Tidy Brown Wren, bringing order to your nest

I love to rearrange things.  I really like to rearrange furniture, but in our current home, it is not feasible. Since I can't rearrange furniture, I rearrange stuff. People ask me how I find the time.  Well, I rearrange whenever I dust.  Since I have to pick up an item to dust under it, I move it.  Rearranging makes old stuff look like new stuff. No need to spend money on new stuff when rearranging old stuff makes it look like new stuff.  Follow? Here's my latest rearranging for a breezy summer look. . . Shells and a starfish in a cloche on a pedestal. A simple dining table centerpiece made with a tray, a vase, a mini urn with a bird's nest, and a gifted box. Dear friends gave us this sweet phrase for our anniversary.  I used aqua, brown, cream and white items from around the house. I just realized that all of the items I've just shown you have come from the thrift store or a yard sale except for the glass cloche (Willow House), the large squ...

Tomatoes ( and a bowl of garlic) gather on a cupcake stand.   What could be a better Summer decoration!? Do you think the tomatoes on the window sill are jealous? Don't forget to enter the 500th post give-away:  Here are the rules: 1. The give-away starts on July 25, 2011 and ends on July 29, 2011 at 7:00 pm EST. 2. The winner of the give-away contest gets to choose one item from my Etsy Shop - Tidy Brown Wren 3. All entrant's names will be added to a hat and the winner will be randomly chosen by Hubs (aka Sargent Safety) 4. To enter the give-away, leave a separate comment for each of the following: a. You are a follower of Tidy Brown Wren b. You like Tidy Brown Wren on Facebook c. Tell me which topics you like most of TBW

Are you shocked by the title?  Me, the lover of lists and schedules, not following a menu plan?  If you've noticed, I haven't posted a two-week dinner menu for awhile now.  Why?  Well, I'm trying something new. Our family's life has changed quite a bit lately.  Our budget has changed because I'm not back to work yet.  I'm trying to use coupons and sales to save money.  We are now empty nesters (our youngest just left for Marine Boot Camp at Parris Island, SC).  Our garden is producing lots of veggies.  I'm trying to lose weight (anti-rejection drugs cause weight gain).  Lot's of changes. My old method of making a two week menu, and shopping once a week just wasn't working anymore. We were wasting food and money.   As they say, "If the horse is dead - dismount".  My new method is not really a new method at all.  Amy Dacyczn wrote about it in her book "The Complete Tightwad Gazette".   I think sh...

Because the family room is an area used by the whole family, it's the perfect room to display family photos and mementos.  But, just adding things to a room can turn into clutter pretty quickly and we're trying to avoid that.  So, what to do? 1.  Choose one area to display photos: Everything can't be displayed at one time, so choose which items mean the most to you. source By framing photos in coordinating frames, you'll unite the look and keep the overall design organized.  2.  Showcase family heirlooms so you can enjoy them.   pinterest 3.  Add interest to bookshelves by incorporating family memories. 4.  Include the children's artwork and projects: source And now, let's get down to some fun business.  It's time for a give-away in honor of my 500th post.  Here are the rules: 1.  The give-away starts on July 25, 2011 and ends on July 29, 2011 at 7:00 pm EST. 2.  The winner of the give-...

Do things look a bit different around here?  I've been wanting to try a different blog header for awhile and decided to try to do one myself.  I almost had to break down and call in a professional but I managed to get it done.  Also, a new link above lists all of the workshops and presentations I have prepared for church and community groups.  I really enjoy speaking and teaching and hope to be doing more of it in the future. In other news, I'll be posting my 500th blog post next week and I thought it would be fun to celebrate with a giveaway.  The winner can choose any one item  from my Etsy shop .  I'll give details on Monday so be sure to check back then. 

I've been having a great time creating new aprons for my Etsy shop . This apron was made from a moo-moo (I'm not joking). This one just says "Summer" to me.  Who doesn't need a work apron?  Practical and cute! Now, back to my sewing machine. . .

It's mid July - hazy, hot, and humid. The yard at "The Wren" is in full swing.  In addition to the veggie garden, we've got bees, flowers, and chickens to observe. Here, "the girls" are hanging out on their front porch after dinner. This is my favorite color of all of the zinnias.  It glows in the sunlight. Our chickens are enjoying running around the yard.  They're still trying to figure out how to get over the fence to get at the tomato plants.