My Fall Living Room: Yep, You Read that Right.

I'm sorry, I don't remember where I found this word art. It was perfect for my colour scheme.

I've been feeling terribly inadequate lately. As a blogger with a blog, I mean, not as a person. (As a person, I'm feeling pretty awesome right now, actually, thankyouverymuch.) But geesh. As a blogger with a home decor blog?

Definitely lacking.

It all started with Fall, actually.

I planned to do a Fall House Tour and it was important for the living room to be just so.  I figured I finally had the decorating chops and I was going to prove it to you all.

That pouf has sure lost its poufiness. But look at that fake cotton! The scale! the drama!

At the same time, I began to think I wanted to expand my readership. I started looking into what it might take to grow my blog.

The first week of September I started looking at houses decorated for Fall. Um, seriously folks? The first week of September? I remember one or two blogs from Texas saying the temps were still far too warm "to get in the mood." But that's also when I started to get an inkling that this blog will never be like those blogs. I will never have my living room decorated for Fall by the first week of September. (Never mind styled, photographed and written up!)

I loved this mantle. I took photos of it soon after I created it, I liked it that much.

So, my blog will obviously never be a trendsetting home decor blog. That's not going to be my focus. I'm not even sure I want this to be a home decor blog. But the blog does need a focus, apparently. Moreover it needs a narrow focus. As one blogger advises, "The narrower your focus the broader your audience." Harumph.

And s we all know, I do love to decorate.

Yep, I bought a role of burlap and hot glued it to a mason jar for a vase.

So, I started to decorate the living room--as I also planned and executed my decluttering series (because a well decorated home is also an intentional home and while that doesn't mean one needs to be a minimalist, it does mean one needs to decrapify regularly--and boy oh boy did my house need decrapification!)

The living room was ready at Thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving, mid-October)-- well, it was as ready as it was ever going to be.

The day before Canadian Thanksgiving I drove to a store in a snow storm to exchange the pillow covers I'd bought for a different pair. But the store was out of the ones I wanted, so, after wandering around the store for twenty minutes or so, I stood still and racked my brain --and remembered a throw I'd seen at a store across town that might work. If they had any in stock. Twenty minutes before closing, I drove across town --in that snowstorm--  to buy a throw that just might pull it all together for me.

yep, that's the throw. I'm not sure it can do all I want it to do.

And on that horribly stressful drive, I thought about how simplicity is one of the things I value--and how this decorating business --especially seasonal decorating--and decorating to a deadline-- is not -- absolutely not "simple."

I spray painted some sticky dots from Staples with gold and stuck them on fake cream pumpkins 
--and wound up with spotty pumpkins.

So, simplicity is a touchstone for me and my blog--but I'm still figuring out what that actually means. Among other things. Figuring things out, I mean.

I'm still figuring things out: like why the living room didn't gel like I'd hoped.

The sofa strikes me as too white for "fall" but lots of others managed to create the cosyness of fall with their white sofas. I think it's the cushions: one set in particular.

See the orange one tucked back there behind the grey one and the throw? It's from H&M and looks lovely in person--it is orange--but not a burnt or rusty orange--and I think it needs to be. Or maybe a clearer stronger orange? Just not this orange. The orange and the white together actually read as coral more than orange. I had orange velour pillows. I decluttered them a few months ago. Oh well. They were solid and I had wanted a pattern--but I had no idea the perfect orange patterned pillows would be so hard to find!

I wasn't all that happy with this corner, either. The Ikea blanket just didn't do enough for me, somehow.

The truth is, after Thanksgiving, I put the living room out of my mind. Working on my Mom's dressing room took every single minute I had after that. There was no thought to spare for it--and, certainly, no time to take pictures.

Then, I finished the dressing room. I rested.

That's when I took a course on blogging--on photography and styling, specifically. From the course, (and a bit of other reading) I learned that a successful blog should have a pithy tagline. Every post should contain stunning pictures and styling. Apparently, the blog needs to be a recognizable brand --and I need to be on social media pushing every post and instagramming on a schedule. (Good people, I don't have a cell phone--not even a flip phone).

