Blossom Where You're Planted

Many times I am motivated by sayings that I've heard along the way. 

Sayings like, 

"Blossom Where You're Planted" And "Use What You Have" 

seem to roll around in my head quite often.

I really like these sayings because the focus is on the moment.

The Here and Now

When I was a young girl the neighborhood that we lived in was new and developing. There were some cool places to play and I loved making a hideout and pretending it was a secret fort. Mixing leaves in mud and water pretending it was soup, gathering sticks, and setting up camp is such a fond memory. I loved finding materials that could be made into something.  

I guess that has always stayed with me because to this day I love being creative. I like to take what I have and make it into the best it can be. 

What limits you 

from enjoying the life you desire to live?

Lack of Resources?

Financial Strain?

Poor Health?

Depression?...

What can you do right where you're at?

Take a step: Start Small

Begin Today: Don't Wait For Everything 

To Be Perfect Before You Start

"Blossom Where You're Planted"

Important Keys: 

The Three A's

Attitude: Be Grateful For What You Have

Acceptance: I'm Right Where I Need To Be Right Now

Assurance: All Things Are Possible With God

"Use What You Have"

Acknowledge That:

*You have what it takes to be who you were created to be. 

*Your gifts and talents were given to you and it is your responsibility to develop and use them. 

*You were created to be a blessing to someone, somehow, and in some way. 

Take comfort in knowing

 that with each step along the way

You're getting closer to where you belong.

Just because you are planted somewhere right now doesn't mean you'll remain there.

I like to relocate flowers or other landscape to new locations; when they're moved, it's to serve a better purpose. 

Sometimes plants do better in certain locations until strong enough to be transplanted elsewhere. 

 I have often heard, 

"Don't Get Too Fixated On The Destination, That You Forget To Enjoy The Journey"

Enjoy where you are now.

 Take time to recognize all of life's blessings, in this present moment, as they are happening right now.  

 Bloom Where You Are Planted and Use What You Have Been Given.

I hope you found this blog to be encouraging and motivating. Thank you for taking the time to read it. 

Antique Victorian Baby Carriage

Rare Gift

My husband is self-employed and is dearly loved by several of his clients. Many times my husband has come home with some type of item that was given to him. If we aren't able to utilize what was given, we always make sure to bless someone else. My husband has been given a piano, patio furniture, clothing, stainless steel grill, 9 ft. Christmas tree, restaurant gift cards, and sometimes he has been given a nice tip. One day a client gave my husband a rather rare item, a very old baby carriage. 

The carriage was in mint working condition: flexible as it can be positioned upright or reclining; wheels turn smoothly; parasol handles,  and baby safety strap. The handle is slightly chipped and is made of a fine porcelain. 

It is amazing to me that this carriage is in such excellent shape for being as old as it is. 

When my husband brought this carriage home, I really didn't know what to do with it. 

I have to admit at first it looked a little creepy. Mainly because I had never seen anything like it.  It was in the upright position with the safety strap across the seat and it just looked odd. I was intrigued though and quickly began looking up information as I had no idea how old it was. I soon learned that this carriage was used during the Victorian Era around the 1880's. 

These buggies were pricey back in the day and taking the lowest price of $15.60 and putting that amount into an inflation calculator, it would have cost approximately $386.51. 

At first I thought that we were blessed with this buggy so that we could sell it for money on eBay. I listed it at a price comparable to other Victorian carriages. The down side to selling this item is being limited to local buyers only. My husband listed it on Craig-list as well and we didn't get any serious buyers. 
I had put the stroller in the basement and recently decided to do a photo shoot with it. 

Once again I entertained the thought of selling it; however, I have to admit that I am very fond of this piece. I have decided to hang onto it for a little while longer and who knows, I may use it in other photo shoots down the road. 

In the meantime, It looks pretty nice in my family room. 
If you would like more information about these carriages you can go to the following link:
http://www.victoriana.com/antiquetoys/antique-baby-carriage.html

Thank you so much for reading my blog and I hope that you enjoyed it. 

Valentine's Day

"Valentine's Day is the Poet's Holiday"

-Ted Kooser

Valentine's Day is another opportunity to express love and appreciation for those we care about. Sharing cards, flowers, chocolates, helium balloons, iced heart cookies, or stuffed bears is a simple way to show affection. 

I love that Valentine's Day falls mid February.  At this time of year, especially in the north east, many people begin experiencing 

"Cabin-Fever"

A cheerful atmosphere helps with the "winter blues".

Bright Red Hearts, Sweet Treats, and Pink Roses

deliver color and cheeriness to the dull-drum that comes when winter hangs on. 

Many years ago I purchased retro Valentine cards and I display them each year. 

What makes a lovely statement at an affordable price is heart garland made from red and white poster board. Heart-shaped picks, silk roses, and ribbon can be purchased very inexpensively at dollar stores. 

Heart shaped balloons filled with helium are very festive and can make great back-drops in photos. 

A simple craft to make:

Cut out a cardboard heart and wrap with red yarn. The flowers were purchased from Pat Catan's and applied with hot glue. 

Thrift stores are great for unique seasonal household items.

 The glittery fruit, red/black heart, plates, and picture were all purchased from Goodwill during their 50% off sale held at the end of every month.

Here is a simple display adding a cozy touch.

 An idea for a tasty treat:
Melt pink chocolate wafers (sold at most craft stores) and spread over warm soft pretzels.

  
 I hope you found this blog to enjoyable. 
May you and those you love have a memorable Valentine's Day! 

