{vintage:shabby:beachy:decor}

Hello and Happy Tuesday...wish it was Friday:)

How was your Labor day!?!?!!?! We had family and friends over for a gathering and that was pretty nice!
I love to have gatherings....gatherings and dinner parties.....my two favorite things:)

I finally got around to painting the vintage steamer trunk I bought a month or two ago!!

I L.O.V.E. how it turned out:)
And I think it's just perfect in our bedroom!

I couldn't help myself with the  "La Mer" ...french for the sea:)
I thought it was much cuter than if I would have painted "Indiana" on it:) heehee!

I may be embracing my Midwestern spirit...but I am not about to go around painting Indiana on my things:)

I love how the bedroom is shaping up...it's just so light and happy in there! Like flowers in a field happy:)
OK fine...those aren't flowers....they are the broccoli that I let bolt because I never got around to picking it out of my garden! Who knew broccoli made such pretty little flowers! And the bees and the butterflies have been more than thankful that I never picked my broccoli:)

And I still need to get photographs in the frames....just haven't gotten around to doing it yet:)

My sweet girl L.C. can't get on the bed anymore:( She's accepted it and i've made her a super comfy spot on the floor...pillows, blankets, her bones...I think she feels like she's in a camp out every evening she goes to bed!

And by evening...I do mean evening! She's like a little old lady.....she gets fed up with the day and happily retires herself to her spot in our bedroom at around 7pm every evening. Owell...at least she's happy:)

And Ruby...well Ruby is still a wrecking ball! She has to be involved in everything. No privacy....I should have named her Shadow:)

Thank goodness she doesn't chew anymore! She practically tore our entire house to shreds....ok...not the whole house but every pair of shoes, every blanket and every single pillow was destroyed!

and no we didn't crate train her when she was a baby...she was a rescue dog and she was terrified of crates! She barked so much that the neighbors complained and that was with the windows closed!
They said she never stopped barking the whole day! Now that was I call persistent!

Either way...she's fine now and we love her:)

I just love the trunk...not a bad purchase for only $40.00:) I love bargains! And now it looks even cuter ....painted white and scuffed up:) Yes!?!?!?

Yes....I always have fresh flowers next to my side of the bed.....they make me happy when I first open my eyes in the morning:)
Are you a fresh flowers kind of person!?!?!?

Well there you have it....a little peek into my world:)
ps...i'd love cute curtains in our bedroom but I have 2 words for you.....
dog hair!

I try to have as little fabric as possible in my home:)

Hope you have a great rest of your week!

oh and ps...
thank you for all of your kind words on my last post:)
I even got quite a few e-mails! So nice to know we all go through the same things:):)
I really do appreciate....from the bottom of my heart....your kind words! Thank you:)

Never be bullied into silence.  Never allow yourself to be made a victim.  Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.  ~Harvey Fierstein

{Pretty Aqua Blue Chair}

Well Hello & Happy Friday to you:)

Guess what….each day you CAN choose to be happy.
Life is just full of choices and each day is an opportunity just waiting to unfold:)

What do you choose today.
Be happy or Be sad!?!?
Follow your dreams or let them pass you by?????
It’s all up to you…..or so a wise woman once said!

It’s FRIDAY {YEAH} and I can once again truly appreciate a good solid Friday….
You know I am choosing to be happy on this fabulous first Friday back to school!!! Oh ok...the back to school part isn't really all that fabulous.....but the Friday sure is:):):)


First I thought I’d share……
My healthy recipe.
It’s just perfect for when you’re in a time crunch and need something healthy to eat.

I often make a batch of something similar to this on Sunday or Monday evening and then I am ready to go each day of the week.. No thinking involved.

Ths time it was..
CousCous {garlic flavor}
chopped....
cucumber
fennel
tomato
onion
green beans
peaches
cilantro
& lime juice, salt & pepper!!

Mix it all up & enjoy:)

A perfect lunch!!!


Well guess what….
Simple Daisy has a goal..
You betcha…
No more him hawying around…
I have decided to open a happy little shop one way or another.
I am making that my long term goal no matter how long it takes:):):)

I have a ton of work to do and it might start much smaller than you think....but I am a determined kind of gal.
I love etsy....don’t get me wrong…
I just don’t necessarly feel like it’s the right kind of venue for me…
I just don’t feel like I connect with people the way I would like to….you know the way I would if you were to ever come visit my shop:):)

I have a long road ahead of me….but one thing I know for sure is…if you don’t write things out and formulate a plan….they WON'T happen……
I have learned this in my running and riding training and once again a wise woman recently shared this with me:):)
Good thing for wise friends and people that truly believe in you!

