CopyKat: Knick of Time's Spring Wreath

I'm a little embarrassed to tell you I still have my Christmas lights up on the mantle, but honestly I have been known to rock my Christmas lights all the way to St Patrick's Day in March!

I did get the Christmas tree down the first week of January so that does put me ahead of my usual timeframe! 

Knick of Time

I just couldn't get inspired to change the lights out for something else until I saw THIS post at Knick of Time featuring the frame and wreath above. Love it!

I'll be back soon with my own version of her wreath decor. In the meantime, let me know if you have a good idea for a spring wreath for your mantle or home...I'd love to come check them out.

Thanks for dropping by!

A Look Back...And What's Ahead

I'm always amazed that other bloggers have so many things to share in their "Best of the Year" posts on what projects they did best last year.

How do they manage that? 

After all, this bead board wall and the cabinet on the other side took us over a year to get finished! 

I didn't even take a photo of the finished cabinet when it was done.

When I looked back the other day all I could wonder was what did I do all year? Granted it wasn't a stellar year for our family's health problems (yes that's an understatement) but still I'm bereft of many proud moments to brag on! 

As Bridget Jones would write in her diary: "Must do better next year!"

So I don't have a "Best Of's" post for you, but here's a few milestones of the past year and a glimmer of hope for the coming year. 

The wall above the fireplace (where the wall mount for the TV was until last year) finally got the holes repaired professionally and now is presentable! 

However, if I had it to do over, I would just leave the TV up there...

The builder built our spec house with this area planned for a TV and it really makes for better room arrangements. 

So lesson learned for me with this house (and the next) is "go with the plan, don't fight it."

We also had the handyman do some minor repairs and paint trim in most of the house and then paint the master bathroom. It looks so much better with just a few of the little things done.

We're in disarray right now trying to remove to storage everything that's not necessary and downsize things we no longer plan to keep. Once that's all done, I will share what remains.

Debbie at Debbie-Dabble questioned again this year why she sticks with blogging. She stays because of the friendships and I have to agree with her!

I thought seriously about closing this blog and starting a new one later since we plan to sell Rivercrest Cottage and move in another direction now that Wild Bill's parents are gone. 

Still Waiting For A Magical Snowfall This Year!

Then it came to me that I should see the blog out until we lock the door one last time, so that's what I intend to do. 

Spring Will Bring Back The Green Grass Soon.

I appreciate when you drop in, and I hope you'll give me lots of advice along the way with staging and selling the house as we go through the next few months of the selling process.

I could not have gotten through the last 6 months without your hopes and prayers for us...truly! 

For me, sometimes just popping by your blog and reading about your day or your project allowed me to take my mind off more serious problems even for just a minute or two. It helped so much!

The word I've chosen for the coming year is "JOY!" with an exclamation point! If you don't have a word for the year, I highly recommend mine.

Thanks for dropping by!

Paint It White Wednesday...The Joyless Cabinet

I was thinking of donating a cabinet to a local charity when I saw this post from the Fusion Mineral Paint website. 

Source

I've kind of lost my interest in doing makeovers lately, but the pictures of this cabinet makeover inspired me to try again.

I know some people don't like painted wood furniture, but chippy white makes my heart sing!

This No-Longer-Brings-Me-Joy cabinet is going to get a white Fusion Paint makeover starting today. I have enough Fusion Paint left over from last year to do this project, so I won't be adding to my clutter.

If you want to see how the cabinet in the first photo was prepared and painted, you can see the details at the Fusion Paint site HERE.

I'm going to follow their instructions step-by-step, and we'll see if my paint job turns out as pretty as theirs! 

Note: All thoughts are strictly my opinion. I received no compensation or products from this company for my opinions expressed here. 

Thanks for dropping by!

The Joy Of Tidying Up...On TV

It's been a few years since this book changed my life... 

If you haven't heard, Netflix now has an 8-part TV show starring Marie Kondo and eight American families/couples. 

If you've read Marie's book, you'll love the show...if you haven't read Marie's book, you'll probably love the show too!

Each episode starts with a real-life mess of a home. Through a series of weeks, Marie and an interpreter (Marie speaks some English, but mostly Japanese) visit the home, explain and demonstrate the "KonMarie Method" of tidying up, and help the participants work through emotional issues that come to the surface.

Wild Bill and I binge watched all eight episodes in one day. If you can keep a dry eye through most of the episodes, you will do far better than I did!

Our whole family has been reporting in on the progress that's been made in our respective homes since watching the eight episodes...pantries, closets, shelves, and whole rooms have been cleaned out and made over!

Reading Marie's book does get you going, but if you watch the TV show it will really enforce Marie Kondo's principles in your life. 

I have to admit, back when I sorted my belongings after reading the book, I might have found joy in too many of them!

After seeing people on the show pile up their belongings and talk through their emotions, I had a renewed desire to go back and determine again if I really felt joy with all my things.

Thanks for dropping by!

NOTE: For my post on this book, which I did in 2015, here is a link in case you would like further info Life Changing Books and here's a link to Marie Kondo's KonMarie website.



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