Home Improvements

Welcome Weekend!

I was home alone today. My boys were out doing man chores (cutting and hauling wood for Mamaw Joyce and Papaw Bob). It was rather nice to be home alone in peace and quiet to do whatever I wanted.

When this time of year comes along, I begin to think about home improvement projects. Is there a room that needs to be painted or something to buy and replace. I begin thinking towards spring and summer and the things I need to accomplish. Collin says when I begin "thinking" he gets scared.

A second factor of motivation occurred yesterday when I dropped by to see a new house that my cousin and his wife have recently purchased and moved into. She had been busy buying new furnishing and still placing them when I arrived. It moved me all the more this morning to look about, assess some changes to be made, and decide what I could do to spruce things up a bit and so I began after Collin left for the day.

I don't always feel the need to buy something new. Sometimes you can surprise yourself by moving things around, paring some different things together, or going back to dig out something to be recycled that you once grew tired of and put away. I also get ideas from magazines. I might have something similar tucked away and I can make it work similarly. Today was one of those days.

First, I still have poinsettias from Christmas sitting here and there. I decided I must do something with those first thing. Now some might say, "Marcia, Turn your head and pitch those plants--the season is over." I can't. They are still somewhat pretty and I have to give everything a chance as long as it has life. Besides, I grew up with "Waste not; want not." I took them outside for a good shake and removal of the dead leaves, gave them a good drink of water, and bunched them together for a full look. I moved them behind my couch for a punch of color and I think they look very nice. Moved to a different location, they'll be in a new spot for enjoyment.

After the poinsettia was moved from my dining table, something else had to be put in it's place. Micah bought this vase for me several Christmases ago and I have always loved it. It moves here and there around my house. I wanted a spot of color on the table and needed something with a little height. And yes, as you look at the photo it is indeed simply "sticks" in the container. I see this idea repeatedly in magazines and thought I'd give it a try. I put on some warm clothes, grabbed my snipers and out to the forsythia bush I went. I added a bit of green and curly stuff I had in the house left from another arrangement and this is the end result. I kind of like it. One thing about it, if it gets dusty and dirty or I grow tired of it, no major monetary investment--I can go to the back door and give it a pitch. What do your think?

Next undertaking was moving pictures off my mantle and adding a few new touches. I also decided I wanted to rearrange and add some things to the hearth. You can't see it very well, but I made another small "stick" arrangement in a clear cylinder and added gem stones to give it a little color. I moved another urn and grass arrangement in (I understand now that "grassy" stuff is the "in" thing), added a candle, and moved some photos. Our insert isn't burning yet and that's another story so it is safe right now to have stuff on top and close by.

Lastly, I focused on the coffee table. It was also the resting place of a poinsettia and I brought in some things that usually make themselves at home in this area. I bunched them a little more closely together and added the tray. This was a project piece. This tray was green with flowers--pretty, but unusable because since the time I got it, my colors have changed. I love spray paint. It works miracles on everything. I happened to have both brown and gold stored in my cabinet. The temp was moderate this afternoon so I grabbed newspaper and outside I went. It took several hitches of spraying and drying, but my tray is brown now with a bit of gold accent along the top edge. I dropped in a few magazines for now, but I'm not quite sure what will end up in the tray.

That was the fun part of my day. I kept moving and swapping, stepping back to look, then moving and swapping some more. I also managed a little laundry and some cleaning in the kitchen. While I was at it, I move a few things there as well.

I'm off Monday from school. I wondering what I want to get into next. I have some ideas. Stay tuned to future HOME IMPROVEMENTS.

Marcia