You didn't think I'd forget Gratitude Friday, did you? I have lots to talk about and much to be thankful for. This is going to be one of those all over the place posts, that's what happens when you take several days off. Don't say I didn't warn you.
I have to start with, Holy Guacamole the Blog Love Batman!!! Thank you all so much for your kindness, your understanding and wisdom shared in your comments to my last post. (In the crazy soundtrack of my life playing in my head, I'm hearing Can you feel the love tonight, by Elton John... yea, more nuttiness revealed)
Seriously though, when I wrote that post I was in a very low place, one I never expected to find myself in. When that happens you have to question everything. You wonder what you could've/should've done differently. How you could've changed the outcome if you'd done things differently. I'm still asking myself those questions and will be for quite some time, but in the midst of that I was showered with love and understanding, encouragement and support and that has made this difficult time a little brighter. Thank you hardly seems to express what I feel but it's a start, so Thank you! Thank you very, very much with sugar on top!!
What next? Let's talk a little about Etsy. Is Etsy a wonderful thing or what? I've been needing some custom labels for a while. I've tried to make some myself with so/so luck, never really pleased with the results. I ordered these and LOVE them! Made by Emily of Rohm Custom.
The next fabulous purchase was from the Etsy shop of a fellow blogger Karen or Mrs. Kwitty. You'll find the most beautiful holiday items in her Shop. (everyday items too) I saw this great needle book and fell in love. The fabric goes with the fabrics I've used in my kitchen so I asked Karen if she had more of it. She was kind enough to sell me some. As a fellow sew-er I know how hard it is to let go of fabric from your stash, especially vintage. The snowbabies ornament was an extra. Thanks Karen. The packaging was amazing!
And from another blogging friend Gina, this sweet little wooden bird. Don't you just love her tiny scarf? Gina also has lovely handmade Christmas items in her Etsy Shop.
Paint. That's the next topic. Paint for my kitchen and sewing room. Isn't that what everyone does a few weeks before Christmas, when they are already spread way too thin and on the verge of losing what little sanity they have? Paint? That's what I'm going to to do. Not just I. I with some help from friends who have had their arms twisted so kindly volunteered. I bribed did some sewing for them in exchange for their services. The painting shouldn't take very long once we put the roller to the wall, it's all the prep work and where will I put all the stuff from my sewing room while we paint? I hope I like the color, I bought 5 gallons. It's a Martha Stewart color, vintage kitchen. I couldn't wait to see how it looked. What do you think? It's the aqua strip at the end of the bar. In person it's a dusty aqua, a little more green than in the picture.
There's that cup again in another picture. I don't stage that, really. I have something to drink in that cup (or one of those cups, I have 4) all the time. I do love those cups.
As if painting weren't enough, I had someone come give me an estimate on reupholstering my sofas. The big red one and the gold thrift one. He gave me what I think is a great price, but the cost of his fabric is outrageous. He told me it would be fine if I bought the fabric separately so now I'm on the hunt for fabric. I'm thinking a chocolate brown. Any thoughts on that? I'd love to go with a light neutral beige, but with 3 dogs, 2 cats and two males in my house... not a good idea. My only concern with the brown is dark colors show threads and lint and white cat hair really bad. At this point anything is better than big red and old gold. I want matching and neutral.
See what I mean about the animals? I walked in there to take this picture after I typed the paragraph above and this is exactly what I saw, no staging. I bought the gold sofa at a thrift store because I loved the shape of it. I don't mind the color but not with the red sofa. After I brought the gold one in to see how it looked (it was never my intention to leave them both) everyone loved having two full sized couches. I have a matching love seat for the red sofa, but really, a love seat is just a big chair. You can't lay down on it. Two adults don't feel all that comfortable sitting on it. It's not a practical piece of furniture, so I let Casey wedge put it in his room. Now I have two lovely mismatched, but comfortable sofas in my living room. Not for long though. I'll update with pictures when they look more like a matching set. Thoughts/suggestions on fabric are welcomed.
Enough gibber-jabber, time for gratitude.
- I am grateful for the hope of a new day. Even in the midst of some sad times this week, I've never felt hopeless and for that I'm very grateful.
- I'm grateful for my family. Through good times and bad, I love them with all my heart.
- I'm grateful for the diversion of painting and reupholstering. Choosing colors and fabric. The freshening it represents, both literally and metaphorically.
- I'm grateful for the handful of tv shows Mitch and I enjoy watching together. We don't get to spend that much time just hanging out, so I enjoy the time we sit together on the couch a couple times a week.
- I'm grateful for this blog.
I love that you want to paint before christmas.. I want to paint my cabinets. I think I'm insane.
couches? I would go light if I could get away with it. Chocolate brown? I remember something you said here about the red couch, that you never wear red. Do you wear brown? I love it.
