Before and After - whole house!

I am posting this for Thrifty Decor Chick's before and after party. Welcome!

We have been working on our little cabin in the north woods of Canada for a couple years now...

This was before where there was a little bunkie and attached shed. We decided to drop 2 trees and make an addition between the two buildings that included a whole new room! It pretty much doubled the size of the house - but that isn't saying much since the original was 600 sq feet. 

Yup 600 - not a typo. 

This was during the process. We did all the work ourselves and had a cathedral ceiling and the bunkie became the master bedroom. This new room is the living room and the existing living room became my play room- yay!

This was taken this spring - we have since finished siding the right wall and now we just need some soffits and fascia. The whole front of the house got sided for free. Leftover siding from another job- score!
This is the inside of the addition. The ceiling was done in pine v joint that was milled on site near here. I like the green of the walls because in the summer it blends in with the outside and in the winter - it reminds me of summer!
The wood for the floor was from the guy. We laid it all ourselves. Ash hardwood and as a border - a tropical wood from Africa.

The windows were framed in the same wood for trim and inside was pine.

This is one wall done! 

I also did a before and after inspiration wall in my art room with recycled vintage dictionary pages and that link is here.

Thanks for visiting and make sure to visit me again!

Check out the party for lots more before and afters.

Wedding invite.

NO, not mine! I had to share this - it is so cool!

This is from Jessica Claire - a great wedding photographer that is getting married herself in Oct. On her blog she details how she did her save the date's all each with a different vintage key - really! 

Then the invites. All vintage books! Hollowed out and the invite added and a library pocket full of letterpressed maps and info. Sealed with wax! Then wrapped in brown paper and sent out.

Oh yeah, and see the vintage buttons on top? All different too. Love this.

Go see the whole story here

I can't wait to see what she does with the rest of her wedding! Check out the rest of her blog too for fabulous wedding shots and how she is decorating her office.

Lots of exclamation points today. yes.

And is it already Sept 5?? Where did that go? whew.

A year of Color

Getting caught up with my color journal for 

June...

July...

and August!

Tags

I am making for the paper packs for Squam.....

More to come.

A French Life

Have you read My French Life by Vicki Archer yet? It is a story of her life in France and some great eye candy!

See...

A little glimpse into a french life!

Some perks...

I may complain sometimes - ok alot - in the winter about living in the north woods, but these days are just about perfect. Sunny, breezy and not too hot. 

We leave our lawn wild so no mowing- YAY! but also we get these in the front yard.

Wild blueberries just ripe for picking. 

Which I did yesterday and had a yummy breakfast this morning.

There was also tons of these. But I have no clue what they are. Anyone?

My booty from the garden yesterday. Don't laugh! It's just starting and it looks like I'm gonna be finding some tomato recipes.

I can't wait!

Ebay updates

Some new items I have listed on ebay this week...



Movie magazine from 1956 - cool photos!

A vintage Alice in Wonderland. I love the cover and it is full of the original illustrations by John Tenniel.

A decorating magazine from 1946. Very interesting.

A lot of 10 metal escutcheons in flaking black paint and some rust. Lots of uses!

Take a peek here.

Blogging for Bliss

Today is a party over at Artsy Mama in honor of Tara Frey's new book. ( I am posting this the night before, because I have to leave in the morning)

I started blogging at the end of 2006 after I stumbled across this great new medium. I love photos and it was like having my own personal magazine anytime I want with so much I could never finish! It still is like that. Inspiration everywhere.

I also look at it as a way of keeping memories and it is really cool to look back on.

I document many things...


My garden,



My listings for etsy and ebay,


Recipes,


My love of photography and nature,


My love of swaps! Swaps are so cool and there are so many to choose from. Blogging also revived my love for art. I found so many people I didn't even know were out there - people that are like me! I am sure you all can relate.


This is some of my art journaling


And this was from a class by Michael DeMeng at Artfest 2008. Another bonus from blogging was finding all these great artists and going to artfest in 2008 and 9. Then last year finding out about Squam! An art retreat I could drive to.

I also have many pics of my daughter Sarah when she is dressed up...


And not... lol.

My blog shows the highlights of the trips we have been on too.
Mexico,
New York,


And Costa Rica this past march.

We also have been renovating our house over the past 2 years and adding an addition and redoing the kitchen.

This is the before pic


We took down these trees and attached the house to the sleeping cabin and made it a bedroom and new living room with cathedral ceilings.

This is the after, and as you can see, we are still working on it! But we have done it all ourselves so that takes longer.

This is a pic of the inside.


Other things I do on here is complain about the SNOW. We are in the north woods of Canada, so ya think I would be used to it by now.But this view out our back patio door is just crazy. Like, c'mon.

And also my job as part time librarian has its perks...

but it's a curse too. At least they don't STAY here. That doesn't stop me from filling all my bookshelves up with them too. Ah, but what is a life without books?


Well, now that I've written a book - :) I'll say goodbye and from my 2 "babies" too.

Have a good day!