Vintage Color Palettes - Luxury Liner Matsonia

farm chicks

Isn't this a great idea for storing your cake decorations? I have one of these old toy refrigerators (although not in nearly as nice condition) in my craft room and it works nice as a place to hold magnets and other stray items, but I love the idea of using it for cupcake supplies. I know one of you crafty friends with a cute vintagey kitchen could totally do this up good.

This image was my favorite from The Farm Chicks book I just finished reading.

I only recently discovered The Farm Chicks. I'm always so behind on these things. The Farm Chicks started out as two friends who love salvaged old things, pretty things, making things from scratch and rural life. They built a business based on this, having antique shows at various places near Spokane, Washington and that business merged into magazine articles and then a book.

I really liked hearing the stories of the two friends and their history of baking, crafting and making things pretty. I like the balance in their combination of new and old. The book also has some neat craft and decorating ideas. There were a number of recipes that I liked, even though being a vegetarian did take many of them out of the running.

The Farm Chicks may be singular now (the other chick decided to pursue new interests), but it seems to still be going strong. Keep your eye on Serena's blog to get a better idea of whats in store.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is here. I have a lot to organize for our families theme Christmas tonight. We are doing a 1930's theme. You can read more about that on The Cedar Chest blog. While you're there take a look at all the neat Christmas postcards and ephemera I have posted over the last couple of weeks. I still have so much more I didn't get to! More for next year.

I had touble getting some good photos of my Christmas decorations this year. I need a new camera (hoping Santa wil bring me one) and the lighting was just too low. But, I am going to post a couple anyway.



The village I made turned out pretty good this year. I love all the different trees. Although it is nothing like Alicia's. There is a great tutorial on how to make her Christmas Village on her blog, Posie gets Cozy.



I hope you all have a fun Christmas. I will be heading to my parents in Washington, about 20 minutes away from here later on. I will leave you here with this photo of me from a Christmas Eve in about 1970. (I couldn't wait to use that new coloring book, I am guessing. They still make me feel that way). Merry Christmas!!

autumn activities

Fall always goes way too fast for me. There are so many wonderful things to do and so many ways I want to be out and about seeing the trees and enjoying the weather and also inside baking and drinking tea - but when you only have two days off a week to do those things, plus, you must also do projects and errands and chores....it is just not enough time and bam, the saeson is over. I would happily give up a month of summer for another of fall.

So far my autumnal activities have been small, but very enjoyable and I thought I would share them with you.


This is my fall display, so far. I love this little cabinet for my seasonal displays. I bought this wreath last spring when from thelittleprints. I was looking forward to bringing it out this fall. I love it. She does beautiful work.


This is my mother's dining room table. My nephew and I went over there for an early dinner a week ago. This is how she decorates the house just for everyday. Maybe you can see now why I get obsessed with my small decorating details. She is a master, though. She really should have been an interior decorator.


These are some lovely flowers I received from the mister. It was our 6 year anniversary. Fall is always extra special because it reminds me of our first couple of months together and the many trips we have taken around this time. This is our favorite season and we usually go somewhere in October or November. In a few weeks we will be at a river cabin in Mount Hood.


This is an incredibly good Sour Cream Apple Pie that I made for our anniversary. The pic may not look too appetizing, but trust me. It is delish and very easy. I got the recipe from the Posy Gets Cozy.
Yesterday we went to the Antique Paper and Postcard show out at the Armory, which is near the airport. Since I wasn't driving it was the first time I got to just stare at the trees. It was beautiful. I got this pic of a lovely autumnal road right as a big old plane came in. You can see it at the top.

Here's to more fall activities! What do you like to do for this season?

little green things

I am ready for spring to come. Usually each year I am a little sad when winter leaves. People are always so ready to get rid of it, complaining about the cold when winter is not even halfway through. I never understood that and enjoy the quiet sparse grey days of winter. I like home bound activities and winter is a season that compliments my homebody nature.

The winter in Portland this year has been a proper winter. Lots of cold and even lots of snow. Usually in Portland when it snows it is a big deal, blog posts and twitters are busy with the reports. This year, it is old hat by now. This morning I drove to work with snowflakes as big as chicken feathers floating down and I wasn't giddy with it. It was pleasant, but did not seem to be a noteworthy event.

So, spring is due to arrive soon. I have been craving pretty stuff. I want to see some new things and I long for some sunshine and sweet green leafy items.

I know terrariums are all the rage right now and I do like them, but I am rather smitten with Jenny's project of potting small succulent plants. She makes great terrariums, too. I like the idea of using old vintage teacups and small pottery items to create a collection of succulents.



I also noticed this nice big planter on the table in the home of another Portland artist, Tess of Egg Press. Design Sponge did a showing of her home and it is beautiful. You can see more here.


So, maybe I will get to the nursery and make up some little pots of green things. It should be warm enough to start some gardening soon, fingers crossed.

longing

Oh, how I would love to have a space like this. All my stuff would look like this if I had the space. Right now I feel overwhelmed with too much stuff in my craft room/office/record library, but really I have a normal amount of stuff, I just have too small a room.

This bookcase was just built by the talented duo from Something is Hiding Here.