Wall Art With A Painted Black Backdrop... And Upcoming News...

How great does this wall art look displayed on this painted black background!?

Great idea, and so simple.

The collection of art itself is also lovely, and of course.... I really love the splashes of red on the wall and in the room. I have three red lamps in my own living room, not to mention red curtains. :) The red curtains in this pic look yummy - just my type.

The red doily is more the type of red I don't use much of (orange tones), I prefer reds with blue undertones.

Photo by Stellan Herner

Happy weekend everyone!

I hope you find something blissful to do, and get spoiled just a little bit (or a lot).

Linda. xox

P.S: There's some exciting things coming up next week...

• First, I'm hosting a special guest post by Magpie Girl author Rachelle Mee-Chapman, who's going to be answering my question 'How do you go about creating a home that nurtures, nourishes, and supports you mentally, spiritually, and physically?' as part of her 30 Stories in 30 Days series.
  
  I'm so excited to be part of this wonderful series put together by Rachelle. I've been a follower of her blog for some time (she's down there on my blog roll under 'Creativity and Soul Food), and I also receive her fab newsletters.



• Secondly, October will be over shortly, so it's Lovely Links time again! Early next week I'll put up the Lovely Links post so you can all link up and show off your blogs.
  
  This time, I thought rather than just getting you to link up your favourite post for the past month, I might actually pick a topic for us all to work with..... and, as I've been feeling very 'bookish' over the last week or so, I've picked 'A Bevy Of Bookcases' as the topic name.
  
  So, if you've got a bookcase.... big or small, old or new... I'd LOVE it if you took a picture of it and got ready to link it up in a post next week. I'll let you know which day early next week.



• Thirdly (phew, this is the longest P.S. known to man), it'll also be time for the latest Year Of The Hobbit give-away towards the end of next week. So, if you'd love to win a copy of The Hobbit, or know someone else who would, I'd really appreciate it if you join in the fun!

Now I really am finished. :)

******

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Our Graveyard & Future Halloween celebrations

I'm a big kid. (Obviously.) Halloween is my most favorite time of year and having children has made it even easier to enjoy as an adult. Panda made me the happiest momma on earth the day she said "Mom, could we have a Halloween party for my birthday from now on (in October)?". She is a 4th of July baby which makes any celebration planning with her friends VERY excruciating. It seems all her friends take turns going on holiday around that time of year.

Beginning in 2011, she will have her first boy/girl party at Halloween time. Where does the graveyard come into all this? Well, it's actually a long story. One that begins with a simple interest in having activities for Panda's party, such as "ghost stories" into an obsession for knowing more....

This is looking from the hill mid cemetery towards the wild life reserve & empty field behind our property:

Can you spot The Captains truck in this picture? Yeah, we live THAT close. With just 75 ft or so of woods between us, meeting the 2 property lines with a chain link fence:

I have found NOTHING in books or online about this particular cemetery. A line or two mentioning the pioneers of our township have been found in surrounding town history books. Tid bits I would jot down. Then...I found I was in some way, writing a book of my own all about those who had been the FIRST settlers of the land I walk upon, the builders who erected many buildings & homes I pass each & every day, whom have been laid to rest beginning over 200 years ago and have no visitors but township maintenance.

So began the big mission. Not only do I feel a sort of caretaker to this graveyard, I have found myself researching, dedicating way too many hours actually, into finding the stories of those laid to rest next door. So far, I have pieced together & corrected time lines/names mentioned in other books. Intricate family tree lines that would make any ones head dizzy with confusion. Stories of their lives, losses & triumphs falling together with small connections.

Example, Mr. David Cook was on the jury for the first ever murder trial of Portage county Ohio. The accused (not Mr. Cook of course),had beat his wife a few days after giving birth while she lay in bed. She sustained a large gash across her rib cage when the accused hit her with a metal shoe horn. She died w/ in 3 weeks. BUT despite the towns people knowing he was a man of bad character, ill temperament & a bit of a drinker, he was acquitted. The defense was able to put doubt in the minds of those such as Mr. Cook that it is possible she died from child birth bed ridden sickness and not from her injuries she sustained when he beat her in a most vicious fashion.

