A True Dilemma

I feel like everything I bought for resale at Anchor Cottage I want to keep for 21 Mulberry! Look at this vignette, I bought the wood box to carry breakables in the back of the Suburban, Steve bought Mr Flat at a craft show! The two green/blue pots and the wood wheel compliment each other. Do they stay or do they go? "Sell", Steve says:-(

It's all coming home and more!

What a fun collection of junk. The other 1/2 of the collection is behind me. Going to be a great year at Anchor Cottage. There is alot of stuff to make you chuckle:-) Fabrics and furniture, southern folk art and crafts, mixed up with some new stuff too. Bought the classiest poured candles in copper and brass pots at the candle shop around the corner, wholesale @ Southern Lights Candle.

Monday Morning

Six more days and we are coming home. So much left to do. I can't even take a picture of the backyard because it's just a pile of tools, wood, saws and junk. The back porch is sporting a cool look but can't stand back far enough to get a good picture so I took one of the bedroom looking in off the porch! See the dryer vent hanging there and the plywood siding? Oh well.

Who Let The Dogs Out?

Ben on the left and Joe on the right. Ben Franklin is a Chocolate Lab and is almost 3 years old. Joe Johnson is a Yellow Lab/St Bernard and is approx 7 years old. 200 lbs of dogs! They were use to a 40 acre back yard. Now they stay on the front porch when asked and ride around the city in their Suburban. They have done an amazingly great job of adjusting to city life. Give them a treat! I can't thou, they got into the cupboard and ate them all:)

A Mariner's Haul

Steve and I drove down to Florida Victorian Architectural Antiques and found fun nautical props to sell at Anchor Cottage. Mark Shuttleworth who is the owner, and his #1 sales assistant, Gale helped us sort through the collections. Every time I leave there I think of something new to do with the architectural gems that I saw. The store should be nicked named, "Think Outside the Box" literally. I could never have found such neat one of a kind items at the Atlanta Mart. This picture is just a small portion of a Suburban full that we are bringing home.

Making it work.

Across the street from my kitchen window is a mansion from the turn of the last century. It sets on 6 lots and is a B&B now. Our view out the window is of the yard. We created the kitchen counter out of the scaffolding for now! I like sitting next to Steve in the morning w/coffees and computers. That's it for now, off to DeLand for architectual salvaging.

You know who just blew through.

Steve is packing his stuff. When he is through then i'll pack the rest of mine. Its hard to get around 2ft of shoulders and 2 dogs in this jr size apartment! Think i'll have a cup of coffee and watch the show:)

Playing Dollhouse.

A long time ago, my mother would take me to Ben Franklin's once a week and we would buy a piece of furniture for "our" dollhouse. We wallpapered and carpeted and made curtains. We had a fireplace w/brass coal bucket and a Damask covered wingchair. 21 Mulberry brings back those memories. Wish she could be here, maybe, she is.

Taking time out to move.

Steve built the kitchen cabinet a couple of years ago for our kitchen in Northport Michigan. The legs glide out and hold spices and cooking oils. The drawers handles are big fat Petosky stones native to our Lake Michigan shoreline. Cherry, walnut and birch, left natural, with just a coat of polyurethane. A work of art and functional as well. Can't wait to see what he has in store for 21 Mulberry St!

A couple of knuckle heads...

Steve and I on a rainy Sunday afternoon playing with the clapper! Take one; our new furniture, take two; Mary Ann on her new perch, take three; Steve in his recliner. Bought the clapper from the owner of the architectural salvage who received it as a gift from a set director doing a film down in DeLand. It makes just the right noise.

Looking for a store.

This store is in my neighborhood on the corner of Pine St and San Marco. Nice big windows, good courtyard display, parking in back and on side. Close enough to Vilano Beach to attract local customers with a little advertising. On the main tourist walk as well. Hmm hmm hmm. Name her Tony Seagull as in "Tony" design.

A Body of Work

Packing up my pillows, placemats, cushions and coasters. Had fun putting these pieces together. Good learning curve. Taught myself some new sewing tricks! Click on the picture to see the details:)

Have Suburban, will travel.

Got some signage for SRS. Drumming up business for next year. Thinking how we can combine our talents for a winning decorating team. One step at a time. Of course he does all the work, I just point my finger. Goal is to be down here 10 months and up north for 2 months.

The neighbors on the right.

John and Joann have invited Steve and I to dinner on Saturday. They are from upperstate New York and bought their house a year ago last November. They came down to check on it in July and Joann said that the humidity was running down the outside of the windows in the morning and that they had a white-footed ants invasion. Nice to hear the real stories!

Let's go fishing.

Bought these pieces at a craft show, here in St Augustine. They are made from car parts. I love the fisherman and women. Problem is the fisherman is so heavy if I sell him how will we get him in the car? There is also St Peter's Gate and a kid fishing as well. Wish I had bought more. The artist has a knack! See the oars in the corner? A pair of them would make great door handles for your boathouse doors.

