Notes from A Cottage Industry

A mantel refresh for springtime, and some other random ramblings.

It's snowing here today,(Unheard of, and a record for us!) with a weather warning in effect until midnight tonight, so I thought it only appropriate to choose this day to finally share my springtime update for my fireplace mantel.

Anyway.

After Valentine's Day I put away all of my red accent decor and pull out my most favorite of all Robin's egg blue pieces, and add lots of garden touches. The fireplace mantel is a focal point in the room, so I especially like decorating it.

After removing last season's decor from my mantel, I start my updates the same way pretty much each time I want to make a change. I look at my backdrop pieces, which usually include one or more mirrors, and a shutter or two.

I move things around a bit, maybe taking something away, or adding to it, and then once I like the balance of the backdrop I wander through my house looking for items in other rooms that are the color or theme I'm after. 

I absolutely adore old books because of the fabulous colors on their covers and bindings, and I keep them stored in all sorts of places around the house. I love building my color scheme by starting with a few books (or a big ol' pile of them) to begin creating my vignette.

This time wanted to go with the Robin's egg blue to greens to wheaty earth tones, so those were the colors I assembled with my books. (Aren't they yummy?)

I placed my sweet little old rotating fan on top of the taller book stack, and  added terra cotta pots with my Ikea plants in them (I cannot keep a houseplant alive) around the smaller stack of books.

Sometimes, but not always, I will add one or two of my banners or other paper crafts to my vignette. Right now I have my Sow, weed, water, wait itty bitty banner strung across the old window, and I am liking it. Some years I switch to an Easter-y theme, but this year I'm content to stay with the spring-with-a-slight-hint-of-gardening look.

That being said, I did add one of my Bunny Flash Cards, held up by a tiny flower frog. An old straw hat that I have had forever, a chippied garden hand tool, and one of my vintage alarm clocks rounded things out. 

I put away the fireplace screen for the spring and summer seasons, and instead, filled my old copper boiler pot with oodles and toodles of artificial hydrangeas. (Thank you Walmart!)

I like to move things around in my home, and the day after I did my color-swap and mantel refresh, I tried out my two extra buttery yellow wicker chairs flanking the fireplace...what do you think of this? Too crowded there? A nice change?

After an hour I moved them back to their respective old locations (One in the guest room, and the other in my workroom) because my mind started whirling with ideas, and the next thing I knew I was online browsing Ikea sofa and loveseat sets. (The sectional is now eleven years old, people! It has really done it's job, but it is ready to be replaced!)

New furniture is not currently on the must-have list around here, so I reeled myself in, all lickety-split like.

**big sigh**

I'm enjoying the lighter, brighter feel in the house (even if I am looking at snow falling outside the living room windows...) and later today I think I'm going to start playing around with an Easter brunch tablescape.

Speaking of Easter, is this an "entertaining" holiday for you? Do you do a brunch, an egg hunt, or a supper with friends or family? As for us, our Easter plans change each year, with no traditions set in stone like the other holidays. I was thinking a nice drive and a picnic lunch might be fun, but...did I mention it's snowing here today? 

Maybe a sofa picnic.

 

After the holidays living room and mantel refresh.

BC (Before Covid) I was a girl who always pulled out my Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving, complete with Christmas tree scented wax melts burning, and holly jolly holiday music playing all day while I lovingly pulled each item from the crinkled tissue paper in my bins brought in from the shed. Christmas would come, and December 26th I would take everything down, and box it all back up. 

This year I started to put up Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving, but it took me about a week to get everything dialed in. Christmas came and went, and I finally took down the holiday trimmings on New Year's Eve. We had freakishly cold weather from Christmas day though the end of the year, and I think the freezing temperature and bit of snow we got put me in a stay-cozy-inside mode. Enjoying the twinkling lights on the tree and the snow falling outside the window from the comfort of the sofa covered up with a blanket throw was just too perfect.

The house always feels so bare when those Christmas accents are put away, and it puts me in a mood to deep clean all the nooks and crannies in the house, particularly in the living and dining room, while I  contemplate what I can do to those areas of the house to kind of bring them back to life. (Do you do that?)

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know we live in a cozy-sized cottage. (About 1,100 square feet, that I like to think it feels like a warm hug when you walk in the door...) I keep the walls and my main pieces of furniture neutral; white walls, a white slipcovered sectional, creamy painted wooden entertainment unit, and weathered pale buttery yellow wicker chairs around the dining table, so I can add whatever splash of color I choose for any given season or holiday.

I put out touches of red and black for Christmas, and leave these accent pieces (things like quilts and throw pillows and placemats) out until just after Valentine's Day. Once the bottle brush trees and glittered ornaments are gone, I switch to a more subdued, minimal look with whites, creams, reds and black accents.

My fireplace mantel is a primary focus in the living room, and I like to change it up every few weeks or so. I use vintage architectural pieces as a backdrop for my mantel area. I almost always include at least one mirror. I like old mirrors, but I read or heard somewhere more than once that according to feng shui, (which I basically know nothing about...) you should always have a mirror above a fireplace; something about reflecting because the fireplace opening can suck energy or something out....I'm not sure, but I guess it can't hurt.

Old books are a favorite source of color for me, (reds, tans, and creams right now...) and I always look for colorful hardback old books when I am out thrifting. I also collect old alarm clocks. They look great grouped together, or sitting nestled in with other items in a vignette. I do not care if they work or not, and have very nearly all of them set to 11:55 for when I group them for New Year's Eve. I will add pieces from my small heart collection around mid January, and keep that all up until Valentine's Day.

Well, I'm noticing that this turned out to be a rather ramble-y kind of post, but it's another very gray, dark day here, and I may or may not be procrastinating about getting this day going. At any rate, I would love to hear from you! Do you periodically move things around in your home, or put things away for a bit, and bring them back out later? What sorts of things do you like to use in vignettes? 

 

What are your thoughts about "Christmas in July?"

....er....October?

(Welp, this post was started in July, worked on in August, (and September!) and now, finally published in...October.)

Ugh.

(What can I say? It's been quite a year.....and a half, give or take.)

...

Where was I?

Oh yes, Christmas in July. You've most likely heard the phrase, and of course the Hallmark Channel commits to the idea in the most major way, with daily Christmas movies all of the month of July long, but I was thinking of the "Christmas in July" concept because I have an Advent Calendar project I created. 

It seems to me it is much easier (and much more affordable) to create and assemble it over a longer time period..(Truth be told, I first thought of this idea last December, and of course, by then I was far too behind the eight ball to get anything made, sent out, or set up, and...well, you get the picture.)

Anyway.

I had so much fun creating my advent calendar, that I ended up creating not one, but two different styles, and I'm going to share them with you over two posts. Hopefully they will inspire you to create an advent calendar of your own for a special person in your life. Both Advent Calendar set ups will be available in my etsy shop for any of you who are not wanting to create one from scratch!

The first Advent Calendar is an assortment of bags and boxes, all numbered 1 through 24, meant to be tucked into a basket, crate, or even a small suitcase to display. I created this basket version with my Ralph in mind. (This is why I got inspired to do one in neutral color tones. I was thinking it would look a bit more masculine, and, the fun thing about it is that it can go with any color and style theme.) While not created in the traditional red and green Christmas colors, little adornments will add the customized pops of any color you choose! I'm going to place this on the bench at the foot of our bed come December first, and I think it's going to be perfect there.

It really was quite a simple project, and I had so much fun gathering the bags and boxes to hold the little gifties.

I designed two pages of number sheets so I could print them in two different colors. (I chose to go with white and kraft brown to keep it neutral, as you can see...)

My Christmas-y feel comes from the little adornments I am adding to the various packages...

As I said, if you love this idea, and do not want to start from scratch yourself, this kit is now available in my etsy shop. I've created it in two versions, a hard copy here, complete with packages and ribbon, and as an instant download, here, which enables you to print your tags on any color cardstock you choose. (All white for a snowy, classic look? Blush pink and grays for that soft romantic feel? Terra cotta and olive for a boho style? Traditional red and green? It's up to you!) You also can get as fancy or plain as you like...matte your numbers to another color, add candy canes, holly, bells...whatever...or not.

