I'm a Little Bit Country.....

I used to be a lot more rock n roll.  (Now I'm kind of a mixture of many things).  I love living in the country.  It took me a long time to find that out. My mom was born and raised in Ginter Pennsylvania and when we would go to visit my grandparents, I hated the bugs and country living.  We lived in the suburbs in New Jersey but were very close to New York.  So Ginter was another world away.  It took me awhile when I moved to Illinois to get used to the openness and the farms surrounding me, but I grew to love it.  I wouldn't have it any other way now.

My fascination with cow items and cowboy boots started a few years ago.  I fell in love with wooden barns and at one time had about six of them.  They were larger toy barns so they took up a lot of space.  I have since sold all but one of them.  I kept my favorite barn (that I purchased at the Elkhorn Flea Market many years ago) which I moved to my living room last year so that I could enjoy it.  I love to create vignettes around my home so that each "room" is different.

The larger cow figure I purchased in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania.  I originally had it in my space at the Carriage House but it never sold.  I think it was fate because every time I saw it, I thought that I should just keep it.  So I did!  I love it.  I like to incorporate some other unique pieces into my spaces.  Next to the barn is a Haeger vase that is more modern and a really great orange jug (that I purchased about 20 years ago for $3.  It was filled with match books and I only wanted the jug.) I move it around the house to add something colorful to my decor.

I own a few pairs of cowboy or should I say, cowgirl boots.  Mostly black.  I was on a mission this past fall to find a different pair.  While I was at a thrift store up in Wisconsin, I found this great pair for $10.  It was end of year clearance.  I couldn't pass them up!  Look how great they look in front of my fireplace with a straw bag filled with flowers and one of my favorite red rusty toy trucks.  I seem to also have an obsession recently with leather items.  I have found four vintage leather Coach purses for $3-5 each. I have decided to keep them all!  They are all cross body types, which is my new preference in bags.

(I recently found a leather site that I'm finding out more about. I don't have any history or experience with them yet, but thought I would share it with you since it has my leather obsession covered.  It's not a surprise that their most popular item is cowboy boots).

Imagine how excited I was to purchase those red/black boots.  I can wear them or I can display them as part of my decor.  How exciting is that!

In my basement, I have hung some country pictures.  All of them are unique and were around $5 each.  Just goes to show that you can find a lot of treasures at garage sales.

Love the cows in this one! Very subtle.

These cows are more abstract.

I love the vivid colors in this one.

I love the jug better in this spot where I'll keep it.  It picks up the orange and brown hues in these barn paintings.  It also looks good with my yellow planter collection.

My country decor is very subtle but it fits into my style.  If you were to look in another area of the living room you would find my growing ironstone collection or milk glass collection which seems to blend in so well with each other.

I'm so looking forward to wearing these.....maybe at the McHenry County Fair August 1-6.

Happy treasure hunting!