Farmhouse 4th of July Foyer Decorating

Last week I did a little red white and blue 4th of July decorating in the foyer.  It all started because I finally cleaned my studio to the point that I was able to find the hooks and hang the giant, heavy mirror that used to belong my grandparents.  I can't tell you how good it feels not to have that beast leaning against the table in the dining room any more!

Old House Stories and A Vintage Men's Shaving Stand

Have you ever heard the old saying, "If these walls could talk..."?  Lately, I've been feeling that way about the walls here at the farmhouse. As we've been removing walls, we're discovering some of the stories of the house that we're making our home,  

I suppose that it's my love of old houses and their stories that drew me to this project in the first place because I grew up in an old house. It  had a wide front porch with a porch swing and a back door with a wooden screen door.  It had one bathroom with a cool slot in the back of the medicine cabinet where my dad put the used blades from his single blade razor (and I once did the same thing...with an entire package of brand new blades. Sorry, Dad.)

Christmas Home Tour Part 2 {Home for the Holidays}

Today I'm sharing what I've lovingly come to refer to as PART 2 of my holiday decorating: our front porch and my college son's bedroom.  Why do I call it "Part 2" you ask?  Well...let me explain.

Nellie's Barn Sale Fall 2014 Pop Up Show...and a keeper

As you may know if you follow Serendipity Refined on Facebook, last weekend I helped my friend Ann with her semi-annual barn sale which has now become a 40+ vendor vintage pop up show held in Roscoe, IL.  To say that it was amazing would be an understatement.

Vintage 4th of July: Red White and Blue Table Decor

 Today, I finally got a couple of bins of 4th of July decorations out of the attic and decided to put a few vintage red white and blue things on the kitchen table. I really didn't plan on doing too much decorating this year.

Repurposed Vintage Wash Stand Potting Table

Tuesday evening, when I was at at the market picking up a gallon of milk, a pint of raspberries and some of the most beautiful strawberries that I've seen since last June , a really nice man took note of my knee high, black rubber boots and said politely, "You must be ready for the really deep snow that's coming." I smiled at him, shook my head and replied simply, "I am."

Rustic Vintage Ski Lodge Christmas Mantel

This Christmas, my theme is re-purposing.  I suppose that my actual theme is "Let It Snow" (the vintage ski lodge version).  But there's also an underlying theme going on in my life and my holiday decorating this year and it's all about re-purposing.

Before I talk about that, however, I wanted to show you this Before and During photo of the living room. I realize that most people would call this a "Before and After" photo but given that the main portion of the renovation at the French farmhouse hasn't even begun, I'm calling the photo on the right the "during" phase.
I thought that I'd show you how the living room looked in August.

Sometimes I forget that we're still in Phase 1 of this project. I forget how very different things look today than they did just over three months ago when we moved to the farmhouse.  I forget that the cedar paneling above the fireplace was painted green....and pink....and ivory. Or that it took three days to strip.

      I'm probably suppressing those memories.
                                 
                                         I think that I read somewhere that people tend to do that with traumatic events.

I also forget that there really wasn't really a mantel above the fireplace. It was just a narrow little ledge above a brass fireplace screen that fell completely onto the floor (and my foot)  when I tried to open the doors.
                                                                                                          I'm suppressing that memory, too.

Today, there's a mantel.  I suppose that technically, it's a reclaimed shelf with a piece of 1 x 10 on top that's acting as a mantel...for now.  The shelf will have another life next Christmas. It will be re-purposed again as a shelf in my new master bathroom.

Oh, and the room where this fireplace is located...the one that's currently our living room? It is going to (hopefully) be re-purposed into our new dining room by next year at this time. Confusing, isn't it?!

The reclaimed wood snowflakes and vintage ski's? Well, they'll probably find a home in my new studio.... which is being re-purposed from the space that is currently the garage.
                                                                                                                  Are you following along so far?

