for the love of a house

Winter Essentials

2012-03-03T13:37:00.003-05:00

With the exception of that crazy October snowfall we had last Fall,, we have had an extremely mild winter with hardly any snow this year. Since it finally feels like winter (we've gotten over 12-inches of snow the last couple of days) I thought this might be a good time to share my winter "essentials" with you!

Favorite Winter Essentials:

boot tray... I place this at the front door for wet, snowy boots and shoes. I found this faux-copper alligator-embossed tray at TJMaxx. You can find them here.

door snakes...It's inevitable, I guess, living in an antique house, but the antique doors don't fit perfectly anymore and there is a slight draft. I found the snakes for sale at a local hardware store, but only in bright red-and-white checks and cutesy fabric. I don't do cutesy;) I custom-ordered three for my antique doors in solid black. You can find them here.

boots... Specifically my Bogs! When we first moved here I went to a small, locally owned shoe store in a neighboring town and asked what their best boots were for walking in the snow. I was surprised when they said Bogs. I adore these boots. 15" of snow? No problem. My Bogs have a comfort rating to minus 40 degrees! I can attest that they keep your feet dry and toasty!

plastic snow shovel... for the antique cobblestone front walk and the wood porches!

driveway stakes... to guide Big Blue, the tractor, when plowing the drive!

down...I learned quickly that when you live in New England you need several different "fills" of down coats for our daily dog walks!

I wear the down vest (with a hoodie) when the temperature is "warmish"- down to 32 degrees, or so. I wear the heavier down coat (in the middle) when the temperature is between 31 degrees and 0 degrees! And I bring out the massive Eddie Bauer down coat when the temperature is below 0!

Then, of course, there's the heavy winter down comforter for the bed!

smartwool socks... I love these thin wool blend socks. They keep your feet toasty without the bulk of thick wool socks.

snow rake.... Until moving to New England we had never heard of a snow rake! For my Southern peeps a snow rake is basically a flat shovel on a very long arm that you use to remove snow from the roof so that the weight of the snow doesn't cause damage to your house.

my father's wool scarf... I grew up in San Antonio, where the need for winter clothing wasn't big. Throughout my childhood my father only had one scarf, this scarf, that he wore to work on really cold days. I have sweet memories of how dapper he looked when he wore this scarf. I wear it often to remember.

barn room fireplace... We love the barn room fireplace, and use it daily! At least once a year Dan has me recount a story from my early twenties because he thinks it is soooo funny: Fresh out of college living in Houston in a rented condo I bought plastic-wrapped logs from the neighborhood 7-11 (convenience store) for my fireplace. Not growing up with a fireplace (see San Antonio, above;) I left the logs in the plastic wrap thinking I was protecting them, not knowing they needed to dry out. On the night I decided to light the logs I merely took the plastic off and placed them in the fireplace. I held a match underneath the log, thinking it would automatically ignite; like a candle! I went through about 50 matchbooks (remember the days when you got matches from every club and restaurant you went to?!) over several hours, lighting one match after another and holding it under the log- no kindling, no paper, no pine cones; and of course I got nothing... except burnt fingers. That story makes Dan laugh, so he has made it his mission to teach me how to start a proper fire! Under his tutelage I have become fairly adept and am thinking I should submit my name for Survivor!

lots of firewood.... The firewood is stored along one wall in the garage. It shares the same bay as Big Blue. The garage has a radiant heat floor, so that helps the unseasoned firewood to dry out.

Sometimes we splurge on this... de-barked, kiln dried firewood!! Sweet! This is what I needed in my Houston condo, as it will catch by just holding a match to it!

This is my full kindling box.... Even though I'm now quite the fire-maker ;) Dan sweetly presets a fire for me before he goes out of town, but one time he didn't do that and I had to cut my own kindling (cue the violins;) After retelling him the story of me with a dull ax and a couple of mishaps lets just say the kindling box has never been empty again!!! :)

heated steering wheel... In cold New England this is a sweet thing indeed!

Happy snow day from New Hampshire!

Would love to hear your winter essentials!

to make you smile in the middle of the week!

2012-02-29T17:16:00.000-05:00

I've been working for hours on another post, but today is one of those days when writer's block is instead a boulder, so instead I'll share this hysterically adorable pup that I saw yesterday!!!

Are you smiling yet?!

to start your week off with a smile...

2012-02-27T12:23:00.001-05:00

Ella's a mighty fine driver!

This photo always makes me laugh- I save it as my screen saver on those days when I need some extra humor in my life!

Make it a good week!

xojoan

Living in New England: Christmas in January, February... March & April!

2012-02-24T11:07:00.001-05:00

There are many aspects of life here that are so unique from other parts of the country, and I want to share those things with my family, and perhaps with you- if you have never been here. I thought it might be helpful to do some posts called : "Living in New England" that highlight quintessential New England sights, events, situations, and experiences.

I also know of many people who have lived here, in New England, their entire lives and perhaps don't realize that some of the events and sights that I will describe don't happen elsewhere in the country. Or, maybe you are originally from New England, but have moved away... I hope these posts will bring back some fond memories for you. In any event, I wish to share New England with you through the eyes of this Southerner.

(To read my other "Living in New England" posts visit here!)

Four years ago when we moved to New Hampshire at the end of January we noticed a large number of Christmas wreaths still hanging on houses in New Hampshire and all around New England. That year was record setting as the 2nd snowiest winter ever recorded in New Hampshire. We attributed the many, many Christmas wreaths that hung throughout the entire winter to the massive amount of snow on the ground that year- people just couldn't get to the wreaths to remove them.
They were everywhere... everywhere!
It became a running joke while driving around New England in the months of February, March and April to announce each and every Christmas wreath that was spotted..

"Christmas Wreath!"...

"Christmas Wreath!"...

...on and on.

Then, sometime in April of that year it was as if everyone got the secret memo and all (well, most;) of the wreaths were removed at the exact same time! There was still lots of snow on the ground that year in April, so it wasn't that the snow had made the difference. It was just the strangest thing!

This unusual "tradition" has occurred every year since- even when the snow isn't bad, or like this year when there isn't hardly any snow at all (as you can see in most of the photos). I especially love the photograph of the wreath and the sap buckets- a sure sign of Spring in New England!

Certainly in other parts of the country you see the "occasional" wreath and Christmas lights still up in June, but that's not what I'm referring to. I kid you not when I tell you you see them

EVERYWHERE!!!!!

The following photos are but a small sampling; they were all taken in the last couple of days.

