There was a "want" of a double hung wreath in this corner of the dining room, but then my mother gave me this antique crystal lamp that was my grandmother's... made in Romania... so I took a lampshade frame that was in the barn, and wove some blue juniper branches on both the top and the bottom... part of a small collection of religious prayer books and a few of Jason's cameras came to the table top along with a great little gold tray found at Christmas in the Alley
Jason had time between working in his workshop to hang my new chandelier in the dining room it's so beautiful not even lit...
life... it's a most super fantastic and amazing place to be even though temporary... life is so amazing it has it's ups and downs, but last time i checked (which i must admit, is daily) it is a blessing just to be alive with these six children around us enjoying the nature around us enjoying their souls united together it's our family... a most super fantastic amazing children don't get me wrong... there are plenty of days that are not so fantastic... and you know what: it's because of me they are the ones learning and growing every day but so am i as unworthy as i am, they are all under my care... every day... and that job is taken most seriously by me sometimes too serious all it takes is that hike along the bluffs with them all, where i always feel the most comfortable (walking in the woods), to understand life is super fantastic and amazing they are counting down the days until Christmas the focus within me is to make these last days of Advent super fantastic and amazing with much love and blessings,
Even though I am surrounded by color, life is still so nice to see when it's black and white ~at least on Sunday~ Hope you all had a wonderful weekend with family and friends!
I took down an old rabbit hutch I had on top of this cabinet, and started putting out all the nests we have collected here made from the horses hair and even our dog's long fur... mostly wrens' nests... with some of our favorite feathers... it needed something... some color... creativity...
inspiration via Country Living magazine...
we unearthed this plate while digging up the first perennial bed here...
and this plate is from my late grandmother...
instead of painting on the pumpkin like CLiving did, we chose to paint on the glass to create a 3-D art effect (when I say "we " I really mean my oldest daughter... she did a great job!)
a small collection of old glass bottles hold feathers and nests...
my youngest daughter painted this hurricane... it's a bird with a top hat... and I think it is super creative and super cute! the old silk top hat I traded with Polly at the 2010 October sale...
the best thing about this craft is that the glow of the candle illuminates the bird silhouettes and it is painted on with acrylic paint... so it washes right off with warm water... go HERE for the bird silhouettes — we cut out the birds we liked, taped them onto the glass, used a small brush to paint the outline around the bird, and then filled it in with the black paint — just use a regular old black acrylic paint The black birds are migrating right now, and their stop over at the farm has been noisy, but welcome.
our daughter has gathered some adorable items, like tiny porcelain vintage deer and little vintage porcelain elves and tiny evergreen bottle brush trees in the local thrift stores & antiques shops, to make these adorable snow globes... some are tiny glass jars, and others are vintage blue mason jars
they will be available at A Ruffled Nest's Christmas show tomorrow, Friday, November 30th from 5-8pm as well as Saturday December 1st 10-3pm
116 South California Street, Sycamore, IL.
Many other local artisans + vintage sellers will be next door too! Along with some dealers selling re-purposed and painted items...
Me? I'll be there helping out, selling some gingerbread men and other organic cookies + cupcakes (chocolate with peppermint frosting!) while enjoying the complimentary wine and candy bar:)
Hope to see you there! This show will be a great way to buy local/supporting these women while buying Christmas gifts!!
Working within a small space, our master bedroom is just that: small (or cozy depending on how I feel that day) Here's my question (which I don't ask for very often): "Is it okay to put a sleigh bed in front of the window?" this is what my bedroom looks like now...
