My Creative Blog:
Recycled Beauty

With Hubby out of town all week, I decided to paint our kitchen walls. But let me just say (in case I've implied otherwise), that I absolutely dread painting. I think by far the hardest part for me is just getting started.
For example, I put on my calender "Paint Kitchen Tuesday." Wednesday came and about 5pm, I called my Mom and said, "ugh, I have to paint the kitchen today....at some point." It was 6pm before I started and almost midnight before I finished.

I painted the walls Simply White (eggshell finish), which is the color we used on the cabinets, shelves and trim (in semi-gloss). With a fresh clean slate, I then experimented with creating a not so kitcheny kitchen!
Jennifer over at The Newlywed Diaries inspired me with this post! As I began gathering up some not-so-kitcheny items, I started to gravitate towards all things white, silver and wood.

I added a clock, some candlesticks, an alabaster bud vase that I put toothpicks in (to add some wood) and my sweet little owl figurine.

I didn't spend very much time on arranging things — can you tell? I sort of began with the basics of all the whitewear dishes and drinking glasses we'd be using on a regular basis. To balance out those kitchen items, I added my Grandmother's old candelabra, her big silver tray and her old little lamb print....oh, and her old owl print that I reframed. xo
I tried to break away from my previous tendency to create too much symmetry. I still tried to balance things out, but in a more irregular way.

I like how the light reflects on the silver things.

I also really love my owl figurine.

And look, here we are....I think this will be Hubby's favorite not so kitcheny addition to our shelves. xoxo

I received a request to post on my collection of transfer ware. I have three different patterns, a collection that started when I inherited my Grandmother's red transfer ware.

They were her everyday dishes that I grew up with. She lost many of the original plates in the California earth quakes. However, it was a pattern that continued to be made, so she was able to order replacements.

This is the mark on the back.

I display the red after Thanksgiving as they're part of my Christmas decorations. They stay up until spring, when it's time to display my teal blue transfer ware.

I bought these at an antique store in Washington state. They were on clearance and I almost passed them up thinking that although they were so beautiful, what would I everdo with them? That is the day I thought of putting up my different collections by season — and that is how I rationalized buying them!

This is the mark on the back.

This was taken last spring....which was the first spring I displayed them on the shelves.

The brown transfer ware goes up in fall. I came upon my brown transfer ware at Marshall's department store, and thought they would be perfect dishes to use for Thanksgiving.

This is the mark on the back of the plate.

If we didn't have the open shelves in the kitchen, I don't think I would have started collecting the other two patterns. But the open shelves are like a blank canvas, and can create a completely new look for the kitchen depending on what I put on them.
Soon I will be taking down the red transfer ware and putting up the teal blue bird transfer ware. This time, I'm going to try something different and attempt to create less of a kitchen feel and more of a 'room' feel.
Jennifer at The Newlywed Diaries posted on this look here and I really love it! So we'll see how I do — suggestions always welcome!

W hen I was a Music/Art major in college, I visited a home with the most amazing collection of original art work. The home inspired me because the people who lived there were not wealthy by any means. In fact, you could probably call them 'starving artists.'
Nevertheless, they had an amazing collection that included paintings by well-known regional artists as well as unsigned paintings found at tag sales.
It was a collection that they had been working on for many years and it was a collection they acquired passionately. And it showed. Their house breathed a wonderful sense of vitality because of it.
My collection of paintings has been greatly inspired by them. Here are a few of my favorites.

18 x 14
I bought this Eric Jacobsen painting, unframed, at a fundraiser for our local art gallery. Months later, I happened to find an antique frame that fit it perfectly (see this post ). The painting in the first photo was also purchased at the same fundraiser, and is by the same artist. I found an antique frame ($15) that happened to fit it as well.

15 x 18
This still life was purchased at Matthews Gallery in Portland. I had taken the owner a few paintings for him to appraise, and ended up trading them for this piece.

