A Victorian Chair

I love Victorian furniture. I love the ornate lines. I love the rich hue of the dark wood. I love that each piece possesses such intricate carved detail.

I purchased this Victorian chair for just $62. When I look at this chair, I see a work of art no different than a piece of artwork hanging on our wall. It's absolutely beautiful.

The fact that this delicate chair has 'lived' for over a hundred years is just fascinating to me, especially seeing that it's in pristine condition. It must have known some very loving homes along the way.

The needlepoint is in good condition - just a few thin spots, which I think come from moths rather than wear. The preservationist in me says leave it alone. But in my effort to blend my passion for antiques with the modernity of our lives, I thought of perhaps brightening the chair with a nice light velvet, which was also popular during the late 1800's.

Alternatively, for a more contemporary juxtaposition, I thought a nice botanical fabric could also be quite beautiful and honor the Victorian era's love of nature.



I just love this bird toile fabric.



I've placed the chair next to my bed, in place of the chair that was already there. It goes just so beautifully next to the Eastlake nightstand, as they share the same intricate carved detail and the same lovely bird's eye maple veneer.

Considering the placement of the chair, I'm leaning towards brightening it with a soft, light velvet as I think it would best match the feel of the bedroom. If I do this, I will preserve the original needlepoint - perhaps by covering over it.

What do you think... leave it alone? Or do you like the bird toile, or the light soft velvet fabric?

My Office

A couple of weekends ago, I tore apart my office. It wasn't something I had on my 'to do' list but it had been bothering me for awhile. The issues I had with my office were that I didn't have enough drawer space to organize my odds and ends and it was feeling a bit stagnant and dreary.

You can go here to see the original remodel.

So my goal was to brighten it up while also finding ways to improve organization.



The first thing I did was to take this old antique frame (this used to hang in my Grandmother's dining room), and transform it into a cork board. It's kind of become an inspiration board of sorts as I've been hanging up photos I love, things I'm thinking of for the house, quotes and my 'to do' list.

I stole the dresser from the guest house (one of the first antiques I bought when I lived in Maine) because the desk drawers alone weren't enough to hold office supplies, stationary, telephone books, all my inspiration photos from magazines, my various three-ring binders, etc. The extra drawer space has completely transformed the function of the office!



I converted this antique picture frame into a mirror to help brighten up this corner of the room. That little door you see in the reflection of the mirror is a small closet where I keep our old, and very ugly, filing cabinet.



I made two purchases: the sisal rug and another slip covered armchair from IKEA. I like this armchair because it's easy to pick up and move, which makes working on the computer with Hubby a lot easier to do.



I stole the Matisse nude (which doesn't show up very well in this photo) from the salon wall in the den!

I also finally found a place for this little Eastlake wall cubby. I picked this up years ago but never really figured out what to do with it. Now I have it by the door for outgoing mail.

In effort to make this space feel brighter, I gathered up all my marble collections (the lamps and the bird baths), as well as this old alabaster ash tray. I'll use it as a holder for thumb tacts.

So that's what I've done! No big changes really, I mostly just recycled items we already had. Oh, and one of my favorite new changes to my office, is having the horse painting on my desk. It's one of my most beloved paintings and I just love the companionship those four beautiful horses offer.

Fall Orchards

Things feel very quiet in the orchard after the hustle and bustle of the harvest. The trees now stand still, resting perhaps as they shed the last of their summer leaves and begin to settle in for their long winter's nap.

I love walking through the orchards. Each season offers a different experience. Right now, there's a sense of calm and rest and a little bit of sadness as the trees stand bare. This time of year is so different than the twinkling buds of spring or the sheltering green canopy of summer.

If you were to follow this orchard row, trudge up the hill and through the woods (where our property begins), you would eventually come to our back door!



And here's a couple of monkeys (Hubby and Lucy), climbing on a John Deere tractor. This isn't our tractor, although Hubby wishes that it was. And if Lucy could ride shot gun, it would be her wish too.

Destiny

I bought this landscape oil painting over the summer, unframed, with the intention of matching it with one of my antique frames. But when I brought it home, I realized that it was a really odd size!

So I figured that eventually, I would have to have one of my old frames cut down to fit (which costs about $100). Then yesterday, I was in the city looking through some antique shops when I came across this antique gold frame above. To my utter shock and pure joy, they were a match!

Both frame and painting are very happy to have found each other - I think it was absolute destiny! xo

Details on where I hung it will come later!

Happy Halloween

This was our first snow fall. It happened a couple of weeks ago and I'm happy to say that it hasn't been back - it will be a long enough winter as it is!

If this photo looks familiar, you may have seen it over at Tara Dillard's blog - she's doing our landscape design!! She sent me the beautiful landscape plans a few days ago and it's very exciting...I'll post on that soon!



This is the extent of my Halloween costume. I'll wear it when we carve our pumpkins tonight - and when I toast the fresh yummy pumpkins seeds!

Have a Happy Halloween!

Getting in the Spirit

I'm a little bit of a party pooper on Halloween. I think my favorite part is toasting fresh pumpkin seeds. In fact, it's probably what motivates me to carve the pumpkin!

I did put out this carved bird on the window sill, which isn't very scary, but it kind of looks like a silhouette against the light.

A Clean Slate

I've been enjoying this fantasy that we've just bought our house and everything is just as it is now...crisp, clean and ready to decorate! In this fantasy world, it is as if the era of pea green carpeting and faux wood paneling never existed...

So my fantasy goes like this...Hubby and I pull up to a lovely country house that's in our price range! Wow, huh? We're instantly in love as we can see that the house has been well-taken care of. We walk up to the front door and as I step in, I begin to glide through the each room seeing nothing I don't like.