We enjoy our views of the barns and prairie through our master bedroom window on one side, and on the other side is a view of the ancient oak tree — another great view -
so we have tucked our bed in a sort of alcove... which is okay, but I'm up for some change, and moving furniture is #1 on my list to do, unless I think of some other way to decorate that "alcove" it is where I do a lot of reading and writing... so it needs to be soothing... serene... relaxing (input other relaxing words here)
I know I'm probably nuts to do this project now (with the holidays here and all) but the funny thing is, this is the time I go out shopping at retail stores the most!! I RARELY go shopping... so why not use some birthday money and do it right? right i thought so
My inspiration is coming from two LOVELY ladies that I adore here on the net, and am very happy to call them my friends as well... Lulu (from Dusty Lu) and Jo (from Secret Garden Cottage)
I'll be posting some Q&A with both Lulu and Jo in the upcoming week, so stay tuned for the progress!! xo+blessings,
The Master Bedroom Design Q(uestions) & A(nswers) was a BLAST! Wouldn't being a decorating reporter be so fun? I think so So many of you wonderful readers haven't asked me "why" I am re-decorating my bedroom with Jo and Lulu as design stylists... because it's obvious why! They both have great talent... What's my decorating motto for this bedroom: "un-decorate" Today's Q&A is with Jo, from the Secret Garden Cottage. Her and I have talked back and forth, because of the blogs, for quite some time, and as soon I saw her kitchen/dining area, even though it's a kitchen, it inspired me for my bedroom... and here's why:
All of Jo's Answers are in italicized print, and all pictures in this post are from Jo's beautifully inspiring blog. Here's the Q&A with one of the nicest women, Jo:
1) When you design your rooms, do you have a focal point? something that anchors the room? If so, it is usually art or architecture
A: Yes. I definitely always try to have a focal point in each of my rooms, usually architectural pieces. I don't use much art in my home, mostly because I have a hard time finding something I like 100%.
2) How do you achieve an understated feminine approach to your style? A: Well... I try to keep in mind that this is my husband's home, too, and wouldn't want to overwhelm him with too many floral prints, ruffles, or super feminine colors. I try to add a feminine touch to my decor with some of the furniture pieces I use, such as the table I recently bought and placed in my kitchen. It has some decorative scroll work and pretty, curvy legs. I also use flowers and herbs from the garden to add a little bit of romance to my home, as well as the slipcovered furniture and accessories, such as glass cloches, white ironstone pitchers, and candles.
3) what would you classify your style as? A: I think my style is very eclectic. I love French farmhouse, Scandinavian, and American country cottage styles, and I think I have a little bit of each style in my home.
4) how do you achieve an overall cohesive look to your home? A: Sometimes I fell like I struggle with this myself. I try to give my home an overall cohesive feeling by using the same color scheme throughout my home. I generally only use different shades of white in my decor, including my wall paint. I also try to purchase furniture pieces that work well together... have similar architectural lines and so forth.
5) If you were to design my bedroom, by knowing me personally, and seeing my style on my blog, while incorporating your style techniques, how would design my bedroom? what elements would you include in your design plan? A: Keeping in mind your personal style... I think that the one thing you like about mine and Lulu's style is the use of white in our decor, so I would give you an all white bedroom. I would use an architectural piece with white, chippy paint such as a vintage door(s) or fireplace mantle for your headboard. I've also noticed that you like warm wood tones in your home, so I would incorporate warm wood pieces of furniture, such as your night stands and maybe a vintage chest or bench (if room allows) at the foot of your bed. The bed linens you have would look beautiful in the room, but I would add a bed skirt to make it a bit more femine. I also noticed that you love vintage silver, which I think would look gorgeous in the bedroom in the use of accessories. I would dress the windows with sheer linen or cotton curtain panels that puddle on the floor just slightly and use tree branches for the curtain rods. Since your room is small, you would want to keep accessories to a minimum to give it a serene, peaceful feeling.
Anything else you would like to say?? I just want to thank you again for including me in your bedroom makeover, Anne Marie. I feel so honored that you would consider my ideas alongside Lulu's to inspire a room makeover in your beautiful home. You have such an amazingly beautiful style and creative mind, so I know this room will turn out to be the beautiful haven you desire, and I can't wait to see it when it's done!
