between cottage and cabin

Beauty and the Beast Breakfast

2012-01-15T10:27:00.000-08:00

By far my favorite Disney princess has always been Belle. With "her nose stuck in a book" and her ability to see true beauty within, what's not to love? So when I first saw they were rereleasing the movie in 3D, I knew taking the girls was a must. With Chirstmas over and our elf-on-the-shelf back in the North Pole, I was missing some of that morning magic so I decided to suprise the girls with a special breakfast to announce our movie trip. You should have seen the looks of pure astonishment and giddiness when they came downstairs on an ordinary Friday morning to see the dining room table all adorned for a special breakfast.

Our Lumiere-esque sign read, "It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you this morning as your Mommy proudly presents your Breakfast."

For breakfast, the girls dined on vanilla yogurt with strawberries cut in the shape of enchanted roses...

...and cranberry-orange mini-muffins in rose paper cups.

I decorated the table with an enchanted rose and mirror and piles of vintage books.

Mrs. Potts, Chip and Lumiere also joined the festivities.

The girls also recieved new Belle t-shirts to wear to the movies and a little goodie box with a Belle pez dispenser and candy inside.

The buffet was set up for our after-movie treat: a new Belle nightgown for each girl and special snack, a Beauty and the Beast cake.

Each girl had her own Belle on the cake (when you're a twin- it's all about the fairness.)

The movie itself was as magical as I had remembered it. The 3D effects were stunning and the girls were mesmerized the entire time. My favorite part of the day however, was as when we were tucking them in and I heard, "Mommy, this was the best day ever!"

Catch me partying here !

Year in Review

2011-12-30T07:29:00.000-08:00

Hello friends,
Its hard to believe it has been months since I posted last. All has been fine in our little corner of the world. Now with winter finally upon us, things slow down a bit and I am excited to share some of the things we've been up to. I love how a new year brings out that reflective spirit in me. So here is our little year in review- some old and some new.

First, Mr. Cabin built the cottage exercise room - my bright, happy place amongst the basement chaos.

Next, was the cabin's wood shed. Yes, it is there in the background of the picture. Its not so pretty right now. It still needs paint and a front eve. Who am I kidding? I am not sure if it will ever be pretty- after all it is a tool shed. But its functional and the bottom line is - it got those tools out of the living room! Most importantly however, fingers crossed, with the tool shed built I am one step closer to getting the outdoor shower of my dreams!

My favorite project at the cabin was this impromptu one- a small dock out over the pond- built from left over wood from the shed. We spent a good many hours swimming and fishing off that little dock this year.

Gotta love unplanned strokes of genius.

Back at the cottage, I started a tea party garden for the girls this summer. The basic structure was about as far as I got, but I am looking forward to finishing it this coming spring.

Now unto all the projects I have yet to post about. Installing red cabinets in the cabin's kitchenette! I am thrilled with the way they came out.

And finally the project that is mostly responsible for keeping me away and preoccupied for the past few months- the girls' woodland fairy birthday party. There will be lots to post about that special event!

Hope all is well in your little corner of the world too. Hope your own reflective spirit finds you looking lovingly on this past year with pride in your accomplishments and into the future with anticipation and hope.
Happy New Year friends!

After Irene

2011-09-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

I am so very grateful that we survived Hurricane Irene with practically no damage. All around us, neighbors, family and friends, lost power and had flooding. We were very fortunate. Some friends lost everything and will have to rebuild their houses completely.

As we celebrate the end of summer this weekend, there is so much more to be grateful for...

Hoping you will fully enjoy your Labor Day Weekend too,

Preparing for Irene in between

2011-08-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

Our cottage is right in the middle of the path Irene is expected to take in the next two days. We started to prepare a few days ago. Apparently so is everyone else. Mr.Cabin tried to purchase a generator- sold out. Extra batteries- sold out. Flashlights- sold out. Even bottled water- sold out. Luckily, we have all of these supplies at the cabin four hours away. So after work today, Mr.Cabin began the four hour journey to the cabin to pick these things up and then he will travel the four hours back to us. Bless his heart. In the meantime, I have been preparing here as best I can- making ice in case we should lose power and use of the fridge.

We are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

Praying eveyone stays safe,

The Summer Lists: Half-Way

2011-08-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of every summer, I sit down to write my "Summer List". It is a horrid list of things I have been putting off all year. Re-organize the pantry, clean the closets, recover the kitchen chairs again.
I am a procrastinating champ so this list is chock full of fun tasks like that.
This year however we started a second "Summer List" just for the girls. Inspired by all of the other lists out there in blogland, this list is fill up to the brim with things like catch fireflies, collect sea shells and make ice cream.
Today- August 1st, I consider to be the half-way point of our summer- only one month left until life returns to our normal school and work routine. Looking at our lists the past few days had turned me into a giant grouchy puss. While we have checked off almost all of the girls' list- my list has been almost forgotten. Not one task checked off. The problem is- I have not forgotten about my list. I wish I could but it was still there nagging at me. And while I could say the girls are only little once and it is perfectly fine for me to spend all my time creating adventures and memories with them, the realistic, logical side of my brain knows that life with them would also run much smoother if the closets were more organized.
So at the start of our weeekend I was in a terrible mood, I desperately needed to cross some items off of my list but hubby had other ideas. He wanted to take the girls canoeing- one of the things on their list. Mommy guilt set in and I finally agreed. Our entire day Saturday was spent preparing for our trip. By Sunday morning, I was barely smiling.

Then somehow my spirits lifted. Spending the day out on the water somehow healed my soul and changed my perspective.

How could life be so terrible? Look at all I have to be grateful for. The warm wind on my face, the sun on my skin, the sparkle on the water helped me to realize my glass of lemonade is really half full.

I woke up this morning seeing all the ways I have been able to balance. The pallets are a perfect example. The first half of the summer was spent building a wood shed at the cabin out of these giant pallets- one major item on the "Cabin To- Do List".

Although the girls had fun when they thought the floor was going to be a stage for their "performances", for the most part the time spent building the shed was not too much fun for them.

But when we were almost done, Mr.Cabin had the wonderful idea to build a little dock for them with the left-over pallets.

Fishing and swimming off this little dock was the best part of their summer at the cabin yet.

Somehow the work had turned into the play and we were all happy.
So this is where I am this morning, trying to remember the pallets, trying to turn the work into play and keep us all happy. Not everything may get checked off my list. Not everything may even be checked off theirs. But at the half-way point, we already have some terrific memories and I am looking forward to what the end of the summer brings.