Grave of a young, 15 year old whom I have yet to identify. So many stones that are disappearing. Crumbling away with the beating of the seasons.

So the plan is also a bit of future purpose. Mostly due to so many cemeteries being disrupted & vandalized by those who have never been taught the respect & appreciation of our ancestors.

This particular graveyard is the final resting place to many of the first pioneers who set their home just around the corner from where we live. Joining just 1 other single man who came in 1803 & was the ONLY resident in these parts until 1805!

As part of her party the kids will carve pumpkins. Then, we will walk over to the graveyard with the pumpkins as I tell them a few not so gory as above stories of it's inhabitants( and I have already found a few that are appropriate for 7th graders).How they are a part of our history & how the last person buried was in 1957, 152 years after the first.

I will also tell them as we ascend the long cement steps up into the graveyard, set 10 ft higher then the road, the old lore that as once you reach the top- close your eyes. Count to 3 and turn around to see who is following you. You may just be surprised if our hosts are feeling a bit mischievous.

Once inside, each kid will draw a name from a bowl. (proper behavior will be discussed). They are to FIND that persons grave and leave their pumpkin in reverence for them. On the grave will be a short paragraph of info on their chosen resident that they are welcome to keep. Then we will make way back to the house for food & games. Each year will be different. Stories of different residents will be shared. Different games & such will be played.

I have already begun a site where I am recording all the info found. I wish for others to be able to find all this great history in one location online- for free. After much deep thought I have decided I will attend a Fall meeting of our township Historical society. Not only will I be visiting them this weekend in search of more information/history, I may just end up being the youngest member, trying to preserve the great farming community I call home.

Not to mention, hopefully get a fund raiser going to preserve/install headstones, of those I call neighbor.

Up next, some Halloween How to's

& simple low or no sew last minute costume ideas!

Sweetest Dreams,

~Tammie

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A Quote Journey Around My Home - Part 5 - Favourite Verse

This is Part 5 of the 'quote journey' I've been taking with you over the last several weeks! You can see the other instalments at the bottom of this post.

This week we're at the end of our 'dining/kitchen' quotes. These ones are at the very end of the kitchen over the stove, and are mainly 'verse' rather than quotes. You can see them waaaay at the end in the pic below!

Now, let's get a bit closer.....

And, a bit closer.....

And, a bit closer!

This first one has a verse on it entitled 'Be A Winner'.

The text is still a bit small in the pic, so here it is:

Everyone's a winner,
If that is what they choose,
Unless their choice is something else,
Then of course they lose.

Winners always have ideas,
While losers fix the blame,
The two might seem to be alike,
They sure don't think the same.

All winners have a dream,
Of what they want to do,
Then plan their life to reach their goal,
And make their dreams come true.

Losers see a problem,
In every good idea,
All a winner sees, is another chance,
To further their career.

This was part of a calendar I had years and years ago, and I loved this verse and the next one below so much, I kept them and popped them into frames.

I love this verse, and once again it talks about 'planning' being an important part of creating the life of your dreams. I keep a manageable list of monthly, and yearly goals in 4 main areas of my life (home, relationships, work, and personal), and try to review them regularly.

The personal part includes things like exercise, general health, diet, leisure activities, things I'd like to 'have-a-go' at etc. I have to admit I've been pretty slack at it lately, so I must try and get back to it.... there'll be a few I've achieved, and a heap more to add - lol!

My daily and weekly lists of things 'to do' tend to be way more haphazard, and I travel with several 'post it' note pads where things get scribbled and stuck in various places! Then they just get removed and chucked in the bin when I've done them. (Or more often, carried over to the next day/week and stuck somewhere prominent so I get to them).

This last one is another one of my trusty greeting cards! The text reads 'do not go where the path may lead'....

And, the text on the inside used to say (before I cut the other part of the card off).... 'go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail'.

It's a quote by one of my favourites Ralph Waldo Emerson, and describes a big part of my philosophy in relation to design and other things besides! I don't feel the need to keep up with trends, or arrange my home in a way that's pandering to what others would find beautiful.

