my sloppy attire? Well, let’s just say sometimes it sports a “sporty” look too …