Re-purposing found objects is one of my favorite things to do.  All it takes is a little imagination. In fact, almost everything that I used to create this year's mantel has had a prior life and a different purpose.  The garland was from my 2012 white woodland winter mantel (here). The bows were from my 2012 Christmas tree. Do you remember that tree? It was the 12 foot tall one...with the plaid cardboard star tree top.  I have to admit, I won't miss climbing a step ladder to put the top on our tree this year.

The colored plastic ornaments were re-purposed from the Grinch Christmas themed outdoor decorations that I made five or six years ago. Yes, I know, it's sad that I found an entire huge bin full of plastic ornaments that I had completely forgotten about in the back of the closet when we moved. I swear I'm not a hoarder....I'm a saver.                                        Don't judge me.

At least I didn't find an entire set of chairs in the back of a closet that I'd forgotten about. Although...there was a 3 drawer dresser...
We're not talking about dressers today. Today we're going to discuss the fact that the only truly "brand new" part of this mantel was the letters "S, N, and W." They are cardboard, purchased at JoAnn fabric and painted to look like wood using craft paint and paraffin wax.

Other than those three letters, everything else is either re-purposed, hand made, or re-used.  I made the 2 x 4 stocking holders (HERE) out of wood from the scrap bin at Home Depot and the stockings are made from flannel shirting using my free stocking pattern  HERE.

The tiny tree with vintage ornaments previously belonged to my Uncle.  The tree skirt is a re-purposed vintage kitchen towel.

Of course, the toy truck had another life some time in the 1960's. I suspect that the prior owner loved it almost as much as I do but it was probably loved outdoors rather than in the middle of the family's Christmas Mantel.

Things were a little different back in the 1960's.  Ahem...not that I'd know anything about that.  *wink*

Thanks for taking the time out of your busy December to spend a few minutes with me and to look at my crazy, vintage, rustic, ski lodge mantel.  I hope that it'll inspire you to find a way to reuse or re-purpose a few things around your home.

Did I mention that I'm re-purposing my bedroom into a new kitchen?  No? We'll talk about that soon.

In the mean time, Let it snow!

Wait...Let it snow right after I finish my Christmas shopping!

Sharing at:
Coastal Charm
French Country Cottage
From My Front Porch to Yours
Jennifer Rizzo Holiday Home Tour
Satori Design For Living

Holiday Home Tour Day 1: French Farmhouse Kitchen

Welcome to my French farmhouse kitchen finally dressed for the holidays! I've kept my holiday decorating simple this year.

Patio and Garden Finds from a French Estate Sale

Recently, I was allowed to pre-sale shop at an amazing estate sale right here in Illinois. The lady who had owned the house had created the type of home and gardens that I aspire to one day.   From the moment that I walked down the crushed stone drive and through the brick walled gates, I would have sworn that I'd finally made it to France.

There were so many beautiful things that I had a hard time walking away from many of them but these things came home with me for my new yard and gardens before I ever made it to the door of the house or  the coach house!

I fell in love with this 34 inch tall lead pond spitter (above). His base is bent and he'll need some work but he should be able to be repaired by the time that I have a home for him.

This great iron lavabo will surely find a spot in the court yard as will this patio table and chairs.

This tea cart will probably end up on the patio in the rear yard.

and so will this formerly lonely chair...it was the only one of it's kind....trust me, I looked.  I couldn't walk away and leave it all alone after purchasing the rest of the items that were on the patio with it...could I?! Of course NOT!

Even though we'll spend all of next summer under construction, I'm excited to have finally found a few things to add to my yard when I can finally landscape!. Now that the Phase 2 plans are nearing completion, I can begin  collecting the French Farmhouse in earnest but I'm not in any hurry since for me,  the hunt is the best part of the project!  

I've also begun looking into a long overdue trip to France in Summer, 2014! If you have places that you'd suggest that I shop or the name of a host who accommodates private/semi private shopping tours, please message me.

I'll share my finds from inside the estate and coach house soon!

Vintage Farm Style Wedding: Haley and Mitch

Don't you just love weddings?
                                                                     I do.
 I mean it. I'm the kind of girl who gets teary-eyed watching television commercials of complete strangers getting married.

