(Just a quick note to let you know my hubby is slightly better. The doppler showed he has Superficial Thrombophlebitis which is an inflammation in his veins. We aren’t sure what, if anything can be done for it, but I’m guessing we’ll be calling his family doctor tomorrow or the next day to find out. He ran out of his strong medicines, so he’s hoping he can make it on extra strength Tylenol. He is still walking with his walker but his leg is a little less sore than it was…)
I had this hair-brained idea to decorate my mantle for Spring/Summer…the DAY BEFORE we left for my hubby’s surgery. I don’t know what possessed me to do it when I had a million other things I should have been doing, but I looked up there and saw a picture of a squirrel in some leaves, a wooden pumpkin cutout, a wooden slab with “Joy” painted on it, and a few other “blah” items. There was no rhyme or reason to it… the things were just put up there because I had them.
Kristoffer’s girlfriend gave me a big wooden cross for Mother’s Day and I wanted to use it…somehow… it was dark brown wood and seemed to dark to me… but I wanted to try…
(If you click on any picture it will enlarge.)
I took down the pumpkin and the squirrel picture, but it wasn’t looking like what I had in mind…
I gathered up as many trinkety things as I could find and robbed things from my blue cabinet and several other places, but was floundering, so I decided to call the expert… my sister, Cindy! She’ll be able to help me, even if she lives in PA and I live in Southern Illinois!
PLUS…as a bonus for reading this post… at the end you’ll see some of Cindy’s handiwork in her own house… She is incredible at decorating and you’ll see why I asked for her help… I’m serious when I say I missed out on the decorating genes… I got nuthin! :o(
We had a long, long texting session and I’m referring back and forth to it for this post… just to get everything right… :o)
My pictures are a little dull looking as I didn’t have my flash on when we were texting…
When I told her how long I had been at it, and this was all I had come up with she asked me a few questions about what I had… This was my reponse…
“I don’t have an old window pane or a clock or any spring flowers or any architectural pieces, or any candle holders, ugh! (I had looked on Pinterest and those were the most common things I had seen on there to decorate with…)
Cindy asked me if I had any shutters?
I told her I did have some in the garage but I thought they were too tall… She told me to lay them sideways… Then she told me I “needed more junk!”
I told her I’d go look in the garage…I found them and picked one out, but it didn’t have the slat down the middle on one end… Cindy said that didn’t matter…it gave it texture and made it look used…
She asked me if I had any boxes, interesting boards, cutting boards, big bowls, things from my sewing room… what about our Aladdin lamps? I went back to the garage and found a few more pieces I thought might work…
So now I had a shutter, an old piano leg and a couple pieces of decorative wood…
So I put it up there and texted her back…”Oh, doesn’t this look lovely?” (sarcastically)
Then there was a pause and a text came from her… “hmmmm… I’m thinking…”
I said, “Oh good, because I’m waiting on step 2.”
She texted me, “I’m laughing out loud…”
I told her, “You should hear me and Rebecca!”
Cindy texted… “Now, now…we’re being creative!”
She said to put the cross up there beside the lamp…
She said, “Nope…the cross and lamp are too close to the same height…”
Then she asked me if I had a large empty frame I could put behind the shutter? I told her I’d try to find one… no such thing in my house… :o(
We went through a series of other things… that I didn’t have…and she asked me if I’d be opposed to altering the cross? She said it could use a quick white wash…
So I did a light brushing and she said darker, so I did it more… until it looked like this…sides and metal painted in kind of a hap hazard way… not perfectly but not too splotchy. She told me I was making my “own architectural piece.”
Oh good, because I thought I was making a mess…
Now we started playing around again with some different things…
I asked her if any of these worked and she said, “not yet…”
Now, Rebecca decided to get in on the action…
Cindy said it was too spread out…
She wanted to know if my flowers could be shortened? I told her no… they were set in the pot that way…
She asked me if I had an old black and white photo of my grandma? Nope… help!!!
Rebecca said this was her best shot… if Cindy didn’t like it, she was done!
I think Cindy may have realized she was in “too deep” on this one, when she texted me… “I like your elements… I think we just need to edit a little.” (yeah right…that’s Cindy just being nice, I think!)
I told Cindy to look at all the trinkets… and wondered if she was laughing as hard as we were…
So this was Cindy’s next few texts…
Take down the bowl of greenery…
Will the flower picture sit on the shutter?
I like the pitcher and the little picture to the left of the cross…
You could try that picture instead of the flower pic…
So I tried a series of looks…
Cindy again…
Move the grinder to where the W is…
Try the pic on top of the right side of the leg…
Still too many “smalls”
Try the barn picture on the piano leg
Does the leg hit the ceiling if you stand it up?
Yes, it does… NEXT?
