Nothing Tuesday

We've been back from our beach vacation for almost 5 days now and I am trying my best to climb up out of this slump I'm in.  I've been told I have two speeds.  And right now, I'm operating on zero.   I load the dishes then sit down for an hour or two for a little HGTV.  Watching all those make-over shows does have its advantages.  Eventually, I look around and decide to rearrange some furniture.  And around here, rearranging furniture means

I will dust, vacuum and Windex. 

Sunday afternoon, I decided to get up off the couch and do a little rearranging....and while everything was clean and in it's new place, I took a few pictures.  Blogging makes you take pictures.  If for no other reason, it's been good for that.  If we ever need a current photo of our furnishings, I have it. 

And I have a complete inventory of all the animals. 

So for now here is the arrangement.....and everything is dusted.

As far you know.

The green cabinet was squeezed into this position....because I didn't want to have to move any of the pictures. 

 So the placement is a little off. 

I brought the bench in from my bedroom...

shop the house as they say. 

 I would rather shop at the stores.

I have to treat the bookshelves as a "wall" sometimes. 

With this open concept, I run out of walls to place things against.

This picture is for Debbie...so she can see our brick wall.  These are pavers....fake brick, if you will.  They are real brick to me...just 1/2" thick.  This is what we have as our kitchen backsplash and decided to brick this wall when we tiled the floor a few years ago.  I just saw an episode on HGTV where some one's brick pavers were falling off the wall.  Chuck and I looked at each other like "Oh, sh*t!" 

 But I'm pretty sure these aren't coming down.  They're cemented in.

And we've drilled holes for hanging pictures

and it was almost impossible to drill through those babies.

All the Wills and Bills.  My daddy was William, but went by Bill.  Chuck's daddy was Billy...on his birth certificate...but went by Bill.  Chuck is actually William but is called Chuck because his grandfather thought he looked like a woodchuck...so he is called Chuck. 

 And Will is William.  I love looking at these pictures.

 I glance at them often.

Okay....let's get real.  That was Sunday afternoon. 

By Sunday evening.......this is what it looked like.

I keep a sheet on the sofa because at all times there is a cat and a dog on it.  This cat was outside for 10 years but figured out the dog door.  We didn't think she had a brain....turns out, she does.

I actually moved the sofa with this cat on it....but kicked her off, and removed the sheet to take the pictures.  I believe that's how they do it in magazines.  Only they bring in a crew.

Get ready....for my reality.

Cameron came over Sunday night to steal some groceries/pack her lunch for Monday.  She ended up staying around to watch a movie.  Apparently she drugged the animals with Cheerios. 

Please somebody help me.

  This is 5 of the 7.  Yes, 7

3 dogs and 4 cats.

4 outside cats.  OUTSIDE. 

I'm keeping Frebreeze in business.

Would you look at all the blankets covering the chair? 

I'm one step away from plastic slipcovers.

Before we left for the beach, I brought out some of my 4th of July decorations...for Baby Will. 

He loves the holidays and I am trying so hard to NOT be over them...for his sake. 

I remember when my mother got over it....decorating for the holidays.  I thought she was soooo bah-humbug.  

Well, that's come back to bite me. 

He's like one of the animals.  I could move this chair with him on it...and he would take the ride.  As long as his chair is facing the t.v., he doesn't care where it is.  You may have noticed this was taken before the furniture was moved. 

 See the tall green cabinet behind him?

Now I want to talk about the color explosion in my house. 

Maybe it happened to you, too. 

 I just got back from a beach house that was decorated in pale shades of greens and blues with just a pop of color in the art and pillows.  It was so soothing.  The accessories were minimal and yet well done.  The art was one huge piece here and there, instead of groups of small things.  (Have you seen my walls? The opposite.)

I also read lots of decorating blogs and everything is going to neutrals.  Beiges, taupes, grays, whites and creams.....with maybe just a hint of color in the art or on a pillow.  I love it.....it's so soothing and calm and easy.  While there isn't a lot of color going on...they make up for it in textures.  Linens and cottons, velvets and burlap.  It's a richer shabby chic. 

I look at my house and I think about making that transition.  Where would I begin? I would have to start all over.  My sofa is neutral but everything else is COLOR.  I could slipcover everything

 but even that is a great expense...when you're talking several pieces of furniture.

I should mention that I have 2 kids in college, one daughter just got married = wedding just happened, I have a low paying job and a husband who thinks if you buy a chair, you can check that off the list for life.  And since the wedding, we are on a tight budget. hahaha.  I laugh because Chuck has always been on a tight budget.  This time I'm really trying to be on it with him.  This means I wear an ankle cuff that keeps me out of TJMaxx and Target. 

 So the dilemma here, it's not going to happen.  I'm stuck with my color bombed house.  For a couple of years at least.

But I'm still scheming how I'm going to change it.