I think this post has the makings of a rambler but I will try my best to make some sense. The other day M sent me this article about an older gentleman, Sam Fuller who has been living in a historical hotel in downtown Los Angeles for the last 40 years. He, along with a few other residents have restored the hotel to its former beauty and now that the area is being gentrified the new owners of the hotel have evicted him. It is a heartbreaking story but at the same time a lovely testament to his life and the beautiful way he has chosen to live it. He says he lives for beauty and elegance and those words make my heart swell with happiness. And while I know that things cannot make us happy, there is something to be said for immersing yourself in beauty. Take a moment to read and see what I mean.
That being said...I've been on a bit of a beautifying streak around here. You know my house is small (970 sq ft) and you know I have a tiny basement that measures about 10 x 6 feet. But there is also storage under the house. It's just a dirt floor and kinda scary down there but over the years Alex has a sneaky habit of storing things under there. The other day I went poking around and found this...
Someone on Instagram said she looks like Edith from Downton Abbey. She does. The colors in this painting are beautiful.
And there is this desk that we used at his wedding for guests to sign in at.
It's old, was filthy and cost him $5 and for now it's upstairs getting some use. The other little table is on the other side of the room now. You can see the place is looking a little different but I'm thrilled that these items are being put to use. Well not the nude, she's still down there but the desk and this mirror that he had given me a few years ago that I had forgotten about...
That mirror is super old and weighs about 50 lbs.
See what I mean? I've been busy moving and rearranging and it has been fun. I've also spent more money already this year on things for the house than I did the entire last year. See that leopard coat up there, yep...another estate sale find (60's, perfect condition $30) that I need like a hole in the head. I'm weak and it's hard to walk away from such beautiful things. So I'm swearing off shopping for awhile, a long while. I'm going to really focus on what I've got, use what I have and re-focus my attention to paying down my mortgage and doing some repairs around here. My reason for sharing all this is that I really want to stay transparent and keep myself honest. How long can I go without shopping? I have no idea but I'd like to journal about it here if that is ok with you.
Hello Janet,
ReplyDeleteAs you know, we are more maximalist than minimalist and we love your new additions.
That desk would never have been allowed to languish in any basement of ours. It is charming as well as functional. It looks good as you have placed it but if you should think of relinquishing it downstairs at a later date, then we should be pleased to take it off your hands.
As for the leopard coat. Well, if it was good enough for Dior in the 1950s then it surely is good enough for now! We can imagine you strutting down the drive wearing it looking absolutely fabulous.......just red lipstick required! Our friend says that leopard is the new neutral........Janet, lead the way!
yes, i love you maximalists. well alex technically owns the desk so i've just hijacked it for awhile. yes, that coat has never been worn either so it is in pristine condition. and you know i'll be wearing my red lipstick. xo
DeletePlease do journal about it, Janet! I made the same decision at the end of 2014, that I would focus on my house and not buy any new clothing, jewelry, toiletries, or makeup for one year (except the essentials like underwear or toothpaste). It's been exciting so far..
ReplyDeletethanks sisty. i really want to. x
DeleteThey advise you to "Shop your house!" Which would be more fun if I could discover the things you do!
ReplyDeleteBut it is amazing what a difference it makes just to rearrange the furniture -- it alters the way you see and use the space.
technically i was shopping alex's stuff but possession is 9/10ths of the law or something like that right?!
DeleteMy parents certainly had a statute of limitations on how long we could keep stuff at their house after we had (technically) grown up and moved out. First came polite inquiries ("Do you remember you left [fill in the blank] here?") then not-so-polite interrogation ("When do you plan on coming and getting [fill in the blank]?"). Then either (a) my mother decided she wanted it and never mentioned it again or (b) boxes filled with dolls and stuffed animals would arrive day after day. Somewhere along the way I lost my Raggedy Ann doll, which my sister rectified by getting me one for Christmas.
DeleteHi Janet, I was that someone on Instagram - I'm still learning how Instagram works.LOVE your blog title - I live for beauty and elegance!
ReplyDeleteoh hi! yes, that would make a great blog name wouldn't it?!
DeleteJanet, I think you're too hard on yourself. I have felt this way for years; there, I've said it.
ReplyDeleteI often 'shop the basement'. There's a Welsh dresser type thingy down there that I would love to bring upstairs but I can't figure out where I'd put it. My house is small, too, 1100 sq.ft. I am now going to seriously hunt for space!
