Souvenirs:
Farm Style...

  • expressing your soul

    expressing your soul

    sometimes when you walk into a home, you can just feel the soul there

    for me, it's not when you walk into a home filled with items from homegoods or new furniture stores, but things they have accumulated over the years... from flea markets, roadside stands within their journeys, items they have collected within their walks in the woods, or that antique that caught their eye and spoke to them somehow — how they purchased it and took it home with them...

    i am one of those people that likes to surround myself with items that we love

    so many of us are...

    it's not to show off to others or impress friends and family, or at least, it shouldn't be

    our homes are reflections of who we are... some of us have read this before... and this is very true

    at various times in my life, i purge and go sparse

    right now, i am wanting my walls and bookcases dripping with books and textures and all sorts of pictures and collected items

    something that will be more expressive in who i am... who we are
    this can be difficult when i over think things, and don't have that certain couch i have been eyeing for years, or that old school cupboard at the local antiques store, or the chandelier being replaced, etc, etc... but making do with what we have can be discouraging, or it can be even more of an expression of us
    most of our furniture and items were given to us or bought at flea markets or tag sales or local thrift stores
    I can honestly say only some of the fabric used for curtains is new — it's just how i am — how we are -
    our splurges are on that special piece that we find and know it will fit right in

    but how do we know how to express your soul into your home?
    embrace what you own, look for treasures... but most importantly, be comfortable with who you are right now and it will be shown how ever you choose to place things in your home

    peace+blessings,

    (all pictures from my *inspiration* Pinterest board)

  • guests...

    guests...

    welcomed with hydrangeas cut from the garden in a vintage blue vase
    set upon a garage sale find nightstand that sits next to a lamp from my grandmother (an old marble one!)

    nestled in the nook for whomever happens to stop by, eat a meal, and stay up late talking on the deck with wine, laughter, debates, opinions, and the summer breeze...
    they get to nestle into vintage sheets hung outdoors on the line, and if blessed by a cool breeze, a small collection of quilts neatly folded nearby to grab and snuggle under

    a dream of mine is to open up the corn crib (restored of course) to have guests stay here and just 'be' on the farm with all it's sights, doings, peace and inspiration wouldn't that be grand?
    i think so
    like seeing a bee swarm just steps away from the hives (that means another hive is born!!) speaking of bees... we are soon to "spin out" the 2nd batch of 'pure prairie honey' (which in case you didn't see, was in the latest issue of Romantic Prairie Magazine — with Fifi O'Neill) she is so very sweet... as sweet as our honey I think...
    a good day and night to all
    xo+blessings,

  • farm style bedroom...

    farm style bedroom...

    what's new... : : 2 cans of Glidden Excellence 'oyster shell': : 1920's love seat: : vintage pillow: : blue French desk: : bark cloth: : pink satin throw: : blue satin dresser catchall: : yellow travel case: : watercolor art work next to bed i'll share how & what i did later... for now... there is a bottle of locally made sherry to share with my husband of 16 years
    you see: he was traveling during our anniversary on an out of the country trip as a temporary fisherman/free spirit, so I decided to surprise him with a complete bedroom transformation

    he likes it

    xo + blessings,

  • summer nook...

    summer nook...

    this table was noticed by me the moment it came out of Amy's car for the barn sale here...

    I have to admit, it's kind of nice having a flea market come right to the farm...

    the natural wax she put on it prevents it from chipping anymore, and the French hand towel made from flax is what i am using like a little table runner

    the "curtain" is just fabric I strung up on a birch branch... just temporarily, to keep the heat out
    if it was up to me, I wouldn't have any curtains
    ever

    but our big windows face the south... the heat pours in... good in winter... not so good in summer

    we don't have air conditioning by choice, so everything is oriented in the rooms now for best light/views/heat control

    this nook is so nice and cool in the crisp mornings, and watching the sunsets at night...

    here's a closeup of the fabric... a nubby linen with a faded turquoise stripe

    i grew up sailing with my Dad, and those memories are treasured and seem to be creeping out more and more in my sort of red, white, blue decor
    you might already know how much I like Ralph Lauren's style, and seeing he's producing more of his quality goods right her in the USA, makes me like him even more
    if only more of the big names did that... think of the jobs!

    one of our old corn crib doors fell off awhile ago, and I recently used it for some food styling I was hired for by Jo Packham for a new book she hired me for (more on that later)
    after bringing that in for a few shots, i really enjoyed it inside, and it is now very happy being in our nook

