As my Granny's estate was cleared, I inherited several items. These several small items found places in their new home where they could continue to be appreciated. I enjoyed seeing the items that reminded me of my childhood and my Granny's wonderful taste in decorating take up places in my home.
Then my parents moved from the home that they (as a couple) had always lived...my childhood home. My mom downsized and I inherited more items to find places for in my home. It was almost like my home was becoming more and more special.
Before inheriting the items, my home had been a mix and match. I moved in to my home and brought my stuff. When we married, my hubby added his stuff. Over the years, we'd become a dumping ground of unwanted items, which we happily accepted. Since we didn't have the kind of money to go out and get what we wanted, we accepted what we were given. With my stuff, his stuff, kids stuff, miscellaneous stuff...our small house was getting stuffed!
We had so much that was useful with no real style to the arrangement of anything. Although I worked like crazy rearranging things, I couldn't be satisfied.
But the great thing to happen with my inheritance was that I ended up with items that weren't just functional but I really liked them. I got two lamps. They are beautiful. I would have never purchased lamps because I wouldn't have seen the need to spend the money when I have lights. However, I really like my lamps.
I got some old suitcases. They are probably not something that I'd ever use for the intended purpose but they found a place, with my hubby's antique trunk and suitcase, and became a beautiful stacked arrangement in my living room. An antique sewing machine (which probably doesn't work) became an end table (with one of the lamps on it :) ). Several little decorative items for the wall (which I would never have purchased because I didn't have the excess money) peek out from their places where they fit beautifully into my decor.
Long story but a lot changed and things were moved around...
Then we suddenly found ourselves where we could think about having a dining room table again. (For a few valid reasons, we hadn't had one in years.)
We decided to let the antique theme from the living room spill over into the dining room. We antique shopped until we found a dining set that we liked and had a price that was right. When we brought it home and rearranged that area, there was an empty space on the wall. I tried out several old frames that my hubby had brought home (freebies) over the years. I'd hang them on the wall and debate. Then I found a huge old frame that was stuffed in the back of the closet. I brought it out and hung it. Finally, I found something that I liked. The problem: The images that we were debating on were not ones that we'd want to spend a large amount of money on...and the frame was 24x36!
Then I thought of an image I'd just taken of our daughter. I commented that she looked like a princess. Fancy frame plus my daughter looking like a princess...It was a winner! I saved to get the money to purchase the print. I worked designing the look that I wanted it to have. I repaired the old frame as best I could. I designed the matting that I wanted around the print. I had a vision in mind.
Last night my vision was hung on the wall. :)
My hubby getting a cell pic of our beautiful new wall image.
My vision on the wall.
(It's picking up more yellow in the upload :( ...It's really more of a natural black and white but you get the idea.)