Cottage Decorating Magazines Jan 2016

Decorating Thoughts:

I bought Romantic Homes & Romantic Country this month.  I was happily surprised to see the pastel colors, whites and shabby chic decorating style featured.  I felt that I had stepped back a few years.  My friend says things (decors) are being recycled faster.  I am not sure but for me I love it.

It was fresh...again.  What I like besides the light, airy colors is that the rooms are so one-of-a-kind.  Hand picked items that really showcase each decorator creatively.  We, the people who live there, are the decorators.

I haven't seen Country Living yet this month.  The same friend said lots of whites are featured.  Another favorite.  I went to Ace Hardware this week and got paint chip samples of about 20 some whites--all different.  They also had charts showing colors with different hues including white with a drop of each color (white with a drop of green or a drop to blue etc.).  I keep the color charts and pictures in a scrapbook.  I just paste them in nothing fancy.  These are good inspiration books for when I decide to redo and rearrange.  My next goal is to 'go white.'  Then accent with colors.

Pinterest has a lot to offer for cottage decorating and all decorating.  But I will miss Cottage of the Month.  It is fun to look through the Archives and see how decor over the 10 year period of its existence changed and evolved.

My other favorite part of a home is gardening.  Real gardening and gardening decor.  Pinterest has a lot of good gardening boards that I save.  On the West Coast, we can garden somewhat all year.  But spring is coming soon for the colder regions of the US too.  Being raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, I know that even though the growing seasons are shorter, Mother Nature provides a lot of beauty and produce during that time period.  Many regions have lots of black rich soil.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome!

Monah

New website is coming along

Happy New Year to all!

I say this every year.  This is our chance to start over and do things differently or not do them at all.

One of my more fun goals this year is to add more socializing.  It might be through a cooking group or another interest group.

Walking.  I was walking 16 miles a week with a group but due to various reasons, I am not walking as much or exercising as much.  This is a priority.

I am semi-retired but I work a part time job which can be up to 4 times a week.  I rent a space at a local antique mall.  I have been at this location for about a year; and it is time to rearrange everything and make it look fresh. I do floor time at the mall 2 or 3 days a month.  Sometimes, I feel that I am back at "full time."

Do you ever get that fragmented feeling?  I love variety but this can be the downside of variety.  Maybe it gets down to time management and limit setting (for self).  Another new year's goal?  Your comments are welcome.

Which leads me to another new project.  My website.  It is compact as I mentioned with a new template.  I am still adding product.  If there is something that you would like to see posted, please drop me an email.  My three categories are:

• Cottage Decor
• Miscellany
• Ready Wear

Thanks for reading and the best in 2016!

monah