18 x 23
This piece is a reproduction of the The Torn Hat by Thomas Sully. It's signed by a well-known Seattle artist. I purchased it for $60. I found an old wood frame for $20 and had it cut down to fit the piece for another $20.

28 x 15
This is one of my favorite pieces. I love the companionship of the horses. It was a rare find in that the original frame was in pristine condition. I paid $120. Margaret and Graham have taken a liking to this one too!

9 x 13

13 x 9
A few years ago, an artist friend of mine allowed me to raid her seconds bin in her art studio. This pair of landscapes paired nicely with these antique Victorian frames ($45 each).

26 x 19
This piece is one of the largest pieces I've acquired. The frame drew me in as it's a beautiful chunky gold frame with clean lines and a wide profile. I knew the frame alone was worth the cost of the painting — $225.

17 x 22
I did a post on her here. I found this portrait unframed for $44. When I got home, I was thrilled that she happened to fit into this antique floral frame I had picked up several months prior ($20). My friend Steve described the frame poignantly as a beautiful 'dress' for her.

13 x 11
This is done by a local artist, Cathleen Rehfeld. Cathleen's work lovingly captures the essence of the landscape in our region. I bought it unframed and paired it with an antique frame I had cut down to size by a frame restorationist for $100.

16 x 13
This lone oak is by the same artist. I had this frame cut down as well.
As you can see, I'm especially drawn to landscapes and portraits. And I love finding beautiful antique paintings, but I also collect new art that offers that classic Hudson Valley School aesthetic.
I look forward to continuing to grow our collection. The vibrancy of the art is one of the reasons I'm so drawn to having white walls in our home. I love the way the neutral wall contrasts with the brilliance of the gold frames and the lovely imagery of the paintings.

I have to tell you about this amazing find... As an antique frame collector, I was in awe when I recently came across this beautiful marble frame. The oval frame is 9-1/2 x 12 with a 5x7 opening. It's a lovely size for an intimate portrait although I've temporarily inserted a print of one of Matisse's nudes, which I think goes quite nicely with the rounded lines of the carved marble.
The aged marble indicates that it's probably from the late 1800's. The oval detail is so beautiful and in such perfect condition that holding the frame made me feel as if I was granted a pleasure typically reserved for museum staff.
But I wasn't in a museum. I was standing in an antique store thinking that this little gem would cost hundreds....hundreds upon hundreds of dollars — oh, who will be so lucky to have it? But as I turned to look at the price tag (adhered with Scotch tape), it read, "$75." I may have started to hyperventilate at this moment because I couldn't believe something so rare and so beautiful and in such pristine condition, could be priced so modestly.
So I splurged big time and brought her home with me.
I absolutely cannot wait to learn more about the origins of this lovely frame. This is such a part of my love for antiques — discovering the amazing stories that come along with them.

Our basement laundry room moonlights as extra storage for odds and ends.

Before the contractors showed up for the second half of the house renovation (when porch, dormer and dining room were added), I came upon the above cabinet on one of my excursions into the city. I mention this because despite being in construction mode, I couldn't maintain the will power to abstain from decorating-mode.
I thought the old country cabinet would be perfect for the laundry room as it would add some nice old-fashioned character as well as provide some extra storage for my collections of transfer ware, flower vases and all our extra Martha Stewart white ware pieces (our everyday dishes).

I like having something that is enclosed so that dust is kept to a minimum and there are no critters lurking about when I need to retrieve something....this includes the ocassional field mouse, lizard, frog, salamander or eek, spiders....all of which have been sighted at one time or another. But really, it's the spiders, as I am one of those people who abhor spiders, yet can't bare to hurt them.

The cabinet also provides extra drawer space for items I don't use frequently.