When I make my way to the living room, my eyes light up and as I turn, Hubby takes me in his arms (suddenly I have my wedding dress on) and we begin to dance, giddy with laughter as we know that we have finally found exactly what we're looking for in our new home. We pause only for a moment, with bright beaming smiles, and say to our realtor without any doubt or hesitation, "we'll take it!"

Nothing in this fantasy had anything to do with what really happened, especially the part about the doubt and hesitation. But I'm enjoying every minute of my fantasy as I stare into this empty room, dreaming of how I'm going to decorate! It feels like such a luxury!

So let me take you through the room...



This is the perspective you get when coming from the kitchen. The french door next to the picture window will eventually take you to a balcony, which we'll build this spring. The original 'deck' was torn down when they put in the new Marvin windows. The door you see through the entryway, goes to the wraparound porch...this is our formal entry into the house.



This is looking towards the fireplace from a corner that no one will ever stand in, but I thought I'd give every perspective. Entry is where the hall tree stands.

If I pan left a bit more, you'll see the coat closet to the left and to the left of that, the hallway where the den, guest bedroom and downstairs bathroom are located.

So this is what I've come up with so far...



...the main layout. The couch will face the fireplace and the two chairs will flank each side of the fireplace. I love the coziness that this layout will offer and I know that there will be many hours spent snuggled in front of the fire.

Here's the new couch we've ordered...accompanied by two of the above chair! We went with a couch with more modern lines to contrast a little with the more traditional lines of the coffee table. The coffee table (you can see here) is an antique pedestal with rounded feet and oval top, which will compliment the round lines in the chair.

Here are the fabrics we chose...the sofa fabric is a beautiful velvet (so luxurious) and the chair fabric, which goes really well with the tarragon velvet, is linen-esque (the photo doesn't really show the chair fabric very well). And due to the furniture store's amazing sale - I made sure that I picked out the highest grade of fabric - of course I did!

I've also been considering a tall narrow table to put behind the couch. I'd put two table lamps on each end to illuminate the room. I was thinking of something a little modern, made of mostly glass so that it doesn't feel too heavy. I think this would be the best option as end tables wouldn't work well with the tuxedo-style (high arms) couch.

Also, we'll order a 9x12 natural fiber rug, perhaps this one from Pottery Barn, to go in front of fireplace. All the furniture fits on the 9x12 size. I'll accent the rest of the room with antique rugs I already have.



I'll put an antique rug in front of the french door. This door will eventually lead to a balcony. There's about a seven foot drop outside the door right now. The balcony will have wide center stairs going down into the yard. It will be big enough to put a couple of rocking chairs or a small table and chairs for an extra place to eat or drink.

Our existing dining cabinet, that I'll be stealing from our dining room (photo below), will be relocated to the above wall. Instead of holding dining odds and ends, it will be transformed into a secretary that will be a place for beloved books, unframed art, special momentos, etc. I'll be stealing this cabinet from the dining room because we've decided to add two more windows on the wall where the cabinet is now. But I'll go into the dining room plans later.



Here's the cabinet we'll be stealing for the living room. Hopefully, someday I'll find a narrower dining cabinet to replace it.

On that small wall to the right of the kitchen entry, I've been considering a temporary bookshelf. Lauren at Pure Style Home inspired me when she put one in her house, on a similar sized wall, and it looks fabulous - like everything else she does. And I say 'temporary' because as you can see in the next photo, I have plans for Hubby (wink, wink Hubby), to build a built-in bookcase (love the look of those - I have a gazillion inspiration photos of them) on that huge wall.

We're waiting to begin this project until after we get rid of that floor furnace. It's the one 'functional' thing in the house we have yet to figure out. But whatever we decide to do, that floor furnace grate will eventually go...and hello bookcase. ; )

So odds and ends still left to find are: some sconces for above the mantle (any suggestions?), a 9x12 natural fiber rug, perhaps a white bookcase, a tall modern table and...

Any other inspiring ideas? I would love your feedback! Just love it!

*Also, I've made another friend over at High Street Market. ..... Kelly has the most amazing Etsy shop with so many beautiful treasures. I was eyeing the pair of marble table lamps, an antique oval mirror and a lovely pewter pitcher...and it's all so reasonably priced! How fun is that!

October Poem

View from our upstairs window.

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand.
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.

George Cooper

Have a wonderful fall weekend! And I've made another fabulous friend - go see Jennifer at The Newlywed Diaries!

A Fall Walk

First, the lovely Camilla from Camilla at Home has posted on A Country Farmhouse! Isn't that so kind of her! She has a beautiful blog that I love visiting and I know you will too!

The above photo was taken up the road from our house. You can see that big open field from our bathroom window, which I always pause to look out from in case there are any elk or deer passing through.

It's a favorite field of ours as it's down a long dirt road where only horses and a few neighbors like us, travel on. The mountain you see in the background is Mt. Adams, the same mountain we see from our house.

This photo was taken last fall. We went up to the field this past weekend but unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me. We were happy to see that the bees were back, now that their work in the orchards is done. They were buzzing wildly...it's sort of exciting and terrifying all at the same time! But unlike the wasp, the honey bees are more interested in their honey than in you.

And just so you know, those wires around the bee boxes - are live! I know this because I got too close and got zapped!

Fall is such a beautiful time of the year, I only wish it didn't pass by so quickly.

Little Lamb Bouquet

I didn't have the heart to clip the Little Lamb Hydrangea blossoms this summer but now that they're starting to dry out, I decided to make a fall bouquet.

The Den Revisited

Styling this space had its challenges. First, it's a small room and second, we were on a tight budget.

Let's start with a trip down memory lane...this is what we started with during the first round of the remodel three years ago. Oh look, more paneling!



This is after we tore down the paneling so we could paint - um, I mean, so we could figure out how to get the Jackson Pollock glue marks off the walls, before we could even dream of painting!



