Personally, I feel you can never have too much beadboard in your house. It’s classic and fun all at once. It’s elegant yet cottage-chic. Beadboard lends a clean look to any room and is an easy way to add architectural detail to plain old walls. Shoot, you can even apply it to stock cabinetry, giving…
I’m in love. Butterflies in my stomach and feelin’ giddy all over. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is the next best thing to sliced bread. I’ve been reading about this paint all over blogland and finally tried it out on my dining table and chairs. I mentioned in a previous post that I’m making some changes…
Wrapping presents has always been an artform for me, and this year I did something different.Rather than purchase pretty papers and ribbons, I used leftover burlap from my daughter’s wedding.I made bows, wrapped boxes with it, and also added some twine (also from her wedding).I threw in some white kraft paper to keep everything looking…
Old houses tug at my heart strings … they offer quirky character not found in homes built today. You know, things like creaky stairs, floors that a marble can roll across without a push from the finger, drafty doors … stuff like that. But more importantly, old homes offer the charm of imperfection only found…
Can I just say something before sharing the latest round of holiday shots? I’m worn out! I’ve never been exposed to so much talent and inspiration until I discovered blogland … and while I want to try all the latest projects I see … I just can’t keep up! I had plans for embroidered ornaments, burlap stockings, moss…
Did I mention I’m a runner? A marathoner, actually. Running outdoors lets me experience nature up close and personal. On garbage day, I get to run past all the piles of junk and see if there’s anything worth grabbing. And sometimes, when I run in the woods I come across salvageable artifacts … as was…
“Rockin’ around the Christmas tree, at the Christmas party hop.” Thank you, Brenda Lee, for making this holiday song such a classic. Tis the season for sharing gifts, food, and most importantly … love and joy. Unfortunately, Christmas can be stressful and even sad for many. I think it’s important not to get too freaked out…
Taking indoor photos continues to prove challenging, to say the least! Pulling my hair out a little while getting acquainted with my Nikon D3000 and figuring out what aperture to use and blah, blah, bah humbug! Tis not the season to be wrestling with a new camera. I’m ready to sit down, eat, drink, and be merry!…
The sun graced our home early this morning so I quick snatched the camera to take advantage of the light streaming through the windows. Snapping photos like a wild woman, I took too many for just one blog post, so this is part one of sharing some of the ornaments on my tree. My personal…
The sun came out for a change today, so I grabbed my camera at lunch and took a walk around town practicing some shots. In my recent post about claw foot tubs I mentioned I was getting a new camera. So with my new Nikon D3000 in hand, I braved the cold knowing the sun would…
What really sold me on our house when touring it for the first time, was the claw foot tub in the downstairs bathroom. I had always wanted one and there it sat, in all its glory. Upon further exploration, we found another one in the upstairs bathroom. One day soon, I’ll take photos of each…
When I think of bedrooms, I always think of blue and white. Blue is such a restful color while white lends a crisp pop. Our bedroom isn’t cluttered … rather, it displays a minimalist decor point of view. I’ve tried to include some softness to keep it from looking too cold, but I like that it’s…
I’ve been on a homemade soup kick these days … so easy to make and a great way to eat your veggies. But what’s truly fulfilling is plucking vegetables straight from your very own garden and whipping up a little magic to create a fresh, organic soup. But here in Illinois, the growing season is shorter than I’d…
An Indian summer served up the perfect day for my daughter’s country wedding at Davis Farm in Big Rock, Illinois. This was a true DIY wedding with lots of burlap, daisies, and sunflowers. Friends catered, baked the cake, and arranged the flowers. Mother, daughter, and son-in-law lent their creative touch with invitations, programs, chalkboard signs, hanging lights and paper lanterns….
Whenever I need a little pick-me-up, I make the short drive to my hometown of Geneva, Illinois. Quaint and idyllic, the town was settled on the Fox River in 1835 and carries a heavy Swedish influence. In fact, the town’s biggest festival (held in June) is appropriately dubbed Swedish Days and attracts thousands of tourists. Residents…
I confess … it was difficult for me to brush yellow paint across the pink clapboards of my circa 1875 historic home. But the pink was looking faded and I felt a jolt of sunshine was needed. It took months to choose trim colors but we eventually settled on Cottage White, a dark shade of…
