Finally the mudroom

I say finally, because it was way back in January on 'this post' that I mentioned finishing the "mudroom".

This is what it looked like then...

Many things stood in my way, like snow, rain, etc., but mostly a lack of desire to get it done, because honestly... 

I was being lazy.

Shhhh.... ;)

So yesterday, I finally decided to get to it.

That's what I do when I need to think.

I either clean or paint.

I'm sure some of you understand that.

Or at least I hope ;)

Anyway, I took everything off the walls and this is what I was left with...

I had already painted the door (Behr's Sage) and the window trim (Behr's Melted Butter) that was a dingy white originally, about two months ago, but the room was still dark, and of course brown.

I swear the previous owners must have gotten a discount on brown.

Ugh.

And here's what it looks like painted Cotton Whisper by Behr, after I put everything back...

The line above on the floor, is a step.

The thing with the bell, in the middle of the two needlepoints, is an old system from the 1800s that would ring the maid and tell her what room to go to when someone needed her. I've had it for years in many different homes, but it's never been hooked up. 

I'm the only "maid" in reality and I don't need a bell ;)

Again before, leading to the side yard:

After:

From the kitchen:

Oh! And there's this cute little sliding door:

It comes in handy when I need to keep Mini and Bubba upstairs.

And well, it's cute :)

If you're wondering where this little mudroom goes, besides the kitchen, it also takes you downstairs to the laundry room (that still needs work), my bedroom, and dressing room (or vanity room), that used to be the maids quarters.

So that's it.

Not a big redo, but definitely one that makes me happy :)

xo

rue

Music Break 3

I had a different song picked out for today, but when I went to write the post, this is the only one that called to my heart, after the news this morning.

It's a song of hope, a song of dreams, and it's a song beautifully sung by the one and only Judy Garland.

Many people have covered this, but her version is timeless and it eventually became her signature song.

The music is by Harold Arien and the lyrics were written by Yip Harburg (who ironically wrote the other song I was going to post today).

God Bless the families of the Marines that died today.

xo

rue

PS

I'll be visiting and answering questions tomorrow.

Today just isn't the day.

I hope you understand.

Random catch-up

A full moon.

Birdie activity in my tree.

I think the Ravens liked having their pictures taken ;)

My once dying Hydrangea finally bloomed.

A sweet letter from a blogging friend, that I've known for years.

Thank you again, Tina! :)

A road trip this weekend...

A beautiful prize to come home to...

I won my beautiful friend, Laura's giveaway!

She makes aprons from her Grandma Eleanor's fabric and trim, that she inherited.

You can read more about it 'here'.

How wonderful to have a piece of history like this.

Thank you, Laura! :)

And this is what I woke up to this morning....

A little quail family on my fence :)

I hope you all have a beautiful day!

xo

rue

"Trendy"

Trendy is something I'm not.

For those of you that know me, this isn't a surprise.

Or at least I wouldn't think it is ;)

I know the "vintage look" is "trendy", but most of what I see either isn't really vintage, or if it is, it's used for decoration.

And that's fine.

Really.

Not everyone is crazy enough to actually live the way I do and use old things the way they were meant to be used.

In fact, I sometimes wonder what all of you think about this life I live, but I probably don't really want to know after all.

Sometimes it's best not to know ;)

But when I say that I live a vintage life, I really live a vintage life.

I don't just decorate my home to look like it.

I use things like that fan above from the 1930s to help cool off different rooms of my house.

It's not just sitting there to be cute.

Although, I think it is :)

I really wear an apron when I cook and I use that old timer with salt and pepper shakers you see below to the right.

Yes, my stove is newer, but I can't seem to find a 1930s or 40s one that doesn't need work in my price range.

Plus, no one here seems to know how to fix them up.

Do I care?

Not really.

My stove works just fine and it's really more of a want than a need.

But I digress....

I really do drink iced-tea (mostly sometimes cocktails) out of Ball jars, on my front porch, while sitting on my old patio set.

And I really use my jadeite coffee container and my 1940s percolator.

 And so many other things that you've seen on my posts.

Do I buy new things?

Yes, I do have some newer things, like this key holder that I found on Etsy...

And yes, I've been known to use Amazon to get things like the stand-up air conditioner that's sitting beside me in my office.

Have I mentioned I don't have central air?

I'm pretty sure I did.

So sue me, but I'm not crazy enough to live in 90 degrees during the summer without something besides a fan, vintage life or not ;)

But, I have never been in a HomeGoods or any of the many stores that everyone buys things from.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's just not me.

I like things that were meant to last a lifetime and that I will love forever.

Things that were passed down to me, and things that someone once loved long ago that I never knew, but feel connected to because I have a piece of them in my home.

I really don't need trendy things bought on a whim to fill a space.

God knows, I already have enough stuff as it is.

Are some of those things cute?

Sure!

Have I been tempted?

Yup!

But, as I look around my home, I just don't see it fitting in.

So no, I'm not trendy in the least.

But that's my choice.

I choose to live and decorate this way, because I want to.

But if you're trendy, that's perfectly fine too.

In fact, more than fine.

It's your home and you should decorate the way you want to.

What's my point?

Well, I've noticed on a lot of blogs lately that people are worried about their homes being good enough to blog about and whether or not they're trendy enough or that they feel like they have to apologize for not being on trend. 

What in the world?!

Why should anyone apologize for loving their home and decorating it the way they want??

That's just about the silliest thing I've ever heard.

Seriously.

If you like decorating like I do and buying antiques and vintage things or if you buy everything at stores like Ikea or HomeGoods, awesome!

If you want to decorate in all white or live in a world of color, great!

If you have all white cabinets and marble counter tops or dark wood cabinets and granite counter tops and you love it, perfect!

You should be able to do whatever you want without apologizing for it.

It's YOUR home.

YOU live in it.

THEY don't.

If they don't like it, TOO BAD.

If YOU'RE happy, that's all that matters.

Stop apologizing and love your own style, no matter what it is.

Trendy or not.

I do and I'm pleased as peaches.

You should be too :)

xo

rue