Storybook Woods

Candy Craft Room

Wow, 85 responses to my giveaway. Thank you so much for all the support and kind comments. You have energized me to come up with 500 more ideas. I am please to announce Gill is the winner of the giveaway. I have to say Gill has been so sweet and such a support of my blog since the begining . I will e-mail you Gill xoxoxo

I have been meaning to show you my craft corner. In keeping with my candy colored living room, I tried to carry the same colors and vintage fabric over to this area. I am still working on it and it is a bit messy as you can see. I have been looking for the perfect spot for these strawberry pink curtains I got at a rotary auction. I added them to the arches and they add a bit of folly to the room. I was also lucky to purchase from Angie this old bird cage. I just love it. It is in two pieces, the red and the white and they come apart. Since it is not very summery outside (the pictures look sunny but it is not) at lest the room feels summery. It is always inspiring to craft in a fun space. 

 

 

                                                   

Craft Room part 1

I have been meaning to share this with all of you for a while. For my mother's birthday I helped her overhauled her craft-room. I had helped her decorated it several years ago with all of her quilts and Americana accessories. But she wanted a new look and did not have much money to spend. My mother is very different then me, I know what I want. I have a vision, she does not. So we started by looking at what she already had. She has a large collection of blue and white china and decided to start there. Next I encouraged her to go to the craft store and look for anything (like fabric or paper) she loved. I told her not to worry about it matching (she worries to much about things matching, have I taught her nothing ;-)  She found some scrapbook paper she loved and fabric. They both had a strong marigold yellow and we used that and blue as our base.

I have broken this up in several posts because there is a lot of simple and inexpensive ideas that might inspire you. We used her white furniture so her china would stand out and found any linens that would go.

For a side table we just covered a small table with fabric. By the way this is the back side of the fabric. So remember to look at both sides.

The coolest thing we did was her wall. She had all this large blank wall space. We used the book of scrapbook papers she loved. We just taped the papers together in strips and then tacked each strip, top and bottom, to the wall. It gives the room lots of color and the wow factor !!!

I still have a lot more to share xoxoxo

A Baking Pantry

 

I have this little room off my kitchen, Mrs. Mathews the previous owner used it as a breakfast room. We were using it for an office, but there was always a huge mess. I decided to not fight the mess and just move it were I can not see it. Makes a happier marriage ;-) Even thought I have a big kitchen, I still needed more room. I need storage for all my bulk (almost 30 jars) and baking items. So I decided to turn the room into a baking pantry. I am just using what I already have on-hand but slowly over time will replace and make the room more like I want. I want it to feel more Victorian, without feeling cutesy. You know what I mean ? So I decide use use black as an ascent color. It feels a bit more formal. My big find (well I did buy this) is this French marble pastry table. I was looking on-line all day and could not find one I could afford. When low and behold on Craig's list was one, Wa-hooo !!! I love it and it works great to make my bread and doughs right on the table.

  

The girls and I painted over the wallpaper a pale buttery yellow and all the trim white. It looks much more yellow in these pictures (it also looks much more crowded with stuff in the pictures). This room has some sweet woodwork and corner shelves, I really wanted them to stand out. But I also wanted the walls to be neural and warm for those gray days we have. I am really happy with it.

A lot of the accessories you see, I will change out. I just sort of set things in, to live with it for a while. I can not decided if I want a more European French feel (which I am leaning towards) or a old fashioned general store. Or a mish-mash of both. I know everything I do not want the room to be, but still working on what I do want. It is very tempting to go out a buy a bunch of new stuff, but I am trying to be good. 

By the way the below picture is standing in the party looking into my kitchen. The hall on the right goes to the library. So this is what I have been up to. Next is taking the room apart again and pulling up all the yucky linoleum. There is hard wood floor underneath. I will see what it is like and then decided what to do. I have my lap-top back and just today I can get on-line. Thank goodness. All is right with the word. I would love your feedback on the pantry. Remember be honest , not polite xoxoxoxox

More Christmas House Inspiration

Oh and my killer deal for Aubern'e I got was 8 dinner plates, 4 salad plates and one serving bowl of Limoges Haviland china, free. Just because they were a bit chipped. They will go perfect with her gold crown teapot Yeah for chipped french china xoxoxoxo

A Garland and Winner

Do you remember this garland ? Well it is time to spring things up. All I did was change out the red rick-rack ribbon with something more spring like. The reason I posed this again is because it is such a simple garland. All you need is different ribbons and some tape. I added butterfly's were the holly was (it covers up the tape). Also I just love the pom-pom trim on the window. It make doing the dishes so much cheerier. So if you have a corner that needs an uplift, try a ribbon garland.