    I am adding that same stripe fabric in my living room... not done yet sewing those

    shopping at JoAnn Fabrics, at a 50% home decor is not so easy finding USA made fabric, but you can still find made in USA fabric, such as Waverly

    it is a classic rose pattern I have always liked... and am very happy to work with it finally in our farmhouse

    there is nothing like classic pattern and texture

    there is a road trip I have planned with a good friend this weekend... if you follow me on Pinterest, you can see what's inspiring me in my pinboard entitled "road trip"
    I'll be helping decorate a new shop in Indiana, and doing a photoshoot... but more on that later too
    xo+blessings,

  • A front porch for me and baby...

    A front porch for me and baby...

    This front room used to be the old front porch of this house (to read more about it's history — and some divine intervention — go here)
    Since Jill is doing a Porch Party every Monday, I thought I'd join in on the fun with pictures of my thrown together front room/porch/baby and I room...

    only things that were bought was a dresser and the two glass lamps
    everything else was literally thrown together to make a comfortable and feminine room for me and the baby to cuddle... dream... and enjoy our first few months together

    the couch is vintage (our first purchase as a married couple)
    my collection of mirrors I used in here as well as some of my favorite trim to add some texture and interest to some pretty boring lampshades...

    my grandmother's antique egg cup adds a bit of color

    this bed was a gift for my daughter a number of years ago...
    I really like the dark wood tones against the pink! This pink fabric was originally purchased for the Patisserie I designed...
    and never... NEVER thought it would be made into a coverlet for a bed I would sleep in... (didn't I tell you I was totally into pink lately?)

    the fabric is taffeta... and feels like I am slipping into a ball gown when I get into bed...

    bedside...

    when I first started this room it was minimal bare... and I just couldn't help putting some of my favorite items in our home in that room
    there is no 'rhyme or reason'... golds... metal... dark wood... painted items...
    I let my gypsy soul go

    a crocheted caplet my sweet grandmother made for me!

    this is one of the items I purchased for the room...
    a $60 dresser bought locally — and all it needed was a scrubbing
    now it is perfect for a changing area

    As the weather warms up... I'm looking forward to opening all of these wonderful casement windows and hearing the birds awaken in the morning and smell the flowers outdoors
    it has a terrifc view of the potager as well

    Do you have an area of your home you want just for you?
    Just start bringing some of your favorite items into that space and you'll be surprised at how much you love it...
    xo+blessings,

    To see what this room has looked like before go: HERE or HERE or HERE or what until you see Romantic Prairie Style (book by Fifi O'Neill)

  • what is Anne Marie thinking...

    what is Anne Marie thinking...

    yes, about the baby due in a few short weeks... but honestly, this May Event is really the best thing that could be for me right now... a blessing if you will...

    My Hungarian roots are colorized by the true gypsy blood that runs through my veins...

    photo credit: gypsy purplestories of dirt floor huts, and brushing the dirt with a special rake to make patterns in the floor when company comes to visit... seriously...
    no joke!! I am from Gypsy Blood (I know what you are thinking... "oooohhhh... that explains it!) lol
    you have no idea how badly I want to make a gypsy hut of my own...
    or at least bring in more textures and colors into my home decor...
    so I'm trying...
    I just bought 2 pink chairs for my living room — PINK! (do you think my gypsy soul is telling me it's a girl?) 
    Our home is pretty 'prairie farmhouse', but I came up with a new one that I really like: "PRAIRIE GYPSY"
    that's me!

    photo credit: Tobias Harvey

    but I tend to crave solitude colors as well... and would love to spruce up the corn crib like this: 

    photo credit: Virginia McDonald see? didn't I tell you I was random?
    thoughts are like that when you just had a braxton/hicks contraction and some sugared treats with milk (craving)
    I tend to dress the same way... sometimes pure linen with simple drop earrings... or a classic long denim skirt with a t-shirt top and funky hat or head scarf
    it never is the same
    and neither should my "decorating"
    I am no decorator... not one bit do I think so, but I do like expressing myself around my home with sometimes new furniture, new drapes I made, or a simple throw

    and don't you worry! I am still focused on that master bedroom!!
    inspiration via linenandlavender.blogspot

    focused

    just on about 20 different things right now

    xo+blessings,

Random for work: