Little white wagon progress...Gris Bleu!

I read this wonderful bit of information recently while working on changing the colors in my old Charlton House....
The color blue is associated with the mind and body and can produce a calming effect while slowing the metabolism, NOT GOOD! However, Blue is often used as an appetite suppressant so if you run a restaurant, consider painting it red; but if you're dieting (Always!), put lots of blue in your kitchen and dining room from blue plates, blue candles, and blue placemats. So I chose blue walls….figured I’d get better results by the mere square footage!
Well, it’s really Gris Bleu, blue gray or as Sherwin named it, Austere Gray….
Here’s a peek, I think it’s rather lovely; but beware, if you are cooking a special meal or headed to your favorite restaurant today…look later, it may spoil your appetite!

Love how it changes with the light!

Moving on to the infamous “soon to be work room”… next color please!

Joyfully losing my craving for blues! b

7thJoy Blogett for August 23, 2010

And They're Off!!!!

A Junior and A Freshman in a Red Truck!

Prayers Please!!!!

Joyfully free of carpool, but not worry, b

Sometimes the hardest thing is to just be STILL!

Seems to be a theme of late, around here at least!!

It starts at a very young age…thinking we’ve got to move, crawl, stand, walk and then run.

Sweet Quinn is growing so fast, already wanting to walk, but just beginning to crawl. She’s very anxious to MOVE! My prayer for her is that she will move through life seeking God first and taking one step at a time; listening for His direction when she is lost, resting in His love when she is tired and letting Him carry her when she can’t walk on her own.  But most of all that she will remember to be still and know that He is always with her even when it may feel like He is not!

Jeremiah 29:11 "for I know the plans I have for YOU, declares the LORD.

I received this email earlier this week…loved the thought of 1000 women praising Him with one voice, at any hour…feel free to share with those you love...I am!

Dear Woman of God:

Be still for a while and praise God for His favor, His grace and His Awesomeness.

God is able to do the impossible and is always near. He loves us unconditionally.

Together, let's get 1000 ladies to praise Him with one voice in this next hour. Please forward this to every woman you want God to Bless!

Praising with Joy, while running and stumbling,

(God’s way of slowing me down),

b

White Wagon of Progress Bloggett of the Day

Its amazing what you can do with things from the Home Improvement Store.....

Landscape Burlap, 3 ft x 24 ft per package, $8.98 + tax becomes....

Rust.chic window treatments in the new feelin' blue living room!  Magdalene might be appalled but I love it!

Joyfully rolling along.....b

I’m feeling blue…not sad, just blue!

My little white wagon of progress following days of indecision finally rolled a color on the walls….getting closer and closer to that new work space, by way of my living room!

See, I told you ADHD Design by B!!

The change begins upon entry, I needed a new view and the view is now BLUE… with a bright but subtle color called “Conservative Gray”. It’s definitely not conservative and it is truly not gray! But I think I love it!

A little like the sky changing ever so slightly with the light and“un pu de francais” or a wee bit French as imagined by a Texas girl who’s never been to Provence; it’s quite different, which is exactly how I want things!

The problem? It only took me 8 samples and at least a week of staring at a patchwork of them all on my wall to decide which one was best. And even after that, wall by wall, I painted and placed things back; convincing myself with each 90 degree turn that it was the color I had envisioned. Where did that come from?? I’ve been doing this for clients for the past 12 years and all of the sudden, I have learned the art of second guessing myself!

Finishing it without any assistance from St. Philip (painting is the only thing he is obstinate about), I breathed a sigh of relief, as did my fingernails! Blue tape removed, I’m one room closer to changing the landscape in this 75 year old relic of a home! Wondering all the while, how many coats of paint have graced these plaster walls and if, in fact, the Ghost of Magdaline might be as pleased with the new shade as I am.

Who knew blue could be a color of JOY! b

My baby sister Mary….I mean Judy!!

Jesus at the Home of Martha and Mary
Playing the part of Mary (Judy Abbott Serafini)
Playing the part of Martha (Belinda “wantabeMartha” Abbott-Shaw)

Jesus and his disciples went on their way. Jesus came to a village where a woman named Martha lived. She welcomed him into her home.  She had a sister named Mary.

Mary sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was busy with all the things that had to be done. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, my sister has left me to do the work by myself. Don't you care? Tell her to help me!"

 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered. "You are worried and upset about many things.  But only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better. And it will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42

I start with this scripture from the Bible, because the story reminds me of one of the many things I admire about my sister….don’t get me wrong, she’s an extremely hard worker and wonderful homemaker…but she knows when to SIT and live in the moment.

We are so unlike each other in so many ways, we have chosen very different paths, the way we approach life is not at all the same and we married men who are polar opposites. Her, only one, her partner since 8th grade! Me…we won’t go into how many tries it took before I found St. Philip! But it goes without saying, we’re just very…Different!!!

But different in a good way, the way that most sisters are I think. From the very beginning we were like night and day. And as we grew into our own it became apparent that we had drawn different cards in abilities, strengths and weaknesses and in life in general.

But with all the differences, we compliment each other. We share, we laugh at things nobody else would, we understand each other when nobody else can, and we love each other when nobody else seems to! But sometimes this bond has a strange way of bringing our differences into sharp focus! And sometimes we learn qualities and perspectives from each other we do not naturally possess.

Like sitting when it is all that is needed. That is my sister, knowing what is most important and spending time in it, never rushing around it! I wish, oh how I wish I could be more like my sister.

I love her for so many reasons, but mostly for sitting, listening, caring and loving!

Joyfully, Judy’s big sister, b

Now, let me get back to painting and sewing!!!!!