Congratulations Sarah at Mama and Jack, for winning the book in my last give away. I will e-mail you. Thank you again everyone for joining in and being such a blessing to me xoxoxxo

PS. the reason I can not send the books media mail, is because anytime someone wins a give-away on my blog, they get chocolate  ;-)

PSS. I have been asked were I get the butterfly's ? I got them at Jo-Ann's floral section. They are only $2.00 or so and the cool thing is they have little clips on the back to attach them to things. I need to get some more !!!!

Sweet

This is the perfect pillow Aubern'e made me for Valentines day. She took a tee-shirt (that I loved) it did not fit her anymore and made a pillow. She just sewed it up, stuffed it and cut a fringe edge. So sweet !!!!!!

We have a winner for the Easter book. Congratulations Miss.Tina (who I have met and is the sweetest. I am hoping to have her over for tea soon xoxox) I will e-mail you Tina xoxoxox

The new book this week is Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison, you can look inside the book. The reason I post the radish salad recipe, (which we are really loving) was because I knew I was giving this book this week. Even if you are not a vegetarian (I am not) but are looking for interesting ways to use vegetables and vegetarian ingredients, Deborah knows her stuff. I have just about every book she has written. This is a very thick book full of info. Good luck.

PS. Because this book is sooo big, I will be mailing it book rate.

Vintage At The Sewing Expo

I decided to go to the sewing expo and see what it was all about. Thank you Deby for letting me know about it. It is the biggest in the US and second in the word. It was big and I had fun. Although there was a lot I was not interested in, there were a few great vendors selling vintage and interesting trims, buttons, ect. I even got a tablecloth. What I love the most about it, is the red polka-dot, wavy edge. It was hard to photograph, it is much paler but not boring. The detailed stitching is so perfect.

Oh I did get more then what I am showing but the rest are Easter basket gifts for the girls.

I hope you are having a lovely day and remember to do one nice thing for yourself today. I plan to make a cup of tea in my prettiest tea cup and just watch the birds in my yard (wait till you see the bird nests you can make). Oh and to be grateful for all I have xoxoxo

What An Adventure

I had a lovely time in OR. Although it was very stormy and we could not do much. I was thrilled though, we went to an outlet-mall and they have a Le Creuset seconds shop. I have been wanting a 9 qt. Le Creuset for such a long time. My mother taught me it is better to have less kitchen equipment but the best you can buy. It is a life-time investment. My Le Creuset lovely deep blue-green. Another blessing there is no tax in OR !!!!!!

But I wanted to tell you about my little linens adventure. My MIL (who knows me so well) was talking with my FIL's barber and he was telling her how the trunk in his shop was full of linens, made by his mother and had not been opened for years. While visiting she said she wanted to stop by the barbershop and unbeknownst to me, she asked him if he was interested in selling any of the linens. He was and the next night I went over. Now this trunk is huge and has big leather straps around it. As he opened the trunk, there was this beautiful smaller wooden box on top with a picture of a lady with an amazing hat. He lifted the box and the trunk was stuffed with linens. It was like Christmas morning but better. It would have taken me an hour to really go through it but I only had a few minutes. It was so much fun and a bit awkward, going through someone's family history. I kept asking are you sure you want to sell. Actually I think it is sad none of his children did not want any. I could have taken piles but did not want to seem greedy. I just picked out a few really beautiful pieces. My favorite is this child's apron. I love how the ladies frilly skirts are the pockets. I need to find a special way to show it off.

Then he proceeded to take me in the back-room full of boxes, old tables, chairs, ect. He tells me all those boxes are full of china. I thought I would die. I so wish I could just rent a u-hail and clean out his store room for him  :- ) maybe if I am lucky, next time I visit he will want to sell more.

I also loaded up on Sisboom Mod Girl fabric, old vintage lace, 10 yards of hand embroidered linen trim for $2.00. I need to do some sewing now. Speaking of sewing, wait till you see my Valentine runner. Thank you for all well wishes and glad you had yummy oatmeal xoxoxox

 

New Goodies

 

 

 

Well I have some new goodies to show you. David and I are not giving each other gifts (although I am sure someone will leave him some gourmet beer under the tree) but I did get to some goodies at the Christmas House inlew of a present. I love the wool pear, of course anything french, old ironstone and that whole set of dishes was only $5.00. I have to say they do not look like much on the table there, but in my kitchen queen, they look very charming and gingerbready.

