Y'All Are Such Good Decorators!

Since I started this blog about a year ago, I discovered that I have a great love of the Southern style of decorating.

It is a very specific style - French Country with some Traditional elements sprinkled in, and lots and lots of "Panache", "Whimsy", "Hospitality", "Glamour" - depending on which blog you read.



When I find a good Southern blog, I tend to get wrapped up in them for hours. I go through each and every post and take in all of the color, fabrics, prints, florals and toile -oh yes, lots and lots of toile.



And don't forget the tassels.


Southern women seem to love tassels and have them hanging on everything - candles, lamps, furniture, doorknobs.

I just can't seem to get enough of these blogs.


And without question, these are some of the sweetest women I've had the pleasure of meeting.

Case in point. As I was snowed in this week, I had lots of time to blog - reading, posting, catching up, following, etc. You can bet I did my happy dance when I found a blog with all of its Southern goodness that sang to my heart. Have you been to Kim's blog over at Savvy Southern Style yet? If you haven't you just have no idea what you are missing. This woman is talented with a capital "T"! In addition to sharing the same first name, we also share a love of landscaping. She has a gorgeous yard surrounding her beautiful home. Inside, it's everything I love about Southern style. I'm so glad to have met Kim and to be following her blog. She is full of goodness, inside and out. So please go over for a visit and tell her I sent ya!

Have a great weekend!

You Won't Believe This!

Today I'm very excited to be joining Kendall at Finesse Your Nest for her 1st ever Trash Picking Thursday party!!!! This should be interesting, because there aren't very many of us who admit that we do this. My problem is, nobody will believe that I trashpicked this. Nobody.

I was out with my BFF Denise and her hubby last Summer when we stumbled upon this antique, just as the homeowner was putting her out for the garbage truck. I started having heart palpitations and then couldn't speak as I jumped out and starting grabbing the drawers one by one and carefully placing them in the back of the truck.

I deleted all of my "before" pictures, but thank goodness Gloria from Happy To Be reminded me of an earlier post I had done that had some. (Thanks Gloria!) So here she is in my garage before I cleaned her up.




In person, it was covered in dirt and mold, but it only took me about an hour to restore her beauty. I cleaned her up with Murphy's Oil Soap and some Old English and she looked good as new. I still can't believe somebody would throw this out.


Crazy enough, it sat in my garage for months while I decided where to put it. Now she sits happily in my Living Room.


This is her at Christmas time:


Isn't she purrrrrdy????

I'm in love with it now and can never see myself parting with it. She stores my collection of antique books inside.

UPDATE:
I published this, read it, then decided to come back and add a few points. First of all, I believe I was way too nonchalant in my description of finding this thing. The truth is, I have "picked" up quite a few things and can never believe my luck, or that people throw away what they do. To date, I have not one, but TWO antique chandeliers, that even match! Found on separate occasions in separate locations, many months apart. I've found artwork, tons of furniture, mostly crap, but some good, and lamps galore! BUT, this antique, and I still don't even know what it is, stopped my heart and the day I found her will remain embedded in my brain for eternity.

Thanks Kendall for hosting this great party and I will have many more treasures to show you in future TP Thursday posts!!!

Decorating Dilemmas Update!

Wow you guys had such great comments/ideas! Thanks for your help and inspiration. I really needed that and it was interesting how it was unanimous that I should lower the mirror. Everyone agreed on that one. I'll get to that tomorrow as I'll be snowed in yet again!

I agree that the table next to the couch is way too small for the space. What stinks is that the basement door is right next to it so there is no room there for a bigger table - CRAP! Any other ideas??