After putting up the tree and renewing the mantle, I use fresh eyes to have a look around the rest of the living room area. Clear some accumulated clutter and bring in some touches of colour to balance.
My house is small and modest but it suits our needs just fine. Besides, if you have more it's just more to clean and if my craft room is anything to go by...well let's just say I do NOT need to up-size like a bigger handbag if you get my meaning.
Again, I have changed the lampshade colour to suit and the win/win of this seasonal make-over is some serious stash busting.
I had four brand new cushion inserts taking up room in the craft room. I bought them about 18 months ago on an incredible special. By taking a "fresh eyes" approach I thought my current state of cushions was a bit dismal, so time to break out the new ones. I pulled out some vintage scraps of fabric and in less than two hours I had new cushions.
I didn't bother with zips, just made them over-lapping envelope style at the back.
I also dug out some old light teal woollen blanket that I had stashed to make a friend a dogs' blanket (one day) and I have cut and hemmed it to fit the poodles day bed.
They are still in bed this morning as we have had a cold snap with snow on the mountains! You get the general idea though. So that cost me all of a couple of dollars at the op shop.
So all in all, I have spent only $3 this year for my new Christmas theme and that was for three of the little pink tea light holders. And I have gained a whole shelf in the craft room.
That's what I call a win/win situation!
Your home is so beautiful! And I love the pillows. But my favorite part of this lovely photo-essay are the color-coded books!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about you a lot in the last 24 hours because I started reading "Flight Behavior" by Barbara Kingsolver and one of the minor characters is a sheep shearer. The protagonist, a woman, describes the shearer in a way I think you'd appreciate. As she explains how he holds the ewes and wrestles with them she makes the action almost, but not quite, erotic. Not everyone could appreciate that...but I suspect you can.
It all looks amazing! I have been too busy trying to make things in time (leaving things until late is always me) to even have the christmas tree up! I put together a summer/christmas altar yesterday as our first touch of the season! Just in time for the 4 christmas cards that came home from school!
ReplyDeleteYeahhhhhh...love it Tanya....it looks fab and very chic...turquoise and acqua and teal are very in this season...you have smashed it...XXXXX
ReplyDeleteLove the new cushions Tanya.......gorgeous fabric. I love teal/ turquoise and of course a sweet little birdy!!
ReplyDeleteSmall and modest sounds absolutely perfect to me. You're right the bigger the house, the more time spent cleaning and my sewing room looks like a fabric bomb went off. Seriously need to get in there and sort things out.
Your dogs have got the right idea, a warm ,cosy bed is the place to be at the moment. We had snow up at the nearby ski resort.......no complaints at least it's not hot.
Claire x
Love the look Tanya and your leather chair looks so comfortable....
ReplyDeleteLooks so cozy, with the cold snap we are having
ReplyDeletethe poodles have the right idea :))
Thanks for sharing your ideas,:))
Love those cushions Tanya! Your room is looking so lovely; you're quite an inspiration :-)
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of using 'fresh eyes' to critically look at a room. Sometimes just making fairly small changes can revamp a room considerably!
ReplyDeletecan you believe how much we can accomplish when we just carve out the time to do it? love the new pillowcases!
ReplyDeletepaige