Anyone have ideas how to make reorganizing the pantry fun for two four-year olds?

Still here...

2011-07-15T07:40:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile...
Memorial Day till now has been a whirlwind for us. Today we are packing for week at the beach and I finally sat down to offload some photos onto the computer. Looking at all these pictures brought about a bad case of blogger guilt. I have not written in such a long time- so many of these photos belong in posts.
Perhaps when we return from the beach and the summer slows down a bit, I will finally have the time to write about all that we have been up to.
Until then, here are a few of my favorites. Hope you are savoring the sweet days of summer too...

Spring at the Cabin

2011-05-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

Our first hike at the cabin, felt like spring itself- breathing again after the long winter, renewed and full of possibilty.
On our way to the pond, we explored the meadow and found tiny little streams trickling their way through.

The beaver had been very busy while we were gone. From the bank where we normally fish, I could hear the water tumbling down the other side of the pond. We normally never venture past this side- too treacherous to cross with the little ones when the brush is thick and leaves and branches tangle you up. But in the spring, when there are only buds on the trees, life is different. You can cross to the other side.

In the spring, I could finally see the water tumbling over the edge.

Little baby waterfalls splashing down.

In the spring, fresh, crisp, green new life springs up on the forest floor.

In the spring, tiny hands can catch tiny tadpoles.

Only for a second, they held them in their hands and giggled as they watched them wriggle.

Too soon, these will be the frogs whose croaks in the distance will lull them to sleep.

In the distance we marveled at the beaver's dam and watched the pine trees reflect in the water.

In the spring, Daddy picks us flowers...

...and Mommy takes too long taking pictures when all the girls want to do is keep on exploring.

In the spring, we can hike to the pine tree and follow the deer's hoof prints as we go.

We gaze up into the pine's soft green boughs.

New life and new beginnings all around us.

Outdoor Shower Dreaming

2011-03-20T06:51:00.000-07:00

Mr.Cabin went up to the cabin this weekend- the first trip of the year. I have been sitting home insanely jealous that he is there and we are not. The first time he usually goes by himself to make sure everything was ok over the winter. This time he was also delivering a trailer full of wood to build our new wood shed with. I am not too upset about missing lifting all of that heavy timber. Then he called to say he arrived safely but that the truck and trailer are now stuck in the snow- really happy I am missing that entire catastrophe altogether too.

So while I wait for Mr.Cabin to un-stick himself and return home, I have been thinking about what the new wood shed will mean. Tools out of the living room- woo hoo! It also means that once the wood shed is built we can also build our outdoor shower. I will probably get in trouble here for thinking ten steps ahead- there is a good chance it won't even get built this year-but I can't help dreaming anyway.

Last summer when we had our whole extended family camping with us, we set up a little outdoor shower area using a pop-up canopy tent, shower curtians and a camp shower. Everyone loved it. There is nothing quite like taking a shower in the great outdoors. So I have been scheming ever since to build a more permanent structure. Of course while I was originally scheming, the shower was not going to include a bath tub....but look at how incredible all of these inspiration photos are. A girl can dream.

A Little Sunshine

2011-03-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

It's a dreary, rainy March day in our neck of the woods. Thought I would share a special day that brought a little sunshine into our lives- my mother's birthday. This year instead of going to a restaurant with four kids under five (not fun), my sisters and I decided to cook dinner ourselves.

When I told the girls we would be having a birthday party for Grammy at our house, their first question was, "What kind of party?" Apparently, my obsession with party planning is wearing off on them- it's not a party unless you have a theme and a pinata. They offered many suggestions they thought Grammie would like- Dora, Bubble Guppies, Angelina Ballerina. I needed to come up with a theme quick. While I was online searching for inspiration, I ran across these beautiful paper lanterns and everything fell into place.

Since the day my girls were born, my mother has always sang "You Are My Sunshine" to them. I knew I found my theme. I set to work finding as much yellow as I could inexpensively get my hands on and the girls started coloring picture after picture of sunshines.

The day before the party I put up the decorations then picked up the girls from school. They loved seeing the room transformed when they walked in the door. I went into the kitchen to unpack their backpacks. A minute later, they came in to get me. They lead me into the living room by their little hands and said, "Look Mommy, now Grammie's party is all ready!"

They had taken all of the pictures of sunshines they had worked so hard on and put them up on the mantle. My heart melted. This was what this party was all about.

I admit there are many times when I will do something now thinking about how wonderful it will be to write about it on the blog. My crazy hunt for yellow tablecloths absolutely was because I had blog photos in the back of my mind. It took my girls in all of thier innocence to remind me why we go the extra mile sometimes- not because the mantle will look good on a blog photo but because my mother will walk in the door and look at the decorations and know how truly special and loved she is.
I don't regret blogging- sometimes I wish I had more time for it. Most times I appreciate the ambition and focus it gives me for my projects. All of the time, I read other blogs and feel inspired- a little sunshine to my day. Today I am hoping this little post of mine spreads a little sunshine to your neck of the woods too.

Tweet Heart Valentine Party

2011-02-06T10:59:00.000-08:00

Love is in the air.

To celebrate this past weekend, we had a Tweet Heart Valentine Party.

The girls had a wonderful time making valentines.

We even made some tweet treats for our feathered friends.

Cottage Exercise Room

2011-01-30T18:36:00.000-08:00

Simple and welcoming are words that I often hear used to describe what I love most about cottage style. So it was obvious I needed to use those two words to guide my design of the new exercise room. Foremost, I wanted it to be a space I looked forward to going into. It had to be inviting as well as motivating. Most importantly however, it had to be a room that would not only look good but that I would use!

Small May Be More
No need for lots of intimidating equipment here. Just enough space for one major piece of equipment and enough floor space to stretch and do some yoga. This room is tiny, only five feet by nine but thats perfectly fine. Fitness expert, Jessica Smith in article at Better Homes and Gardens says, "Some of the most effective workouts come from simplicity- simple equipment and minimal space can help you create a regular, effective workout routine."

To keep workout routines for becoming monotonous, there are a few extra exercise tools I incorporated to use for variety- resistance cords, an exercise ball, weights.

Color
I chose colors that would create a comfortable yet invigorating atmosphere. The lime green and turquoise wake me up and make me want to get moving.

This canvas I painted with my color scheme and then decoupaged on images of simple stretch and ball exercises for easy reference plus a light-hearted reminder.

Storage
The lime cabinet adds a punch of color but also neatly stores all the exercise videos and dvds, weights, yoga blocks and towels.

