Say No To Curtains

It's Friday, and I am linking with Kelly's Korner "show us your life" series. This week Kelly is asking "What window treatments do you have in your home?"

I am not a believer in heavy curtains. Luckily, I do not have neighbors in the back of my house, so for the most part, I can leave my wooden blinds open and let the sun in. I love to have light, open window treatments that show off the window frame and the trees outside, instead of hiding them.

Sometimes, it is ok to say no to curtains. I am going to give you two examples of how this can work in your home. First, below is a photo of the window treatment in my laundry room. The window is on the east side of my house and I choose to let the morning sun stream in. For color and fun, I have placed a flower swag above the window frame, with sunny, yellow daisies and ivy. This adds interest to the top of the window, but does not cover the view. It is attached with clear wire and two small nails.

Another idea for a window treatment in a den or a sports themed room, is to use a piece of sports equipment at the top of the window frame.

In my den, I have used a special decorative putter (Michigan State) between the window frame and the crown molding. Again, this adds interest and color to the top of the window, but the blinds can be easily opened to allow in light. Other sports related options would be a baseball bat, a hockey stick or a water or snow ski.

You can use your imagination - just know it is possible to use unusual items that work with the theme of the room, instead of curtains, to add interest and color.

Have a great summer weekend :-)

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Making Memories In Michigan

 

 

My vacation to northern Michigan was special to me for many reasons. "Up North" Michigan is not so much a place, but a state of mind - a place better spent with family. A place where you leave your stress behind and just enjoy your time together. A place that brings back memories of trips from childhood and a place to make new memories.

We spent our time this trip, in Mackinaw City and took a ferry for a day trip to Mackinac Island. We were staying at a beautiful hotel with a view of Lake Huron and the Mackinac Bridge. This bridge separates the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan and the Straits of Mackinac separate Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. The first thing I did was put my feet in the waters of crystal, clear Lake Huron.

Mackinac Island is a special place. There are no cars at all and the only forms of transportation are bicycles or horses. If you stay in a hotel on the island, your luggage is delivered to your hotel by a horse and carriage.

Mackinac Island consists of a main street with shops, hotels and restaurants as well as many inns and cottages throughout the island. The Grand Hotel is perhaps the most famous. Fudge shops abound on the main street and most people do not leave without purchasing some delicious fudge to take home.

One of the things you can do on the island is rent bicycles and ride around the perimeter. This 8 mile ride is leisurely and beautiful, with no cars to worry about. We had a great time!

One of the last things we did before catching the ferry back to the city, was visit Fort Mackinac. This historic fort dates to the 1700's and was built to protect the fur trade. It changed hands several times between the British and the American forces. There are self guided tours of the various buildings and even the firing of a cannon.

Other things we did on our trip included a dinner at a crazy restaurant called Legs Inn which is full of wooden carved tables and chairs and stuffed animals, rafting down the Sturgeon River and my favorite thing of all, a Lake Michigan sunset. We definitely made some new Michigan memories and spent some precious family time together :-)

Vicki

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Back From Vacation

I just returned home from a short vacation with my family. Here is a preview of our trip to beautiful, northern Michigan. This photo was taken at Sturgeon Bay on Lake Michigan, near the very top of the state.

We had a great time with my parents and my sister's family. Sunset on Lake Michigan is one of my favorite spots on earth. And, time spent with family is so valuable to me as each year passes.

More photos of this beautiful part of my state tomorrow. Have a great day!

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