The real beauty of starting this project in July August September October is that we all still have from now through the last day of November to fill those little prezzie packages! 

Oh! And if you are thinking that buying twenty four gifts will cost you a bundle, think again. Some of the gift ideas off the top of my head are coffee or fast food gift cards, candy, Christmas ornaments, and pretty much half of the clever products found in the Dollar Store.....

Also, the items in the wrappings need not be purchased gifts. You can fill the with children's packages with riddles, homemade gift certificates for playdates, hot cocoa by the fire, and adventures to the library (or where ever...) or a "skip a chore" card. For your sweetheart, homemade certificates for a foot rub or back massage, a favorite homemade dessert any day they like, or a sofa picnic while watching a movie on demand of their choice. (In my home this would most likely be be a night of binge watching Judge Judy episodes, with the added promise of me not rolling my eyes at the number of "former friend" cases.) Making an advent calendar for a best friend could include motivational thoughts for the day, mints, or even some super soft socks, Hopefully you are getting the idea....The possibilities are endless! (My advent calendar kits also include an idea list of affordable items compiled fr you in two lists; one for kids and one for grownups, to place in the packages.)

What are your thoughts on the idea of a fun, and possibly unexpected advent calendar for someone special in your life? Is this something you would create?

**Next post I will share the second style (a wall hanging version) of the advent calendar I have created for my precious grands. 

One last wistful look at summertime in the garden, 2021.

It's been a week. (I feel like I pretty much say this every week.)

Oy.

Okay, let's see if I can get my week together and share the posts I wanted to share with you last week.

I'm going to begin with a few last looks at some of my outdoor spaces from the way-too-hot-to-handle-and-nearly-finished summer here in the Pacific Northwest, because if I wait any longer, it will be full on Pumpkin spice weather and no one will care a lick about seeing my struggling blooms from the past sunshine-y days. (No photos of the bigger area of our backyard where we have our fire pit (I think I shared that last summer, no?) and since we spent the bulk of summer with a no-burn order in place, it didn't see much action.

I had such big plans for the unfinished side yard areas of my backyard last spring. I started off with my usual row of hanging baskets of petunias, and then the first heat wave (One hundred eighteen degrees one day here, which was hotter than Phoenix and Las Vegas!) hit, and all plans were halted while we tried to keep things cool(ish) indoors.

Most of my existing flowers looked like they had been in a pizza oven after the heat wave, and then a couple of weeks later we got to experience a second heat wave, so I decided to table the idea of completing the garden area next to the covered patio for this year. (Plans of two more raised beds with pumpkins in them, a small porch for my shed, and lots of pea gravel will have to wait another year...)

Instead, I tried a bit of minimalist flower display by adding a cute old ladder I had thrifted filled with small flower pots of pansies, petunias and those pretty blue-purple-periwinkle colored tiny flowers that I can never remember the name of.

It worked.

Kind of.

Well, it worked for this year anyway.

My raised garden bed that originally had strawberries was struggling as well, although not from the heat, but a resident wild bunny that has taken up residency under our shed. (I say wild but during the first heat wave Ralph began leaving little bowls of water here and there for him, as well as pouring extra birdseed on the ground beneath the bird feeder, so that he (she?) has become quite comfortable thankyouverymuch with us popping out to the yard...)

I replaced the struggling strawberries with flowers and added a small wire fence. (I have no idea if the little wire fence deterred Mr. Bunbun, or if he simply doesn't like the smell and/or taste of those flowers, but I am claiming it a victory for me as a "gardener".)

I planted a few lavender plants along the fence near the back patio and behind the raised bed. I love things that will (hopefully) come back year after year, and I so enjoy the fragrance of the lavender as we sit on the patio in the evenings when it feels cool enough. Here are a few more views of the back patio area and small garden...

My small kitchen garden, wheelbarrow, and a few potted flowers rounded things out so to speak, and I called it good for 2021. How did your outdoor living areas fare this summer? Who else is ready for full on autumn to arrive?

 

Out with the old, and in with the older.

...and so much cuter, if you ask me.

Remember my old one?.....

Eeeeeeeeewe.

It worked fine, and did it's job for me in the kitchen for these past six plus years, but I've got to say, I am not gonna miss it one bit.

I think the new-to-me white range looks more intentional, in a Susan-Branch-ish we-love-vintage-things kind of way, as opposed to the-70's-left-their harvest-gold-stove-here-and-no-one-wants-it-back. (This being said, I was able to sell old yeller super quick on Facbook Marketplace...yay!)

Extra special thanks to my son-in-law for doing 99% of the heavy lifting up the porch steps and through the tight opening to the kitchen! (and climbing out from behind the range once it was plugged in)

So....I've got to ask you...do you like it, or do you love it?

.....

In other news, it is week four of my spring cleaning, and according to Clean mama, it's beds and floors, and I am totally onboard! Who's with me?

My spring cleaning continues this week in the one and only bathroom in the house.

Is anybody doing spring cleaning along with me? According to Clean Mama, whose system I am attempting to follow, says "....last week we cleaned the baseboards, did deep dusting and light fixtures last week. If you didn’t, catch those things up as you’re deep cleaning the kitchen this week.
Monday - Clean Toilets - tank to floor, - Clean + Clear Bathroom Counters, Clean Bathtubs + Showers  (Bathrooms Day)
Tuesday -  Launder Curtains/Drapes + Clean Blinds (Dusting Day)
Wednesday  (Vacuuming Day)
Thursday - Wash Bathroom Floors  (Floor Washing Day)
Friday - Wash Interior/Exterior (?) Windows, Clean Window Sills + CATCH UP ON ANYTHING THAT DIDN’T GET DONE (Catch-All Day)
Saturday - Wash Bath Mats + Shower Curtains  (Sheets + Towels Day)"

Two things here; first, I love how she lays it all out for me. It's not overwhelming, and it is 100% doable from my standpoint. Second, and a full disclosure here, I missed doing the baseboards in the bathroom last week. Yep, I somehow skipped them. I'm doing them today,(Even though Clean Mama said Friday is catch up day. I am inspired today to do them!) along with the toilet, and done a week late is okay by me.

I am not at all sure what happened to me last week, but somehow I couldn't get myself caught up enough to share my Easter tablescape ideas. They will be here this week, for certain, as I am planning not one, but two small gatherings next week! I am planning one with my grandsons, and one with a friend. If I can find time to photograph it, I will also share my Easter breakfast table plans. (No promises on that one, since I am desperately trying to underpromise and over deliver here this week!)

How about you? Are you feeling like you are ready for entertaining in small groups yet? I am feeling guardedly optimistic that this summer is going to be much less isolated, and I am so looking forward to it! We have a nearly six month old grandson we have yet to be able to meet, and the thought that we just might get to travel and see him, along with his brother and sister are at the top of my list, as you can imagine....

 

The post where I figured out what I will NOT be going on the dining room wall.

Ya don't really know until you try, right?

So, in one of my last posts, I mentioned the dining room, and the wall of mirrors I am planning to replace. I was positive that my weathered shutters idea was going to be nothing short of perfection when I envisioned it in my mind. (Que the theme music to Traceyville)

While the idea might have worked with the right length, width, and ideal amount of weathering, it turned out to be a no-go. First of all, I have a heater vent on the low part of the wall, so the shutters had to be hung high enough to not cover that.
Then too, it just seemed like too much wood. I mean, as you can see, what I am referring to as shutters are actually bi-fold doors that I planned to weather and age with paint and crackle and wax, but even with my wildly keen imagination, when I stood back and looked, it was just too much wood. A painted wood (off white) entertainment center on the other side of the doorway to the hall, and then the (currently) black painted hutch.....adding more wood between them didn't seem to add anything.

Ugh.

I then thought I had an epiphany and brought in some shorter old (partially) weathered window shutters from the back patio that I then tried hanging (on existing nails from the mirrors) so each shutter section was horizontal.

Ewe.

What I pictured in my mind as a weathered subtle backdrop for a clock or a wreath, looked pretty much like I had hung an extra wide weathered teak patio lounge chair from Hawaii hung on the wall.(Do you see that too? That fold there on the third rung down is where your knees go....)

Not the look I was going for, as you might have guessed.

