Sometime in my mid-thirties my friends and I became aware that we (collectively and individually) all possessed Champagne tastes on beer budgets (and not the micro-brewed, good stuff).  So we found ourselves using a phrase that I have decided will be a weekly installment here at Garden, Home & Party.

I'm not sure I truly would want a house this big but maybe if I had one I would have servants and it wouldn't seem so enormous.

In working on making my blog work for me and for the one or two readers I’m aware of (thanks mom and Linda!) I thought it would be fun to post pictures that reflect dreams (wants over needs).  These “wants” may never happen and I don’t say that to garner pity—I have so many things to be thankful for.  But I thought it would be a fun way of documenting a desire that upon closer scrutiny you realize you don’t really need but man, would it be great if you had it!  And sometimes just thoughts on what life would be like if you lived somewhere else or had a job doing something else…you get it, right?

So, that said, whenever I have a burning desire or dream, I will share it—do you have a dream to share?

Photo:  Veranda Magazine

Happy Friday!

Cottage Living Magazine

Since I hope to begin blogging with more regularity, up until now I’ve been blogging very sporadically,  I spent some time visiting other blog sites to see what kinds of things my peers write about.

Cottage Style Kitchen

I confess I first visited the sites I already know and love such as Pioneer Woman (now a celebrity in her own right and deservedly so) and The Inspired Room (one of the design team-members working with PW’s friend Hyacinth on her family room redo).  During a recent visit to 4-5 sites I realized that part of what I enjoy about my visits to the world of blogging is hearing some of the personal details about these amazing women’s lives.

I think it is in our nature to want to know there are people out there that share our ideas, dreams, tastes, etc.  Call it validation.  So, when we read that someone we admire and share ideas with has a day when they don’t get around to cleaning a bathroom, or laundry has piled up in spite of their usual penchant for organization, we smile and feel better about our own lapses, but we also connect with them on a personal level.  They (the blogger) start to feel like a friend…without the lunch dates and gossip!

My Secret Garden

I believe I have some good ideas to share with you regarding gardens (planting tips, maintenance ideas, plants to buy, suggestions for getting rid of unwelcome critters in an Eco friendly way), cooking/entertaining (table settings, recipes that are ‘entertaining’ friendly, in many cases do-ahead and easy) and home design (creating a comfortable and attractive home that reflects what you love, who you are, where you’ve been and the seasons).  I will include some pictures of my own ‘cottage’ (as my husband and I refer to our cozy 1,700 square foot  home).

Angel in the Garden

I hope you will take time to comment and share some of your thoughts as I embark on my journey of talking about my favorite topics:  Garden, Home and Party.

The final idea that appealed to me in this news article about getting your home ready for the season was a paragraph, “Freshen the Furniture”.  This sounds like a daunting task if, like me, you immediately think of refinishing wood.  Fortunately, that wasn’t the idea at all.   The suggestion was that with a bit of scratch cover and some good furniture wax, you can clean up the wood pieces in your home.  The upholstered pieces usually need a good vacuuming after a winter with the house closed up due to cooler temperatures, but if there are spots from spills, try a spot cleaning wet wipe.  Shout makes one that (providing the spot isn’t too large) works very well.  I advise that you try using these cleaning wipes on an inconspicuous place on the upholstery to check for color bleeding.  I have not had that trouble but some fabrics are more likely to fade from chemicals than others.  This will brighten up the fabric and the sofa or chair will feel fresh again.  The final suggestion for   ‘freshening the furniture’ is with the purchase of a few  new accent pillows.  These come in all sizes, fabrics and prices.  I have found great discounts at some of the outlet stores and for a seasonal change this can have a huge impact.

These are just a few of the ideas for gearing up the for summer ahead and making your home ready for the season.

Once the weather warms and the windows are open most of the day I find I want to pare down, weed out, clean up, toss and freshen all areas of our home.  This especially applies to my decorative accessories.  You know, the nick knacks that we have around during the fall and winter months.  I confess, I’m a Nester (not to be confused with a pack rat) but I only like to be surrounded by what I love.  During spring and summer months I want less.  I want cleaner lines and fewer distractions.  I don’t think this is any novel revelation, most of us feel somewhat the same, right?  In any event, I stumbled across an article in my local newspaper that gave some pointers for doing the above mentioned ‘clean up/pare down’ and I thought I’d pass along some of the ideas I found worthwhile.

“Paint a Room”  I know this seems like more work than most of us would want to tackle but it truly gives the biggest bang for your dollar when you face lift a space with new paint.  What could be fresher than applying a new color to a room that otherwise may seem dreary.  Paint companies have finally wised up and sell small containers of paint that you can try before buying a gallon of a color you end up disliking.  This is truly a weekend project, but if that wave of industriousness hits, capitalize on it.  You could even invite a friend over with a promise of a nice meal somewhere down the line.  You will absolutely have to follow up with that promise, but it would be fun to paint and visit the entire day away with a friend.

to be continued…