Inspiration
Being surrounded by inspirational images and words is critical in a space like this. A memo board hangs above the cabinet- a place where I can tack up motivating quotes and pictures and easily change them as often as I like.

Instead of an all out beach theme, the starfish and shells are the subtle reminders I need that bathing suit season is just around the corner. The yearly planner I purchased to track my progress also features palm trees and beach scenes.

The mirrors I etched with the words- aspire, believe, energize and achieve.

Waking the Senses
Any well decorated room will please all the senses including your nose. Keeping the room smelling nice is key especially in a room where there will be lots of sweat. This reed diffuser decorated with shells accomplishs just that. The plants help give the room a fresh look and also help clean and purify the air.

With a simple, motivating space like this I am well on my way to a healthier me.

Linking to these great parties. Check out all the talent too!

One of those days...

2011-01-27T07:26:00.000-08:00

We are stuck in the house on another snow day and I feel a case of some serious cabin fever about to settle in.
A little dose of "why we love snow days" is in order. Lest we forget why we start wishing for these days in the first place.
First remedy, pile on the marshmellows.
Why just cover the top of your hot cocoa when you can cover the top of your cupcake too?

An extra special sugary snow day treat, is just what the doctor ordered for the girls.

As for this housebound mom, staying in my pjs all day will do just as nicely.

building the exercise room

2011-01-17T09:07:00.000-08:00

When I first came up with this crazy idea to carve out some space in the basement for exercising, I thought we could just hang some curtains to section off the space. It was Mr. Cabin who suggested we actually build a real room with real walls and a real door. I don't know why I am suprized with the way it came out. After all, this man did build me an entire cabin- he evidentally knows what he is doing! Yet his carpentry skills never cease to amaze.

He turned an icky section of the basement that looked like this-

...into this.

Because Mr. Cabin loathes spackling and sanding we decided not use traditional sheetrock. He suggested this beadboard paneling and because I love the cottage look of beadboard, I was all for it.

I wanted to leave the beams exposed in the ceiling but they were pretty disgusting and Mr. Cabin said it wouldn't look good so instead he used cedar planking.

I love the rustic combination of the cedar and the beadboard.

Mr. Cabin suprized me with these recessed lights and trim rings.

We used carpet tiles on the floor. The floor is very uneven so this was the easiest option.

Now that the building is done, it is my turn to decorate and turn it into an exercise room.

It has to be one heck of an inviting and invigorating space that I will use all the time. If I don't, Mr.Cabin has threathened to turn the room into his video game lounge!

Motivational Mirrors: Etching Tutorial

2011-01-08T15:14:00.000-08:00

While Mr. Cabin has been toiling away in the basement trying to finish building me my little exercise room, I have been busy with a few projects of my own trying to make the space inviting and inspiring.

Most traditional gym and exercise spaces feature an entire wall of mirrors. While I have nothing against giant mirrors, purchasing one for the space was not within our budget.
Besides I already know what I look like, right? Only staring at myself sweating while I was exercising- not very motivating. So I decided to use several smaller mirrors which I am going to incorporate into a collage with some other art work.
To get more bang for my decorating buck and my wall space as well, I decided to try etching different motivational words onto each of the mirrors.
If you would like to try it out too, here's what you'll need: mirror or glass, etching cream, an exacto knife, clear contact paper and words or images printed on paper.

Here's what I did. First, I printed out the words I chose from the computer. Then I cut out large pieces of contact paper. I made the contact paper pieces slighter larger than my 12 x 12 mirrors.

Next, I taped the words upside down to the underside of the contact paper.

Then I flipped the paper over and traced each word onto the vinyl.

Then I removed the words and the paper backing from the contact paper and carefully adhered the sheet to the mirror. I used a credit card to help smooth out the bubbles. The extra contact paper I rolled over the edges, which helped protect me from being cut while I was handling the mirror.

Next, I used an exacto knife to cut out each letter. I have to mention my new favorite letter of the alphabet is now v...such a simple letter to cut out- gotta love it.

Finally, I was ready to apply the etching cream. I will admit the warnings on the bottle did have me a little scared. "May be fatal," is not a warning I take lightly. So I donned my protective goggles, a pair of chemical resistant latex gloves and turned the exhaust fan on in the kitchen before I was ready to proceed.

I followed the directions on the bottle. I applied a think layer of etching cream, waited five minutes then rinsed with water.

The finished product.

I was actually surprised with how easy this was.

I may even try etching words on a bathroom mirror soon too.

Anyone curious what the other words I chose were?
Come on back for the grand reveal of the exercise room.
Cross your fingers for me it will be real soon,

Bathroom Make-do

2011-01-05T15:36:00.000-08:00

Centsational Girl is hosting a link party on bathroom makeovers. Our upstairs bathroom wasn't a make-over but more of a make-do. This bathroom needs to be gutted completely and totally redone!

In the meantime, here are the few things we have done to make it a more enjoyable space.

The bottom half of the walls is yellow FRP.

(I had no idea what that was- I had to ask Mr. Cabin. According to him, FRP is fiberglass reinforced panels. Basically it is vinyl yellow paneling.)

You really can't paint over the FRP so I had to find a way to make it work.

Finding inspiration in the rug I bought, I chose to paint the top half purple. The two colors are a bright combination that works well in the small space.

I brought in the tower from the girl's old nursery. It used to hold diapers and things.

Now it is the perfect place for the towels and the extra toilet paper.

The dragonfly print and the frog loofahs add a bit of whimsy and fun.

This vanity was white with gold. Yuck!

So while we wait to rip it out completely,

a little decorative painting has become my favorite make-do of all.

Be sure to check out all the rest of the bathroom make-overs at Centsational Girls blog.

Cottage Winter Whites

2010-12-31T13:17:00.000-08:00

The holidays were magical this year with our daughters.
Nothing can compare to the pure joy and bliss of Christmas seen through the eyes of a child.
We tried to savor every moment.

Now that the hustle and bustle is dying down a bit, we are looking forward to the new year.
Filling the cottage with simple winter whites, speaks to me of the fresh possibilities the new year will bring.

Thank you for sharing our journey this year between the cottage and the cabin.

Happy 2011...

Mermaid Party

2010-12-04T08:28:00.000-08:00

The girls' 4th birthday party was a swimming party at our local YMCA.

Although it was the end of November, our mermaid theme got everyone in the mood to want to dive right into the water.

The girls had a blast at their party, singing and dancing with Ariel and then swimming with their cousins.
I hope this party is another one of their favorite childhood memories...