(....and I would feel like I needed to say "aloha" every time I looked at them.)

Later that day, when I was down at Camas Antiques dropping off Easter banners in my booth, I spotted a pair of old hutch doors with glass windows inserts, and seriously considered them. This sparked a series of ideas in my head about vintage windows, but in the end, I ruled this whole window-hutch-door idea out.

(Am I exhausting you with all of the in-my-head-debates I had?)

Instagram came to my rescue, as I spotted a sign this gal had made for her home. I could make a sign, and it wouldn't cost too much (...it might even be free. I have to check my wood scraps in the garage.) and it could be done in the exact colors I want.

I quickly designed a basic sign for the dining room in my cheesy print program on my computer. I'm thinking the butter yellow from the wicker chairs, with white and stain weathering (maybe) and possibly dark-ish tan lettering? Maybe blue?

What do you think? Are you seeing my vision? Okay, let me share two possible ideas. First, the sign I just shared, done on slats of wood, or beadboard....(From Instagrammer Burlaproserevivals)

The second idea, a painted sign on flat wood....(Found this idea on a Pinterest link to the TV show Fixer Upper) 

Of course, this idea is still another wood piece on the wall, and I may not like it when completed. I am thinking I will find or buy my wood, then paint the background colors and hang it on my wall to then make the final judgement call. If I do not like it, I'll paint a sign to sell at Camas Antiques.

I'm heading out to the garage to have a look-see and update next post!

On a roll with kitchen spring cleaning, thanks to Drew Barrymore and someone named midwesternmama29.

**First off: yesterday's post has been updated with "after" photos of my Day One of Spring Cleaning in my kitchen.**

I was feeling pretty proud of myself once I completed my clean out of the kitchen closet, but I didn't stop there.

Nope.

After the closet clean out, I went back  to working on banners and papergoods as I do most days, and then, in the afternoon, something rather serendipitous happened. I had the TV on for background noise, as I typically am in and out of the garage (where I do all of my spray glue and glittering) and my little workroom, and as I entered the kitchen I heard the Drew Barrymore Show on, and they were oohing and aahing over some laundry room hack from TikTok.

Curious, I poked my head into the living room just in time to catch the very last ten seconds of this gal using a beverage dispenser for her laundry soap. Ohmygosh, what a great idea!

What else did I just miss? I grabbed the TV remote and backed the show up to see the entire segment. (I love all the features of TV these days...)

Fascinating.

Her first hack was organizing her fridge so her family could actually see all the foods, which she hoped would make them eat the healthy snacks. I was mesmerized. She actually used her fridge drawers for things other than cheeses and veggies. (Who ever told me I had to only keep cheeses and lunch meats in there?!)

I was overcome with a need to organize my fridge right. that. very. minute.

I copied midwesternmama29 with my little cuties in the fridge door, and at the risk of sounding like a total nut job, I felt like I had achieved organizational nirvana. I literally opened the fridge each time I entered the kitchen just to gaze at my newly re-situated beverages and fruits.

Okay, so maybe things like this don't rock your world, and admittedly I do need to get out more, (but, it is a pandemic, after all....) but these organizational tiktoks might inspire you as well, and so Drew and I are sharing.

My most creative (and possible favorite) storage solution in my kitchen.

If you're following Clean Mama's Spring Cleaning event, you know that this week's spring cleaning is the kitchen, and I'm ready for it. I'm beginning with organizing, and cleaning a slightly unusual closet of sorts that is in my kitchen. (It is the door on the left in this photo. The door on the right is our pantry.)

I say slightly unusual because the reason this closet exists is that there is a light switch on the wall, and on the floor of this closet there is a large trap door. It opens upward, and latches on the back wall of the closet to expose a ladder that takes you down to a small cement floored basement room that houses my furnace and water heater.*

*Full disclosure; I have never actually been down the ladder into the small cement floored room. The ladder angle seems steep, and I am better than fine with Ralph being the brave soul to go down that ladder to change the furnace filter, and the battery in the smoke detector down there. I am happy to simply hit the light switch and a light in the basement room comes on for him.

Anyway.

Because our home is on the cozy small side, storage is at a commodity and I wanted to make the most of this closet space, however, on rare occasions someone needs to be able to go down to that little basement room. (Like when you realize that danged chirping is coming from the smoke detector battery down there)I realized I needed storage that wasn't a full on production to remove as needed, without ending up with a tall stack of rubbermade tubs or boxes in the kitchen.(I realized all of this after two separate occasions where Ralph needed to suddenly go down to the basement room, and it took more than a few minutes to empty the closet for him to gain access.)

Thinking on this dilemma for a short while, it hit me. I knew exactly what would work, and I had a good idea of which one of my junk friends might have what I needed. I reached out to my friend (she has a fantastic junk inventory built up) and asked her if she might have rolling bakers rack. (Like bakeries use.) 

She did!

I bought it and it has been a game changer. Not only does it hold a good amount of baking, cooking, and entertaining inventory, it moves easily, and I can see everything at a glance. It's like it was meant to be. Do you have any clever storage hacks you have come up with? I love it when stuff like this comes together!

So, today I am wheeling it out of the closet and reorganizing it, as, like with most of my storage areas, things slowly but surely have gotten out of control. I am also evaluating what I still use and what might need to be donated or given away.

As for the rest of this closet, it houses my step ladder, recyclable container and garbage tub to the left of the baker's rack, and my aprons are hung along the back on nails that were there when we got the house. A Shelf high above everything else holds my hardly ever used (but always good to know I have) giant chafing dishes. Efficient, and easy to spot what all I need, as well as being super accessible for those rare times we need to get into that basement room.

I'll edit this post after I complete this spring cleaning task....happy Monday, my friends!

EDITED TO ADD: Here is my "after" shot of my rolling bakers rack. All clean and organized, as well as the closet being swept and vacuumed out......

Springtime details around the house.

Ugh. The trials and tribulations of having Typepad hosting my blog. I had the entire post written, only to have it disappear when I went to publish it today. Grrrrrrrrrr.

(Making a loud sigh, and chanting "Serenity now" in my best George Castanza voice softly but angrily under my breath...)

...

Okay, let me begin again, Typepad. (Saving this post every three sentences this time....)

As I am on week two of Clean Mama's Spring Cleaning Challenge, I am wiping and dusting all of the still sawdust tinted areas of my home, and I have to tell you, it has me inspired. Inspired to re-fluff every nook and cranny as I come through. Does deep cleaning do this for you too?

One of the things I was wiping and dusting is the little built in bookcase between the dining area and living room. (Sorry, forgot to take any "before" pictures, but suffice to say, it looked fine. It just had not been changed up in about five years.)

I decided to go for a more springtime look, and brought in some of my tera cotta and peat flower pots, as well as some green plants (all of which are artificial. I am not good with live indoor plants!) Anyway, I am loving the fresh new look!

I also, for the first time in years, re-homed my vintage typewriter to the guest room, on the bottom shelf of the night table. (Guess what? I am loving it in there! There are black framed vintage family photos and the black typewriter works nicely in there...)

Taking the typewriter's place on the coffee table is now my old rusty-crusty-vintage-y birdcage, with a little vignette inside it.....whatcha think?

My mantel was already in springtime mode.....

...and I added a few more touches on the entertainment center (are we still calling them that?)and I couldn't be more content with the new look.

Everything looks clean, and light, and bright, and happy. This spring cleaning thing has been a good thing for me. As an added perk, I didn't spend a dime on the refresh. I used what I had!

**Oh! On another note: Thank you to everyone who weighed in on hutch color options to help me out! It ended in a very close horse-race-like finish, with the blue winning out by a nose. It was followed incredibly closely by the black, and the white. The two tone white with blue came in last, but enjoyed a respectable amount of popularity as well.

So.....I have decided to tackle the mirror-chalkboard wall first, and then make the call as to what color to paint the hutch (or not) so stay tuned! 

The post you probably saw coming: to change or not to change the hutch color.

...and if so, change to what color?

(Insert huge sigh here.)

Well, I dug around on pinterest and found some photos of hutches in colorways I am considering. (Man, I love living in this time of technology!) So, without further adieu, let's get this party started....

