August Was A Busy Month!

The neighbors stopped in for a nibble. The black raspberries were delicious! Then they got a drink at the birdbath. 

We sat outside on the deck enjoying the breeze!

Steve got a bug up his nose and painted the kitchen floor in diamonds. He's a fun guy.

Here he is holding down the beach.

We gave birth to this baby! Cut out the side of the house and took it away on a forklift. If you go to my Instagram I posted a video.
 

The bounty from the roadside stands kept us in vegetables and fruits.
 

Guests came and went.

Omena Cut Flowers kept us in blossoms the whole month through.

Schumacher showed up with their own bouquet of color.

Ever wonder how I can get a 10 x 12' rug to an install? The back of my Jeep to the dashboard all the way to the front. 

What a month. This little arrangement needs to be painted.
I will get right on it soon.

How's that for an August? It's not even over! Putting on a Labor Day estate sale in the heart of Northport, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

See you there. 

 

Second Swede Road Barn Sale

Hello there! Another barn sale is in the works!

Look at all the interesting items for sale!

We have everything from lamp shades to rug swatches.

Wall decor and rugs for your floor!

7170 N. Swede Rd, Northport. August 2nd and 3rd, Friday and Saturday from 10 until 4.
Look for the big red truck at the top of the driveway.

 

Having Fun With My Watercolors

I am so happy with my watercolors. I was using watercolors found at garage sales and Goodwill. But when I invested in Case for Making, out of San Francisco, water colors, all I want to do is paint! Funny about the painting up top is that I bought the frame at a garage sale and decided to paint a small, round painting just for this frame. 
 I used the Lands End Mini Palette for the Pyramid Point watercolor. The mini palette consists of six paint colors and fits in the palm of your hand!

The paint colors are so saturated. A mix of earth or synthetic pigment and honey. The colors are rich and vibrant.

 Garen and Tim went to San Francisco, this spring, and bought me five more paint colors. Indigo, which is fabulous, silver and gold, which I used in the painting above and two different reds, a peach red and a brick red. 

It is all I can do not to look at everything as a potential painting!

Swede Road Barn Sale

Ha ha! This is God's garden. Take note, on a Sunday, that when you don't have time to garden God will help you out. 

Dishes with provenance. Yes, there is a story better told at another time. The yellow dishes and the red dishes are my cousin Michelle's. She is in the U.P. at the moment and couldn't be here, in person, for the sale. 

I had my favorite people bring their odds and ends and stayed to help with the sale. Thank goodness, because customers came in waves and we were slammed at times.

This sale was because I had cleaned out the studio and had all this discontinued fabric and rug swatches.

The two day event was a party of neighbors. Northport, Omena and up and down Swede Road. The chit-chat was floating like confetti on a breezy day. 

I think I am having another sale towards the end of July. May have to serve Ice Tea and Watermelon just for the fun of it! Life under the big top. A barn sale party. Hope to see you then!

 

I Cleaned The Studio

Well, hello! I have been working on flipping the studio. Removed two humongous fixtures right out of the space. It all started with the rug swatches. Going through them, one at a time, to make sure they are all current samples. Out went the rug swatch rack!

Then on to the fabric swatches. Again, one by one, I took them down and ran a check to make sure the fabric samples are still available. Out went the big fabric sample rack.

See the sea grass rugs? I didn't take them off the floor! I moved everything in the studio, over to one side, and laid down new, cotton rugs on top of the seagrass rugs. 

While I was working it was getting rather warm in there. I opened the doors to let some cooler air flow through. Of course, immediately, the Chipmunks strolled in! Along with some honey bees!!

What could I use for a screen door? Why not a pair of woven sheers? Lovely, with the soft light coming in. I am not taking them down, ever! They are so beautiful.

Looking into the studio, through the French door. The rug is fabulous! The light is exceptional. I needed a natural light source. When I moved the large fabric fixture the light came flooding in.
 

The long view. Fresh and uncluttered, up to date and tidy!

The rug swatches all stacked up on the rolling rack. Easy to take out for show and tell!!

I am one happy camper, decorator, to have everything organized and at my finger tips. So if you have wondered where I have been, besides incredibly busy, I was cleaning house!

 

April's End

April started out on the snowy side! Aunt Margaret's little yellow flowers, from her front yard, peeking out.

Cement, iron and branches with lichen. Porch décor!!

The sun is shinning. Must go for a walk on the beach.

The wind, being out of the northwest, had us facing southeast to keep out of the gale. 

Out of the wind and facing the sun we were rocking a warm 73 degrees. It was so early, in the season, that we were unprepared for a "beach" day! 

We took a walk and skipped some stones and then sat down on a log.

I was distracted by the veining in this rock. Thinking about the quartz countertops we chose for a customer.

Tucked back, nice and cozy, from the wind blowing the sand down the lake shore. 

Freighter heading south.

Not being ready for a beach day meant not having chairs or sunscreen. No Cheese Shop sandwich or G&Ts. 

We snuggled down, in the sand, against the log and just looked out at the deep blue sea.

Watched a pair of Mergansers' diving down, under the waves and bobbing up again, their distinctive heads silhouetted against the water.   

The males are brown and the females are white. They played together like they were best friends. A delight to watch.

This is my best bud. Fun to take to the beach. 

As I write this blog it is a chilly 45 degree afternoon. Yesterday's weather was a blessing, out of the blue. Glad we took the time to smell the roses, so to say.

Easter Adventures

Getting ready to host Easter dinner. We heat with wood, all winter long. By this time of year the surfaces, in the the house, are coated with a fine layer of soot. So tradition is to vacuum the whole house from top to bottom. Shake out the rugs and wash the windows.

Gather all the pretty plates and glassware and wash them in hot soapy water, drying them by hand so everything sparkles.

Make sure to buy the grocery store tulips and arrange them in vases all around the house.

If a pot of Hyacinths jumps into the cart, buy them. They make the cabin smell so fragrant. 

Last but not least, bake the cake! Birthday cake for the girls. Always a lot of fun to have the prettiest smiles around my table. 

Who has more fun then us?

Spring is here and the Daffodils have poked their heads above the ground. Crocus here and there around the lawn. Robins, big and fat, making nests over the light fixtures and in the eves. 

Sunshine and warmer days are on their way!