Sweet As Kittens & Rabbits

There’s this book I read from time to time. I don’t consider it a self-help book ; I think of it as a reminder of life’s beautiful simplicity. When things start to feel more complicated than they should, I take my favorite book out. I’ve read it since my freshman year of high school. It also offers easy ways to be a part of every season. It’s called Simple Abundance :: if you are interested. You can probably buy it for $2 used on amazon. I would love to write the author one day to tell her thank you.

The other day the read was about making our bedrooms a happy spot where we want to be. I have to be honest, I typically wake up and tear out of my bedroom with Bridget at my side leaving sheets and pajamas falling all over the room behind me. I’ll keep doing that, but with a  happier environment now. Unlike other apartments where I did most of my living in my bedroom, I now have a bigger place and spend the majority of my time in the living room, dining room or porch, so the bedroom has been an after thought.  It’s not that it was crazy messy or ugly, it just hasn’t been speaking to me.

It didn’t take much to change that.  I took out some of my floral pillow cases and bought some new english floral pattern sheets. Now it’s a sweet :: feminine spot that makes me smile when I wake up. Sure it might be a little too feminine, but I’m a chick.

Nothing fancy. Just a mix of colors and patters with lots of old pillowcases in the back. My favorite travel keepsake, a wool throw from Ireland, at the foot of my bed.

I think old :: floral  pillowcases are just about as sweet as kittens and rabbits

Tags | Simple Abundance a daybook of comfort and joy

Mt. Airy :: Home With Me

WATCH :: MY STORY FROM WEDNESDAY ON THE HOUSE AND SALE 

I love Jeremy Jones. He’s one of my producers at work and thought it would be a great idea to send the reporter at work who loves old treasures and junk hunting to profile an estate sale which happened this weekend in Shelby County –where Memphis is–.

Not only did the story turn out quite neat :: I got to pick out my treasures early and get a feel for where all the things I wanted were. I was one of the first ones at the house early Saturday morning and ran up the stairs in pursuit of two sets of ruffled edged pillow cases from the closet in the upstairs bathroom. The very idyllic country setting would normally bring to mind a very laid back sound track, but instead all I could hear was Moby’s Extreme Ways. Thank God I didn’t knock any sweet old ladies off the narrow stairway. Can you imagine the facebook posts and estate sale banishment I would face?

I found some truly amazing treasures that are already perfectly placed in spots where I can love them, but the house left a lasting impression on my heart. If you watch the story I did (link at the top) you’ll see just how well-kept the log cabin style plantation house has been since the 1830′s. The land it’s on is beautiful. I could sit on a swing and stare into it all day.

Pride and Joy (Not the  jeep, though I’ll probably drive it till vintage)

My Airy with all its pretty porches

I have no shame. After my purchases were loaded up I enjoyed the swing

What a dream to live here

The view

Met this girlie while walking the property

Such a good dog!

 MY FINDS

Always loved the old enamel, but it was used in the prettiest ways while I was in England back in April

Been wanting a lot of my own

This old enamel pitcher is from Mt. Airy :: original to the house :: now holding lilies in my kitchen

First rocker of my own :: already done a lot of rocking.

Tags | Mt Airy, Mt Airy Estate Sale, Shelby County

Perfect Timing

A friend snapped this shot while I was cutting a little rug this weekend.

What a great photo, huh? This wasn’t the only one taken; the others caught during the jig show a little too much leg during the twirls and make me look a bit like a late night party animal. I assure you I’m not. Maybe a late night itunes listener and crime novel reader. Anyhow, I went on an emergency facebook detagging session :: except for this one.

What a great moment. Party animal and all. When’s the next one??

 

 

 

Arkansas Delta Adventure

My big personal movement right now is living everyday like it’s an adventure. Wide-eyed and open-minded. So, when a Memphis friend asked if I wanted to go to a spend the night lake party on Horseshoe Lake in Arkansas, right over the state line, I said hum…”yea, actually I do want to do that.”

Thanks to this photo op I now have bites all over my ankles :: worth it

What a huge return on the slight risk that everyone there was terrible and I was stuck somewhere I didn’t want to be for 24 hours.

It was a bunch of people who have known each other since the beginning of time . All the guys wore boots and carhartt pants while they shot lots of guns for fun. They even let me shoot some. Below is a picture of me looking like a total freak with a gun in hand.

There was a band, fried fish, lots of pretty fields, antique cars, beer and dark lake water.

The party was at a lake house that was mindblowingly cool. It was so funky. Wood cabin style with loads of kitschy masculine decorations ranging from a giant moose head, beautiful civil war books and deer antlers. I kept sneaking away from the group to check out the house. The owner probably thought I was trying to walk out with some of his vintage fishing gear hanging all over the walls.

Moose

My favorite touch

Lots of Mr. Mals

Thank you to everyone who made me feel so welcome and comfortable. A time I won’t forget soon.

Barry :: the party planner :: such a big hug he gave me as a new friend!

 

Tags | Arkansas, Horseshoe lake, horseshoe lake house

Vintage On The Anchor Desk

I’ve always loved this old necklace. My dress was very simple :: 50′s cut :: perfect for these colored plastic beads.

 

Also, Jarvis my co-anchor at 4 took this picture of me while I was logging sound for a story tonight. Better shot of my new do. Sometimes on the air it can look a little pageanty (which I don’t like). In reality it has more style to it. Makes me feel sassy, at least.  I look angry in the photo. I’m not!!!