To refresh your memory, here is the hutch as it looks today...

I actually like it black when I see this shot, but let's remember my colorway of my home, as you see from the kitchen...

Okay, so now, let's look at other options. (Photo is small...sorry 'bout that.)Option number one, we have basic white. The pros are that it is timeless, cons are that my white dishes may not show as well. (but, is that still okay? Maybe.)

Option two is painting the entire hutch a Robins egg blue, as in the color of my bathroom, and laundry room in my home. Pros are that it is neutral, and it is my favorite color, and my dishes should stand out well against it. Cons are....hmmmm, I am not sure here. Can you think of any?

Option three is a white hutch with blue background, as Jackie suggested (and I had just saved a photo like it!) While I like the idea of this one, I am not sure I am a two-toned gal. What do you think????

(Again, sorry for the tiny photo...)

Option four is to leave it alone. (Sorry, this photo is really dark, asit was early morning when I took the picture...) Leave it black, and try out my weathered shutter look first, before changing it up. (The old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" attitude.)

There we have all of the options. Which one is your favorite? The good new is that, in the end, it's only paint, which is affordable. Help a girl out here, please!

This week's Spring Cleaning assignments, and a peek at an idea I have for the dining room.

Not gonna lie, (and not to brag, but...) I nailed the Clean Mama spring cleaning assignment of the laundry room last week. Cleaned my washing machine innards for the first time, ever, along with everything else in the room, including cupboards. Extra proud of myself, because I nailed it while spreading a hefty thick layer of sawdust all over my home, and then having to spend the better part of two days sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, wiping, and repeating. (If you missed it, see my post here.) I also gathered cleaning supplies. If you're playing along, how did you do?

I'm so ready for Week 2: Dusting and Wiping, as I am now considering myself expert ninja level in this task. Bring it on, Clean Mama.*

(*Full disclosure here. I am still finding sawdust in areas of my home I didn't realize the sawdust from the sander could reach, and I will swear on a bible if required that it is reproducing at night while I sleep.)

In other news, while debating the color ideas on my hutch in the dining room, (Same post, here.) I also realized I was ready for a change up on the wall perpendicular to the hutch in question. It's currently covered in four vintage mirrors, and a vintage frame with a chalkboard in it. You can pretty much see it here...

I'm not sure where the idea came from, but I am wondering if some weathered wood shutters might be a fun textural backdrop for a wreath, or a single mirror, or even a big clock. Here are a couple of inspiration photos to give you more of a visual of my idea....

I know. It's not a dining room wall in the photo....but, close your eyes, and imagine, if you will, the wall with the mirrors and chalkboard, with 2 sets (Four panels) weathered, white over wood, mounted to appear as one solid piece, and then, a sweet wreath, like...maybe this...? 

....on it. Can you see it there, in your mind's eye? If so, does that look better, or worse, than what I have there now? (You can be honest. I have thick skin.)

Anyway, I'd love your input on this. Should I do a change up, or leave well enough alone?

To-may-toe, to-ma-toe. As you can see, the pandemic-stay-home-stay-safe has finally taken its toll on me.

A dining area update. (Or why I spring cleaned my dining room ahead of schedule.)

Very nearly a year ago I shared my dining room in progress in this post. Since then, I added new slipcovers to the chairs, and kept avoiding the big job of painting and staining the dining table.

I didn't feel like the black table base worked with my cottage style, and the table top was incredibly red-toned. That being said, painting the table base white over black was doable, but it seemed like quite an undertaking to sand down the table top. For starters, the table is decently heavy, and in order to get in the garage to sand would entail dismantling the table and schlepping it out the front door, through the yard, out the picket fence gate, around to the driveway, and finally, into the garage.

I felt tired just thinking about it.

So, time passed. The slip covered chairs looked okay. I mean, they were fine. Really, perfectly fine. Just not zippity-do-da-these-are-the-chairs-we-have-been-waiting-for fine, but fine. 

Except that they didn't add that warm cozy look I had anticipated they would add to the room. They looked a bit too formal for our little cottage, if that makes sense. That, and (...and this is the bigger issue) we apparently are rather sloppy grown ups. Every time I would look at the chairs, I would find another little blob, or smudge, or spill and I would have to run and grab my upholstery spray cleaner to get rid of the latest spot. (This was a challenge that had never occurred to me when choosing slipcovered chairs.)

Anyway.

Time passed.

I was down at Camas Antiques adding something to my booth when I saw three fabulous (to me at least) butter yellow wicker chairs. I stopped dead in my tracks. They were exactly what I wanted for the dining room. I asked at the counter if there were more of the chairs, and low and behold, there were indeed three additional chairs downstairs.

I needed to think about this. After all, I had already been through two different sets of chairs that were wrong for the room. I went home to think on it.

I went back a few days later and got them. Unloaded into the garage, they waited patiently for the big moment they would be brought in and placed in the dining room. You see, I knew I wanted the table painted and stained before the chairs could come in.

Yesterday was that day. actually, I began painting the table base the night before, and had Ralph help me flip it over to paint, then stand it back up when it was dry. (Right there in the dining room, because it seemed like too much work to move it to the garage...) All that was left was to sand the table top.

In the dining room.

What was I thinking? Was I thinking? 

By the time it crossed my mind that this was not a good idea, I was too far into the project. There was no turning back now. A fine coat of sawdust blanketed literally everything in the room, from the ceiling to the floor. (At least I had the sense to close all the doors in the hallway and to the kitchen...)

It took me all morning to sand the table top, and the entire rest of the day, into the evening, to vacuum, wipe down, and wash everything in the living and dining rooms.

I guess it's a good thing I am doing a month of spring cleaning, right?

On another note, I think I am happy at last with the table and chair pairing! Here is a parting shot of the room from the kitchen doorway....

Happy hump day, friends!

The post where I decided to try my hand at actual "spring cleaning".

I have a memory from back when I was a school-age kid growing up in the bay area of California, of my Mom taking a week's vacation off from her secretarial job at Lockheed to do spring cleaning at our home.

It was quite the undertaking, at least from my child's-eye-memory bank.

I recall her spending full days, beginning in the morning, with an organized game plan to tackle all sorts of deep cleaning housekeeping chores that kind of develop over time while no one is looking. She waxed the hardwood floors, cleaned the oven, (This was long before the days of self cleaning ovens...) washed the baseboards and the windows, and I'm sure a whole lot more that I do not recollect. What I do remember was thinking just how squeaky clean our home was by the end of that week in spring.

Looking back, it was really kind of spectacular.

I had forgotten all about this, until last week, when something I read prompted me to do an actual deep spring cleaning of my own home. Interestingly, I have never actually done a structured "Spring cleaning", even though my Mom used to do it. I am not sure why it has never occurred to me to do so.

That is until now.

Okay, let me back up one more time. I know I might seem to rambling, (am I?) and this is getting to be a long story here but, I'm trying to give you some background.

I am a sucker for marketing. (Always have been.) Fabulous business cards, labels, or tags cause me to stop my scrolling online, or stop my shopping cart in Target to take a closer look. Because I love that stuff, I spend far too much some time looking at marketing ideas on pinterest or wherever I may happen to spy it with my little eye, and at some point online a few years ago, I came upon the branding pieces for Clean Mama.

Maybe it was that Robin's egg blue, or...who knows what, but that lead me down the rabbit hole to see exactly who this Clean Mama was. If you are not familiar, do yourself a favor, and check her out. She focuses on cleaning everything in your home. (Um...yeah, hence the name Clean Mama. Smart name, clever branding.) 

Aaaaaaanyway....

Last week I saw that she was doing her annual spring cleaning event, and I felt suddenly inspired to get on the spring cleaning bandwagon.

Beginning today, for the entire month of March, she is doing a free spring cleaning event, broken out by weeks, complete with printables and the weekly breakdowns for the month. I'm thinking after a year at home, I am more than ready for this challenge. It starts today, and the details are on her blog. (Check out her blog post to get yourself ready...) 

As you can see, this week is prep week and the laundry room. (It sounds doable!) I'll be starting today and I hope you'll be inspired to join in. I'll share my progress, and I'd love to hear yours. Who's in?