I would totally instagram this awesome photo of the river valley if I did instagram, though.

I don't know if any of that will ever happen. I'm still figuring it out.

I'm all about making life more pleasant--and that means making my house pretty and functional--or at least trying to. Figuring it out. Housekeeping, as you all know, is a struggle for our family. But I want this blog to be about more than just that struggle--but I feel like I need to include it, too.

I've figured out this much:

The blog is my diary, my record of what I do to make this house of ours a home for us. I like to figure out what home is, wht that means to us--and then create it. What I do at home drives the content of my blog --always. This living room was so stressful, in part, I think, because for the first time I let the blog (and my aspirations for it) drive the content.

And that's not necessarily a bad thing--but I don't think it's my thing.

Like the pillows. In person, they aren't that bad.

But I was happy to notice they were starting to pill a bit, already. I can let them go.

But I am not sure I want to let go of wanting to grow the blog.

I'm afraid any plans I had of doing a fall home tour are now kaput. My husband has already put up our tree. But that's OK. I am feeling the urge to decorate for Christmas.

A little bit.

Just as soon as I get over being intimidated by all those beautifully decorated kitchens. living rooms, and bathrooms (!) out there in blogland.

PS. If you don't mind my asking--why do you read this blog? What would make it more valuable to you?

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Fall: Fluffing the Bedroom

I've been wanting to switch the bedroom over from a happy colourful summer vibe to a more serious yet cosy fall feeling for a while now. I do this mostly with my bedding. I like to change the sheets, rotate the mattress, and clean a bit. This year was no different. I was inspired by the gorgeous stuff at Parachute. Fresh crisp sheets just seem to go with the crisp fall air, don't they?


But I had a bigger job ahead of me than usual.

We're working on painting the stairwell, the library landing, and the hallway all at once (since technically, it is all one space). But that meant the bedroom was just trashed.

I kid you not.

It was a three day job.

I was trying out these family photos from the hallway. I thought I might like them on a picture ledge, here. Turns out I like white space more than my family! 

Mostly, it involved vacuuming thoroughly--and washing anything I couldn't vacuum.

Friday after work I focused on getting everything sorted and packed up to leave the room.

That included a left over sock sorting project from the AT Closet Cure.

Lots of lonely socks, a few pairs.

Whenever I cleared some floor, I vacuumed.

Here we are behind the bed, after vacuuming. (I thought I'd take pity on you and not subject you to the jack rabbit dust bunnies.) I dusted the bed, too.

I stripped the bed and washed the mattress pad--but the dryer conked out.

I'd planned an outing to Ikea with my Mom, so we went. That night we slept with fresh sheets, but old pillowcases and the old duvet cover.

Saturday, I continued clearing stuff out, and miraculously, the dryer was working again, so I stripped the box spring cover--as well as all the pillow covers and the duvet cover. The dust was unbelievable. (It was a dry summer.)

I assembled two nightstands I bought at Ikea. I couldn't get the drawers to work properly. I took them upstairs, anyway. At one point, I had four nightstands in the room!

I got the boxspring cover back on. (It's just a white fitted sheet. I'm not fond of bedskirts.)

My daughter helped me rotate the mattress and we got it back on the bed. Then, I vacuumed it. (Of course I did!) I wrestled the mattress cover back on (I'd love to have two--but they are expensive!) put on the sheets, (hospital cornered the top sheet, natch) climbed inside a new duvet cover to get it on the duvet and redressed the pillows with their freshly washed allergy covers and pillowcases before I left for work.

Sleep was lovely.

Sunday was all about fluff. And pictures. I decided that with the new nightstands, there was just too much black with the bed frame and the picture frames. So, I switched them for a couple of pictures I had taken of places in Jasper. They had been on the shelves in the dining room

(I've missed them!) I found one of them right away. The second one was more of a challenge!

Found it on top of a bunch of boxes on the shelves in the basement.

Then I measured and re-hung--but I think I hung them a bit too high. What do you think?

