Feed Sack Chic

Don't you just love the look of feed sack upholstered furniture, but it can be quiet pricey. Recently, I bought an old chair, refinished it, recovered the seat cushion with burlap and stenciled it for a fraction of the cost. Maison de Stencils on Etsy has lots of authentic looking stencils. They are not cheap, but you can reuse them for several different projects. I also covered a bulletin board with burlap and stenciled it. I would recommend stenciling first - make sure you put something under the burlap before you begin to stencil. The paint can bleed through the backside. Also, I found that a dry, natural hair brush works the best. A dark gray instead of black looks more authentic and worn. I also stenciled a linen lampshade - a little tricky since it was already circular, but I think it came out pretty good. For those fabulous curtains, you can get very inexpensive natural linen curtains at Target (84" for $19.99) and stencil them with one of those large stencils from www.etsy.com/shop/maisondestencils. I think I am going to try to do these for my new atelier, creative studio. I'll post a picture once I'm done.

Jeanne d' Arc Living

I just got my new Jeanne d' Arc Living Magazine (February, 2010). I was like a kid getting my hands on the Sears Christmas Book! I couldn't wait to open it up. I thought this month's issue was even better than the last one. The pages are full of fresh ideas for Easter and springtime. . . . love the nests and eggs.

Hearty Vegetarian Chili - comfort food

This is a favorite at the farmhouse. We have it almost every week during the winter months. It is super easy to make, fiber-rich, economical, and is great packed in a thermos for lunch. Serve it with organic tortilla chips and a dollop of lowfat sour cream (we are loving the Smart Start sour cream these days) - delicious!

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (16-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add sugar and remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 257 (9% from fat)
Fat: 2.7g (sat 0.3g,mono 0.5g,poly 1.2g)
Protein: 12.8g
Carbohydrate: 48.8g
Fiber: 14.2g
Cholesterol: 0.0mg
Iron: 4.5mg
Sodium: 876mg
Calcium: 150mg

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2003

Luminous Lights

Quiet possibly the most beautiful thing I have ever made. This is a delightful string of lights made from tea stained coffee filters. They are so lovely and whimsical. My daughter loves them instead of a nightlight -magical.

Finial Fanatic

I have been collecting old wooden finials for some time now. The first one I ever received was given to me by my husband for our anniversary. He bought it in a small shop in Essex. It was originally owned by Gretchen Mann, a designer whom I absolutely love. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was. I remember going through a Country Loving magazine shortly after that and seeing a wonderful feature story about her home. Low and behold, there was my finial on the center of her dining table.

Soon, I bought three more of her beautiful antique finials and thus my collection began. But, what is it about these little bits of history that attract me? I love the sculptural quality of the various shapes: urn, acorn, ball. I love the years of paint chipping on the edges – it adds timelessness to the piece. How much longer has this piece existed than I? How many sunsets and rises has it seen sitting upon a porch baluster? How many children’s hands have palmed it quickly running down stairs as it sat upon a newel? There is something beautiful and absolutely simple about them that speaks to me.

“Things are pretty, graceful, rich, elegant, handsome, but until they speak to the imagination not yet beautiful.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mudroom

Didn't want to leave out the mudroom . . .

Bedroom and Master Bath

So, this is by far my favorite space in the entire house. I love my bedroom. It is quiet, peaceful and a wonderful place to just "be" after a long day. Again, I used all neutral colors. There is something very calming to me about neutrals - grays, browns, and earth tones. I love the contrast of elements like feedsack pillows juxtaposed with crystal lamps. I remember when we were building this house. It originally was suppose to have four bedrooms. We redesigned it, with the help of my father, to only have three, and I used the additional space to build this fabulously huge bathroom. I love the feel of the cool marble floors when you step out of the hot shower. It is light and crisp and opens into the master bedroom with two oversized French doors. When one of my neighbors saw it, she commented with, "what wasted space;" she just doesn't get it.

Living Room and Dining Room

Here are some pics of the dining room, living room, and the entrance way the adjoins them. Enjoy!

Creating My Nest

Kitchen and Family Room

My home is my nest,

at least that is what my husband calls it.

I wanted to share some of my decorating ideas in my home, so I am going to focus the next few posts on specific rooms in my house. I decided to start with the family room and kitchen since that is where everyone tends to be. It is truly the heart of our home. My family room opens directly into my kitchen. There are a pair of large architectural pillars that define each space. It provides a nice sized space for entertaining, and my daughter thinks being so close to the kitchen is great for midnight snacks during sleepovers. All the furnishings are really casual. I wanted a very 'livable' home. It has a warm, subtle style, but not too feminine. I decorate with a mix of modern, vintage, and repurposed pieces. I have become somewhat of a flea market addict over the past few years. I love to challenge myself to think of new ways to use old things. You would be amazed what a can of spray paint can do! I don't believe in spending a lot of money decorating your home. You shouldn't have to "break the bank" to surround yourself with beautiful things that you love. Just be creative with your thinking and don't follow any rules. Create unusual and intriguing pairings. Check out the Goodwill, thrift shops, flea markets, the dollar store, and don't underestimate the deals in the clearance section at TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Keep your colors soft and subtle. Rely on a neutral palette to bring out the best in your mix of furnishings - classic and modern. Use creamy whites and taupes to unify your rooms, especially if your rooms flow into each other like mine do. Use fabrics to bring a soft, textural, and vintage element to your space. Go with what you love. I remember when everyone told me not to get marble countertops because they are a soft stone and stain easily. Well, I did get marble. And yes, I have a few chips and stains, and I still absolutely love them. They bear the wear of a much used family kitchen, and there is something charming and real about that.