Inspiration

Every month I decorate our house with items and flowers.
I have themes and events, different aspects of nature to learn about. Many of our things have come from our families and our children. I attempt to create a mood with the different tabletop scapes. We have all sorts of collections. As the year unfolds I bring those out so we can enjoy them. My teapots and coffee servers are usable. As I find ones I like, at prices I like, I buy. July has one.

The flower presses will stay out until I have them full of leaves and flowers. I have ideas on things I want to make this year. They make a nice collection.I need spots to store garden produce. I want every area in the house to be beautiful. These bins work. Will be beautiful when filled!

Each month we do different things too. I try to set out the things we will need for our activities. July doesn't seem to have many activities.

We often have traveled in July. Perhaps that is why July doesn't have very many things to decorate with.

While setting things out yesterday I was disappointed. July was not looking as beautiful as past months. I struggled. I read the journal and tried to do the same things I did last year but still I was not pleased. The house looked so-so, not the beautiful I like. As I looked around I did not see one area that made me gasp! I could not seem to put things together in a beautiful way.

Often, when this happens, I just need to get flowers and light the candles and once again the countertops and tables look pretty. I went out to the yard and looked around. Not many flowers to choose from.

The carrots are in bloom. They are beautiful. Some have started to set seed too.
Lots of the stems are hanging over onto the garden path.

I decided to cut a few for the dining room table.
I ironed the linens. The vintage look tablecloth, of a map of the U.S.A., looked good. Could be an interesting theme. We have taken road trips in the past in July. I have the scrapbooks and photo albums of those trips sitting out. They are fun.

I did not have a candle holder for the table so the table did not look "right". I wrote that down on my list of needs, which is growing!

Sometimes I need to let go of items. I went around and took down anything I was not excited about, the non treasures. I filled another box to give away. My husband calls this, "culling". I culled and culled some more.

Even with the flowers I was disappointed. I did not feel inspired. I could not see the beautiful.

July has no special events. We do not do very much for the 4th of July. Once in awhile we will watch fireworks. We used to go to the Lake. I have a few photos of the kids with sparklers and black snakes, those I have framed and they sitting about. Those are fun.

The journal did not have much to build from. Most of my categories are empty. No ideas. No calendar of events. As I was moving things around I began thinking about July. Trying to come up with ideas on what July meant to me. All I could think of, was it usually is hot and humid and I am waiting for tomatoes and peppers!

I do like the Red Geranium and the Red Poppy motifs. They just are not a popular decor item. My friend did a watercolor for me last year of a pot of red geraniums which I framed. I do love it. When I see it I will be reminded to send my friend a blessing.

We had our supper. I discussed the ho-hum of house with my husband and the lack of inspiration I was experiencing. He thought maybe I could do some shopping and encouraged me not to give up.

My July journal was too filled to write 2006, in. I needed a new journal. I checked my journal supply. None that would work. I poked around in some of my stuff and did find a green, large one. Maybe I needed to add green to my color scheme and take out the idea of "red, white and blue". Maybe July needed to be about something other than Americana.

I went out to the deck. It was early evening. I had my iced coffee and the new journal. A storm was coming in. The thunder and the cicadas were entertaining. Some children down the street set off a string of firecrackers. I began to laugh. Once again I was inspired. The sounds of summer. Perhaps I can let July unfold. Perhaps this year, July can be a month for serendipity. I have a blank journal. I can be ever so present in the now. Each day I can experience what is here, in my own back yard. It will be fun. I can relax. I can enjoy.