Postponing Decking the Halls, to Build Up Walls

2010-11-28T18:22:00.000-08:00

It has been a whirlwind few weeks starting with the girls' birthday party (mermaid party pics coming soon I promise) to Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season. While most people are busy decking the halls, we've been building some walls. And though we might be the last ones on our block to put up our lights this year, we are getting a jump on all those new year resolutions to get fit because the walls we are building belong to a new exercise room for me!
I confess exercise has not been part of my daily routine and it should be. I want to start exercising again not so much to get back in shape but to gain some more energy. Other times in my life when I exercised regularly, I had more energy, stamina and focus. My life with twin four year olds and a demanding full time job is exhausting- more energy is high on my wish list. So an exercise room is what I asked Santa (Mr.Cabin) for this year.

I know an entire room sounds a little extreme but let me explain a few things.
#1 - It's winter. Had it been spring or summer, I would just go outside and take a walk. But it's dark and cold by 4:30 every afternoon. Walking outside in the dark and the cold does not appeal to me.

#2- Why not just join a gym? I could of course but it all goes back to the cold and the dark. I would not want to leave my nice, warm and cozy cottage to drive to a gym. I just wouldn't go.

#3- I already have some equipment. A gazelle, which got put in the basement when pregnant me got put on bedrest- the poor machine has not seen the light of day since. Four long years. I used to have it set up in the living room but the twins and their toys have taken over and that is just not a good option anymore.

#4- You may be picturing an entire room as a large space. Nope- this room is going to be tiny. The reality is the only room we could spare was some space in basement. The basement right now is dark and dinghy- basically storage and laundry space. We were able to figure out a little space I could call my own- all 8 feet by 9 nine feet of it.

#5- If I am going to use the space it has to be pretty. Who wants to work out staring at the pile of dirty laundry? An inviting, pretty little space all my own will make working out less of a chore.

So this is what Mr.Cabin was doing this weekend instead of putting lights on our house. First he replaced the window.

He installed a slightly larger window but first he had to cut out all this excess concrete. I was so impressed he knew what he was doing!

The new window and trim.

Here is the space- can you see now why I don't want to work out in the basement as is? Yuck!

The beginning of the framing.

And since I don't want to leave you with all dinghy, dirty basement pictures- here are some pretty pictures.

This is an idea I came across while looking for inspiring exercise room photos.

from Cottage Living

I am contemplating using this cabinet from the kitchen in the same way- TV/DVD player on top, exercise dvd's and supplies inside. I just repainted it when we repainted the kitchen except the color isn't quite right for the kitchen. I going to repaint it again but now I think the color might be perfect for the exercise room.

The rest of my inspiration so far- bright, happy, invigorating and pretty. What more could a workout room ask for?

Of course, Mr. Cabin has not seen the above yet. It drives him nuts when I start decorating while he is still working. I can't help it- I'm excited about my Christmas gift!

Party Prep: Placecards and Pearls

2010-11-14T06:48:00.000-08:00

The girls' 4th birthday party is less than a week away now and I have mermaids swimming through my thoughts day and night. The girls themselves are giddy with anticipation and that's all that really matters.
The major components of the party have been in place for a few months, now it is time for a few last minute details. I love party details. They can make or break a party for me and they are my favorite part of planning.

Here are the placecards I just made to label all of the food. I tried to name the food to fit in with our mermaid theme as much as possible.

A little curious about this one?

First let me say, I swoon over all those gorgeous candy buffets you see in parties lately- so sweet and pretty.
Here is the beginning of what will be our own mini-mermaid version....pearls.

I picked up a few different size pearl candies for a pick-your-own pearl candy buffet.

The best party tip I have from planning this party is buying a digital scrapbook kit. I am not a digitial scrapbooker and I had never purchased one before but I am so glad I did. I used all the coordinated images for everything- the invitations, the banner, the placecards, our Soup-er Favors ...

I did use some of my traditional paper scrapbook supplies too. I cut pretty water paper into strips to make these napkin rings. The girls even helped assemble them by adding little sea creature stickers.

I like how pretty it looks but it also makes the buffet easier when the cutlery and napkins are together in a pretty little package. I bought a wooden treasure chest to hold them all and some pearls to spill over the side as decoration.
Can't wait to post actual photos from the party- wish me luck,

Bittersweet

2010-11-11T16:40:00.000-08:00

Our cabin is only 17 by 31 feet. 527 square feet of shelter tucked in among the trees but leaving it this past weekend for the winter was like saying goodbye to a friend who you know you will not see for a long time. Bittersweet. As I reflect on the times we spent there this past year, I am grateful for so many things...

...special journeys.

Traveling down well worn paths towards precious new discoveries...

cherishing these moments through the eyes a child.

Sometimes traveling into the past and pondering from where we came...

Reflecting on the beauty of constant change all around us.

Spending time with friends and family...

... and some quiet stolen moments to enjoy the peace of the forest all alone.

It has been a wonderful spring, summer and fall at the cabin.

I will miss it dearly all winter long.

I feel so lucky and blessed to have this special little place. Life is good.

And I am so very grateful to share it with you...

Bug-A-Boo!

2010-10-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

For Halloween this year the girls decided to be a Bumble Bee and a LadyBug. Since they are only three years old, they are still a little leary of all the traditional witches and goblins and ghosts- Oh My!
So for our Halloween party I decided to use their costumes as my inspiration and go a little buggy...a Bug-A-Boo Party!

The Invitations.

Dragonflies are holding up our "Bug-A-Boo" banner.

I know I probably shouldn't add any more candy to the day but I couldn't resist adding these to our party theme...

I am still working on figuring out the rest of the buggy menu but I think we have the beginnings of pretty buggin' bash!

Linking to these parties- check them out!

The Rock Wall

2010-09-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

Just a little beyond our cabin lies a rock wall, tumbling down and filled with crooks and crevices where our chipmunk friends play hide and seek.

Nothing more than a pile of rocks covered with sweet, green velvet moss.

But within these rocks, I know there is a story....

Who built this wall?

How long ago?

What were their lives like?

What did the woods look like then?

Along the path to the pond, lies this rusted bucket. I refuse to move it.

I like to walk past and think about its previous owners.

These woods were not always ours nor will they always be.

I am always awestruck by the curiousity of the human soul.

To wonder so much and care so deeply about a person and a family we have never seen, have never meet- the history of this place, the magic of the forest, connecting us together.

Halloween Hoedown

2010-09-15T17:50:00.000-07:00

I am not trying to rush the season here- really I'm not. But after the girls have been constantly looking at the costume catalog that arrived two months ago, I finally got them to committ to what they want their costumes to be this year. Woo-hoo! I'm on my way to a Happy Halloween, so I am in the mood for a little flashback.

