Living With What You Love

The talented photographer, designer and author Monica Rich Kosann recently shared her newly published book with me. As with any house design book, I was ever so delighted to sit down for a thorough read.

Living With What You Love is beautiful and completely captures all that make a house a home. Whether it is a special collection of seashells, fine art or a menagerie of family photos, Monica expresses how these endearing items offer our homes warmth, character and most of all, soul.

The book's celebration of photographs especially inspired me. I was moved to dust off those antique photo frames I've been collecting through the years, and finally fill them with the people and family I love.

I needed a large space so I decided to display them on our bedroom dresser. Joan of Arc is surrounded by the generations of family that have known her (my Great Great Grandmother originally purchased her).

Older generations are mixed in with the new. Pictures of Hubby, as both a little boy and a man, stand next to a picture of my Grandmother on the patio of her California hills home.

The photographs span four generations...my brother and I, my parents, my Grandmother and Great Grandmother.

I've picked up these frames as bargains over the past several years, ranging from $5 to $40. The sweet old pearl frame is one I came across for $5.

This is one of my favorite photos of my mom holding me as a baby.

I love this sweet little miniature Rococo frame holding a picture of my Grandmother as a child.

Here are my brother and I as children in Sequoia National Park, California.

In order to fit the photographs in non-standard size frames, I scanned them onto my computer and then re-sized them to fit each frame.

I want to thank Monica for sharing her beautiful book with me. My framing project would not have come about if it weren't for the inspiration I found through her examples that celebrate those items which lend soul to home...in collections, in heirlooms, and in photographs. It's truly nurturing to see the faces of my life, past and present, standing close to each other in heart and home.

Go here to read Acanthus and Acorn's review. Also, visit Monica's website to learn more about her, her passionate work and her new book, Living With What You Love.

Wicker and Wood

I love wicker and I love wood. Either together or separate. I have always been drawn to their warmth. My trip into the big city (Portland, Oregon) last week allowed me to indulge in these affections, as I found a couple of new antique wicker and wood pieces that I adore.

The piece shown above is what I would call art. To me, it's no different than a painting on the wall as it represents a unique expression of creativity and fine craftsmanship. I fell in love with this piece when I saw it, with its beautiful bobbin turned spindles, legs and arms, and pristine rush seat.

It's actually two pieces...called corner chairs. But according to the antique dealer, the chairs were often kept together and used as a bench. I'll keep them together as well.

Since I get a lot of inquiries about pricing of antiques, I will start listing what I've paid for the antiques I buy. This piece was originally priced at $130 for the pair and it was 50% off - so I paid $65. As I said to Hubby, 'that's a great deal.'

I also happened across this antique wicker trunk. I've always loved the look of trunks like these. This one is in pristine condition, so I knew I couldn't pass it up at $40. I love that it's on old, squeaky wheels.

Even the handles are still intact.

The top is in great condition too. By the way...this happens to be the first piece of furniture I've purchased for our growing family.

We'll use it as a toy box. xoxo

The other item I found on my excursion into the big city was an antique French armoire...also for the nursery! We just brought it home over the weekend so it's in several pieces right now - photos will have to follow.

Hubby is still working hard on finishing the dining room (after work and on the weekends). He's hung the drywall and is in the process of finishing up the mud (which takes three coats with a twenty-four hour drying period in between).

As for me, I've been trying to stay off my feet. My ankles, calves and feet have started to swell significantly and the only way to keep the swelling down is to lie down with my feet up (which somehow makes my eyes close).

And as you can see, I'm growing! Everywhere! In fact, soon I will surpass dear six foot four tall Hubby on the scale - ouch.

I'm feeling quite well overall, suffering mostly from pure lack of motivation...hence the lack of posts last week. But I am getting really excited to decorate the nursery. I haven't been running around much the last several months so my trip into Portland last week was a big day for me.

I have a strong vision of what the nursery will look like (I've drawn it out on paper about a dozen times now). The armoire was the major, potentially most challenging, item to acquire so now that we've found that, the rest should come together quite easily.

I'm very excited to share my vision for the nursery with you - and will do so in the coming months!

Joan of Arc

Meet Joan. I've known her since I was a little girl. This Italian bust of marble and alabaster used to sit on a table in my Grandmother's foyer in California. Before that, she came from my Great Great Grandmother's house in Chicago.