Isn't she the sweetest?? I wish she lived closer to actually help me! How much fun we'd have... After I saw THIS POST she did, and she had quite a few of the same inspiration photos that I have in my design collection, I knew I would beg her to do this for me:) Tomorrow is my friend Lulu's Q&A with me... stay tuned! Hope you are all enjoying your week thus far!! peace and blessings,
For the May 2010 Sale at the farm here, I sold bundles of 'raw books'... old books that my daughter and I removed the binding from (this was hard to do to books I must say) What was left, was these beautiful old binders, and being that they were red, they inspired me to use them for the "Farm Menu" for our recent dinner party (see here)
Everything was made from scratch... the food and the decorations the best advice I can give anyone attempting a dinner party "from scratch" is to plan, organize, and make ahead some of the food!
Here's what you'll need: ~ old book covers (front, back, and binding still in tack) ~ a glue stick ~ old sheet music ~ and some bits of old lace and feathers (if desired) ~ some hemp twine for the tie ~ an awl and hammer ~ and of course, the printed image for your cover First off, take the awl and hammer and make holes in your (now) menu covers
This is the image I used courtesy of The Graphics Fairy (feel free to use any of these print outs for your own use)
for the cover, I just added text and sized it to a 5"x7" to fit my book cover
then took it into my little computer arts program and just erased the deer to get this:
then flipped it, added text and came up with this: (this is the finished inside of the Menu)
With that same scroll design, I flipped it once again, and added text to the inside top:
Paste the papers (cut to fit for the inside so as not to be in front of the hole)
to cover the rather ugly inside of the binding, I adhered old lace with glue and on the outside of the Menu, a sprig of rosemary and a small pheasant feather (which was also used in the buffet decorations) tied with another piece of vintage black lace
I cut some small strips of old sheet music (a whole page of music also took the place of a "placemat" on the table) under and above the front of the Menu with the glue stick
Of course, now looking at them, I probably wouldn't have used the black lace, but rather the vintage ticking, but the great thing about these, is that you can reuse them time and time again!!
Here's to enjoying your holiday season! ~Have a fantastic weekend~ xo+blessings,
Hi! I hope this Christmas house walk finds you all well!! come on in to our little farm house on the prairie...
more than half my day is spent in this little corner of the world... the kitchen my kitchen = my expression = my love for my family = and oh such good and tasty dishes... we ALL get involved in the kitchen! it's my favorite room of the house
these little candy canes are being bagged up for sale in the shop today! check back later!!!
collecting those little tins, I have made a lot of little treats for the kids cakes and tiny pies one of the things I really have enjoyed, is collecting small things like that — after all... I AM surrounded by six little sets of feet scampering about the farmhouse all day:) totally not complaining
thos candy canes are vintage wire ones and the coolest quick decorating thus far this year
this may not look like a Christmas kitchen... but simmering on the stove is some raw milk I'm heating up for baby Daniel, with my cup of tea steaping in the background, and the chalkboard proclaiming I need to slow down and enjoy these last few days of Advent
nature inspires this family of mine... this farmhouse... this soul
yes, that is the mini-conservatory Jason made for me to use in the potager... it's sitting next to and apple ladder... which is all resting peacefully on top of a table Jason also made using reclaimed barn wood
we've "freaked" out a few people with letting our Percheron horse Jordan roam the property free and eat the cool grass... and this picture simbolizes so much to me freedom
instead of taking all the pine trimmings and making thick swags, I am leaving them raw extending their life from outdoors right into our home unpolluted
a bunch of lavender grens as well as pine branches surround Mary especially since it's the feast day of the Immaculate Conception! Dear blessed Mother... so gentle and kind... may I always give my all to others through sacrificeMary... help me to be closer to your Son
the girl's room... all vintagey turquoise + red and simply so fun & cute!
this house most certainly is never 'totally tidy'... especially when you give your daughter the freedom to create in her 'vintage horse room'
back downstairs, in our once dining room (now turned living room) pinecones, dried oranges and an eskewed lamp;)... things are not perfect here
Daniel even got some new stuffed toys I hand stitched this holiday season... I couldn't resist letting him have them before Christmas day! he also loves playing with my yarn balls like a little kitty
he sure does love his sister... what a blessing a big family is!!
