We're talkin' CRACK!!

(front of our house)

Background of this post: A couple years ago in our area where we live there were many sightings of the local Sheriff's cars driving around. Apparently there were numerous meth/crack houses out here in the country.

Here is how a conversation went we me and a former co-worker who also lives out in this vicinity.

Co-worker: "Have you noticed all of the police cars driving around lately?"

Me: "Yes-I actually called the sheriff's department to ask them what is going on. They informed me that they are just "watching" our big country blocks because there have been reports of suspicious people and meth houses popping up."

Co-worker: "Oh-my-I have always thought there were some houses out our way. Hey- what about that house, where you go down past the creek, it has the fence, and horses in the pasture?"

Me: "Is there a little white house across the street from it?"

Co-worker: "Yeah-you know the one I am talking about?"

Me: "Well, yes I do--that is MY house!!"

Co-worker: "I REALLY like horses!"

Of course as soon as I got home from work I screamed at the hubby--OMG people think we live in a CRACK house!!! We NEED to get this place finished. He of course, in his typical calm manner said, "Really-wow that is funny!!"

This house, our house has been with us for my whole teenage and adult life. Doug along with his brothers and his dad lived here through their high school years. I was in high school when Doug and I starting dating. The first time I came here, frankly I thought to myself, OMG what is this place. It was 4 men that lived here--you can imagine. I soon realized this was the place that everyone came to when they had no where else to go. It was the place where we all partied in our high school years. It was the place that I spent many nights and weekends at. It was the place that I moved into when I was in my twenties. Doug and lived here until we bought the small house across the street. We lived there for many years-eventually we outgrew that house. Doug's dad lived in the BIG house across the street. The decision was made-we would switch houses. We swapped for awhile until we converted a shed on the property into a house for Doug's dad--we built a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom etc. He now lives on our property and we rent out our "little house across the street."

We came in full force with the inside, ripping out walls, building up new ones, totally redoing the upstairs. That was 5 years ago--we moved in before we were actually finished with everything. There is a TON that still needs to be done.

Normally, I am not the kind of person who really cares what other people think.

It CRACKED me up at the time---but for some reason now I don't find it so funny. It has been bothering me for some time now. Every once in awhile I keep replaying that conversation in my head.

Reality is--this is my house--it is NOT a C R A C K house it is where me and my family live. It is where we eat our suppers, play games, snuggle on our couch, watch football, have movie nights, b-day parties, family bbq's, it is where my kids run and play, where they build forts in the hay mounds, look for bull frogs at the creek, sit in the big mud puddles that get created in our driveway every time it rains, it is where we cry, laugh, and lay our heads at night.

It will eventually get finished, I know, but I am being impatient. So this year I am hoping we are going to work hard at getting things done. I also know that I shouldn't care what people think but reality also is people do judge you by what your house looks like. I just want something I can take pride in. So someday my house will hopefully look like this.....

(source)

What's your Style?

I have been having a bit of a dilemma lately. I am wanting--maybe NEEDING to redecorate our home. Not only redecorate but actually do some remodeling, tearing things up and stripping things down.  Stay tuned for my upcoming posts about "The House Unfinished" you might actually be appalled-he he!!

My dilemma is....I am not sure what my style is. I love the look of old things, vintage prints, distressed furniture, kind of shabby chic but not to shabby BUT I also like the look of modern clean line furniture. Nice modern accessories. Oh what to do???? Well, take a quiz of course! I found a quiz on line--"what's your decorating style?" B I N G O -- just what I needed. If you go here http://www.sproost.com/ you can take it too!! So here is what I found out. I am French Eclectic  this is what it said about that style:


French Country, like its name, somehow manages to both be formal and casual, classy and unassuming at the same time. You like your spaces to feel inviting from the moment you (or your guest) opens the front door and this feeling should continue even after you've entered your most formal room. Even though there are French antiques here and gold details there, the rustic elements provide a balance and warmth that seems to say, "come in, relax and stay a while." Your love of antiques leads you to flea markets, garage sales and hours of eBay hunting.
Materials

