In the midst of chaos to bring about order

All that remains of Christmas 2006 is the little tree in the corner of our family room. I am not ready to do without the sparkle as I turn on the switch that fills the room with magic each morning, nor am I finished gazing off and on at each ornament as I sit next to it on the sofa. Now that I have given away all ornaments that I no longer want, everything left has a memory and/or it is a thing of beauty and a piece of art that makes me happy (and my family).

When all things Christmas were in their Rubbermaid containers and my normal accessories were returned to their proper place, the house had far less sparkle and magic but it looked like us again. The mixture of English Country, Vintage, and Early American Primitives...combining to provide a unique decorating style. However, I learned a very long time ago (and my daughter quotes it back to me)...if you love it, it will most likely look good with everything else. If not one room, perhaps in another.

When you enter my home, to the right is an Early American hutch/breakfront (inherited from my husband's parents) which holds pewter goblets, pewter plates, pewter candle holders, and reproduction Early American/Primitive/1776 kinda' "stuff". It also has a collection of pictures including my parent's wedding picture, my in-laws wedding picture taken during WWII, and the wedding picture of my husband and I returning down the aisle after having said our vows. Numerous smaller frames in silver, burgundy leather, hunter green leather, and gold tones are in front of the three wedding pictures (mostly pictures of my children at various ages).

If you were to look straight ahead, you would see the dining area. On the realtor's info sheet, it said "dining room" but that's a stretch of the imagination. It is actually an alcove of the living room. However, the young people who lived before us took up linoleum and found beautiful wood floors (which is throughout the house except kitchen and family room). When they had the deep green carpeting installed in the living room and hallway, they left the dining room wooden floors showing and had them polished. This, along with the wallpaper and chandelier create a separate "room". When we moved in and added our corner china cabinet, that completed the look, as if we were suppose to be there all along. This area is definitely English Country with the china and silver but my dining table is Early American (as was the dining room for which it was originally purchased). However, it all goes together.

If you were to enter and look to the left, you would see my small living room/library. It is a combination of the decorating styles but it, too, works. All put together over years and years, some things purchased brand new but most the results of treasure hunts (and, of course, items of furniture inherited from parents). I love the look of this one-space-makes-three-rooms area of our home.

I was thinking of how the decorations in this room came about after going over to Ladies Against Feminism (via the sweet Mrs. Wilt's blog, The Sparrow's Nest). Here is the URL to the Lady Lydia article, one of the best she has ever written...click here.

So...while I write of beautiful surroundings, my garage and family room are in chaos. The Christmas boxes have been packed and my husband put them away where they belong this afternoon. I probably reminded him way too many times to leave space for the tree's box and the ornament box.

However, I have also been working on my sewing and craft shelves. My goal this week is to go through the remaining sewing/craft boxes which include a couple boxes that are...miscellaneous. I do not like that word, I should never use it as a label on a box...but I do. So, I have to go through those two boxes in particular. I will bring each inside and, at least, go through them in the warmth of the family room, sorting what to keep and what to send to Goodwill (and perhaps, putting on better labels). Then, about an hour or two to (someday soon) sort various other garage shelves and my work should be complete. All of this and the daily gotta do's that must be continued in the midst of this special project.

So for the next few days, I will say quick hellos while creating calm from the chaos. Miles to go before I sleep...