 

......edited after I read Clean Mama's post for today: (8:20 AM Pacific Time)

We can find Clean Mama's daily spring cleaning posts here.

Also, I want to be clear here that I am not saying that I am (or would expect you to) buy all of Clean Mama's products today to get started. I am confident her products are good (with great packaging) but if you're doing this deep dive into cleaning, please feel free to use whatever products you love.

I printed the free downloads I needed for the week, and I am starting now with my laundry room, and beginning with the washer. I am going to tape the washer cleaning instructions inside my cupboard for future reference, as our water is very hard here, and I am thinking I will want to do this task monthly moving forward.

One last thing; I may be jumping the gun here, but I looked up Clean Mama's post on how to clean your washer. (I never knew we needed to do this!)  Here is the blog post link. 

The unseen decor must-have item I cannot live without.

Regardless of the time of year, there is one constant that adds to the comfy, cozy, welcome feel in my home, and if you've been here, you know what it is.

It's home fragrance.

Mmmm, mmm, mmm, mmm. I want everyone who enters my home (including myself) to immediately feel welcome, and furthermore, to be met with the most pleasant, yummy, comforting scent.

It has been a daily ritual of mine for literally years now, and I will tell you what it is.

It's wax melts.

Oh, my, my, my, how I love me some wax melts. (The only time you will not smell my wax melts is when I have something delicious smelling cooking in the oven, crock pot, or on my stove top....)Oh, and in case you are wondering, you can get the the wax burners here as well.

Decades ago, back in the early, early 1980's I think, potpourri enjoyed a wildly popular resurgence (I think it comes from the Victorian times originally or even further back in time...) and we enjoyed big jars or bowls of fragrant dried flowers. (Anyway, my girlfriends and I all did.) and then along came a thing called "simmering potpourri" where you put these dried flower petals, and cinnamon, or lavender, or vanilla, or whatever...in a big ol' pot of water on the stove.

It smelled heavenly.

The problem with simmering potpourri was that you would be enjoying the fabulous scent wafting out of your kitchen, and la-dee-da...time would pass, and suddenly, (usually when you were at the point most furthest from your stove) you would smell...what is that?!

Uh, oh.

Just at the precise moment your brain processed that bad, burning smell, your smoke detectors would go off. All of the water in the simmering potpourri would have evaporated, and you now were the proud owner of a burned pot, and a smell you couldn't get rid of for three days.

Far out.

**Side story here: One of my friends (in the 1980's....) had a pot of simmering potpourri on her stove, and her elderly father lived with her. Well, he was having some of his pals over, and she left to run an errand.

She returned to find that her Dad had served the simmering potpourri to his friends, mistakenly thinking it was some type of interesting cider drink, due to the cinnamon and vanilla he smelled.

They didn't really like it, but they all politely drank it.

True story, friends. (No one got sick, but it was easy to understand how it happened.)

Okay, back to my blogpost, and the history of home fragrance.

Scented votives and fat candles in glass holders then reached the height of popularity at some point after that, (The 90's....about the time Pearl Jam and Nirvana hit the scene....)and while I love a nice scented candle, I was born in California, and I kinda still worried about earthquakes. Also, I am rather forgetful, and the fire hazard thing just concerned me too much with three elementary aged kids in my home, so I never got too heavily into the scented candles all over my home thing. (I mainly enjoy a nice scented candle during my bubble bathes....)

This brings me back to wax melts. (Were you starting to wonder where I was going with this post?) A company named Scentsy first brought them to life, at least in my world, and then the copycat companies jumped on the bandwagon. The Better Homes and Gardens brand is still to this day my all time favorite, with it's not-to-be-undersold pricing, and wide array of fragrances.

You melt the wax in a cute little electric contraption called aptly enough, a wax burner. Wax melt burners come either as wall plug in style, or sit on the table style, and I have both. (I know you are not surprised.) I couldn't pick a favorite if I had to. I just know that I love the comforting fragrance floating throughout each and every inch of my home. (Another side note here: They also double as great little night lights.)

I am a seasonal scent nut kook purist, and I love matching the seasons, or weather to my home scents. I mostly use the vanilla peach for summertime, (fresh, and light, with just a hint that something just might be baking in the oven) A Thankful Harvest for autumn (Be still my heart. I swear it's a scent straight out of a Hallmark movie.) Perfectly Pine smells like a real fresh cut Christmas tree,(I start burning this the day after Thanksgiving while I am putting out my Christmas decorations.)  and finally, Orange Buttercream is my number one go-to for springtime. Of course, sometimes I try new scents, but these are my tried and true wax scents for the year.

I am now realizing that I have rambled on about the history of home scents for several paragraphs, so I should probably button this up, for fear that everyone is thinking that I am a fragrance obsessed senior with far too much time on her hands. 

(Well, we are still in the midst of Covid, so that is not entirely untrue.) 

Whatever.

Don't take my word for it. If you have not tried wax melts to add the icing on the cake to your home atmosphere, I suggest you pop by any big box store, and when you are alone on the wax melt aisle, open a package of a scent that sounds yummy to you, pull your mask down off your nose, and take a big. deep. long. sniff. of it.

It just might change your world. It did mine.

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Happy hump day, peeps!

There are still a few remnants of snow on the ground here, but spring has most definitely sprung inside my home.

I know I eluded to it just a few posts ago, but I am ready for some springtime. This week I decided I could wait no longer.

I put away all of the red and black decor touches all around my home over the past week. I then pulled out my most favorite Robins egg blue and light corals, and I've gotta say, it's like seeing an old friend after they've been away.

Since our home is on the "cozy" side (Around 1100 square feet total) most of my touches are in the living and dining room area. (In smaller spaces, less looks like more!) The fantastic quilt my mom made me for my birthday a few years ago now adorns the back of the sectional...

...and makes the most welcoming statement for the entire room. Bird's nests and faux eggs, along with greenery and terra cotta pots are scattered about in nooks and crannies.

The mantel is enjoying a re-do as well, with my terra cotta pots and my favorite seed banner, along with some of my faux Robin's eggs. This all works for me through Easter and Mother's Day, and clear into June, when I pull out my patriotic decorations.

I am so loving this change up in decor! The entire color way and lighter, brighter look is like an actual breath of fresh air to me.

I know. It's still raining here, with grey skies, and so it's not quite windows-open-flip-flop-wearing-weather just yet, but it's coming, hopefully sooner than later, and I for one, am ready. who's with me?

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If you don't already, please be sure to follow me on Instagram for more sneak peeks at what I'm up to....

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Thinking outside the (tool) box.

...in regards to my autumn fireplace mantel, that is.

A few weeks ago while thrifting, I came upon the longest old rusty metal toolbox I have ever seen, and I knew exactly what I was going to do with it the moment my eyes landed on it. 

It sat in the garage for a couple of weeks as summer wound down, and when I was at last ready to switch my decor to fall, it was the first thing I grabbed to bring inside. I took down all of the summer mantel items down...

...and put my newest old treasure in its place of honor, front and center up there on the mantel.

Be still my heart. It looked even more perfect (to me) than I had pictured in my mind. I added some crumpled paper in the bottom of the toolbox, and then covered it with some Dollar Tree moss, and little faux white pumpkins. I added some old chippied wood stair rails for interest, and topped it off with my only large crow (raven?) that makes his appearance somewhere in my living room every year around this time.

More white pumpkins and candles in bottles softened the sharp edges of the toolbox, and finally, my Nevermore banner rounded out my autumn vignette. (See my entire Halloween collection here. ) 

I think it's just the right amount of spooky for me. When Halloween comes and goes I will edit the set up to be ready for Thanksgiving. (I have an idea up my sleeve already for that set up and it includes a bit of muted color...) 

In my next post I plan to share my autumn covered patio look, so stay tuned!

An updated sunshine-y feeling spring mantel refresh, even if it is predicted to rain until next Thursday.

The iphone isn't all that accurate, and neither are the local meteorologists, so I'm gonna remain guardedly optimistic that there will be some sunny patches as the days unfold.

That being said, I'm making my own sunshine here indoors, and I decided to shake things up a bit yesterday afternoon in the living room, and on the fireplace mantel in particular. 

