My Choice for Spring

My Spring 2012 project is to perk up my bathroom.  It has been a hodge-podge of towels and rugs since we moved here in 2007.  I had other things to do, and really couldn't decide on a theme or colors that I really liked.  


Also, towels seem to last "forever"!  It hurts me to dispose of towels that have become faded and even softer.  Also I have an aversion to products "made in China" and finding acceptable others is growing more difficult.  (My problem, I admit).


My bath is painted a rustic gold color - the plaster appears old and aged.  It has been difficult for me to decide on a color that appeals to me and also matches the walls.  


Long ago, in another home, I designed the perfect bath for me.  It was all white - white fixtures, white walls, white floor, a mirrored wall, and a skylight that my husband added after our home was built - over the bathtub.  I dearly loved decorating that bath, adding colors that appealed to me.  One of my favorites was to use bright green towels on a white background with fern leaves.  I hung live ferns above the tub, and the bright light always made the bathroom a happy and bright place to be.  The ferns flourished with the moisture from the tub/shower.


I again wish for an all white bathroom.  However, such is not to be, unless I paint, and that is more than I want to do, living here by myself, with very tall ceilings and walls.  It is also unachievable because I have dark wood surround on the tub, dark woodwork, and dark floors.  


I am hoping for a quick makeover; some towels, rugs, and accessories in a color or colors that make me happy.  Now, deciding what color is the challenge.  Finding attractive storage is also a goal.  Bathroom clutter can be unsightly.  Surely there is a way to organize it and make it attractive, yet easily available.


What are some color combinations that make you happy?  I've walked for several hours through linen and bath shops, and have decided my colors.  They make me happy and remind me that Spring is almost here.  I will share them next post.  


Happy planning and sharing!  I am waiting to hear what your decorating project will be.  Also, tell me your favorite colors at this time.  


Enjoy!  Phebe

Spring Fever! Do you have it? What do you do with it?

Hi, All,

It has been quite a dry spell for me, writing on this blog.  There IS a good explanation,

- the terminal illness and death of my dearest male friend.  

After recovering to some degree from the  death of  my dear husband of 47 years in 2009,  I became best friends and sweethearts in late 2010 with an acquaintance of ours.  We shared a lot of laughter, fun times, and closeness. Closeness turned into love.   Losing him has been one of the harder times in my life. He suffered a short illness, hospitalization, and died in early February.  It has taken me a lot of work trying to get back to doing something constructive.  (You may read more about this on my other blog.)

However, today, Feb. 27, 2012, I'd say Spring Fever has hit me with a burst of fresh air and enthusiasm.  

I dearly love Spring projects for my cottage!  Last year I planned and designed a wonderful backyard project - getting rid of all the grass, and making a "backyard" room.  It has brought me great joy since it was finished in April, 2011.  

This year, I am starting to experience Spring Fever a bit early.  What about you?  Has Spring Fever hit you yet?  

What project would you most like to accomplish this Spring?

Let's work on ours together...if you will join me.  I need the friendship and anticipation of doing a new project for my home....and I'm sure you can think of one or two things you might like to undertake also.  Let's have fun, most of all.  


Best wishes!  Let me hear from you, please.  Phebe


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January Dreaming: A Organized Life

Good January, Cottage Dreamers:

Many of us try to jazz up our holiday let-down with New Years resolutions and planning for spring.

I had a fabulous Christmas season enjoying my little lake cottage with family, including two of my children, my teen grandson and friends. Too busy to blog through the last part of December, although I had good intentions.  

Now, I, too, am making New Years resolutions that will make my life better in 2012.  I aspire to better organization this year.   

At my age it may be too much to hope for me to become a totally organized person,  : (  but it is a fine goal and for me, any movement toward that goal will improve my life.  I spend a lot of time "looking for things."  Currently I've misplaced an important check;  often each month I spend a lot of time around the 15th looking for my postcard water bill.  Oh, how I wish for a system where I put things in their proper spot.  Maybe, soon, I will be able to do that.

Cottages often do not have enough storage, and that is true for mine.  As homes go in my neighborhood, mine is considered small by neighbors.  So often, when asked where I live and I tell them, they reply, "Oh, the little house."  Because it has soaring ceilings, I do not think of it as small, but it actually is. 

