No Shame - Inspiration Takes Time

Hello little world of blogging! Or rather, a big world (and seemingly growing bigger by the day)!

It's been about a month and a half since my last post, and I will not apologize for it. Between holidays, work, projects, traveling, and life in general, I've had little time to sit down and truly browse the blogs of the world while letting my own creativity thrive.


 Since my last post, I have done some small "projects" in my cottage ...

• While Momma visited one week, we made burlap wreaths for each of our homes. Simple enough, about 3 yards of burlap, some ribbon, and a coat hanger that is happy to bend in any shape you so choose. Momma added a finishing touch to hers with a gorgeous checkered brown velvet ribbon from Ballard Designs, and attached it to a shabby chic'd ((DIY)) creme gloss shutter.
• Meanwhile, my burlap beauty is perched atop my mantle, its neutral tones eluded itself to the remainder of the mantle being decorated in soft tones of  blue Mason jars, mercury glass candlesticks, as well as some cotton and wood architectural pieces from New Orleans. I'm quite pleased with my neutral mantle until mid-Spring when it will need some more color! 

• The pantry in my kitchen is host to a new organizational method, complete with the sweetest ((and most simple to make)) labels. Each cubby, canister, and snack bin has its own label. I was on a "whim" one afternoon and put together these labels from blank place cards. Admittedly, I smile whenever I open my pantry now, for a whole new reason!

 My dining room, with its ever so bold Robins Egg Bleu accent wall, has a new vignette atop my china hutch. While I'm debating on how and if to sell my antique china hutch for a smaller version, I went ahead and made it something I could live with. The wreath is a hand-me-down that graced my Momma's front door for several springs, paired with some mercury glass (can't help myself!), new dessert plates (from Mama B) and a garden finial. It's not quite spring yet, but I can't help but decorate as if it were.  . . or maybe it's just my love for pink and green!!






    

• And one final "DIY Re-Do" ... a simple ((ugly)) recipe box from the $1 spot at Michael's Craft Stores, met some pretty scrapbooking papers of mine, and some hot glue, and ribbon, and Voila! Cute recipe box that I'm not ashamed to have out on my counter :) 

Now, onto further projects and musings ... I have a list of about 10 things to try ... ranging from sewing simple buntings for upcoming holidays ((Valentine's Day in shades of pink were the starting point)) to a more complicated project of printing out images from the amazing website ((Vintage Graphics)) onto fabric transfer paper, giving myself the room to create neat vintage-y pillows and tea towels. And a few of the upcoming projects will require the Handsome Man to bring his drill and go on a "vintage hardware search" with me, I'm making an "Apron Rack". Time to display the heirlooms from grandmothers and great-grandmothers in my kitchen!

I'm traveling to Mexico for work in the next week and a half and will be gone for 8 days, so I hope to have plenty of time to muse on the planes and at the resort, for more projects. I have quite mixed feelings about the way my creative juices have been lately. On one hand, I feel that as a creative being, I should always be able to spill out ideas and projects. But on the other hand, I have the utmost respect for the creative side of my brain, as it works at its best when given time and space to freely create. We'll go with the latter, and call it a night.

xoxo
B