Growing up, I didn't know her as the tragic and heroic figure Joan of Arc. She was just the pretty lady that greeted us in my Grandmother's entry.

For now, she's on our bedroom dresser. Eventually, I would like to relocate her to the living room downstairs, but will need to find a table strong enough to support her.

Hubby wasn't all that crazy about Joan when she first came to live with us. She reminds him of his parochial school days.

But I think she's growing on him.

Matisse

This Matisse nude hangs in my office. It's a perfect example of how sometimes, due to my antique frame addiction, a piece of art comes together backwards. In other words, I found a print to go with the frame...instead of vice versa.

I believe this frame was the very first in my collection, which began while I was a college student in Maine. My love for both art and antiques found the perfect marriage in a passion for antique frames.

I've always admired the design detail and profile of this particular frame. It's also a good size at 16-1/2 x 22 inches.

For years, the frame was paired with a landscape print. But over time, I found that the soft, ambient colors of the print somehow took away from the drama of the frame itself. A few months ago, I decided to replace the landscape with a simple drawing of a female nude. I really adore this one by Matisse, a piece whose traditional lines and monochrome palette are unique compared to his more famous work.

I also recently framed a still life by Matisse for the kitchen. It is likewise paired with an antique gold frame, though the frame is much simpler in detail. Both pieces share the same aesthetic, which combines a finely made frame with a simple but delicately beautiful drawing.

I purchased both prints here.

Marble and Alabaster Lamps

It's funny how collections can sometimes begin. You purchase something because perhaps you got a good deal, or perhaps it's just that you're in a particular mood. Then suddenly, you're out and about again and see another one of similar nature but beautifully different...and your collection begins.

The above marble lamp was the first piece of my new collection. It had been at this particular antique store for awhile and finally, when it was marked down to $36, I thought perhaps I'd give it a try. And so my collection began...

It sits on the dresser in my office and has a wonderful three way light that is able to illuminate the small room. I love its skirted detail.

With this lamp, my collection grew to two. The tag in the antique store said it was marble but it could possibly be alabaster, I can't tell. It rests on the old writing desk in the den, which required a lamp base that was small enough to sit on the folded desk top.

I love the sweet carved detail and its wonderful creamy color.

Marble and alabaster lamps can be hard to find in good shape. I see a lot of them with broken necks that have been glued back together and/or badly chipped bases. Even with damage, prices are usually between $95 to $169.

This one sits on our bedroom dresser upstairs. I like the contrast between the white marble body with the veined marble base.

This one is the latest addition to my collection. It is by far the heaviest, and the tallest. It's waiting for a lamp shade, something I'll need to drive into the city to get. It could also use a good rewire -"Joan, help!!" Or should I say, "Dan, help!"

So what collection did you stumble upon?

Pray tell.

A Portrait of a Woman

I came across this portrait of a woman in an antique store recently. It was unframed and a little tattered but I think it's nicely done. I'm often drawn to portraits. It's hard not to imagine who the person was, or perhaps if still living, where they are.

I also like that a portrait is like looking through the eyes of the artist who painted it. You know that they knew the person, perhaps just briefly, but nevertheless their depiction captures one brief moment of an entire lifetime. And I think that's where the fascination lies....it's like reading a book that starts in the middle and has no ending.

I happened to have an antique frame that fit her perfectly - both in size and in style. As you can see in the first photo, it has a lovely floral detail that I think complements her quite beautifully.

I bought the painting for $44. The frame is something I picked up last summer for $20.

The Sauna Turned Gym, etc.

We're at a stopping point with our renovation of the old sauna. Left to do is paint the fir floors grey - glad some of you like the unfinished look! We're holding off on this task until summer when we won't be using it as much...when we reconvene our evening walks.

Go here to see before pictures!



I am so excited about the new shelves! Hubby recycled these from the old sauna benches he removed. The old table, which weighs a ton, is a gorgeous handmade table that came with the property. It's been tucked away in the barn so we thought we'd finally put it to use.

I'm really happy with what Hubby did with the table and shelves as it's going to provide some much needed storage for a project I'm working on!

I dug out this great old basket I had down in our basement. I picked it up several months ago but found it to be a bit over sized to use for laundry.

