whatever

Kaleidoscope; Cottage, Mason & the Garden.

Before & After

Needing a little color in my life I took about an hour and changed up the Cottage kitchen a bit.   Nothing big , just new bamboo shades and a touch of blue.

Before & After

I had about a quart of blue paint....so, I decided to paint the back of the open shelves at the Cottage blue.

Just wanted to change things up a bit...kind of wanting a little bit more color.

 

Mason and the Razors

Before & After

It doesn't really show up ....but Mason and the Razor were a muddy mess.

Mason amazed by a wild mushroom.... 

also coming up the hill.  He had to pretty much eat our dust the whole day.

The river to the left looked like it was filled with gold. 

Beautiful day.

The Garden 

With the warmer days the roses start to bloom.

Our days are a kaleidoscope. Every instant a change takes place in the contents. New harmonies, new contrasts, new combinations of every sort. Nothing ever happens twice alike. The most familiar people stand each moment in some new relation to each other, to their work, to surrounding objects. The most tranquil house, with the most serene inhabitants, living upon the utmost regularity of system, is yet exemplifying infinite diversities. - Abhinav Bindra

Cottage garden- Spring Event

The Cottage garden is starting to bloom.  I just threw out some wildflower seed last fall and this is what is coming forth.   Happy Day.

Lately I have been working hard getting things ready for the Spring Event.....lots of fun things happening!

Come check out all the vendors and other great things happening.

-Vintage Spring Sorbet-

Oh Sweetpea-

"You are braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, and smarter that you think."

-Christopher Robin- to Winnie the Pooh-

Not sure why I think of that quote when I see sweet-peas....and of course the song... Oh Sweet-pea come and dance with me....goes through my head.

I took this little vintage brown vase and put together a small bouquet from the Cottage garden.

• Sweet peas
• Forget me not
• mini daisies

Love the little wire top...helps for holding small flowers in place.

-Outside the Cottage Kitchen windows-

Whats blooming outside your Kitchen window?

Beautiful day...now...but didn't start off that way....while cleaning out the pellet stove....my vacuum malfunctioned and ash from the stove filled this room before I even knew what was happening.......31/2 hours later...all is well.

The moral of this story....when life gives you a room of burned stove ash.... pick sweet-peas....or something like that. =)

Sweet peas, smell like heaven.

 

Vintage Coffee Table-

This cute little vintage coffee table was given to me by a friend in town some time ago, just getting around to making it over.  Love the cute little legs and the glass removable top. 

Cleaned it up- and painted a primer on it.

Then came the fun part.

Yes, I painted it yellow.

I left the little metal toes just as they were.  

While the paint was drying, I took some time to do laundry, work in the garden....and download some images  from The Graphics fairy.  An awesome place for free images.

-The images were for the top  of the table-

....and here she is all finished.

Thanks a ton Doris- I think she is a sweet little Yellow lady.

Love finding treasures...even better when they come knocking on my door.

Happy Day 

 Linking this with...

Cottage Garden....No Cabbage-

The broccoli is picked- but the cabbage.....where is the cabbage?  Beautiful leaf....but no cabbage.  Why does that happen, I would like to know.  Help?

Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, 
and the soil and sky as canvas.
quote / saying by Elizabeth Murray

At least my succulent garden is growing.

Side note-  My surgery went well last Friday- big bandage off, my knee is still swollen and tender but doing good....and even walking without pain.....I'm doing so mush better than before surgery  Next week the stitches come out.....then watch out garden here I come. 

 

Cottage Details I love-

Today I thought It would be fun to document some the details of our 1920's cottage.

1. Love this little green vintage bath- Even the green and black tile in all its glory.
2. The arches leading to the shower and the original 1920's hot and cold bath hardware.

1. Vintage telephone nook
2. Original vintage toothbrush holder- that is hidden in the wall.
3. Glass knobs
4. Arched doorways
5. Wood stairs...hidden away from the living area.
6. Original hardwood floors with inlay.

I love all the original lighting left in the home- This is one of five original lights left.

The windows are amazing in the cottage- all original glass; when the sunshine hits them just right little rainbows and light prisms are all over the place.

I love all the little nooks and  hutch build ins.

