Since it was so humid outside this morning and the air fogged up my camera lens, I decided to walk around indoors and take photos.
A New Quilted Throw:
I wanted to show you the new quilted throw I ordered from Amazon that I put over the back of my couch.
I’ve nearly ordered this throw half a dozen times and then for whatever reason didn’t. Finally I ordered it and it came yesterday.
One gets tired of looking at the same thing all day every day.
Because of the coronavirus I only leave my apartment a few times a month.
Oops. Looks like I need to clean the mirror. It never seems to look streaked until I take a photo of it.
House Plant Update:
Many of my house plants are spending the summer outdoors. Some have gotten pretty big being out in all that humidity.
I still have these in the tub in the living room and four more plants in the bedroom.
Remember This Red Cupboard?
A few weeks ago I brought this red cupboard from my bedroom here to the living room.
It’s been back there for a few years. But I didn’t have much I put in it. So it came in here to spend some time.
I actually put dish towels in it since I never use the kitchen drawers.
Years ago I found mouse droppings in the drawers and that was it for me. I haven’t seen signs of a mouse in probably four years.
But that’s still stuck in my memory, the vision of my clean dish towels residing with mouse droppings.
Those drawers will never be used again because that’s just how I am.
Ivy’s Toy Bin:
Those are Ivy’s toys you see at the bottom of the above photo. And they are used often because Ivy always seems to have a toy.
About once a day I walk around and pick them up and put them back in the red bin.
Gift From A Reader:
A reader gave me this leaf she made. Isn’t it beautiful?
She came here from Texas about a year or so ago to pick up dishes I said I’d give her.
There’s Charlie on the couch.
He’s waiting for me to sit down in the chair so he can sit next to me. He always waits on the couch till I’m finished doing whatever I’m doing.
Dining Space:
And here’s my little dining space with the $10 table and the outdoor chairs purchased from Pier 1 I bought way back in Texas.
I like outdoor chairs because they’re so durable. And if you need to clean them, you can just take them outside and hose them down.
The Old Pier 1:
I guess Pier 1 has gone out of business. I can still recall the first Pier 1 I ever visited. It was in Norman, Oklahoma where I raised my kids.
I thought it was so exotic with the world-themed decor I rarely saw anywhere else. And the air was filled with the scent of whatever incense they were burning.
Trends Of The Past:
Back then it was popular to hang flat baskets on the wall. Do you remember that?
And if I recall correctly, the only furniture Pier 1 carried back then was wicker and rattan.
I think they got too expensive. Sometimes I would go in, before Covid of course, and walk around in the Pier 1 here. But I very rarely purchased anything.
Still, I hated to see them go out of business.
Last Night’s Supper Menu:
Last night I fixed another pan of cornbread and had a little leftover roasted chicken I defrosted. I also ate cornbread stuffing, three bean salad, and sliced veggies.
I added a sliced pepper to the stuffing just because I had it on hand.
And I also gave Ivy a few cornbread crumbs and luckily she didn’t throw up again.
When I give one of the babies a treat I have to give one to the other. One or the other will follow me around and won’t let me forget until I do.
Where Are The Birds?
I can’t figure out why I can’t seem to get photos of the cardinal couple outside any more. Well, any birds really.
I wonder if the birds are instinctively staying out of sight because they see Ivy peering out at them?
And there she is, watching for birds.
Ivy gets so excited when she sees the birds.
She gets down on the floor and puts her face up to the panes of glass and thwaps her tail back and forth.
And there’s my Charlie boy with a soft throw. He loves them and often burrows down inside them where no one can see him.
Then that drives Ivy crazy and she digs at him. And that makes him angry. So when she finally uncovers him he snaps at her.
I tell her to leave him alone. But it’s like she can’t help herself.
I hope you enjoyed the little stroll around my little apartment. It isn’t very big. It isn’t fancy or anything, but I love it because I’ve injected my personality and things I love into every room.
Sorry I didn’t make it back to the bedroom. I’ll do that another day.