Wonderful Saturday Wedding Details: Florals, Lanterns, Burlap and Mason Jars

As I know I've probably mentioned several times, I have a dear friend named Sadie who is an incredibly  talented florist and who owns The English Garden Flower Shop in Clarendon Hills.

White Spray Painted Metal Patio Furniture and Tea in My Garden

Happy Friday! I'm so happy that you stopped by today so that I can show you the "after" photos of my spray painted metal patio furniture!

Vintage Valentine's Day Dining Room Decor...and a Love Story

I'm a hopeful  romantic.                
                                            I have been, for as long as I can recall....

Yep, all the way back to the first time that John Fowler arrived at the bus stop on my very first day of first grade.

Brian's Barn - Reclaiming 100 Year Old Wood

This is Brian's barn. It's over 100 years old.  Brian's taking it down but, he's reclaiming all of the wood and he's selling some of it on Craig's List. I didn't take these first two photos, Brian did. That's his truck

This morning, I met Brian. I'm using part of his barn to build the cabinet for the top of the sideboard in my dining room.

Yep, I took the board with the electric outlet on it. Not sure whether it'll end up in the cabinet or not.

Don't you just LOVE old nails!? There are even some that are SQUARE!  As I removed all of the nails, I couldn't help but think of all of the people who had pounded them in over the last century. The thought of it made me smile. It's fun when my furniture has a "history" even before I build it.

After I finished removing all of the nails, I scrubbed the wood with with a brush using soap and water with ammonia in it because, let's face it, sometimes "patina" is just "dirt".  Then I sprayed it with a little bleach and stood it on my driveway to dry.  The good news is that none of the character that draws me to old barn wood was lost. There's something about century old pine that makes my heart flutter. It could be that I'm a Midwest girl. It could be that I drove a combine in the farm fields of DeKalb county for two summers during college. It's there that I first came to know and love old farm houses and old barns.

Well, I'm off to sketch and taking some measurements. I hope that by tonight, I'll  be able to build the cabinet but I'm still not sure what to do about this outlet...

xo,

S

Easter Bunny Breakfast Table - Saturday morning

 Since we're travelling to visit family on Saturday afternoon, our "Easter breakfast" will be celebrated on Saturday morning this year.  I've kept my breakfast table simple.  The dishes are 100 year old French Haviland  porcelain so they've got chips and nicks but that doesn't make them any less lovely in my eyes.   w I've paired it with Lusterware glasses from my Grandmother and  white hobnail  from my mother-in-law. 

 Part of my collection of 1940's and 50's paper mache' candy holders.

A bit of vintage lace, a couple of porcelain bunnies, a few white tulips and daffodils from my garden, and some of my ironstone...of course!

I'll show you the Easter Dinner table tomorrow.....WHEW, THREE POSTS IN ONE DAY!?!?!?
I guess that we had a little "catching up" to do!  Thanks for sticking with me!

xo,

S

Linking to:
Jennifer Rizzo
French Country Cottage
Savvy Southern Style
Funky Junk Interiors
At The Picket Fence

Happy First Day of Spring! - My $6 Spring Mantel

At long last, Spring!  

We've had some unusually warm weather in Illinois these last few weeks. In fact, many of my friends are referring to 2011 as the "best winter that never was".  But today, Spring has "officially" arrived!

I decided to keep my spring mantel simple this year. Since mother nature is cooperating, I simply snipped some forsythia branches, a few pussy willows,  and some of the daffodils from my yard. I added some of the smaller pieces from my collection of ironstone, a couple of nests, some lace, and a statue of a garden fairy that  was a gift from one of my girlfriends last year. 

The only purchase was the "SPRING" letters which I found in the $1 bin at Michael's earlier this season.

Speaking of spring and growing things and GARDENING, I'll be announcing a new weekly feature for this
blog tomorrow....Don't Miss It!

Have an incredible day!

xo,

S

Linking to:
The Lettered Cottage
Romantic Home