The changes in my home were simple. I just gathered up the geese and rag rugs. Shoved the billion nic nacs in a big box. Pulled down the wallpaper borders and sold the ruffled curtains at a church rummage sale.

I have one bedroom that stayed country. It's filled with dolls, bears wearing cute outfits, frilly window and bed.

I love your bill container. That's the kind of thing I'd like to accessorize with. I did use to have all cutesy pieces. Now I like the classier stuff.

Candywa - I probably have the kind of house that you would call cold and modern because I don't have lots of knickknacks everywhere. Everyone defines coziness differently.

I was never fond of the cutesy clutter country look and the heavily themed decor - but I made and sold stuff like geese welcome slates to hang by the front door etc. years ago when I was a SAHM. Enjoyed making it and enjoyed seeing my handiwork on strangers doors - but never in my home. When I go into a home with this kind of cutesy country look, I feel like IÂm suffocating, itÂs just too overwhelming for my senses, I canÂt relax and donÂt find it cozy or warm  just too busy and uncomfortable.

On the other hand, I love and treasure well made, handmade and unique items. When decorating in a more modern, less clutter style, what you display and accessorize with becomes much more important - it has to stand on its merit. Everything, including the furniture becomes like statues or works of art in the room. Your eye is focused on a single object, not dozens, so it needs to be very special and worthy of being included. Its more about having a few high quality items. When I have a bowl on a table, your eyes are drawn to it  I want it to be beautiful  if itÂs wood, the shape, grain and finish are very important and part of the beauty. I mix in some family antiques and hand me downs  but even these are special  both memory wise and style. I also work hard to find furniture that is comfortable.

In décor where you have a lot of accessories, each item looses itÂs unique importance because itÂs part of a group. And small details loose their importance because there is so much to see that your eye glances around at lots of details.

I think my home is warm and cozy  just not cluttered with "stuff". You may differ  but we all have our own styles and taste  and it makes the world more interesting. I also think that when people who have lived with lots of accessories start to remove and de-clutter  it is probably shocking at first until they get used to it  similar to someone who has always had white walls and now paints a room red.

And yes, Candywa, you were are correct, your clever container is a shift way from country cutsie to more updated country. In a more modern home, I would have made something quite different to perform the same function  maybe something with colorful fused glass that looks like a piece of art hanging on the wall. Someone with more arts and craft style may have made something of wood. So we all have our way of creating solutions for our own décor and it's fun to share them.

I just wanted to add a different view to the post and that is "New ideas in Crafting".

Like a lot of things, I think crafts are cyclical (sp?)Things come in and out of style and favor just like pointy shoes. Right now according to the Hobby Assoc. of America Scrapbooking is being surpassed by Crochet, Knitting and Embroidery ( stitchery).
Look at the new yarns and what a simple knit stitch will will turn into when knitting a simple scarf. Same craft, but new materials. Embroidery or stitchery is becominbg more popular as you see a lot of penny rugs, wool felt ornaments done in a number of stitches with blanket stitch being one of the more popular.

So by putting a new twist on an old craft you have something that everyone wants or is trying to learn how to do. Have you noticed the number of places that are advertising teaching knitting these days? Even quilting has evolved over the past years because the fabrics are so different.When I look at my stash of quilting fabric it is a far cry from what I see now in the Quilt shops. So there is a lot new in crafting in my opinion.Given time macrame may come back, (hopefully not) done with a new type of cord. lol

Sky, I'm so sorry if I appeared to be judgmental. I was actually responding to the posts on the previous thread where non-country decor was referred to as "cold and modern". My ill-made point was that you don't lose the warmth and coziness when you remove the clutter.

Candy, I agree crafts is not dying out. It's just shifted over to the "less is more" arena. Love the bill container. Did you make it?

I too enjoyed the craft craze. It was a great time for artists. Though I didn't decorate my own home with much of it, I loved creating and selling my work. I hated to see it come to an end.

Candywa - apology accepted. I guess I get very cranky because people assume modern=cold when it doesn't.

Actually, wouldn't it be very boring if nothing changed? If those same cutesy geese was in style for 100s of years with little change? I guess if you are the rare person who still adores them, then you're not happy - but for most of us we enjoy changes. Just like our environment is constantly changing - trees growing, flowers bloom and then die, people grow and change etc. we appreciate changes in our home. After all we're changing and evolving too - hopefully for the better - and why shouldn't our home evolve too as it reflects who we are.

Okay - time for some new ideas. Inspiration is all around us. I just thumbed through the new Crate and Barrel booklet/advertisement and saw slate cheese boards. Now years ago I collected the fallen slate from my roof and turned them into welcome signs that I sold - then I found a resource selling roofing slates which I bought to continue creating my welcome signs. Fast forward 25 years or more; I don't think anyone is buying slate welcome signs, however you can create slate cheese boards to update an old craft.