I have a white with wood color base inside my home, and I do that for a very good reason. I like projects, I like to tweak, adjust, and foofify things, and I am therefore forever changing the layout of things on shelves, or where a chair is going to be, or what have you. With a white slipcovered sofa, white bedding, a collection of white dishes and serving pieces, along with white white walls, I can change things up anytime, and transform the entire feel of my home. By keeping my large pieces and walls neutral, it also saves me money. 

I have two distinct colorways I go with, depending on the time of year. Starting the day after Thanksgiving, until Valentine's Day I always use my red, grey, and blacks with my whites/creams throughout the house. I love the cozy feel these accents provide, especially on winter's dark, short days! It's like walking into a big warm hug each time I return home.....so cozy.

Once February 15th hits each year, I am so over all that boldness, so I gather it all up, put it away, and bring out my yummy Robins egg blue/green and pastel coral/rose colored quilts, throws, and pillows. This is really my most favorite color pallet. It still has a cozy, welcome vibe, but it's light and airy, and I feel like it makes everyone who enters feel comfortable and relaxed. 

With the now twenty four seven time we are spending in our homes, it's a perfect time to use what we have, where we are, (it doesn't cost us a dime!) to make things look fresh and new. Since the weather isn't 100% cooperating here in the Pacific Northwest, I'm working inside currently. I'm deep cleaning as I go, and that's a good thing too. Even the biggest homebodies are beginning to feel a bit of cabin fever, and keeping busy, mentally and physically, keeps me from losing my marbles entirely.

If you are lucky enough to be experiencing sunshine and warm weather where you are, be thankful, and go hose off your patio and maybe paint your house numbers on your mailbox. If not, pick a room, or a closet, and get moving. The television will be waiting for you later tonight.

I'd love to hear how you're spending this gift of time at home.....please share with me!

Because I have a thing for things with scallops.

While the home decor trends are beginning to lean towards streamlined urban farmhouse and an updated twist on mid century modern, I am still quite smitten with the cottage look, inside and out, and nothing says cottage louder than anything with scallops on it. 

This weekend Camas Antiques had their annual sidewalk sale, and I scored a sweet little four legged wooden stand (footed tray?) with...yaaasssss!...scallops!

(Be still my little cottage-lovin' heart.)

Well, of course my mind has been filled with ideas on how I can use this adorable five dollar accessory. (I know! It was a steal of a deal, right?!) Within just a matter of a few hours, the opportunity presented itself as we woke up to blue skies and warm temps here on Sunday morning. (We have had a record number of grey days this July...)

I decided right then and there that I'd take our continental breakfast of bagels and fruit outside to the covered patio. I used my newest treasure to hold the toasted cinnamon raisin bagels and toppings, and it. looked. adorable.

A few questions for you today...do you collect things because of their shape, or style? (Like hearts, or tarnished silver, or scallops...?) And, am I the only one who is all about presentation, or do you enjoy that too? (Please tell me I'm not the only one!)

The picture (possibly) that inspired my front yard.

**I meant to get this post out yesterday morning, but I got obsessed with trying to locate the correct photo that inspired my front yard, and spent far too much of my day on that!**

Let me start by saying I am pretty tickled with just how well the hydrangeas in my front yard are doing this year.

I planted them three summers ago, after I had the picket fence put in, and we got it all painted white, and they didn't. do. anything.

Nope.

They didn't grow even so much as an inch, and the blooms that some of them had when I bought them never bloomed again.

I thought maybe it was too much sun, or my soil. (I am not a green thumb gal.)

My son in law (who is a green thumb guy!) told me they would just take a few summers, and would most likely go gangbusters (I'm paraphrasing here. He's in his 30's and does't use words like gangbusters) in about three summers.

So I crossed my fingers, and I waited.

Ohmygosh, was he ever right! This year my hydrangeas are spilling over and through my fence, just as I had pictured in my mind's eye since the day I planted them.

I was thinking about the photo that I had found in a magazine, or online...somewhere...had inspired the entire front yard. (Actually the entire front of my house, including paint colors...) I looked all through my Pinterest boards trying to find the photo, but it seems to be totally missing. That got me looking through my own photos, because I have a habit of taking pictures of magazine pages to save ideas.

Anyway, I finally found this picture of a picture. (Yes, it's all grainy and kinda weird looking, because I took a picture of my computer screen.) To be completely honest, I am only about half sure this was the picture I was so excited about, but it does have the up-down-dog-ear-fence-board in the fence. Also, I may need to start taking some ginko for my memory, because if this is the correct photo, the flowers in this photo look more like roses to me!

Oh well, I personally prefer the hydrangeas. (And, as I said, maybe this isn't the picture I was basing my landscape off of.) Anyway you look at it, my sweet little diamond-in-the-rough-cottage has come a long, long way, don'tcha think?

The old covered patio gets renovated too.

 

 

I told you that my home is on a corner, and I shared this post about the original-covered-patio-only-usable-entertaining-space back patio area here. This patio is actually behind the house, and you get to it either by going through the kitchen and laundry room, and then out through the back door of the garage, or by coming around from the new side yard area I shared yesterday.

Completely confused about the layout now?

That's okay. Just know that my home has multiple outdoor areas tucked around the outside of my home that can be used for entertaining or gardening, or whatever.

And it's just one more thing I love about this home.

So, the story about this little covered patio renovation is full of meant-to-be items (or God things as I love to call them) starting with this solid steel to-die-for vintage workbench-turned-potting-buffet-table.

I originally saw if on my local Craigslist, at the bottom of the screen, where they show you "items in nearby locations". It was over an hour away, in the tiny town of Stayton Oregon of all places, which seemed to be a God thing in itself, since my daughter and son in law live there. Woo Hoo! This would mean I could have my daughter run over and look at the long table, and load it in her truck to then get to me shortly thereafter. Here is the original photo from his ad....

I called on the workbench, and had to leave a message. Six days went by with no response, and I was both disappointed and annoyed. Of course something this awesome was most likely already sold, but they guy clearly just hadn't bothered to remove his post.

Ugh.

I found a different workbench for my patio and bought it....

On the seventh day, I got a call from the guy in Stayton with the awesome cool workbench. He never received the voicemail until then! Yes, he still had it. He said it was heavy, but he and his wife were able to move it, so we should be fine.

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I had my daughter call him and set up a time to go look at the bench. She called me from his house and said, "First of all, it is exactly what you want."

(I could hear a "butt".)

Then she said, "It is so heavy that I cannot even lift one end of it, and I have no idea how on earth we would get it in our truck and to you".

My heart sank. 

"Well, that seals it. We can't move it, so tell the guy thanks anyway, and sorry, but we will need to pass."

The smaller wooden bench would just have to do.

Fifteen minutes later my phone rang again, and it was the workbench guy in Stayton. He said he and his son were coming into Portland Saturday and they would be happy to deliver it!

I was shocked and thrilled and disappointed all at once.

" We will not be home then. We will be in Stayton of all places, watching my grandson play little league baseball then".

"Well, if you want to trust me, I'll deliver it to your house. Just put a post it note on the patio where you want it, and leave my money there too."

(See? Doesn't that sound like a God thing to you too?!)

Yes! Yes, yaaaaaasssssss please!

He delivered the heavy workbench, and it was even more perfect than I had pictured. (The other workbench is in my booth space now for sale, if you are local, and like it!)

Next came my oh-so-fabulous plant stand. I was working in my booth one day, and a fellow vendor set this plant stand just outside my booth space, as she was re-fluffing as well. I told her how much I liked it, with it's perfect shade of green and all. She then informed me that she was lusting after a vintage folding table I had in my booth that I was using as a base for a display.

Mmmm hmm, we swapped pieces, and I think we were both pretty tickled about it.

(Another God thing?)

Okay, one last little bit of interesting happenings....Another friend, who was a former booth space neighbor to me, gave me a bunch of her overflow junk inventory. Among the items was an authentic vintage sign board, where you put the letters on it and spell things out. It. was. fabulous. I wanted to keep it for myself so badly!

I walked through my house no less than 54 times, and could not find the right space to hang this fabulous board. It was not meant to be mine I guess. I put a patriotic quote on it, put the letters in a cute mason jar and took it to my booth. A fellow booth friend fell in love with it, and was thinking hard about buying it. 
I told her I had had my eye on her vintage rusty green postage scale for some time now, and ...can you guess?

