Love my old leather bound books

Finally I am getting around to dressing up my desk.  I had to go into storage where all my goodies are stored from our move at the farm.  I did manage to find part of my collection of very old leather bound books.  I don't know where the others are but I'm sure I put them in a place where I thought I would not forget where I put them.  Have you ever done that?  Any whooo, I really like how its turning out.  When I purchased this desk at a really great deal I might add, I had in my mind that I was going to paint it white or something in a light paint anyways.  But once I got it home, I just have not had the heart to do that yet.  What do you think?  Paint it?  I am trying to achieve the country french look here so maybe a hint of gray paint?  Oh the things we don't do to try to make our homes look like pictures from a magazine ha?  Well anyways, I hope that you like what I have done here.  Any suggestions are always welcome.  I can take a little critisism .  I said a little!  So go ahead and let me have it!  Hope you are enjoying your beautiful day!

 

 

 

6 months and missing my farmhouse

This was one of my favorite spots to sit in the morning at my farm with a cup of coffee just listening to the birds singing.  Sure miss it!

Hello my friends.  Today was kind of a non productive day here at the depot.  I thought that I would post my previous farmhouse.  This home was built in 1923.  It has 5 bedrooms  and 4 bathrooms.  My husband Ross and I purchased this farm 12 years ago I believe and literally brang it back from the dead so to speak.  People thought we were crazy.  My brother in law even questioned our sanity and asked us if we were sure we did not have anything better to spend our money on.  Well we sure had the last laugh!  

I sure miss this beautiful home.  When we finished renovating the house we then turned it into a bed and breakfast and ran that for 6 years before finally deciding to get out of it.  Having the B and B was a great experience for us.  Met so many wonderful folks that became friends.  Anyways here are a few photos that I could find in my files.  Have a nice evening and catch ya on the next post.

You will be comming across a few duplicate photos.  My appologies.  I tried to delete the extras but I have been having a few issues with posting for the past week (UGH!).

This is one of my favorite old cupboards.  It has a matching on almost as big with an icebox built in.  The cupboard was handmade long ago.  The stove is an original blue enamel quick meal wood stove.  It is saved in storage in hopes that we might electify it to use.

This was the parlor/dining room.  It has the most beautiful view of the countryside.

Back home and back at it with a few treasures

Hello everyone.  Back from our little outing.  My husband and I enjoyed a little time together as we went hunting into Iowa for treasures.  Did not find as much as we would of liked but that seems to happen now and again.  Just so happened that I did not walk away empty handed in a couple of small shops.

Here you can see the few treasures that we managed to find and then a step further I am showing you how I worked each piece into my cozy little depot.  Just love my treasures.  Hope everyone is staying warm.  The weather here is a whopping 14 degrees not including the little windchill factor.  Good day to stay inside.  I am also working on my bathroom.  Will post pics when complete.  Just need to find certain items for this room so may take some time.  Enjoy your day!

Ball jar full of white/cream buttons.  Always nice to display with.

Treasure #2 and #3 is this smaller 3 compartment basket and a vintage towel for kitchen.  Don't know what to do with these yet, but I will at some time.

Found  a painted white frame and a larger chippy blue/gray window piece.  Just knew I had to have them for somewhere in the depot.

Just had to have this piece that was buried under a bunch of stuff in a small mom and pop junk shop.  Very chippy and perfect for me.

TaDa!!! The white picture frame is perfect!  I had added one of my favorite small vintage ink drawings framed inside the larger.  LOVE IT!

Here is the large old bluish grey window frame I set above my desk.  All I need for this grouping now is a square spring wreath or another frame centered into window frame or another picture inside frame.  Sometimes things just take a little time till you find the right piece.

Here is the other find, the table worked well between chair and sofa.  Love the old washed, worn look of it.  It matches so well with my coffee table too.  Also that small marble dish was one of my finds.

This was a cool find.  A cheese cutting board.  There are the 3 marble pieces in different sizes along with the wooden block they go on.

This is that washed looking old table that I love.  So much character.

Looking for a Tique-or-two!

Good morning friends.  Want to know what my favorite past time is besides decorating?  Junking!!  We headed out this morning, driving in pea soup.  The fog is so thick.  But  my husband and I will not let that ruin our day of fun.  Hope to find some goodies.  I have a list of things in my mind of what to look for that I need to furnish my home.  So let the games begin.  Heading into Iowa this morning.  Will keep you posted on all the treasures we find.  Wish us luck!

