Random 5 Friday

"If you so choose, each day can be filled with even more joy than the one before.
If you so choose, even the most seemingly random events can work in your favor." -- Ralph Marston
 
 
 
Happy Friday Cottage Friends ~

Whew!  Has your week been as busy as ours? 
 
Although a little late to the game, I'm ready to play Random 5 Friday with Nancy @ A Rural Journal.

#1 - Lookin' for a Home.
Okay, I'm about to date myself.  Anybody here remember Brook Benton's "The Boll Weevil Song"?  It's an oldie for certain.  The chorus "Lookin' for a home. Lookin' for a hoooommme" has been playing in my mind all week, as we've been out with realtors looking for. . .yup, a home. 
 
 

 
 
#2 - Guilt-free Shopping.
Even though we spent a lot of time house hunting, I managed to get in some thrifting.  These are a few of the goodies I found. I have a thing for vintage embroidery.  Although the dresser scarf (or runner, if you so choose) has little pink stains on it, it was only $1 and it is as sweet as they come. I'm pretty sure I can get those stains out.  Some of these finds will be repurposed. Lots of shopping for around $6.  Do you see anything suitable for Valentine's  Day?
 

 
#3 -  A Fairy Tale Experience.
Yesterday we visited our artist friend Steve at his cottage.  Now it's not your ordinary, run of the mill, cottage.  It's. . .it's. . .well, it's pretty much amazing.  I took over 100 photos of his extraordinary abode, which I'll be sharing in an upcoming post.  Dennis took this photo of Steve and me in the cottage dining room.  Notice the giddy look on my face?  You'll understand my joy when you see this place.  (Did I mention it's amazing?)


 
 #4 - Windows Schmindows.
Soooo, I downloaded the free upgrade to Windows 8.1 a few weeks ago. B I G mistake.  I immediately started receiving error messages with Blogger, then I lost access to my blog.  Not to mention all the other irritations with this version.  Finally, in desperation, I took my laptop to the local computer guy and had him de-install 8.1 and reload Windows 8.  Microsoft's "free download" cost me $60.  Moral of the story: Leave well enough alone.


#5 - What's old is new again.
Wallpaper is making a comeback.  So here's my question:
On a scale of 1 - 10 -- 1 being "I hate wallpaper with a passion and would rather take a beating with a sledge hammer than hang it in my home", and 10 being "Oh my gosh, I can't wait to rush off to my nearest home improvement store and buy 162 rolls to paper my entire home, including the garage." -- rate your feelings about this new trend.  Just leave your rating in a comment.  I'm dying to know what you think.

Southern Living January 2014

I'm so glad you joined me for Random 5 Friday.  And thanks for the nice comments you leave me.  I try to respond to every one because I just so very much appreciate the time you take to share your thoughts.

Hope your weekend is full of only joyful things.


Blessings,










24 comments

  1. Hey Nancy ~ Happy Friday! I cannot wait to see your friend's cottage, I'm a sucker for a house tour! I almost installed that same Windows update last week, but we lost internet in the middle. I subsequently read that it was a stinker, so you are not alone. House hunting is exciting, exhausting and emotional. I hope that you have been having some luck and it is a short process! Lastly, wallpaper...hmmm, I would say that I am an 8 on the idea of it in my home, but a solid 1 when it comes to taking it down! ;) Have a great weekend!

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    1. Well, I wish I had taken the time to read some reviews before downloading the upgrade, Kim. But maybe by sharing my bad experience I'm helping others avoid the same mistake, and that's a good thing. Have a great weekend, my friend.

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  2. oh, no i am sorry to hear you had blogger/computer issues. that is no fun. my hubby wants to get a new computer because the old one is getting not to working well so he keeps looking & he does not like windows 8 at all ... he wonders will the computer hold out until windows 9??! nuts!! happy weekend to yoU! ( :

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    1. Thanks, Beth. If there was a way to blog without the use of technology, I'd be a lot happier. Hope your weekend is off to a great start.

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  3. So glad to see your Random 5--I think it is such a fun meme!

    I love your thrift store finds. As for Wallpaper...I like it as long as I don't have to deal with trying to take it down.

    I saw where you mentioned the Windows thing..actually commented I think. But it did not dawn on me till just now that Roger's laptop is Windows 8 and he got the notice for the download you did. So glad we didn't do it now that I have heard your tale.

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    1. I like to participate in Random 5, Rose. It causes me to look back on my week and appreciate every day -- good and bad. Glad you didn't download the upgrade. I wouldn't recommend it. Hope you have a lovely weekend.

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  4. I'm sorry you had computer issues. We are so far behind, we are still running Windows XP. We really need to upgrade.

