Welcome

Welcome to our old farmhouse. Over the past year I have learned so much history of this house and the people who lived here. Ninety six years of love, loss, hopes and dreams. Preservation continues and there is always a repair to be done. We are trying to be purest in our preservation as much as we possibly can. I hope you follow along and each week I will try to give you a little history of the house as well as the first owners of the house. I've been lucky enough to find a journal from a Granddaughter who talks about the house as well as her Grandparents. So come follow along and learn about this old house as well as the occupants, old and new.

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Kitchen Renovation Winding Down


 Its been sometime since I last posted anything. Last year turned out to be very busy for me. First my youngest had surgery the end of April and while I was taking care of her I learned I would be bringing my Mother back to my house to take care of her for the next seven months. She passed Thanksgiving eve after giving the dementia a good fight. I can't begin to tell anyone about the Angels that work for Hospice! Without their support and guidance, I'm not sure I could have made it. But then we have to remember, nothing will be put on us that we cannot handle.

Not much of anything was accomplished in my kitchen last year. Mom couldn't stand loud noise, so ripping out the old counters and cabinets was out of the question. So all I could do was gather everything and wait for the renovation to start again. At least I could go to the garage and look at things and let my imagination run wild.

Every time I had the chance, I searched and gathered my ideals for my farmhouse kitchen while staying true to the history of the house. I think I came up with most of the elements. Here we go!


Warning lots of Pictures!



So now when you enter my little kitchen and it is little, from my old salvaged hotel kitchen door...






This is what you will see.
 We really tried to follow the blueprint of the room as we found traces of it during demolition of the other renovations. Remember this was a sleeping porch when the house was built, the kitchen was detached from the house. We rebuilt the wall going into the hall, placed the doors in there original location to the butlers pantry and hall. All the bead board is original to the house, we used what we found in the attic. We did leave a few of the 40 or 50's renovation additions like the scallop edge over the sink, then mimicked it again over the open cabinet by the stove.


 I wanted this space to look as if newer layers had been added to older construction, so I painted and distressed one row of cabinets. This gave a little rustic feel with all the white bead board cabinets. I like the contrast of the painted distressed, the clean white and the brick. 


Old houses did not have granite and I do try to be as much of a purest as I can. This house I feel safe in saying had wooden counters (what few counters if any it may have had) since the kitchen was detached. So we used oak for the counter tops. Again I did not want the usual counter so we ran the wood vertical rather than horizontal. This section has a cutting board built into it, since it is next to the sink, great working area. 



A little rope molding to the edge.


One of my favorite plates, yes I know you have seen it before but I'm big on using what I have.
My little salt pig gets a workout everyday.
And yes I still use my roosters and chickens!


A new/old cast iron sink in white. Much smaller than the stainless one that was here. The other sink had three bowls, this one has two but they are much deeper than the other one. Plus it was FREE, and who doesn't like free when you clean it up and it looks brand new. I'm sure glad that other lady didn't like it.


Not a good picture, not sure what time of day would be the best time to snap a good one.


So for farm house style we have wooden counters, bead board on the walls, an old cast iron sink...
oh and new cabinet doors with antique glass knobs. 



Just for fun, the sink cabinets got a cast iron gate latch and black wooden knobs.


And the floor still has it black worn stain on it


And I don't think any farmhouse would be complete without a big ole farm table that looks as though it's been used way to much. Then how about adding an old church bench. 







And last but not least a little midnight snack spot. A built in breadbox and cutting board that mimics the range hood.


We still have work to do, new fronts on the drawers, maybe a new faucet for the sink and I want to do a tin ceiling. But a little rest and play time for now, because it takes allot of work and time to get from this...


To this..


So I hope to see you soon. 
Life is getting back to normal around here, so I hope my creative juices start flowing again and I start participating in parties every week.
Until next time..
Sandy
Join me this week at:
Metamorphosis Monday, The Scoop, Inspire Me Tuesday, Talk Of The Town

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Never Say You Can't

How often do we cry and whine saying we are to tired or its just to hard to do something?
Well here is a little inspiration for those times!


Both of my girls ran the race last weekend and although I have the up most respect for anyone who does this race, theses guys were definitely inspiration for me do all those things I keep putting off. 

One of them being to walk the bridge next year and just getting more exercise!




And how about just having fun?




One of my babies!


And now for a little garden fun!
So much work, but oh so worth it!








Blessings,
Sandy

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

A Natural Air Freshener and the Best Little Mother



Don't you just love Spring and all the fresh air you get when you throw open the doors and windows?
And then there are those special scents that just kind of flow into the house when a little breeze comes along. You can't resist going out and cutting a few branches. So get everything ready, an old mason jar and a frog made from a mason lid.

 I found this last fall and had to bring it home!


The jar and lid are a natural fit for the house.





And now for the natural smell good!
 Every time we got a little breeze I could smell the wisteria in our back yard, so naturally I had to bring some in for the kitchen.




 And now for the best little Mother around.
Two little fertilized eggs, just waiting for a Mother


  And here she is!
She's a silkie and her name is Penelope!
These are not her eggs, a wonder friend donated them to the cause after she went broody.


And after twenty one days, I found this cute little thing hiding under her.
I think it's a little camera shy.


OK, I know I'm cute!
My Mom's not happy with this camera thing!
Time to go back under that wing.
Unfortunately the second egg didn't hatch, but I think this might be all she can handle,
 since the little thing is already about a quarter the size of  her already, at a week old.


So until next time.....


Blessings,
Sandy