We swapped.

Somebody pinch me.

(God is in the details.)

 

While I always feel like everything is a work in progress, and always evolving, I am quite content with how my back patio has come together. A perfectly sweet little sanctuary, where I can enjoy my flowers, and my raised strawberry garden, and I feel extra blessed to have each and every piece of charming old junk out here!

 

 

Evolution of a (finally!) landscaped backyard.

I've been MIA, I know, for the most part, for quite a little while, I know. 

I'm back!

Today I am excited to share my latest big project with you...my backyard. It is still a bit of a work in progress, with me still tweaking and adjusting, and adding more flowers and such, but I am so beyond tickled with the improvements so far!

Ever since I had the front yard landscaped, (Three summers ago) I have been wanting to do the backyard. Then, sometime around Valentine's Day, I began thinking this just might be the year that I should take the plunge and get the ball rolling in my backyard. I finally decided to go for it. (If my landscape guy who did my front yard could do the job, or at least phase one of the job, within my shoestring budget.)

so, I called my landscape guy, and after he looked the space over, he felt he could get it done for me.

Squeeeeeeeeee!

Now, let's go back to early May, on day one of the landscape project, to see how it has pretty much looked ever since I had the fence installed, more than three and a half years ago... 

We live on a corner lot, so the largest area of the back yard is actually on the side of the house, if that makes sense.

I showed my landscape guy a printed page of about a million (give or take) Pinterest pictures of the basic feel I was wanting for the area, and he set out to work his magic. He cleared out all of the weeds and such....

None of us were more surprised at how the yard seemed to grow in size than my landscape guy.

It was exciting to watch the yard slowly evolve over about three weeks time...

I decided on a gravel patio area, because it was more affordable than a deck or cement patio. (I keep telling myself it looks more european-garden-like...right?) 

The addition of fresh sod and about forty (or more) arborvitae provided instant gratification...

....and some shrubs...and I added my patio furniture, and life became so pretty in my backyard.

I'll share more photos of the details I have added since I took this pictures later this week...(Edison string lights, multiple seating areas, and oodles of potted plants!) but this post should give you an idea of how things are shaping up!

 

Who knew the perfect thing to pull a room together would be on the floor?

Look at the photo above, and take it in.

Look a little lower in the photo.

Even lower.

There, on the floor.

Yes. That yummy Robin's egg blue wool bit of fabulous-ness there.

(Oh! I love it!)

...

Wait. Let's step back in time a little bit, so your memory can be refreshed as to the way the room looked a short while back...

(This was last spring, when I got brave enough to paint the fairly hideous orange brick on the fireplace...remember?)

I mean, seriously, I have wanted to find the perfect area rug for my living room for over four years now, (Yes, I have lived here that long!) and I have bought and returned three rugs over the course of those four years. While I knew the right rug was out there, I never thought it would then become my favorite thing in the room.

But it is.

And I owe it all to the The Other Tracey.

Mmmm hmm.

I was in the biggest little city for a total whirlwind of a trip (for my granddaughter's big number ten birthday!)and got to spend a few hours with her before I flew back home. We were at her house, and she had this rug in her living room. Now, you need to know that the decor in our homes is as different as night and day. (Why didn't I take a picture of it?!)EDITED TO ADD THESE PHOTOS FROM THE OTHER TRACEY!!!.....

I always call her style "Ralph Lauren" because she loves the deep jewel toned greens, reds, and my, oh my! Navy blue! She has impeccable taste, and her home is warm and oh, so inviting.

(And completely different than my light-and-bright-neutral-with-hints-of-Robin's-egg-blue-and mocha shades.)

But, here was this Pottery Barn rug, and he looked amazing in her lvingroom, with her deep, dark wood floors, and rich, dark walls, and it tied the room together without looking out of place, nor overpowering anything in the room. I ooh'd and aah'd and she said she got it a few years back at the Pottery Barn Rug Sample sale, and she got it for a steal.

My heart sank. Surely it had been discontinued.

No, she was certain they still were carrying it. She suggested I look the rug up online, and then call the Pottery Barn in Portland to find out when their annual Sample Sale would be going on. (Because...helloooooooo, Pottery Barn. Not usually in my budget.)

I looked online, and oh-my-gaaa, it was on sale! And not just a little percentage off mind you, but a fabulous sale! The Other Tracey agreed this was too good to pass up. (As if I needed further encouragement...)

My rug and pad arrived last week, and I have been completely over the moon ever since. Do you have a "thing" in your home that makes it feel like "you", and that makes you smile?

A new-to-me decorating idea using collections.

Oh. My. Goodness.

While we were out of town this past weekend, (More on this later this week!) we stayed at a hotel that had an interesting photograph collection above the front desk. These photographs were of various old staircases (most likely old plantations) and were full of character, in a soft, yummy sepia-tone colors.

(Sorry my photo doesn't do it justice. It was hard to avoid the glare, and to capture the size...)

The framed photographs were huge, about three and a half feet wide, and maybe five and a half feet tall. The framed photographs were hung on a tufted fabric, with an even more massive frame, and hung in a row above the front desk.

I loved the idea of grouping multiple photos of a collection like items as art, and my mind was whirling as I considered the possibilities. Architectural items, like doors, windows, clocks, or old clothespins could be a fun collection. A group of themed items would be fun as well. Kitchen hand tools, sewing or quilting supplies, or bar ware.(Picture small photos above a bar area or cart. It could be fabulous!)

What are your thoughts on this idea? 

I'm (finally) back on the home improvement bandwagon.

(Anyway, it feels like I am!)....with two (small-ish-but-with-big-impact!) home projects busted out in the last seven days. A couple of days before I took on painting the brick on the fireplace, I used my study breaks to paint the inside of my front door.

(Okay, I think it was me avoiding the studying thing...)

You might remember that before I had the exterior of my cottage painted, I got a new front door. Choosing a door color was quite the dilemma, and I am still happy with the apple-ish green I selected, but, I never painted the inside of the door.

I knew I wanted a color, but still wanted to keep it neutral. I was after something that would go with my mocha buffalo check ceiling-to-floor curtains, while not looking like I was trying to create a faux wood look, if that makes sense. Every time I would think about painting the inside of the door, I would rethink...er...overthink things to the point that I would put the project off again. At one point I actually purchased two small jars of Annie Sloan paint to mix together to get  a color to match my curtains, and then postponed the project some more.

Last week I decided to go for it, and mixed up my paint colors to the desired tone.(I remembered to take a "before picture after I started...)

It was an easy project, and before I knew it, I had my first coat of paint on the door. Mildly panicked that I may have made a mistake in color, I added a second coat. Later, when it had dried, I aded the Annie Sloan white glaze to lighten things up, and add a more vintage look to the door.  

I would have gone just a few shades lighter if I had it to do over, but I am still pretty happy with the way the door came out. Definitely a night-and-day improvement over the bare-Home-Depot stock white door! (Ralph thought I had gotten us a new front door! Ha!)

Whatcha think?

Instant gratification found in less than a quart of paint.

...and in less than an hour of actual work-time, I might add.

I have a substantially long laundry list of home projects that have been on my to-to list, and in the back of my mind for some time now. This past weekend, I decided to tackle a couple of them during study breaks.

(Are you sick to death of hearing me yammer on about "studying" and real estate?! Trust me, I am sick of studying for this test...but, oh! Soooo excited for the job opportunity that awaits me!)

Anyway.

Today I am thrilled to be back here, online, with all of my internet friends, blogging, and sharing a project with you! Both projects I completed this weekend were in my living room, and both involved nothing but time, and a bit of paint.

So...Do you remember my living room? I've shown it to you guys before, here. Oh, and here, at Christmas time. (Probably more posts, but I didn't see them just now...)

I have always, since day one here, thought the 1950's brick on my fireplace and the exterior of my cottage were about the most hideous brick any mason ever dreamed up. Two years ago (has it really been that long?!) when I had the house painters come back and paint my exterior bricks, a thought came to me that I didn't have to keep living with such unattractive orange-y-red brick on my interior fireplace until I could afford to replace the entire thing. I could paint it...or white wash it (or German Smear it, as HGTV's Fixer-Upper has educated all of us DIYer's about.)

