Friday, April 19, 2013

Spring Mantlescape 2013 (and other things)



If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. 
No? Me neither.
I'm not happy. No hand clapping here. I am so burdened with the recent events, how can one blog? When is the appropriate time, how much time should elapse...I haven't blogged in over 2 weeks, does that count? I'm not blogging about the tragedies, does that make me a bad person....that I like to hide my insecurities and bravely show the world my accomplishments? 
If you can call a mantlescape an accomplishment, that toys are not strewn about and dust bunnies are dethroned for the moment an accomplishment.
Believe me, I am praying and have a broken heart for my fellow Americans, and I am NOT part of the camp that maintains that if it didn't happen to me it didn't happen at all....I'm one of those people that have to be reminded to carry on. Lord, I could go from 9/11 through Newtown (and prior, I know) and discuss the effects but (and here I go again) since being diagnosed with a incurable disease, I know that you have to put one foot in front of the other and move forward because we have to learn from the mistakes....don't we? Yes. We have to sustain. Yes.
I've gotten hardly anything done on the kitchen project and I'm and not ashamed. Between chemo treatments, blood transfusions and of course recuperating, not to be confused with sleeping....I've been going to the movies and shopping for my booth. What really gets my goat is that I have not done any wreaths for my Etsy. That really ticks me off. Wreaths are one of my most favorite things to do!! I have not learned to balance it all and it is so frustrating.
I have had , for lack of better word, a blank mantle since Christmas-egad! Use to, I'd have changed it 3 times by now.....no since thinking about the the 'use-to's' in my life...this is the right now and present and I got a  mantlescape. Ta-da. I can still decorate, cancer has not taken that ability, thank God...It's not like I've got math to fall back on.... 

I found these beautiful peonies, silk, of course, and they inspired me....along with the brass findings. Will I ever buy new again? ;) The mirror never changes, that bugger is too heavy...but I did more of a collected look than my normal formula.

The turquoise vases, you remember those right? I had those in my bedroom and brought them back out....this time with no curly willow and flowers in one....I just left the lids on.
And books, I know, old school right? Been done a million times, but I'm getting such a nice collection of old books going and the mantle is certainly a place to showcase them. I love reading through them, if you are with me an Instagram, you saw a passage from  an old book, c.1935, called The Falmouth Survey of Professional Practices (oddly the Falmouth Institute is in Boston, Mass.). It discusses personalities in professional settings and the studies that go along with it...I found it very interesting. It has a list of introvert characteristics (among other things) and believe me, they haven't changed much...#13. The introvert daydreams a great deal. Truer words have...well, you know.
I don't know how I got off on that....accessories! Brass. A dirty word to me a few years ago.....although I was knee deep in it back in the 90's but somehow I became anti-brass....I suppose the ebb and flow of the design world....but now, I have no problem mixing metals...and old brass is what I'm gravitating towards. My MIL is still in shock, you have no idea how anti-brass I was....however, I still exhort that shiny stuff...I'm talking about the old worn, tarnished stuff that you find on the bottom shelf in the back of the antique mall. Case in point; that loverly brass tray: Hello! Little brass etched vases: How you doin'! Said in my best Joey voice.
The fuchsia peonies look fantastic in brass as well, and then of course you can't beat fuchsia and turquoise together.
 
Am I weary of orange yet? Nope, not yet, it's still a present color in the way of accessories and such. 
I found that graphic pillow at Big Lots. It does a great job of lightening up the charcoal fabric on the chair....not to mention speaks to the grey on the kitchen walls that are oh-so-close.
And straying away from the mantle for a moment, the coffee table....accessorized with a Threshold (Target) tray, a couple of books, coral and a brass shell that opens. Logan hides his candy in there. I've got to be a bad parent when the kids are hiding candy....like I wasn't going to find that.
That little butterfly specimen is vintage too and real, my MIL found it for me along with a couple of others. I really like that one, Lord knows how old it is. It reminds me of The Butterfly Place in Branson, anyone been there? They have a large population of Blue Morphs. Man, I am all over the place today.....

 I might change the curtains, or I might not...I honestly just didn't have the energy to change them to the springy ones I made last year...oh well.
I hope you've gotten a little inspiration for a mantle, I know most everyone has created a spring mantle...I'm late to the party. This will probably stay like this till summer. Speaking of summer, I am going home again this year, which I am really excited about. My nephew is graduating from East Carolina University( Go Pirates!) and I will not miss that! I have less than 20 days until I leave and I'm just hoping chemo doesn't screw things up. ;)


And speaking of chemo, I have that on Monday, so there will probably be radio silence for a while again. I want to talk to you again though, so we will chit-chat later. Just keep swimming!
2011-12-013

12 comments:

  1. Your mantle and entire room for that matter looks terrific. I like the curtains you have there-wouldn't change 'em. prayers and hugs to you.

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  2. It's so good to hear from you. The mantle looks beautiful!

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  3. Oh Michelle, you said it so well. To be able to put it in words is a gift. The room is beautiful!

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  4. Love the mantle! Especially the mantle! Loved what you said about still being able to decorate.

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  5. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming... I love that Michelle. I love too that you are all over the place, and especially that you will be home with your family soon. The mantle is beautiful, as are dust bunnies being cast away for the time being. Remember though our circumstances may be different sometimes that's the best any of us can hope for.

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  6. Beautiful as always! You are the most talented in blogland I do believe. Such an inspiration.

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  7. So happy to see you back in blogland. It's ok to be all over the place! Mantel is gorgeous!!

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  8. I love your blog and visit regularly. I, too, am a cancer survivor--twice---surgeries, radiation, chemo--just do what fell like doing for the time being. If you get too tired, it is hard to catch up. Everything you do is beautiful--just as you are. Love and prayers.

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  9. First time to read your blog and just wanted to say I enjoyed it very much! And my mom declared to me today as my RA continues to piss me off, to continue to do what I love! So, I'm passing that back to you...continue to make those gorgeous wreaths I see on your sidebar. My goodness, woman, you've got skillz! Power on! :)

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  10. I love your mantlescape! I love all the different elements you incorporated. I used to be anti brass as well but have come to like the vintage brass. I like to mix and match metals as well. I think it's much more interesting. I hope your chemo isn't too awful. Even though we have never met, I think about you often and pray for you to have the strength needed to face each day and get through it. You are such an inspiration to me.

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  11. You certainly haven't lost your decorating skills, or your sense of humor. Once again, it makes me feel proud of you and your spirit, although I know that there are days...

    I'm glad you have the trip planned and that all goes well so you can go. I love the turquoise and fuchsia together. I don't know that I would have thought of those with the orange, but in your house it works! You're good. Take care and don't worry about being late with your spring stuff...most of us have the stuff up and no spring yet! Just do what you feel like doing when you feel like doing it. We are just always glad to hear from you!

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  12. I love the colors you have used in decorating. So fresh, happy, and peppy. You are talented and have original ideas. My mantle stays the same all year except at Christmas.

    You are inspiring, Michelle. I will be thinking of you Monday and through the week.

    I am having a ton of spam comments too. It has been so annoying but I have a few friends that will leave comments that don't have a blog so I hate to stop it.

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Thank You for taking the time to comment! Because of the insane amount of spam comments, I had to stop anonymous comments-sorry for the inconvenience.
Michelle