Few of my favorite things so far, that I just love!

Hi my friends.  The sun is shining, snow melting, in the 40's by end of day they say.  Love it.  I just wanted to share a few of my favorite things around the depot that I love.  I have so many things that I love in storage just waiting to come out and play with me.  Will have to wait til the mill is complete.  Enjoy your day, make it your best!

added this old quilt to my chair for an added touch of color

H

I do love my sheep, and glass cloche

Love, love my tiny old leather covered books under small cloche

Love curling up on couch under a fuzzy throw reading books like this.

Love green apples in bowls and baskets for an added touch to decor

Love my white ironstone and my antique spice cubby

This really is one of my favs!  An old chippy white wooden horse.  Great display piece!

Love my white vintage rice and cereal canisters.  Wish I could find the others to match.





My bedroom make over

Lamp with upside down willow basket as shade.

Have been busy this morning venturing into my next room to redecorate in the depot.  I chose to do my bedroom.  I moved the bed, exchanged a pie safe for a taller cabinet which will help a great deal when it comes to needing more storage for clothing.  I also brang in my chippy white fireplace mantle which I love.  So with one thing leading to another, I then began taking apart my old chippy white dresser.  Took the mirror right off and placed it above, resting on the mantle.

     I then proceeded and with a brainstorming idea I might add, to place the dresser inside of opening of mantle..  Worked out great.  So with everything in its place it was time for detailing.  That took some time.  You know, try this, try that for a few hours.

     Again with one thing leading to another, I had a lamp but was not crazy about the  shadeso I had a cool idea....ready for this one?  I had an old wicker basket that I turned upside down onto lamp and it really made a neat shade.  At some point I would like to find a little bit more chubby lamp base.  So that was my day.  Now to get ready to attend my yoga class this evening.  Oh, and pleavse pass the word about my blog.  I have so much more to show and do and would really love more company here.  I have at the right side of screen a place to click and enter your email address so that you will be notified of my latest and greatest postings as they happen.  Would not want you to miss anything you know.  Have agreat evening friends.


My bedroom makeover in the Depot

A little vignette on my dresser

 

One thing leads to another

Ido believe that I have a bad case of insomnia.  I woke up the crack of dawn, had my coffee,and then decided to start cleaning the great room.  Well, one thing had led to another.  By the time I finished the whole room had been rearranged.  I know that I still need something for both sides of the wall behind sofa and I still need to redo the fireplace mantel which I also moved.  I added a narrow desk in a corner near sofa with an angle to it just so .  I finally had to tell myself thats enough, have to do book work now.

Little touch of Spring

Just thought I'd share with you a little something springy (if thats even a word). Finally had the chance yesterday to take down all my christmas decor.  Such a chore anymore.  Each year I find myself putting up less and less just because I hate taking it down.  But when the mill is done and we are living there I plan to go all out for our first Christmas there.  I sure am tired of winter now, bring on spring.  Anyways, here is a picture of a little bunny, a nest of eggs (I know bunnies don't lay eggs) and a potted fake fern, and a light inside of a large glass sided lantern.  Just love it.  I had fun putting this together.  Nice change.  Make sure you check out the last post which I had just finished tonight also.  It has photos of the Mill update and my latest photos of depot kitchen renovation again.....I know, I just don't have enough to do do I?  After living here in the depot for a few months now, the kitchen was painted a light gray color, well noting everyday living here that it just was not a very bright room, not much natural light so I repainted a soft buttery yellow.  Yep, and one thing led to another, cupboards went out, kitchen table no longer there, Huge island added, a nice size wall cupboard for dishes added, and tadaaaa! Finished for now.

Here we go again!!!

Love my new old island.  I think it was a store counter years ago.



Another view.  I really like the light buttery yellow.  Really brightens things up. The picture below has been updated with baskets hanging over other end of counter. 

I just gotta tell you friends that Finally the depot is pretty much done.  Thought that I'd post an update on the kitchen.  Took out 3 old cupboards that housed storage for me.  Added a wall cupboard without doors for the dishes.  Added the huge store counter for an island.  We had this piece for years and had used it recently for a cutting counter for my wool at the store.  Just love it.  And an update on the old mill.  My husband Ross started work on the mill.  He and a team of Amish men started this week.  They added the basement door and all the basement windows.  Shoring up floor joists and the like.  So we are on our way now.  We are excited!  I think this project will take just a bit longer than the depot, but well worth the wait.