C&B's had felt glued to the bottom of a plain sheet of slate. I would modify that by adding silicon pads to act as feet - the chunkiest silicon pads I could find. I would further embelish by adding handles to the slate thereby turning it into a cheese board tray. Now I know in some parts of the country this may not sell, but in other areas I'm sure people would buy these. You could seal the slate, maybe add some tole painted or stencilled grapes and leaves if that is what your market is interested in.

Skypathway, I remember the slate signs you are talking about and they were very popular. Good thinking on reworking the slate, I think that is a great idea. If you are a painter you could also add glasswear (wine glasses)painted,for a wine and cheese combo. There have been many times when I have envied those that have the talent to paint.

My daughter sent me the bill container. I think it's from The Red Envelope. I love it because it eliminated the unsightly stack of mail we used to set on the cabinet in the entry.

These days my Hawk Scroll Saw, router, and all the other tools for making and painting designs on woodwork, are gathering dust in the garage. I guess it's time to pass them down to my kids.

My new ideas in crafting are all about clay and glass.

Glassbender, do you have any pictures of the glass you bend?

I've enjoyed working with clay (vases & trays, etc.) but haven't yet tried slumping or fusing glass in my new little kiln.

I'd love to see your work. Maybe it will inspire me to get around to it.

I'm with you Candy, I also gave up the cutesy cluttery crafts. My home is still warm and inviting. Just no clusters really.

I did what Chris did - stuffed knick knacks into a box, rolled up the braided rugs - quilts - and doily's, and never looked back.

My new ideas for crafting are typically outdoors. I'm working on a stained glass bird that will hang from a tree in the yard. I'm still passionate about creating.

I for one am enjoying the shift over to a more useful or refined look.

Craftymecca, knitting has completely taken off in my area. They offer classes at all the shops that carry yarn and there was even a tv show on knitting. DIY I think it was.

Crafts do come and go. But I can't imagine anything taking over in the way country decor did. That was truly an amazing time for those of us who love to make things.

Candy, I love that container, what a great idea. I could use one like that only BIGGER! lolol Like you, I've pared down the knick-knack stuff until I only have a few certain things that I'm willing to dust. I get sensory overload, too, when I go into a home or shop that just has too much stuff.

I would rather spend 2 weeks making one wonderful thing, than make a large number of smaller things.

The container you made is adorable without being cutesy....I love it!

I do crafty stuff for holiday display, usually Christmas and Easter.....and have updated by putting my arrangements in cloches, along with plants, etc. The cloches are good for displaying shells and beach glass during the summer.

You know that saying that goes something like, "Grandma had it, Mom threw it away and I'm buying it back."? That's me! I'm in love with antique stores now and digging in old kitchenware and crocks and jars and graniteware and you name it! I have always loved this stuff..even when I was young. There is something about some old bench, or old jars and graniteware that calls to me! However I didn't really get into having this stuff in my house until within the last couple of years. Before that it was more cutesy stuff and most of that has went into the garbage now! LOL

I'm into the primitive country stuff in some ways but not the REALLY Prim stuff. I love the rustic and painted furniture and items. I hit up the thrift store for items for a quarter that are done in wood and then paint and sand and make them look old.

Slate Welcome signs actually aren't totally out. I mean if they're done in the right way, many country lovers would buy them up but just not with ducks and geese and the country of the 80's. You have to change the designs with the times!

I have had a HUGE pile of slate to work with for like the last 3 years. It's dwindling down now though :( My father was out of work and so he worked for a bit with the Amish that live by my grandparents. They would tear down old barns and sell the lumber off to these companies that build new houses out of old lumber. Dad found all sorts of neat things in the barns! The slate I have came off an old train station in a town about 40 miles from where we live. Most of my slate has went to family and friends with sayings or whatever that fit them so I kept it close by!

Oh, and I found a new love...stitcheries! I started making them last Sunday and I'm hooked! Just another thing to add to my sewing, crocheting, painting and whatever else I do!

Candy, I have been trying to contact you via email for nearly two weeks. Status shows unread so maybe your email has changed.

I bought the Powercrafter you suggested but don't know what kind of compressor I need. I carved into glass and wood like they were soft butter! Only problem I had was grain in wood. When the engraver gets to them it doesn't carve as deeply. I used my DH's compressor but it's a monster and can't be brought into the house. It did work beautifully though. Any ideas on a small one?

Hi, sorry 'bout that, I was on vacation. I could get onto the internet but not on AOL to get e-mail.

I e-mailed the information to you.

I have a nasty cold so I'm going to go sip tea and veg in front of tv. Have fun with your Powercrafter... it's a great toy!