A wonderful artist...

These pictures are by Mindy Wilson, whose work I first saw on Chris' blog. I love her work as much of it, coincidentally, features my favorite subject of the moment, birds. She does beautiful work and you can check out her art at groovy inclinations and follow the link to her Etsy shop(if you haven't already discovered Etsy (www.etsy.com) , you are missing out!!) Have a look!!

**I am trying to decide which picture to purchase. Any suggestions?

To theme...or not to theme

I like themes...hoever, I tiptoe around them for fear of them exploding. What I mean by this is that themes can grow exponentially. They can become like a disease and become out of control. Take children's rooms for instance. Little Sally wants a Barbie room. We've all had requests like this. Barbie bedding, Barbie (cringe) wallpaper border, Barbie lamp, curtains, etc, etc. Some of us are giving enough to cave into themes like that. I, however, would be inclined to inject tasteful touches of Barbie (like framed Barbie outfits in shadowbox frames, Barbie sheets, a Barbie nightlight). I confess to loving certain themes if they suit my tastes. If my sons were still young enough there is no doubt in my mind they would be staring at a vintage cowboy- themed bedroom! Yes, some themes are downright acceptable, but where do we, as individuals, draw the line?

Several houses ago, I was in love with pineapples as a decorating symbol, not theme. I had a garden flag with one on it, and a pineapple door knocker which I loved, and some other nods to this symbol of welcome. Sadly, I let them go as a nearby house adopted pineapples as well, so it was time for me to "move on". Stars, too, have always been a recurring theme in my homes. I always place one in each front window along with a single electric candle light. I can't seem to give the lights or stars up despite them becoming so popular. Stars are popular because they are so good. As long as your home doesn't look like a constellation display, then all is well. As for me, in the summer I replace the stars in the window with starfish...talk about a departure!!!

I would have to say that my new recurring "theme" involves our feathered friends. I love the colour robin's egg blue, nests with eggs, porcelain monochromatic birds (no parrots here!), and I always stop in my tracks when I see such delicate beauties. I try to limit the number of such treasures, but I probably have at least one nod to this collection in each of my rooms. Is it a theme and is it o.k.? I think so and I hope so. I guess it boils down to whether we each love our own "themes" and whether they can be simply discovered throughout our homes or are screaming out "look at me!"

My next attempt at "tasteful theming" will be this summer when I transform my mantle into a beachy display of seaside treasures. You can be the judge of whether I have kept it tasteful or over the top!! Coming soon...

A touch of pink in a master bedroom...

I don't know what it is with master bedrooms. So many people, including myself, tend to put off decorating this space with the similar attention to detail that we give to the other rooms in our home. Maybe it is our altruistic nature; we put the rooms of our children and the common areas in our homes first. I know in my home, I tend to put the most focus on the rooms that are most seen by guests and therefore my decorating budget for the master bedroom is pretty thin by the time I'm ready to address it. I often relegate the "cast-offs" from other rooms to my master bedroom and do my best to make it work.

I firmly believe it is much easier to decorate when you are starting from scratch and/or have a generous budget. When people tend to run into difficulty is when budget is strict and we have to incorporate the belongings that we have collected over the years. I am not one to be too fixated with everything matching. I like things to be co-ordinated, but I like the element of surprise that an unmatched set can bring. Unfortunately, it is more difficult to coax a cohesive look from a hodgepodge of belongings. Thus, more skill is required and sometimes even "rose-coloured glasses" are needed to help us live with what we have until we can make that great purchase that will bring together the look we are going for.

Bedding is probably the most important purchase you will make when decorating your room. We all know that in most bedrooms the bed is the focal point; but you can have the most beautiful bed frame, and if the bedding is not right the whole look suffers! I love the look of layering on a bed. Gone are the days when bedskirts had to match the coverlet which matched the shams which matched the curtains, etc. It is much more pleasing to "mix things up" and instead have a unifying colour. Accessories in the bedroom are also key. Choose what you really love and display them in different ways. Showcase them by elevating them on small books , illuminate them by placing a beautiful lamp nearby, or frame them in a shadowbox on the wall. I once saw a shadowbox picture that contained the candle from a child's first birthday cake. The simplicity and sentimentality of it was lovely.

When choosing lamps, select ones that are the right scale for the bedside tables they rest on. They are there to provide adequate lighting for late night reading but should also be attractive to look at it and co-ordinate with the "look" of your room. If you have a mismatched bedroom furniture set, unify it by painting it the same colour and add matching drawer pulls and knobs. Make do with what you have, but give your room (and yourself) the attention it deserves! After all, we are just as important as our guests!!

( the top right photo is my before shot...my room is a work in progress with dressers that need painting and I am always on the hunt for "the right accessories". Sigh...I don't know if I'll ever be satisfied with it!!) The top left photo is, in my opinion, pink done well (although I think it is a little girl's room!!).