Souvenirs [Search results for mornings] 

when I recently switched the dining and living rooms, the 'new' dining room had been sorely forgotten with creating a space to reflect the season/farm/us

friends of ours were having a garage sale... a nearby farm... and this little $35 table was just what this room needed

she even gave the kids and me free pumpkins... thanks Mary!
{{ a bit of country

{{ nests and gathered feathers from years on the farm

(here's a funny tidbit of a story involving the non-coincidence of our "campers": our friends John and Mary came by about a week ago to drop off the flyer of their garage sale they were having because Jason forgot to tell me the details — and that very day, the male "camper" that is here found out that he needed to get a new crankshaft... their engine is literally out of their truck... the whole thing... and John is a mechanist... he has a barn dedicated to this purpose... he fixes up vintage cars for a living... a shop to make any car lover drool... so their engine is now residing on another farm while they live in our barn in their camper — where it is warm and he can clean his tools and parts of the engine... basically... if John and Mary hadn't come over to give me that flyer, we might have totally forgot that he would be able to re-work the engine for the campers and order the necessary parts... isn't that just so amazing??)

truth be told... it's been a rough few weeks... (nothing to do with our new camper friends here)

gone are the warm sunny mornings with busy hands in the garden... I am running on this lonely habit of preparing... preparing meals and more food in the potager... putting up swags and hay couches

having the 'campers' here from Colorado for the past few weeks, with her being a spry 26 year old, I understand even more these miles and years that have separated me from my youth... oh good gravy... like I'm old or something? no, i know that i am not old... but i can't help but feel my bones more... the shape of my hands — the wrinkles on my face — the heart hurting from a recent blow of betrayal... all of these things have shaped the last two weeks since the sale and by gosh did i need to decorate and make things fresh

here's two of my pumpkins now...

changing up my surroundings makes me forget second guessing myself + my strength + my loves

family... friends... feathers... finds from the farm
(that's a lot of 'f''s)

here's to a fabulous fall weekend... and enjoying that hot cup of coffee in the chilly mornings
and another big thank you to all of you who have given me your sentiments about the farms through emails, letters in the mail and sharing your photographs... we had such a great time with you all here!!

peace + blessings,

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,

{ beneath these crisp skies and wet from the mornng dew boots
{ hiddin under the dirt in my fingernails from the removal of frost bitten cucumber plants
{ a simple phone call to my 92 years of age grandmother to still get advice on baking
{ prayers for the healing of this country to slow down
{ waking at 3 am to warm a cup of milk to ease my tensions while oddly listening to geese flying over head

instinctively animals understand the ebb and flow of the world... we have seen first hand how the birds of the air don't worry, but yet, just do... do what they are supposed to do...

no worries

there is no need to worry

the Bible (the original version that is) says not to fear/not to worry over 365 times

I will take one for each day please... and in that give thanks...

mornings can be rough... this I know all too well... but catch yourself and remind yourself not to worry... not to fear

pax+blessings,

it's still only early morning on a sunday, but i'm already thinking of tomorrow

the kids have embraced their mother-teacher and i have embraced the routine and deep thinking and discussing time with my children

: : i think she loves the kitchen as much as i do: :
i have bits of canning to do this week, and all sorts of things to get ready for the upcoming barn sale, but this time of year makes me rearrange... look at things in a crisp view...
the mornings are cool enough to wear a sweater while the afternoon's warm sun sheds the sweater and fresh air fills the house with the faint scent of harvested corn and a nutty earth smell from fresh tilling
a glorious time

i'll be sharing bits and pieces of each of my days this week...

happy autumn!

the feeling of Christmas has started early here...

it started as soon as that wonderful smell of gingerbread was baking in my oven

what is it about these little guys that makes me chuckle? they are funny to me... little gingerbread people

i adapted an old recipe i had and am super happy with the way they came out... fluffy/thick/delicious!

i will be selling them all bagged up and ready for you at Christmas in the Alley this weekend in Sycamore

If you haven't been to Sherrie's store, A Ruffled Nest, it is completely all decked out for Christmas... as I have been over there helping her get things ready... all I can say is it is SO fun in there and having other dealers participate next door amongst the twinkly lights and live sounds of Christmas... going in and out of the old brick buildings while meandering through all the Christmas decorations... well... it's going to be so much fun I cannot wait!

My daughter has made the most delicious homemade hot cocoa mixes she has nestled inside vintage mugs that will be there for sale at Christmas in the Alley...

each mug with 2 generous helpings of cocoa for those chilly evenings (with mini marshmallows and a candy cane:) are $10 each

she has also made some snow globes from vintage mason jars! (I'll be sharing that tomorrow)

Jason has also been working on some terrific handmade/ hand carved gifts...

there are knives, baby spoons, honey dippers, serving spoons, buttons, lunch boards, cutting boards, rolling pins... We are so very excited to share these with you!!

more information on all of Jason's hand carved items and the other items, will be all up this week...

everyone is feeling creative... and getting back to crocheting and knitting in the early mornings before we start school...

there is always a hearty breakfast... and to see the kids work together like this every morning warms my heart more than any cup of coffee...

on a personal note, a new fitness regime has started... and it's due to how baby Daniel isn't snuggling up to his Mama to nurse any longer... it's always such a sad time for me... I already miss him warm in my arms... his independence is surfacing... as is his personality!! He has this laugh that is hilarious... like a sneaky laugh "hah hah"... if I can catch him, I'll record it, because it cracks me up...

he'll sit there in my bedroom and hide from me... I'll say "where's Daniel... I don't see him anywhere??" and I hear in the closet a slight "hah hah"...

I don't know what is going to be more time consuming for me this week;
preparing for Advent
or baking for Christmas in the Alley

I have been changing up the decorating around here too... it's been a lot of fun putting up new curtains... moving furniture... totally changing up my bedroom too...

sharing all of it in good time...

hope you all had wonderful Thanksgiving weekend... we all needed that break around here!!!!

xo+ a bit of Christmas blessings,

Holiday times brings out so much cheer!! Being that I am still up in the night with my little one does put a damper on the "cheer" factor some mornings, but today, I woke up, and all but the 14 yr. old (boy — still asleep) were outdoors playing in the fresh fallen snow... and this instantly cheered me up!

I love the seasons changing... and I have so many crafts/ideas going on inside our farmhouse that I can't wait to share with you!!!

Speaking of sharing: Jennifer Rizzo, designer/artist, contacted me to see if I wanted to share the inside of our farmhouse for Christmas decorating

gulp

a lot to do I must say... but I'm so excited to be in this line up...

starts Monday!! but I'm stop 9 (thank goodness)

do you need to feel more cheer right now?? then take a look at Jeanne's new look book at her blog — oh my goodness it is so amazing... completely so well put together and creative — her photography is so dang good
I'm off to school the kids + have some coffee + and create!! (all three together;)
peace + blessings,