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Dressing the side patio with salvaged chairs

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Having a beautiful and comfortable outdoor space is just as important to me as the interior of my home.  The two patio chairs below were rescued from the curb on trash collection day.  The original peach color was faded and they were quite soiled.  Once they were thoroughly cleaned and dried I sprayed them with the beautiful lime green color from rust-o-leum.  It took several coats to get really good coverage but as you can see it was well worth it.  The small blue table between the two chairs was made from an inexpensive plant stand and a wood round from the hardware store.  I painted the plant stand black to cover the original white which was dingy and rusted in places.  The round was painted with an undercoat of black and top coat of bright blue.  It was then stenciled with red.  Decorative pillows made for outdoor use, and lots of potted plants makes this patio really pop.   As the summer progressed these plants grew hearty and really enhanced the patio design.
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Turning the covered porch into an outdoor room

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This covered porch was such a relaxing part of the apartment.  It was so peaceful and tranquil back there.  The creek invited ducks and deer to visit often.  Sitting there in the morning drinking coffee or tea and quietly meditating on the beauty and peacefulness of nature was the best medicine I could hope for.   The patio furniture I've had for many years.  I've considered changing out the cushions but decided to keep them a little longer while living here because they worked well with the rug.  The rug is one that I used in my dining room at the former house.  I never really liked it but decided that it would do on the porch.  Some day I might just hang the birdhouses where the birds can actually nest in them.   In this photo you can't actually see the creek, but trust me it's the dark area below the trees. The green wooden planters were gifts from my neighbor who sat them on the curb to be discarded. This was a great space for my collec
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Moving to a new house: Two years in Yellow Springs, Ohio

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In September of 2017 I moved to Yellow Springs, Ohio.  If you aren't familiar with Yellow Springs it would be worth looking into.  It's a small village with a population of less than 5,000 residents.  It's often referred to as "that hippie place." I found a great apartment, very affordable, at the end of a street.  There is a stream along the side at the edge of the property and farm land beyond the stream.  Living there was a wonderful experience that brought me closer to nature.  The deer, ducks and geese often made their way across the yard.  The first spring that I was there a heron made frequent visits for about a week.  Apparently there was a good supply of cray fish available, although I never saw one.  I did see quite a few frogs though.  Must have been quite a feast for Mr. Heron. Moving to a new house is something that I really enjoy.  The idea of taking a clean, fresh space and putting my stamp on it is exciting to me.  This house was especially
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Using art in your decor

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Putting a room together is not just about arranging furniture.  Plants, art and artifacts all help to make a space more interesting and engaging.  In this post I've included plants with african masks that were given to me by my brother, and a small plant study that I painted.  This is a small corner by the fireplace mantle of my studio in the old house.  The light from this window was really great in the early morning and late evening.  From this angle it looks really interesting.  In reality it was the place where I kept plant starts and cuttings along with random objects. The plant study as shown in the still life above.   This mango was done as a color study for one of my art students.  I especially love the softness of this piece.
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Plants

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     I love plants!  At one time I had seven orchids in my collection.  Plants have to be a big part of my decor otherwise I'm just not satisfied.  Besides adding beauty to the home they cleanse the air and promote a healthy environment.      Orchids and African Violets are two of my favorites.  Although recently I've had to downsize the number of plant duplicates.  Which is quite all right since I don't mind sending plant babies off to live in well deserving new homes.                         As they mature and multiply Spider plants become a great source of new plants.  The spider babies are so easy to propagate and they grow quickly.  The little spider plant shown below was one such spider baby.  The ceramic sconce planter was purchased at a local thrift store, and the bust was a gift from a friend.  I think they work well together.
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Giving new life to old furniture

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This little side table was purchased from a thrift store.  I think I paid eight dollars for it.  I bought it with no clear idea where I would use it.  Once I started putting my solarium together it became clear that this little table was perfect for that room.   After cleaning it with Murphy's Oil soap and drying it thoroughly I gave it a light sanding to take off some of the remaining shine.  There were holes that had to be filled with wood filler and more sanding.  Once the top felt smooth to the touch I painted it with Chalky paint and finished with cream wax.   I'm really proud of how great it looks in the room! The refinished coffee table can be seen in the previous post.  
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White Orchid Journal beginning

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     In 2015 my daughter and I moved into the second floor apartment of a two family house with our two dogs.  Honestly, I didn't really like the house but my daughter really wanted to live there so that she could be close to her friends.        The house sat on a hill with a set of about ten steps off the driveway which lead up to a landing which turned to the right and another set of about ten steps leading up to the front porch.  There were two red doors.  The door to the right was the entrance to our apartment.  The door to the left was the first floor one bedroom apartment.  We had the second and third floors, which included a landing on the second floor.  There was a door straight ahead that lead to a balcony and to the right french doors that lead into the living room.  Once inside the living room there was another set of french doors to the left that lead to the solarium.  This became my favorite room.      I really enjoyed decorating this room.  Fortunately th
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