Go easy on yourself and just enjoy!
S
xo
hi sue. you are not the first person to suggest this so don't feel bad. glad you got it off your chest!
Deletei guess it's just part of my nature but i really am enjoying myself! xo
I love shopping in my basement and closet. I do not do it often, but when I do i always find something useful or beautiful to recirculate into my life. My grandmother was the same way. She and my grandpa used to own a clothing story many many years ago. When they closed it down she left the leftover inventory in her basement. Whenever her children or grandchildren needed something to wear she'd tell them to shop in her basement. You could find great stuff down there, like your fabulous leopard coat :-)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with not shopping!
i do it too but i've not ventured into the abyss of my *under the house storage* mainly b/c none of it is mine but it was fun. don't know what i'll do when or if he wants that desk tho. lol
Deletelove your grandma's store - so fab.
Oh I read that article after you posted the link on Ellie's blog! It hurt! Especially sad because that man had no equity or ownership, just beautifying for pleasure and to honor what he felt the building deserved. Of course I mean no legal equity or ownership, not spiritual; which obviously abounds.
ReplyDeleteI love that desk and am glad Alex found it instead of me because I would have painted it some obscene color in my candy-coated antique furniture phase. The wood has a lovely pecan color. Poor Edith naked and alone in the painting. girl can't even keep a man in an artist's imagination. I've been on a spending freeze since early January and I'm surprised I've lasted this long. The only shopping I've done is $50 at restaurant supply last week as I was down to four acceptable half sheets. Funny that your version of "rambling" is equivalent to like a sentence for me :)
Stephen,
DeleteI always love your comments! :)
me too! I love his insights!
DeleteGiant SAJ fan here too :)
Deletestephen andrew is my favorite commentor too. his comments are better than my posts. thanks for that stephen! lol
DeleteHaha so not true! But thanks nonetheless :) S, FF, & D-that is so nice, especially coming from three women I so admire! Okay now I'm going to go try on my white skinny jeans to deflate my ego
DeleteI was so inspired to be more mindful of my grocery bills when you wrote the series on thrify shopping and I could really use some inspiration to change up a few things around our bungalow...my husband does not like change too much so I will need to be very careful and just rearrange a few things at a time!
ReplyDeleteI've bought some new jeans and a pair of red ballet flats...our recent vet bill will help to keep me in line.
leslie i know your home is small too and it is harder because there just isn't room to move seating arrangements around. we have that limitation but your home is gorgeous and you've done very well. it's me who doesn't really like changing things too much around here. how funny. xo
DeleteWhat a beautiful, inviting space you've created. And very elegant. This is such a good reminder that "elegant" doesn't have to mean expensive or fancy. The patina of simple, well-made items, lovingly displayed and cared for is the best expression of elegance.
ReplyDeleteyes! that's exactly what i got from the article. sam renovated a hotel on his small salary! i still can't believe that. thank you for your lovely words. x
DeleteIsn't it amazing that by moving a few pieces of furniture around it freshens up the look of one's home, although yours always looks stylish and elegant. I do like your bureau (an incredible bargain) and your rococo mirror is stunning. No offence, but the woman in the painting is no looker is she? I've not watched Downton (the only person in the universe perhaps?) so can't comment on her likeness to Edith.
ReplyDeletehaha, fiona she really looks a bit down on her luck but the painting in person has an ethereal feel to it. she looks like she belongs in a beach house.
DeleteI find it reassuring that beauty is so important to you. And that you too relax your self-restrictions, and then reimpose them. It's a rhythm I think most self-aware sorts have, and it's comforting to hear from you. Besides, your photos and your voice draw me more than any topic or approach per se.
ReplyDeletethank you dear lisa. xo
DeleteJanet, there are many things I adore about you, but most of all, is always how genuine you are. You're never trendy, you know what you like and you stay true to what you believe....in that very "I know who I am" glamorous kind of way.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, immersing ourselves in beauty doesn't necessarily just mean with things. I wish I had half the beauty, elegance and style you live with. ♥
I love the portrait of the woman in your living room. Was she an estate sale find?
oh thank you my dear sarah. what lovely words. you are so sweet. she is my maternal grandmother!
