Good Morning Girlfriends . . . the first thing I do at 4 am when I get up is turn on a light and get the tea-water boiling… it’s my favorite time of day, the house is quiet, no cars are on the roads, the world is all my own for a little while. Just the scuff of slippers on the floor. (And perhaps a little MUSICA . . .)
After the water’s on, I go from room to room, from the kitchen to my studio, clicking on lamps as I go . . . and this morning, when I did, I was reminded of how much I love lighting; how cozy it can be. How it instantly warms everything up and brings a sense of home and safety. And I thought, what a perfect time of year it is to talk about it.
Because lighting can add to the ambience of your house, and with these shorter, colder, and darker days ahead, making a house warm and bright is part of
I’ve never been one for overhead lighting. I know it’s modern, and can come in quite handy when you really want to see, but I’m a lamp person from way back! I love the shadows they cast. Not that it’s my way or the highway, not at all, I think if you LOVE something, it becomes imbued with that, and can be wonderful even if it’s overhead lighting; just depends on how you use it.
But here’s my other side of the coin, light like this . . . Plus, btw, I have always thought that dressing rooms in clothing stores do not understand the importance of lighting! Nothing like trying on a bathing suit, or anything really, under flourescent lighting (tinged pale blue). Very unkind.
I mentioned this before . . . in my Girlfriend’s Book . . . but they still don’t listen! 🙂
But since I’m in charge at this house, I get to have it the way I like . . . I know you understand that I had to have this lamp for my Peter Rabbit room!
I’ve collected lamps for years, I have no idea where any of them came from; sometimes I find them as is, but most often I find a base, then, a shade, and do a little mix and match.
Glass shades can sometimes be a little too bright, so I starched and ironed monogrammed (got lucky with the initial!) vintage luncheon napkins and popped them over two matching guest room lamps to diffuse the lamplight on either side of the bed.
There’s a woman on the island named Ayn Chase …. she makes the most beautiful lampshades, this is one of them. Lowely and I took a lesson from her a few years ago, so I know, these are truly handmade shades. Sometimes you can find an Ayn Chase shade at Rainy Day, a darling shop here on the island.
Dining room lighting is important while setting the table, but candles take over from there! Because I’m in love with . . .
Speaking of which, here we are back in blissland at my darling friend Rachel’s house in England. I’m still in love with this lamp, with the glass balls, and the color of the shade with the wallpaper.
This is the lampshade I made in my class with Ayn. I only did one, because I have not discovered how to clone myself yet (this took ten hours to do, even with Ayn right there — but it was worth it)! It used to be really hard to find cute lamps and especially shades.
I’ve found them mostly in flea markets, or at Brimfield, or in antique stores, wherever I come upon one that I like. It’s been a long time collecting, something that I always have my eyes open for . . . fun to find when I can!
But they are making more interesting new ones all the time, like this one, also from Rachel’s house. She did the same thing, found the base in one place, and the shade in another.
Lamps in guest bathrooms make a beautiful soft light, and keep the ambience going at a dinner party, instead of your guests going in and flipping on a strong overhead light, they find this.
This is the lamp in our front hall. Since all we do is welcome guests here, never try to read anything, it’s nice that it’s softly lit.
This one’s in the guest bedroom, welcoming guests with a cozy reading lamp next to a comfy chair.
Another kind of fall and winter lighting that I LOVE on cold rainy days is candlelight. I have candles all over the house at this time of year. I light one wherever I am, cooking in the kitchen, or knitting in my chair. Like little mini fireplaces.
And there’s nothing like a candlelight dinner to make everything prettier and more dreamlike.
This is our morning today . . . outside the front window . . .
Here, the view from the dining room . . . it’s a dark rainy day here, at least so far . . .
But, no worries, turn on the lamps, and the house is cozy again . . . even at my house, where the kitchen is still totally destroyed!
Jack tries to point out to Joe that time is marching on. Three sides of the room are done, these windows are next, he’s doing them today! As soon as it’s done I’ll show you! We can cook in here though, that’s the good news, and it’s coming out beautifully! I am still happy we are doing it, the part that’s done is so CLEAN and PRETTY!
And I saved the best for last. ♥
I know now, the only way to end a post that will make everyone happy is with this little person. Huggy wuggy. Bo-Bo-Boy. Bye girls (and boys!), have a wonderful day, thank you for your wonderful comments, I do love us! ♥
~ Good Morning~
It is so true about lighting~ It really does set the mood!
I have a few old lamps that were found here in the house when we moved in~ I did have to change some of the shades. I also love candlelight~ a candle doesn’t need to be scented either (but I do love some of the scents of the different seasons) ~ they are just so romantic aren’t they?
I was up earlier than usual today and like you Susan it really is my favorite part of the day~ all quiet and calm. Have a good day everyone!
Happy Wednesday!
Lynn~
I try and try to explain to my husband why I dislike overhead lighting so much and why lamps are so much better. Even the argument that we have a barely-8-ft.-high ceiling and hanging lights make it looks smaller, doesn’t sway him. But he is a wise man, in times like these he just looks and me and shrugs and says ‘Happy wife-happy life’. And then I collect more darling lamps.
Brilliant man!
And he builds me things too!
One of the lucky girls!
Hi~
My husband thinks the same~ I swear we could perform surgery in our kitchen!
The ” glow” of our overhead lighting~ granted we have at least 10 foot ceilings~ is just a little much at 4:30 in the morning! I can deal with that but then he has to turn on the light above the sink AND the one on the wall next to the table. Maybe he’s part mole!? ~Kidding~
Living in an old house does have it’s lighting challenges~ shortage of outlets~ so no room for a little lamp on the counter~” bright idea” ~ I then asked him to please put in the little under cabinet lights. They are perfect! They cast a warm glow and are just the right amount of light.
I better get off this blog and do something I should be doing~ it’s just so addicting!!
Lynn~
Awww, you’re right about Jack. 🙂 Thank you for the peek at the other rooms in your house. They are all as cozy as I imagined. I’ve lived in my house for 31 years and I’m still trying to get the lighting right. It really does make or break the feel of the room.
I was wondering where your piano was….you’d mentioned someone playing it once but it had never appeared in any of your photos. Do you play? That’s not a silly question because I have a piano even though I never play it anymore.
And boy are you right about dressing rooms! If it’s not too inconvenient I just buy the thing with the intention of returning it after trying it on at home! Of course, that doesn’t work for swim suits, but those days are over for me anyway.