Also my father bought me a couch. We were in desperate need of a couch. The one we got 7 years ago was an old hand me down recovered in wonderful fabric. But is had gotten so saggy Chloe was the only one who could sit in it. Now I do not love my couch. I had only 5 days to find something and I am very limited were I live. Plus everything I loved was like 3-5 thousand dollars. Anything under $1000 all looks the same. It made me crazy. I go in a  furniture store with hundreds of couches and they were all the same, big and pillow back. Well I decide to just look for something basic with good lines. One day I will get my curvy, vintage, tucked back couch I want. Some day. I hope I do not sound ungrateful, because I really am. We never could have bought a new couch and it was very kind of my father. It was just very frustrating.

Also I want to thank Manuela and Janet for my friendly blog award. I do hope my blog is friendly. I know both of yours are and you are both such dolls. I know I am suppose to pass this on to others  but I always agonize over giving awards. I want to give them to all of you, so that is what I am doing. You readers are so dear to me. that you would take time out of your day to come to my blog means everything to me. I never take that for granted, thank you xoxoxox

Guest post by Chloe

Hello my mother said I could share my doll house with you. I have been busy decorating it for Thanksgiving. I made leaf garlands and leaf covered roof for my house.

I decorated the mantel with autumn leaves and made a pie and vegetables for the kitchen.

You can not see it very well in the picture but I also make a stuffed turkey for dinner.

I made a leaf rug and of-course I have my guitar to practice on when I am not cooking. Thank you for letting me share and Happy Thanksgiving, Chloe.

Beauty

 

Chloe found this beautiful butterfly out in our yard. It was so stunning and we never find anything like this, it need to be showcased. I love the shadow boxes in Martha's new craft line at Michaels and it was very easy to use. I tried to get a better picture (it is so hard to take a picture of something with reflective glass) I found two papers with reverse colors and did half and half. Also have you seen the velvet rick-rack !!!!!!

Hydrangeas, Lots Of Them !!!

My china hutch is a hand-me-down (as is most of my furniture). It does not quite fill the space, it feels a bit small. Plus I like my walls filled, not lots of air around them. Someday hopefully I can get something that will fit the space better but until then I need to make this work. I am planning on painting it the tea color of my walls, to make it blend in. Living in a hundred year old house I have high coved ceiling and I wanted to add height to my hutch. I am blessed that my mother has two large hydrangea plants and let me have a bunch. I have been drying them. Stacking and filling the space about the hutch. I have to say I am quite happy with the results and it so fit in my budget. I took a long skinny basket I had, filled it with foam blocks and stuck the bottom hydrangeas in and around the basket. The rest are just sitting on top of the bottom ones. Easy as pie. Do you know anyone with hydrangeas they do not want ? I am sure you could find a space in your home for them !!!!

                                                    

Yumy Finds

                  

I hit one of those amazing yard sales last week were they are lots of antiques and everything is a quater or fifty-cents. Look at this large wonderful framed print, $3.00 yeah. I am so drawn to any picture of mother and child.  I got a lot more but this is the highlights (Sarah I thought of you as I was filling up my box xoxoxo) Thank you for letting me share.

PS. I will share about my lavender tea soon. I just need to write out a recipe for all of you !!!

                                                                               

Name my Deer, Please

See my baby deer and mama. These deer came with the house. They have been lounging under a tree, but they are really old and I am worried they are jut going to fall apart.  Plus I am affraid some child will sit on them. So I decided to drag them in the house were hopefully they will be more protected. Now I am pinching myself I did not do this 6 years ago when we moved in. I love them and think they are appropriate for my storybook cottage. I wanted to name them but can seem to come up with anything. I would love ideas (no bambie, please) If you can think of any wonderful names for my deer, please share them. Thank you!!!

I hope everyone has a yummy Saturday. I am off to Sequim to pick pounds and pounds of raspberries for the freezer xoxoxox

                                                                         

Menu Of The Week

         

I hope you do not mind another veggie pasta dish but that is what I have been craving lately. We love this pesto, green bean, potato and pasta dish. Now potatoes and pasta together may sound a bit strange but really they are very yummy together.

You all may know this but pesto freezes really well. I like to make big batches of pesto in the summer. I freeze the pesto in ice cube trays and then transfer the cubes to freezer bags. Also if you do not have a lot of basil you can use half spinach.

A yummy tomato and mozzarella salad on the side is a perfect complement. If you are feeling the need for some meat you can make the salami version.

Zucchini's are starting to come to the market. I love my zucchini cake with lime curd and whipped cream fraiche. You can make the lime curd a couple of days ahead to save some time.

