I’m writing this post from an unexpected place today. Flat on my back. Due to a probable herniated disk the doc has ordered complete rest in order to get the inflammation down. I’ve been pushing too hard, right through the pain, until this morning when I was nearly brought to my knees in the shower when bending over to pick up my shampoo.
I want to tell you what I’ve been up to and why I’ve been pushing so hard but today, while I’m “under the influence” -Advil and Tylenol with a Tramadol chaser- isn’t the best time to try to communicate anything. I’m so loopy I might tell you my deepest, darkest family secrets, and that probably wouldn’t go over well with the fam.
So instead, I’m going to share with you pictures I took at Thistlewood Farms when I went to KariAnne Wood’s book launch party a few weeks ago. This really is an amazing farmhouse and I only call it “So Close to Amazing” because that’s the name of KariAnne’s new book in which she shares all the ups and downs involved in making Thistlewood Farms a home.
Rather than try to think and type at the same time, I’ll just take you right to the pictures. Most are not full room views as I tried to zoom in on all of the wonderful vignettes. MANY of the items KariAnne decorates with are handmade and the tutorials are available on her blog and in her book. Enjoy!
Beautiful KariAnne signing her books. She really IS beautiful, inside and out!
KariAnne’s own smocked burlap curtains. Love these!
I know that water bottle wasn’t meant to be a part of the vignette.
One of my favorite ever DIY’s from KariAnne was this pom-pom pillow. On my to-do list.
Chandys, chandys everywhere. I think there was one in every room.
Kari’s famous recipe plate rack. I HEART this and I want one. Mr. OTN?
Isn’t this butler’s pantry fabulous? It’s where Kari’s refrigerator lives.
This laundry room has long been a favorite room of mine and it was fun to see it in real life.
The guest room. I would be very comfortable in here today.
The master bedroom where Kari’s own sweet sister was creating artwork for the guests at the party.
Outside on the screened porch we had some live entertainment goin’ on.
Including Kari’s own sweet husband Denny. He is so proud of her book success.
Mr. OTN came to the party with me and this is where he chose to hang out for most of it. It really WAS a wonderful place to sit and relax.
The view from the porch.
Finally, here are some other pictures I took outside.
The studio.
The back porch. Kari painted the design on the floor herself.
Artwork depicting Thistlewood Farms.
If you don’t know Kari and her wonderful blog you are really missing out on something special, and her book, So Close to Amazing, is her personal story of leaving the big city life in Dallas, Texas to live in small town Kentucky. She shares her joys and her sorrows and her faith in the one who says she is amazing even when she is feeling far less than amazing. You can purchase the book by clicking on the picture below. It’s even on sale!
If you do know Kari you probably know by now that she and her family have been called back to Texas and have left Thistlewood Farms behind. How lucky the person who gets to live in this wonderful home, a place that will always hold a piece of KariAnne’s heart. Her heart has long been in her new home too though, as they’ve purchased the very home she grew up in. I’m looking forward to following along as she renovates and decorates this grand Southern colonial.
Speaking of Southern colonials, I’ll be updating you on the status of ours once I get to a place of being able to do that. A lot has happened during this blogging break of mine. Soon.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour of KariAnne’s home and that you’ve gotten lots of farmhouse decorating inspiration and I hope my words haven’t been too jumbled by the pain cocktail I’m under the influence of. Falling asleep even as I sign off here.
Blessings friends,
I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
SundaysAtHome, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays,RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays
Monday:
IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStory, What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking, MomentsOfHope,Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends
Tuesday:
TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CedarHillFarmhouse,TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles, Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage,ThreeWordWednesday, WriterWednesday
Thursday:
ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson,MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, Thought Provoking Thursday,SincerelyPaulas, ThoughtfulThursday, Tune-inThursday
Friday:
FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration, Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus FreshMarketFriday
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet
I had that happen to me about two years ago. I was turning on the printer and all of a sudden my back was in such pain. We had just installed chair rail in our hall so I was able to use that to walk down to the kitchen.
It took some time to heal, but thank God it did.
I hope you feel better real soon Patti. ❤️❤️
Isn’t it crazy how quickly one can find themselves debilitated? Ugh! I greatly dislike it. Thank you for the well wishes Rose.
Beautiful venue, beautiful farm. Loved the pictures. Hope you are much better soon!
Thanks so much Anna!
Thank you so much for these pictures. I love Karianne! Seeing some of the rooms with your eye was a delight. I am also looking forward to following Karianne as they go back “home”.