We had your weather down here in Maryland yesterday. Our little car had sprung a leak right just as we pulled into our driveway from getting home from MV last week, and we had to take it to be repaired yesterday to a speciality repair shop down a curvy, hilly country road. I remarked how much the wet weather with the leaves being knocked to the ground made it finally feel like Autumn around here. Today, though, the sun is out and we’re headed to the home and garden center to buy the things we need to implement all the great ideas we gathered from our little carriage house stay.
P.S. In my excitement I missed the musica link….wasn’t that a great movie! Also I love your scherenschnitte lamp shade! Knowing how long it takes to hand-make them makes one appreciate the artist more, and I appreciate all that you put into your hand-lettered books and art work. Heck, I appreciate all the work you put into this Blog. I know how long it takes to upload photos, arrange them, write the words, proof everything, find just the right music. I’m just grateful that you enjoy doing it so much!
Oh thank you Cathy!
I know, one foot in the fall, and the other still in summer!
Susan, I just have to say that Cathy is posting a fabulous blog herself, and I’m particularly enjoying her current entries about Martha’s Vineyard … 🙂
Sharon in Alabama
Thank you, Sharon. It’s the subject matter and the inspiration!
Hi Susan,
Yes! I agree about the lights. I have several old and pretty lamps from the thrift store. I keep three small ones on all the time. That way when I get up in the night I don’t kill myself, its also nice for anyone breaking in to steal stuff.
I think of overhead lighting and bright lights as LOUD. I never look cute in the Doctor’s office.
Hi Jack
Nancy Jo
I never look cute in the Doctors office either! LOL — you girls are too funny today!
ya know, maybe the doctors and nurses understand how we feel….waiting all alone in the LOUD lights of a cold office…..and are actually trying to make us feel better about ourselves, when they hand us…the paper Gown!
We are not a patient…..but a princess! well, maybe???
hello from candler in the mountains of wnc where the sun has come out after 2 days of heavy rain.
I have needed new shades for my 2 living room lamps and now with your insight
I will look for just the right ones. Getting the right size has always been a concern the base on my lamps are a rather large size. I fell in love with your guest room curtains. very pretty. well I am going shopping on this grand sunnny almost fall day. thanks again.
Love this post!! I am a lamp addict. I sometimes carry little ones around the house to see if I can just squeeze in one more. Also, love the handkerchief idea over the glass shade. Must try it. Thanks to you and Jack!
Enjoyed this post…..I love lamp light,too…It is so calming and comforting…one of life’s special treats!!Have a good day! Gloria
We had that lovely rain here in Kentucky yesterday. Never fear, sunshine is on the way. Love this post about lamp-light. I have many, many lamps and am always on the lookout for the next wonderful one. I love the ambiance they create. My husband thinks I often take the lights a little too low and my joking reply is always that he doesn’t need to be able to see well enough do surgery at the dinner table! (he’s a veterinarian)
Good point!
Good morning Susan…that was a very en-lightening post….LOL
I love the ending with your sweet little boy….Hi jack…
happy creating.
blessings,
Cindy ♥
What a great post! I totally agree—lamp light is the best. Love your collection of lamps, you really have some interesting ones. I especially love the cut paper shades. I have one on a little lamp that belonged to my grandmother, mine is trimmed with really nice, hard- to- find velvet ribbon. Love your home!
What a nice relaxing post to start the day! So glad that you are having rain – sounds like the weather is finally moderating all across the U.S. at long last! Yea for cooking in your kitchen again! A friend at body sculpt class told me she was without her stove for 1 year when they remodeled!! Yikes! Hoping that in another 2 weeks (although that’s contractor time so maybe 3-4 in real people time) we’ll have our kitchen back too! Hoping that the weather will be cool enough to make soup and bake a treat in the new oven by then!!
Thanks for a lovely start to a busy day – especially the bundle of love, Jack! 😉
LOL, “3-4 in real-people time!” All the contractors on Martha’s Vineyard are famous for being on “Island time.” Enough to make a person move to the Mainland! 🙂
They’re on “Island Time” everywhere!
LOL!
Thank you for sharing the beautiful aesthetics of your wonderful home! The visual coupled with your words make your blog just what the Dr. ordered if one is feeling in a slight funk. You are a saint in me eyes!!
Colleen! xo
I agree with you Susan….lamplight is so cozy. My hubs does not understand this as he goes around turning them out in rooms we are not ‘in”. I have explained to him that I hate Black Holes and I am using the light bulbs that use very little electricity. I love your idea of the monogrammed napkins draped over a harsher light!! I may “steal” that idea. Love seeing your lovely home as usual.
Husband training is an important part of a happy lifetime. 🙂
Dear Susan,
Everytime you post a new blog I am amazed at how much we are alike. Lamps and little tables to put the lamps on are so special to me. When I see a picture of someone or something and the lamp in the background isn’t on I think how much more cozier it would be if the lamp was on. They do add so much charm and warmth to any space. I feel that at night, a nightlight lights the way for the angels. We all have angels watching out for us so it is a small way to watch out for them. I love love love your blogs and look forward to them every few days. I so wish we could sit and visit, I know we would be such good friends.
I believe that if you put it all together, all the things we like, women are MUCH more alike than they are different; and all ages too. This is something I love xoxo
So cozy! Makes me feel all warm inside. I love rainy days when you are able to be home and read or bake or whatever. Thanks for sharing your unique lamps. We love them, too. Have so many from my husband’s parents and my own. We always have trouble finding neat shades to go with them. Love your handmade one . Quite an art!
Thanks for sharing your “quiet time” with us:)
What a warm and cozy post this morning! Love the quiet morning stroll around your charming house. Lamplight is magical for sure. I am lucky to have a small parlor at the front of the house which is lovely in the sunlight from tall bay windows, but magical on winter evenings when the the lamps are lit. It is my room for knitting and reading, watching British movies and shows (what my son likes to call my crumpet movies), and best of all, for tea/wine and conversation with my girlfriends. It is a little haven from the world. P.S. Thank you for ending your post with darling Jack. He brightens everyone’s day.
Love the crumpet room!
Thanks for a friendly visit this morning. I loved all the lamps. Makes me want to change up the lamps around my house. Once again you’ve taken something utilitarian and made me see it can be beautiful.
Outside my window–gray skies but my cozy Tica (almost 2 yr old Rhodesian Ridgeback) is here beside me. She says “Howdy” to Jack!