Furnishing Your Home with Style

For many couples starting out purchasing items for the home can just about break-the-bank.

 Furniture can be very costly and depending on the size of the home, it could take years before a home looks and feels fully furnished. 

Unless you are a minimalist, the more furnishings, the more cozy a home feels. When looking to some of the great interior decorators of our day; it is the home fashion trend to have, not just classy furniture, but layers of fabric, accent pieces, and lighting to make a home look stunning. Anything from mixing antique with trendy, dainty with rustic, and paisley with plaid, the combinations can add just the right flare.  One of my favorite interior designers,Scott Meacham Wood, does just that. 

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZzZtI5xrdEU7uJnI30xQGIXZNwKtkcc6KBIfHHKkwCw-t3VvMztjq5U96puQeY-Kk-wfVgVSHCXBqmO3B50stKCa40VxHLfOISzpnQ0GAUcR-nl5Pg1G27hkfu1IblCGP4vn3SZnslg/s1600/swm2008xmas2.png

Your Home is Your Expression

Be Creative and Fearless

Your home should make you want to be there.

I found a store from my hometown that allows one to achieve their decorating goals on an affordable budget. 

Located in the small town of Cortland,Ohio; this furniture store contains so many items that can transform a house into a beautiful home. 

This consignment store contains items in excellent condition ranging from many various styles of furniture, home decor accent pieces, paintings, lamps, dishware, linens, and specialty items such as Sydney candles, jewelry, and purses. 

This bedding is exquisite. The duvet cover and the black cover were originally a custom order and very pricey. The coverings were made for 2 twin beds and all 4 pieces can be purchased separately. The duvet covers (red with buttons) come with the down comforters. The original cost for this bedding was $4,000. You can purchase the bed coverings for a cost of $200 per item. 

When you take a tour of this store be prepared to spend time going from room to room over again.

You will see things the second and third time around that you missed the first time. 

Here is a tip, look in the cabinets, drawers, cupboards, and bookcases as you will find many items tucked away. There are so many home goods so be prepared to shop around. 

No matter what your home needs are, you are sure to find it here. You don't have to break-the-bank to make your home look splendid. 

Why pay department store prices when you can have quality furniture at a fraction of the cost. Every dollar saved is a dollar earned. Put the savings toward a vacation, no one will know the difference. 

Very few stores offer so much for so little.

Maybe you are just starting out or helping an adult child fix up their home, you can't afford to pass this place up. 

All your Furnishings are Right Here. 

The store has very convenient hours.

Monday-Saturday 10:00-5:00

Sunday 11:00-3:00

Specialty Items for Her

  
All Things To Make a Cozy Home.

The Store is Located at

212 N High St, Cortland, Ohio 44410.

Please stop in and visit 

They'll Leave The Light On

 

Thank you for taking time to read this blog. I hope you have found it to be enjoyable. 

Thanksgiving Planning Tips

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. I love watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, eating turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, playing board games like Apples to Apples, glancing at the Black Friday adds, and nibbling on left-overs with whomever stops by for a visit. 

https://newyorksightseeingtours.wordpress.com/tag/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade/

For the past few years it has become a tradition for me to host the Thanksgiving dinner. 

Being a good hostess requires lots of organization & preparation. 
Doing as much as you can beforehand helps to make the holiday a smooth transition. 

Here Are Some Tips

Start an inbox message on Facebook including all the guests whom are invited and have them mention what they would like to bring to the dinner. So many family and friends are connected to social media, making communication easy.

Once this is done you can plan on seating arrangements such as the number of chairs and tables that will be needed.

I like for my tables and chairs to color coordinate. 

Here is a very affordable place to purchase chair and table coverings: 

http://www.tableclothsfactory.com/Folding-Chair-Cover-Round-p/chair_rnd_wht.htm

You can purchase chair coverings for as little as $1.15 per item.  I like to use sashes on some chairs and those run around $2.29. The sashes and coverings come in a variety of textures and colors.

It's nice having candles & decorations for the tables to make the atmosphere very warm and festive. 

Shopping at this time of the year is a great time to purchase candles & decorations; many stores have those items on clearance after Halloween. 

For early prep, a week or two before the holiday, bring out your chafers and make sure you have chafer fuel (sternos). It can be very frustrating if you happen to notice, after the dinner is prepared, that you are out of sternos. Locate your power strips if you will be plugging in slow cookers. 

Rearranging furniture may be necessary to make room for tables. You may need to remove a coffee table or so in advance. If that is the case, think about doing it the weekend before the big dinner.

Another early prep would be to iron table cloths ahead of time.

Take a look at your guest list and decide fun activities to do for all who are present. If you have little ones attending the dinner, you may want to bring out a few toys, puzzles, coloring books, and things to help keep them entertained.  

Even adults have fun coloring, doing word puzzles, and playing trivia games. 

You could have a word search & trivia contest; then have  prizes waiting for the winners ($5 Dunkin Donuts gift cards). There are plenty of free Thanksgiving downloads for such activities. 

Autumn's Country Landscape

We are rounding the bin of October and the landscape is magnificent. Peak week has occurred here in Northeast Ohio.

The weather has cooperated in making this, a fall to remember. One of my favorite things to do this time of year, is head for those country roads that are noted for their scenery. I wanted to share with you photos that I took along the way. 

I took these photos going through Vernon, Ohio and into Greenville, PA.

I hope you enjoyed viewing them as much as I did photographing them.