DeleteI could never have a basement or an attic as I don't like the idea of keeping anything that doesn't play a part in my here-and-now visible home. Having stuff in storage while we search for a home is not a comfortable feeling for me. Please bring Edith out of the darkness!
ReplyDeletei get that anna. but even the stuff in my basement is very integral to my home. i only have one small closet in the house so all our sporting equipment is down there and things like kids stuff from when they were small. i still want those things but there isn't anywhere inside to keep them. if i had a wall for edith i would prob bring her in. i'm gonna have to give that some thought.
DeleteI just adore the changes you've made in the cottage, with just a few pieces! I've stopped storing items in the attic and/or basement. If it's out of site, it's out of mind. And if I forget that I have it, then I not longer need those items. Journal away Janet, I enjoy reading your thoughts. We can all be weak when it comes to shopping and beautiful things.
ReplyDeletethanks mona. i know exactly what i have in the basement and where it is - which isn't much but under the house seems to be alex's territory until he gets a house of his own.
DeleteI bet the gentleman will still live for beauty and elegance. It is in his nature. He will just do it somewhere else....to the end. I try to do the same. I gather inspiration from your posts. It is difficult in our culture to go without things we do not need. So much tossed aside. Love the coat.
ReplyDeleteoh i hope you are right. it frustrates me that the current owners are not consulting him or using his talents. but like you i believe it is in his nature and can't live any other way. i think the whole story would make a lovely wes anderson movie.
DeleteThank you for sharing the article about Sam Fuller and the Villa Carlotta. What a treasure he is!! The sense of community that the residents have shared is so rare and wonderful. I couldn't be associated with a project like that without my heart breaking. I can understand why Mr. Fuller feels the way he does and sure do hope that his heart says "don't give up".
ReplyDeleteoh i adored the part about the neighbors spilling into the hallways during parties and how about the piano player in the lobby in the evenings?! can you imagine what it must have been like? it's so sad that those days are over for them. and it broke my heart when sam said he'd sell everything and wait for the end. that killed me.
DeleteDear Janet - when the time's right, please could you do a post on your linen cupboard/s? I have just dived into mine and in a manic phase to minamalise, threw out and donated towels, blankets, bed and table linen which had guilt-tripped me over the years as they'd been gifts or kept for those "just in case" moments (which never happened). I'm so happy with the result and would like to add some new pieces (towels and bed linen especially) and would appreciate your insights. A few years ago I did the 333 project with my clothes and whilst I'm not quite there anymore, that part of my life is so much more manageable! with all good wishes - Pam
ReplyDeletenice idea!
Deletewell pam i don't have a linen cupboard. i have a few shelves in my laundry room that hold all our extra linens. which isn't much. i only have one set of sheets and like 4 towels. that's it! i just don't have room to store more. the big basket on top of the armoire in the living room holds extra throws and my rl blanket. i'm sorry i'm not much help there. x
DeleteThat's incredible Janet! Off to see what more I can cull! Thank you.
DeleteI think it's the time of year, Janet - I've been moving furniture and purging and enjoying myself. And not shopping. I have been using the rule that Deepak Chopra taught me recently when I heard him talking about something on line - is the thing you are about to buy going to feed your soul in some way? Most of the time, the answer is no and I've been moving on from it. Of course, I may find lots in NYC that feeds my soul!
ReplyDeletethat's a great philosophy!
Deleteyes, you are right wendy. the freshness of a new year really can motivate me. good luck with the no shopping in nyc. :)
DeleteI'm glad all these hidden treasures are out in the open to be loved and cared for by Janet. I, too, have adopted a frugality that has allowed me to reduce some
ReplyDeletedebt which meant more home cooking which I enjoy and shopping fewer sales.
BarbaraG
we are in it together barbara!
DeleteI love your style. I have tried, over the past 2-3 years to continue to pare down. I've been somewhat successful but the one thing I miss most of all is the visits to consignment, thrift and antique stores. I love the search and am so excited to find the occasional $5 or $10 treasure. I've decided that once in awhile I will allow myself these little indulgences. I think the desk look amazing. You really do have a way of styling a room and table top vignette.