Merry Christmas.... still! :)

the next best thing since "the clapper" ;)

2012-02-22T14:01:00.002-05:00

I recently discovered this little gem of a dimmer when looking for a dimmer for a light fixture in the barn mud room. Since you all seemed to like the screw-in light socket dimmer I told you about here, I wanted to share this with you too! I am so smitten with the dimmer I walk around the house trying to find other lamps to use it on!

This 3-level (low/medium/high) touch dimmer only works on metal lamps. You simply plug your metal lamp into this small box converter and voila! You then touch any metal part of the lamp and the dimmer activates: one tap- low, two taps- medium, and three taps- high!

low...

medium...

high...

love!

I found the dimmer for approximately $10 at a TrueValue hardware store, but you can also find them at Amazon.

"Cheers" to a lovely weekend!

2012-02-17T17:42:00.003-05:00

Can I get you my favorite Kir Royale (champagne and creme de cassis)

or Dan's favorite Kir Imperial/ Raspberry Royale (champagne and raspberry liqueur)??!

Here's to a lovely weekend!

Cheers!!

the barn room chandelier

2012-02-15T17:26:00.002-05:00

I love the chandelier that I found last year for the barn room. Every time I look at it I am so grateful that it came to me at just the right time! The room needed a large chandelier, and I had resigned myself that an antique piece would be impossible to find, much less afford, at that size. Even the new chandeliers I found on-line were in the thousands, and that just wasn't in the budget. One day I decided to look on Craigslist for a chandelier. I kept widening my search to neighboring states, and I stumbled upon this beauty- a mere 5 hour round-trip away, in Connecticut!
The chandelier wasn't antique, but it was hand wrought iron, the perfect scale (just over 4 feet) and the perfect design for what I envisioned in the room. Oh, and I got it for a steal... the asking price was $300, I offered $250 and got it!

When I found it it was black, which I knew would be too harsh for the color palette I had envisioned for the room, so after much paint sampling I painted it a brown/rust color using Rustoleum Multicolor Texture spray paint in Autumn Brown. The chandelier was then hung using antique iron chain and an antique bronze ceiling cap. I can not begin to tell you the difference that using the antique chain and ceiling cap has made in how the piece looks and feels in the room. Real wax candle sleeves in white from Lumiere Candles (don't forget the 10% off coupon for my readers on the sidebar) were added.

Love.

Well, except for one little thing that absolutely drove me crazy ....

Can you spot it? I would sit on the sofa underneath the chandelier and I swear this thing would blink at me to notice it!! Even my very design savvy husband said "Oh, it's fine like it is." It was not fine! It was just plain wrong...

There it is in all its blinking-at-me glory..... the bottom of the center piece that looks like a cut-off pipe. Wrong I tell ya. It wasn't finished, it didn't make sense- like someone had made this beautiful chandelier and then ran out of time to finish it. I contemplated drilling a small hole for an eye-hook and then hanging an antique crystal from it, but that never "felt" right or seemed like enough. We had plans to go to our favorite The Old House Parts Company in Kennebunk, Maine on our next visit to look for a small antique ornate cap to finish off the end piece.

That was until one day a couple of weeks ago while looking for something up in the attic I found this moving box filled with items which had been in my office/laundry room in Dallas.

Inside the moving box was a plastic box filled with antique lamp parts and finials that I had saved for making lamps. I haven't seen or opened this box in four years! My first thought was that maybe there was something inside I could use on the barn room chandelier?!

I brought the box down to the kitchen and took out a couple of finials that I thought might work. I really liked the one on the far left, but it had a hole/opening on the bottom. After playing with them for a minute I realized that the little French finial (the worm holes give it away as French) had a wooden dowel that just happened to fit perfectly into the first wooden piece. It was a perfect scale for the chandelier and was the finishing touch I had been wanting!

Married, they looked like this...

And, they would hang from the chandelier like this...

Taking into consideration how I wanted the two to be placed together I used a little bit of tape to ensure that when Dan wood-glued the pieces together my "view" sides were aligned. Dan then used some quick setting epoxy to attach the wood finial to the iron chandelier.

This is the chandelier now.... complete!
I love that the finial is wood and the chandelier is iron. The color was a perfect match too- I didn't do a thing to the finials other than wipe them off.

I realized after adding the finial to the barn room chandelier how similar the effect was to the kitchen dining chandelier.

One more time-

before:

after:

Now I really love it!

happy valentine's day...

2012-02-14T00:29:00.004-05:00

Ella wanted to wish you a very

Happy Valentine's Day!

She thought maybe you might like one of her organic Paul Newman heart-shaped puppy cookies.....

Are you sure? Ella says they are deeeelicious.

No?... well okay then, she'll have one for you in your honor!

Ella sends a wiggle and a wag, and we both wish you a

Happy Valentine's Day!!

xoxo

post script:

I've received several inquiries about Ella's red velvet collar and her heart charm, so I thought I would add the information here...

Her red velvet collar is from Isabella Cane. Ella has several of their collars and they are absolutely gorgeous!

Ella's sterling heart-shaped charm was her sister Kelsey's charm (they never met, but they are still "sisters"). "Kelsey" is engraved in the dog bone on the front and on the back it says

"Rescued 9-11-93"

I ordered it from a funky little shop, Nuvo, on Cedar Springs in Dallas. I tried to get one for Ella before we moved, but they no longer showcased this same jewelry designer.

Ella wears it in memory of our other sweet puppy girl, Kelsey!

what I'm reading... Segreto: Secrets To Finishing Beautiful Interiors

2012-02-10T18:05:00.004-05:00

I've written in the past about my love of paint, so when I listened to the interview with author Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Finishes on The Skirted Roundtable I had a strong feeling I would love her new book . And, I do!

Segreto:

Secrets To Finishing Beautiful Interiors
by
Leslie Sinclair

Leslie is the owner of Segreto Finishes- a decorative painting firm based in Houston, Texas. Leslie named the firm after her husband's family, Segreto, which means "secret" in Italian.

The passion Leslie has for her business and for creating beautiful rooms really spoke to me.

"My philosophy is that when you enter a room, your eyes should not be drawn to any one element or finish, but instead, you should view the surroundings as a whole. I aspire to create the perfect backdrop that enables fabrics, art and furniture to blend and establish a particular mood. A palette developed to complement your home's architecture and design can give your surroundings a completely new perspective."
-Leslie Sinclair-

A perfect design statement if ever there was one.
This is a gorgeous book, but it is so much more- it is beautiful, inspiring and educational all at the same time. There is a magical quality throughout- it is a book that you want to read and study very slowly, to savor and to absorb every single detail and element. It is also a big book with exceptional photography and 300 pages of stunning interior design and finishes that will have you wanting to redo every wall in your house!

