nesting

January was too busy to do much cozying up of our house.  And, really, once Christmas decorations come down I have to sit in darkness and mourn for a little while, anyway.  Although, this year my son and husband had the brilliant idea to leave some white lights strung ,all naked-like, across the windows in the family room.  And a few underneath the mantle.  That sure does help.

And a couple of weeks ago, I poured some epsom salt into four canning jars, added tea lights and put them on the window sill over my kitchen sink.  That helps, too.

Today, we finally chose a spot to hang a piece of artwork that I'd been counting down time until I could purchase from Phaedra Taylor, aka PhaedraJean ArtMachine.  When we visited a couple of weeks ago, this sweet trio came home with us.

Meet Ambrose, Thornburn and Addie Share Secrets (or Norm, Claude and Beverly, as Brian has dubbed them because, apparently, he was too macho busy to remember the perfection of their real names.)

I think I first fell in love with this piece during Phaedra's presentation at Art Show on Main 2008.  She told us that even she was not sure what secrets these three had to tell, and that, perhaps, we'll never know.  What mysterious delight!  Now, as my family scurries down the stairs each morning, headed out into the mysteries of our own busy days we will pause and look into the world of Ambrose, Thornburn, and Addie, and remember to wonder.  As we head upstairs each night, we will take this irresistable image of innocence into our own secret, sleepy dreams.  Now, I think I need to add a bookshelf or thinking chair to that corner.  Ideas anyone??

Today also is the big day to remove the horrific light fixture that came with our kitchen when we bought the house almost two years ago.  I really don't try to be a complicated woman.  Honest.  But when I saw this chandelier in a library book and then on the Pottery Barn website, well....

Over the last year, I've been saving MyPoints to earn PB gift cards.  My husband and mother and sister added to the nest egg with Christmas gift money.  It's been sitting in a box in the corner of the kitchen until today.  Now, thanks to the mercy of my jet-lagged husband it's hanging over our kitchen table.  Naked as a jaybird.  The rest of my day will be spent dressing it in lovely papers and found-objects.  Suggestions anyone?

I can't wait until Christmas to do this....

Brian wants to hang some pictures from Africa.  Perhaps, we'll start with this one.

What do you think?