He says Howdy back, he likes dogs!
I love the advent of the shorter days and the ritual of turning on the lamps and lighting candles. I also love the light from the fireplace – so cozy as the nights and mornings turn colder 🙂
I thought I was one of only a few who dislikes overhead lighting! Partly because I’m elderly and have been told it’s safest…..and partly because I like it, I keep many small lamps on all the time using 7 or 15 watt bulbs. So you know that’s ‘soft’ lighting. You’re getting the 2-3 day rain event we had over the past weekend, after too many months of none. It was so welcome! I’m waiting til THE BOOK is published, for it was wonderful going along with you and Joe on that fabulous English trip.
I have a question….. What type of light bulbs do you use. I, too, love the soft light of a lamp, but the new bulbs seem so harsh. That said, I enjoyed the variety go lamps that you have and the shades are delightful. Thanks for sharing.
We’re using the energy savers in more than half of them now, have been changing over. They aren’t so bad, there’s one in the lamp next to me now and I really don’t see a difference. But better for the world.
Do you always get up so early in the morning? Loved the lamps, the music and wonderful Jack!
Yes, for years! No alarm, I’m just ready at four, but I go to bed early.
I just have to say it…….that post was “En-Lightning” ….okay…. no groans for bad humor, please….LOL!
I really liked seeing all the lamps Susan, they do make it cozy and warm….especially liked the one you made yourself…..the shade is ……beautiful!
I have an eclectic mix of lamps too…..and agree that the mixture of different sizes, patterns and styles personalizes the space and helps the house glow.
Actually, I love light in any format, candles, lamps, sunshine…..the patterns it casts on everything in our lives…..makes things interesting.
And the best…. Huggy wuggy. Bo-Bo-Boy……………..ah…what a heart stealer…those eyes, that face, the cuteness factor is off the charts!
Glad your kitchen adventure is almost complete….and soon with the painting over, you will be able to “play” and arrange all your treasures…..that’s the fun part!
Have a wonderful day!
Deb
You too Deb!
Ohhhhh Susan… -happy sigh- I too love lamps. Dislike over-head lighting. 🙂
What an inspiration you are, with your precious lamps and shades.
I don’t “thrift.” (I know, I hear a gasp, but I don’t) But! Lamps and lamp shades. For these, it would be worth my trying a wee bit of “thrifting.” I guess.
Maybe…
Perhaps… 🙂
Gentle hugs,
“Auntie”
Lots of people don’t, but there is some good in it, if you find a store you like that gets the “good stuff” for a decent price.
Great lamp ideas! Yes, they do add that perfect touch of comfort. When we were in Vineyard Haven, early this summer, I REALLY enjoyed shopping at the shop, Rainy Day. Actually, went in twice – SO many sweet, creative delights!! My husband & I will be doing a fall trip in (mid/southern) Vermont in Oct. We love to browse antique shops and old country stores. We have been there before, but in a hurry, tried to see things quickly. Do you have a fav small town that we could add to our places to see? Fall is our most favorite time – so we just MUST come see the beauty of New England. Thanks for any tips. : ) (Adorable pic of Jack!!)
I like Woodstock, but what we really love are the drives in the middle of nowhere, serendipity as to what we find along the way.
I can’t believe it! Only one post ahead of me and I’m on the West Coast! Cool. You have rain…I am envious. We are still hot and dry here, although we might have a chance of precip this weekend.
I am also a lamp person. My husband just rolls his eyes. I was entranced by your photos. The mixture of lamps and shades is gorgeous. I had to look through your post several times.
And the best is last. What a cutie. You just want to reach out and touch that furry face.
xoxo Pam
That’s why I made it so big, so you could almost do that! 🙂
Beautiful lamps!!! I adore all of them! You’ve inspired me to get a lamp for my library. (all I have is over head lighting right now) I’m going to get a gorgeous Autumn one and then change out for every season! *g*
Oh yes, it will be so nice in a library!
Thanks for the illuminating tour around your cozy home. ~Loved it!
UH OH! Dangerous reading this at work. Now all I can think about is wanting to go home, get under a quilt, grab a book and snuggle my kitty. Nothing like a rainy fall day to give you an “excuse” to get out of fall chores and hunker down inside!
Lovely to look at, with you and your delight in your life.
Grateful, as ever,
Jo
I love your lamps! Thank you for this missive on lamp and candle light. We almost could not sell the house we built in Colorado because we built it without overhead lighting in any room, except the kitchen. A couple with three young children were considering buying it but made mention of this lack of light fixtures. I had them return in the evening when the house was lit up with warm lamp lights. They loved it and bought the house!
I bet that would be a way to help sell it!
I really enjoyed this piece… I think we were in the same frame of mind. I don’t wake up as early as you, but as night approaches I do the same routine with the lights. All my rooms have one bright light and one low light. I only use the bright lights when I need to, but all the low lights must be on to help everyone feel warm and cozy before bed. On cold fall nights I also light all my tealights and candles in the room to make me feel warmer. I throw on a cozy blanket and knit or read. It’s the best way to settle in for the night! Thanks for sharing the photos of your beautiful lamps too…inspirational!!!
Susan, your home certainly is blessed in the lamp department. Couldn’t believe the Peter Rabbit lamp…had to go back twice to see if I was seeing correctly. I just knew in my heart that your home was awash in lamplight. Interesting how just last night I was experimenting with the look of the overhead lighting vs the bedside lamps in one of my bedrooms. Lamps are sooo cozy, changes the whole feel of the room, especially this time of year. I also collect lamps (absolutely love them, would love to learn how to make them from scratch) and have been known to say that I have a lamp fetish. And when they look at me strangely, I say, ” and yes, I’m ok with that!” I’m so glad to see there are others like yourself who share that love. You must have some of the old-fashioned oil lamps. They’re great if the power goes out, and they look cozy too. I must say that you did a wonderful job on your homemade shade, very beautiful. And Jack? He’s the most beautiful “bright spot.” Don’t know who’s luckier, you and Joe, or him. PS I’m keeping an eye on your weather…windy and cloudy here in the maritimes, so your rain is headed our way soon. Enjoy your beautiful “lamplit” rainy day! xo
Me 🙂 I’m the lucky one! Stay warm Rhonda!
