Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Homemaking Tip--Favorites

This morning Cali, Ande and I were driving over to help a friend, who badly sprained her ankle a few days ago. This friend has been house-dog-sitting for a month and the owners are returning in a day or two, and she needed help getting a few things back in order. Thinking that today was Homemaking Tip day on the blog, I said, “Okay girls, what’s a homemaking tip for the day?”



Cali quickly answered, “Teach your kids to can so you don’t have to.” Apparently she was thinking about the tub of green beans on the counter at home that she promised to can today. But that tip doesn’t work because she got a text message a few hours later and she’s bailing and heading out of town.



Ande said, “You are making cookies today, right?” —alluding to this tip that I’ve already shared.

So, other than being great help to our friend, they were no help; however, the house we went to clean was so creatively decorated that I have a homemaking tip after all.

I love when someone can combine several different genres successfully. The homemaker of this home had taken her favorite things from every culture and time-period and combined them.



She successfully combined a zebra print rug on the floor with a white couch and an old, wooden framed, bubbles-in-the-glass window hung by two chains from the ceiling as a couch back or art. (I stood on a real zebra hide to take this picture and there was a black armoire behind me.) The kitchen had two hoosiers and white-washed boards on the floor, but modern art on the wall.



The bathroom had a plush, gold, high-backed chair with black marble flooring and brass fixtures, but a wooden cabinet filled with white fluffy towels and the sign “Prive” hanging from the door.

This homemaker was not afraid to combine a few of her favorite things and the house was so attractive because of it. So my homekeeping tip for the day is: Don’t be afraid to combine your favorite things. Eclectic can be a very attractive decorating style.



This is one of my favorites—all kinds of vegetables from dinner the night before tossed together and browned in a frying pan. (If you’re a cheese lover and not counting WW points then sprinkle that on top, too.) Combine your favorites—whether in a house or a frying pan-is my tip for the day.



I’m pleased to report it wasn’t me who had to buy the ice cream last night after our mini-golf game. I had one stroke less than Cali and Ande. Calvin thumped us all, but he practiced while we were doing the dishes AND he designed the course so that all but disqualifies him from being an honest contender. It was great fun and we laughed awful hard (especially at the end when we gathered for a self-portrait and a bird flew over and dropped and it ONLY hit Ande).

10 comments:

melanie said...

I hope Cali blogs about what took her out of town and left the beans for you, :).

One day I'll share my style. But I just don't know what it is yet. As of now, it's crayons, dust and laundry. Not exactly the kind of style you want to show off, ha!

Calvin is getting quite good at the self portraits. You guys look great on a perfect weather wise summer night. I'm glad you had some laughs. Did you play tonight as well.

Julie said...

I loved the funky style of the house you were in. Ecletic is my favorite!
The golf looked really fun. Calvin is so creative. I think it's the two of you that between you know everything! I'm definitely lacking on the quail hatching and beaver trapping areas. Not even sure how to can green beans!

Kim Sue said...

I thought I was lost when I came over to the neighborhood it all looks so different! But then I saw Homemaking Tips and knew I was in the right place. You've been busy and not just with canning and cookie making. The blog looks great.

Anonymous said...

The pile of beans on your counter reminded me that Fred stopped by to visit with his grandsons last night and ended up buying a zucchini from their garden. The grandson, Wyatt, thought a quarter should be enough. Fred gave him two. Nothing better than garden goods and grandchildren in the same pot.

Lynn

jenny said...

Man, I seriously need to come over for dinner to your house. Those veggies look so yum! I have come to the conclusion any style goes these days, old, modern and whatever. I think my style tends to lean more of a traditional. (simple yet elegant)

Unknown said...

Good post on mixing it up, Jane! Chance and I have already picked out our next couches, but they really don't match our house at all. I told him we'd get them after we put in new carpet. He said - don't wait for the carpet, mom, let's just buy them and not match for awhile. Oh, now I'm tempted . . .

Anonymous said...

My style always seems to be half done. *sigh*

sheila piper said...

Boy it always looks like you guys are having such fun. It makes the rest of us look like duds. You can tell that Julie's mother didn't can beans can't you.

Barb said...

A friend passed along some good advice to me a long time ago about home decor. She said, "If you love it you will find a place for it in your home." Actually it was more like shopping advice, but I thin it fits in to what you are saying.

Jill said...

Your mini golf experience sounds so much more fun than mine, especially since it was a punctuated by a bird, that's so funny.