Organizing and Foo-fooing

I have this little room upstairs where I usually take all of my Etsy photos.  The lighting is good and I have a shabby little sideboard where I place my items and can spend all day snapping pictures if I must.

It oozes shabby chic with its white crackle finish, glass knobs, and crystal and metal leg ornamentation.  Did I say crystals?  Did I mention yard sale find?  Yes sirree!

Oh, she's missing a few, but they're around here somewhere...

The room has been a total wreck.  I've been playing personal Twister just trying to navigate from one place to the other.  It has been the dumping ground for unfinished projects, pretties waiting for picture day and for those goodies in "accessory limbo."

Accessory limbo really gets me.  There's the self-talk that goes on and on... "It's so cute, I really love it, why I could decorate and entire room around it, I'll hold on to this gem because it will be perfect when the new addition goes up..."   

Smack!  Reality sets in and basically I'm overwhelmed with the mess and know for sanity's sake (hoarding with a purpose) I have to do something.

(Please tell me I'm not the only one who does this.)

So, I got busy. 

 With an accumulation of baby and floral prints, tattered  quilts, and some sweet shabby furniture pieces that are too near and dear to my heart to get rid of, (no limbo here) I decided to pull everything out and make it all work together.  My objective was to "shop the house" and still keep my photo staging area.

This is a built in twin bed on the other side of the room.

What's great is that I can still use this area for my photos, hop up on the bed and read magazines, or even accommodate an overnight guest.

And that's just what happened.  My beautiful granddaughter came for a visit and loved playing in this room. 

So where did all of the "stuff" go?  Well that's another post my dear sweet Chickabiddies.  Until then... Hugs.

I am linking this post to some really great parties.

Click on the link below or see the White Wednesday button on my sidebar.

http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/2011/07/white-wednesday-110.html

And to Miss Mustards Seed's

http://missmustardseed.blogspot.com/search/label/Furniture%20Feature%20Friday/

Also, Common Ground's
http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Lastly, French Country Cottage's  
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

and Funky Junk Interior's
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

And don't forget...  See her button on my sidebar.
http://www.homemakeronadime.com/2011/07/creative-bloggers-party-hop-073111.html

My Ten Tasks Are Ongoing...

As many of you know a while back I joined in on Cha-Cha's, 10 day, 10 tasks Challenge as a way to really kick it in high gear around here and get some nagging projects done. 

Click here to see her blog and what the other gals accomplished.

http://www.sitrelaxandread.com/

Seriously, my list looked do-able, but in reality, ahem, I didn't get everything done.  Most of my time was spent prepping for the yard sale.  It lasted 2 days, was a blast, and such a fun way to purge myself/the Coop of things that no longer fit my decor. 

Thank you, thank you to friends and neighbors who attended. 

Ugh, I was so exhausted after those 2 days that I slept for nearly one entire day and did nothing for another. 

Now the landscaping... I ask myself will it ever end?

And the answer is no.

I just kept digging making things bigger and bigger.  Then I needed more plants and more shredded bark.  I am still not done, but proud of what I did accomplish.  My four hour a day goal turned into six usually, not to mention trips to town for more plants and bark.

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Many thanks to Wayne for keeping me on task.

Before

After

My weed patch is getting smaller and I almost have the area beneath the pines finished.

Waiting for some of my ornamental grasses to perk up before I lay down the bark.

This is the driveway side of my house that leads to the back door.  It is overgrown and will have to be thinned before I can lay bark here.

More of the driveway flower bed.

That's it.  That's all I got done. 

 However, the list remains intact and I am still working on it all-llllll.

We're expecting thunder showers any minute now.  Better go.

Hugs to you.

A 4th of July Parade

I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful 4th of July.

Friends and family came to my cottage to watch the parade.

We had front row seats as it passed right by my house.

Here are a few photos from the day.

Old Glory!

Cute Grandbaby

Classic Thunderbird

Spiffy John Deere Tractor

Great Old Truck

Handsome Son

(who made the most divine smoked ribs!)

I hope you had a wonderful 4th too.