So very nice to see YOUR calendar hanging in your very own kitchen. Even nicer to look to the wall in my office and see your calendar hanging two feet away. Both are turned to the same page of course. You have such a gift for making the ordinary seem so unordinary. Have a lovely day! Becky in sunny Oklahoma
We are so blessed! xoxo
Oh how I love candles…it is time to go hunting for the fall ones, the pretty orange ones that smell like the house on thanksgiving, and the green ones and the brown ones. And how about the light from the glow of the fireplace….so ‘romantical’ 🙂
Romantical!
glad you ended your post on such a sweet note..with that charming boy and his darling face and paws…awwww…We have a couple of ceiling fixtures at home that are never on….I think guests must feel like they are being interrogated by the bright overhead glare! “Where were you last Saturday night”???? Lamplight, beautiful shades, soft glow or just enough for reading, indirect warmth and light~so agree with you! “We’ll leave the light on for you” (doubt it was a glaring overhead one) xo
LAUGH OUT LOUD Laura! . . . “Where were you last Saturday Night!!” Too funny!
I love rain and automn days… Your lights are great !
but we are having nice mild sun… I love it just as much !
Bonne journée!
Loved your lamps. There is such a lovely range to select from nowadays. So cozy even on these late summer evenings.
I too love lamp ambience and have always used it to create mood! and I love the light on your stove top…there is nothing like it except my old Maytag washer & Dryer, when they were on they lit up and it made my laundry room so cozy. Years ago I had a small antique drop leaf table in my kitchen, it had an old rooster lamp on it gently lighting my collection of small blue & white granitewear and chickens. I always had it on and everyone that came in there comented on how lovely it was. Oh I could just hug your little jack, he is just the cutest! Thank you for this lovely and timely post Susan, you make us all so happy!
my dearest susan…when and if i EVER try on a b-suit, i would much prefer to do it in the dark…. i loved your blog today. i adore your big rose wallpaper. i am a big fan of wallpaper as well as lamps. i have a really cute little lamp on my kitchen counter that i NEVER turn off. (make’s the bulb last for years!) it’s by an old english looking picture and the ambiance is so wonderful all the time. (my kitchen is englishie) i just made up a new word! and thanks (or no thanks!) to you i got the ol’ paint brush out and painted the woodwork in my kitchen. looks clean and smells fresh!! can you tell me about the little boy figurine? is that Christopher Robin from Winnie the Pooh? i love it.
He is a no-name guy that I bought years ago, for the beauty of him. Good eye Karen! 🙂
Ah-h, cozy lighting is oh-so-nice! What a find for your Peter Rabbit room, just
perfect! Jack is waiting for a little game of toss, I bet. Anticipating his next
video- he’s a star!!
Oh Susan, you light up the world in soooo many ways! Thank you. Jack is adorable and I can’t wait to see the kitchen. It is a crisp fall day here in Indiana – a brisk 39 when I got up. The sky is the color of your kitchen (or close) and we should reach 70. Perfect!
Perfection!
Beautiful! I think I may be the only person, but I love the fall time change and the shorter days combining to bring nightfall earlier. I’ll enjoy evening cocktails on the porch with my beloved until the time changes but I won’t lament the loss of daylight once it does. Cocooning in for a long evening at home is bliss to me! Wonderful aromas wafting from the kitchen. A movie or ball game or my book of the moment. The critters sleeping or tearing about depending on their mood. A nice bottle of wine with our supper. It really doesn’t get any better, does it?
No and that’s the joy of winter I was missing while growing up in California. The quiet slowness of it all!
Crystal – you are not alone! I love having supper when it’s dark outside – I even love having breakfast before the sun’s up. Of course I don’t know if I’d love it all year long – because I love long summer evenings outside when it’s still light at 9 pm – but I do think there’s something in our DNA in the Fall that calls us to cocoon or hibernate or nest or something…. :>)
That’s IT….I’m getting a kitty! I can’t take it anymore – Jack is just too darn cute 🙂 I agree – early morning is the best – so nice and quiet. I love your beautiful lampshades – thanks for the tour!
YAY, a new victim! A home for a new kitty, and you are going to LOVE it!!! Prepare to laugh and have fun!
IT WORKED SUSAN…..using Jack to get homes for other kitties…SUCCESS!!!! Precious Jack is an Ambassador for Homeless Kitties Across America!!!
Our little mustachioed ambassador!
Too true! And if THAT face can’t persuade someone to adopt a kitty, no face can!
petfinder.com/ is a good place to start looking!
Sandy Richmond in Attlegboro–did you see this??? 🙂 (Sandy needs a new kitty…) 🙂 (Good thing, I always tell her, that we don’t live close or else the doorbell at their house would ring, she would open the door, and there would be a darling little schnauzer puppy in a basket with a ribbon around its neck!) LOL!
I also love lamps and in our old house it is our lighting as we don’t have ceiling fixtures. My problem is I may have to many! I find so many I love 🙂
Susan,
I don’t comment often, (you get so many), but this morning I just thought I’d pop in and say a few words. I enjoy your posts so much. I honestly wish there was a way of preserving them in book – form. It’s such a pleasure to read each and every one … and the photos just make me feel so much apart of your world there on Martha’s Vineyard. So, of course I can hardly wait for your next book. Please be sure and let us all know the publishing date.
Thank you once again for putting a smile on my face this morning :*)
~ ~ Marsha
Thank you so much Marsha! Nice to hear from you!
Marsha,
This is just a “girlfriend” thought, but there is never “too many” posts in my humble opinion. I love reading from everyone across the States and in different countries. I find out how alike we all really are! So–I look forward to hearing from you again!
Linda
Good Morning! Always love a little light, so cozy! Rainy day for you, & comfort food is probably cooking on that beautiful stove! My granddaughter requested my Chicken & Dumplin’s for dinner last night for her family & of course, I made it – had to crank up the a/c for awhile!!! Your kitchen is coming along beautifully – yay Joe & Jack. Your lamps & rooms are so inviting….I’ll be right there. Thank you for working so hard on your English Diary, we can hardly wait, dear girl! xoxoxo
Thank you Joanie!
Yes! Perfectly timed, magically written post Susan! And I couldn’t agree more. I’m under florescent lights all day at work, the last thing I want to do is cook dinner under one when I get home! My hubby thinks I’m crazy, but I like to cook by the light of a small table lamp that sits on the counter next to the stove (it’s a small kitchen, don’t need a lot of light!). I’d rather cook in semi-darkness than under too bright of light.