And oh yes, the gym!!! Not all that pretty but serving us very well now that the place has been spruced up a bit.

The large wood mirror is something I bought at an auction in Maine many years ago. It was one of my very first antique purchases. I've strategically used it to cover up the hole from the old medicine cabinet that was there.

Here's the outside facade. I'm really anxious to get a new door...which style do you like best?

Option A, except in white, is a classic style French door. I think this would be a more casual look.

Option B, also in white, is more of a traditional front door and I'm wondering if it would make this little outbuilding look more like a sweet little cottage.

What do you think?

New Drinking Glasses

When we were at the coast last weekend, we stopped in at an antique store (this wasn't by accident, I wrote the address down so we'd be sure to find it). It was my favorite kind of antique store with lots of booths by different dealers. I find that these stores (known as antique malls) often have, by far, the best prices and the best variety to choose from.

I wasn't disappointed as I found these glass drinking glasses. They were priced at $20 for eight of them. I knew this was a good deal because I had purchased the exact same glasses several years ago - except I paid $15 for just four.

Finding them was perfect timing because recently I decided to get rid of our old drinking glasses. They were glasses from Martha Stewart's line at K-Mart, so they were pretty (and of course cheap). But I liked them, I didn't love them (sorry Martha, you know I adore you)... so why keep using them?

The vintage glasses I love. And if I love them, then why not use them every single day? Well, I know the answer to that because I have a tendency to save the things I love most for 'special occasions.'

But then you go years not using something that you love. So I decided to break from that bad habit and, that's right, make everyday a special ocassion. Sounds corny but drinking water from these glasses would seriously offer me more warm fuzzies than drinking from the safe, I only like you, not love you glasses.

And besides, I had to ask myself, what's the worst thing that could happen? They break. But there are other beautiful glasses out there...so the worst thing would that I'd have to replace them with some other beautiful glasses.

Okay I admit, the fact that I now have twelve of them, makes this a whole lot easier. I have nine up on the shelf and three down in the cupboard - for safe keeping. ; )

Tulips & Toile

Tulips were on sale yesterday.

After several days of blue bird skies and cozy sunshine, we're having some rainy days. The tulips bring some brightness to these grey days. I love the white against the robin's egg blue walls (Opal Essence by Benjamin Moore).



I haven't put fresh flowers in here (our downstairs bathroom) for awhile, although that's exactly what the table is for.

I'm still loving my toile shower curtains from Pottery Barn.

Today I also hung a piece of art I recently framed. I found the nude drawing at an antique show several weeks ago. Shortly thereafter, I found the Victorian frame for $35. I think they go quite beautifully together. I just love the combination of the formal ornate detail of the frame, paired with the lovely simplicity of the charcoal drawing. I also love the gold hue against the blue walls.

Did I mention that tulips were on sale yesterday? I bought some pink ones too. They're a french variety that look like sweet little peonies.

I was surprised when the florist told me that if I wanted the tulips to last longer, to not trim the stems when I got home. She said that when you cut them, they release an acidic substance (that gooey stuff) into the water that makes the blossoms deteriorate faster. Has anyone ever heard of that? Well, I thought I'd try it. I didn't cut any of them, just plopped them in their vases 'as is' (which felt a bit neglectful).

I'll keep you posted on how long they last.

UPDATE: Go here to read that the above information on tulips is completely false!

Love Seat

I grew up with this love seat. It was in the entry of my Grandmother's home which was nestled in the hills of Studio City, California. Like all the antique pieces of hers I own, this piece of furniture has been in the family for several genarations, originally surviving my Great Great Grandparents westward migration from Chicago to Los Angeles in the early 1900's. These pieces were handed down from my Grandmothers Grandparents to her parents, and in turn from her parents to her.

My Grandmother upholstered the love seat in the red toile fabric. I hadn't realized this until we were closing up her house and found all the fabric scraps. She loved red toile...she loved her red transfer ware.

The dip you see in the right-half of the cushion is from me. I was a teenager and I decided to plop myself down on it one day but immediately sprang back up when I heard the sound of a spring pop. I had Hubby try to retie the springs last weekend so that's why we had it on the porch.



As you can see in the picture above, it's not looking very much like winter around here! We've had only rain these past few weeks...making it feel a lot more like spring. xo