This is what became of this room after we dealt with the glue stains and painted the walls. This photo pretty much sums up our first year living in the house.

During our remodel, upgrades to the room included new Marvin replacement windows, new base and quarter round mouldings, and new paint (this was all done three years ago). The primary role for this room had been storage, so we've spent little time in here until now.



And here's our new den!



For the most part, we've furnished the den using items we already had. The armoire, an Ethan Allen piece I purchased at a consignment store several years ago, holds our old TV. And due to the small square footage of the room, subtitles are easy to read!



The writing desk is an old family piece, the wicker chair I stole from another room and the couch...that's right, the couch I swore to oblivion, is the couch that use to be in the living room. If anyone knows of a way to dye a couch slipcover, I would love to hear about it!



The salon wall was more difficult than I had expected! This was due to the plaster walls, which required each nail to be pre-drilled. This made it much more difficult to play around with the layout. All the art I used on this wall were pieces I already had or have recently re-framed.

Our budget for this 'new' room was minimal. In fact, I believe Hubby's budget advice was - don't spend any money! With that in mind, the only new items include...6x9 (a hard size to find) jute rug from The Company Store, an armchair from IKEA and a few throws and pillows from Home Goods.

There's still some finishing touches to add...like a ceiling light! I was thinking of a mini chandelier but have also looked at some modern style fixtures. Also, we need to add some sort of coffee table to put cups of tea and other beverages on. I'm thinking it too will have some modern lines.

Our Fireplace

From a distance, you may not notice the stains on the brick fireplace. These stains come from the glue that the previous owners used to adhere the faux wood paneling.

Here is our fireplace in its former glory. The incinerator-like wood stove compliments the dark gloomy look and took two grown men (chimney guys), several hours, and several swear words to remove.

Here's Hubby prying off the first bit of the faux paneling. This is literally the first day (maybe even the first hour), after taking ownership of the house.



This is after all of the paneling was removed. We knew that there had been an old leak so that wasn't a surprise, but what we didn't expect was their generous use of glue (glue ended up being a four letter word during the remodel as the former owners used it everywhere).

This is how things look now. We've covered up the bookcases with drywall, added crown and base mouldings and had a cabinetmaker design and install the mantle.



Here's a closer look at the glue stains. We've tried everything to remove them - nothing has erased them completely. Initially, we had intended to paint over it but then kind of liked the brick (from a distance) with the white mantle so ended up leaving it...until now.

With the new furniture on its way, and with an empty room just screaming for a painting project, we're thinking that it might be time to paint it. All along, we thought we'd paint it white, but there have been other suggestions such as black or gray. What do you think?

I'm looking through some old magazines to try and see what different colors would look like. The good thing is that no matter what color we end up painting it, we can always change it later on....

New Bedroom Rug

This is our new bedroom rug. I found this sisal-looking, but 100% jute, rug at The Company Store. Thanks to a great coupon (SAVENOW), I saved enough money that made shipping and handling free. The rug is a 9x12, so the savings was significant.

I also just moved this antique chair up from the den. Hubby doesn't like this chair because I tell him not to sit in it. Why he asks, do we have a chair you cannot sit in? Well, it's pretty for one, fragile for two, and it's been in my family for four generations. So here it is, next to my nightstand.

The vase of roses are from my 'last clippings' post. The first night I put them by my bedside, I was literally delirious with their intoxicating fragrance. I can't stop breathing in their delicate beauty as I know it will be awhile before I smell that heavenly fragrance again.

Crystal Chandelier

This is our new crystal chandelier. I found it at one of my favorite antique stores and I was happy to see it as it was nearly identical to the chandelier I tore out of a magazine several years ago.

This is the inspiration photo, and I'm afraid I don't remember which magazine it came from. I just love the glamour of the chandelier set against the backdrop of the rustic cabinet. This room feels so light and fresh to me.

It's truly amazing how inspiring room photographs are. During our remodel, I kept a three-ring binder organized by room with photos such as the above to help guide me (and our contractors) towards our aesthetic intentions (often not easily expressed through words).

I still tear out inspiration photos for my three-ring binder! I just can't help myself. Someday I'll do a post comparing all our rooms with the inspiration photos that I went by! Fun, yes?

New Couch and Chairs!

After a long and exhaustive search that included the criteria of fabulous, affordable and well-made, we have finally found a couch for the living room.

The furniture store was having a special sale where all fabrics, no matter what grade you chose, were priced at the lowest grade fabric price! You can imagine how exciting it was to look at fabrics with no regard for cost. This freedom led us to a beautiful neutral velvet called 'Tarragon' and it's very luxurious.

We also found a beautiful chair, which was on sale and included the same special savings on the fabric. So we ordered two of these chairs to flank either side of the fireplace. For these, we chose a linen-esque fabric that is several shades lighter than the velvet.



Due to these purchases, we've started to spruce up the living room before the new furniture arrives (which will be six to eight weeks). The biggest change is that we've decided to relocate the old Karastan rug to the guest house. The following picture shows the room with the Karastan just before we rolled it up.



Below is the room after we rolled it up. It was absolutely amazing to see how much brighter the room became. This room already gets a lot of light due to all the windows but the room truly glows without the heaviness of the dark rug.



The room is pretty empty right now because we stole the couch that was in here for the den (photos soon to follow!). Then after I rolled up the Karastan this past weekend, I thought we'd start with a clean slate and continued to remove all tables, artwork and lamps.

The new couch will face the fireplace. The two new chairs will flank each side of the fireplace. We'll add a new natural fiber rug for floor. The antique mirror (a Great-Great Grandparents piece), will remain but I would like to think of something new and fresh for the mantle.

I'm going to go through some of my magazines to look for some ideas! Any suggestions?