These are not the faux finishes of the 90's... these are soft and sophisticated treatments done with a light hand and an artful eye. Leslie explains many different finishes: Venetian plaster, gypsum plaster, plaster over sheet rock, glazes, stenciling, etc. for walls, ceilings, cabinetry, furniture and more. She then shows you example after gorgeous example to the possibilities of each.
If you are building a house, or renovating a newer home this is a must-have book. The ideas in this book for new construction and how to give an old, aged feel to "new" are absolutely amazing. I do not say that lightly. The book gave me a great idea for a finish to use on interior shutters in the barn room! There are creative ideas in the book for all homes- new to antique. I have a feeling I will be turning to this book for reference often.
To be clear, this is not a "how-to" book in the traditional sense- there are no instructional directions or formulas, but more importantly, it is an eye opening collection of what can be... all with the magic of plaster, paint and finishes.

With permission I have borrowed the following photographs in the book from Segreto Finshes...
enjoy!

To purchase this gorgeous book from the website click here

or visit Amazon

To be further inspired visit Leslie's company: Segreto Finishes

and her blog: Segreto: The Secret To Beautiful Living.

Leslie's interview on The Skirted Roundtable

pillows and cushions

2012-02-08T16:20:00.000-05:00

While working on the barn room I've been thinking a lot about pillows, or cushions- a term you often encounter when looking at "antique" pillows, so I thought I would share some of the pillows and cushions I have around the house all together in one post.

I feel pillows send the message: please relax and be comfortable in this room!
Since I love antiques I often use vintage and antique fabrics in making pillows/cushions.

Our living room sofa is covered with down-filled pillows and cushions. The 18th and 19th century antique Flemish tapestries that I had made into cushions are my very best antiquing find and buy...ever! They share the sofa with light cocoa-colored swirl-patterned pillows and two gray velvet pillows.

I love re-purposing vintage fur "muffs" into pillows. This one in the living room is mink.

This small pillow, the same velvet on the sofa, was sized to perfectly fit the French chair in the living room.

An antique tapestry piece with pea-green ticking is a cushion on the chair in the master closet.

A rectangular chocolate velvet pillow shares the linen chaise in the master bedroom with an antique tapestry cushion. The delicate trim on the edge of the tapestry is also antique.

This pillow was made using the reverse side of the fabric which was softer in color and worked better in the master bedroom.

A large antique Flemish verdure tapestry made into a cushion shares the bed with two raw silk pillows in one of the guest bedrooms.

The beautiful piece of antique red velvet and hand-stitched gold scroll-work was originally a bell pull. The large linen pillow expands the width of the full-sized bed in the other guest room.

Another vintage muff turned pillow- this one in leopard sits in a chair in the reading room.

Antique tapestry cushions at the kitchen dining room table.

Master bedroom bed pillows. The large cushion is made from an antique kilim rug.

And, finally- another mink muff made into a pillow in the master bath.

To find gorgeous 16th/17th and 18th century antique decorative cushions contact Debra at
Oreillers .

dancing tulips...

2012-02-03T16:00:00.008-05:00

I love tulips.
I love this time of year when you start to see them at the market. My favorite are the white, but orange tulips have been known to make my heart skip a beat too!

There are a lot of myths on how to keep fresh cut tulips alive longer - things like adding aspirin, or a penny, or bleach, or 7-Up to the water, but in reality all they want is lots of "fresh water!" Tulips are known to dance as they continue to grow even after being cut and placed in a vase, and they twist and turn towards the light! Their movement and spontaneity makes them not only beautiful, but charming too!

To get the most out of cut tulips, be sure to remove any leaves that will be below the water line. Make diagonal cuts (preferable under water so no air enters the stem), and add the stem immediately to a vase of fresh water. Tulips do not need cut flower food like other flowers.

As a rule, I always rinse the entire stem under running water before I cut and place it in a vase; I do this with every type of cut flower I bring home. I have found this one simple step helps to reduce bacteria growth and increases the length of time the flowers stay fresh. I also rinse the stems each and every time I change the water- which I do every day or two.

By simply cutting an inch off the tulip stem every 3- 4 days and making sure they have lots of clean, fresh water you should be able to enjoy their beauty for a week to ten days!

Large Hotel Silver tray from The Biltmore is one of a pair- c.1913. The tray holds:
old salt and pepper shakers, antique English white ironstone pitcher for the tulips, antique celery glasses for our collection of Hotel Silver forks and knives from various American hotels, an antique English white ironstone sugar for Hotel Silver spoons, a pair of small horns and two rattan-wrapped candle holders.

For me, tulips in the house are a sign that Spring is just around the corner!

Here's to dreaming of Spring, and wishing you a wonderful weekend!

