Things that make me SMILE :) #3

Each Monday I select something in my house that makes me smile when I look at it. Bought this chair in Pleasanton, CA back in 1993. Love the painted cowboy and boot, and love it because it folds. With my track record of moving (29 times) folding items are a plus. It sits in one of my guest bedrooms (aka the red bedroom...click on the picture with the red and white quilt on the right side of the blog to see more pics of the red bedroom).

Even though the colors in this 'camp' pillow don't fit the red room colors I like it on the chair.

The game board on the wall was made by my talented friend Suzanne...check out her work at Old Glory Rugs & Games. The quilt designed as a flag is hanging on a large bulletin board with a frame. I use the builletin board for putting up my quilt blocks when I am making a quilt top.

To see previous posts that make me smile click

Things that make me SMILE :)

Oh, the Possibilities...

My cousin was kind enough to give me these sugar sacks. He got them from his father's (aka my uncle). I don't know what my uncle was planning to do with them. I will have to ask that the next time I see him because now I am curious as to why he had them and what he intended to do with them.

I lived in the Bay Area for many years so I love the sack from SF.

So...what will they become? It would be fun to work them into a lap quilt for the porch or a small quilt for the dog. Maybe just pillows to go along with the flour sack pillow that I use on my back porch. Maybe they will be used for more practical purposes and ones that don't require sewing...storing plastic bags, shoe bags for travel, hauling groceries from the store, waste basket in the car, lunch bag for travel or work, etc. What suggestions do you have?

Crushed...

I just found out that one of my favorite magazines, Cottage Living is going out of business. Photo courtesy of cottageliving.com.

I must say that given that this news was publically announced in November and I just got the news yesterday via snail mail from Cottage Living, as a subscriber I am disappointed in not knowing sooner. I am guessing the delay is because they were looking for a substitute magazine to offer to the subscriber base...and they found one...Sunset magazine (check out sunset.com). Years ago I used to walk/bike by their office in Menlo Park, CA as I lived less than a 1/2 mile away. They have been around forever...I remember their magazines and books from years gone by (even back to my childhood). I know Sunset has changed over the years, so rather than ask for a refund on my subscription I am going to give them a try.

While I am on the magazine soapbox I have two other thoughts. I subscribe to several other home decorating magazines (i.e. Country Home, Country Living, Coastal Living, Midwest Living, O at Home, Domino) and it drives me crazy that they hit the newsstands before they land at my house. Why is that? I think I should get my copy before the stores.

Do you think that the growth of the blogging world will hurt or help home decorating magazines? If I were an editor I would love blogs as they provide an unbelievable selection of content and creative individuals to feature. However, as a subscriber I am also being exposed to an endless pool of talent…volumes of talent that I wouldn’t have ever seen in my lifetime without the internet. I am viewing the talent of those that have an esthetic that I adore, those that are creative beyond my imagination, those that can repurpose anything, those that share my interest of reusing, those that get the same thrill as I do by rescuing an item on the side of the road, and those that have a style I didn't know existed or that I didn't know I even liked. So, will I along with other bloggers no longer feel the need to purchase a magazine? Or will the tangible presence of a magazine win over and endure?

On a more exciting note, sign up for the HGTV 2009 Dream Home Giveaway at hgtv.com. You can sign up every day until 2/19. Just make sure you invite me over if you win.

Renee

Forget Me Not...

I have been so busy spending the day with my friend Kate moving furniture, shopping and setting up the Wii that Santa brought me, that I got behind in getting a post done. I am not quite ready to break my streak of a post every day since November 18th.

I bought this pillow for a quarter at a garage sale awhile back. It needed a little tender love in the form of spot removal and torn seams. I finally got around to making the repairs yesterday. Clueless as to where this pillow will end up...maybe on the bed in my 'granny apple' green guest room (say that fast three times).

Here's to 2009...

This photo was taken by me at the base of Chatterbox Falls at the end of the Princess Louise Inlet in British Columbia in May, 2008. Below is the view of the mountains as you head up the inlet.

Below you can see the waterfall coming down the mountain.

Here is the base of Chatterbox Falls.