Day 8: November 8, 2013

The Nook:
I am truly grateful for my nook - I do believe my favorite place in the house, and perhaps the world.

Do any of you remember the Rodger and Hammerstein's version of Cinderella?  In one of the first scenes of the  musical Cinderella sings:

In my own little corner,
In my own little chair,
I can be whatever
I want to be…

That is exactly how I feel when sitting on the love seat in this dormer room of the house, surrounded by my books and scrapbooking supplies.  I can dream of future creative projects, pretend to be a writer, and be alone with my thoughts.  It is an introvert's paradise.

When my son moved to Nashville to study audio engineering in 2007, I decided to adopt his room as my library.  I left his original color scheme:  red walls and black accents, and just moved my bookshelves and love seat into the space.  It was a great place to retreat and read.

But that Christmas my husband surprised me with a greater vision:  rather than limit the room to books, why not include all my favorite things:  scrapbooking, greeting cards, books, and writing space.  It was truly the best Christmas gift I have ever received!  I retreat to this private space on a daily basis - either to read a favorite novel, create a special card for a dear friend, listen to Pandora tunes while uploading and editing a current photo shoot, or focusing on a writing project.

It is a small room, and some might say confining, but I enjoy the intimate space.  Because it is the dormer room, it is often quite warm in the summer, too uncomfortable for most, but perfect for me (as long as I have the oscillating fan creating a relatively cool breeze).

About a year after the initial renovation, I discovered an artist online who creates unique watercolor paintings of beloved pets.  I immediately sent her photos and I am now surrounded by my precious labs.  What you see in this picture is a painting of Ralf and Mia - the husband and wife who produced three litters for a total of 20 puppies!  On the other wall, there is a similar painting that captures the first litter of five.  I cannot help but smile every time I look at these works of art.

This room is definitely not a showcase, and I am sure those with a decorator's eye would cringe… bu I love every aspect and do not plan to change a single thing!