Adding a Little Fall (Part 2)

When I went back to add the post for today and looked at the  previous post, I realized that my title was broad but my focus was a bit narrow.  (typical writer's problem!)  The focus was adding a little fall - to the den.  The post seemed a bit long since I was sharing changing and shuffling that has been taking place.  So, today I will continue with where I left off at adding a little fall and sharing the changes and shuffles.

I started with my view when I'm lounging on the couch.  Then, I swept toward the right to the pumpkin, checkerboard, and giant pinecone.

Here is a better look at that area.  The pillow in front is one that my mother made using pieces of my Dad's shirts.  The garden stool is one I was thrilled to get at $25 more than twenty years ago when Hobby Lobby had a half-price sale.  It is topped by a little Longaberger basket that holds chocolates for the grandchildren when they come.  Behind there is a print of a house in a meadow that Mike's mother gave him, a small china cupboard that was one of the few pieces Mike had when we married, a globe I found a few years ago in the storage room in our basement that Mike had no idea he even owned.  The print on the opposite side of the china cupboard is one Mike had that I did a frame makeover on several years ago.

On the opposite side of the fireplace is the matching chair and ottoman.  Beside it is an old Purity Dairies milk can that Mikes mother gave us.  She had it sitting outside her garage doors but I cleaned it up and it makes an ideal place to set a book or a drink  when the TV program gets boring.  Behind this chair is the buffet that has been there for years but above it is the aerial photo of the farm where I grew up.  Sentimental feelings wouldn't let me say no when Mom offered it to me but I had no idea where on earth I would hang it.  My bonus son came in one afternoon when I was shuffling and moving things around to make room for the heirloom gifts and marveled over it.  He went on and on about how it was really neat.  So, I asked him, "Where am I going to hang that?"  He scanned the den and noticed a painting on the wall of a house nestled amongst some trees and suggested, "You could get rid of that picture because we don't know where that place is but we do know about this one."  So, I knew I needed to hang it somewhere and began pondering where in the den.  The prints that came from my Granny that I did a different frame update on, got moved to make space for the aerial farm photo.  That pretty much covers the west side of the den.

Moving to the south wall, I gave away a sofa table that I had picked up at a yard sale and painted to make space for this piece of furniture.  It was used to hold bulk flour and cornmeal in the store that Mike's grandparents ran.  It is a beautiful, simple, old piece that both of us love and appreciate.  I put the cow lamp that was my Daddy's on top of it, added a few books, a piece of blue and white, photos of Mike and me and a basket with a few treasures.

I usually have fresh  flowers in the cobalt glass basket that was a gift to me from my niece, Rebecca's mother-in-law,  (I hosted her bride's maids luncheon and will always treasure the sweet gesture from Mrs. Taylor.) but right now everything has just cooked and I have nothing blooming.   I plopped a small ceramic pumpkin atop the blue and white candle holder and left the wood candle holder, blue and white ginger jar and box and called this area decorated for fall.

On the east side of the den is the sofa where I lounge crash each evening after dinner.  Here is where the prints from my Granny's moved.  They are now flanking the antique painting that was given to Mike by his mother.  It came from relatives on the paternal side of his family and the frame is a beautiful one that I recently did a bit of a touch-up on. The cross-stitch piece is one my Mom did and gave to us.  It may be getting a frame touch up sometime in the future so that the frame fits better with the others on that wall.

To add a touch of fall, I changed out the pillow covers.  A couple of them are a leopard print, a couple have a cream background with a golden brown toile-like print with pheasants.  In the center is one I made from a tapestry piece I got that has a Holstein steer surrounded by pumpkins.  The blue and white quilt/coverlet is one Mom made using pieces from Daddy's blue Oxford-cloth shirts that he favored as dress shirts.  Wrapped in it sort of feels like a big hug from my Daddy.

I love how the fall colors play off and sort of highlight the pretty blues in the artwork.  This room is difficult to photograph because the porch shades it and the natural sunlight that comes in during the morning hours tends to only cause a glare.  It usually feels cozy and comfortable in here no matter the time of day, though.  Just to the right of the couch is another addition to the den. 

This little table is one my Mom gave us.  It was made by my Daddy and Mike has already fallen in love with it.  The funny thing is that I think Daddy would love how he uses it.  Inside is a shelf and it houses Mike's TV snacks - cans of peanuts, chips, etc.  There is often a plethora of snack cake wrappers and such littering the top alongside his TV remote.

On the other end of the couch is another gift from Mike's mother.  This rocker is one that she said Mike's dad used to sit in and wait for the bus.  She said Pop and his brother would get ready for school and then they might start wrestling or messing around and so their mother set up a rule that they had to sit in one of the rockers after they ate breakfast to prevent them from messing up their school clothes.  Aptly, the pillow propped in it is one that is made from a pair of Pop's jeans.  The cane adds a bit of texture to the den and I added a little stool that I wove the cane top on twenty-five years ago or more.  It is a comfy old rocker and the story behind it really makes it a special addition.

There are a few things I'd like to do to this room yet.  While I love my big old couch and it is a great one for napping.  However, it is large and I'd like something a little smaller and I would like to have a sofa table with a lamp on it behind the sofa to make reading easier and the room lighter.  The ottoman/coffee table could use a refresh as the upholstery is starting to look a bit tired and the walls could use a refreshing paint job as well.  For now, adding a bit of fall has made it feel cozier and the additions made causing changes and shuffles have updated it to make it seem fresh.  So, I'm satisfied - for now.  Is a room ever really finished?