xojoan

the barn room coffee table

2012-02-01T12:24:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my post about the barn room status, while I'm working on the design of the barn room I will post on individual elements in the room in hopes to tide you over!

~~~~~

I think coffee tables are one of the most difficult design elements to find for a room, and antique coffee tables are close to impossible!

I had initially hoped to use the beautiful antique piano legs that we found several years ago as the base for a large upholstered ottoman that I would then use as the coffee table in the room, but they were way too tall, and will work better as a bench, perhaps in the loft. So, the hunt for another table began.

The barn room is fairly large measuring 23' x 27' and has 12' 4" ceilings, so I really needed to find a piece that had the right "look" (I wanted a really wonderful statement piece) and the right "scale" for the room.

While in Maine antiquing one day we found this fabulous table!
It is a 19th-century hand-painted Empire-style table. When we walked in the shop and saw this table at Bob Withington Antiques we both just silently looked at each other with the "this is the one" look! You never want to sound too excited about something when your next question will be
"Is this your best price?" :)
It was everything I was hoping to find, and more!

Note the beautiful carving...

and the intricate details of the gold brush strokes over black.

Even the inside of the table is beautifully painted.
(Please ignore the fabric on the sofa! After saving funds for months I just this week I ordered 58 yards of fabric to slipcover the two sofas in the room and to make curtains for the pair of French doors!)

Sigh...

Then, to top it off (literally :) it has a beautiful, charcoal honed- marble top! You can place drinks on it and not worry- perfect for the casual feel I wanted for the Barn Room!

Bob Withington Antiques is on Route 1 (611 Route 1) in York, Maine- right next to Stonewall Kitchen's flagship store (which is wonderful btw)! Have I mentioned lately how much we love Maine?!!

And speaking of 58 yards of fabric... :)

Perhaps you have noticed that I have added advertising to the blog. I struggled with the decision for a long while. I invest many, many hours (I think you might be shocked ;) in photographing, writing, editing... more editing my blog, and I came to the realization that with the amount of time that I spend blogging that it was the right decision for me to make. I have been very pleased with the ads that appear on the blog and hope you will be too. So many times I've been really interested in one of the ads and I'm just about to click it only to remember that it is against the rules for me to click my own ads... bummer! So, I hope you find them as pertinent and as interesting as I do.

Thank you for reading the blog and for being along on our journey! We appreciate all of your interest!

xojoan

snapshot...

2012-01-29T11:45:00.000-05:00

owl feathers...

(found in the forest)

what all the cool birds are "wearing" this winter!

the farmhouse floor plan

2012-01-26T11:54:00.003-05:00

I was in my late teens when I first started tearing out and saving the floor plans from the back of my mother's Southern Living magazines! I have no idea what I was saving them for, but each month I would place them in a folder to study and keep. So, when Andrea D. wrote and asked if the floor plan from the Renovation Style magazine feature was anywhere on the blog I totally understood her desire to see it to make sense of how all the rooms relate to one another.

the farmhouse floor plan

It was in my late teens that I started to save floor plans, but I was obviously studying them years before as I drew this floor plan when I was 11 or 12! It is entitled "My House at Stable." I loved horses and was fantasizing about living at the stable. So much of this floor plan makes me laugh: that there was a chair and table on the front porch, a pillow on the bed, and especially that I had included a "walk-in closet" and a "store room," which I assume was a storage/tack room. I even had a pretty good work-triangle in the kitchen!

This was the stable where I was fantasizing living! My cousin, Lizzie, and I built this stable from pieces of 2 x 4's that we found at house construction sites in her new neighborhood. The "roof" on the stable is even made from asphalt shingles! You can see the scale from the wire edging in the photo.
We built the stable for our beloved Breyer horses in a corner of her backyard (Thank you Aunt Cappy!) My two horses are on the left; that's Pocahontas on the far-left :) (I must admit that clicking the Breyer link and seeing all the accessories they make for Breyer horses now made my 12-year-old heart skip a beat!)

Please note (or try, as the photograph is so blurry;) that the stable was even "landscaped" with plastic greenery and flowers, with rocks as stone edging. I even included a decorative wicker chair!

The flood of love and memories I get upon seeing this photograph makes my heart happy!

Me and Cherokee!

Cherokee belonged to the stable where I took riding lessons (English) and we had just won First!

I only recently stumbled upon my old "stable" floor plan and photos, so I thought they were fitting for this post! Thank you for allowing me my stroll down memory lane!
xojoan

Post Script:
My sweet brother-in-law, Doug- who is married to my "much older sister Susan", whom I have known since I was eight-years-old;), just sent me this photograph of me riding "Val" at his family's farm that was close to Brenham, Texas.
Thank you Doug! Sweet memories!

the North guest bedroom: details

2012-01-23T12:58:00.002-05:00

Thank you so much for your compliments on the guest bedroom!

As I describe each photo I will attempt to answer your questions, but please let me know if I miss anything.

This North guest bedroom is also known as the "red" room, or "Kristen's" room;) I adore red in interiors, and, in fact, had a red study in Dallas. A red room didn't work for the farmhouse, but as I designed this guest room I found that red accents worked well in the space, and my "red' found a home!

Since I always share my sources with you I realized after looking through the photographs that I should start this post off with a disclaimer straightaway... the only source I can give you is for the curtains.

This brings up a topic that I've never discussed outright, but one that I should address. I'm not one of those decorators who changes their interiors regularly.
(What will we talk about after I show you all my rooms???!)
My goal in designing spaces is that they will be classic and stand the test of time, or trend- meaning that I do have things that are considered trendy, but usually I've had them before they were mass-produced trends and will have them after they are no longer "In" since I purchased them because they appealed to my personal design aesthetic. That being said, I tend to keep things for a very long period of time. I buy things that I really love, and then love and use them for many years.

I guess in a way this is my apology for only being able to source the curtains! Everything else has been with me for years/decades.
Lesson: have in your home only things that you absolutely love- it's good for your heart, and your pocketbook!

All paint is Benjamin Moore.
The walls are Overcast (OC-43), which is a muted green/gray/putty in Eggshell finish.
The trim is White Dove in Latex Satin Impervo.
The ceiling is White Dove in Pearl finish.

The bedroom as seen from the upstairs hallway.
The floors are original to the house; they are random-width Eastern white pine and are face nailed.