I started planning late last year to improve my life by creating a mudroom area in my house.  I envy the mudrooms seen in home improvement books or new home design books that show lockers for each family member to store outside gear, shoes, etc.  I thought of what my greatest needs are and realized I don't really need a traditional mudroom.  We seldom have a need for cold weather boots, lots of gloves, and down coats in my area of Texas.  If I used those items, I would surely want a place to stash them. 

My storage needs include a place to stash pet supplies and a place for my two cats to sleep and eat.  They have been garage kitties at night, but they enjoyed sleeping on the top of my van so much they created long scratches on the hood, and after it was recently painted, I decided I had to find a better place for them to sleep.  For three months, the car has been in the driveway and the kitties have slept in the garage. 

The January-February 2012 issue of This Old House magazine offers some great storage tips.  Immediately I was drawn to the cover which says:  "Same house, more space, and lots less clutter!"  This perfectly states my resolution for 2012.  

One suggestion in this issue, page 106, is a "mini-mudroom" (see below).

I imagine most homes, even small condos and apartments can create a "mini-mudroom" if that is something the owner desires.  A mini-mudroom also may be located in a converted bookshelf, armoire, coat closet or cabinet near the entry door.  Doors or a curtain will hide the clutter. 

I have a very small laundry room and I have stored cleaning supplies, the sweeper, brooms, and mops there.

My double car garage is extra-wide, and I decided that a mudroom in the corner of the garage would meet my needs nicely. My son, bless him, built me an 8 by 8 room over New Years weekend. I will use this for my cat sisters' bedroom, as well as for storing my cleaning items that now clutter my laundry room.

Although not yet finished, my kitties and I have moved in. Haven't decided wall colors yet, but have picked up some Martha Stewart paint samples from Home Depot.

Here is a photo of one of my kitties, Ellie, happy in her new home.  (The rug is an indoor-outdoor one from Home Depot.) 

Her sister, Annie, (below) likes to eat and sleep on the computer desk I placed in the room for the cats to eat on so that my family dog can't easily eat too much cat food.  My cats enjoy eating up high, and the old yellow bathroom rug I placed on the table makes a comfortable bed, although they also have a heated electric puppy pad on the floor.

When the room has been painted I will post more photos. The walls are wooden  unfinished beadboard  4 by 8 panels.   Organized life, I'm on my way! 
 

Happy Cottage Dreaming!   Phebe

Doing the Laundry - Now and in the 1930's and 1940's...

 Laundry Day, Now and Then...

My fairly new front loading washer started giving me the flashing sign this week, telling me it needed to be freshened and cleaned.  I had to go find some washer "cleaner/freshener" at the grocery store that was compatible with front loading washers that require HE detergent before I could wash again.  I grumbled at the inconvenience and wondered why a washer that is designed to clean clothes, needs to be washed?  I've done laundry for 48 years and have never had to clean my washer.  As I read the instructions, I saw that you put the "cleaner/freshener" in the detergent cup, turn on the washer and wash for about 5 minutes, and then pause it for about 5 hours, before finishing.  I thought crankily, I guess I won't be washing that quilt today, after all.  I had really wanted it on the bed tonight, as we are expecting a cold front.

As I was looking through an old cookbook today, I came across an article that I had torn out of one of my favorite magazines, Country Living, November 1991 edition called :Doin' The Wash, by Mary Seehafer Sears.

Reading about women's laundry day at the turn of the century made me sorry and ashamed I was complaining about my washer. 

Ms. Sears said:  Mondays were wash day, an arduous, dusk-to-dawn undertaking.   "Wash day" usually occurred on Monday because clothes were changed for church and Sunday dinner the day before and it was just logical to do the laundry the next day.  Every woman wished for bright sunny weather on Mondays.  Clothes were soaked the night before.  On Monday, in the basement or outdoors if the weather was fine, pots were set to boiling.  Washday routine included sorting,  washing, rinsing, and wringing the clothes.  When ready, the wash was hung on outdoor clotheslines.  In bad weather, they were hung in the basement to dry--and dry--and dry. 