A walk in closet completely lined with cedar top to bottom. There is also two walk in closets at the entry...one was used as a place  to store all those gorgeous hats in their lovely boxes.  Now it is just used as a storage room- I like the closets original use best.  =)

Love all the windows; the cove ceiling with original lath and plaster in perfect shape after all these years..... I wish I knew the month she was build...then we could have a little party for her.  =)

She looks fabulous for a 92 year old.

More Cottage

Have a wonderful day.

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Happy Happy 9th  Birthday Payton!  Love you tons!

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes I........

Sometimes I.......

Wish my children were still babies and I could hold and cuddle them like that.

Wish I had a personal chef.

Daydream about singing with Josh Groban.  =)

Want to run off to a private island with my husband.

Wish I could find a way to have all my grandchildren together more.

Wish the language fairy would touch me with her fairy wand....so I could speak Spanish & French.

Daydream about being a famous architect and being asked to design Temples for the Church.

Want to do something awesome....like see the northern lights.

Wish there was a way to hug my kids each day.

Want to slow dance with Dan in the soft warm rain.

Daydream about being in a C. S. Lewis Novel.

Want to go on a long journey and treasure hunt the whole way.

 

 

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Now it's your turn.

Sometimes I...............

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You were meant for this journey-

I'm taking an on line  class with art as my companion  called Creatively Made- Rediscovering the Beauty of your gifts}  and having so much fun with it- {Sam and Heidi's Christmas gift to me}

I love all the quotes she uses in the class-  Thought I would share a few today- from the setting of the oh, so... so....so quiet Cottage.

"Finally listening to the whispers that have been in my heart since I was a little girl."

"She made the choice to see the beauty all around her."

"I am exactly where I am supposed to be."

"I want dreams created for me in the heart of God."

"Follow the dance of your heart that leads you to the place you belong."

"I promise to follow my heart and to make time for my dreams."

What are you dreaming of?

Love this course- feels like Education week everyday.

This course is helping in one of my 2012 goals- find ways to learn something new everyday.

This post today marks 1000 post for my blog.

 I have something special to giveaway to one of you- just leave a comment and next Monday I will draw from your names.  

{Hint....you can see part of the giveaway in one of the pictures above.}

Happy Day

Holly Cow  One Thousand Posts!

 

 

Cottage Christmas Home Tour-

Welcome to my little Christmas tour-  I decided to join in the fun and link up to  Melissa's Christmas Home tour. {the link party will start at 6pm tonight}

I pretty much used things I already had- decorating the cottage was all about foraging my yard for greens, my stash of Christmas decorations from years past, 4 pieces of scrapbook paper, 2 rolls of white ribbon, garland from Home depot.....and did I mention...lots of greens from my yard.

 From my yard- Magnolia, junipers, french lavender, twigs, pine-cones, acorns, and rosemary.

Well....lets get started- welcome to my home.....I made sure the house was nice and warm for you....and I won't talk much so you can just have fun looking around.  Happy Day.

 

-The Mantel -

-The Trees-

- Dinning room-

Added a few greens and ribbon to the top of the wedding cake chandelier....because she need a little dressing for Christmas.

Dinning room and Kitchen ready for Cookie Exchange Party- click on over and have a cookie and hot chocolate with us. 

 

Added a little greenery to the front of my desk.

Cottage Bath-

The bunting was made using two pieces of scrapbook paper, twine and a little greenery. {one pale blue and the other a die cut snowflake all from michaels.}

Our cottage was build around 1920- I love some of the original character that is still left in the home.  One of my favorite things in the bathrooms are these vintage toothbrush holders/ cup and soap dish.  Modern toothbrushes are way too big to fit in the space- and it's kind of scary to think of the whole family using the same cup, so I turned these cute little holders into  flower vases.  I adore them....and when they are not in use....they flip back around into the wall.  I think every home should have a magical hidden flower vase.... Divine! =)

Thanks for stopping by- Have a wonderful Christmas- you are welcome to grab a cookie and hang around by the fire for a while if you would like- Merry Christmas-

{Pretty much all my decorations consisted of .... 2 rolls of ribbon, scrapbook paper, 2 juniper garland, cuttings from my yards and decorations from years past.}

For more Christmas fun click here 

 

It's a Blue Christmas- Cottage Bath

The Bunting was made with two pieces of scrapbook paper  glued together ...hung with  twine.....plus a little greenery from the yard.   Simple as that.