Everyday Living

The Case For “Real” Books

~ Bookends, Decorating

 “Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22:17-18‬ ‭

I think I have said it so many times, by now most of you know that Butch and I are avid readers and we are passionate about books!  Both of us teach small groups at our church, so much of our reading is centered on studying scripture…which is a privilege and a priority for us!  We always have a book close-by, and usually one that is waiting on deck!  Butch is currently reading a very long and compelling book on the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas.  I am finishing up the fascinating Mitford series by Jan Karon (just a few years late).  Our reading runs the gamut…inspirational, historical fiction, travel, biographies, coffee table books…you get the idea!

As an interior decorator, I found many clients that had bookshelves to be filled, but didn’t own any personal books that they had read.  I couldn’t begin to imagine that people didn’t read or didn’t even own books.  But, one thing is for sure, we have never had that problem…I have more books than I have places for them!

I certainly love shelves with gorgeous collectibles, but what I really love are shelves loaded with collections of “real” books that have been read by those living within the walls!  I have gathered examples of spaces that showcase the beauty of books!

Click each photo for the original source.

Follow my Pinterest board Libraries, Desks, and Bookcases


A very chic office with a unique wall color and a large piece of art, but the books give it an approachable feel!


A cozy space to pull those “real” books from shelves to read!


The vivid curtain draws the eye to the shelves lined with books!READ MORE

Chihuly Garden & Glass

~ Travel

“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”
Proverbs 11:25

We are back in Seattle today!  Last week, we took you along with us to Pike Place Market and I sure hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!  While we were visiting the Pacific Northwest, we covered a lot of ground…and saw a lot of interesting sites!  Early one morning, hoping to beat the crowds, Butch and I trekked out for a two minute ride on the monorail to visit the iconic Space Needle!  Since neither of us had ever been, we expected to go to the top, catch a nice view of the city, come right back down, and be on our way.

As we made our way to the ticket counter, I realized we could buy a combo ticket that included the Chihuly Garden and Glass, located adjacent to the Needle.  Now truth be known, I had planned to visit the exhibition, but had not yet mentioned it to Butch, thinking he would not be interested. At the suggestion to purchase the combo tickets,  he responded…”Who is Chihuly”?  I reminded him of the spectacular ten million dollar chandelier in the lobby at the Bellagio in Las Vegas made by Mr. Chihuly (he didn’t seem to remember).

But all it took was a trip to the top of the Space Needle.  Once at the observation deck, we could see over into the Chihuly Garden, and Butch’s interest level was piqued!  Being the artsy kind, I knew I would love it, but the fact that Butch was totally captivated by the sheer scope of Chihuly’s work was a pleasant surprise!  This exhibition was one of the highlights of our trip to Seattle!!!  Although the pictures cannot do his work justice, sit back and enjoy this feast for the eyes!


As we entered the “Glass Forest”, the first room of the exhibit, we were both taken by the unbelievable talent of Dale Chihuly.  We just stood and admired this very fluid glass sculpture made in the early 1970’s.


Neon was introduced inside the pieces which was very innovative during the early ’70’s.


The “Northwest Room” showcases these beautiful Native American weavings that Chihuly has collected.  He was born in 1941 in Tacoma, Washington.  He was introduced to glass while studying interior design.  In 1968, after receiving a Fullbright Fellowship, Chihuly went to work at the Venini glass factory in Venice.  There he observed the team approach to blowing glass, which is critical to the way he works today.READ MORE

Summer Tablescape: Stars & Stripes

~ Food & Entertaining, Tablescape Tuesday

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭

It’s time to fire up the grill and find your spot for the annual fireworks show…I can hardly believe that July 4 is next week!  It seems like we just welcomed summer with Memorial Day!  The red, white, and blue are flying high everywhere you look…and to me, they’re not only the colors of our great nation, but the colors of summer!

I don’t think I will be hosting a July 4 get-together this year, but I still wanted to set a table, so on Saturday evening when the scorching heat finally simmered down a little, I took to the patio.  As I started putting everything in place, I noticed it was getting dark and looking like rain.  Now, if you’re a blogger, you know that on a normal day, rain would not be welcome during an outdoor tablescape shoot.  But I would have gladly packed up and gone back inside if it meant relief from the 90-100 degree weather we have been having lately!  But to my dismay, the rain held off!  Pull up a seat and grab a glass of raspberry tea and join me at our summer table full of stars and stripes!


I love pulling out the Schwinn 3-wheel bicycle and parking it in the garden to add a little seasonal decor!


Red, white, and blue is always appropriate!READ MORE