My Red Saltbox

I'm on Facebook Now

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 20:42:00 +0000

Hello Friends!

I have not had time to update this blog in quite sometime. I started a facebook page awhile ago and you can catch my updates on there if you are on facebook.

I may update here from time to time but it's a lot easier to do it on facebook.

I have lots of photos you may have missed!

Check it out....
https://www.facebook.com/myredsaltbox

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 02:47:00 +0000

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

But in here it's so delightful...

till next time...

Deck The Halls

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 14:32:00 +0000

With Boughs of Holly....

Fa la la la la la la la la.....

Tis the Season to be Jolly...

Fa la la la la la la la la...

Don we now our gay apparel...

Fa la la la la la la la la...

Sing the ancient Yule tide Carol...

Fa la la la la la la la la la...

See the blazing Yule before us...

Fa la la la la la la la la...

Strike the harp and join the chorus...

Fa la la la la la la la la...

It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas...

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 15:47:00 +0000

Around

"My Red Saltbox"

Well "hello" to everyone! It's been awhile since I have updated this blog.

***hanging head in shame***

Good intentions and all but my scrapbooking life and that other BLOG and ETSY shop of mine keep getting in the way!

Enough on that. Let's take a peek at some of my Christmas decorating for 2013. I have lots more photos to share over the next few days but we will start with these...K?

~Welcome~

Come on in...

It's been out with the old and in with the new here at MRS. The skates on my front door were ones I had used indoors for a few years. This year I picked up a fresh wreath and moved the skates outside. Same with the "Quaker Oats" box. I've had that box for about 18 years. I purchased it in Vermont that many years ago. This year it decided it needed to be outside with pine and berries tucked inside it!

This is a peek at the inside of the front door. The box is filled with fresh greens and little prim snowman.

My dining room table... I filled a bowl with fresh fruit and greens. Lucky for me I live in the woods and just need to go outside with my trusty pruning clippers to get my greens.

I used an antique sifter over my mantle with a fresh pineapple and greens. I do have some artificial red sprays mixed in along with that artificial wreath on my table.

My real fireplace is in my dining room. I will post more photos in a day or so. In my family room I just have a small electric fireplace. I've got my favorite swan a little green garland. Another antique box on the floor with fresh cut greens. This room also holds my large tree which I post photos of soon. You will have to keep visiting me to see it! ;)

Over the years I have scaled my style down and back on my Christmas Decor. I'm liking a more primitive simple look with fresh greens and natural elements. Here is a wooden bowl in my kitchen.

This is a silver collection I have in my dining room. Just some candied berries tucked in a coffee pot.

A peek at my pewter collection. More of the same type of berries tucked in.

Downstairs in our "media room" is where I keep my small primitive tree. This one is filled with snowmen and my kids treasured handmade ornaments.

Mr. Snowman hiding out under the tree.

A glimpse at my kitchen table. A pewter bowl with pomegranates, a wreath and some berry candle wraps.

Ok peeps! That's it for today. I'll get some more photos edited to share soon.

Happy Holidays!

New photos to share!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Tue, 08 May 2012 02:24:00 +0000

I started this blog as a way to catalog some of my photography and home life and keep it off the scrap blog. Problem is... I don't have a lot of time to do it!

My friend and design team sista inspired me get out and take some photos again.
So here is a little preview of what I took today!

These are all things in my yard! Maybe tomorrow I will take some photos of someone else's yard.

Enjoy!

Xmas Photos 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:06:00 +0000

In no particular order as is my life...

I love my carolers. I don't have it set up in this photo but I used battery operated candles and placed them on the stairs with the carolers. Looks pretty. :)

Table with a winter centerpiece getting ready for the big day....

Mantle

Inside front door

I love them...

Santas...

My tree in the family room has glass ornaments. I try to collect a few new ones each year. Someday I hope to have every bit of space taken up with an ornament!

This is my snowman tree in my sitting room. I like to get one or two new snow peeps a year to add to the collection!

A tradition in my home is gingerbread houses or men. More on the making of these to come. My girls do them every year.

Cookie baking... more to come on this as well. ;)

Christmas table all set and ready to roll!

I think Santas stocking stuffer "Mr. Sock Monkey" was this years favorite!

The aftermath...

Happy Holidays from My Red Saltbox

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 15:23:00 +0000

Some outdoor photos of the Saltbox with simple greens adorning the doors and sweet snowman on the outhouse!

(nothing special about this photo I just love the line of a saltbox. :)

I have a vision...

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:29:00 +0000

in my mind it goes something like this >>> Come on girls we are going to the pumpkin patch! Our day will be filled with a fun excursion through a beautiful field of pumpkins. We'll pick our own and take lots of beautiful photos. We'll head to the maze and figure are way in and out as team work.

The field was beautiful, the selection process was more "ewww there are worms on this one, ewww my stem broke, ewww this is too heavy I can't carry it" than the joyful hair blowing in the breeze unaccompanied by whining that I had anticipated.

