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What I Learned in April

May 8, 2017 by Patti 15 Comments

Let me start off by saying that the biggest thing I learned in April is that I’ve become very, VERY lazy about carrying my “real” camera with me and I’ve relied on my iPhone way too much.  While this is good for Instagram, it is not so good for blog posts 🙁

Caution:  Poor quality pictures ahead!!! 

It has been another busy month, filled with ups and downs and everything in-between.  Isn’t that just how life is?

Early in the month I had the chance to attend the Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference in California.  It was a huge opportunity for which I’m extremely grateful and I owe a debt of gratitude to my husband for making it happen. 

These conferences aren’t cheap by any means and the fact that Mr. OTN was willing to spend his hard earned money to send me caused me to realize (I learned), once again, that my husband believes in me and supports this writing journey of mine.  For better or for worse 😉

The setting of the conference in the California Redwoods was amazing, but so was the chance to spend time with my beautiful friends:  Debbie Kitterman and Michelle Bengtson – Las Tres Amigas! 

I learned, (though I already knew) how much I miss the company of my writer friends when we are apart.

I sent a portion of my book manuscript ahead for review and went in a little fearful of what they might say about my writing.  After meeting with the reviewers I was very encouraged and felt ready to push forward with greater intensity.  After thinking about their suggestions I also realized that I need to change up my story quite a bit.

I was encouraged to use my life experience when writing this story, but not to think about it as our story (hubs and mine), as doing so will keep me from allowing my characters to step outside of my life own experience. I’ve learned that this has freed me to become much more creative in my writing.

I am having so much fun!

We were invited for Easter dinner to the home of Greenville friends, Mark & Leslie Hoyt.  This is the most fun-loving couple I know!

Here’s Leslie after testing the cheesecake.  LOL!

In the interest of saving a friendship I’ll share with you a more flattering picture of this lovely lady. I’ve learned through experience that it is always best to share the most flattering pictures of your friends.

I’ve learned, during my third Spring here in SC, that April is my favorite month in the Upstate.  All of the trees are so green and the flowers are at their peak.  Here are a few pictures from my yard.

Another thing I’ve learned is that I never grow tired of spending time in downtown Greenville and it is also most beautiful this time of year.  Hubs and I took an entire Saturday and spent it downtown at Fall’s Park on the Reedy River.  Writing, napping, and snapping photos with my iPhone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a day in the park and dinner at Pomegranate – a local restaurant with Fabulous Mediterranean cuisine – we went to see our local hockey team, the Swamp Rabbits, play game 5 in the playoffs.  I learned that sitting iceside can be a scary place to be!

 

I accomplished quite a bit of writing during the month of April.  I’m writing in my dining room now, which is nice because I can spread out all my books and papers and leave them there (until I have company – then I stash them under the table).  I’ve learned that the only problem with writing here – well, anywhere in my house really – is that I get distracted with decorating and wanting to change things up for the seasons. 

 

Case in point:  As my eyes wandered away from my computer they were drawn to this plain frame.  Very soon it was bedecked with Spring flowers.

 

 

April included a Celebration of Life for me.  I learned quite a lot in the months leading up to this celebration and one day I will write about it here.

 

 

 

Our month ended with a rockin’ concert by The Newsboys.  This is Michael Tait, their lead singer, pouring his everything out on the stage.  I learned, that this is one band that does not disappoint 😉

That almost wraps up my April except for:

We’ve had a few dogs in our lives and in the past two years both of our Beagles have passed on.  We still have our ten-year-old Boxador Sasha, but things have been a little quiet around here with all us seniors!  In April we learned that a dog we’ve been waiting for would soon be ours.

You’ll have to wait until next month for the full reveal of our new CharliGirl!

Until then, blessings y’all 😉

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStory, Making Your Home Sing Mondays, What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking, SmallWonder, 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, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson,MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner,  I Choose Joy,   Thought Provoking Thursday, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays, ThoughtfulThursday, Tune-inThursday

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration, Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With JesusFreshMarketFriday

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents,  SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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Filed Under: Easter, Flowers, Friendship, Gardening, My Yard, Southern Living, Spring Tagged With: Flowers, Friendship, Gardening, my yard, southern living, Spring, Writing, yeahthatgreenville

The Ragman

April 13, 2017 by Patti 19 Comments

I saw a sight so strange and experienced something so amazing that it is hard for me to explain it. If you can give me a few minutes, I’ll do my best to describe it to you.

… 

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Filed Under: Christianity, Death and Loss, Easter, Freedom, Friendship, God's Grace, Inspiration, Prayer Tagged With: Christianity, Death and Loss, Easter, Freedom, God's grace, Resurrection

Spring Decorating Home Tour

April 6, 2017 by Patti 65 Comments

What do you like most about Spring decorating?  I like that it means the cold weather is behind us (fingers crossed) but I also love all the lovely muted colors of Spring.  This is really the only time of year that I use peaches and pinks in my home decor, but I think I may need to use these colors more . . . without hubby noticing of course. 😉

My home has some other added color as I recently repainted every room on the main floor.  I can’t wait to share it with you.

… 

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Filed Under: Easter, Flowers, French Country, Home decorating, My Home, Southern Living, Spring, Spring Decorating Tagged With: Easter Decor, Flower Arrangements, French Country, Home Decorating, My Home, southern living, Spring, Spring Decor

Happy Easter!