At some point, we'll completely enclose the laundry room from the rest of the basement and perhaps add some heat so that doing laundry this time of year doesn't require wearing a hat or gloves. We also need to fix some parts of the old drop ceiling as it was disturbed when the electricians and the plumbers swept through with their updates.
To give the laundry room a more comfortable cozy look, I got a nice chunky jute rug for the floor. It was also a really cheap option I found at Home Goods — only $30. For its size, I thought it was a lot more charming than the synthetic rugs you get at Home Depot or Lowe's.
xoTrina

Behold my new office mirror! Remember the old gold one? Well, it wasn't really what I had in mind when I decided to put a mirror here, so I've been keeping my eye open for something else.

Due to the sloping ceiling, the size of the mirror had to be somewhat compact yet I also wanted it to fill the entire space. I also wanted to hang a mirror and not art because I wanted to brighten up this part of the room as much as possible.

This photo gives you a better perspective — my desk is to the left.

I love the combination of the gold top and gold frame with the cool brightness of all of the mirror panels. To me it has quite a lovely modern yet antique feeling to it. And I can't say that I've ever seen an old mirror quite like this one. I've seen new modern mirrors, similiar to the Shabby Chic look, but never a piece that included wood framing.
When Hubby asked, "is that a new mirror?" I used one of my old lines and replied, "no, of course it's not a new (technically speaking) mirror." He caught on to this awhile back so now I always say it slyly and use extra emphasis on the word new. Of course, I just had to follow it up with, "but guess how much I got it for?"
Now he was being sly as he loves to throw out low ball figures when I ask him to play this game — he guessed $37.50. Well, I paid $40 for it. It was $45 but I offered $40 (I know, some nerve to be so cheap!). But isn't it lovely? And it's such a steal. Hubby thinks so too even though it's an entire $2.50 more than what he guessed.

I would like to just say that it took some extra effort to capture this mirror without finding myself in the reflection! Whenever I see pictures of mirrors in magazines, I always wonder how they get the shot without them in it! It's very difficult because if you take the shot too far off to the side, it distorts the image. This is exactly why I have yet to post on the other new mirror I bought to replace the cabinet we moved out of the dining room!

I received so many lovely comments on my collection of bread boards! The first thing I thought was that I hope the one with the pomegranate stain wasn't front and center! Also, that these are just our everyday bread boards — not even my old antique ones!
So I thought I'd just share with you my most favorite bread board of all. And it is literally, a bread board. Just for bread.

I found this in an antique store for just $20 — hand carved knife included. I was hysterically excited and remember coming home and putting it on the table in front of Hubby and asking him to just take a moment to absorb our good fortune.
I have to say that one thing that drives me crazy about Hubby is that when I find a bargain and ask him to guess (why do I do it?) how much he thinks I got it for....he always guesses too low. So then suddenly my bargain price comes off (not to me, to him) as not such a bargain! Can anyone relate to this?
I am in the full throes of working on the living room. I thought perhaps I could take some pictures today but it's looking very gray outside so there may not be enough light for picture taking.

I love Victorian furniture. I love the ornate lines. I love the rich hue of the dark wood. I love that each piece possesses such intricate carved detail.

I purchased this Victorian chair for just $62. When I look at this chair, I see a work of art no different than a piece of artwork hanging on our wall. It's absolutely beautiful.
The fact that this delicate chair has 'lived' for over a hundred years is just fascinating to me, especially seeing that it's in pristine condition. It must have known some very loving homes along the way.

The needlepoint is in good condition — just a few thin spots, which I think come from moths rather than wear. The preservationist in me says leave it alone. But in my effort to blend my passion for antiques with the modernity of our lives, I thought of perhaps brightening the chair with a nice light velvet, which was also popular during the late 1800's.
Alternatively, for a more contemporary juxtaposition, I thought a nice botanical fabric could also be quite beautiful and honor the Victorian era's love of nature.

I've placed the chair next to my bed, in place of the chair that was already there. It goes just so beautifully next to the Eastlake nightstand, as they share the same intricate carved detail and the same lovely bird's eye maple veneer.
Considering the placement of the chair, I'm leaning towards brightening it with a soft, light velvet as I think it would best match the feel of the bedroom. If I do this, I will preserve the original needlepoint — perhaps by covering over it.
What do you think... leave it alone? Or do you like the bird toile, or the light soft velvet fabric?