The antique rug was found at the Scott Antique Market in Atlanta. I adore this rug and its vivid red- which is very worn in some places. The vintage crystal chandelier is one of a pair that I found in a nearby antique shop; the other chandelier is in the second guest room.
The 100% linen curtains are from Ikea. They are Aina - "unbleached." The thin, black metal curtain rods are also from Ikea. I didn't like the finials that came on the rods, so I found simple wooden balls and painted them black to match the rods. I hung the curtains so that they would just barely puddle on the floor.
The basket on the floor holds magazines and was purchased years ago (I believe it was from Garden Ridge, Brooke ;) The thin crown molding is original to the whole house.

The sheer cotton gauze bed skirt is from Ballard Designs... some 15 years ago. The white, scalloped matelasse coverlet was purchased around the same time. I brought home six or seven different quilts for the end of the bed trying to match the beautiful, but elusive, gray/green/blue in the rug and in the religious painting in the corner of the room. Every time I thought "this one is perfect" I got it home and it clashed. I finally (after months) found the perfect hue. It is actually the same quilt that is on the bed in the master bedroom, just a different color/size (unfortunately, it is discontinued from DKNY.)

The large pillow made from an antique kilim rug (it is very similar in style and color to the rug on the floor) was purchased from the same rug dealer at the Scott show. It sits in front of a pair of shams that match the blue/green/gray quilt. I made the extra large linen pillow that spans the bed using a gorgeous red velvet antique bell pull. The intricate handwork on the pull is stunning, and I bought it not really knowing what I was going to use it for, just because I loved it. Then, one day, it clicked as to how perfect it would work as a pillow in this room! It was a big hunt to find a pillow that was large enough for the length of the bell bull. The pillow form is one of those huge "body pillows" from Bed Bath and Beyond- it spans the entire full-sized bed!

Ahhhhh, the bed frame!
This antique English iron bed frame was my very first antique. My mother bought it for me right after college. It was from lying in this bed and pondering where the bed had come from/ who had owned it before me/ what the rooms and the houses looked like that it had resided in over the hundred years before I owned it - that my love for antiques began in my early twenties. The bed frame is what is referred to as a "three-quarters" size, as it is not quite a full. To be able to use a full size mattress, my father made a wood platform that the mattress sits on, instead of using a box spring. In Dallas the bed frame wasn't used and was stored in the garage for many years. I'm so grateful for my late father's meticulous details and directions written on the wood platform, so that Dan and I could figure out how it all went back together. Even though I wasn't using it in Dallas I could never sell it. I always envisioned it being perfectly at home in an antique farmhouse, and all these years later, it is!

This photograph makes the bed frame look a bit more blue than it actually is. It is painted with Rustoleum Texture spray paint in Dark Pewter. I didn't set out to use the texture paint, but that was the color of gray (there are a lot of grays on the market;) that I liked for the room. The mat texture actually adds a nice authentic "iron" look and feel to the bed.

The religious oil painting is our earliest, dating to the 1600's. It is painted on hand-woven canvas known as tabby cloth and is from a much larger work of religious art. The painting depicts what appears to be a marriage as there is an exchange of a beautiful ring. The painting has gorgeous detail... the pearl earrings the woman is wearing are stunning.

The antique pine chair was found (sans the cane seat) at an estate sale in Dallas. I had the seat re-caned and used to use the chair every day at my vanity in Dallas to put on makeup. (fyi - dry cane causes breakage... a simple trick to keep cane from drying out and therefore keeping it strong and pliable, is to occasionally wet a washcloth, lightly wring it out and place it on the cane overnight.)
Antique wire basket found in France holds a collection of white coral.

This guest bedroom is the smaller of the two guest rooms, so I was very pleased to be able to incorporate the antique French desk that we found at the Paris flea market. The antique hand-painted egg prints were found at the Scott Antiques Market. I framed them in a pair of antique gilt frames with the original wavy glass still intact, that I found at an antique shop in McKinney, Texas. A vintage red leather ottoman sits under the desk with extra throws.

The vintage Louis XV style chair is one of a pair; its mate can be found in the reading room. I purchased the chairs about 20 years ago, and I hand-applied gold leaf (the real kind, not the paint) to the frames. You can see a hint of the gilt on the chair back. Twenty year ago I had this fabric upholstered on them using the reverse side of the shiny damask fabric that was so popular at the time. This side looked like a patterned linen. I remember the upholster thought I was crazy, and I had never seen it done before, but it felt like the right decision. It has proven to be a good one, as I have used and loved them for 20 years! About six years ago I applied a grey wash over the gilt chair frames, and tea stained the fabric (while on the chair;) to soften them a bit.
We purchased the vintage watercolor at estate sale in Dallas many years ago. At the time the painting hung in our hall in Dallas and I didn't want to invest the money to reframe and re-mat the piece, so I spray painted both the frame and the mat!

The unsigned oil painting was found in this frame at an antique shop in Austin, Texas years ago. We almost didn't buy it as it as it was out of our budget. We left the store and sat in the car discussing if we could/should buy it and then I ran back in to purchase it! Thank goodness!

The antique iron and marble topped table was found in an antiques shop in Natchitoches, Louisiana. It was from Rosemont Plantation.

The wood baluster lamp is a favorite that I have had for 20 years. Don't be surprised when you see another one just like it (different shade) in the South guest bedroom... I have a "thing" for balusters, evident by the number of them I have around the house! (fyi- I see the term misused often at antique shops, so to clarify- a "baluster" is a single piece while a 'balustrade" is the entire railing made up of individual balusters.) We purchased about 25 of these at one of the first estate sales we ever went to in Dallas. It was a fabulous old Highland Park house (for those of you who know Dallas) and we bought every single baluster knowing that they would make great lamps. They were a very popular seller in my early years as an antiques dealer. The are solid wood, so Dan had to drill a shaft through the baluster for the wire to go to the base.

Small antique iron urn holds an African violet and shares the table with a silver hotel tray, an antique oil painting of sheep that was recently framed by having an antique frame cut down to fit, a piece of white coral and a black oval framed antique chalkware carving of a boy that we found in France.

So, when shall I be expecting you?!!! ;)

the North guest bedroom

2012-01-20T14:42:00.000-05:00

the winter front porch

2012-01-15T15:01:00.005-05:00