I think this meal is a wonderful healthy way to highlight summer veggie !!! 

Pesto Pasta with Potatoes and Green beans

This is basically a pasta tossed with pesto, cooked potatoes and green beans. There is several way to cook the veggie. You can steam or roast in the oven or stir fry your potatoes and green beans. I have made it all three ways and it is yummy but I love the roasted way the best. It is what sounds good to you at the time.

Mozzarella Tomato Salad or

salami version

Zucchini Cake with Lime Curd and Whipped Cream Fraiche

Picture by Beatrice Emma Person

Birthday Thank-Yous

                

Thank you ladies for all the kind birthday wishes. It means so much to me that you would even bother coming by my blog, let alone leave a comment. It brightened my whole weekend.

I had a lovely relaxing weekend. I got breakfast in bed (I had already well stocked the frig !!!) We went out to dinner with my sister and mother to Ajax cafe. In this restaurant there are hats everywhere, we had a blast trying them all on (Mary M. I did think about you and how horrified you would be :-) I had grilled duck with wasabi mashed mashed potatoes, tempura green beans, garlic honey sauce and a dry rose'. It was heaven !!!!

                                                                                        

I got the loveliest of gifts. Aubern'e wrote me the most amazing poem and Chloe sang me a song in elf language. Which she explained that only those of high class could hear. If you were of low class and heard it you would be banished forever. I was a bit worried I might be of low class and be banished. But Chloe assured me I was of the highest class (I do not know were she gets her imagination). She also painted this lovely gold rose.

 

                                                

PS. I was chatting (actully lecturing, sorry) with another blogger about how it is important for us to not worry that we do not look perfect and just share pictures of ourself. Because it is nice for the reader to see the person who is writing the blog. So I am taking my own advice and posting this not very flattering picture of myself in a crazy hat xoxoxo

Yeah For The Christmas House

 

                                    

Hello I am still here, I had a bad tummy bug but I am better. I hit the Christmas house today and found a few treasures. I love the lady pillow case. Her face is not finished but I am going to have to find some amazing idea for her.

A Stawberry Weekend

           

Well it is strawberry time around here. We always go to Sequim through the summer, because they have the best you-pick farms. We picked 15 pounds and will go again. I froze most for future use. Since hubby was not with us we shopped to !!! I got these gorgeous glasses at a thrift-store for $12.00. Isn't the color to die for. Also this wonderful tin to hold our keys and sunglasses.

It had rained all night and just minutes before we arrived to pick berries, so we were soaked. We decided to go to breakfast and dry off. The Oak Table had been recommend but I was not prepared for how nice it was. We did not fit in with all our mud but it was fun. It reminded me of one of those frilly 80's tea houses (with floral wallpaper and borders everywhere). I had not been to one of those in soo long, it brought back memories. Plus they had some amazing antiques and this glassed in room I loved (I should have taken pictures, next time). I had Potato pancakes with sour cream and Aubern'e had this monstrous apple pancake, ymmm.

 

                                                                   

Vintage Sewing Chest

I am so excited, I can not even wait till this actually arrives to share it with all of you. Look at this amazing sewing chest I just bought from Lisa at Pink Paint and Roses. Oh my, I am so in-love. I have been wanting a sewing basket. My cigar box is to small, but this is even better. I love how it folds up flat for storage and then opens up, even with it's own little table top you can pull out. Plus is is pink. I drag my sewing all around my house. This will be prefect for that. Thank you Lisa (if you have not seen her charming blog, go check it out !!! ) I will treasure this and thank you ladies for letting me share. Ohh if I can only wait for it to come now !!!!!

                                                 

   

Corner Of My Home

 

I wanted to share my door with you. For a long time it was in my living room, but then I moved it upstairs to my bathroom. It has my favorite child's apron on it. But I see now, that you can not see it well. I will take more pictures soon. The funny thing about this door is it was up in the attic of the farmhouse I use to live in. It was covered in dirt. But when I went to wash it, I did so painstakingly, so none of the chipping paint would come off. My hubby just shook his head and put it the chick file (the chick file, is all the girls things I do that confuse David :-)

                                                               

I love this mirror. It was my MIL but it was just ugly brown (I do not like brown much) wood beads. So I painted the whole thing white and wired on all these little do-das. Like old buttons, price tag, little pear, a old rose, ect. The cool thing about wiring them, is I can move each thing to my liking.

Also look at my new little pale pink compost pail. I love it and it was only $7.00 at TJ Maxx !!!!!