The Last of the Roses

I clipped the last of the roses this evening. The nights are getting really cool. I hadn't realized how cool until I drove down to the flower farm this afternoon. On my drive down, I was thinking of what varieties and colors I'd choose this time, where I'd put the biggest bouquet...how much cash I had on me, etc.. But when I got to the farm, I was greeted with a field of completely brown, frost bitten Dahlias. Not one flower left. Big sigh.

I've been really busy this past week! I've felt like one of the gray squirrels I've seen frantically running around here lately. I don't know if it's an instinct to want to fluff the nest before the long winter, or if the cooler weather has given me a burst of energy, but either way, I've been fluffing like crazy!

The biggest whole room redo lately, has been our den. This room is being used for the first time since we bought the house. It has served many purposes throughout the remodel...but mostly, it's been primarily for storage. Boring. Now that we've designated it to be our den (where the TV is), it's like we've added a whole new room to the house. Now we're in there all the time!

I'm nearly done with this new room of ours and will post the 'before' and 'after' pictures soon. The light fixture I asked Hubby to install over the weekend, ended up not working out. So I'm looking for another one, something under $100, and something that offers a bit of sparkle. Any suggestions?

We've also put down a 9 x 12 jute rug in the bedroom. It's a much better fit than the 8x10 wool rug that was in there before. So I'll post on that too!

Also, we've replaced our cheap chandelier (finally) with an antique crystal chandelier that I absolutely love. It's almost identical to the one in a picture I tore out as my ideal dining room several years ago. I'll scan the picture and show you. I'm so excited about this new beautiful addition to our home and I can't believe the transformation. I danced around the room when I saw the first rainbow on the wall. Photos to follow! (Not of me dancing around the room mind you ; )

And, if you can believe it, I've also been working on securing a purchase of a new living room couch and two chairs. This search has been a long one. But we've picked out the couch and the chairs and are now making the last final decisions on the fabric.

This room is finally going to be furnished the way it should be. So far, it's been filled with quirky hand-me-downs and mis-matched styles and colors...I can't wait for it to all come together. Again, it's going to feel like a brand new room!

I was telling Hubby that this new stage we're in of remodeling our remodel is so much fun! Most of the work we've done over the past several years has been foundation work - electrical, plumbing, drywall, molding...it's not nearly as much fun as buying furniture and throw pillows! I will tell you however, that I'm much more enthusiastic about this new stage than Hubby...much more.

So lots to post about! Can't wait to hear what you think. ; )

Chanterelles Are Out!

Chanterelles are out! We had a nice rain over the weekend, prompting Hubby to set off into the woods in search of the beautiful Chanterelle mushroom.

In just two hours of combing the wet fall forest, he collected nearly five pounds of fresh delectable fungi.

The following book is the field guide that Hubby has been using for years. It's a wonderful book with lots of pictures and thorough descriptions that make mushrooming all the more safe and alluring.



The Chanterelles are gorgeous and smell like fresh apricots! Our favorite recipe for the Chanterelles is homemade pizza, which we had for dinner last night (recipe here). Tonight, we'll saute up the rest and add it to red quinoa with sauteed shallots and kale.

Delicious.

A Love Affair with Frames

I love antique picture frames. I love their intricate detail and their nicely aged patina. I love that each frame has its own unique character and I love that feeling when you can bring life back to a piece that has been so sadly forgotten.

I bought all of these frames on an antique field trip I took this past summer. The above gold antique frame is one of my favorites. It's in wonderful condition and I plan on having it cut down an inch or so to fit a beautiful landscape oil painting I have. I paid $60 for it.



This gold frame is in fairly rough shape but at $20, it was a steal. I have a 7 x 7 rose oil painting that will go beautifully with the floral detail in the frame. Cutting it down will remove the bad spots you can see on the left. It will also get a good cleaning.



I love the feel of these old rustic frames. It's sometimes hard to find these frames with all of their leaves in tact but when you do, they compliment nature prints beautifully. They can be surprisingly expensive so it's worth being patient. I paid $28 for this one.

I plan on doing a photo wall of friends and family using all antique frames. Due to the size of most photographs, this project requires smaller sized frames, which I've been collecting now for awhile. I like the beautiful oval mat in this frame and think a portrait photograph will go perfectly. This was $15.



I just love this little hand carved round wood frame. It's very old and in very good shape. It's a 3 x 3 so it too will also go on the family photo wall. This sweet little frame was just $12.

Having antique frames cut down requires a special skill. I happened to find a professional restorationist who will cut down a frame for $100. This is a very fair price because even with the cost of what I pay for the frame, it's still much less expensive than having something custom framed, and most importantly, the frame is one of a kind.



The above is an example of recycling beautiful antique frames. I found these identical Victorian frames in pristine condition. I was thrilled when an artist friend of mine (whose work I passionately collect), offered some pieces of hers that would fit the unique dimensions of the frames. I think the gold hues go brilliantly with the blues and greens of the sky and pasture.

Beautiful Pink

My maternal Grandmother died of breast cancer when I was a little girl. I was too young to understand what was happening to her but not too young to understand that she was suffering terribly.

My Grandparents had just divorced when she was diagnosed. Because of this, she was without medical insurance and postponed seeing her doctor because she didn't have the money. This haunts my Mother, as she truly believes that her Mom may be alive today if she would have received the medical care she needed.

Here is a link to help women who could not otherwise afford a mammogram, the most successful tool in finding the early stages of breast cancer.

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2

(link found through For the Love of a House post).

Hammock at Dusk

Now that fall is officially here, the days are getting shorter. Due to this seasonal transition, I bought a lantern and a shepherds hook to illuminate the hammock at night.

The lantern not only gives you a soft light while snuggling in the hammock, but it also illuminates the path back to the house, which gets very dark once the sun goes down.

