SOS: decorating help needed!

I love nothing more than using what I already have to make something new. Let me explain. A week ago I bought an OLD shutter from a woman who owns an old mansion that is now a B & B. I hadn't planned on buying it but it was somewhere in my subconscious for the past 6 weeks and out of nowhere it reappeared.

$10 later, it was mine and hanging out of the back of my Jeep. Once I got it out of the car and into the house, I realized it wasn't just a new decoration, it was going to perhaps start a crazed re-decorating effort...which usually lasts until the wee hours. And that very night, I took EVERYTHING, I mean everything off the walls, off shelves, printed pictures and started from zero.

And as I put things back in new places, I realized I have been pulling this type of shenanigan since I was a teenager. Staying up until all hours with she-man strength to move dressers (like when moms lift cars to save their children because they are motivated). Not that dressers can compare to cars but those oak dressers are not lightweight.

So now it is 5 days later, my shutter has been sawed into 2 (thanks Jodi for knowing how to use power tools, you saved Molly & I our fingers and toes). I have nailed a few pieces of old barn wood on them and tried a few arrangements and I am stuck. I don't know where to go from here. Part of me is wishing I had made it easy and left it in one piece so I could lean it up against the wall but alas, now I have two and need to know where to go from here.





Suggestions? Dream big for me! All of my creative energy is being poured into the youth group mission's trip (6 days and counting) due to the fact that our housing, which included our food and transportation fell through within the past week. But we have it all covered except the minor detail of shower facilities...and if all else fails, we have a hose! Can't wait to read all of the creative ideas you have!

decorating by numbers

Before I count my way through my Spring decor, let me direct your attention to all of the awesome local recommendations that everyone is sharing here in order to get one step closer to a bag of Good Life Granola...no, really, read them. I promise you will get some great ideas of places near and far to visit! Feel free to add your recommendations until tomorrow night at midnight...I will post a winner Saturday morning!

Ok, on to the counting:
step 1: hang wreath

step 2: haul basket of goodies up from the basement including items obtained in the swap.


step 3 clean all surfaces--dust. no need for evidence here.

step 4 remember that you have hot rollers in...take them out and do your best Shirley Temple impression


step 5: incorporate items from the swap into current decor and create a different look from last year's Easter decor.



step 6: try Ikea table as a coffee table.



decide it is too small for the center of the room, so move it here.

and the finale, put spring duckies fondly referred to as Arnold & Cynthia out, truly marking the changing of seasons.

they came, we swapped

I am full of joy from having women in my house this morning bringing laughter and stories and bags and boxes of stuff. And before I tell you how much I loved the swap (and my new stuff), I have to tell you that the community of it was what was life giving today. If I am honest, I woke up a little down this morning, distracted by something that was bothering me. But then friends stepped in with smiles and sunshine and GOOD FOOD. yes. good food helps most things. And I LOVED it and having them.

Including meeting my blog friend Amber for the first time! Isn't it a weird world where internet dating and cyber connections eclipse reality for some? Let me reassure you, we are not those people. But here we are, two girls journeying through life and sharing stories of our everyday, what Amber would call shenanegans. And now we are REAL LIFE friends who are going to get breakfast in a few weeks at a wonderful little cafe in GR where I used to go with Erich when he was in college.

And there were these fun girls who totally jumped right into the sillininess of working a pose within 10 minutes of meeting one another. Thanks to our photographer friend Christy for that inspiration!
Amber, Christy, Joy, Bree, Me, Joy, Michelle, Rochelle

Everyone brought so many great things and the selection really was incredible, including several item still in original packaging, proving that we all have great things that we just don't use! Here are some of my goodies and I can't wait to incorporate them into my decor.

I think the great thing about a swap is that you could do almost anything- books, accessories, clothing...possibilities are endless. Here a few things that I learned:

*Offer to bring all extra items to Goodwill- that way your guests really do only go home with new items and after all, they brought stuff they want to get rid of so help them do it.
* One cannot underestimate the necessity of good coffee and food for girlfriends. Crucial to the success of any get together and added a lot of extra mingling to the party.
*The more the merrier- invite friends to invite their friends. The more people you have, the more great stuff to choose from and the more opportunity for people to connect with other women they have not met before.

got stuff?

I like decorating. As mentioned here and here and many other places around here. And one of my favorite things about decorating is using the things I already have, recreating new pieces and mixing things up. So when I saw this post on one of my favorite decorating blogs, the Nester, the only one I really read, I started planning my own "swap meet" in my mind immediately.

The idea is that if each person brings a few items that they can't get rid of yet can't find a place for, we can all shop from one another's items to get some new inspiration without spending money. Fun right?! So here is that inspiration in action:
I am going to be having a swap at my house next Saturday, February 6 and have about 8 decorating divas planning to be here. According to the Nester it is ideal to have about 15 people for maximum swapability (my own word). If you live in the West Michigan area and want to come hang out, please let me know so I can include you in the details for the event. I'm looking forward to hanging out with Jodi & Amber, and wishing desperately that all of my out of town friends could be here because I love your style so much too.

Here are a few examples of my own swapping things out in my home to get your feet wet:
I love dollar store candles & filling jars with simple things I already have...and the bookshelf, that was being used for storage in our basement for the past 2 years. I literally forgot about it as a piece I could use. Kind of glad because then it felt so new.