Inspiration – Old Things New

So Close to Amazing Farmhouse-Thistlewood Farms

October 11, 2017 by Patti 36 Comments

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

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How I Started Blogging & What I’ve Learned

August 25, 2017 by Patti 38 Comments

“I can hardly wait to see what God is going to do with your lives,” said a friend to me one day.

Are you kidding me? Our lives? My husband and I were in the midst of our season of Great Pain, and it was just the beginning of a long process of restoration. I couldn’t possibly see ahead to the day when God might be able to use us for anything good.

Words are powerful though, and the respect I had for this dear friend of mine made me want to live up to her expectations. Her words helped me in my battle through the pain to the healing waiting on the other side.

This blog, Old Things New, began as a result of that healing.

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The Day I Began Chasing Lions

August 4, 2017 by Patti 63 Comments

I’ve been trying to write “the book” for a long time now. I’ve trashed it twice. The first time I got about half way through and hated it. Bye-bye book. The second time I got a little further along and submitted a portion for review by professionals. Start again. So a few weeks ago I had to do some soul searching.

Should I continue with this story that I feel God called me to write or should I quit writing altogether? If I keep writing and finish the book, only to have it be a giant NOTHING, will I have wasted all the resources, time and money, that I put into it? Because really, if this is a huge waste I’d rather give up right now and pursue some purpose that provides more immediate satisfaction – like finishing up that little mirror project I have in mind for my bedroom.

I was more discouraged and closer to throwing it all away than I’d ever been before when I prayed, “God, is this really “the thing” you want me to do?”

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My Mother-in-Law was not Just a Sweet Old Lady

July 21, 2017 by Patti 59 Comments

We lost my mother-in-law last week. She was 98-years-old so people expect that she was probably in poor health, but in reality the end came quickly. Only three weeks before she entered the hospital she took the bus to a doctor’s appointment all alone. She had offers of help but – no thank you. She was a woman who, when she made up her mind to do something, was going to do it!

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Monday Musings – Dogs, Vignettes, and God

May 22, 2017 by Patti 25 Comments

Summer came in earnest on Saturday with the first REAL humidity of the year. The kind that leaves even heat lovers like us seeking air conditioned spaces. Then in the night came thunder, and lightening, and a real downpour that my yard gladly drank in.

Spring is my favorite time of year in the South. The yards are so green and different varieties of flowers are blooming daily.

May seems to be the month for magnolias and gardenias.

I’m musing today on the complexity of doggie relationships . . .

. . . as I consider why this perfectly behaved ten-year-old dog of ours would suddenly begin leaving nasty little messes in the house.

Oh I know it has something to do with the new puppy entering her world, but I’d like to get in her head and understand her WHY?

Because maybe if we knew the WHY we would know the answer to the problem.

In the meantime, she received a good scolding this morning and I do believe she is smart enough to think twice before trying something so foolish again, especially on the oriental carpet 🙁

I’m musing as well today on why my funny seems to have left me of late.

Hubby and I discussed it a bit this weekend and I came to the conclusion that my funny feeds off of other funny people and I haven’t been around enough of those types lately.

I know, a lot of people say that Mr. OTN is funny. But he’s funny in a different kinda’ way. Like the smart guy who acts goofy kinda’ way.

Right now I just might be hoping hubby doesn’t read this post. Click To Tweet

It’s all good honey. It’s like Disney’s Goofy. You like him, right?

My kind of funny is more like this:

At times I'm shocked at the brilliance of my words. Then I try to get out of the car with my seat belt on. Click To Tweet

I think I need time with some of my quick witted friends to get my funny back. Soon gals, soon. 🙂

Today I’m also musing on the message we heard in church yesterday about how we can be certain to know God’s will when we don’t allow ourselves to be conformed to the world’s views, but are instead, transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2).

We renew our minds when we spend time in God’s word and in prayer, getting to know Him, and when we deliberately focus on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, and on all things good, excellent and worthy of praise (Phil. 4:8).

It is so important to be careful about the things we allow our minds to settle on isn’t it?The more we fill our minds with toxic thoughts, the less room we have for God. Click To Tweet