Posted by: --erica | December 01, 2006 at 01:02 PM
i always thought i wanted brightly coloured sofas but because we painted our walls so bright, we went with a very neutral oatmeal colour and its fabulous ... i love chocolate brown though and think it would look awesome in your space!!
happy painting : ) I'm trying to convince my boys that we need to paint the cupboards and kitchen before christmas but they are strangely resistant, lol ...
i love love LOVE the daisy goods labels :)
Posted by: daisies | December 01, 2006 at 01:15 PM
I'm grateful for you. Every day. I just don't tell you enough. Sorry.
Posted by: manda | December 01, 2006 at 02:13 PM
Autum, you don't know how happy I was to see your latest post on my bloglines feed. Made my weekend, happy you are posting, have new fancy labels and are painting. I am painting, too, well, have two sisters come faux paint my living room. Next week, so the tree is delayed a week, I am trying to be patient. Thanks for the links to the etsy shops, now I am heading to spend money. Oh, I vote for neutral beige, think of all the paint colors you could put with the neutral beige!!!
Posted by: Lori V | December 01, 2006 at 04:04 PM
ooooh, I love the color and I think a soft chocolate brown, maybe a microfiber cause of the animals would be great.
Good Luck on the painting. I can't imagine adding that task right now, but go for it. Can't wait to see the end results.
Posted by: kim in Camas | December 01, 2006 at 05:13 PM
I am grateful for a Creative Little Daisy who brightens my day!
Posted by: Bettsi | December 01, 2006 at 08:02 PM
Yeah boy, holy guacamole is right! Lots of comments last post. I hope it cheered you up. I love the vintage kitchen paint. I think it will be beautiful! Great labels, too.
Posted by: katie | December 01, 2006 at 09:47 PM
I was so glad to see this post. I am so very sorry for what ever it is that you are going through. I am glad that you are alright. I am also glad that you allowed your blog world to hold you up...that is what we are here for.
I am thankful for you!
Posted by: Mindy | December 01, 2006 at 10:00 PM
It sounds like you are feeling better or atleast in a more up beat state of mind, which is glad to hear. I hope all is OK with ya. And have you thought about doing a custom slip cover for the couches? I have a loose slip cover on mine in WHITE canvas. No, seriously and I love it. If it gets to dirty throw it in the washing machine, if needed add some bleach.
Posted by: Gina | December 01, 2006 at 10:17 PM
I am selfishly so glad you are sticking with blogging! Those tags are amazing. Wonderful etsy finds. And I think those couches covered in chocolate brown fabric would be wonderful!
Posted by: africankelli | December 01, 2006 at 10:47 PM
I know that color -- it was one of the chips I was choosing from for our new playroom. It is great and quite "you" I'd say. And yeah for chocolate brown. I am also in the market for getting a bedroom chair reupholstered in espresso or chocolate. Mmm. Sounds like we are on the same color wavelength.
Oh yeah - a few weeks until Christmas and my house is a tornado from new floor installation, painting, etc. etc. etc. But it'll be fun.
Posted by: Amy | December 02, 2006 at 08:38 AM
How cute are those tags??? Love 'em!
Glad you're feeling better.
God bless.
Terri
Posted by: Terri Pollhein | December 02, 2006 at 08:44 AM
I love the mismatched couches... we used to have two couches, nice and long. Some think it may seem strange for a family of only four have two full sofas. I didn't think it strange at all. Everyone had their own space, as you have found. Of those two, which color seems to hide the most pet hair and threads? They are both great colors and your upholsterer is right, you can a better deal on fabric if you don't go through him. It takes the same amount of time to go through his books as it will going and searching fabric shops. You will find one that you love, just go and look around. Something will jump out and you and say, take me home, let me live with you!!!! I will be great for you and you will all love me back!
I think everyone has those hard weeks. It is what makes the good days or weeks so wonderful. Thank goodness the bad doesn't outweigh the good though.
Get those helpers to work, I can't wait to see the new paint job. I will be very curious to see the couches come to life!!!
Oh, our couches matched, when I found the second one, I just made cushions to match.... my husband loves that I am handy with a sewing machine.....
Posted by: Emily | December 02, 2006 at 08:47 AM
Lots of things going on in your life and you have such a wonderful way to describe it all!
Good luck with all the thinking & painting :)
Posted by: Mirre | December 02, 2006 at 03:22 PM
Hi!
Posted by: Pam | December 02, 2006 at 08:44 PM
I'm glad to hear from you and that you're feeling a little better. Hang in there.
Posted by: Alicia A. | December 02, 2006 at 11:20 PM
All the goodness in this post made me smile....
I love your kind, generous and optimistic spirit...
kisses!
Posted by: lla | December 03, 2006 at 05:24 PM
I love this quote on gratitude:
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. IT turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, and confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow,” (Melody Beattie; author)
Posted by: Sandy | December 04, 2006 at 09:28 AM