Inspiration or Despair?

This IS NOT my house.  I repeat:  this is NOT my house.  But I like it.  I like it VERY MUCH.

The above pictures inspire me.

What inspires you?

I have to say that in life, my favorite things are the simple ones. 

 And I am glad.

I had always wanted an old farmhouse, and somehow, we got lucky enough to find one so we could do the work ourselves to be able to afford it, and work we have.

This home pictured here, is one that has hooked me from the first time I saw it in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine a few years back.

There are images everywhere for us to look at and sometimes we are inspired, but at times it can cause us despair.

We look and look, and we know that we cannot possibly duplicate.

This can be the downfall of our flitting about from here to there on the internet, perusing blogs, or haunting the halls of Pinterest.

While I cannot possibly duplicate what I see, I can be inspired, and I can enjoy the small ways that I can duplicate the look I see here:  fresh, crisp, and cheerful.

I hope to always be able to be inspired--in a positive way, or if we look at it wrong, we could be inspiring envy or despair--not what we want! 

For instance:  I love the picture above of the white buffet, everything about that, but, if I suggested to my husband that we paint our old buffet?  I would lose.  I know it.  Why?  Because he refinished our old beauty with his own two hands.  That is not easily getting covered up with paint!

But I can borrow the idea for the top of the buffet, and the wall behind it.  See what I mean? I can be inspired without duplicating.  And I need to be contented with that.

There are ways to dream...and then there's reality.

Accept them both with realistic expectations and you won't be disappointed!

Have a good Monday, and be inspired, without despair!