Gobs of knobs...

Okay, so I never thought I could ever so excited about knobs.
But just look at this beauty...
As it turns out, Hobby Lobby has a great selection of gorgeous knobs for verah, verah reasonable prices...

Can you tell I'm trying really hard to contain myself?

I actually went around my house trying to find an excuse to buy knobs.

Don't they look like jewelry for your furniture?



These little gems start at only $2.99.


Well, don't just sit there. You've got knobs to buy.

The Old House is in a new book...

I'm very excited about a wonderful book that just came out. I spent all last week reading it on my lunch hour.

This big, beautiful work is chock-full of historic photos from Hardin County, Texas. That's where I grew up and I'm a descendant of some of the Big Thicket pioneers.

Pines in the Big Thicket

Renee Hart Wells compiled these photos into a book for the Hardin County Genealogical Society. She put in so much time, effort and work into this project. This great work in historic preservation is a wonderful gift to all Texans, not just those with Hardin County roots.

The Old House is pictured on page 281 (bottom photo). The top photo is the darling old home of a relative, Ruby Herrington, which is now owned by John and Lisa Ferguson.

At the time this book was being produced, Renee didn't know about my family's historic photos. She's hoping to include them in another book in the future. Fingers crossed!

My grandfather, who was born in 1898, with his dogs, "Rock" and "Rye."

In November, Renee spent two days at the Old House scanning photos. I am very grateful for her efforts. You can see them here on Facebook.

The Old House

I found a few surprises in the book. One of my favorites is this photo of my namesake, Necel Herrington, and the Class of 1906. What a treat!

Aunt Necel is seated, third from left, on the front row

To order a copy for yourself, send $50, plus $6 S&H to the Hardin County Genealogical Society, PO Box 383, Kountze, Texas, 77625. The group is non-profit. Be sure to include your mailing address.

Thoughts on the Old House kitchen...

Cowboy bought me a subscription to Coastal Living for Christmas. Well, at least he signed me up for it. I paid the invoice last week. It's the thought that counts, right? But nevermind how I got it.

March was my first issue and, already, I'm inspired.

So, what I'm thinking is that this kitchen...

Would be perfect in this room in the Old House...

But, knowing how much I hate too cook, maybe I should just keep the current kitchen, which is a much smaller room with a lower ceiling...

And make it look like this...

I would love to provide a photo credit and link but I don't remember where
I got it and it's one of my all-time favorite kitchens so I just had to show you!

Don't you adore the sink?!? Swoon!

But maybe I'm still taking up too much space with the kitchen. Instead, maybe I should just do something like this...

Visions of Grandeur kitchen from Traditional Homes

It's gorgeous, even though it's small, don't you agree?

But then I think...

If I had a big, beautiful, functional kitchen, surely, I would want to entertain, right? (It's a nice thought but I'm not so sure!)

Classic Twist from Coastal Living's 12 Beach House Kitchens

I think I need a fresh perspective.

Your thoughts, please!

I'm nuts for the squirrel...

I've been wanting to buy a new sterling-silver necklace for awhile so last Sunday afternoon, I spent some time shopping for one online. I've been dreaming of something from nature such as a pine cone or a leaf but I think I'm going to purchase this adorable acorn instead.

My last necklace was a rhinestone horseshoe from Montana Silversmiths. It looks just like the one Carrie Bradshaw wears on Sex and the City. But I've worn it so much, the silver is wearing off in places. Travis gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago.

I knew I had to have this necklace the minute I saw the squirrel hidden inside the acron. How clever!

Maybe instead of buying it for myself, I'll ask for it for my birthday next month. It'll be even more special if it's a gift.

It's available for only $26 plus $4 shipping from the Etsy shop, Charms4You. If acorns aren't your thing, she has over 500 others from which to choose. The selection is awesome.

Post updated: This has sold out but my I ordered matching silver pine cones for me and my sister. The shop owner, Sue, is really nice and responsive so she'll let you know when she gets more in if you ask.

Linked to Silver Sunday

A special gift from my brother...

Sometimes I get it in my head that I've just got to have something. When that happens, it's all I can think about and it usually becomes an obsession until I get it.