Your home is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo cozy, thank you for sharing it with us! I have to admit, I’m a bit envious of your rain! We leave for NYC Friday night for a wedding in Brooklyn on Sunday…hoping we’ll see a few drops while we’re on the East Coast! xoxo
Happy wedding Diane, whether it rains or not, I think you will feel fall in the air!
A radiant post for a rainy day! Although still sunny and warm here in Phoenix, there is a hint of fall in the air. We do have 4 seasons you know … early summer, summer, late summer and next summer 🙂 Enjoyed seeing the lamp collection … I have a similiar passsion. Thanks for illuminating our lives in so many ways (especially my mom’s with her Emma mug♥). You are a beam of happiness and exude light through ideas and wonderments in each post you write. “There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” ~Edith Wharton
OH, did your Mom like the cup Mary? I know she did, that’s so great you gave it to her!
Mary, LOL, we have a place here in Canada called ‘Winter’peg, Mani’snow’ba and I’m sure the residents there would love to visit you during one of your many summer seasons. Too funny! Glad you have a hint of fall in the air.
I need to go out and buy more lamps, but I am already on board with the candles!! Especially yummy smelling ones! I have been buying some here and there for the past few weeks, and every time I open the cupboard it’s like a mini vacation in the pumpkin patch/apple orchard 🙂 xoxo Debbie
P.S. Kisses to Jack!!!
I think I’m the only person I know who doesn’t get fragrant candles! Sometimes I wish I did, but they’re usually too strong for my smeller!
Love your photos, you inspire us each time you write in this blog! I get up at 5 a.m. to let Andy, our sheltie, out in the backyard, then I give him his thyroid pill, then I peek outside our front window to see if I can find any wildlife on our front lawn – foxes, squirrels, possums, even skunks! I love the early mornings too. Give Jack a hug for me!
I’ll do it Rita!
Lovely ambience … wondering what your thoughts are about oil lamps and scented candles? So many people seem to have allergic reactions/aversions …
BTW, can’t even imagine what your kitchen would look like in brown; love the blue!
Sharon in Alabama
I am one who doesn’t like fragrance in candles. I would rather have actual chocolate chip cookies baking than a chocolate chip candle smell! I think I just never got used to them, and they don’t smell “real” to me.
I feel the same way. And I really don’t like scented candles around food, for instance on the table when we are eating–ugh!!! 🙂 I do like the bayberry ones at Christmas time but not in the dining room or kitchen…
I love the bayberry potpourri, natural smelling ones, on hutches in hallways, around bedrooms.
Ladies, if it’s any consolation…. When scented candles burn they leave a funny faint gray smudgy soot on everything in the room. You notice it on light-colored items, not so much on darker items [but it’s there anyway]. And who needs that? So now I buy only unscented candles. I agree – I’d rather bring fragrance in by baking cookies or Sue’s brownies or just simmering cinnamon sticks and apple cider and orange peels in a saucepan on the stove. Cozy City!
I have a love affair with lamps, too. Overhead lighting is so impersonal and harsh. Yours are lovely.
What a beautiful, cozy blog today, Susan! I am definitely a lamp and candle person. Lamplight makes everything seem more homey, warm and inviting. I LOVE your collection of lamps! So pretty.
good morning susan, good morning joe, and jack and girl kitty and good morning everyone. love the lamps, epecially that beautiful one in the front hall, i love that style of lamps. awww jack is so lovable and huggable, so is girl kitty, just like my furry babies here at home. how is the striped bass fishing derby doing there??? are there alot of fishermen out today fishing off the docks?? my uncle mentioned he was going to the island for a striped bass fishing derby, they have it there every year and this is the 67th one. have a good day, looks like a little rainy day for you, i love rainy days…good day for baking and lots of hot tea!!!! hugs…… 🙂
Lots of fishermen/women on the jetty where we walk to in the morning!
Susan,
Lighting can create an entire mood of a room and person. {That’s why I always bring my own and let it shine!} Ayn Chace’s shade is charming. I adore the sweet little bird. Early morning hours are my favorite as well — quiet solitude and full of promise. Enjoy the last few days of summer. This weather makes for great beach combing tomorrow morning!
Your Friend,
Deborah
4:00 am….I shudder at how EARLY this is!!!
If you normally get up at 4:00 am, what time do you go to bed at night?
Early, 9ish… I’m just a morning person!
Hello Dearest Susan!! What a lovely post today!! I, too, love lamps…I have one on my desk here at work. It makes my desk so cozy…I mean I have to work so why not have my desk look and feel cozy too?! Of course I have your desk blotter here to enjoy too! 🙂 You are up at 4AM everyday? Bless your little round head, my gosh that is early but I do like early mornings because my house is quiet too and I bet you get a lot of creative work done in the wee hours of the morning. I feel better if I start the morning off really early..feel more organized and calm. If that makes any sense…tee hee!! Thanks for sharing all of your beautiful lamps and Rachel’s too. Jack is so precious!! 🙂 Looking forward to the kitchen tour when it is done!! Have a wonderful day!! GOD Bless! Love and Hugs, Tricia B. XOXOXOXOXO 🙂
XOXOX Back to you Tricia!
I love this!
Susan, can’t wait to see your kitchen!
Loved the post this morning, made me warm and cozy. (and it’s finally cold, here!)
Sending little kitty kisses to Jack~ey~boy :0)
Whoops! Sorry. Btw ~ LOVE the wallpaper in your dining.
And I may just have to send you a photo of two lamps that were my Mom’s…I CANNOT figure out shades for them! I think it’s because I am so used to seeing them with the shades my Mom made for them…in the 70’s!
I LOVE kitty!!! He makes me 🙂
Oh! So happy to know that I’m not the only one that dislikes overhead lighting ~ it always seems so glaring and uncomfortable ~ as though everyone is being interrogated! I’m in the process of buying a house and every single room has a different ugly overhead light, so I’m trying to find better fixtures to replace them with. But I’d rather just have lamps around the house, with enough good lighting to read by, or to make it soft and cozy! Enjoyed seeing your fun collection of lamps!
That Jack is such a cutie pie! Always love seeing your photos of him and Girl Kitty!
Serendipity. The other day I received an e-mail from a good friend who was telling me about her and her mother’s obsession with boots. And right then I thought I love lamps the way she loves boots. I agree, overhead lighting is just too harsh most of the time. It always bugs me when a cozy chair is shown in a decorating magazine with no lamp next to it. Why would you ever have a comfy chair that you couldn’t read or knit in. You handmade lampshade is gorgeous. Your talent amazes me. Thanks for another wonderful post.
