The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Thursday, 20 February 2014

A road side find and curating your home.

About a week ago Andy came home with this little old bench that he found on the side of the road. He knew I would love it! And I do, it's really old. 

It needed a good clean up. Then I mixed white paint with about three times as much water and roughly painted it so that the wood shows through, it is a white wash. The wood had a drift wood look, very faded and worn, which I loved and wanted to keep. Anyway this worked out and I really like it.



I had always fancied a bench at the end of the bed for blankets and stuff so thats where it has ended up. A little arrangement of things I have and for 100% free the bedroom is added to and we both really love it!

The way the room is, you see this view as you walk down the passage....



It is a big improvement.

With de cluttering and blogging, taking photos and arranging things I am fascinated by the word "curate" we get to curate our own home, our collections and our wardrobes etc.

Aside of deciding to rid ourselves of clutter, curating is to decide of what is left what do you really love, use and adore and what really is just there, maybe actually ugly to you even and remove it!  I had a picture in my hallway that I decided this week I don't even really like it. I took it away and looked at the space without it and considered. The space looks better without it. I think we keep things because they are "good" things but even too many good things end up being too much, choices have to be made. Sometimes things are inherited or gifts and that is tricky. Mostly I don't thing anyone giving you a gift is really meaning to hand you a life sentence though! Curating is deciding that something isn't fitting in, isn't necessary... it doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it, it is just wrong for you or this room.

When we live somewhere for a while we stop seeing it with fresh eyes. I notice when I walk in after a holiday I see things differently. A good thing to do is pretend you are a real estate agent or potential buyer and walk off the road side into your home looking as if you have never seen it before.  Doing this now and then causes me to think good grief how did I get in this mess!? A fresh look, a re arrange and a bit of a "home blessing" and things feel and look so much better it's amazing.

I just love that little makeovers and re arranges can be totally free and freshen things up beautifully.

7 comments:

  1. Just beautiful Annabel. Your home is like something out of a magazine! You have such a good eye for putting things together. The little bench looks wonderful at the end of the bed. Seeing through it (rather than a solid box shape) allows a view to the pretty lace valance.

    I have read where it is a good idea to take photos of how our rooms are currently as they can also look a bit different through a lens. I agree with it looking different when you come back into your home after you have been away. You do tend to see everything with new eyes.

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    1. Thanks Kaye! Oh its true, this business of taking photos to blog, I will look through the lens and think oh my goodness I need to move this and that around! Very revealing... And because of how walking in from being away makes a big impact I try to leave everything clean and lovely so walking in is really nice (as opposed to a mess!) xxx

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  2. .Your bench is painted and place just perfectly! I don't decorate a lot, but I do find that the little things make me the happiest.

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    1. Thank you so much! I absolutely agree that the little things, little touches and even little thoughts can make up the really beautiful things in life. Added together they become the joys in our lives. Thank you! xx

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  3. How lucky that bench came home to the person who could see it's potential!

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    1. I'm sure it was junk to many passers by! But I love things with wear and charm so it had my name on it! I know you are a recycler earthmother so you understand! xxx

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  4. Lovely, Annabel x

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