ReplyDeleteKaren
i know exactly what you mean karen. to walk away from a one of a kind vintage piece is SO hard. it's near impossible for me to just go look, there is always some fabulous thing for so little money. i really have to limit my exposure. x
DeleteThat leopard coat is a great buy Janet! I'm so envious! I tried on a Dolce & Gabanna one a year or so ago, it was very sixties in style, single breasted, cropped sleeves and completely fabulous. I was with Pamela, Faux Fuchsia and Romy, and had to resist serious peer pressure to buy it. However the $15,000 price tag was the main reason why it was not bought! So you should be very pleased indeed with your bargain. I still think about that coat. Maybe in my next life when I come back as a Billionaire I'll get it...
ReplyDeleteLove your furniture finds too. Your home is so charming, and you really have a way with the way you style everything. Just beautiful! xx
that was a great day!
DeleteAgree FF, a really great day! Such a wonderful time - and that coat looked spectacular on you Heidi! Was so glad you found the wonderful D & G shoes in the sale! Compensation, but they probably still make you think of that coat!
DeleteYour coat looks gorgeous Janet, especially draped on the side of the chair like that - in that lovely room. Love the desk too, it's perfect there. Incredible for $5.00. Have never seen anything like it for such a price - or the coat either. Vintage shops here sell rather ratty rabbit or v occasional fox jackets or stoles - but for big bucks!
Don't think my grand-daughters would approve if I wore fur - have a super rusty red wool/mohair wrap with dangly long curly tendrils. The elder sister asked, "Nonna, is that a dead animal around your neck?"
Good luck with your campaign to cut back on shopping - maybe try giving it up for Lent? Have been so busy decluttering, influenced by FF, yourself and your many supporters that it has quite put me off shopping. At least for now. Still have too many things anyway. But many with such sentimental memories it's hard to part with them. Pammie xx
oh gosh what i would have given to be shopping with you ladies. they are all so fabulous and fun. i cannot imagine that coat. $15k! wow. ff and i have spent time talking about and comparing prices from here and australia. it's like my friend living in hawaii - the prices are ridiculous.
Deletepammie - i hope i can last longer than lent but that's a good idea!
Janet, I have been following your blog for about five years and have enjoyed watching your home evolve over the years. It has always been lovely, but "elegant" is definitely a word I would use to describe it now. I have found other blogs that showcase their beautiful homes, but find myself getting overwhelmed by the amount of things they have and always find myself coming back to you. You are definitely one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the Edith look-alike and cannot believe your son got that desk for $5!
Melodee
thank you so much melodee. what a beautiful compliment for my home. yes, alex is the ultimate picker. he knows where to look and when to look. i'm much more casual about it. thanks again. x
DeleteThank you so much for featuring the article about Sam Fuller and the hotel. I drive by it often but never noticed it. So sorry to see memories torn down. I purchased a leopard skin coat in Sun Valley Idaho of all places. I haven't had the guts to wear it in LA yet. First of all it hasn't been cold enough and then I do think it takes a certain attitude that I don't know if I have. Have you worn yours? PS. Mine was not as inexpensive as yours but certainly not an arm and a leg. In fact I can't remember how much it was. Which means it wasn't that expensive. Phew!
ReplyDeleteomgosh sandra, don't you wish light was shined on this sooner for sam fuller. i so wish they would make him an honorary guest or something like that. i think he deserves that at least. no i haven't worn the coat yet as i just got it and will send it to the cleaners first. plus, tooooooo warm. we need rain!
DeleteI admire your transparency so much Janet, because once you say it out loud, someone will want to hold you to it. But that's not such a bad thing either. The thing you really have going for you is great taste...both in your home & your personal style. I, too, think it's all right to want beauty in our homes.....for me that can come in the form of a bird's nest blown from a tree. Beauty comes in all forms.
ReplyDeleteI was forced to downsize a lot about 2 1/2 yrs. ago, & it was one of the most difficult things I've done. When I can't find something now, I realize I probably donated it in a panic. My new home is a small log cabin with an open concept in the main living area & a roomy loft that has knee walls. So in my decorating, real walls are at a premium. I love my new home & wouldn't trade it for anything, but it can be a challenge because I love to decorate. My motto now is that if something new comes in, something else has to leave one way or another.....sell or donate.
Thank you for sharing your life & your journaling. I think we all gain something from it though it may come in different forms.