This is the Halloween party we threw when the girls were only two, no trick-or-treating yet. Old McDonald was all the rage in our little cottage then. We dressed them up as a cow and a pig and their cousin, who is only four months younger, was a horse- our own little barnyard. The adults wore overalls and flannels to be farmers.

The invitations said,

"Oink, Neigh, Moo and Booooo!

It's a Hoedown Halloween

and we're inviting you!"

I made chilli in the slow cooker (perfect for when Halloween falls during the work week) and set up a simple buffet.

The "corny" cupcakes are from the cookbook Hello, Cupcake!

(Tons of cute ideas in there, check it out if you haven't already.)

I ordered inexpensive bandanas and cowboy hats by the dozen.

For decorations, I knotted two bandanas in a triangle shape to drape over the backs of the chairs and then hung a cowboy hat on each. Guests could then wear them if they liked and it was a cute party favor. Everyone had a rootin' tootin' good time.

As for this Halloween, we're going buggy. The costume committment I finally recieved was for a ladybug and a bumblebee. Stay tuned for more details as I plan this year's buzzin' bash,

Autumn Gold

2010-09-12T13:23:00.000-07:00

After the frenzy of the first days back to school, we happily escaped for a quick trip to the cabin this weekend. The weather was gorgeous. No fall foliage yet but there were the prettiest golden wildflowers all around the pond and the fields. A hint of the golden autumn to come, I hope.

Live Simply

2010-08-31T07:09:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report that the kitchen walls, the chairs and the bookcase were all repainted with no major malfunctions. I am still waiting for the backs of the chairs to be recovered (major sewing involved so they are being shipped several states away to my mother-in-law!) so the big reveal will be awhile away.

In the meantime, here is a sneak peek at something I bought for the walls. I love its message- what an important thing to be reminded of daily.

I am going to soak up all these wonderful last moments of summer and get in some extra snuggles before I send the girls off the school.
Hope you are enjoying all the simple things that make your heart sing too,

Going Grapes

2010-08-28T06:58:00.000-07:00

Awhile ago I did a post about our updated kitchen . We installed cork flooring, a new butcher block countertop and a beadboard backsplash. You could never tell from the (before I had a digital camera) photos but it is actually an eat-in kitchen. The reason you never saw a table or anything else- sour grapes! Eight years ago when we moved in, I decided I wanted a grape- themed kitchen so we installed this border.

The walls look like are sponge painted sage green, but if you look closer...

...you will see all of the walls have this texture on them. Instead of painting them with a roller, we ragged the paint on and it gave it this sponge-painted effect.

Eight years ago, I really loved the way it looked. Recently however, it looked outdated to me. I longed for a simpler, fresher look- no theme, no sponge-paint!

The real catalyst for change was the girls' booster seats though. Actually the removal of the booster seats from the kitchen chairs. The girls insisted they didn't need them any more.

Oh the horror that was lurking beneath those seats!

Luckily for you this photo does not do the stained, disgusting paint-peeling chair justice.

So the chairs HAD to be re-covered.

The thought process went a little like this: Time to shop for new fabric- Yipee!

Why not re-paint the peeling paint on the chairs too?

Why stop painting there? Let's repaint the walls and get rid of the grapes!

Could we paint the bookcase as well?

Which brings us to- two days ago my kitchen looked like this...

Yestraday, like this...

This morning, like this...

So now with three days before I have to go back to work, four days before the girls start preschool ...

am I totally nuts?

Hoping I am not crazy and I can pull this off in time,

Soup-er Favor/ Gift Idea

2010-08-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

The girls' birthday isn't until the end of November but somehow I always start planning it during the summer, probably because I have a little extra time. This year however, planning early really paid off because I was able to gather things for the party that would have been difficult to find in late November. The girls are having a pool party at our local community center and so we came up with a mermaid theme.

I have lots of party details I am working on but I always get the most excited about the favors. In addition to the traditional favors for the children I always like to make another "family favor", this way adults who attend the party without children (like the all important grandparents!) have a special thank you as well.
This year's family favor is a soup in a jar mix, perfect for that chilly time of year. I am hoping it will be something the families will enjoy making together and it will remind them of the fun they had at the girls' party.

To incorporate our mermaid theme I used shell pasta and am calling it Sea Shell Soup.

Originally I was going to use glass mason jars but when I found these I knew they were the better option. First, they have a handle so it will be much easier for party guests to carry home. Second, they are much lighter than glass which my back (or Mr.Cabin's) will appreciate when we have to lug all of them to the community center.

Here is the front side of the favor tags.

The opposite side of the favor tag with the soup recipe directions.

Sea Shell Soup in a Jar Recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup beef bouillon granules

1/4 cup dried minced onions

1/2 cup dried split peas

1/4 cup barley

1/2 cup dry lentils

1/3 cup long grain white rice

1 cup uncooked large shell pasta

Directions

1.. Layer ingredients in the order given: bouillon, onion flakes, split peas, barley, lentils, rice, and enough shell pasta to fill jar.

2. Attach tag with cooking instructions: In large kettle, brown 1 pound ground beef or stew beef cut into bite-size pieces in a little olive oil. Remove pasta from top of jar and reserve. Add the rest of the jar contents to the kettle with 12 cups water. Let come to a boil and simmer 45 minutes. Add pasta and simmer 15 minutes more.

Of course, you could change the recipe and use different types of pasta. If you were making these for a gift, tri-color spiral pasta would add even more interest to the layers in your jar.

How cute would wagon wheel pasta be for a cowboy or construction themed party?

Or you could even use the cute shape pastas like dinosaurs that come in the macaroni and cheese boxes.

The possibilities are endless.

Isn't this a soup-er favor idea?

Linking to these super parties...

Cool Cucumbers

2010-08-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

After being away from the garden for almost two weeks, we came home to "Cucumbers Gone Crazy."
I kid you not, they are climbing up into my neighbor's pine tree.
Plus, they are gigantic. These two are seventeen inches! Mr. Cabin says they are a little bitter when they are this big but we grew them so we're gonna eat 'em!

So here is just a fun little trick I use to fancy my cucumbers up a bit before tossing them with our favorite dressing.

First, peel them.

Then take a fork and run it down the length of the cucumbers to create little grooves.

It will look like this.

Then when you cut them into slices, they will look all fancy-schmancy like this...

Enjoy,

Stumbling Upon Sandcastles

2010-08-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

"At the beach, life is different.
A day moves not from hour to hour but leaps from mood to moment. We go with the currents, plan around the tides, follow the sun...