Opinions needed

Well ladies I need your opinion. Please be honest (not polite). I got this fireplace free from my in-laws. It is a plug-in fireplace from the 50s. There is a heater above and two fans (only one works) that blow the heat. Under the fake logs there is a light bulb. It is made from travertine (I think, It is very heavy). The fireplace is 42 1/2" high x 23 1/2" deep x 56" width.  Is it cool, is it tacky, is it saleble?? How much would you be willing to pay for it ?? I am debating if I should keep it or sell it. I really do not have room for it and I can not decide if I like it. I neeeeeeeeed feed back. Thank you xoxoxox

                                                         

 

Christmas House !!!!!

        

It is Christmas House time again. I live for these sales. I do not know what I will do when she stops having them.

                              

I got this fun little German cottage thermostate for $6.00. I love the mushroom and blue bird.

                      

These milk glass bowls I got last weekend on my trip. A $1.00 each. These will be my cereal bowl !!                                                                                 

                                          

I Love this floral picture. It is my favorite shade of pink, blush. Not bad for $16.00.                  

May Day Basket

                                                      

We were so inspired by all the May baskets we saw on-line today, chloe and I decide to make our own. Chloe made a small May basket for the fairies and mine is the large, bombastic one. 

Thank you for the inspiration ladies xoxoxox

Corner Of My Home

Well I finally took down my bird tree. I know Christmas was 4 months ago but it has been too cold to work out there. The sun has been peeking out, so we took advantage and cleaned out the shoe-room (as we call it). I still love my nests and scattered them around. See that large green glass bottle? Isn't it amazing. It belonged to grandmother Bell. It is a very old oil bottle she got in Mexico. The light jar is a garage sale find. The small dark green bottle was a goodwill bargain. It was covered in wicker that was all moldy, but I could see there was pretty green glass under it. So I took it home cut off the moldy wicker. It is a beautiful hand-blown bottle. I am soo glad I did not let that black mold gross me out !!

                                                                            

Egg idea

I have been in such a hole I thought Easter was not for a couple of weeks. Akk I am soo not prepared and am running around like a crazy woman getting ready for the Easter Bunny. I thought I better post this idea before the holiday passes. I have a collection of paper-mache eggs. I love them but they are hard to display being such an odd shape. So I found using teacups is a great way to hold them up.

Speaking of eggs, I have had several e-mails asking if my petite-magazine is about Easter. No it is not. It is springy and you could use the ideas for Easter but it is not specifically Easter. I hope that helps clear things up. I am off to make birthday cake and then plan my Easter menu. 

PS. I have been asked if I made the eggs. No I am not that talented. But I am flattered that you would think I was ;-)

Spring glimpses

We are starting to have glimpses of spring, in between the raindrops. I love looking out my living room window and seeing the door I set against the tree. It looks like a door that would take you to fairyland.

Oh and look at the mirror table I got on clearance for $25.00. I was sooo thrilled. Also my mother bought me is amazing tea towel from Anthropology. It is too wonderful (and expensive) to actually use. So I wrapped it around a pillow.  I just pined it on the backside with safety pins. I love this easy idea, because I get board really easy and am aways changing things around. This make it simple to do.

The Chair

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Okay I am going to brag (a little) I have never recovered anything before and I am sooo happy with this chair. I painted the wood trim silver. Then I remembered I had this wonderful old floral chintz. I bought the jacuard and striped fabric. The strawberry rick-rack gives it the fun punch. I glued and stapled the fabric over the existing fabric. The really hard part was sewing the cushion. I ended up pining it all together. This was a definite learnig curve and I admire anyone who does this for a living. Thank you for letting me share.

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Rosey

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Wow what a wonderful weekend I have had. I LOVE T J Max. I got this amazing tea-pot with these perfect roses for $9.00 and creamer $5.00. As Alison would say it make my heart ache to just look at them and look how well they go with these paper clay roses I made a few years back xoxox

 

I got a pink phone, a PINK phone (for free). Now I have to paint and glitter it !!!

Lastly dear hubby sucked it up and agreed to washing with rose scented hand soap. What a guy. As you can see it is rosy around here (wait till you see my chair, it turned out amazing)

 

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Bookcase

I got a new bookcase for the library. Sighhhh I could not get a great picture. But I am soo happy with it. It goes beautifully with my other bookcases and hold so many books. I put the old green cabinet in the living room. In my new winter corner (hint, hint)

I have have this wonderful but very shabby wing back chair for a while. I finally decied it is looking shabby, not shabby chic. Thank