Layered Living: restyling, customizing, + seashells

Hello friends! Welcome to my weekly update of all the things happening over here. This week let’s talk about restyling, customizing and seashells.

We are officially closing out the summer soon, and the grandkids are all back in school. We’ll have one final trip to the cottage together, and then it will be time to settle into football season.

Living near a major university, with a student body of approximately 48,000 students, when school is in session, things get crazy around town. I am looking forward to game day coming up, it’s my favorite time of year!

The tomatoes have finally started to turn red. I have heard from many that this year was a weird one for local tomato growing. It was really hot, and I don’t think they liked it too much.

I grew a few different varieties this year, and have been making the yummiest pico to serve as a snack with tortilla chips. If you are a tomato lover, you should definitely try it!

Other than pico, I was never a huge fan of tomatoes until I started growing my own. Man, it’s like night and day. I used to hate cherry tomatoes until one year, I bought a plant by mistake, and then felt compelled to at least try them. What a difference, I was hooked! I even have a little tomato pin cushion collection!

Thoughts for the week

When I am left alone with my own thoughts, I have noticed lately that I am getting more sentimental as I age. I thought about my Mom a lot this week. Man, I miss her. She has been gone almost two years. She would be THRILLED to know what a hole she has left, as she always had a flair for the dramatic!

My sister texted and said that on her latest visit to our Dad, he was asking her who that man was standing behind her. There was no one there. He’s 94 and delicately teetering between this life and the next. Dementia has served him well now that he is without my mother, as they were married for 70 years. He would be lost without her if he knew. But he is, lost without her even so.

When my daughter went to see him, he was talking about his mother Sally. The residents where he lives love when she comes to visit, as she brings her two youngest daughters who are 6 and 3. The 3 year old is adorable and beyond entertaining, so the old people love the show! But I thought it was strange that his mother was close in his mind, as she hasn’t been much before.

I have a little blue bug that I have had for over 20 years. Her name is Sally, after my grandmother. She is short and stout as Sally was, but she doesn’t make a famous Wisconsin cheese torte like the real Sally did. But she could drive me there for one if needed. Everyone has their duties.

I will be glad to be traveling out west soon to see him, it’s been a few months and I miss him terribly. But I have these treasures to remind me of my life with them. The artwork my dad purchased throughout his life, much of it is now mine. The brass inkwell that sat on his desk, brings me back to those days, laying on the floor at his feet in his library, where I read books alongside him.

There is balm to my soul when I see some of these things that I have been looking at my whole life. Things do matter, they provide meaning for those left still on earth, and that is a hill I will die on. Let’s just hope it’s not anytime soon.

Restyling

This week hubby was traveling to a conference for work, so you know what that means? Project! I started out in my home office/studio as I spend a fair amount of time there, and it needed an overhaul. Frankly, any sort of cleaning and organizing would have been sufficient, but things snowballed, as they often do.

Before I knew it, I was pulling out everything from some bookshelves, and had piles all over the floor. It always gets worse before it gets better. Now I am slowly putting things back together, and restyling my faves.

Restyling is a great time to edit, and I have been all about that lately. Clearly, you already know that I am a “stuff” person. I like stuff. Like, a lot of stuff. But as I get older, I want less. So switching things up a bit helps me to make decisions about living more with the things I truly love.

I’m now working on editing and restyling my whole space, and need to get working on a few projects in the room too. To be revealed soon.

Customizing

Since I was on a roll with hubby gone, I began the task of finishing up my little bunk room project.

The bunk room is a small room where my grandkids stay when they come for a sleepover, even though there are no bunks in there. I designed it originally for that, and then switched it up to a bed cubby with a trundle. Blog post coming about that soon.

As I was collecting all the items I would need to style out the space when I was done with all the big decor decisions (paint, wallpaper, paneling, etc.) of course I could not find the light fixture I wanted that was in my head. So I customized one. Meaning, I found one where I liked the shape, but not the finish. That is always easy to change!

Just grab me a can of spray paint, and I am good to go! But funny enough, when I finished spraying this, I didn’t like the color. It was sooooo red! So back to the hardware and I bought coral and resprayed it. Yes, much better! More to come soon.

Spraying the fixtures is fun and easy. Fun, because it is so transformative and custom. And with the right tools, most things are easy. I also sprayed the one when I upgraded the little guest bath. Now both look more like me.

Seashells

Of course I was out at an estate sale this week and picked up a few things (see below). One of them was the shell of a sea urchin. I was thrilled to bring it back home, where I thought about selling it in my antique booth. Then I remembered, I really love seashells. I have many all over the house.

The cool thing was, when I bought it, it was a bland beige color. Extra dust intact. I decided to wash it, and the water changed the color! It turned a bit purple.

Cape Cod is my favorite place in the world, where it even inspired our primary bathroom design. I have loved walking far out, when the tide recedes on the bay side, and collecting many shells over the years. They serve as reminders of past trips.

I also bring home many whenever we travel somewhere beachy (as long as that is legal) and have places I can tuck my finds (shells, driftwood, special rocks, etc.) These are the literal pebbles that I have picked up along the way in my life, and I appreciate the reminder of how blessed we have been to work hard and play hard.

Seashells are just one of those things that are so unique. Like each of us, really. The lines, shapes, colors, and textures are something to behold. Take a closer look next time you have the chance!

Weekly finds

My stop at the estate sale heeded me a few fun pieces. Actually, I was shocked to not find more, but as I said, I’m wanting to live with less. I continue to shop because I sell in an antique mall. And frankly, that has been such a great way for me to sell and edit my own collections over the years.

This is the small pile I got. Some of these items will remain home here with me, and a few will make their way to the booth. I’m a bit obsessed with that plate. I think I will be needing a plate wall soon. What do you think? I need a plate wall, right? Not to be confused with this platter wall.

Okay, this will be our last week with the word of the month, REPLENISH. I hope you have taken the time this August to replenish some of the needs in your life, whatever they may be. New word next time!

I feel like it is worthwhile to always evaluate life, ponder gratefulness, reach out to others as needed, engage in some inner reflection, and enjoy solitude when it suits you. Soak it up my friends! Replenish yourself.

Cool stuff I found online

Since I love art, I was blown away by this amazing printable art that my friend Stephanie has found. She switches things up seasonally, and it is all too gorgeous! She’s really cool and I know you will love her stuff.

Here’s a fun excuse to eat some cream cheese (not that you need one, just go for it!) from my friend Susan. This Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball might be just the thing you need to make for your next girl’s night!

I am gearing up for fall, so if you need a cute sweater to keep you warm, check out this darling sweater. The texture is cool and the length is very flattering!

Get all your favorite fall scents for one low price! I like to burn my candles with this warmer. I forget stuff, so it has a timer!

Until next week

Well, thanks for spending some time with me this week. Drop a comment below and tell me how things are going for you. What have you been spending your time on? DO you collect anything?

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