"At the beach, treasure is what we find not what we buy."

At the beach, we stumble upon other people's castles.

We marvel and admire.

When they are swept away we do not mourn because we know

that is the way it is...at the beach.

At the beach, we reconnect with our simpler selves and all is right with our souls again.

Quotes taken from How to Live at the Beach by Sandy Gingras

between cottage, cabin and coast

2010-08-03T06:35:00.000-07:00

We are headed off to the beach!

Nothing like heading south to slow down the pace a bit and truly savor the last sweet days of summer. But before we go, I wanted to announce the winner of the $40 CSN gift certificate.

Congratulations Renee!

Thank you to everyone for all of your lovely comments about the girls' new room. I wish I could let everyone win!

While we are at the beach I will have no computer or internet access so I might be going through some major blog-withdrawl syndrome. However, I think it is good to totally unplug every once in awhile. I am looking forward to some quality sandcastle building time, watching a few sunsets and letting the waves bury my feet in the sand.

I will also be on the hunt for a few things for my lastest project- the girls' birthday party. Here's a sneak peek:

It's a mermaid themed pool party! Can't wait to tell you all about it!

Hope you are savoring the last sweet days of summer too,

Little

2010-07-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

Little seems to be slipping through my fingers lately.

While my girls are thrilled to be "growing up"- the new beds, the special trip to buy their first lunch boxes, preschool in the fall...I can't help but feeling overwhelmed and a little saddened by it all. I am utterly grateful they are healthy and growing up as they should be.

But my heartstrings just can't help but be tugged at the thought that they are no longer my babies but now my little girls.

The other day I heard, "Mommy, I just don't know which prince I am going to marry."
I feel like a will blink and she really will be walking down the aisle.

So I try to treasure every moment, soak it all in, write down all the cute things they say but...

wrong or right, just for the moment, I want to keep them... little.

Play Space

2010-07-26T07:36:00.000-07:00

In the midst of changing the girls' nursery into a "big girl" room, I was also able to tackle organizing the play/ toy storage space. Really I had no choice- the rocking chair and a bookshelf that was in their room just didn't fit with the two twin beds but I love the way this space came out too. It also has really slanted ceilings but I think it works great here for a little people play space.

I painted the small canvases behind the rocking chair to match the rug. The one great thing about slanted ceilings is you don't have to worry about a lot of art work.

These little hanging boxes work great to hold collectibles that I don't want little hands to accidentally break.

Notice three lamps- that is because there are no windows; technically, this space is only a hallway between their room and ours.

One of my favorite twin signs.

Now if only it would always stay this neat and organized...

If you haven't entered for a chance to win a $40 CSN gift card, leave a comment here.

Link Parties...

Big Girl Bedroom & GIVEAWAY!

2010-07-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

Even though I still slightly melancholy about turning the girls' nursery into a "big girl" room, I am pleased with the way it turned out. Also I am a little suprised too. That is because of the amount of space we now have with putting bigger beds in. Our house is a very tiny cape cod and on the entire second floor the ceilings are slanted. Less head room makes the small square footage seem even smaller so I wasn't even sure two twin beds would fit but Mr. Cabin measured and assured me we could make it work.

With the second bed, you can really see how low the ceilings slant. (Although it is kind of cozy.)

Mr. Cabin and I made the headboards ourselves.

My favorite part of the room is the furniture. I was lucky enough to grab it from my mother-in-law. This dresser used to be up against the pink wall under the window. I had to fight the urge to bust out my paintbrush and paint the pink walls green and the green walls pink so the furniture would stand out more.

Mr. Cabin said I was nuts and I quickly got over it.

I love the old hardware on these pieces and the worn distressed paint.

A few details...

This mirror was the girls' favorite part- there was no mirror in their nursery so they just thought this was soooo cool. They had to run and get their pretend lipstick to put on.

If we had more space, I would love to get them a little vanity which brings me to my giveaway. Jessica from CSN contacted me and asked if I would be interested in giving a gift certificate away to one of my readers and I said sure, why not!

I know these CSN gift certificates have been all over blogland but you can use the $40 to purchase some great things. I would put it toward one of these bedroom vanity . (The girls would go nuts!) But you could put this one-time use gift card toward any of the thousands of items at CSN. There may be shipping charges or international fees if you live in Candaa.

For a chance to win, just leave me a comment.

For a second chance let me know if you are a follower, if not you can join with the google friend connect in my sidebar, and come back and tell me in a seperate comment.

And for a third chance, post about this giveaway on your sidebar or blog about it and tell me in another comment.

We will pick the lucky winner on August 3rd!

Good Luck!

Linking to these fabulous parties...

Pillow Talk- Iron It On

2010-07-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

I was searching for some fun, "campy" pillows to add to our new cabin couch. Of course, there were quite a few I liked online, however my wallet didn't. Sadly, I cannot sew, I really wish I could, so sewing my own was not an option. Then I came up with this idea to embellish some store bought pillows with iron-on transfers.

Iron on transfer sheets are available at most craft stores. I actually bought mine at a office supply store.

Then I chose my images. For mine, I went on a parks and recreation website and downloaded actual photographs of fish we would find in our area. Mr. Cabin was thrilled that I picked the right fish! I just chose "iron on" on the paper type selection menu of my printer menu.

Here is the pillow before. It was a bargain at $4.oo!

To apply the images, just follow the directions on the transfers. I was a little hesitant about the fluffiness of the pillow and being able to press down hard enough with the iron but it worked fine.

The finished product. I still might add a rustic button or something to the middle. Yes, I can sew a button.

This was so easy I am already starting to think of different ones to make.

Linking to these fabulous parties...

Squirrels and Sneak Peeks

2010-07-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

Squirrels! Most of the time I pay very little attention to the bushy tailed creatures. They scamper around our yard collecting their acorns, climbing the trees, minding their own business. I didn't bother them and they didn't bother me and it was a very fine relationship we had indeed. Until this...

Remember, my beautiful corn? Take a closer look...

GONE! Every, single piece! I actually caught the little rascals red-handed, chomping away on my corn. Of course, I didn't grab the camera...only a handful of ice from the freezer to try to throw at them. Not that it did any good- all of the damage was done.

I tried to put a positive spin on the situation for my daughters, saying that we were sharing our corn with the squirrels. They still did not like the fact that there was none left over for us especially since corn on the cob is one of their favorite things to eat. Ugh, bushy-tailed bandits!

So thank you for letting me rant a little...I am starting to feel better already. At least I can use the stalks to decorate in the fall, right?

