Need to freshen up a room?

Need to freshen up a room? Let me count the ways . . . You can paint the room a new color, add custom window treatments (please be sure to call us), change accessories or add new artwork. Artwork is the choice for this post.

This week I received an catalog from one of my artwork vendors and I wanted to share a few of their new designs.


I love this cute little bathtub scene. It reminds me of my two granddaughters in the tub. Adorable!



I like any type of art that looks like it was sketched by hand especially horses.

I know this is a little abstract, but I like it. I love the colors and the subtleness.




What a great look for a simple style kitchen. I think my daughter-in-law is going to use these in her new house over a long buffet.

How fun is this print for a media room, play room, child's room or any room you want to add a little fun.

Easter Decorating ~ Quick and Easy Ideas

I love all the seasons and I like to decorate according to the season. Over time I have collected several accessories that reflect the different seasons. When spring arrives, I replace my Pansy arrangement with my sunflower floral arrangement.


Last year Carrie Jones, my daughter-in-law's sister, gave me this adorable ceramic bunny as a hostess gift for hosting Easter dinner. She knows I love to decorate when I entertain. I decided he would look cute in a bed of Baby's Breath. I layered the Baby's Breath in a clay saucer.



This year I purchased these natural looking bottle brush bunnies from Pottery Barn. They were on sale a couple weeks ago. I couldn't resist. I cut some of my Mugo Pine and placed it beside the bunnies to make them feel at home.


Maddie and Morgan, my granddaughters, are going to love them. They arrive in town this afternoon. I can't wait to see their smiling faces.


Maddie and Morgan are in store for a big surprise today, a mommy bunny decided to have her babies about 20 feet from our side door. She burrowed a small hole in the ground and covered the hole with fur.

When the fur is moved we can see three tiny bunnies. You can only see one bunny in this picture. The burrow has a very small opening.


Mommy bunny is very nervous because I was near her babies. Normally, a wild rabbit would never allow me to be near her. It is never a dull moment at our house.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

I love the snow! The view is fabulous from the bay window in my breakfast room. New fallen snow gives the earth an enchanted and uncluttered look. I know Jerry disagrees with me about the snow because he doesn't like cold weather at all. He would rather be golfing.



In Nashville, we only had a couple of inches of snow. On the other hand, Casey and Owen in Huntsville received lots of snow. This is their second large snowfall this season. This is highly unusual for Huntsville, in fact, they rarely see snow. As you can see from this 10'6" ginormous snowman it took kids and several neighborhood adults to build this monster. The snowman took approximately three hours to build.



Look at those snowballs. This reminds me of the movie Elf when he created a huge amount of snowballs in a matter of seconds. I bet it took them a little longer than a few seconds. In the above photo they were getting ready for the neighborhood snowball fight.

What's the tallest snowman you have ever seen?

Lantana ~ Three Months Later

Wow, our Lantana is amazing! It's been three months since we planted Lantana in our mailbox planters. The Lantana has performed fabulously. We, well when I say we I mean Jerry, didn't totally neglect them we averaged watering them every three days. You can see from the photo there are a tons of buds about to pop. Some days we look out the window and all we see is yellow. Lantana has added new life to our entrance.

I guess we will be planting Lantana next year.

Take Me Away Calgon . . .

So many things affect how we feel and act. Eating and drinking healthy things not only have an effect on our body they also have an effect on our mental attitude.

We feel better about ourselves when we take care of our body. After all, we were only given one body. I love drinking Silver Needle White Tea from Teavana. I loved it even more because I know I am drinking something that's healthy. When I brew my tea I make extra so I can drink it cold. I purchased a couple of items to make this tea brewing ritual a truly delightful experience.

This cute owl teapot was purchased for me by my daughter-in-law, Casey from Anthropologie. Isn't he the cutest?


Here is the Silver Needle White Tea from Teavana. This tea steeps for a full five minutes and has a very mild flavor.

The honey pot and the spoon rest also came from Anthropologie.

I add a touch of organic honey.


I add fresh mint because I like the taste. I also feel like it gives me an energy boost; although my research can't substantiate my claim. This little green leaf is rich in Vitamins A, C and minerals such as manganese, copper, iron, potassium and calcium. I store my tea in my grandmother's antique Ball jar, which of course, evokes that sense of family feeling. I told you, I turn this tea brewing thing into a full blown experience.
I think everyone should have special glasses that evoke that "Take Me Away Calgon" feeling. I found my hand blown fish glasses from Crate & Barrel several years ago. I instantly fell in love with them. They're so happy looking!

A flower you can neglect!

There's something about flowering plants that gives us a feeling of joy inside. However, most of the time that joy includes some effort on our part. In fact, it's not just the initial effort of planting or pruning, the work continues throughout the summer and into fall. With our busy lives, it's hard to keep the landscaping in tip-top shape unless you are fortunate enough to have a gardener; which I don't. So I am always on the lookout for low maintenance, but BEAUTIFUL plants.



During our annual trip to the Farmer's Market in downtown Nashville, we found the perfect solution for the two stone planters beside our mailbox. Our mailbox is too far away from the house for us to make a commitment to watering the planters on a daily basis. We thought if we could find a plant that we could water once a week or every four days that would be ideal. It seemed like a lost cause, but then we remembered Lantana! We planted it several years ago in our landscaping around the house and it was beautiful, but YIKES, it tends to take over. Lantana is like a desert plant; it doesn't require much water or care. In fact, you can plant it just about anywhere and then forget it. Another benefit to planting Lantana, it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Lantana comes in several different varieties. Check our your local nursery to see what's available.

If you're looking for a plant that has color and is practically care-free, Lantana might just the ticket for you.

I'll take another picture later in the summer to let you know how our neglected Lantana is faring down by the hot busy road.

Mother's Day Traditions

Jerry, my husband, started a Mother's Day tradition about 10 years ago. Before then, Jerry had always taken us out to eat on that special day. One year, after waiting two hours to be seated at the restaurant, Jerry decided he would start cooking for all the moms in our family. It was such a hit that it became an enduring family tradition! This year, we shared this tradition with 20 family members and friends.


Jerry, Owen, Lee, my brother, brother-in-law and his brother all pitched in to help prepare and cook. They don't let the mom's do anything, which all the moms love! We feel so special and honored.

Are you wondering what they cooked and how it looked?


Menu:
Grilled pork chops
Baked potatoes
Fresh steamed spinach
Macaroni Salad
Deviled Eggs
Sister Shubert's Yeast Rolls
Sweet Tea



Owen, my oldest son, started another tradition. He makes a stepping stone with Maddie and Morgan's hand or foot prints every year on Mother's Day for his wife, Casey. The girls help decorate the stepping stone with colored stones and chunks of glass. Aren't they just too cute? Maddie, the oldest, is going to be nine on May 14th and we always celebrate her birthday on Mother's Day as well. Do you have any special Mother's Day traditions that you would like to share with us? We would love to hear about them!