Grand Old Dame

This house is on the corner of Pine St and Water St. I love the seashells and wicker on the screened porch. She looks out over the water towards the east. She is in poor repair and no one lives in her as far as I can tell. She is one of many old homes in my neighborhood that I walk past. I think a book she could write! With her deep porches and 3rd story spired tower she has watched many a ship sail away and back again and many a storm has battered her shutters and still she stands, regal and tall.

The shower tiles set the theme...

We picked out bronze fixtures and we are going w/white china toilet and sink. We are dropping the sink down into a 1/2 round walnut table top and we will use the bronze fixtures there as well. Steve bought 2 antique table legs for support under the sink top. I found a sheild shaped antique mirror that is kinda smokey so I didn't buy it. Now I wish I had it to use over the stove in the kitchen. I may be back to the Architectual salvage as they had 2 green/blue pots that I want as well. All the stuff I have bought for resale at Anchor Cottage could just as well stay here at 21 Mulberry St. What to leave and what to bring home;{

Ben and Joe

These 2 kuckleheads get worn out being dogs! They have to watch the activity on the deck at the apartment. Then at lunch time they ride over to Mulberry St and have to watch everything that is going on over there! Ride around on errands in their Suburban and home for dinner. In Northport they just sleep all day until their people come home from work.

Tight quarters.

This is where she gets it all done. Creating, sewing, line reviews, ordering, desk work and writing postcards to send to all of those she loves! Thank goodness for baskets, they come in all shapes and sizes. Good for organizing, carrying and storage as well as a bed side table. Looks like a happy mess:-)

Meet Albert Kroll

Albert has been w/us since the beginning. He looked at the house w/us before we bought it. He is called Big Daddy by his friends. He brings us fresh grapefruit every morning. He has a very distinct laugh. Twice now, in the city, I have heard his laugh and sure enough, when I looked around, there he was. He went to college to be an accountant. Born in Conn, grew up in Daytona Beach, moved north to St Augustine to surf. Not afraid to get mud on his tires. At 63 he plays tennis and squrims around under the house, a mere 9". He's hired!

More Mud

This here is the mud room. Steve is getting ready to mud the drywall. He built a counter top w/sink and where he is standing will be the stack washer and dryer. The long wall on the left I am hanging a large chalkboard and hooks for coats, umbrellas, dog leashes, beach towels and totes. There needs to be a purpose for every sq ft when you are living in a postage stamp world!

Tides in...

Looking east out over the Mantanza River out to the Atlantic Ocean. Who would have ever guessed that I would live on the Atlantic Seaboard? The water is brackish here in the river. We watch a pair of Sandhill Cranes and the Woodstork. Great Blue Heron and the Great Egret. On the north side of the neighborhood is a 6 acre park along the river owned by the church and open to the public for walking. Peaceful and serene.

If you live at the end of the street..

The neighbors that live at the end of Mulberry have a dock for their sailboat. House w/swimming pool overlooking the river, your sailboat at your fingertips...how good is that? I love taking a walk in our little space in time. We have some beautiful old dames in the neighborhood I will take some pictures.

The Mantanza

Around the corner from the fort at the end of Mulberry St is the Mantanza River. The name means bloody massacre. The river flows in from the Atlantic Ocean. When I walk out my front door and look east this is what I see at the end of my street. Overlooking the marsh flats out to the ocean blue!

To the south of 21 Mulberry St

In 1672 they started construction of this fort called, Castillo de San Marcos, on the Mantanza Bay. I live on the corner of Mulberry St and Osceola. Osceola was a great Indian Chief and his last march was from Osceola St to the fort. I think of him quite often when I walk over to the fort.

Attached garage

My garage is skinny and long. Fits the Jeep and some storage. Right now Steve has his tools set up so he can make parts for the house. The roof of the garage hangs out over the neighbors garage and the neighbors garage wall is our privacy fence! The palm tree is on our property. Lucky to have a garage.

Masterbathroom tiles

Today we are sealing the tiles in the bathroom and shower floors. We chose a tumbled tile in a creamy white. The vanity will be the 1/2 of Walnut table top and the fixtures will be the dark bronze. White oval sink and white toilet. I like the pattern inset on the floor.

The final dumpster is gone...

This is how the neighbors view the house now that we can see the whole thing! That darn dumpster covered up half the front of the house. We meet Ann yesterday and Jay lives next door, Jack and Peggy are across the street. They say Howland, the former owner, would have loved the renovation of his house.

Steve pokes his head up to take a breath...

This man is amazing, that he has renovated this house single handed, w/just a little help from the demolition crew, in less than 4 months. He's the man!

The Postage Stamp...

This is the back yard. If I use my imagination it has a neat gate at the street side. The sideyard has 3 large blue flagstones set in red brick and lined with cockleshells. A brick grill/firepit in the far left corner and an outdoor shower to the far right corner. All the plants will be in pots. There you have it...no room for a lawn mower!

Country Curtains Irish Lace Edging Insulated Roll-Up Shade...

The windows are 72" long and 35" wide. For now, I am hanging roller shades to insulate and keep light out while we are up north. Eventually, they will have bamboo shades, voile sheers and Tree of Life woven curtains. But for now I have to settle for a little Irish lace at the bottom of the shade!