What a lovely tour of your comfortable and welcoming space. I love this blog and always find your writing style so engaging. I also used to love Pier 1 and it did not arrive in the UK for a few years but did not last long, since their style was not really too interesting to most Brits. When I lived in Orlando, FL I used to go and thought it was the most exotic place. So much so that as a gift for my parents I bought a planter about 4 feet tall which I then somehow managed to fit inside a suitcase and brought home in my luggage! Baggage control at the airport were amused by my determination to get the thing home. Stay cool during this heatwave..I sympathise as I live/work in the middle of the desert here in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Colin
I’m a fan of decorating with red and love to see how you include it in your beautiful place! How do you hang the quilts shown on this tour? Hanging them really adds so much to your decor!!
Brenda your home is absolutely beautiful they say your home is a reflection of you I know I love to decorate my home I try to buy things that tell people who I am I’m a country girl I love flowers and working outside in my garden and I love my grandkids ❤️ Your pets are so sweet I don’t have a cat but I have 4 dogs all outside 3 German shepherds and a Boykin spaniel that’s a South Carolina state dog I raise them I enjoyed seeing your home today love your posts take care!
You do have a very welcoming space Brenda! We really need to be happy with our surroundings particularly these days. I love your new throw! My Gracie has a soft throw like Charlie and does the same thing hides at least her face in there….they are funny our fur babies!
Stay safe
Brenda, your home is so beautiful and perfectly clean!! It deserves a magazine feature. I love the new quilt, you are the queen of mixing patterns and colors. I can’t wait to see the bedroom…I’m sure it’s as lovely as the rest of your fabulously decorated home.
I’m glad you like the leaf. I’m trying to make some out of elephant ear and squash leaves. Hot and hard work but fun to see how they turn out.
I have fond memories of coming to your charming home to pick up the dishes. My husband couldn’t understand it but I wanted to meet you in person. Plus it gave us the opportunity to tour NE Oklahoma and I had not been there in a while.
Stay safe!
Ann
I love the quilt hanging on the wall by your table and chairs. I notice you raised the lamp a bit higher by putting it on top of something. That’s a great idea and I might borrow the idea for my home.
Brenda, I love the way you put things together. Everything ties together and is so neat. You truly make your space a home. I think you could stage homes for resale through a realtor. Love the new throw/ quilt but the link did not activate. Was thinking of ordering one as a gift. Charlie & Ivy look so good and it is because of your excellent care. These babies know for sure they are loved.
Your home is lovely, Brenda! I enjoyed that stroll through the rooms very much. I’ve spent most of today inside since today up here in my part of Canada it was 111° which is toasty. Our weather has been hovering around the 100° to 105° range for the past few weeks. Plants take forever to start growing in the spring because we need to wait for the ground to thaw and then in comes the usual heat and all I do is water them several times a day to keep them from drying out to a crispy mess! It’s wonderful to have the hot summer days but so frustrating the season is so short and fall/winter have arrived again. Bear used to love the heat when I walk him but now he’s happier walking in the shade or cool morning or evening. He gets what he wants since age does have its privilege. Thank you for the tour today. Next time, the bedroom! ❤
Jan
I love seeing the photos of your apartment. I love watching your “style” evolve and the fact that you put what YOU love in your apartment, not what some magazine says you must have!
One thing I don’t recall seeing is your front door! Do you have a porch/stoop that you can decorate, etc?
Brenda, thought I’d respond in regard to seeing no birds. Usually, (I’m in central Wisconsin)we always have all kinds of little birds flying back and fourth from the trees to our feeder. In the last four months, they have disappeared. We were outside yesterday on our front deck, and did see a Morning Dove..heard him with his call, on the neighbors roof. Other than that bird and maybe a robin now and then, the rest have gone elsewhere. Maybe it’s just the weather. Thought it was just in our area, but guess some of yours are gone for a while too. Enjoyed your tour, I like to see how someone else decorates, and you always have such interesting and fun ideas, that just are perfect…Hugs from 79 degrees in WI.
Love your new throw! You are right about Pier1 the smell of incense when you went in and the wicker and rattan furniture. You mentioned where the birds are, my daughter and I bought a new bird feeder and since we put it up we haven’t seen any birds! We thought maybe it was the cedar smell that was keeping them away. My house plants love it when I put them out on the porch for the summer they really thrive out there! Thank you for showing us your apartment. I really like the leaf that one of your readers made!