I create my home to be a soul haven for myself. A place to nurture, support, and nourish me emotionally, physically, and mentally.

And, because the people who come to visit me are my friends and family, and they love me just as I am, then by default, if my home is decorated as an extension of my true self, they're going to love it too! It mightn't be how they'd decorate their own homes, but they feel comfortable, at ease, and happy here because they feel comfortable, at ease, and happy when they're with me! It's like they're getting me multiplied!

I don't think I've had many people walk into one of my homes for the first time who haven't spontaneously commented about how wonderful it feels, or how 'warm and welcoming' it is. The vibe and 'feeling' is something not communicated completely by any pictures I might show you here. It's an invisible and yet completely identifiable part of my home that seems to occur kinda 'organically'.

For a bit of fun, on my other adjoining wall, you can see I've got the words 'yum, yum!' It is a kitchen after all..... and most of the time I don't do too badly in the food department!

I hope you enjoyed this week's part of the journey. Next week we'll have a look at some of the quotes in my living area.

Linda. xox

******

You can view the previous parts of my 'quote journey' below:
Part 1 - The 'Soul Gardener' Quote
Part 2 - A Door Full Of Inspiration
Part 3 - A Meaningful Fridge!
Part 4 - Cards And A Scroll

******

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Cool Recycled Book Library Desk

First of all i am asking a question, what you do with unloved books, I think you exchange them, or leave on to outside or sell them. But can you create furniture of them. Yes, friends this concept is really amazing and cool, you can use your unloved book as a stylish furniture.
A Delft University of Technology did that job, designer create a amazing furniture which name is “Cool Recycled Book Library Desk “. In this Stylish Book Desk all books, which were used to create this amazing furniture are recycled and used books. This is really good concept for Library Reception Desk. Friends see this stylish furniture Gallery given below and enjoy and share with other friends via Facebook, Twitter and other.

More Funny & Amazing Furniture :

Stylish Funny Furniture For Cool Kids
Stylish Kids Piano Chair
Green Office Furniture

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Our 200th Post! Thank You For Reading.

On this, our 200th post, we wanted to take the time to thank our loyal readers for visiting our blog. OfficeAnything Office Furniture is growing everyday. It is our main goal to provide our readers and customers with valuable product reviews and information to assist in the shopping process. Through the next 200 posts will continue to cover popular office products including desks, chairs, ergonomic products, and more. As always, please feel free to comment on our posts and make suggestions that you feel will help us improve.

Best Regards,

The Office Furniture Blog Team at OfficeAnything.com

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A New York City Townhouse by Dufner Heighes Inc...

Houzz is a great site to browse when you're looking for some 'beautiful room' inspiration, and I came across this fabulous New York City apartment the other day whilst wandering through some contemporary living rooms waiting for a 'certain something' to strike me!

It was this gorgeous living room that took my eye first.... the colours in that artwork just set everything off brilliantly, and I love the wallpaper, the cushions, and the overall palette.

But then, I took a look through the rest of the apartment, and.... wow! I think it's just gorgeous. The serene colours on the walls, the map wall and porthole corkboard in the child's room, the great outdoor areas, the light flooding in, the beautiful furniture.

I could definitely live here, although I'd probably end up with a few more touches of red here and there - lol! I must say though, they've got a few lovely pops of red, rust, or pink in most of the rooms, and everything is balanced beautifully.

All images from Dufner Heighes Inc's Portfolio on Houzz.

Linda. xox

******

♥ Let's talk on Twitter!
♥ Straight from me to YOU - subscribe!
♥ New to Heartfire At Home? Start here.
♥ And if, perchance, you BELIEVE.... join here.

******

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Toscana Conference Tables by Mayline Group

Toscana conference tables feature beautiful hardwood inlays and cross-directional veneers conveying unmatched quality and workmanship. All rectangular tables feature a 2"H solid wood apron under table surface and full-width modesty panel between legs. Rectangular table legs have 2" thick upright panel and 3"W base molding.

Available Finishes - Sierra Cherry/Cherry Veneer or Mahogany/Walnut Veneer
Table Dimensions: 144" x 54" x 29 1/2"

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