And if sharing this little set back with you wasn't enough to cheer me up- I have my Home Goods Happiness. This weekend, Mr. Cabin and I are shipping the girls off to their grandparents for a sleepover so we can surprise them and change their room and put in their "big girl" beds. I had been searching all over the web to find quilts that would match their pink and green room. Re-painting now is just not in the budget. Then on a whim, we went into Home Goods. Here is my Home Goods Happiness and a little sneak peek of the "Big Girls" room makeover to come.

Meet the Neighbors...

2010-07-15T19:48:00.000-07:00

Driving down the mountain on our way home the other day, we saw our neighbors resting in the shade of a tree alongside the road. Such a cute little family, I couldn't help but take a quick pic. I got out of the car to take a few more, but I guess I scared them because they ran away down the hill. Must always be on the moooove. We will just have to wait for another day to make our formal introductions.

Pesto

2010-07-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

Basil is a staple in my garden. Even if I never used it for food, I think I would still plant it because of it's rich aromatic smell. One of my summer traditions has become harvesting some of the basil to make pesto. It is a fairly simple recipe. I usually double or triple it so I will have plenty to save and freeze.

2 cups (2 oz) firmly packed fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2-3 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts

1/2- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly grpund pepper

1 cup (8 fl oz) mild olive oil

1/2 cup (2 oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender, combine the basil, garlic, nuts, salt and pepper. (Be careful when adding the salt, as the cheese that is added later can be salty.) Process until well combined. Add 1/2 cup of the olive oil and puree using short on-off pulses. Stir between pulses to blend well. Add the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the cheese and process to form a thick puree. Do not overprocess; the mixture should have a little texture. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Transfer to a covered container and store in the refrigerator.

Use pesto in pasta, pizza, crostini and grilled vegetables. It can also be thinned with olive oil or vinegar for a salad dressing or a sauce for grilled fish.

Pesto keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Be sure to pour a thin layer of olive oil on top; this keeps it from discoloring. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months, but do not add the cheese until after it is defrosted.

Linking to these parties...

Cottage Vegetable Garden

2010-07-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

After returning from a week at the cabin, we found our vegetable garden had exploded. We've had a garden for the past eight years but it has never looked like this in early July!

It now looks more like it usually does mid-August. But trust me, I am not complaining.

I wonder why though? Less rain? Hot temperatures? On our ride home just the other day, the temperature on my rear-view mirror said 111 degrees!

I like to think maybe the Gardening Gods are just shining down on us this year.

Here are all the vegetables/fruits we have planted. Sorry for going a little photo crazy, I just love my plants!

Corn

Cucumbers

Grape Tomatoes

Beefsteak Tomatoes

Bell Peppers

Cherry Peppers

Jalepeno Peppers

Squash

Basil

Eggplant

String Beans

Watermelon

How are your gardens growing? I hope you are enoying just as much success as we are this year.

Linking to these parties...

Red, White and Blue Inspiration

2010-06-28T06:14:00.000-07:00

Red, white and blue- it is everywhere at the cabin...

...the small hutch I repainted...

...the dresser drawers we repainted too..

Even on the porch: our rocking chairs...

...and the girls' rocking chairs and side table too

But where did all this red, white and blue inspiration come from?

I am so glad you asked.

Part of the answer is, I was trying to create a "man" retreat for Mr. Cabin. He built the cabin with his bare hands so he kinda deserved it. Plus, bless his poor soul, he is ordinarily drowning in a sea of cottage white and pink at home with two little girls. The cabin style is the polar opposite of the cottage look we have at home and it was important to me that our home-away-from-home look and feel different.

The second part of the answer is this piece that inspired it all.

Two years ago, during our Fourth of July cabin trip, I found the antique store score I am most proud of to date. Tucked deep in the back of the store, nestled beneath piles of other furniture was this wonderful truck. Even though it was dusty and dirty I immediately feel in love with it's distressed red, white and blue. After I put the trunk in the trunk and drove it back to camp, Mr. Cabin liked it just as much as I did. The rest is cabin color scheme history.

Mr. Cabin re-lined the inside of the trunk with cedar so now its a great spot

to store extra blankets and linens.

Hope you enjoy your red, white and blue wherever it may be.

Happy Independence Day!

Censational Girl's Stars and Stripes Party

Linking to these parties...

Hydrangea Happy

2010-06-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

Four summers ago, when the girls were born we planted two trees in our garden to commemorate their birth. While we were at the nursery, I also purchased the hydrangea I had been wanting for quite some time. It's blooms were always beautiful but not plentiful enough for me to cut to bring some inside. Finally, there are tons of blooms this year and I have gone a little "Hydrangea Happy!" I am putting them everywhere...

...The Dining Room

...The Fireplace Mantel

...The Office

...and there are still more than enough left in the garden.

Have a lovely weekend,

Linking to these parties...

Flea Market Finds

2010-06-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

I got a special treat this weekend and was able to escape for a few hours to go to my favorite flea market.
First big find was this table: wheeled, red and ready to be the perfect little resting spot for a cup of coffee on the porch.

Next find was the two vintage milk bottles.

Great vase for our fresh picked daisies.

And last but certainly not least, this metal headboard.

Now originally I had planned on putting it in the loft on one side of the window, painting it red and then continuing to search for another headboard for the other side.. but it didn't fit.

So I tried it on the opposite wall.

Not only does it fit fine but now I am thinking that maybe I shouldn't paint it at all. What do you think? Does the color work as is?

Cabin Bathroom

2010-06-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

This is a nursery dresser that has been passed around my family for years. Originally, I think it was my aunt's, however somehow it made it's way to my house. We weren't really using it though and I thought it could be a great piece at the cabin if I repainted it. I was hesitant though because I thought all the little nursery paintings were just darling and I didn't want to ruin them.

Solution- beadboard. We had some left over from the cottage kitchen and we didn't have to buy too much more. Mr. Cabin was able to cover up the cute little characters just in case I ever want to restore it to its original condition.

The new and improved dresser is another combination of denim blue, red and ivory.

I think it has a very fun "campy" vibe now.

The rest of the room we filled with our growing collection of tin signs.

For curtains, I drapped two shades of blue bandanas over the curtain rod.

I'm really looking forward to adding more tin signs as time goes on and completing our "rustic fun" look.

Linking up to these great parties...

Lavender Love

2010-06-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

The other evening just before sunset, I was able to steal a couple of rare, quiet moments watching a bee flit from lavender blossom to lavender blossom. The little guy even allowed me to take his portrait, although he refused to sit still...too busy to steal a couple quiet moments for himself I suppose.