March 27, 2016 by Patti Leave a Comment

healed

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Filed Under: Christianity, Easter, God's Grace Tagged With: Christianity, Easter, God's grace

Bunnies, Bunnies, Everywhere!

March 18, 2016 by Patti 11 Comments

To be sure, the bunnies  overrunning my house are more prolific than my writing has been of late!  We spent the first week of March in San Diego and since then I’ve spent much of my time fighting and then recuperating from an influenza virus.  UGH!

“No honey, I did NOT get my flu shot this year but I’m glad you did.”

So today, my words will be few and I’ll simply share a few Spring/Easter vignettes scattered around my house.Easter Decor 002This mama bunny cookie jar adorns my kitchen island, along with a pot of lavender and some gold leafed eggs.

Easter Decor 003Notice baby bunnies peeking out from beneath mama’s skirts.

Easter Decor 004

Easter Decor 043On my kitchen counter is a tray holding another porcelain bunny.

Easter Decor 005Easter Decor 006And one of many nests scattered throughout my house.

Easter Decor and Spring Arrangement 056The den has gone Green for Spring (more pics showing my bookcases HERE).

Easter Decor 017Thrifted and painted candlesticks and silver.

Easter Decor 016Dried hydrangeas from last year’s garden and a DIY moss covered cross.

Easter Decor 013I shared this photo on Instagram of a collection of vintage pocket watches and a tiny bird’s nest.

Easter Decor and Spring Arrangement 047Vintage books abound in my home decor.

Easter Decor 023I found this big bunny in a thrift store last Spring and I’m still debating on whether to leave him “as is” or to paint him.  I’m really loving the grey stone bunnies I’ve seen around the home decor stores.

Easter Decor 022Or maybe I’ll just paint his overalls pink and make him a her!

Easter Decor 011This is my favorite frame because I can print out seasonal pictures from The Graphics Fairy to change it up for each holiday.

Easter Decor 012I’ve added one of my tiny boxwood wreaths behind the glass to frame it.

Easter Decor 027On to my living room and another boxwood wreath hung on a lantern.

Easter Decor 026A lantern that is filled with more bunnies of course.

Easter Decor and Spring Arrangement 027I bought this stuffed bunny a couple of years ago because he looks so real.

Easter Decor 028I love his little chick friends too.

Easter Decor 029

Easter Decor 030

Easter Decor and Spring Arrangement 033In my dining room an old toolbox filled with lavender sits atop the hutch.

Easter Decor and Spring Arrangement 001A Spring Bouquet in a garden urn adorns the dining table,

Easter Decor and Spring Arrangement 007with another bird’s nest for good measure.

Easter Decor and Spring Arrangement 036One of my favorite things to create displays in is this large cloche that I’ve filled with Spring goodies.

Easter Decor 035Vintage sheet music with another miniature bird’s nest.

Easter Decor 039A mix of decoupaged eggs and gold leafed eggs.

Easter Decor 038A faux chocolate bunny purchased at Stein Mart.  This, after using a real chocolate bunny in a floral arrangement two years ago and finding it melted down into the flowers one sunny afternoon.

The weather is very Springlike and warm this week in South Carolina and the pollen is beginning to fly.  Hubby and I are working on a solution for keeping the furniture on the screened porch protected from the messy pollen this year.  I’ll let you know how that works out!  I hope you all are well and that you are enjoying the entrance into this new Season, wherever you may live. 

Blessings friends,

My Signature

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:

 TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, NiftyThriftyThings, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, CarrieThisHome, Dwellings, ProjectInspired
InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, Making Your Home Sing Mondays, The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking
Tuesday:
HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,  NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,
VMG206, TuesdaysAtOurHome,
TwirlAndTakeABow, TheWinthropChronicles,
Dream.Create.Inspire.Link, MeCoffeeAndJesus,Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky,Time Warp Wife,Solo Deo Gloria Sisterhood,Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, IvyAndElephants,
TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, A Little R & R, Whole Hearted Home, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart
Thursday:
ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife, AKAWeekendRetreat,
KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty, YourTurnToShine, Serving Joyfully/Thriving Thursdays, The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop, I Choose Joy,  Live Free Thursday, Thought Provoking Thursday,
MakingBrokenBeautiful
Friday:
FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays,TheShabbyNest, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
  ShabbyliciousFriday, TheCreativeCollection, Christian Mommy Blogger Fellowship Fridays, Blessing Counters,Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays,Faith & Fellowship Bloghop, Grace & Truth Linkup, Grace&TruthSharingRedemption’sStories, Dance With Jesus, The Weekend Brew
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, 
OneMoreTimeEvents,  SaturdaySparks,
TheInspirationGallery, Still Saturday, Recommendation Saturday, Make My Saturday Sweet

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Filed Under: Cloches, Decoupage, DIY, Easter, Flowers, Home decorating, My Home, Southern Living, Spring, Spring Decorating Tagged With: Cloches, Decoupage, Easter, Flowers, Home Decorating, My Home, southern living, Spring

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OldThingsNew

I am Perfectly Imperfect Patti, daughter of the King, wife to the amazing Mr. OTN, mom to two grown daughters, a great son-in-law, and companion to two spoiled dogs. At Old Things New I share DIY’s, budget friendly home transformations, as well as posts about how God transforms our souls. I myself have been made new and I love to share what I’ve learned through WRITING and SPEAKING. To view a short Vimeo of “Our Story” (Mr. OTN and I) please follow the link at the top of the page.

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