Thursday, September 20, 2012

Thankful Thursdays

I have a lot to be thankful for.  My friend, Julia, inspired me today to do a post on all the blessings I can count.  

I'm thankful for my wonderful brother, Michael (whom I hold in the same regard as Wilma, which is not in fact an insult she since is my most treasured companion and as far as I'm concerned - hung the moon),who is currently travelling with his girlfriend around Europe living the American dream.  He and Mom are the real artists in the family and hence his quick work in the Sistine Chapel (below).  I love seeing the world through his eyes and am so thankful to have someone as close as blood but also a friend!

I'm thankful for creative outlets including but not limited to decorating.  Without which, I may never know art and finger painting and clay [mation] and all other cathartic mediums.  On our recent vacation,  I painted 4 paintings!  Nothing to write home about rather a sort of stretching of my creative muscles that have been buried since college.  I minored in fine art, a much needed yin to my biology-major yang.

The beginnings of a portrait of Wilma, aptly named Portrait of a Lady.

And the reworkings of a horse that looks strikingly familiar.

I'm thankful for a Mom that I enjoy working with and hanging out with all the time!  And as a testament to her total awesomeness, I'd like to tell you a little story.  She and I have had a love affair with a certain garden stool (yes, this is completely normal) for the last few years after spotting and securing one at our then-favorite store White Bench in Middleburg, VA.  She initally paid $180 for hers!


Well the other day, when we were spying on all the area Target's to find the equestrian collection, I ran across a near twin to hers for $70!  I had it in my cart and walked around with it while mulling it over.  I eventually left it on the rack since it had too much of a purple tinge for my liking, but kicking and screaming all the while. 

(We did eventually find the Curiosity Collection at another Target and boy is that stuff fun!!) 

So imagine my surprise when Mom calls me from TJ Maxx last night (she stops in there late-night, after Zumba because she's a total Maxanista) to tell me she found the SAME STOOL FOR $20!!!

"Do you want me to get it?"

"DUH"

And luckily this one was like hers, much more tan and no purple to it!  I have no place for it in my home or in my design plan, but you can't not get an awesome garden stool when it's on sale for $20.  

Sound like bad financial habits to you?  Thought so...  But the moral of the story is that my Mom is awesome and we're always on the lookout for things for each other.  I never said it wasn't a vain story (kinda like answering 'organization' or 'caring too much' when they ask your worst qualities on a job interview) but it's just one of the many layers that makes her great.

We are also thanking our lucky stars that our work at Powell Brower Home is paying off, as we celebrated our first really big check tonight!  Photos of that project to come soon, but while we wait, we pay thanks to all of you for spreading the word and the decorating Gods for blessing us with good fortune and wonderful clients.  We sure have enjoyed the ride so far and consider ourselves infinitesimally lucky to get to do what we love.


It's a lovely exercise to come from a place of gratitude and one that I could use more of.  I'm not so diluted as to forget my own supportive, adorable husband or the roof over our head, so I'll have to dedicate a few installments of Thankful Thursdays to them and not always total superficial things like garden stools.  

What are YOU thankful for?

-Bethany

If you are looking for help with your home, we'd love to work with you! Contact us for a listing of our services and prices.
Nancy and Bethany

15 comments:

  1. Such a wonderful post...feeling a lot of gratitude this week too for all of life's blessings! Congrats on the big check! ;)..you are on your way!

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  2. Aww Bethany! Love this post. You're making me cry. I wish my family lived closer. I think you are as talented as your brother and mom. Love both of your paintings.

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  3. What a great post! And what a great sister, daughter and designer you are :) I'm so happy things are going so well for you both! xo

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  4. What an amazing deal - love the stool and the perfect spot!!

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  5. Great post.
    Have so much to be thankful for..................

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  6. Great post, Bethany! You deserve every bit of wonderful-ness that comes your way! And, you are one crazy talented family!

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  7. What a beautiful post! And I have a close relationship with my mom too. She lives about 90 mi. away and she calls me from thrift stores, garage sales, etc. to tell me about something she's found and whether or not I want her to buy it for me. So sweet. And congrats on your big paycheck! Uber -exciting!

    www.chattafabulous.blogspot.com

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  8. What a wonderful post. You are very blessed to have such a great relationship with your Mom and to have a supportive hubby. Congrats on building your business.

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  9. This is such a wonderful series to begin. It is so easy to get caught up in the "stuff" and forget about the things that really matter. Thanks for reminding us all to take a look around be thankful.

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  10. I love this post! It's so good to always remember to be thankful. You and your brother are both amazing artists!

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  11. Thank you for making me stop and think about being thankful today! And yay on your check : )

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  12. this is so sweet Bethany - reading thru this, all I can say is that, I FEEL YOUR WORDS. You are indeed blessed and being thankful publicly is always a a welcome gesture to those you mention and those who read it. I can't wait to see you Portrait of a lady done, you've got talent and that really will come in handy as more decorating jobs come your way. :-)

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  13. Basically, I am thankful for darling bloggers like you! AND Home Goods...I am a Maximista myself :)

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  14. Positivity is contagious my dear! Cheers to YOU!

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  15. Love this post! And I love that your Mom did a drive by after Zumba thinking that there just might be that one thing there that she needed! Ha Ha turns out she was right! And way to go with getting some money for doing something you love. It just doesn't get any better than that!

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