^^^ this one claimed the pumpkin was too heavy for her to carry.

Pumpkin frolicking in all it's glory!

Bumpin into friends...

My green pumpkin is better than your green pumpkin...

Let's compare...

Which way to the pumpkins?

There was a lot of non cooperation in that corn maze. One wants to go one way, one the other < > ???

I can hear the Fleetwoood Mac song "Go your own way" play in my head.

This particular pumpkin patch is located very close to home. I always want to get some shots of this old car whenever I pass by. (I really WANT the old car for my own property but I can't lift it by myself to take it home!)

I had a few loss of patience moments somewhere around the time my 5 year old wanting to push the wheel barrel of pumpkins that were too heavy for her and I had to pick up the tipped over barrel- oh I don't know- 3 times or so. All in all we had a fun time... I think...

I'm Going In...

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:09:00 +0000

A glimpse into the world of a Mom with a teen!!!!

The room of a teenager is no place for a wussy...

It's the entrance to the "Twilight Zone" ** do you have that music stuck in your head now?**
Whenever I am about to enter I am never unarmed.

I'm usually humming the theme song from "Jaws"as I fire a round of febreze at my targets. (I've had lots of target practice)

^^^^^ and this is the CLEAN laundry!!!!!!!!!!

So just what exactly does she do in here? She only comes out to eat????

Tumblr a/k/a teenagers version of blogger.

She watches educational TV....

She cleans her room^^^^^

And does homework????

^^^^^Lives on coffee, cell phones and computers... having everything within arms reach because...you know... getting up is an issue...

Not embarrassed to wear unmatched socks...
....an unzipped backpack randomly thrown on the floor is pretty much the rule rather than the exception. Why actually place it somewhere like the closet????

I always tell her when she grows up and has a house of her own, her Dad and I are coming over and randomly throwing our socks and laundry on the floor, leaving water bottles and coffee cups scattered about her house and will pile up our clean laundry in a basket. We will leave it unattended for so long, not only will we not remember if it is clean or dirty but it will actually begin to smell again.

Meeting Zelda

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:53:00 +0000

Mr. Red Saltbox is one of these people who enjoys yard sales. He actually got me into it and not the other way around. There is something hilarious about a man who is almost feverish with glee because he got a hammer for a quarter.
Last year he found probably the single most fantastic yard sale of all time. He came home with his truck loaded, tin coffee pots clambering to make room for the oil lanterns. Pottery precariously piled to the roof, home spun curtains spilling out the windows.

When he gave me "The Reveal" it was like a magician act pulling out the hankie that extends to south east asia from his pocket.
The "yard sale lady" took a liking to him and invited him to come back with me for a "private showing." (insert wink here)

That's when I met Zelda. She and I had met before at a very popular overpriced country store in my area that is now closed. ( Did I mention it was overpriced?) I wanted her for myself then, but not enough to pay the near 80.00 price tag.
Imagine my delight when "yard sale lady" opened her trunk and tossed her and several hundred collectable Raggedy Ann dolls on her bed. It took a bit of coaxing..okay prying of the hands open and maybe there were a few kicks in the shin involved to get her to give it up. After the ~~shake down~~ negotiation transpired Zelda and I rode home on her broom.

^^^she's like a member of the family. She has been known to take a seat at the dining room table on holidays in place of relatives we are not speaking too.

A little of this...

and a little of that...

stay tuned my pretties...I see more photos of my halloween escapes in your future... **cackling*

Perfection redefined

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 23:05:00 +0000

~ If you feel your life is not perfect---- you need to change your definition.

This will be a series that I will label under this header from time to time. I will even log the posts in as episodes.

Like a bad tv show, your friends train wreck lives, tales from the ER and, you know, those Wal- Mart people **gasp** you will look on in horror yet not be able to tear yourself away.

Episode 1

Does Martha Microwave?

I'm so not Martha. I wanna be but I am the more condensed version. The partially hydrogenated, no assembly required, where is the easy button, express checkout, I like the outcome but not the process type Martha.

In my efforts to be a fun and creative Mom that will imprint fond memories into my children's lives that will hopefully overshadow all my imperfections I decided we would have "Caramel Apple Making Night."

Now Martha would have planted seeds from an apple in the ground in her backyard and grown an orchard of trees.

Having 24 hour access to all her apple creating desires, she would then hustle her billionaire bootie out there and pick a bushel and wash and line them up in her perfectly designed gourmet kitchen. She would have fabulously decorated handmade apple sticks

that she would easily insert into the apples stem side, after removing the stem with her finely crafted stem remover. She would have pre planned and made her caramel from scratch.

After that she would have the precision and intellect for knowing how to get the caramel dipped apple perfectly round and magazine picture perfect. All placed on a unique and beautiful server for maximum presentation.

MY VERSION:

Out food shopping for the week and see a box of caramel apple mix on display in the produce section and the price is right: 2.99. I chuck it in my basket thinking- this will keep the kids busy for 5 minutes and will be a great photo opportunity!

