Just Hung, New Roman Shades!

Come in! Anchor Cottage, decorating show room, is open.

Things are still in the works, but isn't that the truth about decorating?

 Getting ready for spring on the Leelanau peninsula.

I have so many fabric samples to look at. 

Rug swatches stacked to the ceiling. 

The round table gives us room to pull a look together with all the  fabric, rug, lamps and paint colors, that are available. 

The new roman shades. Made out of a duvet cover from Pine Cone Hill that no one ever bought from the shop! Soft Furnishings railroaded the heck out of it, to make these happen! Didn't have a thread left. Probably one of the best fabricators in the state!!

Personally, I have never owned a Roman Shade. But I love the look and had to give them a try in my own space. 

Great for insulation. Keeping the drafts out.

This vignette, in navy and white, with the woven wood baskets, table and seagrass rug would be beautiful in a lakeside condo.  

My stash of antique quilts to put over your porch sofa or at the foot of your bed. A great way to add a little cottage to your decor!

I owe a great deal of credit to the people at the fabric warehouse, in North Carolina, for hanging in there with me while I got this project off the ground. A shout out to Caite, Jim and Steve! Thank you!

Wish I had more room! For those customers, who have been with me for the long haul, know that I always make room for more!

Sometimes it is a little tight, but that much more product to work with. With this said, I am ready to head down to North Carolina to see what's new. 

By appointment.
shop@anchorcottage.net

 

The Sun Was Out

So I had a yearning to go for a walk, on the beach, Sunday afternoon.

Up and over the dune, Pyramid Point being her usual graphic self! 

With the leaves off the trees, the snow covering the forest floor, you can really see the undulations of the terrain along the coastline.  

Looking up, the sun being directly overhead, there were no shadows or color to be had! Three o'clock in the afternoon and the light was flat,  it was difficult to make out the crevices in the snow. 

It is something to behold, a land of no colors, grey on grey on grey. 

The outline of every bare tree branch exposed to the eye. Small icebergs floating by. 

Then what should appear? Jaws! Hey wait, I thought we were not only unsalted but shark free as well!!!

More and more homes on the ridges so as to capture the views of the lake and landscape. 

Thirty degrees. No wind. Soundless. 

One last look at Whaleback and the Clay Cliffs before we head back to the truck. 

Such a contrasting difference between summertime and wintertime.

I never get tired of looking at these moraines. 

We will be back. 

A flat light, a muffled sound, the smell of Lake Michigan fresh and cold in my nose! Happy Hour chicken on our minds!

It's all worth it. 

 

Phonetos Of The Week

Getting ready to paint another one! Started this painting, last summer, on the beach. Just now got around to finishing. For some reason I need to finish one in order to start the next! Maybe it is because I only use one paint palette and need to keep the mixed colors until I am satisfied with the work. 

The sun was shinning, it was a glorious day. I deadheaded my Tulips on the kitchen windowsill, enjoying the warm sun coming thru the window. 

Then, bam!! 17" of snow cover, over night, while we were sound asleep. Never heard a thing. 

Large, fluffy flakes covering every horizontal they could cling to.  

I mean, don't stop now!

In the meantime...

The Tulips were so pretty, even splayed out with petals falling on the counter and window sill. A great show of petal pink!

Breakfast is ready so I have to run!
 Have a great week, stay safe and wash your hands!

 

Feast Of Saint Valentine

So, for Christmas, Steve found a new, did I say new?, Ina Garten cookbook! "modern comfort food" and did we make some delicious food. How else to celebrate love in the pandemic? First we made an Applesauce Cake with Bourbon raisins and Bourbon crème cheese frosting. Sylvia says, "dessert first for a special occasion!"  

Lynlee, one of the family artists, dropped this card in the mail! Pretty intricate cut out work, wouldn't you say? 

Next up, Ina's Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip. Hot and gooey, served with toasted baguette.

We were laughing and singing around the kitchen. The Steak Fajitas were the best we ever tasted. Thank you Ina!

I even finished my take on a knitted "Hudson Bay" blanket afghan. This was the third winter for lap work. It kept me warm while I was knitting and now it just keeps me warm. I love the weight of the Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky wool. So soft and cuddly. 

The real treat, for the Valentine Feast Day, was the card my feller picked out at the grocery store!

Thinking outside the box! Trying to social distance and pick out a Valentine card was tricky. He went to the other side of the card display and was able stay six feet away from all the other shoppers and buy the sweetest card I ever had! 

Happy Valentine's Day!!

 

Saturday In My Studio

Bundled myself up and walked the four hundred feet to the the studio, this afternoon. Eleven degrees with wind and snow out of the west. I am a chilly hillbilly, down here, in the holler.  

Looks pretty wintery out there!

This is an old Karl Godwin advertising poster from 1931. I hung it on the bathroom wall, in my office. It was an advertisement for pipe tobacco. My Great Aunt Irene painted out the verbiage with clouds and pipe smoke. The framed poster hung in my Great Aunt Emelia's glassed in porch when I was growing up. The, old, worn out image looks so good against the black wall! 

Picked up these little pieces of art at Rolling Hills Antiques, last week. An older man, deceased now, drew the outline in the soft poplar and then painted them. Outsider art! 

I love the light in this painting. I also, like how it works with the lamp on the basket table. Casual elegance!! Is there such a thing? 

This combination of patterns and colors feels so crisp to me. Clean, contemporary, fresh are all words that come to my mind. 

Moving my props around. The push and pull of decorating. 

If you see anything that catches your eye, e-mail me and make an appointment to come and visit. I will quickly dust and vacuum then make us a pot of tea to take the chill away.