The beautiful Pinecone Hill floral throw pillow (something I had been pining after for months) came from Farmhouse Wares. Isn't it charming? I love it.

Fall Kitchen

Now that Fall is officially here, I've switched out my teal transfer ware for the brown.



I love doing this each season as it makes the kitchen feel so new and fresh. I think that's what I love most about having the open shelves, they can really create a whole new look for the kitchen depending on what you put on them.



This Fall, I decided to hang a small painting under the shelves. It's a lovely little oil painting of the mountain we see from our property (Mt. Adams), with wonderful Fall colors in the trees.

The basket of nectarines on the counter are the last of the 20-pound case I got at the Organic Growers Association down the road. They're so juicy and sweet. I think I'll be going back to get a case of plums next!

Oh, and can you see that I've switched out our antique oriental for an oval braided jute rug? I stole it from the guest house as I think it will get much more use here in the kitchen.



I went to the flower farm yesterday and clipped some more Dahlias. The Dahlias are beginning to fade though as it took some effort to find blooms that hadn't already expired.

Happy Fall!

Downstairs Bathroom Revisited

The new after. New additions include toile shower curtains from Pottery Barn, which happen to match our existing paint perfectly. Thanks to Joan for her input on this!

We also installed Horizon Shutters after finally fixing the trim on the Marvin replacement window.



Kept the marble table as it's the perfect place for fresh cut flowers.

A simple detail but one that I love, love, love...our new porcelain cross handles. I came across these about a year ago (they're reproductions) and realized that they would fit our existing faucet (also a reproduction). Switching them out was easy - I discovered this by watching hubby do it.



This is the original paint color we used during the first remodel and I still love it.



I was considering a salon wall here but since I'm currently working on a salon wall in our den, I didn't have enough pictures for it. What do you think? Add a salon wall or leave it?

I spruced up some of my Grandmother's old picture frames with some botanical prints from one of my salvage books. It's amazing how many things of hers - things I grew up with - have found a place in our home!



Did I mention how much I love the new porcelain cross handles? And the vase is another piece from my Grandmother. xo

You can go here to see the original remodel.

This is how we found this bathroom when we bought the house three years ago. Like the kitchen, we never used it before we gutted it. This was attributed to some plumbing issues and the fact that we couldn't wait to cleanse it of the 1970's grooviness.

After we gutted it, we updated plumbing & electrical, added insulation, new drywall, crown and base moldings and replaced the fixtures (claw foot bathtub, sink and toilet). The only thing we recycled from the original bathroom was the medicine cabinet. Tub, sink and toilet got hauled off to the Rebuild It Center in town.

Looking Back

Our kitchen now.

Our kitchen then.

After switching templates, I had to go back and fix each photograph on my blog. This resulted in returning to those early days of the remodel. When I came across this old 'before' photo, I was reminded of how far we've come.

After having remodeled every stitch of this farmhouse, we're finally at the stage where we've been updating some of our original updates! It's exciting because now all the basics like electrical & plumbing, drywall and baseboards are done - it's such a luxury!

I'm finding that I have the energy and patience to really think about the small aesthetic details I felt too rushed and overwhelmed to contemplate during the early remodel. I'm reveling in these aesthetic details as I update our downstairs bathroom right now - photos to soon follow!

Menagerie of Aprons

I have an apron for every occasion. I happened across my apron collection the other day while Hubby was working from home.

The conversation we had five minutes before went something like this...

"I have to work for a few more hours," he said.
"I promise I won't interrupt," I replied.

Less than five minutes later.

"IJUSTFOUNDMYAPRONSLET'SDOAPHOTOSHOOT!"

His face said no but he indulged me anyway. Here's a few of my favorites...


This red floral is like a dress - perfect for a summer BBQ.


This one screams, "bake a cake!"


Who says I don't dress up for Halloween?


My Grandmother's old Thanksgiving apron.


This classic white apron, a favorite (stains and all), makes everything you cook taste better. It gives you the idea that somewhere along the line, you went to cooking school. I wear this a lot for hubby's sake. Note: wasp on shoulder!

Outdoor Dining Patio

If you would have told me how long it would take to put in our outdoor dining patio, I wouldn't have believed you. I simply had no idea of the time involved in completing such a project. Like the fence, it took many, many hours (and many, many weekends) of meticulous consideration and hard work.

Hubby did most of this work. He did all the math, the measuring, leveling and planning. See Exhibit A.

Exhibit A.

As for myself, I was good at pointing around and saying, "like this, and there!" Which hubby was able to translate into a beautiful patio and stairs.

Although it was our intention to have this completed before summer officially began, it has now been completed before summer is officially over!

So the following photos are what it took to create this new space of ours...


Retaining wall was built first. See urns? I'm already starting to decorate.

A concrete pourer came out after hubby framed in stairs.

After concrete cured, pavers were adhered.

There are a lot more photos. Most of them are of hubby up to his ears in gravel, dirt and pavers. And a few with him giving me the stink eye when I interrupted him with, "stop, let me take your picture!" This request was usually met with deaf ears.


Here's hubby ignoring me after such a request.

We are thrilled to have our patio done and are thoroughly enjoying outdoor dining. Next comes all the landscaping! I'm also in the process of looking for a nice patio light to go over the french doors. Any suggestions?

A Secret Barn

I took the long way into town this morning. I set off by driving down our dirt road and into the valley we look out upon. Winding through hills, past farms and pastures, I came upon this sweet old barn.

I love how the barn sits tucked away behind the orchard. It makes the barn all the more alluring.

After walking under the canopy of green to the end of the orchard row, I reached the barn. Standing there under the bright morning sun, I suddenly felt like I was someplace I shouldn't be - perhaps because, ahem, I was trespassing. So I didn't stay long.



Walking back to my car, my flip flops crunched through the dry summer grass while my head swirled with the magic of the barn. It made me feel like a kid again, having just discovered a secret new hide-out.