Apples are pricey at 3.99 a bag but can't make caramel apples without them.

In the cart they go. Apple picking taken care off. Check.

Fast forward to last night.

Kids you wanna make some caramel apples? Tahlia- me me I wanna make them. Brianna- ***screaming loudly from the depths of her teenage hideaway aka bedroom*** I'LL BE DOWN IN A MINUTE!!!!

20 minutes later...

Tahlia stabbed her 3 apples in the belly button. Note to self >>>>>Microwave caramel apple mix only makes 6 apples.

Brianna makes her appearance and the fun begins.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^Notice the computer

My presentation- so not Martha...

But yummy just the same.

Don't judge me.

Snips of Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:50:00 +0000

Halloween is my favorite decorating season as evidenced by the massive about of boxes (unlabeled) in my basement. <<< refer to "when I get to it" reference in my first post.

I forget what I have since I have so much. Just when I think I have finished more boxes appear.
I think they multiply under my stairs. The downfall is the season is too short. I feel like I just get done displaying the goblins and then back they go into the dungeon to make way for Christmas.

They seem to know this and cry out for more face time...

After all who wants to live in a box in the basement 11 months out of the year?

I swear come September 1st I start to hear scratching coming from those boxes...

My favorite spot in my kitchen is this bay window area where I set my fabulous "electric" fireplace! Love the click on click thing it's got going on.

I also love looking at my table all dressed for fall in her perfectly fitted Mum dress and bowl of orange pods.

This little guy almost got away...

This is just a sneak peek. Lot's more ghoulish photos to come.

We are New Englanders after all...

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:45:00 +0000

Living in New England requires one to tolerate the bi polar nature of - nature.

We have just come off of our high highs... 90 degree temps - summer in New England is a long coastline of beaches and only 20 minutes from the ocean where I 'm at. We bask in the sun and surf, dig our toes in the sand and enjoy this brief glimpse into what could be if we lived in the south. Just when you think you've about had enough... you have.

Summer is over and we are leveling out with my most favorite time of the year - Fall.
People from other parts of the country actually travel here to see the turning leaves, feel the crisp chill in the air and sip some local cider.
We are New Englanders after all and fall is ours to claim in all it's glory. We have the true red, gold and orange leaves bright and blazen reaching their peak before they actually hit the ground. Bittersweet berries grow rampant and are a popular choice for baskets and wreaths. Our weekends are an endless race to each local farm for corn mazes, pumpkin patches, apple picking and hayrides.
We value our falls. Ask any New Englander. It's one of the reasons they stay here. A relief from the hot hazy days and a bright spot to cherish as nature knows we need easing into the long winter that lies ahead.

I want a "garden" shed perfectly designed and country primitive. Brimming with the bounty of nature.

The reality is the toys are as much a part of my landscape as the grass is.

And so it goes...

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa aka Raining) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:53:00 +0000

My younger daughter started all day kindergarten which leaves me with something I have not had in 5 years... time. Time to catch up on everything I randomly tossed in the closet and leaned against the door hoping it would not all come crashing out before I had a chance to "get to it." That's been my mantra for the past 5 years... "when I get to it." Now the time seems to have arrived where I am at least getting...to...it.

So many things on the "to do" list or should I call it a "bucket list?" What's the difference anyway? Are the "to do's" we tick off small tokens of life marked by closet cleaning and wall painting? The bucket list needs to have aspirations of "trips to China and sky diving" to qualify? I've never been a big dreamer. Opting for the simpler things in life like being loved, having a family, doing a good job at raising my kids, staying married (dare I add happily) and pursuing interests I enjoy. I will never go down in history as anything great like a famous actor, rock star, nobel prize winner or novelist. I will just be me doing my thing- scrapbooking, decorating, taking photos (hopefully they will improve over time) and documenting every day life in a blog.

Although I am a scrapbooker, my work is more art than documentation. Hence why I started this blog.
Here I will try to capture the everyday moments in photos (which I want to get in the habit of taking more of) and writing them. Some will make it onto scrap pages most won't. But at least I will be comforted by having "gotten it down" somewhere...before all is lost and the kids are grown and I have forgotten their names.
Sprinkled in with this will be photography since I am now enjoying that, along with my editing and my country decorating. Another passion of mine. So if you think you might want to stay and browse- carry on. If this sounds like a bore then click on. You're in control of the remote.

Monkeys on the loose

It's a hard life for a 5 year old to stay contained all day in a school environment, following rules, staying on task, structure, nice words, inside voice...egads!!!! When the girl gets home she needs to run wild like a lion and climb like a monkey.
Sneakers left behind...

Barefoot and up the swingset ladder in the blink of an eye...

Lost in the world of play. Climbing to the highest peak, scattering across steadily, hesitantly but determined to do it unassisted.

Because happiness is : doing it yourself when you are 5.

This spirited child is always in motion... never stopping until her head hits the pillow...

Even without a ride...

And I watch and savor and catalog... because before long...

The magic of childhood will be gone...