But you know what else she said.....it really doesn't matter what other people believe about you....it's do you believe in YOURSELF! That's really all that matters:)

Now really think about that for a momemt! Do you believe in you!?!?!?!!?
If you did I bet you would fulfill a lot more of your dreams!


What’s your dream…
What do you see yourself doing if nothing stood in your way…
What stands in your way from fulfilling that dream????
How can YOU make it happen….

Alright now get busy and start writing it out.
Keep a little journal for yourself! I know I am making a commitment to journaling things:) :)
Things don’t just happen to you…..YOU happen to things!!!
Right?!?!?!?



OK now for a little crafty inspiratiion!
First up…

The driftwood sailboats….
DREAMY….
Lake Michigan little sweeties! I have loved boats for as long as I can remember…..and when I came across driftwood sailboats….I was smitten:):)
　
Easy to make…..
And easy to like!!

Oh and did you see….Maya from Completely Coastal just gave lil ol me a shout out for my Lake Michigan inspired driftwood boat!?!?!?
Thanks Maya…
I love all things beachy and so does she!!!!
That’s why I LOVE stopping by her blog!
Happy inspiration.
Stop by and say HELLO if you get a chance:):):)

But after much ado…..I don’t know at this point how much I’ll be adding to my etsy shop so I don't know if these little cuties will make on there….
I know tons of people do quite well there….but just don’t enjoy how time consuming it is.
I would rather focus my efforts on my real DREAM!!
But if you’d just love to have one of my Lake Michigan driftwood sailboats….well just send me an email!!!! I'm sure we can figure something out:):)

Oh and notice the chair???

A "new" prop for me:)
It was just a real junker I just {re} came across it in the basement….left over from the previous owners of our home. I ALMOST threw it away…..sad little chair….I think it was even handmade by the previous owner….

But one day as I was shabbying everything up in a 5 foot radius of me……I turned to see the sad little chair…..
And it too got a shabby little paint job!

It’s just so darn happy now:):)

I want to sit on it and drink my morning coffee!!! I think the builder of this chair would be quite proud of it!!!

See ….that’s the stuff I would have in my shop…….
Cottage inspired wares…

Handmade.....repurposed.....vintage.....awesome stuff
In all shades of turquioue….aqua and robin’s egg blue!!

Even my jewelry!
How could I not be happy!! And I think it might make other people happy too!

What do you think!?!?

Oh and when I do one day own a shop……….
I know I’ll have the vino flowin' for each and everyone of you that would venture in:):)

How fun would that be!!!!!

Picture it.....you're walking up to the tiniest turquoise building. First thing you notice are all the happy flowers just bursting out of the pots surrounding the french doors entrance. As you walk in you hear the fabulous music playing and take a moment to take in the frangrance from that ocean scented candle that's burning on the counter. You look around to see old worn wood planked floors and pale pale gray walls. The ceiling is beadboard in the creamiest shade of robin's egg blue. You are happy...you feel like you've just spent a moment at the beach. You see shabby furniture in every shade of aqua blue. You notice handmade beach inspired signs and you fall in love with the tons of vintage fans for sale! All perfect for your lovely home on the water!

Of course you can't move past the pretty jewelry displayed on vintage turquoise frames and you just love the beachy artwork. The nicest {ok...maybe not the nicest} shop owner stops to say hello and offers you a glass of wine while you enjoy your visit:) Oh ok....I don't know if that part's reality but........it would be nice:)

And you end your visit with a purchase that makes you super happy....not just for what you bought but you're happy with the experience of shopping in such a happy inspiring place!

So do you like my vision!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?

Dreams......:):)

Hope you have a happy weekend!

And remember to write down your goals and dreams!!!!

They won't happen without a plan:)
Oh and Sunday I am riding in a 60 mile bike ride….still getting ready for that 100 miler on Sept. 28~~
Woo hoo !!!
Wish me luck:)

"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal."

Pamela Vaull Starr