Anita ~ the cabin on the creek
wow anita, thanks for the lovely compliment. forced downsizing would be really hard but i would imagine in the end still liberating. glad you have found your peace. xo
DeleteI have recently halved my possesions and decided that I only want the best- that is things that are beautiful and make me happy. It feels fantastic. Life is hard and making your home inviting and cosy is sensible. I love the desk and mirror and how you've arranged everything. I wish so much you could visit me here! I have not finished with the culling either- tonnes more to go. xxxx
ReplyDeletei need to email you. i really would love to come for a visit. :)
DeleteFF your comment about getting rid of stuff made me think of William Morris's quote "have nothing in your life that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful". Rings true some 120 plus years later.
DeleteJanet I love this post. Also the comments. I second FF, life is hard and an inviting home is so comforting, definitely needed when the going gets tough.
ReplyDeleteYou KNOW I love that leopard coat. With you on the journey Dollface. xo
thanks dani!
DeleteThe mirror and the desk are a great addition to your room. I thought your home was larger, not so small, your photos make your home look quite spacious. I can see that your master bedroom is cozy, and this is what attracted me to your cottage, I too have a small place and a very small bedroom that charms its small cozy space.
ReplyDeleteI love the desk, with all its age, and to have gotten such a deal is amazing. I need to shop your neighborhood perhaps I can find some treasures as you have.
Again, you have a charming cottage, and it lives big in its small space.
Xx
Dore
thanks dore. it is really small. yes, one day we will have to go to an estate sale together. wait....i'm not supposed to be doing that for awhile. lol
DeleteMe too, holding onto those pennies, paying of balances. Yet, when its a great find for pennies on the dollar it sure cheers a homes beauty when one works so hard to paying it off, or debts for that matter. When the home is paid for and the beauty in it is paid for enjoying ones accomplishments is grand.
DeleteI do love a great deal, a really great deal, because I don't feel guilty if I find another great deal that I Wan to replace something in my home in a short time of having the older pieces. I can just yard sale them back off and most of the time for more then I paid for them.
You are an inspiration to shopping, buying, and planning for a future.
See you soon.
Ps. I found a beautiful white linen so new it never looked laundered Liz Claiborne ...man tailord long sleeved shirt for under 3 dollars it's very artsy looking layerd with worn tatterd jeans and a white tank or v-neck Tee !
We think alike here.
Soon.
Dore
Hi Janet, I love your home, it's so cozy. I really like your concept of enjoying what you have instead of buying more. Its so hard, but I try to get rid of one tning if I bring something home.Keep sharing, its so inspirational.
ReplyDeletethanks cherre!
DeletePlease do - we all need to shine up our "clear and clean" halos a little…!
ReplyDeleteSo who's calling Julian Fellowes to include the scandal of Edith's having sat naked for a painting in the next series?!
i know! i thought that too. the Scandal! lol
DeleteEverything in your house looks lovely as usual; you know how to put it all together, and that's a talent. Me? I'd display that ethereal nude; you can find the right place. I have a similar desk, much smaller; have had it since childhood but it was old before it was given to me. My husband refinished it beautifully years ago, and I've just pulled it out of storage. Since seeing your photos, I've decided to put it in a different spot so that I can have the 'lid' open for display, as you've done. It looks good, the way you've got it set up. Good inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThe leopard coat. Excuse my ignorance here, but it's real fur, right? How does that affect your vegan sensibilities? I ask...as a not-quite-yet-entirely-but-wannabe vegan...because I still am reluctant to part with an aunt's fur pieces and I used to wear the red fox and dyed-black fox a lot, oh 25 years ago or so (they attach to cashmere sweaters she had, which fit me) although I did donate the one with the dangling heads to a theater group. I still have a stunning mink collar of hers for a jacket/coat and, I dunno, I guess there are six; from the early 1920s to maybe late-1940s; so exquisite, nature's wonder in a sumptuous pelt for wildlife...and I have wonderful memories and photos of her wearing her furs; she loved them. But I think I feel too guilty to wear them ever again. And, on the other side of it, repulsed. However, by using them over many decades, three generations of women (Mom wore them, too; she inherited them first), the poor animals at least didn't die in vain? The fur pieces do provide cozy warmth. I can't go back almost a hundred years and try to make it right but I also don't want to wear the stuff and get garbage thrown at me either. My brain is at tug-'o-war on the issue. A cousin is 'struggling' equally; her mom died five years ago and left her a full-length mink coat (very expensive). Her young daughters look at it in disgust and cringe, 'dead animals!!.'
oh no vicki, it is faux. sorry i left that out. i couldn't buy a real fur coat either. i have my mom's cashmere coat with a fur collar that i'll never part with tho. glad you are getting your much loved desk out of storage and into use. exciting!
