Beginnings: Home Office Makeover, Part 1

 

I started weeks ago dreaming about how I wanted my home office to be redone. I didn't want to spent a lot of money. I also didn't want to do much painting. I spent lots of time on Pinterest getting inspired with home office ideas. I looked at magazines and color chips. As I said a few days ago, I knew I wanted something different. I said good-bye to the pink. I said hello to a lovely combination of brown and green for accents and left the walls a light peach color. Everett figured out how to spray paint in the cold weather. He converted some old cardboard striped shoe cuppbies  to a rich brown set for the room. I rearranged the room, and added different furniture. This is a preview of what I did first. More to come!!

 

Beginnings: New Year, New Blooms

When the welcome sun appeared yesterday afternoon I grabbed my camera and headed for the greenhouse. It is difficult in winter to capture the beauty of this room because it is usually dark when I leave and dark when I return each day during the work week. 

I took full advantage of the light yesterday and surrounded myself with the smells of rich dirt and scented geranium leaves. I also love the earthy feel of clay pots as they sit waiting for propagated plants.

I was pleasantly surprised by the blooms that had appeared on the jade plant. It only happens once a year, but is well worth the wait.

I couldn't believe the impatients have survived through the winter. These tender plants not only survived, but are blooming! I see the sun coming up again today. I think today would be a perfect time to try my new tripod in the greenhouse!

Beginnings: Life Unplugged

It was frutstrating during the thirty-six hours without the internet. I still don't know what caused the big outage in our area. It was also a blessing. I am undertaking a big redo,revise,repaint,redesign project that involves a makeover of the home office, cupboard reorganzation, a pantry move, and the taking down of all things holiday for another year. I am using green and brown as accent colors in the home office.... I think. I never know for sure until I see how it works!!

It was a productive day, but frustrating when I wanted to see pictures again of the room arrangement I liked online or wanted to see another idea on Pinterest for organization of a closet.I survived! Above I am creating a new craft corner in our "Annie Room". The dog graciously allowed me to have this beautiful, sunny corner to set up shop.

 

Beginnings: Baby Steps

When we strive to make changes in our lives, whether it be simplifying, getting things in order, or redecorating a room we need to be cautious of not taking on too much. In magazines the order and decor looks all glossy and neat. It looks like a morning project. The real test comes when a person takes on the task. I am reminded to take baby steps. Getting overwhelmed is not going to help the cause. I will take baby steps and break down the tasks. I will keep you posted how it goes!

Simplicity

“Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity.” – Plato

Beginnings: Putting Order to Things

" When I cannot bear outer pressures anymore, I begin to put order in my belongings... As if unable to orgainze and control my life, I seek to exert this on the world of objects." Anais Nin

The first time I saw this quote I must have been in one of my pressure cooker times, because I cut it out and filed it for later. This quote was written for me. When I can't manage a to-do list I orgainze my recipes. My banking gets put into order when I have a stack of papers from school to read. When I start reoganizing cupboards or junk drawers....  a crisis on the rise.

This quote spoke to me. It reminded me of a desire I have for control in my life. When I can't manage the end of quarter grading, tax time, or Christmas to-do lists I put objects in order. Sometimes I don't even put things in order, but fantasize how it might be, only to further avoid the pressure cooker at hand. When I tackle putting online photo albums in order.... look out for a full blown catastophe or a photo on my blog post showing a kitchen  like the one above.