Hmmm, wonder what a lamp made out of a boot would look like? 🙂
Wonderful inspiration for fall/winter lighting. Love the music, too. From one of my favorite movies, ever. And can Jack be any cuter?
No, I don’t think he could. He’s buried in his furry self right across from me right now, and it’s all I can do not to go wake him up! 🙂
I agree with you that lamps just add the cozy factor to any room. They are so much more friendly than big overhead lights everywhere too. Ooh, I love the view out your window this morning. Did I see colored leaves on those trees ?? Is autumn there already and begging for an apple pie? By the way, I mentioned apple bakers one post ago an they are the perfect “for 2” solution to apple goodness. You and Joe gotta try them out if you haven’t already!
Jack, you sweetie! Stealing my heart again with that face!! I can’t wait to see the final pics of the kitchen. It will be fun to see the final results. Jack has been quite the project manager too for such a young guy. Building an impressive resume I should say!
Susan, What a gloriously cozy post!!! I too love lamps and much, much prefer than overhead lighting. Funny thing, I have almost all the overheads off in my office and have several lamps and even a string of white Christmas lights in a vase to illuminate my office and almost everyone remarks how peaceful and soothing it is in here. That along with my water fountain create some lovely ambience, as much as you can have in an office building. 😉
Please give sweetie pie, Jack a huggy wuggy back from me. He is beyond a-dorable and I can see why he’s a snuggley boy.
Sending you warmth on a rainy day along with hugs & love,
Jeanette
What pretty lamps you have. I like that you collect them here and there, and mix and match bases and shades. I love lighting candles on a rainy day, especially at breakfast. It adds such a cozy feel.
The view from your windows was a bit of a start for me. We have had nothing but sunshine for going on two months now and although the nights are cooler, it just doesn’t feel like autumn. I know that the rain will come and we’ll feel like getting cozy, but for now, I’m basking in sunshine!
Well, the rain has gone, the doors are open, and we have our nice sunny fall day back again! We had a good storm last night, rattled the windows!
Thanks for another great post, and those adorable pictures of Jack! I love lamp light and candle light too. I like a little lamp light in the kitchen, and I like to light a candle when I work in the kitchen. I have candles everywhere and like to put candles on little dishes for candle holders. I have seen battery operated candles that have a flicker to them, but I don’t have any. They might be a good idea to use out on my wood porch…
I love to have the lamp lights on in the evening when its snowing outside
the fireplace is on, a wonderful dinner on the table, music, candle lights, fireplace is on–i make myself a cup of coffee and wait for the guests to arrive all curled up in the warmth and softness of the light. Thank you for allowing all of us to dream and appreciate the little things in life–Sincerely, Nina from Maryland.
Thanks again, Susan for showing us your home. You are right. Lighting shows you everything in a different light (lol), especially on dark, rainy days.
I was always more a “dog” person than a “cat” person, partially because I am allergic to cats, but I have to say, I have fallen in love with Jack. He is so cute, I wish I could reach out and touch and play with him.
There is no fall here in Florida, or autumn or anything remotely to remind you of the cooler weather. Our cooler weather is when it goes from 94 to 85. Some people run for their sweaters at that time. That is why I love your blog so much. It can transport me some place else for a while.
P.S. I tried the recipe for Iowa Corn Bread from your calendar. Didn’t come out bad for my first time. Thanks again.
You would love how his nose feels like velvet!
Oh, Susan ~~~ I love all the lights that you have! The do make for a cozy room/house don’t they? I’ve been getting new ones for the past few weeks. Remember, we sold most all our antique furniture and have been replacing with modern. I still need to get one more chair and a couple of end tables. Don’t want to over do in this house as we will someday be moving and I want to have my furniture and lighting go with the new home.
I saw on the weather report this morning on the Today Show that the eastern states were getting hit with lots of rain. So, I wasn’t surprised to see the rain on your windows this morning.
Have a great day. I’m off to Michaels Craft store to see what all they have for Autumn decorations.
Carol M
Surely there is a Soft Light Society for those of us with a gene that predisposes us in this direction? From my earliest recollections, I’ve always loved soft lamplight. On dark and dreary days at school, whenever the teacher would turn on the overhead lights, my heart would sink! (Maybe because it meant we had work to do, and we actually needed to see it to do it??) In any case, I’ve always been bright light averse, and absolutely love cozy lamps and candlelight. Just last weekend, my daughter and I took a little roadtrip up to Sandpoint Idaho, and found the sweetest “Bambi and Thumper” lamp at an antique shop. I have no grandchildren (my kids aren’t even married!), but I HAD to get that lamp for some special little one yet-to-come!
A girl after my own heart! I would definitely do that!
I love lamps too! Got 3 at yardsales last weekend. A Pair of Art Deco with original shades for $12 (mint) and an amazing Victorian hand painted roses one for $10. It is truly a beauty! Just need to find the right shade…. And who do I share my excitement with? Only another Lamp Lover!!!! Always enjoy your blog. We’re ‘kindred spirits’ for sure…. Have a Wonderful Rainy Day!
Love it!! Great prices!
You get up at 4 a.m.!! Are you serious! Every day? Tell me you take a nap sometime during the day.
I just go to bed early. Years ago I found I needed 3 more hours in the day and since I was just staring at the TV from 7 to 12 or something like that, I stopped it, and started going to bed earlier and got my 3 hours!
I so agree with this post, love – love – love lamplight and candles especially on a cloudy/rainy day. I need to find a lamp for my kitchen, as sometimes the overhead lights seem so harsh. You have some beautiful lamps and shades. I have not thought to look for them in antique shops or garage sales, but for sure I will be looking now.
Boy, oh boy, oh boy, does your Jackie Boy ever have a face just begging to be kissed! Muches smooches!
I made your wonderful Iowa Corn Bread this past weekend – it was yumma-licious! The added grated orange peel and cinnamon and ginger (and honey butter) made it an over-the-top coming-on-fall scrumptious treat!
Yay, glad to hear that Lori!
..dear Susan.. another kindred spirit who loves 4a.m. … also loving quieter, softer lighting as lamps and candles give..’ reminds me of another favorite artist, Tasha Tudor, who also was a lover of a quieter light…saying that ” it’s like a nice chipmunk’s nest” …. thank you for sharing your early morning with all of us !!! …have a sweet day…with love..
Sweet Mary, a nice chipmunks nest! With Jack standing in as chipmunk!
