Rearranging The Garden Room Office Area

Look what Kim sent me. The sweetest red and white pillow! (The one on the right.) I love it so much I immediately made a new blog banner to show it off. Thanks Kim!

Since "hacking" the steel and glass desk apart, I've rearranged the grouping three times.

If there was an AA-type group for inveterate "rearrangers," I suppose I'd have to join it.

"Hello, my name is Brenda. And I rearrange my furniture a lot. However there are far worse things in life."

And while I rearrange, I feel compelled to clean.

And dust off my beloved Singer Featherweight.

My most used books.

You know how much I love to organize.

Just another day in "the neighborhood."

This & That Tabletop Tuesday

Today is one of those days that can't decide if it wants to rain or not. It gets dark and quiet. Then the suns rays come streaming through the clouds.

And I'm in one of those moods where I want to get something done, but I'm too busy chasing my tail. Start one thing, go on to another.

Sift through an old picnic basket full of linens. Leave stacks piled on the dining room table...

I've been visiting blogs this morning. And came to a conclusion about what new blogs I want to read on an ongoing basis.

The deciding criteria will depend on whether I have to type in word verification. Yeah, I know, some of you are adamant about using this feature.

There's two very distinct sides to this debate. But you know what, Blogger is doing an excellent job these days of holding down spam.

I have never had word verification in nearly three years of blogging. Though I clearly understand the concern of those of you who choose to do so.

It is clearly a very personal choice. That, or you haven't checked your settings to see whether you have it enabled or not. So if you don't know, maybe you should check.

Because I read so many blogs, and thoroughly enjoy this hobby of reading and searching them out, I will no longer take anymore on to read if I have to go through this step.

Nope. Nada. Gonna have to be stringent about this so I don't cave. As I always like to leave a comment.

Some of you will say it is a small price to read an exceptional blog. And if I just read fifty or so, that would perhaps be true.

But that does not happen to be the case for me. I read many more. So this is just my way of still getting to enjoy reading and visiting those of you who feel as I do.

I do a lot of hopping looking for Welcome Wagon Friday blogs to feature. (Which is a labor of love, believe me.)

I have never heard anyone say they actually like to type in those silly letters. Some put up with it better than others. Of course some say tom-ate-o. Some say to-mat-o.

I'm linking up to Marty's Tabletop Tuesday over at A Stroll Thru Life.

Kim's Before & After Party

I'm trying to decide, on this gray and rainy afternoon, whether I've had an "artful" day. Or I've just plain lost my mind.

I've always wanted to do something with this window that is between the kitchen and my garden room. But I never quite knew what.

This is how I started out this morning (above.) I was fueled by coffee and ready to roll. Determined to have something new ready for Kim's debut party.

Except in this windowless room, you can't really see it very well. And I had to practically stand on my head (not a pretty picture) to get some photos of it.

So what on earth is it, you ask?

Why, it's a... it's a vintage spool and beaded...a...swag, I guess you'd call it. Yeah, I guess you could call it a swag.

I didn't actually mean for it to loop three times. But once I got started with my needle and spool of twine, I didn't quite know where to stop. I'd put a vintage spool on my needle, then three various-shaped beads. (I went through a phase about 12 years ago when I thought I wanted to make jewelry. And the result is a plastic box of supplies.)

Are you laughing yet? Well, it's okay. There's even a sign over my stamps that tells you to.

This is a case where I was trying to kill too many birds with one stone. And too many birds showed up. (Where do they get that expression? I'd never kill a bird.)

I've also wanted to do something with the various tags I've received from bloggers from time to time when I order on Etsy. And so the "swag" became a display for those tags.

And so what is said swag hanging from, you may be asking? Well, that's an extension curtain rod I found in the garage. And I put one of those fabric cord covers over it.

Oh, all right. I should have just stayed in bed today.

Or made something with my stamps.

You see, some days, despite your best intentions, inspiration is just not going to be there when you come knocking.

I'm sure it's happened to all of you at some point. Please tell me it has.

So...ahem...my before and after project for Kim of Savvy Southern Style's first B & A party, is something I worked on for much of the day. I don't really know what to call it.

Please go visit Kim's other participants. I sure hope they fared better than I did.

(Kim, I'll work on this Before & After stuff. I promise I will.)

Inspiration Everywhere

Something above was the inspiration for the changing today of my blog banner. Of course there's the red and white pillow Kim sent me. I smile every time I pass by it.

The other day I got my Etsy order from Becky at Sweet Cottage Dreams. It's that gorgeous burlap table runner with the lace. Love it, Becky!

So I made a little tablescape in my garden room. I tied some burlap around the silverware.

You know what? I'm finding that I really like the natural elements mixed in with my reds and blues.

And then there's the vintage suitcase I found at the antique mall the other day. I layered the inside with burlap and some frills for contrast. I haven't decided what other treasures I'll put in there besides the little Christmas trees.

I know, it isn't even Thanksgiving yet. But I'm seeing so many holiday pretties on blogs that I just couldn't resist!

I'm linking this to Jami at Freckled Laundry's Air Your Laundry Friday.

And at Friday Feathered Nest over at French Country Cottage.