In Texas we could grow pansies throughout the entire winter; here pansies are spring and early summer flowers! Since nothing grows outside in the winter months it becomes a fun challenge to find filling for the antique urn at the front door. The last couple of years I have left the Christmas boughs in the urn, but this year I felt the need for an all-white arrangement, probably due to the fact that until this past week we haven't had any snow, to speak of, on the ground since that unusual Halloween snow storm.

I filled the urn with white birch branches that we found on the forest floor!

(these photos were taken before the snow arrived)

A large basketball-size Japanese fishing float keeps the urn company, along with a collection
of "white" conks.

Please note the large conk attached to the branch.

The day after I made the above arrangement of all-white at the front door I found this....

a "white" conk at the base of the mailbox!

A gift !
I assume it is from our handyman/painter, but perhaps it is a gift from the conk fairy?!

my twenty-year-old topiary

2012-01-12T09:59:00.005-05:00

After the last post I was asked how I have kept a topiary alive for twenty years, and the honest answer is... I have no idea!

But, I might have a clue...

Twenty years ago you couldn't just walk into your neighborhood grocery store or Lowe's or Home Depot and buy an ivy topiary like you can today. Twenty years ago the dearly departed Smith and Hawkin had yet to even set up a storefront in Dallas. I saw topiaries in magazines and coveted them. Since I had no known sources I knew I would have to grow my own. I found the "ball" topiary form in the Smith and Hawkin catalog (remember, this was back in the day before computers;), but at $12 plus shipping it was too rich for my very frugal blood at the time! I was very happy when I found an old ball topiary form at an estate sale in Dallas, even though I thought the $5 price tag was overpriced!

I then went to the local Wolfe nursery and bought a small-leaf ivy. I haven't a clue as to what type of ivy I bought and apparently it was the wrong kind. To say it was a slow grower is an understatement... it took about two years for the first single tendril to even reach the topiary form!! I was patient, and by the fifth year the ivy finally (sparsely) covered the ball!

When we moved from Dallas the only plant I brought with me (I had tons of plants that I gave away) was this one ivy. I almost lost it in the move to New Hampshire as we moved in January, and although it had a very special spot in the car it apparently became frost bitten when carried into the hotel each night.

The first week in New Hampshire it lost all of its leaves, and I thought it was dead. I was sad, but kept watering it and within several weeks tiny little green leaves started to appear. It survived! Then, a year later in the midst of the farmhouse renovation I was distracted and didn't water it for a period of time, and again I thought I had lost it. It revived and, thankfully, is as happy as ever.

I think the answer to its longevity "might" be that I purchased a very slow growing ivy. My guess is that the ivies that are mass-grown are fast growing and always want/need to be re-potted. This is purely conjecture on my part, so if there are any ivy aficionados out there, please feel free to weigh in!

I have re-potted mine maybe twice in the twenty years, and I very rarely use fertilizer. I water it every 7 to 10 days, letting it dry out fairly well between each watering. When I water it I water it several times- meaning, I water it and let it soak in, then water it again to ensure that the soil is completely soaked. The dirt is covered with sheet moss to retain moisture.
Occasionally the topiary will get spider mites (though I must say this happened more often in Texas than it does here for some reason) and when it does I use Dr. Bronner's Peppermint liquid soap. It has to be the peppermint to work mites or aphids. I use a mixture of 1 teaspoon of soap per quart of water, and then spray it on the plant leaves.

As you can see in the photograph I am letting several tendrils grow and they are about half way up the stem; I think they've been growing for about a year now.
In another year they just might reach the ball!

the winter mantel

2012-01-08T12:14:00.000-05:00

I wanted to add some warmth and color to the living room mantel for the cold winter months...

Antique French confit pots share the mantel with a trio of antique brass church candlesticks, a large tree fungus "conk", a sculptural piece of a tree root from our property, a bee hive, my 20-year-old topiary, and an antique French horn letter opener.

Antique earthenware confit pots were utilitarian pieces used primarily in the South of France (Provence) for the preservation of meats such as duck or goose. The bottom halves of the pots were unglazed, as the pots would be half buried in the ground to keep the contents cool and fresh. Since these pots were utilitarian pieces chips and imperfections help authenticate the true antiques from the many reproductions on the market.

I love old repairs on pottery... the wire on the neck of the small pot was an attempt by someone many years ago to contain a crack in the pot.

A copper tray from India commands the coffee table.

a sneak peek...

2012-01-04T16:50:00.002-05:00

The barn room still isn't complete- but since it's the new year, and you've all been so lovely I thought I would give you a little "peek" into the room!

(for perspective, the slab of soapstone on the old worktable base is 8 feet long)

Yes, yes I know- I can't wait to see it finished either (trust me;)!!

Now, repeat after me... "Patience is a virtue!"

Say it.

Again... ;)

to the new year...

2012-01-02T12:05:00.000-05:00

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson -

xojoan

from our home to yours...

2011-12-23T10:48:00.018-05:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who left your calling card!
Dan and I have read and reread (multiple times) each and every comment and email! It has been so fun to learn about you. Thank you for sharing yourself with us.
Thank you also for your very generous compliments- I laughed, I cried, I blushed ;) - I loved every single one of them. It has been an overwhelmingly amazing gift of blog-love and I am so very grateful.

Our most sincere thanks to each and every one of you...

Sharon in France, Susan in Fort Worth, Mary Beth in Pennsylvania, Laura in NY, Nancy in South Carolina, Pearls in Dallas, Becca, Agneta in Arizona, Sharon in England, Elizabeth in Ottawa, Razmataz in Ontario, Jane in Chicago, Andrea in Canada, Marianne in Ontario , Cindy in Massachusetts, LauraC in NY, Tracey in Australia, Amy in Washington, Liz outside of Chicago, Jessica in Washington, Kathy in Michigan, Kat in Maryland, Elizabeth in Ontario, Sarah in Indiana, Steve in Cambridge, Kim, Diane in Maryland, Kathleen in Oregon, Vicci in Oregon, Leonora in Virginia, Janet in California, Donna in Massachusetts, Ashely in Pennsylvania, Maria in Dallas, Christian in Virginia, Kristine in Kansas, Debra in Texas, Lynne in Washington, Wenda in Utah, Melissa in North Carolina, Tiffani in Texas, Lisa in Ottawa, Miss Flibbertigibbet, Heather in Ontario, Lisa, Kirsten in Georgia, Jenni in Australia, Beth in North Carolina, Vanessa in Florida, Karen in Wisconsin, Nicole in Florida, Audrey in Massachusetts, Dianne in North Carolina, Jessica in North Carolina, Mary in New Hampshire, Bonnie in Wisconsin, Karen in California, Lisa in Vermont, Barbara in Georgia, Jennifer in California, NB in Ontario, Gwennie in Wisconsin, Karen in Ohio, Anon in Florida, Kim in North Carolina, Samantha in