    Wallpaper? I guess I would vote 5. I like the look in bathrooms. Neat thrift finds? I like old embroidery too. I have some runners like that.

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    1. Tina, I grew up in a time when mothers taught their daughters to embroider and sew. Although I haven't embroidered in years, I truly appreciate the work that goes into embroidered pieces. The runner is exceptional, as one could actually use it with the reverse side up. The embroidery is that perfect.

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  5. Wallpaper for me is a three. I used to use wallpaper, now I see it as a thing of the past.

    Happy you mentioned about the Windows upgrade . . . I have heard others having problems too. Sorry you were out $60!

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    1. Lynne, I'm with you on wallpaper. I've taken off far too many layers on houses I've bought to seriously consider putting it on walls myself. I did use borders for a short time, but I like to change things up too much to be committed to anything requiring that much effort and expense. Fun to see how others view it, though.

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  6. I have never installed wall paper and never will -- from other's experience, there will come a time when you want it gone and therein lies the problem. I like a fresh coat of paint to liven up a room -- just sayin'. :)

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    1. Ditto. Even though I've never put wallpaper on the walls in my homes (except for a border once or twice), I've had to remove plenty of it. It's not fun.

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  7. I am looking forward to seeing --reading more about the painter's cottage! OH OH I know what you mean about the new windows. I never upgrade to a new system until it has been out for a long time and the kinks have been worked out. HOWEVER, even though I told it not to upload it may have done something because I started having problems at the same time with internet explorer and my blogs. So thankfully I also have Google Chrome on my computer. When I use Google Chrome I have no problems. I do like some wallpaper---but mainly for an accent wall. When we moved to our condo I payed someone to remove the paper from the kitchen and two of the bathrooms. There is still one bathroom with wallpaper that I have chosen to live with for now. I think I would instead go with stenciling an accent wall if I wanted the look (although that would be a lot of work).

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    1. I've thought about downloading Chrome. I may do that at some point. For now just uninstalling Windows 8.1 has resolved my problems. I like toile wallpaper, and maybe that's timeless enough that I could use it somewhere. But overall I like the freedom to easily change a room with paint. Thanks for visiting; it's meeting you. :)

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  8. PS one problem that I have not been able to resolve for months is my lists on the side of my recipe blog and another old blog I have ---I can not add to them alphabetically. If I start a new list it does alphabetize, but if I add to the older lists it mixes them all up. This is a big pain, because I have some huge lists. I would have to go through and change it all! So instead I have left them---I use my pinterest for finding my recipes and my search engine at the top of the blog. It has been a big disappointment with blogger.

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    1. I'm sorry you're having trouble with your recipe list. Maybe Blogger will come up with a fix. Have you done a search on the Blogger forum to see if anyone has a suggestion?

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  9. Not a wallpaper fan, but there are many paint techniques that give you the feeling of wallpaper. As far as windows 8...haven't heard anything good about it yet. I'm happy to have confiscated the kid's new laptop with windows 7 that I bought for her senior year in high school for her journalism class. Ha. Had to buy her a Mac for college, though. Two laptops in one year. Lucky me, I guess. Aloha and looking forward to the friends cottage pics. Need some winter inspiration.

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    1. Macs don't come cheap. I bought one several years ago on which I stupidly spilled a 12 oz. Starbucks Café Mocha. Lost the laptop and all my files. I really shouldn't be allowed within 3' of computers. We don't get along. Hope your week is off to a great start.:)

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  10. Oh, my! What a lovely blog! I am so happy to have found you today. I love thrifting, too...it is great fun to see what treasures you can find in another man's trash! Your pictures are just beautiful. I could stay here for hours! God bless you and yours throughout the new year. I am your newest follower. :)

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    1. Thank you for leaving such a sweet comment, Cheryl. It's a pleasure to have you as a new cottage friend. I'm off to visit your blog right now. Blessings ~ Nancy

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  11. Years and years ago I hung wallpaper and will never do it again. It is much harder than painting. I like your thrift finds. I hope you will find a home soon.
    Have a good weekend.

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    1. Thank you, Barb. I know we'll find a place soon. I agree that painting is much easier than hanging and removing wallpaper. Faster, too. Have a great week. :)

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  12. I grew up with wallpaper in our home...(it was the 80s). And I've had to remove wallpaper from one small bathroom in the first home we purchased. It took FOREVER. Since then, whenever we have looked at houses to buy, I almost immediately eliminate any that have wallpaper... No wallpaper for me.

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    1. I grew up in a farmhouse with wallpaper in every room. Whenever my mother redecorated, the wallpaper hanger pasted the new paper over the old. They never removed paper, just kept adding layers. It was awful, Jill.

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