I hope you are on the mend quickly.❤️
Thank you Nancy. Won’t it be fun to follow Kari’s progress on her new/old home? It is such a different style of home on the outside. Will she still do farmhouse style or something completely different? I always feel like I need to make my home’s interior reflect something of the exterior. Anyway, it will be great to see what she has in mind.
Well goodness sake!! Better take care of yourself, and don’t do anything but rest and medicate! Miss you and can’t wait to see what tomorrow may bring.
Thanks Melinda. I promise you it is something good!
Oh, Patti….I hope you heal well and fast. I can’t believe you put together such a stunning post on pain meds!!
What an incredible place to visit and you’ve shown it perfectly!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Hmmm, maybe I should write under-the-influence on a regular basis. Just kidding! I think the only reason this turned out well at all is because I already had the photos edited and uploaded in advance of writing. If I hadn’t done that it would’ve been a real mess! Thank you Jodie.
What a great tour! Thank you for inviting us to go along on the tour. 🙂 I hope you feel better soon.
Thank you Joy. I am already feeling much better.
So like you to make the effort to bless us by sharing while at the same trying to recuperate! Thank you and blessings for a speedy recovery!
I would love in this house for at least a month!
Haha! Yes, I’d love this house for a month too. I didn’t even take pictures of the upstairs areas. It is really big and sits on acreage so it would be a LOT of work to maintain. Very beautiful though and fun to visit.
Patti: I’m so sorry to hear of your back problems. No fun at all. Prayers for healing.
I appreciate those prayers Joanie. Thank you!
It is a great house,whomever buys it will be so blessed with all she has done. I pray your back gets better, was wondering the other day about you.
Thank you SO much for thinking of me Marlene. I am feeling better already but I’m being careful not to re-injure myself. It has been an extremely busy blogging break with long hours of heavy work, which I’ll be sharing about very soon. I appreciate you!
Oh my, Patti! I hope your back feels better soon! My husband has low disk herniation and yep, when it goes out, he is flat on his back with a pillow under the knees… Or standing during meetings at work. Ice… 20 min. right over the spot tucked into the back of your pants. No more than 20 or you get a vasodilation and the nerves will fire up again. Ice is wonderful for stopping the pain-spasm cycle! Ice is your new best friend {besides all your blogging friends and family, of course. Lol! :)} Anyway, hope you are back up and running around soon. For being on pain meds, you wrote really well!
Have a great and better weekend,
Barb 🙂
Thanks for the icing advice Barb. On the back, pillow under the knees, and a little ice helped immensely. I can still feel the twinges but I’m back at work and being very careful. I know that I need to do some strengthening exercises as they would help prevent this from happening in the future. I’m so glad you’re reading KariAnnes’s book. It made me love her all the more!
p.s. Forgot part of what I was going to write… duh! And I’m NOT on pain meds so no excuse! 😀 I bought KariAnne’s book and have read a little of it. A shame she had to move back but a family home to move back into is wonderful! Maybe I’ll get the privilege of meeting her one day since she is close by {Dallas is just down the road from where we are in Sanger. Thanks for a fun post! <3
So glad you are on the mend! TY so much for the pictures of KariAnne’s book signing party – I missed it
Thank you Terie. I’m sorry you missed Kari’s party too. It really was wonderful to get to see her home in real life, and I look back and think how especially sweet the opportunity was now that she has moved to Texas.
Dear Patti,
I totally understand back pain. It’s truly miserable. I pray yours is healed soon!
I know that you do Anne. Thank you. Love & miss you too <3
Take care of yourself … I’ve been there and done that — no fun! Loved seeing Thistlewood farms. Looks like a great books signing. Loved the cotton ball wreath!
Thank you Snap. I am trying to be good to this ol’ body of mine and it sure is hard when there is so much to do! I’m glad you enjoyed the tour.
Patti, I so enjoyed this post! I have it open while I’m working just to take in all the creativity in the rooms. You have taken great pictures! And I’m headed over to Kari’s blog to check it out.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the tour of KariAnne’s home Crystal. I think you’ll love her blogging style too. She’ll become your old friend in no time at all!
She really has wonderful style! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!
Thank you Sherry!
Sounds like you has an amazing day at Thistlewood Farms Patti and what an honour to meet Karianne too! I thoroughly enjoyed her book.
It was a wonderful day Kerryanne! I’m glad you had the opportunity to read her story.
KariAnne’s home is gorgeous! Thank you for sharing. You are one of the features at the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House! Here’s the link to this week’s soiree: http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/make-pretty-monday-week-231/ Thank you again for sharing with us! Have a great week! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Thank you dear Kathryn! I’m so glad you featured KariAnne’s beautiful Kentucky home. You’re a doll!