P.S. I've updated my blog template (hope you like it!). There have been a few kinks to sort out which have kept me busy but nevertheless, I'm excited about the new layout!

Dahlias

I was back at the flower farm today. We're having friends over for dinner tomorrow night and I wanted to be sure that the house was filled with fresh cut flowers.

Happy Weekend!

Spice!

I've just finished organizing our spice drawer. This task has been on my 'to do' list since the completion of our kitchen remodel, um, three years ago. The photo above is the after and as you can see, I labeled all the spice jars on top. This will make a world of difference when we're hunting down a spice and don't want to pull up each bottle to read the front.

This was the spice drawer before. The spice jars were in no order and there were also a lot of baggies from our spice acquisitions in the bulk section of our grocery store. The best baggies were those with just numbers for identification. At the time, you think just writing the numbers is enough. We know now that it's not.



Now they're in alphabetical order and easy to read. I got the spice jars from World Market. For the labels, I bought round blank white stickers, drew on a black border with a circle template and hand wrote each label.

It's time to get cooking!

Summer Drive

This is one of my favorite fields in the valley. I drove by it on my way up to a nearby lake this morning. It's very peaceful out here.

Less than a minute after taking this picture however, I was harassed by a few wasps. I decided to jump back in the car to get away from them but unfortunately, they jumped in with me.

Better yet, they were in my pants leg. Knowing the inevitable, I swatted at them. I felt the sting and that's when I jumped out of the car and pulled down my pants. In fact, I went further than that and took them off altogether.

Standing in the middle of the road with no pants on, I realized yet another luxury of living in the country. You may take your pants off anywhere you like without much fear that there will be witnesses.

Here's a familiar scene around here. The orchards are almost ready to harvest. The white boxes you see stacked will soon be filled with several varieties of ripe pears and apples. And you'll be glad to know that during this stop, I managed to keep my pants on.

Which one?

These two wallpaper samples are the same pattern in different colors. Gray on the left and sage on the right. These are samples I just received from the new Easychange wallpaper line at Sherwin Williams. I'm thinking of wallpapering our master bathroom with it!

What I love, and what hubby loves most, is that it's easily removable, which makes me feel quite bold - I mean, how can I (we) go wrong?

This is our bathroom as it is now. As you can see, we went with white walls and white wainscotting. This actually ocurred because we had too many other things going on with the remodel to think beyond white at the time. And I like the simplicity of it but I think it could look quite charming with a nice wallpaper. And as you can see, the bathroom is small. The plus side to that, in this instance, is that there is very little wall to paper so installation time (wink, wink hubby) is like nothing!



Here's the gray behind sink mirror. My little deer souvenir from Yosemite National Park (I think I was five years old), sits on the railing.



Here's the sage behind the same mirror. The sage comes across a lot softer in the photo than in real life.



Here's on the other side of the room. I'm kinda leaning towards the sage. It feels a bit more earthy to me and seeing that we live in the country, it may offer more of that pastoral feel. The grey feels more sophisticated, perhaps a bit more urban BUT I love the dramatic look...what do you think? Gray floral, sage floral...keep it white?

There are a few more samples on their way. I can't wait to see them! You can look at the Easychange line here.

The Flower Farm

Hubby came to the flower farm with me last night. How cute is that?



The flower farm is surrounded by rows upon rows of orchards. Set amongst the orchards are two acres of glorious flower fields. The photo above was taken in the dahlia patch, which consists of six long rows of every dahlia variety you can imagine.



This is the back entrance to the flower farm house, a pristine Dutch Colonial that is now operated by our local historical society. Indoors, a local winery gives tastings and shares the history of the house and farm. Let me just say, that I want to move in and play house here!



It was cute to watch hubby walk around and say things like, "how about a purple one?" We had only one pair of pruners so I did all of the cutting. Hubby made his visit more of a nature walk and it was really sweet to watch. It reminded me of that poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay that goes:

I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.



The flower farm is such a nurturing place to go. To see so many flowers blooming in abundance offers the biggest case of warm fuzzies. It's also exciting to go home and fill your house with so many beautiful flowers. Our excursion to the farm provided us with four beautiful bouquets of dahlias. The cost: $10.

Sweet Little Owl

I reframed this owl print. This was actually a birthday present that I gave my Grandmother years ago. She loved birds. The print means a lot to me so I thought I'd give it a makeover with an old frame and a lighter mat.

Above is what it looked like before. As you can see it's more contemporary and not as crisp or bright with its darker frame and mats.

For the first time, I tried the Museum Grade UV Glass because I thought the UV Clear I used on my peony piece was too reflective. In fact, I ended up replacing the glass in the peony piece with the Museum Grade UV Glass as well.

Most of the art we have in our home are original oil or acrylic landscape paintings. But lately I've been framing up some prints because I'm working on a salon wall for our den.

The antique frame was $20 (what a deal!). Add in the custom cut Museum Grade UV Glass, which was $23, and the custom cut mat for $12, my new piece of artwork cost me $55.

But more than the affordable cost of hanging a new piece of art in my home, I am reminded of the memory of my Grandmother and her passionate love of nature.

Berry Crisp

Fruit crisps, fruit pies, fruit cobbler...any combination of warm baked fruit with a dollop of creamy vanilla ice cream is pretty much my favorite dessert.

That said, it didn't take long for me to think of using some of our market berries for a yummy crisp. We also happen to have this wonderful organic vanilla ice cream in our freezer. So really, the crisp was half-made anyway.

This is the recipe I use for my crisp toppings. I used this on an apple crisp I made when we had company last. I sprinkled a little sugar on the apples but with these berries, they're so sweet on their own, I didn't add anything.