DeleteJanet,
ReplyDeleteI also live for beauty and elegance and shop our storage shed. Your blog is so inspiring - I have bookmarked your cleaning and organization posts so I can go back and look at them when I need a little push! Do you still use Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap for cleaning? Also, what kind of body and facial moisturizers do you use now - if any. My skin is horribly dry since menopause - and your skin looks dewy fresh - your recommendations may help. Perhaps, you can save this for another post.
Thanks for everything you do and for keeping your blog readable, clean and uncluttered. I appreciate it so much.
Sincerely,
Debra from SENC
thank you debra. i only use extra virgin olive oil on my face and body. it really does give a dewy look without being greasy.
Deletei use dr bronners mostly. i supplement vinegar in there too for windows and polishing glass and mirrors.
What kind of soap/cleanser do you shower/bathe with? I am curious about all this because your skin looks so young. Wonder if you would do a post about your daily beauty routine again. That will be very interesting.
DeleteSincerely,
Debra from SENC
That is what I love about your blog--You really do live for beauty and elegance. Your philosophy reminds me of the lovely European ladies that I admired when I was a student living in Europe in the 1980's. Lovely woman with a few treasured things who lived in tiny, elegant flats filled with inherited objects and a few good pieces of clothing that fit into a small armoire. Women with no excess, no things that they considered second rate just to clutter up a home. I was amazed how edited their homes and wardrobes were because they had such small spaces that they didn't buy or keep what they didn't need or treasure. Consequently, they had such great style because they knew who they were and what they liked. Madeline
ReplyDeletedear madeline, wow, what a beautiful compliment. i don't feel worthy of such amazing words!
DeleteLove what you did with your furniture rearranging and the coat is gorgeous! Another score for Janet. :)
ReplyDeleteI was cracking up at Stephen's comment about poor Edith! The picture does resemble her a lot and yes she does have trouble keeping a man in her life doesn't she?
Have a great week!
Linda
xo
omgosh isn't he the best?! his wit is so sharp and right on. he needs his own tv show!
Delete"I live for beauty and elegance" makes my heart sing as well. I had a shopping sabbatical that lasted almost 10 months last year. It was easy...my husband was out of work. I shop very little and wear what I have to death. I'm happy to read along with your progress. My downfall is food purchasing. I spend on organic food because what goes into my body is more important than what goes on it :))
ReplyDeletei know right?! those words! so inspirational. i think when we came close to losing our business is when i got v serious about living a much simpler life. business is off right now so i'm re-committing to everything that worked for us during that period. makes sense re the organic food, so well put!
Deletehi janet, i just adored this post. you had me with the caption. i read it and said "me too!" and then my second thought was "janet is brilliant - she always nails it". you need to write a goddamned book, you're that incredible. i loved this post, loved the sam fuller LA times story - how terrible and how sad and how beautiful. what does one do? it makes my heart ache. i am glad that sam was able to beautify his life for so many years. it is a compulsion - he has it, you have it, i have it. some days i call myself a professional aesthete, but like you i am careful with my money and squirrel a lot of it away while living in a house we don't adore but that lives well. i find it hard to know what to do - i covet beauty but i am also trying to be thankful and put my money in the bank instead of pursuing "more and more and more". i am trying to be practical (balanced with some joy).
ReplyDeletei love the beautiful desk from the wedding - what a beauty. i love your posts. you always seem to be saying and doing with integrity. we are all caught up in so much bullshit these days, all these false gods. i am working a lot on presence, on gratitude, wearing out my clothes, not shopping, seeing and savoring the things i have. it feels great. i haven't shopped for a couple of months and it feels wonderful. i don't miss the mall, though all the shiny things i see on the internet make me covet for a lush and luxurious life and for travel. oh i love to travel and dress well. and eat well. and too much. i need to go on a food diet next, not just a spending one. and i am working on my forever wardrobe too, although i can't find your gems here and not being very slim anymore nothing looks good on me like it used to. time to fix that. slowly. thanks for the life coaching you do here. i am serious, you need to write a book.
xo terri
terri you are tooooo sweet and kind. i don't have the know-how or whatever it takes to write a book so i guess this is the best i can do. i adore the title of this book and am planning to needlepoint it on a pillow. like you i don't miss the mall AT ALL. my weakness is 2nd hand which i suppose is a little better but still it needs taming. i can't save every item i see! anyway, you are a doll and again thank you!