Move the dog and slide the leg closer to the cross, so it’s more off center and let me see… or slide it to the right so it extends past the shutter a little…
I tried what she said… This?
Cindy… “Nope”
Slide the shutter a little left and the leg a little more right… You need something bigger by the cross…try the white bowl you had with the greens in it…or put the picture on an easel..
Let’s go simple…
About this time.. I said, “It’s hopeless!”
When she said simple, I took done everything but the shutter, piano leg, cross and bowl…
This was Cindy’s next few texts…
“Ok…”
“I’m thinking…”
“Just thinking now what to add…”
In my texts I have this written… “I’m exhausted.”
Cindy wasn’t about to give up…
“Will your little picture sit on the left end of the piano leg? We need either a different or more books under the bowl to add a little color and do you have an easel for the picture and angle it a little more”
“Is that too bland for you?”
“Do you have some slightly wispy ivy or delicate greens you could put in the bowl?”
“Tell me what you’re thinking?”
To which I replied…
“What am I thinking? I think I need to go to “Mantle Decorating School!”
It was about this time in our texts that she said she was loving visiting with me.
I told her I thought I might be able to make a post out of this…
She was determined to help me figure this out…
Set your bowl on some little books, try the hummingbird picture or the dog drawing behind the bowl and the end of the leg… that makes things work together.
Cindy told me she liked the shutter, piano leg, cross and the planter, but they just needed a little more help…
This was my solution…
“It would be easier if I just found a picture on Pinterest that I liked and bought everything to copy it!”
“Nooooo!!!!!” said Cindy…
I think she realized I was pooping out and she wanted to encourage me so she sent me some pictures from Pinterest that were so pretty!
Then she sent me quite a few of ones that clearly had failed…. I won’t share those… what if it were yours??? eek! But I did realize I might not be the only one who needs to go to “Mantle Decorating School!”
There were many many more texts that I haven’t shared with you, but as we got closer to the end, things sort of began to take shape… not necessarily like the pictures I shared from Pinterest, but just my own simple little decorated mantle… I can’t believe it took so long.
This was “almost” the final look on the top…just had to add the lamp.
…and then we worked on the hearth just a little bit… it didn’t take quite so long…
I’m wondering if you were thinking half way through this process, “my goodness, you are spending TOO much time on this.. just slap something up on that mantle and be done with it…” just curious…
When Cindy comes here “in person” next week, we may do some tweaking on it, but for now, I’m pretty pleased with it. I hope you enjoyed “the process” of how my mantle was decorated! Thanks so much Cindy!
NOW…here are a few pictures from Cindy’s house and her style of decorating… I KNOW you’ll enjoy these…and if you come back tomorrow, I’ll have more!!!
This is HER fireplace mantle… *sigh*
She’s really got the TOUCH…
Thanks so much everyone,
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m glad you have a diagnosis as to what’s going on with George’s leg, Jeanne. I had thrombophlebitis many years ago, and had to stay off my feet for a while, until it eased up. If George has a recliner, that would help, as long as he can keep his feet up for periods of time.
It was fun to follow the process of decorating your mantel with our sister, even though she’s many miles away. Let me tell you, she’d have a field day at my house–I’ve never “decorated” my mantel like that!
The decorating gene may have skipped you, but you certainly got the sewing gene, big time! Before you know it, you’ll be back at your sewing machine! I’m sure you can hardly wait!
HI Charlotte,
My hubby does have a recliner…2 in fact…we just bought another one for the living room.
He’s made it a full day just on extra strength Tylenol.
It’s funny about the decorating…cindy does it so easily, Deb plays the piano like nobody else can…my brother Bob is so gifted with electronics and I could probably sew something with my eyes closed….maybe…
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I’m glad you found out what the problem was with George’s pain in his legs, but I’m sure it’s no fun for him. Here’s hoping and praying that something can be done soon for the pain. I’m so sorry he is having post-surgery problems, but one of these days, things will be A-OK. Let’s hope sooner than later.
Oh gosh, how interesting your “lesson” in decorating your mantel was! As you were laughing, I too, was laughing at some of the pictures! I, too, get “stuck” with decorating various things, and I think we all do. Sometimes less is more, and we keep doing too much, when we should be simplifying.
That first picture from Pinterest is especially striking. I like the wooden picture frames, the blackvase with the cotton bolls in it. I did see those cotton bolls at Hobby Lobby, and also when we were in Branson. What says summer more than cotton bolls, especially in the country?
I myself, spend way to much time trying to get things right. Sometimes I spend an entire afternoon just getting my hutch fixed up for Christmas or Easter, so I can understand why you do that.