Australia, Lillian in Australia and Hong Kong, Terri in North Carolina, Sondra in Colorado, Sandra in New Hampshire, Kat in Pennsylvania, Heather in Kansas, Maggie in Tennessee, Stacy in Alabama, Lizabeth in Michigan, Mary in Massachusetts, Virginia in California, Nora in San Antonio, Carolyn in North Carolina, Victoria in SW Florida, Karen in Australia, Chris in New Hampshire, Karen in Nebraska, Paula in Florida, Alison in Illinois, Lori in Oklahoma, Carolyn in Indiana, Megan, Mary in Ontario, Janell in North Carolina, Jen in Massachusetts & NY, Cathy in NJ, Joyce in Pennsylvania, Verlan in Oklahoma, Mary in Georgia, Lisa in Texas, Maryann in Pennsylvania, Rhonda in Florida, BethA in Texas, Gina in Virginia, Kathy in Georgia, Anon in North Carolina, Ellie in California, Brooke in Alabama, Carmen in Ohio, Jamie in Tennessee, Pinky in Pennsylvania, Ann Marie in Texas, Layne in Nova Scotia, Connie in Tennessee, Lindsay in Massachusetts, Kristen in Texas, Martina in New York, Maggie in California, Stacy in New York, Mystica in Sri Lanka, Diane in Tennessee, Chris in California, Shine in Tennessee, Angelo, Onescrappychick in New Hampshire, Cate in North Carolina, Linda in Florida, Kathryn in South Carolina, Lindsey in Portland, Diana in Maine and Texas, Dotti in New York, Jane in South Carolina, Kim in California, Roxanne, Anon in Japan, Parnassus in Taiwan, Michelle in California, Kimberly in Virginia, Barbara in California, Maura in Kansas, Zolane in Pennsylvania, Becky in Arizona, Tammy in Washington, Kathy in Australia, Dawna in Alberta, Millie in Australia, Carrie in California, B in Texas, Pat in Virginia, Brenda in California, Gail in Texas, Jane in Alabama, Adriana in Australia, Calliope in Greece, Elaine in Alabama, Lisa in South Africa, Penelope in California, Sharon in England, SusanT in England, Jenifer in Germany, Tina in New York, Jennifer, Lori in Texas, Jen in Indiana, Alaina in New York, Patricia in New York, Kirsten in Pennsylvania, Jacqueline in Pennsylvania, laney in Georgia, Erin, Donna in Georgia, Linda in Tennessee, Jeanette in Michigan, Angel's Mom in Texas, John and Sally in Massachusetts, Vicki in Iowa, Michelle in Oklahoma, Amanda in Georgia, Angela in Virginia, Jill in Georgia, Rosie in Illinois, Marie in New York, Betty in Mississippi, Sarah in Indiana, Kara in Iowa, Terri in Missouri, Lauren in Georgia, Betha in Alabama, Amy in Kansas, Jen in Canada, Kate in New Jersey, Marcie in Georgia, Kristincita in New Hampshire, Kinley in Connecticut, Corinne in Louisiana, Zoe in UK, Book in Iowa, Jennifer in Pennsylvania, Irene in Scotland, Carmella in Wyoming, Kristi in Utah, Tami in South Dakota, Cassandra in California, MarySue in Arizona, Spring in Washington, Judy in Alabama, Marla in Ohio, Gerry in Missouri, A-M in Australia, Mia in Washington, Tima in Tennessee, Kathy in Massachusetts, Jennifer in Georgia, Julie in Kansas, Jenny in New Hampshire, Bev in Canada, Candice in Argentina, Janice in Illinois, Jo in Georgia, LL in Kansas, Mary in Connecticut, Dawn in Eden;), Carol in Kentucky, Lee in Maine, Rebecca in California, Pamela in News Brunswick, Karla in Tennessee, Cathy who had lived in Alaska, Sara in Ohio, Nicolle in New York, Mary in Maine, Delivered in Kentucky, Mary in Massachusetts, Leslie in Illinois, Theresa in Nebraska, Victoria in South Carolina, Tara in Ukraine, Pondside in Canada, Leah in Australia, Vicki in France, Susan in Pennsylvania, Prahlad in Australia, Vicki who asked after my pillow, Maria in New Hampshire, Anon in Switzerland, Cheryl in California, Rebecca in Montana, Charlotte in Georgia and North Carolina, Kate in Maine, Michele in Pennsylvania, Jacqueline in Japan, John and Mandy in UK, Kim in New Jersey, Linda in Texas, Katherine in England, Wendy in Florida, Melanie in Illinois, Paddy in Australia, Elizabeth in Virginia, Maria in Spain, Anon who's son is gutting grandparent's farmhouse:), Amy in Tennessee, Liz in Indiana, Peggy in Michigan, Vicki in Australia, Robin in Kansas, Trina in Oregon, Wendy in Australia, Kathy in Ohio, Sandy in Virginia, Mary Lauren in West Virginia, Susan in Florida and Pennsylvania, Ruth in Massachusetts, Pam in Colorado, Pam in Texas, Shilpa in Connecticut, Katherine in Canada, Andrea in Michigan, Ginny in Colorado, Claudia in Indiana, Xenia in New York, Angélique in Holland, Patricia in Texas, Alie in Australia, Anon in Oklahoma, Shawne, Jeff in North Carolina, Mary Carol in Kansas, Rebecca in Virginia, Jo in Australia, Janette in Kentucky, Kate in India, Donna in South Carolina, Lumen Drops in Virginia, Bethany in Virginia, Susan in New Hampshire, Annie in California, Nina in Virginia, Jennifer in Massachusetts, Lauren in France, Erin in Illinois, Kathy in Arizona, Julie in Virginia, Angela in Nebraska, Di in Australia, Jeanette in Sweden, Piritta in Finland, Nadia, Theresa in Maryland, Eleanor in New Jersey, Gretel , Sheila in Michigan, Patti in New York, Sally in Washington D.C., Joelle in France, Janel in Kansas, Anon in South Carolina, Donna in Massachusetts, dmw in South Carolina, Angela in Mississippi, Marcie in Utah, Kathleen in Virginia, Amber in Kansas, Nancy in Virginia, Jaybird in Texas, Haden in Tennessee, Alana in Canada, Meagan in Vancouver, B.C., Susan in Colorado, Rita in Texas, Anon in Texas (no, it isn't Coquille;), Jones in Texas, Regina, Mary in Massachusetts, Elizabeth in New York, Julie, Shanna in Florida, Donna in Virginia. Laura in Alabama, Kathysue, Michelle in Washington, VintageBeachGirl in Alabama, Kim in Houston, Pamela and George in Greece, TDM in Australia, Karen in Rhode Island, Karen in California, Debe in Texas, Elizabeth in Florida, Roberta, Carol in Texas, Julie in Alabama, Delores in California,Gwen in Tennessee, Vinitha F in Sweden, Anon in Washington, Teresa in Washington, Beth in California, Tammie in Tennessee, Lisa Perry in Texas, Brooke in California, Marisa in Portugal, Dee Dee in Ohio, Randy in Georgia, Gwyn, Debra in Kansas, JamieK, Donna in Florida, Lisa in Oregon, Barbara in Massachusetts, Heather in Oregon and Heidi.

from our home to yours...
we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

dan, joan
and
ella
(wearing her red velvet Christmas collar!)

please leave your calling card...

2011-12-15T17:22:00.000-05:00

I think Christmas is the perfect time to tell you thank you.

I want you to know how very grateful I am that you visit us, and that you are interested in the happenings at the farmhouse.

Your presence here is a gift, and for that...

I thank you.

It is that time of year again when I bring out the antique brass "Christmas" tray and place it on the living room coffee table. The tray would have been originally silver-plate, but when we found it many years ago only hints of silver remained.

It is engraved:

from
Mary and Nannie
Christmas
1881

As I wrote last year...

Over the years I have spent hours wondering who was MA?, who were Mary and Nannie?, what was their Christmas like the year this beautiful tray was given as a gift?, where did they live?, and on and on... .

Just as I wonder about these three people whose names are engraved on an antique tray that has a presence in my home, I also wonder about you, who also have a presence here.

Some of you I know, as you leave me dear comments or send me emails.... but others of you remain a mystery. On my site meter I get visits from places that are near and dear to us, and places that are far away and magical. Dan and I always talk about and wonder who all of you are!

Last year I mentioned a regular visitor from a tiny town in Oregon. It is the small town where Dan's father (who died when Dan was two) is buried. I wrote that we would love to know who that person was.