S hortly after Hubby and I were married, I began thinking about babies. I always dreamed of having babies, but once we were married it was a dream I could finally wholeheartedly embrace.
Antique quilts were the first items I began to purchase in anticipation of becoming a Mom. I came across them in antique stores, sometimes referred to as 'doll quilts' due to their small size, and loved imagining our babies snuggled up inside them.
Of course, time passed without babies, so I stopped buying quilts, and put the others away for safe keeping. Now, five years later, I'm pregnant with two sweet little ones, and the quilts have found their home in the nursery.

This lavender trimmed quilt is 19" x 23". I just love the vintage fabrics and the sweet hand-stitched detail.

This quilt is 27" x 33". It's much more simply stated with a baby blue and red patch pattern. I love the little 'hand made' tag that is stitched inside.
I love thinking of the women who made these quilts. I have no doubt that they were made with great love and warmth for their children or grandchildren....or even just as an expression of the creative warmth inside them. It's a wonderful thought that makes them all the more beautiful to me.

A couple of weekends ago, I tore apart my office. It wasn't something I had on my 'to do' list but it had been bothering me for awhile. The issues I had with my office were that I didn't have enough drawer space to organize my odds and ends and it was feeling a bit stagnant and dreary.
You can go here to see the original remodel.
So my goal was to brighten it up while also finding ways to improve organization.
I stole the dresser from the guest house (one of the first antiques I bought when I lived in Maine) because the desk drawers alone weren't enough to hold office supplies, stationary, telephone books, all my inspiration photos from magazines, my various three-ring binders, etc. The extra drawer space has completely transformed the function of the office!

I converted this antique picture frame into a mirror to help brighten up this corner of the room. That little door you see in the reflection of the mirror is a small closet where I keep our old, and very ugly, filing cabinet.

I made two purchases: the sisal rug and another slip covered armchair from IKEA. I like this armchair because it's easy to pick up and move, which makes working on the computer with Hubby a lot easier to do.

I stole the Matisse nude (which doesn't show up very well in this photo) from the salon wall in the den!

I also finally found a place for this little Eastlake wall cubby. I picked this up years ago but never really figured out what to do with it. Now I have it by the door for outgoing mail.

In effort to make this space feel brighter, I gathered up all my marble collections (the lamps and the bird baths), as well as this old alabaster ash tray. I'll use it as a holder for thumb tacts.
So that's what I've done! No big changes really, I mostly just recycled items we already had. Oh, and one of my favorite new changes to my office, is having the horse painting on my desk. It's one of my most beloved paintings and I just love the companionship those four beautiful horses offer.

I thought I'd do a quick post on one of our nursery projects.

Here is the inside of the antique French armoire we purchased for the nursery. The piece was missing shelves so Hubby made these using pine tongue and groove planks. We are striving to make our nursery as green as possible, and didn't want to use any wood products such as plywood that contained glues and adhesives.

My Mom came up with the brilliant idea to cover the shelves in cloth — so we used 100% cotton duck cloth. After washing and ironing it, my Mom made slipcovers, which she was able to slide over the wood shelves as shown above.

Years ago I saw a photo of a linen closet that had a nice lace detail running along the edge of the shelves. We decided to add a similar detail to the armoire. Here is my Mom pinning the lace to one of the shelves before hand-sewing it.

And here's the result.

The cloth covers add a nice freshness to this piece that's been around for well over a hundred years.
I've received a lot of inquiries into when I'll be posting photographs of the nursery and honestly, I thought I would have been able to do so by now. But as it is, I am still waiting for a few items to arrive in the mail — one of the those items being the rug!
I'm typically not an on-line shopper but it's been helpful as I'm no longer making trips into the city. The downside of course is that sometimes things aren't always what they seem online, returns have to be made, and items reordered....for example our cribs.
However, things are coming together and we're really close to having everything completed. So photos to hopefully follow soon!