a tale of tails, tenacity, and tedium, as told by me, usually barefoot and bellowing

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Pieces of Me

I believe if someone decorates with their heart and what they truly love, you can see a piece of the person in their home...a peek into their soul.  Today, I will bare my soul.  I am a tad strange but I am definitely myself.

Above is an antique chest bought at a yard sale, a horse print that was a gift with a gas fill up from Savannah Georgia in the sixties, a poster with my added personal painted denim touch, a rocking chair and a basket of potpourri, old fake leaves plaque and a horse statue I fell in love with.

This the dining room in our old farm house Mom and Dad built.  It has taken a long time to put my mark on Mamma's house but I do believe, I am finally getting there.  It seemed almost disrespectful to change but I know, they would want me to make it my own.
 These are nail kegs and rail spike kegs topped with my finds around the farm, covered with glass and used as end tables.  Certainly something you don't find at Ikea.
I had to use some contrasting material on top of the barrels so the artifacts would show.  This is what I had.
A hand made lamp by Dad, made with iron wood and a block of black walnut, accented (strangely, for some) by a bracelet and my Scottie.  I have painted and glittered the shade...I know, weird!
I thought Mr Aztec/Mayan needed a party feel.
By the fridge, a chest holds my chipped bulldog
(with a Scooby Doo band aid)
 and an antique tin that was Grandma's button tin.
My fear....
the true heart of me...
the seat of my being...
and, yes, they are in the dining room.


17 comments:

Granny said...

I love seeing people put their personal touch on their homes. I have a friend who paid someone to decorate her home and although she won't admit it to anyone but me, she doesn't even like it but it's "what's in style". I love your paneled wall and the lamp your father made. Wood brings out the warmth in a home. Thanks for sharing.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Love your style! Because it is yours!! I am going to steal your nail keg idea..I have a pickle barrel upstairs..it could display something..not sure what yet, maybe my square nails:)

DesertHen said...

Your little bull dog looks just like my daughters silly, goofy dog, Munchie! Too funny! The button tin made me smile cause my mom has one very similar to it and I think it belonged to either her mother or her grandmother.

Happy weekend to you!

Debi said...

They say is not a home until you put your mark on it. You have such a love for natural things. The arrowhead collection is a treasure. I just love all the wood and, of course, the saddle. Yes, ours comes inside sometimes too. I really like the lamp and your art work on the walls.

Jeannelle said...

Being yourself is the best way to be! I'm jealous of your collection of arrowheads. I look for them in the fields here on our farm but never find any.

24 Paws of Love said...

Thanks for showing yourself. Love the nail kegs and rail spike kegs table. Right up there with my kind of style. The doggy lamp is beautiful, there is nothing more than I love than wood.

I think you may have found you are not alone in your taste or desires. A home is all about you. :)

Nancy said...

You know, I never really cared what other people thought of my (lack of) decorating skills. I figure, it's my house, I live here, so I want to see what I love. I think you are doing the same thing.

Do you ever get up in the saddle? :)

Tamara said...

Gail, thank you for sharing a piece of you with us...i see there is quite a bit of horse things...are you riding yet?? I really like what you did with the keg tops!! You found all those arrowheads on your farm?

Rudee said...

I think I love that your arrowheads are lying atop a lace doily. Yes...I do. Quite unexpected, and yet, totally you.

Queen-Size funny bone said...

love it. I love the wood wall behind the chest in the first pic. My first apartment was in a old carriage house will wood ceilings, floors and walls.

Michaele said...

That's truly how you make a house a home.

StitchinByTheLake said...

Home is where the heart is - and I love the way your heart thinks. :) blessings, marlene

carolina nana said...

I decorate in the same way you do with things that hold meaning to me and things that I just like .These things bare my soul also. I love my clutter !!
Blessings
Marilyn

Irene said...

I love the wooden wall behind the antique chest and I hope you have many more like it. I love the way it makes your house look. It makes for a good backdrop. I'm jealous of them.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

I love it all. You didn't mention the paneling on the wall which is so beautiful and I don't always like paneling, but I like yours.

Yes your parents would want you to make it yours.

Thanks for sharing "pieces of me". Now pull yourself together. Get it? Never mind. :)

Susan Anderson said...

It's fun to see some of your favorite things. Those end tables are totally cool!

=)

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Such wonderful treasures all, Gail.
And those saddles are gorgeous....should be dusted off and placed on a horse...but you already know that. :)

I wish my home was decorated in such a way as to show a little of who I am, but I'm never inspired and I'm too focused on function, over fashion. Plus it might have to do with growing up a military brat, in that we never lived anywhere for long, so I never felt it was a good idea to spend time or money on decorating. We were always purging and rarely ever shopping, so even to this day, I don't have a lot of "things" or knick-knacks....which I appreciate, because I abhor dusting. lol!
And even now, I tend to want to explore and take off or a road trip at a moment's notice, instead of spending time inside around personal belongings.
I think I'd be happy just living in a one room cabin with just the basic necessities. Or travel around the country, foot-loose and fancy-free in a little bumper-pull camper, with no ties to a site-built home. Sure would make life simpler. :)

~Lisa

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