Several days after Christmas, I received an email from this woman. I cried as I read it to Dan. She lives within walking distance of the cemetery where Dan's father is buried. Her son learned to ride his bike there; she and her husband often take walks there. To know that someone across the country just happened to find my blog, and now visits our home, and to know that that person lives so close to Dan's father's resting place, and that this all happened because we share a love of houses is a sweet and dear connection that makes the world seem that much smaller.

You just never know the connections that we all have to one another... .

Last year one of the things that surprised me the most when I did this calling card post was that so many of you commented that you were surprised that I wanted to know about you! I was shocked! Of course I want to know about you!! You are our guest and I want to know all about you... who you are, where you are, what makes you return to visit! Anything and everything you wish to share. You might share something that resonates with another reader, and thus another connection is made.

As was the custom in the period of this Victorian tray, people would leave their printed "calling cards" in trays at the homes they visited.
(click here to see images of Victorian calling cards)

On the tray is a collection of antique tortoiseshell and sterling calling card holders.

Dan and I are hoping that in the spirit of the holidays that you, too, will drop your "calling card" in the tray and let us know that you stopped by to visit! We would love to hear from each and every one of you- those who regularly visit and leave comments, and those of you who usually come and go quietly!!

We are honored to have you all here, and we thank you for stopping by today!

Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays!

dan, joan and ella

the birthday bookcase

2011-12-01T10:53:00.007-05:00

When I originally posted the master bath I had said I would do a whole post on the bookcase that Dan made. I failed to do that, and a recent request (thank you Amy) brought that to my attention!

Dan and I married on my birthday twenty three years ago.

Not long after we married Dan started the tradition that he would "make" my birthday gift. It began with Dan surprising me with a simple wood stand for an oriental Peking-blue porcelain duck.
The gifts evolved into bigger projects like making a zinc-topped potting table,

making a wood garden gate,

making a beadboard vent-a-hood cover for my kitchen in Dallas from vintage beadboard we picked up off a someones bulk trash pile that was going to the dump,

taking out the small entry closet to make a larger entry,

and making a wooden driveway gate!
(funny story.... just out of view at the front of these photos was our large air conditioning unit. It was older, so I painted the ugly metal part the house trim color to make it blend in and go-away visually. One day Dan was walking a contractor of some sort down the driveway and the person said "I've never seen a painted air conditioning unit," to which Dan replied..."And, you've never met my wife!" :):)

One year I designed this bookcase for our kitchen in Dallas.

The project was started, but took a little longer than planned, so it wasn't finished by my birthday... this is what I found the morning of my birthday!

Note the garage of an antiques dealer- three chandeliers hanging in wait!

I wanted the look of an antique piece that had been originally stained, but had been painted-over many times throughout the years.

I have painted the exterior of the piece Benjamin Moore's White Dove since we moved into the farmhouse, but the interior finish is the original French blue that I painted and waxed 9 years ago. It turned out that the interior was almost the same color as the Benjamin Moore Horizon (OC-53) on the walls!
The shelves are adjustable and their design was copied from antique furniture pieces we had seen in France.

Antique glazed terracotta architectural fragment sits on top of the piece.

Collection of vintage alabaster compotes. I love the birds!
I left the ceiling of the bookcase the dark stained wood, which is the base color of the whole piece.

Antique starburst mirror found at The Mews in Dallas. Trio of antique mercury glass vases share the shelf with an "American Brilliant" crystal bowl which was a wedding gift given to Dan's grandparents in 1917.

Old hotel silver tray from the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas found at Round Top. Dan found the decanter while we were antiquing one day- I envisioned it filled with bubble bath; Dan envisioned filled it with Glenmorangie. The scotch won! Antique French gilt wood fragment found at the Porte de Vanves flea market in Paris. Dan found the coral on a beach in Aruba; the tiny shell fossil was found in a wonderful little shop in Creede, Colorado!

Large clam shell with Japanese fishing float and small piece of coral found in Florida. The color of the interior is a little bright in this photo (the color in all the other photos is more accurate), but it gives you a good view of the cut out notches for the wood crossbars that run front to back that hold the shelf . The photograph above with the starburst mirror shows the crossbars well.

Alabaster compote filled with collection of old silvered Christmas ornaments. Antique mercury glass pieces share the shelf with an antique oil painting found at the Scott Antiques Market in Atlanta and an alabaster shell.

I found this large piece of blue coral at a consignment store in a nearby town. I left it. Then came back with a paint chip to make sure it would match the walls and the painted inside of the cabinet. It matched perfectly!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my very creative and talented husband who makes all my designs and dreams come true. Without Dan's creative vision and innovative designs my "ideas" would remain just that.... ideas.

Thank you my talented Dan!

saving sweet memories...

2011-11-22T14:03:00.001-05:00

This photograph captured a very sweet memory of one of the many dinners we shared with our dear (and much missed) friends and neighbors, Don & Michel, at our home in Dallas. Judging from the glazed lemon pound cake, which was one of Don's favorites, I would guess this was his birthday dinner as I would always try to make their favorites. I remember taking this photo at the end of the meal thinking it was such a wonderful night that I wanted to remember it forever. I love how it is slightly blurry, and the table is in disarray- just like a sweet memory, faded and softened around the edges.

One of my favorite personal possessions is my guest menu-book that I have had for the last 20 years- where I have kept the names of all guests/family that I have made dinner for with the date and menu, how I decorated the table, what dishes, glasses, flatware and napkins I used. I write down any notes about preparing the meal, any comments from the guests about the meal... . It has become a journal of sweet, wonderful memories centered around the dining table and sharing meals. Reading it transports me back to that memory and all the guests who have graced our table.

I also will, on occasion, take photographs of the table before the guests arrive, but my favorite photographs are the ones I sometimes take after the meal, like the photograph above- when the table isn't set and perfect, but the memory of one meal and one wonderful evening is captured forever.

I wish you the makings of sweet memories as you gather around the table with family and friends this Thanksgiving!

xojoan