Ok, now I'm feeling pretty ashamed at my thoughts of my "hardship" of having to go get the washer "cleaner/freshener," waiting for the washer to clean itself, and then throwing in a load of clothes.  No boiling the water, no making starch, no rinsing, no wringing, and no walking up from the basement to hang out clothes or back downstairs to iron them. 

I remember my grandmother doing laundry for a family of five, at the age of 60 in the 1940's and 1950's.  Her wringer washer was in the basement and she had to carry each basket upstairs  inside the house and down the 5-6 stairs on the back outside stairs to hang the clothes outside.  She then gathered the dry clothes, took them back to the basement, where she ironed each piece of clothing, including bed sheets, and then carried them back upstairs to the bedroom.  This memory makes me wonder exactly how many times she climbed stairs on washday? 

I realize how privileged I am, to have a nice inside first floor washer and dryer.  My only hardship is that my washer and dryer needs to be reversed because I have to reach over the washer door to put my clothes in the laundry. When that gets switched, my laundry chores will be even easier.  I seldom visit my iron...I'm ashamed to say.

                                                        

Also, in Mary Sears' article is a copy of an anonymous note (c.1900) on display at  the Whistler Museum and Archives, in Whistler, British Columbia, entitled "Recipe for Washing Clothes"  which described washday in the following 12 steps.  

                                         ~~~~~~~

1.  Build fire in back yard to heat kettle.

2. Set tubs so smoke won't blow in eyes if wind is pert.

3. Shove one whole cake of lye soap in boiling water.

4.  Sort things.  Make 1 pile coloured, 1 pile white, 1 pile breeches and rags.  

5.  Stir flour in cold water to smooth.  Thin down with boiling water. Starch.

6, Rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, then boil.  Just rinse and starch.

7.  Take white things out of kettle with broom handle.  Then rinse, blue and starch.

8.  Spread tea towels on grass; others on fence.

9.  Put rinse water on flower beds.

10.  Scrub porch with soapy water.

11.  Turn over the tubs to drain.

12.  Go put on a clean dress.  Smooth hair with side combs.  Brew tea. Sit and rest.

       Rock a spell.  Count your blessings.......

                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~ 

Ok, I'm really ashamed.   Just imagine doing laundry for a husband, six to 12 children, and yourself.  (In those days large families were fairly common.) 

This afternoon, I'm going to sit and watch TV and blog a bit, while my new washer cleans itself.  It is raining outside and today is Saturday, but I may still have time to wash my quilt and dry it before bedtime.  Electric washers and dryers are miracle machines....and I have a new perspective on what doing the laundry means!  Piece of cake!!!

And now we know why cottages of old had back porches.....don't we?

Pleasant daydreams!  Phebe

Cottages that Grew and Grew......

A friend is fond of saying that a young couple builds a small three room cottage for the two of them, then the wife wants a back porch.  Once the back porch is built, later it will need to be screened.

Soon the couple has a child;  the cottage needs to be bigger, so the couple encloses the back porch so the baby has a room.

Gradually, the cottage grows from  3 rooms, to four rooms, etc.

Here are some photos of cottages that have apparently grown, as a family's needs increase. 

Below, a gorgeous newly renovated cottage in Marble Falls, Texas....and how it grew and grew.....  Note, the chimney on the side of the front view can be seen again in the second photo, near the front side. 

The next cottage that grew is located in the lakeside community of Highland Haven, Texas.  The cottage is on the lake and actually looks like two cottages joined together.  They are painted different colors to highlight the differences.

And third, a Fredricksburg, Texas cottage that is an eye-stopper! 

Do you wonder if it was once two log cottages, on separate lots?  How much I'd love to know the history of these three cottages.  I may have to make a return visit and ask.  If so, I will give you an update. 

and finally, although this probably doesn't qualify as a cottage, it is made of stone, and is a very old home, in Stonewall, Texas.  I'd guess it has been added on to...and I love it!

What a wonderful old country estate near the LBJ birthplace! 

I'll be back soon with Blog # 4.  Until then, Pleasant Day Dreams!  Phebe