You made a wonderful choice in the new quilt. It looks great with the yellow pillows. I always look forward to your photos. I didn’t know Pier 1 is no more. I stopped shopping there years ago when they got too $$$. Have a great week. Andrea in SoCal
As usual you’ve knocked it out of the ballpark with that quilt. I especially like the metal touches. That credenza you have with the red chest sitting on it is fantastic. Do you happen to remember where you got it from? Happy Monday and I hope your week won’t be too hot. We are heating up here.
Got the credenza from Hobby Lobby over a year ago. Got the red cupboard from an antique mall for $30 some years ago.
I’m always impressed with your decorating skill. Your apartment is a labor of love, and a peaceful oasis from the craziness (and current humidity!) of the outside world. One thing I love about pets (even though sometimes it can be annoying!) is how their entire world revolves around us. You have your tasks to complete, but Charlie only has one – wait for mommy! Sometimes I just need my space….but here they come!….all six cats and a big, bumbling dog….vying for hugs and pets and lap space! Oh well, it’s what I signed up for when I took them in as needy discards, and I have no regrets! Not one! (Although I would like my pincushion back that someone here thinks is his toy!)
I love your new throw! And I always enjoy when you share photos of your home, because it’s so homey and comfortable. Just heard from my son who’s currently deployed to the Middle East. 129 degrees there today, never got below 120. I live in the Rocky Mountain region and it’s 75 here currently. I can tolerate some heat (but nothing like what my sons experiencing), but humidity would do me in.
Love the red in your apartment! You really have a talent for making everything look so comfy and cozy
The throw looks so stunning on your couch and with your other colors. I really like the touch of yellow- we all need brightness and cheer in our homes if we want to be in them safe. Little touches mean a lot to make our homes good places to be.
The new quilt is beautiful, and fits in so well with your decor. You have such a lovely and comfortable home. Thanks for the tour!
You have a lovely home Brenda, and you keep it so clean and tidy. It looks to be a lovely, calm and relaxing place to live.
I love it, it looks so pretty. Agree with the Pier 1 comments. It was more fun to shop there when it wasn’t so expensive. I bought my dining room chairs there back in 1997! They are so sturdy and comfortable, I will keep them forever. However, I do need to learn how to put new rush on some of the seats. Great apartment tour!
Does Ivy make a chirping noise at the birds, Bella does, she looks out the kitchen window.
Your little house looks lovely as usual,you could be a decorator or a stager!
I used to love Pier One also but I agree they got very expensive in the last few years as well as competing with online sales.
World Market is quite similar and I don’t think so pricey, it’s been awhile though.
Enjoy your day.
No, I don’t hear her make any noises at them. Ivy is pretty quiet.
I think your new quilt is so pretty and ties in nicely with the hanging quilt. Your home just looks like a very comfortable place to live. Charlie is such a handsome little fellow. And Ivy still has all the energy and curiosity that young cats have. So entertaining. Have a good day.
Oh very nice quilted throw Brenda! Great colors/shades.
Looks so pretty with sofa & recliner!
Re Pier 1 ,,,,,, was a favoriteto check out new things. Usually shopped twice a month. We have many things in our home from Pier 1. Have everything we need at this time in our lives.
Although I would love a new sofa. Ours is an oldie.
Your dinner sounds good! We fix
lots of chicken for meals. Easy go.
Wow ,,,,,, Ivy is gorgeous!
You take wonderful care of Charlie and Ivy Brenda!
So nice reading your daily posts!
I also love quilts. Last summer I treated myself a queen size quilt and shams from Great Bay home thru Amazon. Love it and it was really reasonably priced. I am on the surch for a fall quilt now! Enjoy your lovely home!
I love your new quilt. It goes so well with the quilt hanging on the wall! Your apartment is so pretty. All your decor goes so well together and looks so cohesive, warm and relaxing.
I have seen other blogs where the decorating is trendy and seems to be for visual purposes only. Your decorating style infuses comfort and your personality. I wish I had some of your creative skills! I absolutely drool over your wind chime each time I see it.
I have been attempting to transition blues, greens and cream colors in my home, but Covid has me homebound, and although I have ordered some new things online, it is a slow process right now!
Looks lovely. I like your red touches. What a comfortable and attractive home you have made.
Do you happen to have the link for that quilt? I looked on Amazon but there are a million quilts on there.
That would be perfect in my family room.
Here it is: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DPEQW7S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thank you! Mt large area rug is almost the exact same pattern except the background is red.
Ooooh, I absolutely love your new throw!!!