My Home, My Canvas

 I love looking for distinctive and creative ways to surround myself with beauty and with things that have meaning for me. I love browsing sites for ideas and inspiration and expressing it in fun and creative ways. My house is an often messy canvas for me to express myself in.

One thing that is very important to me is color. When we first moved into this house the main colors were white (walls) and tan (carpet) with some brown (paneling in the living room) and black (cabinet hardware in the kitchen). I remember telling Doug that I felt like I was living in an asylum. I need color!

Sadly, I still have not been able to paint the walls, but I have slowly been adding color to the house. One of the main ways I have done this is through making curtains. I discovered a love for sewing and made several sets of patchwork curtains.



I haven't made curtains for all the windows yet but am slowly working my way there.

Another way I'm adding color is by making braided rugs for our floors. I'm using old clothes and sheets and whatever other fabric I can get my hands on for these. I'm very close to finishing my first one and have the fabric strips cut to start a second one.

And while I'm working on these projects I'm looking around for other ideas as well. While we seem to have country theme going on around here I'm not opposed to mixing styles a little if I can find a way to make it work. Cushions are one way of adding color and interest to a room and these Indian cushion covers fill my mind with all kinds of images and ideas of ways to incorporate them into the decor. Whether bought or homemade cushions add a lot to a home. I remember my grandmother always having a few colorful cushions around  and how homey and comfortable it made her living room feel.

I've also been trying to convince my husband ( and finally succeeded) that pallets might be useful in making some small pieces of furniture that I could then paint in the colors I like and that I think would be brighten up the room. There are so many things that can be made from pallets from benches to bookcases to a reclaimed wood bed.

I have a few other ideas too, from wall art to adding indoor plants, that I've been thinking about a lot and looking up inspiration for. Now if I could just figure out a way to add hours to my day I'd be all set.