I once had an address that was Chipmunk Court. A lot of fun when the cashier looks at your check, then you, then the check again and say’s , “Oh, that just fits you!” and the really sad part….it happened more than once!
LOL, that’s not good! 🙂
Hi, Sue~
We have a gray, rainy day here also…and now it’s barely 60 degrees! I can’t think of a more appropriate subject than lighting!
I feel the same way you do about overhead lighting…very utilitarian but not so cozy. Just by putting a small lamp on the kitchen counter, you can transform the whole room!
I remember when I first started out, I had to have everything match, but I’ve learned along the way that it’s far more interesting to mix and match. The same for dishes, chairs, lamps, etc…I can’t remember where I first read this or heard this said: If you love it, you will find a home for it and it will naturally go with everything else you love. That’s kind of my decorating motto, I guess. And you’ve just confirmed how true that is! Your lamp collection is just beautiful and they all fit perfectly!
Another thing that can really light up a room is a smile:-) ….even on a gloomy, gray day. Thank you for all the smiles you are creating!
Love you!
xoxoDebbie
Good morning! Such cute lamps! I prefer lamplight too! Your lamp made from an oil lamp base is great, such a good idea. There are two old oil lamp bases in my “seasonal decorating” closet that I’ve saved forever, thinking I’d find a top for, but I like idea of making them into electric lamps. One is green, and the other a cherry red. Now I have another project to add to my list!
Gotta keep busy!
Years ago there was a lady in Sandwich NH who did the cutwork shades and hand painted them. Have a few that are old and dirty, and cant find anyone else who makes them. This lady makes fabulous shades out of vintage textiles, right up your alley. lampshadelady.typepad.com/ Ive got her book on how to do it myself. But there are only so many hours in the day and not enough time to take on another craft skill. But love your shades, very much like some of mine and I love old vintage bases too.
And OMG you get up at 4am? Most nights I dont go to bed until then! I like my quiet time too, just at the end of my day instead of the beginning!
As long as you get it, that’s all that matters! 🙂
I love lamplight, too. The overheads are just TOO MUCH! Thank you for the lamp tour – the light is just right to create atmosphere. So what time do you go to bed to be up by 4am??? Just wondering… would like to do that, but not disciplined enough! It makes me so happy when you include kitties in your post… can’t help it, but particularly Mr. Jack – what a face!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have 3 cats indoors and 2 outdoors and just love them – they are all so unique and different. Susan, thanks again for sharing your loves with us… it is beautiful, inspiring and uplifting even though you have a rainy day (I like rainy days almost better than sunny!). Blessings to you, Joe and kitties,
Pam Woods from the Western Slope of Colorado
Isn’t it perfect that you’re a Woods, on the slopes of Colorado! I go to bed early, usually by 9!
You are having my favorite kind of weather…rainy outside, warm and cosy inside. I, too, love candles…and since my ’80s era house has few overhead lights, lamplight makes for a soft, cosy morning with my cup of joe and my favorite reading…your blog, of course. It’s finally cooler here in Oklahoma…even the cloudless days have an early morning dewy haze to them. Have a great day, dear, and enjoy snuggling with Jack! Sherry xoxoxo
I enjoyed this tour of cozy lamp light. Jack has so much personality, he needs no lamp to shine!
Susan,
I couldn’t agree more about lamp lighting….total coziness! As for candles, I am totally addicted and have been for years, I go through them like candy and am always buying them no matter where I go, addicted I tell you! Can you hear all of the “Aww’s” and the end of your post with that adorable Jack Kitty face?
Stay Dry!
Carla
LOVED IT! Your lamps are absolutely lovely!
I am SO a “lamp person.” So much so that my grown children have made a contest of counting how many lamps I have and trying to see if there is ONE MORE SPOT where “Nana” can put a lamp. Sons in law have a grand old time laughing over this. 😉 And I bet I could find one more spot for THE right lamp! Always room at the table for one more, always room in your heart for a darling child (or pet) and always room for another lamp……….
Thank you for another cozy read!
Ask my children and they will tell you that when it comes to lighting I’m on your side of the ceiling light vs lamp light choice. Always have been. Love your lamps and the rainy day glimpse out your front window. I want to get a wool sweater on and grab an umbrella and take a walk down that charming street.
I promise you, it will look much the same when you come!
Susan,
I have suspected for a while now that the problem with my family room is its lack of cozy table lamps. Your post has confirmed my suspicions. THANK YOU! Now my hunt for the perfect table lamps begins.
Leslie from Marysville, WA
Have fun!
I love it! So cozy and warm 🙂
Susan, you light up my life, today especially! I thoroughly enjoy your blog. The rainy day reverie out your windows, I love, love, love. Jack is a little smile catcher with his antics. I just received four of your wall calendars I ordered for me and the daughters. That will be part of their Christmas present…..they will simply adore them. Today, in Winchester, Kentucky, it is a beautiful sunny day with temps in the 70’s, hurray, after our hot and humid summer I am ready for the wonderful days of Fall. In preparation for Winter, I just took my fur coat to the Furrier to be cleaned and relined. Just getting ready!
I hope we get a couple of good blizzards this year!
Y I K E S!!!! Really?? Well, that’s it now you have gone and done it….JINX AND A BLIZZARD IT WILL BE….I’m headed to the grocery to stock up on supplies….if it is good enough for the squirrels (who by the way are so active right now burying acorns off of our tree in our yard and the neighbors so I think that is a good sign that something is up. We are due and this is the perfect year to have one since everything else has happened this year with drought and hot temperatures!!! Jim spent all day outside cutting back the plants and putting dirt in low places in the yard to prepare so he can put on grass seed and as I’m typing this I hear “Look at that squirrel scratching in the dirt I put in the front yard (burying an acorn)!!! haha I said honey what did you expect it is just too tempting for the poor thing!! OK GIRLS SUSAN JUST JINXED US AND A BLIZZARD IS COMING…get out and stock up!!!!
Not yet! Not yet! 🙂
Well, after the extreme heat and humidity that we had this summer, ALL summer-long, the idea of blowing snow and cold is appealing to me, too! And last year we had hardly any snow and not one blizzard–which was really sad for here in Minnesota! I absolutely LOVE the cozy feeling of being inside, a fire in the fireplace, watching the snow blow outside!!! 🙂
We only had one! It was a good one, but that’s skimpy!
