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Jul 22, 2020

Dynamic Decorating & Beachy/ Camping Themes, First Tomatoes!



Dynamic Decorating & Beachy/ Camping Themes-
Years ago I read about the concept" dynamic decorating". The short versions is- move things around once in a while. Sometimes things can get stale around the house. I've always loved bringing nature inside- pumpkins and corn in Autumn, cozy winter decor with snowmen, green things or flowers for Spring, then Summer decor. Since a lot of my decorating goodies were thrifted I don't spend a lot of money. If I get tired of things after a few years I can also donate them. I've seen too many people who buy more and more stuff and it gets to be on the edge of hoarding. When I worked with high poverty families in my school there was a pattern of just buying stuff- the latest technology, more stuff on the walls, floors, ceiling and it all gathered dust. And bills went unpaid. Generational patterns can be hard to break. I tried to teach my kids that. Not too much stuff! 

Negative space, in art, is having something blank for you eyes to rest on. Great idea, and I try and not overdo it. One of the great things about having storage is being to take things down and put other things up for a while. There are things I don't take down, like my favorite antique print my Aunt gifted me with long ago, The Angelus by Millet, hangs over our couch in the living room- 
 

and a photo of my Grandfather Alva on top of Mt. Hood in Oregon doing military training for WW1. He was the one positive male relationship in my life growing up so he's honored there. It hangs in our main hallway. I re-used the frame from another family member, Dave got the print enlarged and curved with the curved glass frame to fit- 



I've blogged about my general decorating style here My French Scandinavian Country Decor for more photos. Today I got out my beachy themed decor and camping shelf items. I blogged about this idea before, link here DIY Upcycled Thrifted Camping Summer Decor- on my dining room shelves- 






Living room entertainment center- 


Beachy theme starting on kitchen windowsill- 

Love my thrifted seashell frame, glass on both sides, and you can rotate

Beach table in the living room-


I brought out this older print I hadn't used in years. We won in a raffle 20+ years ago, Dave made the frame for me-


 Beach table-


Added my new thrifted lobster! 


Also added two big seashells I got at Goodwill months ago- 




On our living room window I added our memory jar I made last fall from our family vacation to the Oregon coast. I made one for each of my girls as well. Everything was collected from the beach except the beach glass, I added for color- 






First Tomatoes!
I made a simple salad with our two first tomatoes! I added sliced cukes, red onion, our fresh organic Basil and creamy Trader Joe's Feta cheese. Yummy topped with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh ground pepper.  Goes great with anything! We had it with spicy chicken and watermelon. Lots more on the vine and TONS of Lemon Cucumbers, my favorite!!!


10 comments:

  1. Your beachy theme looks really nice.. I LOVE the Angelus Print AND the Print of your grandfather and that frame is just fantastic!! Isn't it wonderful to make that first meal with what you grew in the garden? Nothing like it and it looked delicious!

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  2. Thanks Robyn! Hopefully we'll have enough tomatoes to can this year and beans and squash coming soon as well. Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. I like your style. I always switch things up around my house. I have a brownie just like yours but have not had any good ideas on how it should be displayed.

    Everything looks so nice.

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    1. Thanks Debby! I got that little brownie camera at a thrift store for $3 and it probably works if I got some film for it.

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  4. I have tomato envy! Still waiting here for green tomatoes to ripen up. You always find such great thrifted things!

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    1. Thanks Susan! We have a lot of green tomatoes we just had a really rough June since it was so cold and rainy. And yes I've been lucky at thrift stores! We have quite a few in the Boise area and I have thrifting radar basically if I'm getting a hip that I need to go to Goodwill now I do and I usually find something! I guess it's women's thrifting intuition haha

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  5. Hi Nancy :) Okay, all of these years I've been doing dynamic decorating and not knowing it lol! I love your camping display a lot. The beach table too, I'm a sucker for lighthouses. I'm VERY envious of that salad, boy it looks good. My tomatoes have not even flowered yet, I'm hoping for a late summer!!

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  6. Thanks yes I think some of us just like to move things around in like some variety. I've seen other people have the same exact thing on the wall for 30 or 40 years and can get a little stale in my opinion. Yes to cucumbers and peppers are getting right and you're definitely much further north than we are but hang in there here's hoping for good harvest for you!

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  7. I decorate for all the different seasons and holidays, but I do believe you change things even more often than I do! I can't imagine having the house look the same all year around and yet, except for the Christmas decorations, I grew up in a house where everything stayed the same year after year.

    P.S. I just read that one of the very best places to settle in your retirement years is Boise. How smart you are to already be there!!

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  8. On the Smitten Kitchen blog, look for”Almond-crisped Peaches.” I made them last night and they are fantastic! Halved peaches with a crunchy oatmeal not too sweet top. I’m going to have one for breakfast with yogurt.

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