The materials and pieces you are drawn to play on the mix of formal and casual. Many of the pieces look like they were passed down from your great-great-aunt (even if they are brand new!) and you managed to upholster them in a way that made that piece both then and now. Much of the furniture is wood-framed and the wood is either left natural (hey there rustic!), painted white (hey there country!) or even gold (hello refinement!). And many times there is a strong mixture of all of these. If you find yourself leaning much more towards the "country" side of things and away from the Parisian side, drop the gold details and replace them with wrought iron.

Colors

When it comes to color, you are drawn to bright and airy options. Thoughts of the French countryside are key - warm colors such as yellows, reds and oranges hinting at fields of gold. But the nice thing about French Eclectic is you can just as easily go in the opposite direction: pale blues and greens hinting at acres of lavender fields and expansive blue skies.

Space Planning

When you think about laying out your French Eclectic room the key is to invite people in and encourage them to stay. So furniture should be grouped nicely to encourage intimate conversation and the main pieces should be comfortable in both look and feel. There should be plenty of places to set drinks, prop feet and lean back. And yet the functionality of these pieces doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't beautiful antiques or replicas.

Yummy!!!

But that's not all, I am ALSO Traditional Country this is what it said about that style:

Traditional Country


Even if your backyard isn't acres of farmland and you don't actually have a chicken coop, your house sure brings you back to a time when that was the case. You love spaces that feel casual and lived in. Furniture is practical and comfortable, and yet at the same time its very stylish. The best part of country style is how much it highlights collection and found objects. Antiques here, garage sale finds there and Aunt Milly's hand-me-downs throughout. Unique items that used to serve very practical purposes are now on display, and their history seems to permeate the home. Each space in the home seems to invite friends and family to come in and stay a while. There is a true sense of home felt throughout.
Materials

When it comes to materials in Traditional Country homes, think rustic, warm and comfortable. Wood or natural tile floors, natural or painted wood tables and chairs, and natural materials on the soft furnishings. Stripes, plaids and florals are popular and often all are mixed in one room. Soft vintage leather and suede are common and wrought and rusty iron also reinforce the rustic nature of the rooms. Large wood pieces of furniture are very common, and help manage storage throughout the home. Wallpaper is very popular and most often highlights floral patterns. For traditional country, the concept of minimalism is avoided at all cost. It's the collections that give the space character and reinforce the lived-in nature of the spaces.

Colors

For color, spaces can go either bright and airy or soft and muted. Think of the countryside in spring and summer with yellows, bright greens and blues. Or you can go for more of a fall country day, and go a bit darker but still stay in the earth tones. Dark browns, reds and greens. Either direction you go in, be it light or dark, the key is warmth. Traditional country rooms rarely, if ever, feel cold.

Even more yummy!!
I L O V E it!! So I am on a quest to make my house resemble one of those pictures above.

What's your style?

Label Heaven

Happy New Year!!! Out with the old in with the new--isn't that how the saying goes? Well we have been getting out the OLD here. Isn't that what everyone does when the New Year rolls around? I'm not sure about what happens at your house, but that is what definitely happens here.

I have been feverishly getting rid of junk I mean stuff!! I have donated bags of our goodies to the local thrift store. I have given some clothes to my sis and have just thrown out the garbage.

I bought myself a handy label maker too!! Woo-Hoo! I have always wanted one. My pop in law gave me a gift card for Christmas so that is what I went and purchased along with a huge mungo cutting mat and some NEW bic markers--they make me happy!!!

I am going to label EVERYTHING in our house. Well maybe not everything but pretty darn close I think. I want need a house that functions. I get so tired of searching for stuff.

Happy New Year everyone--I am off to label.

I thought this was funny! If you don't get rid of stuff this could happen to you :0)