Hubs fixed the drawer problem for me. Turns out I'd put some screws in backwards.

As I was fluffing, I kept Justina Blakeney's principles in mind (even though I wound up with all my botanicals in one place!).

 you will note that I finally hung that Target mirror. 

I was also thinking about how best to express the change of seasons by my decor--but without "decorations." A sober colour palette seems right for fall. Something masculine and strong, like this plaid. (Though my daughter did call it a "big tea towel.")

Layers pile on the cosiness. Other than the bed, I can add some to this little love seat. (sssh, it's really the dog's bed).

The idea of making our beagle sleep with a squirrel makes me laugh.

I am pleased--and so relieved to have my sanctuary clean, tidy, and peaceful once again.

What about you?
Do you do anything in your bedroom for Fall?

From the Weekend: Fall Lingers

My son showed me how the slanting light of the setting sun was lighting up the tops of the trees. I handed him the camera.

From the Weekend: The Windows

My husband and son changed out the screens for the storm windows this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.

I guess winter really is coming.

Photo-A-Day, Days 2 thru 7

For Day 1, go here.

Day 2: Father

(soc)

Day 3: Far Away

Day 4: In my Postbox/mailbox

Day 5: Bright

Day 6: Every Day

Day 7: Natural

(soc)

#FMSphotoaday

Day 5: Why

Wouldn't it be fun to make these white gourd candle holders as a centre piece for Thanksgiving*?


But first, I have to scrub the dining room floor:


I love these napkin holders. So simple; just ribbon, acorns and hot glue:



But first, I need to find the tablecloth, placemats and all six napkins I use for fancy dinners.

(OK: insert picture of the drawer pulled out and stuff all over the floor in front of this dresser. I did take the picture--but I don't think the SD card was inside the camera!)


Ugh. I found little tiny bugs in the bottom of the drawer. I'm kind of glad I had to go all the way to the bottom to find those napkins!

And now, of course, I need to wash and iron all those linens!

This is why I need habits and routines. So that when it comes to preparing for fun and festive occasions it can be fun--instead of disgusting drudgery.


*Canadian Thanksgibving is this weekend, either Sunday or Monday.

Fall Mantel

I finally did it.

Temperatures here have been so wonderfully warm that I haven't felt like decorating for fall at all. In fact, I'm a bit upset that fall is here already--'cause I never got my "summer" look for the living room as completely pulled together as I would have liked. I was waiting to show that off--and here it is, fall, already!

But, here was the summer mantle.

So simple, you might not even say it was "decorated"--which, strangely enough, is kind of how I wanted it.

(Please don't mind me there--in pink!)

Inspired by Layla Palmer's Fall Mantle Link-up party, I set about to create something. I took it as an opportunity to play with neutrals and texture--and spend no money. (I did break down and buy the gourds last night, though. Glad I did).

Something about this seems off. Is globe is too big?

However, there are elements I just love:


The white pumpkin. These are fabulous. I love the creamy whiteness against the rough, old, book.

Look at these faded roses. Love them. They say "fall" to me.



I like the different "golds", here.


Overall, I think it works.

Maybe.


(Since I got this done in time to link up, that's just what I'll do. It's a great resource!)

Happy October!

Cathy Zielske wants to know

if fall leaves are crunching underfoot, or the heat and humidity are keeping those leaves firmly on the branches.

Hmmm. I'm beginning to think there won't be many leaves left on the trees at all soon. I took this picture this morning at about 8:30am. I love the colours of Fall.

We went camping with my son's Scout Troop last weekend at a lake about two hours away. This was our tent site:


The dark greens and intense golds are typical in this part of the country. Red and orange are quite rare, which makes me treasure the Mountain Ash beside the house more than ever.

But, I don't like the fact that Fall heralds even colder temperatures to come. I'm wrapped up in a blanket while I type this, already.

But it is pretty. The tree, at noon, today.

You can tell how far North we are by looking at those shadows! At noon! (Daylight savings Time. Isn't it about time for that to be over already?!)