that's the end of the house tour for me... in case you missed stop #8, it is my very good personal friend, who literally lives just 30 minutes from the farm: Traci Thorson... she's our official photographer for the farm events and certain other publications... as well as stop #10: blondienc who has a great blog! --------------------------------- I'm so excited to present to you the very special project all of us here on the farm have been working on together... especially Jason and I
We've compiled some simple and traditional holiday recipes and easy to make gifts in this E-BOOK
AVAILABLE THIS FRIDAY!December 9th!! it is an online e-book!!! We are so very excited to share this with you! (more on the book tomorrow) We also have something else to share!!
the winter 2011 collection of hand carved spoons from NA.DA.FARM Jason has been hand carving spoons they are so beautiful and special each spoon is one of a kind made from his own two hands truly beautiful 100% made by hand from reclaimed timber from the farm and other local wood organic in nature... organically finish each piece is sealed with organic olive oil... the safest sealant for wood used in the kitchen
We are opening up shop once again for some very wonderful hand crafted items from both Jason and myself... tomorrow!!!
From all of us here at the farm... peace + blessings,
The whole concept behind my master bedroom is to "un-decorate"...
like I told Lulu over the phone ******* (which was so hilarious, because she literally took me out to a healthy breakfast, a ride across part of California all while taking care of her precious son while on the phone... I loved it Lu!) ******* that my great admiration for so many beautiful fabrics tempts me so often to buy these sumptuous fabrics, but I do NOT desire to have a bedroom that is 'decorated', but nicely put together with good design elements in mind.
Which is why I also thought of Lulu, from Dusty Lu Interiors her and her husband have their own design business, but beyond that, I have seen what Lulu does on the inside of her own home (as you will see in the pictures in this post... they are all of her home) *her answers are also in italics* 1) When you design your rooms, do you have a focal point? Yes, I look for a focal point every room, or I make one, with a large piece of furniture, architecture like a fireplace mantel, artwork, etc. and center it.
2) How do you achieve an understated feminine approach to your style? Easy, simplicity with detail.
3) what would you classify your style as? I really don't like to nail down one specific style I like, because my taste evolves all the time. One thing I know is certain I love and try to incorporate white into my designs.
4) how do you achieve an overall cohesive look to your home? I buy what I love, and when you do that it all comes together and you can never go wrong.
5) If you were to design my bedroom, by knowing me personally, and seeing my style on my blog, while incorporating your style techniques, how would design my bedroom? First, I would like to say I enjoyed our conversation very much the other day on the phone. It gave me a chance to get to know you better, you are very genuine and so nice. When I spoke to you we suggested using a silver or silver blue paint color, I recently used both colors in two homes I helped design and decorate. When I design spaces I try to make it both masculine and feminine. When designing a bedroom, I believe it is a very personal space, and you need to consider both parties. I suggested keeping your gorgeous dark walnut sleigh bed to add that masculine touch and adding pretty fabrics for a feminine touch. The paint colors can go both ways, and when you accessories you can bring in natural elements to anchor the room and that can add both a feminine and masculine feel.
6)what elements would you include in your design plan? I love the use of symmetry especially in a bedroom, it gives an overall calming affect.
Lulu and I are digging a little deeper into the design now and actually picking out paint colors and furniture placement... and this could not be more fun! If you haven't visited Lulu's online journal, then you may not know some really cool things about her! Like her constant zeal for learning — she's always taking these awesome classes that she shares with her readers (the last one being photography which was so interesting to me)... her home has been featured in magazines and on the Internet why is there a picture of Rachel here?
because Lulu has also has been Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture photographer for many projects... the great things about having a job like that, is that it keeps her at home (where she wants to be) with her son. She's expecting her second baby and I couldn't be more thrilled (and somewhat disappointed she won't be making the trip here to Illinois in May — lol) Her schedule sounds so busy, seriously, and for her to take the time to help me like this, is just so amazing to me... thank you Lulu... it really means a lot... xo+blessings,