DeleteDear Wind Lost.... How about 1. You should write a book
Delete2. You could write a beautif
Dear Wind Lost, Perhaps you should have written ; 1. You should write a book. or 2. You could write a great book..........you get it.......Do you realize that you said a book by Janet would be damned by God.???? Sloppy, sloppy writing and offensive to many people. I read your blog too, and I am surprised and disappointed. Please be more careful.
once again this year I am trying to spend less and use more of what I have in closet and home. i recently did a big culling of my wardrobe, got rid of things which were worn out, not comfortable or just did not suit me. however, I was shocked to see what I had purchased over the past year. i really do not need a thing more, but I know i will be tempted when I see something i want and convince myself i will stop with just this one item. but of course it never ends there. yesterday in my mailbox I received 4 catalogs from companies where i have purchased clothing in the past. I confess i did give a look but then this morning they went into the recycling box. i do the same thing with my home sometimes too. a couple of years ago i actually had someone come in and for a modest fee helped me to shop my house and decorate my living room with items from other parts of my home, including the closet. there she located a couple of hunting prints my daughter-in-law had found for me at a garage sale and were perfect of one of the corners. she also rearranged the furniture which gave the room a whole different look. the decorator also recommended a couple of small purchases which would complete the look. i usually like to do my own decorating but in the case the help was well worth it. actually Janet, you would be great at doing this. you a a wonderful eye. loved the way you styled that old desk, it's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteDarby
thank you darby. you know i do the same with catalogs. i only get 2 now but i like to look through them for inspiration and then i toss them. i almost always have something similar that they are using for a certain look and it is nice to repurpose things. i wish i could look in a closet and find some horse prints! i do a bit of restyling for my friend karen. she usually hires me at the holidays to decorate for her and freshen things up. i love it and would love to do it for a living!
DeleteLove that you are going to journal about not shopping. I have cut down tremendously-no longer window -shopping either. I am appalled that I used to shop for entertainment. You should see the garbage I came away with.
ReplyDeleteI, too, have a small bungalow and rearranging furniture is quite difficult. I've been trying to simplify my furnishings, but realize that I am about at bare-bones. But I do get bored sometimes and wish for a little change. Your house is really an inspiration. I loved the series you did about your pantry.
i would not be surprised with what you came away with. i know i am always stunned when i do a 100 things cleaning. i just did one the other day and it was not hard to find a bunch of junk and i barely have room to stuff anything! thank you for your comment kristien. hope you are doing well. xo
DeleteJanet, that nude is beautiful, you have to find a place for her. and I love the desk, how great to re-discover an old treasure. I have not shopped for clothes at all but I made it up in house purchases. I did have a budget when I bought the house and I knew I will spend some, I did stick to it for major projects like renovating the bathroom and doing the floors but I let it be a bit fuzzy when it came to decorating touches and it kind of got out of hand, I am trying to get back on track now, but I still want this one last trinket...
ReplyDeleteJanet,
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you took everything out of your cottage and then started all over again, what would be the "keepers" and what might you pass along? You are right to live with beauty and elegance.
pve
Jack White is on Jimmy Fallon tonight--Thursday, February 5.
ReplyDeleteHi Janet,
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love being able to put something going to waste to good use? You continue to give me lots of ideas, but can I say just one thing, no offense please, but the only thing I find a little out of sync in your beautiful cottage are the print drapes. I guess because I'm a boring solid color type myself! I think at one time you did have solid white drapes, if I remember right, and I loved those.
As far as loving the lovely, have you ever been in a house where nothing looks good, you don't like anything, there is no special caring about "things"? Yuck. How much better to love and enjoy beautiful anything in our simple lives. That's who we are.
A wonderful posting -- and have enjoyed all of the comments too! Perhaps consider adding a small black-and-white photo of the bride and groom to the desk top? The desk is just brimming with good memories and energy! Always a marvelous addition to any room -- and your room is perfect! Thanks again for sharing this memory and moment with us ....
ReplyDeleteJan at Rosemary Cottage