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Coffee Talk 10.28.18

Good morning! It’s 6:30am as I sit here typing this out, and I’m already on my 2nd cup of coffee. I woke up at 5:15 and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I just gave up and got up. I have a feeling it’s going to be a loooong day. On the plus side, hopefully I’ll be able to fit in a run before church since I’m getting such an early start. It looks like it should be a pretty morning for it.

On a more sober note, I was really sad to see the news about the synagogue in Pittsburgh. As I prepare to prattle on about my updates to the house and other mundane weekend activities, I’m aware of those families being torn apart right now. I can’t even fathom the kind of hatred that incites people to commit such acts of atrocity. I know it’s nothing new, but it’s heart breaking nonetheless. I just wish there were easy answers.

For the rest of us, life goes on, but I couldn’t write this post without at least mentioning the situation and paying some sort of tribute to those who are suffering today.

We got a lot done around the house yesterday — no major projects, but a lot of loose ends I’ve been wanting to tie up for a while now. I posted some updates on my Insta Story.

We moved my dresser down some on the wall to make it more centered, and we finally hung my necklace organizer. It is so nice to have all of those necklaces off the top of my dresser!

Before anyone asks, the lamp is from Pier1 a few years ago, and the other little bracelet/necklace stand beside it is from Stella & Dot, but I don’t see it on their site anymore.

We finally hung the shadow boxes with the kids’ baptism outfits that had been sitting on the floor propped up against the banister for months. I like how we can see these as we walk up the front stairs, and they fit perfectly on this short wall at the top of the landing.

It’s amazing how putting some familiar pieces on the wall makes the place feel more like home.

This mirror has been propped on the buffet for a couple of weeks; my designer brought it over to me when she visited last. It was actually silver leaf, and she painted it gold. It’s nice to have something hung there, and that makes my dining room complete… for now, anyway. I have plans to move that buffet and mirror to the shorter wall and put something longer here, but that isn’t happening this year.

We also hung towel racks in both the girls’ bathrooms, which was another long overdue task, and we tried to get my full-length mirror hung in my bedroom, but we didn’t have the right anchors, so we need to get to the hardware store and pick some up.

I went through a bunch of pictures and prints we had propped on a wall in the living room and cleared those out. We moved some to the basement for possible future use, some to the garage for the next thrift store run, and we hung a few more!

The piece above was done by Modern Bird Studios, a business that is now defunct. But basically they take photographs and paint them on a block of wood in black and white to create a piece of art.

This was one of my favorite pictures at the time, taken at a July 4th parade, and it’s the one they used. I can’t even believe these kids are now 13, almost 16, and almost 19.

That wall is in our mudroom, and we see it when we walk in the back door, which is where we always enter our home, so I thought it was a nice place for that piece of art. But I feel like that wall could use more — either a tall plant or another piece of art below this one. I put the question out on my Story and showed more of the space for context, and I got some good ideas.

I also want to find a storage bench or hall tree to put in there — something like this would be cool, but it’s not in the budget, so maybe something simple like a bench and hanging shelf set will do the trick. I’m going to poke around today and see what options I can find. We need to get something in there before we break out the scarves and gloves, and the way things are going, that’s going to be sooner rather than later!

So yeah, that’s about it for my weekend. We had friends over last night, and it was fun to hang out and also a good reason to get the house tidied up.

We’ll be visiting the in-laws this afternoon after church, and I’m on nursery duty this morning, so I can’t be late. I hope you all enjoy your day.

Join The Conversation

19 Responses

  1. Yes thoughts and prayers to those many people and families affected by such a horrific act in Pittsburg. Thanks for the coffee talk with the updates. 

  2. The baptism outfits in shadow boxes~ beautiful
    and such a precious memory each time you pass them in the hall.
    Have a good Sunday, all 

  3. Hi Jo-Lynne!  I am drinking my travel mug full of coffee.  First of all, I did read your blog posts the past few days, but just didn’t take the time to comment.  Java has to have pain and heart meds every 12 hrs., so I have to keep him on schedule while letting a few other things go.  I did like your outfits!  I 💗 the shape of the mirror in your dining room and the memories of your children you and Paul got hung.  They are so unique!  The tragedy at the Synagogue is deplorable and so tragic for all of the families involved.  Have a blessed day!

  4. I love how you share updates on making your house a home.! Yes, those cherished familiar pieces of history just make home a place of warmth and refuge! My prayers are for the victims and families in the Synagogue shooting. God is our hope and light especially when there are no easy answers to such evilness.

  5. Decorating and adding personal items to your house make it a home! I have been looking at jewelry organizers – yours looks great! What do you use for your earrings?

  6. i love the baptismal gowns in shadow boxes. So tiny and cute! 
    The picture of your three little ones does need something underneath. It’s floating and alone. A small table to drop keys, perhaps? You could even buy one at a thrift store that has interesting details and paint it. 
    Have you thought of buying upholstered chairs for your dining room to break up the set and soften the effect if all that wood? Pier one has some nice ones for a reasonable price and they’ll probably have a sale sometime soon. Love the wainscoting and navy walls! 

    1. Yeah, I have thought of the upholstered chairs b/c we need more seating anyway. I agree, I need somethign under that picture. I guess I need to decide on our storage bench situation first.

  7. You have such a lovely home, and the photos give a sense of it being a place where people are cherished and peace matters. It’s also just friggin gorgeous, so there’s that too.. 😁

  8. Hi Jo-Lynne,
    Thanks for the update. Happy sunday to you and your family.
    I have an idea for a post: how to choose a cardigan to go with your top (the neckline of the top and the neckline of the cardigan). V-neck t-shirts vs. crew necks and which cardigans work with them!

    Thank you! Blessings.
    Sara

  9. Funny, I actually just bought the same jewelry shelf (in black) and hung in my closet. I’m lusting after a mirrored jewelry armoire, but I’m not going to buy it for myself. Waiting for hubby to ask me what I want for Christmas or birthday. Problem is, NOW I want to spend another $22.50 to get a shelf to hang below my current one.

  10. I just love your dining room! The mirror looks great above the buffet.

    I ordered the necklace holder as soon as you shared it on IG stories when it was hung up. I finally had my husband put it up last weekend, now I need to fill it up!

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