Busy Busy Busy

Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do... but how much love we put in that action. -Mother Teresa

I have been creating a home this past month. Nothing is as satisfying to me that to create a sanctuary from the world for my family. My home is where we can shut out the stresses of the world, and love each other selfishly....
I have been making my home in two ways. One, in the sense of love and commitment and community. And two, a beautiful space to inspire creativity and comfort.
I am so happy that my daughters are finally settled. They have their bedroom, and play area, and backyard, that they know that they won't be leaving anytime soon. Delaney asked me a few months ago if we were going to be moving soon. We have lived in so many place since she has been born, that she has come to expect being unsettled.
Finally, a place. A consistent place. A place she will grow up, begin school, bring her friends, her first boyfriend, and learn to drive...and maybe even leave to start her own life. I want her and Ruby to think of this place forever with fondness for their experiences and their childhood. To remember all those important firsts going through life, and originating here. I am truly proud that Jon and I can provide this for them.
We also have been creating the experience of home through colors, and textures. Each area has a feeling, and a story. The living room is a invigorating blue with dark furniture and splashes of bright raspberry rooted with blacks and whites. There is family pictures and bird silhouettes. This is the place we live, so I wanted to be be calm, but fun...like us. The dining room is a deep peacock blue green. The built in shelving unit's back splash is painted a high gloss black to show off my prized milk glass collection. There is many silhouettes, and soft textures. The kitchen is painted raspberry with a high gloss back splash, and white cabinets adorned with modern nickel hardware. The counters are pewter gray. The window above the sink is flanked with black fabric with white seagull silhouettes. And I love how it all looks with my stainless steel appliances. My basement is my retro hideout. Deep oranges and olive greens, and chocolate browns create a feeling a tried and true space. There is quirky vases and owl statues and my vintage camera collection. My husband bought me a cool shelving unit to showcase these. I love my cameras....from the 1930s to the 1980s...so fun. The upstairs landing is a soothing gray. My studio is a deep jade green. Here I have all my oil paintings from friends. My favorite is my city scape painting done by my friend Andy Morris as a wedding present. It is an abstract view of downtown. And the amazing thing is that he painted it with a paintbrush and melted crayons....it is beautiful and reminds me why I live downtown. Our bedroom is soft gray and has touches of black and yellow. Its a modern space, but there is framed artwork from a shop on etsy of silly birds and owls that lighten the mood. And a beautiful sunburst mirror I got on clearance from Hobby Lobby and painted. I got my hands dirty and painted a canvas for above our bed called 'I felt like I had wings' a painting of plush gray love birds sitting on a branch together....simple, but I love it. Our bathroom upstairs has white wainscoting up 3/4 of the wall and the top area is painted black. I love a black bathroom....and there is a vintage charcoal sketch framed of a 1950's flapper. The girls' room is painted a cool blue with green apple and raspberry accents. Soft and feminine yet fun and energizing. The playroom is painted Melange green....with striped curtains and pom pom fringe I made.....they kind of remind me of a silly circus....
I love my home.... still a long way to go to fill the nooks and crannies....I need some more artwork painted by all of you............
Anyone interested? I would love to have a new piece painted by a friend....
Or even some photography, a silly cross-stitch? A collage? Whatever it is, I would be proud to showcase it in my home...just let me know.

Pictures to follow soon.