Crisp Topping
4 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup of thick rolled oats

In a Cuisinart, blend butter through flour. Then add oats and pulse a few times to blend. I put oats in at the end so that they stay as whole as possible. The topping will be enough for a nine inch pan.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until done. I wait until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling.

P.S. Hubby and I went on a date over the weekend and saw the movie Julie & Julia. It really inspired me to crack open that "Baking with Julia" cookbook I got ions ago and yet, have never used. Today I made it as far as opening it up and looking at all the pretty pictures. We'll see what follows...

Hanging the Hammock

Over the past several years, we've often spoke of how nice it would be to have a hammock. But it wasn't until today that we followed through on that thought.

So here is our new hammock. We set it up under some trees by the barn. It's completely shaded with views of the grapes and the dry summer fields.

So far I'm the only one who has reclined in the hammock. Hubby has been going non-stop trying to get that entry pathway in. In part due to the plate compactor (to compact gravel) that has to be returned by morning.

Plans for our hammock include morning, afternoon and/or evening naps. It will also serve as a cozy place to read a book, a magazine or the paper. But most of all, I imagine it will be a place to do absolutely nothing.

Market Berries

The Farmer's Market is getting more and more interesting. There were still lots of berries to choose from but now squash, beets, carrots, peas, tomatoes, basil, zucchini...are all showing up in abundance.

I chose the 'variety pack' and got the above blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. When I got home, I transfered them into these vintage berry containers. I just love their thin wood walls held together with the green wire rim.

Reduce Your Catalogs

Many months ago I came across a non-profit organization that enabled you to stop delivery of unsolicited catalogues by mail. I jumped at the chance because the number of catalogues we were receiving at that time was staggering.

The web site is very user-friendly. You just sign up and then select from an existing database the catalogs you no longer wish to receive. I stopped everything we were receiving since the stores we shop at provide paperless versions online.

The results have been great, which makes for fewer trips to the recycling station!

Go here: http://www.catalogchoice.org/

Beets

Hubby loves beet salad. It's probably one of his favorite summer salads. Since I'm on a mission to make a bunch of cold salads to have over the weekend, I knew beet salad had to be one of them!

Recipe:

6 bunches of beets (or 20 beets)
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 garlic clove minced

Cut stems off beets and bake at 350 for an hour, or until done.

Let cool, and then rub off skins. Quarter beets into large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix in tarragon through garlic. Stir well and then pour over beets.

Toss well, chill and eat.

WARNING: Never think you can out smart a beet. Always wear your apron.

Our Picket Fence

Although almost too tired to utter the words, we have indeed finished (there's one last section to do after we put in our entry walkway) building our picket fence. It was hard work and it took longer than we would have imagined but we are both in agreement that we couldn't of hired anyone to do a better job. Well, we couldn't have 'afforded' to hire anyone to do a job as meticulous as us.

I say us as both hubby and I are each meticulous in our own unique ways. His primary focus is mathematical harmony, precision, and durability, all of which include a calculator, a tape measure, lots of math and a level. These things are foreign to me.

For me, meticulous comes in the form of aesthetics. If you remember, it was I who prolonged this project by insisting that we sand each (there were over 300) picket to create a uniform finish. It was also I who felt compelled to hand-pick each picket based on its aesthetic rating. Best pickets go to areas most visible, second-grade pickets go to areas of fence least visible.

Also, in effort to achieve an old-fashioned look, we were once again required to go against the grain. Something we've had to do a lot during our old house remodel. In regards to the picket fence, it meant going with regular cedar posts (which are naturally weather resistant), instead of the recommended chemically treated posts (with their awful pitted finish). We also opted to attach the rails of the fence to each post with screws, spackling and painting all of the screw holes, instead of using the highly visible metal brackets they insisted upon.

The fence offers a wonderful sanctuary to our property. Our farmhouse sits on 7-acres, three of which consist of open fields surrounding the house. The fence provides a separate space around the yard that almost feels like an extension of the house itself.

I'll post more pictures of the fence once we use up the rest of the pavers we have camped out in our yard. The pavers will be used to create an entry walkway and also to create the floor to our outdoor dining patio, projects that have been on hold while we've been building our fence.

Making Art

During this heat wave, I've been turning my attention to indoor projects (there are many). One project I can finally cross off my list is framing up this peony print in this antique gold frame.

I found the gold frame over a year ago and thought I'd eventually have it cut down to fit one of my unframed oil paintings. But then I came across this beautiful peony print in an antique store and thought it would go perfectly with the gold frame.

By the time I started working in a frame shop in college, I had already started collecting antique frames. Working at the shop affirmed my passion for old frames. You just can't compete with their beauty, their quality and their craftsmanship. And surprisingly, their cost.

Roses and Huckleberries

What could be more lovely than roses and huckleberries? These huckleberries are wild, handpicked on the lower slopes of beautiful Mt. Adams. I got them at our local health food store.

The only thing sweeter than wild huckleberries are wild huckleberries that you've picked yourself. We haven't picked huckleberries for a few summers now but it's so much fun to go off on a hike through the woods with a pail in hand.



I've washed them and have them sitting out on the kitchen counter to nibble on. They're so good for you, just as powerful as the blueberry with its rich antioxidants. It is my goal this summer to enjoy each fruit and vegetable that comes into season. It's something I crave all winter long and so I want to be sure to embrace it while it lasts.



Aren't they beautiful?

Pesto

I didn't have all the necessary ingredients to make your classic pesto so I had to improvise. The missing ingredient was pine nuts although I most often use walnuts for their healthy omega-3's. But I didn't have walnuts either. So I used raw pumpkin seeds.

I put the remaining basil we had leftover from the bruschetta and pureed it along with some olive oil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, garlic and salt and pepper. For a classic pesto recipe, I usually use Moosewood Cookbook. It's written by Mollie Katzen and her recipe is as follows:

3 cups freshly packed basil leaves
3 to 4 large garlic cloves
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup Parmesan
optional: 1/3 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
optional: salt and pepper to taste

Blend in Cuisinart.