About three years ago, I just had to have built-in bookcases... or something that resembled them.

I called my brother repeatedly for advice about how to construct them and he wound up building them for me. (Okay, I may have been begging.) He's such a talented carpenter. Wait until I show you the log cabin he built with no plans. Anyway, he lives two hours away so my bookcases were a big deal.

Here they are. We have since gotten a 42" TV to fill the hole. We didn't know how tiny our other TV was until we saw it in this hole.

We also got a decorative metal grate to cover the furnace "vent" in the bottom.


Here's the right side. I adore the beadboard backing.

Here's the middle... Notice, I pasted in a bigger TV to see how it would look. This looks exactly like the TV we wound up buying.

Here it is with our old, tiny TV. I would have taken new photos but it's kind of dark in here today.

Oh, heck, who am I kidding? I didn't feel like dusting everything because it takes nearly an hour. That's why I didn't take new photos. But it is very dark today.

I love, love, love this crown molding.

This is my fantasy bookcase photo. I painted the wall red, added a big TV and hard-wood floors.

So, kudos and many thanks to my brother. I love my bookcases...

Well, except for dusting them.

Linked to Make it for Monday, Metamorphis Monday, Make Your Monday,
Motivate Me Monday

Hooked on decorating books...

A couple of years ago, I joined Homestyle Books. I'm so glad I did because I'm crazy about most of the books I've purchased from them. They have a great selection and the prices are really affordable. Although it's no longer available at Homestyle, here's one of my most favorites...


There are so many (750 to be exact, duh) brilliant decorating ideas in this beautiful book, that I can't share all the ones I love. So, I thought I'd share three things that I definitely want to do in the Old House.

I just adore the idea of using a dollhouse for a shelf. I already have an antique dollhouse that was my dad's in the 1940s. It's packed away in a box because the mice were gnawing on it so, unfortunately, I can't post a photo.

There is a doorway just like this in the Old House and I think these doors would be fabulous there.

I think high-gloss white paint would look really good on the floor of Old House porch.

Click here to buy this awesome book.

Good morning, sunshine...

Okay, I admit I am not a morning person. Not at all...! But ever since I started my new job, I've been getting up really early... like 5:00. I've never had to get up so early before.

Contrary to what I thought it would be like, I really enjoy my early-morning quiet time. After the initial pain of dragging myself out of bed, I find it's actually quite pleasant... Well, at least after my diet Coke kicks in!

The secret to my early-morning success... Going to be early and waking up gently. Let me tell you, it is so much better than being jolted out of bed by a blasting alarm, then heading straight into the bathroom to get ready for work. I even bought myself a gentle alarm clock. (I like the birds and the wind chimes.) And I allow myself plenty of time to wake up doing things I love.

I can hardly believe it myself but I actually look forward to mornings now. I start out by reading blog and Facebook updates and checking my e-mail. I visit Joel Osteen's page and, if I have time, I sit in the recliner with Scooter and Bug and watch Creflo Dollar until I have to get ready. (And Reba, if there's time... Barbara Jean cracks me up!)

After that, I make lunch, start a pot of tea, start the car (if it's frozen), take a bath, put on make-up, hair, clothes, jewelry, then it's out the door, drive an hour, park... You know the drill.

So, there you have it... a non-morning person's surprisingly enjoyable morning routine.

Tiny treasures...

I think anything tiny is so charming. This miniature vignette sits on a stack of books on a very special bookshelf that my brother built for me.

This little wooden cabinet and the smaller of the two baskets were in a dollhouse that belonged to my dad in the 1940s. I still have the dollhouse and a few other pieces of furniture. Inside the cabinet are some tiny pies and cakes.

I don't know where I got this basket but I really like it.

I bought this darling chair off eBay for $3. I thought it was about 6 inches high, so you can imagine my surprise when I took it out of the box to find that it was only half the size. Now, I'm glad it's so small. I'll share more of my bigger miniature-chairs with you later.

This little basket is about an inch high at the top of the handle. It's from the 1940s. So cute!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing a few of my teeny-tiny pieces.