Cindy is REALLY good at decorating!! Her house is beautiful and I am sure when she comes she will be able to fix your mantel up to look like a professional did it. If Cindy does it, then I know a professional did it! Like Charlotte says, you certainly have the sewing gene!
I’m not sure what is going on, but some people are not getting your blog. I got two different ones today, and hear than Marilyn didn’t get any. What is going on?
HI Linda,
My hubby certainly didn’t expect these couple of set backs but he’s doing pretty well…”says his ‘nurse’ !”
I’ve found myself thinking of picture frames, clicks, old wooden windows, plants, candle sticks, baskets and mirrors. The next time I get out I’m going to look for some larger things to decorate with…
I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets stuck with decorating.
The next time I see Sarah I’m going to ask her about the random posts coming to some people.
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Well, I got your blog today. 🙂 Ever since I checked the box below the sign in place (Notify me of new posts by email) they have been arriving on time. Thanks to Linda’s help.
Although, I still have to sign my name and email every time.
Glad you know what’s causing the problem with George and hopefully, something can be done to stop the pain. So unpleasant on top of everything else.
Now, your decorating post today was so enjoyable. I will be returning later to look again. I love how it turned out and seeing Cindy’s lovely decorated home. If you saw our undecorated mantel, I’m sure both you and Cindy would cringe. It has become sort of a prop drop place as we have been bringing things from the old house here. I can tell you this, there are tons of things to work with around here. Just no where to store them until needed. Would be so fun to see the mantels of other readers too. You know, we could compare southern California to northern and east coast to south. And then those around the world. Fun. Oh, we might also send in photos and ask for help. You know the ask Cindy & Jeanne show. 🙂
Hope the rest of your week turns out great.
HI Joy,
I’m just as baffled by the weird posts as anyone…I can’t imagine what’s going on.
You are SO busy, Joy…maybe when things settle down for you, you can put some of your “stuff” on your mantle. It’s good that you have plenty to work with… that was my problem…not enough to choose from.
It would be fun to see all the different mantles from everyone…maybe I’ll ask sometime and see what we get…
If anyone has any questions…don’t ask me…ask Cindy…she has all the answers!
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
I still have to sign in every time I post a comment, too, Jeanne, although if I hover my mouse over the blanks, it will do the auto-fill thing and I can just choose to click on those rather than type everything in.
The other thing that’s weird is that, the other day, I got your blog Twice! Once as I used to get it, and also in the newer format, with the blue border at the top.
As my girlfriend and I say occasionally: “Ain’t technology grand?!”
Hmmm, your post has me sitting here looking at my mantle. Don’t feel badly about yourself, as the decorating gene passed me by too! I tend to get stuck on one thing and never change it. I’m okay with it, though. As long as everything is clean, I can live without the decorator look. Cindy has a good eye for making things look nice, and that’s a gift.
I’m sorry George is in pain, but happy it has been diagnosed and isn’t anything more serious. I’ll continue to pray for both of you.
Jeanne, I have tried and tried to post comments, but I keep getting an error message saying I’ve already said that. Also I keep having to add my name and email address to my comments to get them to post.
HI Carolyn,
You aren’t alone in not getting my posts or being able to post comments the way you usually do.
I don’t have a clue what is happening and will have to talk to Sarah, my webmaster, when I see her next…
I feel better knowing I’m not alone in my decorating woes…maybe Cindy can share some basics with me that I can pass along.
Thanks Carolyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, I love your story! What I love most is the sharing of time with your sister.
Hi Dorothy,
I love spending time with her too! I can’t wait till she gets here on Thursday!!
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
I haven’t been able to pop in for a couple of days because I’m back in college classes and doing A LOT of homework. Tonight’s class came with a positive though 25 points out of 25 for the first paper I’ve turned in for this class (a business article case review with only 1 teacher comment about an indent on my citation page that needs to be fixed, which I will make sure is correct for the next paper). My problem is I want to “talk” too much and I had to cut it down by 4 pages to get to the instructor’s maximum page count for these assignments.
It was great to catch up and see that you are both doing better (which being home always helps), and making progress forward.
The mantle decorating post was fun to read and inspired me. I can’t wait to have a mantle at our house. Cross your fingers hubby gets the fireplace he’s building for us finished before winter. (What he has done so far is pretty nice.) I was digging for a notebook from a past class and ran across our “inspiration” book. We’d paid an interior decorator to help us make choices before we built our place (and because I thought we needed a mediator to get through some of the issues of building). It was great to see how well we did and what we incorporated from those visits with her. A “pro” can see things in such a different light, as your sister did for you long-distance. I wish I had “the eye” as well, but now that we’ve read this I’m looking forward to putting some of our things by our fireplace. Have a great rest of your week.
Glad Cindy is coming. You girls have a fun time. Pray George gets better soon. Tell Cindy
HI