Pat, if you want a snow THAT BADLY…I will send you a snow machine to put outside your window!!!! We don’t need a BLIZZARD for you to feel all nice and “cozy” do we?? huh I saw one of those “snuggly” wraps in a magazine recently…I will put that in the box with the snow machine!!! haha
hahaha…I’m hoping your “snow machine” will make the real stuff–none of the fake WARM stuff! 🙂
sNOw!OH MAN! I gotta go pick-up some bread, milk and banana’s. And I thought I was gonna pick apples this weekend! 🙂 I laugh now…but in Minnesota….anything is possible when it comes to the weather! Keeps us spontaneous….or just crazy?
Weatherman on radio this a.m. said rain tomorrow (Sat.) morning with snow flurries mixed in!!! But then next week temps in 70’s. The saying here is: “If you don’t like the weather, stick around as it will be changing soon!” 🙂 (Minnesota)
Pat….I heard that word “snow” on the car radio this morning and it made me laugh and think of this discussion! I live on the back of a ski hill and must go up a hill, to get up my steep hill of a driveway….and every winter I get a little older and my little red plastic shovel gets a little more …..worn out! My name isn’t Jill but I must confess that I have broken my crown a few times….well some people may call it a crown…
OUCHee! I do love the snow though….I love the look of it, the taste of it, and the sound of it! But like Susan and Deborah said, “NOT YET!”
I love lamps, too! Several years ago when we moved to our first farm, we lived in a circa 1900’s farmhouse. I put a small lamp in a corner of the kitchen counter, which was very long, to help light the dark spots when I wasn’t in there working with the overhead light on. The bulb burned out, and my husband actually noticed and said he missed having it on when he would come in late. I have made sure I have replacement bulbs ever since. Such a small thing, but such a huge difference it makes in making a house a home! Your rainy day looks delightful!
Oh Susan your lamp collection is lovely. I totally agree with you about lamps–can’t stand ceiling lights. When we built our home we put no ceiling lights in. That was 39 years ago and I’m still happy with that decision. There are lights on some ceiling fans but I hardly ever use them. Candles are my favorite–I just lit one in the family room. Love seeing that cutie pie Jack! xoxo ♥
Love your lamps Susan. I have purchased many lamps that I didn’t have a clue where I was going to put them. But I have always found a home for them. My daughter n’laws always hint how much they would love this one or that. Make great gifts. Like you I love foraging little shops for treasures. Enjoy the beginning of fall……..k
It’s funny, that’s my routine too…turn the lamps on and definately not the overhead lights…too harsh, but instead of tea I turn the coffee pot on! I love these crisp mornings we’re having here in Ohio!
Oh I do love all your lamps . I to am a lamp person from my past as well ! I have lamp shades that my mum in law made from cut stained glass that’s her craft ! I to love the early morning as you described it sounds just like me only not that early I am up at 6am . A wonderful post and photos ! Have a lovely day !
Oh my!! Your posting today just made my heart flutter…LOVE lamps! The older and more unique the better. My family jokes that I have to start turning them off 1/2 hr or so before going to bed, just to get them all turned off. And, like you, I love my morning ritual of turning them on..so cozy and peaceful in my own little world. Hope you get to see some sunshine today,but I’m sure you will be perfectly content if not…who wouldn’t be, surrounded by all those beautiful lamps.
It’s so weird, Susan – we own similar things. I have my mother’s old glass oil lamp with a cut out shade of flowers, too. She took a class in Plymouth and only made one lamp shade – that was enough for her. I cherish it ! It gives off a warm glow…
Susan:
I love your lamps and especially the shades! The cut paper shades are gorgeous and I can see why it takes so long to make them.
I have some of my Grandmother’s kerosene lamps and have often thought of electrifying them, but after Ice Storm where we were without power for 9 days and enjoying the lanterns on my porch on summer evenings, I’ve learned to appreciate their use as is.
Jack is so cute!!! His face tells a different story everytime you post his picture. Love the ladder pictures. Has he gotten into the paint yet? No gray/blue paw prints to follow?
Susan in Spokane, WA
For some reason he hasn’t gotten into the paint, but we haven’t figured out why!
Off to golf right now but tomorrow….candle shopping! Thanks for the reminder.
PS: Your rainy days looks very inviting – we’re still living our heat wave here in Southern CA. When it cools down a girlfriend is coming over to make apple pies and watch the documentary “Buck” the Caesar Millan of the horse world.
Love to all on your side!
You’re right about the candle light… I just don’t use it often enough. Love your lampshades, and the kind you learned to make. I guess they are too expensive to make, cause I went to her Etsy shop, and there were none for sale. (Costs her too much time to make them? I find that with quilts, too.)
Hugs (to you and Jack!)
She is pretty far up there in age, but was such a go-getter, I think there are still a few around.
What a great blog! Lighting. The right lamp or candles can make up for the lack of a fireplace. Coziness! Especially on a damp and dreary Autumn day. I still love that cookie cutter!!!
Wow!!! The girlfriends are on-line now!
Susan, Where did you find the lace curtain with the birds?
Those were easy, Country Curtains!
Thanks! That is where I get almost all of my curtains.
Me too! All mine are CC & all are gingham [cabin check]. I’m a Little Bit Country… and a little Bit Country… :>)
I like the way you sing that song!
Dear Susan,
Thank you for your beautiful post, it is always such a treat jumping into your world even if it’s just for a little while… I always love seeing your cozy home and your sweetie Jack is sooooo cute!… he brings joy and tears to my eyes at the same time.
I couldn’t agree with you more! Lighting makes all the difference! …. in decorating, in photography/art and in life! … the way everything looks and feels different on a sunny day and vs a gray gloomy day… even though I like both… nothing like a gray snowy day for me!
I too love the cozy glow of little lamps rather than ceiling fixtures. … love the warmth and glow of a candle or plain old light bulb and just can’t bring myself to use new type light bulbs, definitely no fluorescents for me!
Over the years I have found some good uses for the warm glow of stings of little clear white christmas lights. They can be used all year on a screened porch, in the attic, basement and in dark closets to give easy extra lighting. I had hubby string them under my kitchen cabinets, ( even though there are other lights made for that purpose) they so warmly light up my sink top and kitchen). I also use them in my room at school, around bulletin boards and over the windows, twisting and draping them over bare drapery valances, adding garlands of flowers etc. depending on the season… different colors are light stings are fun to use too!
Love what you said about candles being like little fireplaces… you could use that in one of your books….
Thank you for all the many ways you bring so much love and light to me and all of us!
XO!
Victoria