Like so many things, it remained only a thought. (Please ignore all of the random messy stuff on the floor. I was in mid-process of figuring the project out...)

The reason it remained only a thought was fear. Mmm hmm, fear stopped me from attempting to whitewash the ugly bricks about half a dozen times. (I know, your thinking, "What is worse than the orange-y red brick look? Pretty sure nothing." but there you have it.)

Well, Saturday I decided to throw caution to the wind, and just do it. Once I made the first paint brush dab of white paint on those bricks, there was no turning back for me. At first I thought I could get away with a light whitewashing, as I said, but that only seemed to make the unattractive definition of the 1950's brick more pronounced.

 

Not the look I was going for.

Another coat of white, and a bit later, a third light coat for good measure, and I was in fixer-upper heaven, I tell you. I finished up with white caulking where the bricks met the wall, and then stained and waxed my board on top, which I then (finally, after a year) attached to the mantle-top with my trusty nail-gun.

It made quite an impact, and left me wondering (as I do with most things I fear, or dread) what I had been so afraid of.

I put the room back together and then spent the entire remainder of the evening admiring the new brighter appearance of the fireplace wall. Do you have a home project you are afraid to start, whether it is because you may not like it, or because you may be in over your head? What do you do when you hit these kinds of stumbling blocks? Please...Share with me! 

The post where I got on a roll and whipped out a home improvement project before nine in the morning.

You know how they say everybody has a time of day that is their most productive? Well, mornings are my peak performance time. I like to wake up early, have my cup of cocoa, and start moving, which usually means moving to the computer screen.

I listened to a podcast last week where it was discussing not going to any electronics until you have handled a few other things. While it made sense, I wasn't sure I could do that, (I am virtually married to my iPhone and laptop.) but because it made sense to me, I wanted to try it.

Today was that day.

(Okay, true confession here. I looked at my phone before I left the bed, but that was me being on auto-pilot, and forgetting I wasn't going to do that.)

Side note here: I think I forgot to tell you, but the Other Tracey is coming for a long girls weekend (tomorrow!) while my Ralph will be out of town. She is staying until next Monday, coincidentally, the day Ralph returns home. Four glorious days and nights of total girl time, with a mile-long idea list of fun things to do, including one day of staying in our pajammies and not leaving the house!

Anyway.

When you're having company, you know how you tend to deep clean things, and notice all of those cringe-worthy details, and unfinished projects around the house? Well, I have been tackling a few long-overdue projects- all of them small, but for whatever reason, not completed. (Do you have a list of those? I am betting you do!)

Another side note: I cannot believe I am sharing this with you all, as I am mortified, even sitting here alone at home, knowing that you will all know now that my laundry room is, and has been for three years now, in a state of halfway adorable, and halfway ghetto. (Insert red faced emoji here.....and a shudder.)

(Let's say that 2018 will be my year of keepin' it real, people. The good, the bad, and aparently, the ugly....)

So, this morning while I was getting moving without going to my laptop, I started laundry, and I opened the laundry room closet to get the detergent, and looked at the overflowing mess in there. (okay, truth be told, the door of this closet was not even closed, because the vacuum couldn't go in until I moved the pile of cleaning cloths and towels.)

Right then, at that very moment, I thought to myself, "Just get that danged shelf put in the closet already. All the supplies are in the garage."

And so I did.

I plugged in the chop saw, measured twice, and cut once, used my dollar store level, and nail gunned up my frame support.(Thanks to my daughter with four little men for giving me that nail gun a few Mother's Days ago, as well as handing down her old chop saw last year, and teaching me how to use all these cool tools!!)

In less than fifteen minutes I had a shelf up.

No, it's not painted, nor did I stick on the missing vinyl floor tiles...yet.

(and it very well may take another three more years before that happens...but that didn't stop me from high fivin' myself, and doin' a happy dance all around the house for an additional ten minutes, in between running back to look at my handy work six more times.)

My little closet now has a new, second, much needed working shelf, and I am in love with it, while at the same time being appalled at myself for taking so long to install it.

Tonight I will get Ralph to hang my little Ikea grocery bag holder (I kinda ran out of steam, and was anxious to get to writing this blog post.)

So, it seems that this concept of getting a few things done before checking emails, and social media is a game changer for me, and I am excited about it. How about you? What's your peak performance time of day? Are you also married to your electronics? 

I'd love to know if I am not the only one!

The TV weatherman says it's winter, but the grocery store wants me to know it's time to start thinking about spring.

Almost.

So...

I ran to the grocery store last Friday afternoon to pick up a few things, and there it was, out in front, just to the left of the main entrance. 

The scene stopped me dead in my tracks, and I snapped a picture with my phone.

In exactly the same way that retailers bring out Christmas decor in late August, they not-so-not-so-subtly announce spring is coming.(in three more months)

Way, way early, but still, it makes me smile.

Spring is coming. 

Well, hello, November.

Geesh, how can it be that we are already beginning the eleventh month of twenty-seventeen? 

Even though I feel the year is going by to quickly for my liking, I do have to say that I love me some crisp November days, whether it's dry or raining.

It's officially the nesting time of year, as far as I am concerned. Baking, candlelight, and roaring fires in the fireplace, coupled with the shorter days, make this the time of year I long to be home more than anywhere else on earth. (And this weekend we get to enjoy an extra hour thanks to daylight savings!)

Sweet November, I'm glad you're here.

Look what you made me boo.

Okay, you didn't make me boo anything, I was just dying to use that little pun there. 

(Heh heh heh.)

I whipped out a fun Halloween banner last night to hang and greet the little trick or treaters tonight, and I am pretty thrilled with how it looks against the grey, white, and apple green colors of my cottage. (You can get your Printable Happy Halloween Banner HERE.)

Tonight around five o'clock I will put out my mason jar luminaries (With bird seed in the bottom third of each jar, and tea light candles) to line the walkway for the little superheroes, and princesses, and goblins, and be poised at the door with the bowl of candy.

Happy Halloween, friends! 

Elegant Vintage Farmhouse Harvest Supper set up.

Okay, I am not sure elegant is going to be exactly the right descriptive word for this tablescape from the event at Camas Antiques...Maybe more like elegantly rustic? Rustic vintage? I'm not exactly sure.

I began this table setting by using a dictionary I dismantled into sections that were about a half of an inch thick, and then opened the section up to use as a placemat. Tarnished small silverplate trays worked perfectly as charger plates, with dinner plates, grey cloth napkins, and vintage glassware layered on top of each.

Inside the dessert bowl I placed a handful of vintage book page shred, with a small cream colored pumpkin with a darling handmade tag.I added a silver leaf after I took this photo, and these are available both in a hard copy, here, or a downloaded printable in my etsy shop, here.)

 I used white pumpkins for my centerpiece, and I sprayed them with spray glue, and then sprinkled pearlescent glitter on them. I added some faux mercury glass leaf ornaments from a few years ago (I got mine at Walmart for $2 each. Check out big box stores like this for ornaments that can add some personality to your table settings, or to presents and gift bags!)

I created several paper banners to add the finishing touches to this table set up. First, a Thankful Banner, printed on organ sheet music, and then matted to a cream yardstick, and sprinkled with more pearlescent glitter to add some sparkle. Order yours here in hard copy, or a printable version, here, to make for yourself and friends on any sort of paper you desire.

I also made the sweetest little vintage dictionary page banners (Five feet of whimsical shapes to mix with other banners, or hang solo anywhere you like!) You can order yours here, along with bags of shredded vintage book pages (I used mine in the serving bowls beneath the little pumpkins) to carry out the theme. Find the shred here.

Last, but not least, to tie it all together, I added my itty bitty Happy Thanksgiving Banner, just for fun. You can get yours here, or find the printable version here. 

If this doesn't get you inspired for planning your Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving) I don't know what will. Whether it will be a crowd of twenty, or a simple cozy supper by the fire for you and someone dear, make it special.

 

#acottageindustry  #Friendsgiving  #alwaysthankful  #oldpaperismyfriend