I tend to go lighter on the garlic than what her recipe calls for. I love garlic but I don't want it to overpower everything else.

These are locally grown organic tomatoes and they taste so wonderful. I had some organic vine ripened (which are usually the best in the grocery store) to compare them to and wow, what a difference. Fresh seasonal tomatoes are so sweet and delicious.

The House is Still

The house is still. It's another warm morning to what is supposed to be another hot summer day. Windows are closed. Dog is quiet. Fans are blowing. It kind of feels like nap time.

Outside I have some sprinklers going. Watching the circular flight of water seems to cool me. Yesterday evening, still waiting for the heat to subside, I suggested to hubby that we spray each other down with the garden hose.

We turned the hose on Lucy instead. She was much obliged.

Hot Days of Summer

As our summer days get progressively warmer, it is becoming more and more difficult to keep the house cool. We have been throwing open all the windows at night to let the cool air in, and then closing them in the morning to keep the warmth out...but it's not working as well now.

Needless to say, the stove will not be used during this heat wave so bruschetta is on the menu. No cooking required. Just fresh summer grown ingredients. I don't use a recipe. I just combine the following ingredients to taste.

3-4 summer ripe tomatoes
fresh basil
minced garlic (I prefer only one clove)
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
crusty loaf of bread

Lovely Things

Look for a lovely thing
and you will find it. Sara Teasdale

I love landscape oil paintings. It's what I'm always looking for when wandering through antique stores. I actually majored in Music and Art in college. I never did become an artist or a musician though. Instead, I began a career path in historic and environmental preservation, which to me is kind of the same thing. Like the arts, it's a passion for beauty in its most soulful, natural and creative forms.

I found this landscape painting a few weeks ago. It was exactly what I was looking for. Something lovely. I love those pink blue skies.

My little painting cost only $20. It comes without a frame and there are a few scratches here and there. But for me, the heart of whomever created this painting is very much still in tact. And that's what makes it so lovely.

The Picket Fence

We are hoping to finish our picket fence this weekend. Building this picket fence has been more time consuming than we realized - like everything else. This is hubby cutting some spacers so that the pickets line up evenly.



This is Lucy, who is never far from hubby's side. As you can see, keeping close to her Papa sometimes results in some collateral damage. But Lucy doesn't mind. In fact, the dusting of sawdust complements the lovely smear of white paint she picked up last weekend when hubby was painting.



Hubby is building us a beautiful fence ; ) Hopefully we'll have pictures by the end of the weekend!

My Blooming Orchid

One of my orchids is reblooming and it makes me very happy. After months of tender loving care, it is so rewarding to see one burst into blossoms. This happy occasion is in part thanks to the 'Orchid Lady' in town. She holds orchid workshops at our local nursery throughout the year.

I attended one of her workshops this past spring and learned a lot of the usual things such as the right light, frequent watering and the importance of fertilizer. But by far the best advice the Orchid Lady gave me was to talk to my orchids. She said that orchids are women and like all women, they thrive on conversation.

As you can imagine I was thrilled with this assignment as I was already in full blown conversation with dogs, horses, alpacas, birds and all non-biting insects. This would be for sure the easiest part of caring for my orchids.

And so began the conversations with our orchids. Our dog Lucy is no longer startled by salutations not directed towards her, nor is hubby the least bit surprised that I have yet to run out of anything to say. And so our orchids continue to blossom...

Fresh Lavender

I clipped some lavender from one of our newly planted lavender plants last evening. I couldn't resist as the lavender smelled so much like summer.

I gathered it up with a ribbon and hung it from our bathtub faucet. We've been working day and night on our picket fence (by this weekend we should be done!) and a nice soothing bath is the perfect thing to look forward to at the end of the day.

I also love to put lavender sachets in our pillowcases. In aromatherapy, it's known to be a wonderful sleep aid, helping to provide a deep and restful sleep. It's also just a nice calming fragrance to go to sleep and wake up to.

Little Lamb Hydrangea

This morning I clipped a few blossoms from my Little Lamb hydrangea. It's a beautiful hydrangea that grows happily in full sun. The variety comes from Belgium and was named 'Little Lamb' because the grower thought the flower petals looked like little "dancing lambs." How sweet is that?

The Beauty of Women

Today I am reminded of the generous heart of women. I am reminded of the women I've known in my life, whether in passing or in friendship, and how their warmth and tenderness have seen me through some of life's most difficult times.

When I was in my twenties, I was struck by the capacity of women's nurturing hearts for the first time. These women, they held out their hands and cradled me until I had mended. Women that were much older than me, women I did not know well. They held me anyway, with such love and compassion, it changed my life forever.

Now in my thirties, I have been again reminded of the generous heart of women. Again, they've laid their hands on me. Shed tears for me. Laughed with me. Held me. Carried me when I could not carry myself. Loved me when they sometimes could not even love themselves.

The beauty of women is their unyielding capacity to give, to care, to reach out and hold you without hesitation, without ever having to ask.

My heart is full as I offer my love and gratitude to the beauty of women. They are young and old. Simple and complicated. Close and distant. Gracious and reticent. We are different, but we are all women.

Image provided by Clipart

Breakfast in the Fields

I love how an everyday meal at home can be transformed just by eating in a new location. Since our dining patio isn't quite done, we've been eating on the porch or out in the yard.

We're enjoying our first blueberries of the season. I picked them last week at a blueberry farm near town. Although a little early, there were still lots of ripe bushes to pick from. I'm looking forward to picking many more this summer.

Blueberries are becoming a popular crop in our valley as they grow easily and are naturally disease and insect resistant.