The lavender swayed in the breeze and the smell was intoxicating.

So I clipped a few to savor inside.

I think the smell is even better inside the kitchen.

Link Parties

Playset Re-do Preview

2010-06-08T18:30:00.000-07:00

Last year, we made the difficult decision to have a gigantic, noble oak tree cut down in our backyard. Feel free to read all about the saga. It was heartbreaking.

Searching for the silver lining in the cloud, we thought about how we could use the space. We had already planted new trees in different parts of the garden so this space was free. It was enough area for the playset we thought we would never be able to fit in our yard. So this spring, a year after the tree was cut down, we were ready to build one, only to discover we still had roots. Lots and lots of roots. Massive roots that we were chipping away at for weeks- I kid you not.

Finally we needed to bring in one of these guys again...

..my poor pavers.

But at long last, most of the roots were gone and we could begin building the playset.

Luckily our neighbors were getting rid of the playset their grandchildren had outgrown.

"Of course we'll take it!"

However, Mr. Cabin could not leave good enough alone.

Oh no- not when you can re-hab, re-furbish and build it bigger and better!

Mr. Cabin: The canvas roof is ripped and torn maybe instead of replacing it with new canvas I can build a solid roof instead. What do you think?

Me: That's a great idea, but can we build something that has a little character. Maybe a little cupola on top or something?

Mr. Cabin: Character? For a playset? Are you serious?

Me: Well why not?

And so with that Mr. Cabin began his super-secret building plot.

For an entire day, I was convinced he was building me a planter box.

On the ground this box he was building looked exactly like a planter box!

What it was....was a whole new level- a ladder to a lookout tower.

A little more than what I expected when I asked him to add a little character!

No problem re-enacting Rapunzel at our house now.

The best part of the lookout is the roof. He jigsawed out stars all around three sides and on the fourth side...

a giant "S" for their shared first initial.

Even the view from inside is pretty cool.

As I write this Mr. Cabin is still in the backyard painting various parts and there is a ton of mulching and landscaping to be done. But until its done, I thought you might enjoy a little playset sneak peek!

Going to show off some of my man's work again at some of these Link Parties.

Enjoy the rest of your week,

Pleasures of the Cabin Porch

2010-06-03T18:50:00.000-07:00

Right now we are in the midst of a couple of weekends where we won't be able to escape to the cabin. Luckily, they are all good reasons- family birthday parties and fun celebrations. We have been trying to take advantage of that extra weekend time home at the cottage to get some more projects done- a swingset for the girls, some more landscaping.

So while we are checking things off our 'cottage to- do list", I am also trying to tackle a few projects for the cabin as well, one of them being our porch.

I have two Adirondack rocking chairs just waiting for their cherry red paint. Here are a few inspirational photos I have found of other cabin porches. I'd take a cup of coffee on any one of these anyday. They are holding me over until I can get to mine.

Country Living

Jean Allsopp, Whisper Creek Cottage

Better Homes and Gardens

Southern Living

Link Parties

Cottage Garden: Blooming Now

2010-05-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

Just a few photos of what is blooming now in the cottage's flower garden .

Link Parties

Hope you are enjoying your week..

Cabin Kitchen Shelves

2010-05-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

We tackled quite a few projects at the cabin this past weekend. The first one I am pretty excited about because it will make our lives there a little more organized.
This is the kitchenette wall before. It is not a very big area. We contemplated hanging a wall cabinet there but I didn't want to block any of the light that was coming out of the small window to the right.

Instead we decided to put up open shelving. I really enjoy being able to see everything. We bought corbels and painted them black and distressed them. The shelves were stained cherry to match our table.

To keep life simple, I made one rule for myself about things I brought to the cabin- they have to be functional and decorative. I think these shelves are the perfect example of that.

We still need to put in lower cabinets but I am trying to persuade Mr. Cabin they need to be RED! Wish me luck!

Link Parties

Yoga Room

2010-05-10T03:12:00.000-07:00

There is no Yoga Room in our cottage. Nor is there one in the cabin.
In fact, this Yoga Room doesn't belong to me at all.
I decorated it though, so I feel a little entitled to share.

It is my sister's. Not the sister I just threw the Ladybug Baby Sprinkle for. She is about to pop out a little bundle of joy any day now. :)
This is my other sister's, the fabulous bachelorette having the time of her life in her brand new first place.
When she bought the place, she came up with this plan to have us decorate it for her. Kind of like that show While You Were Out minus the tv crew and the fact that she knew about it.
Most of the things we hung on the walls for her, she had purchased. This extra bedroom she had no plans for, so we decided to turn it into a yoga studio and suprise her. So while she watched the kids for us, we went shopping and got to decorating.

Most of the items for the room we purchased at Ikea like the wall decals and shelf unit and baskets.

We added a soothing water fountain to enhance the relaxing mood.

My sister already had this star; it looks great hanging over the bed.

These figurines were our grandparents and they fit perfectly with the room.

I couldn't be prouder of my little sister for buying her first place all by herself.

When we did reveal it to her, she loved it like we hoped she would. It is very calming and zen.

Now if only I could get her to let me borrow it for an hour or two.

Only problem is, I think she knows I wouldn't do yoga, I would probably just take a nap. ; )

Link Parties

Simple Pleasures: Freshly Tilled Dirt

2010-05-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

Ahhh- a newly tilled garden. The ability to begin again and plant anew.

Fresh dirt.

Completely and utterly irrestible to tiny toes.

It makes me so happy and proud that my girls

like to wriggle their toes in it just as much as their mom does.

This year I promise you little plants we will take care of you. We will weed...we will water..and we will try our very best when it gets to the middle of August not to think, "I can't wait to start over again next year."

Link Parties

Ladybug Baby Sprinkle

2010-05-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

As promised, I have a photograph of the finished favor I made for my sister's sprinkle. I was beyond thrilled when I wrote about my dollar store score of pink pitchers. The finished favor came out pretty darn cute- and usable too. Gotta love usable favors.

Here is our tablescape. Only fourteen guests made it easy to set one long table. The colors are a little saturated in this photo but everything was pink and red.

Down the center of the table were little white pails filled with pink roses and baby's breath.

Each guest had their own cupcake in a pedestal at their place setting.

Sugar ladybugs on the top of each pink cupcake.

A "shower" can of roses and a little ladybug welcome guests.

A basket of ladybug bath goodies.

My sister had lots of fun adding pink to her nursery but I still think I had more fun planning this party for her.

Link Parties

"I went to the woods..."

2010-04-29T17:35:00.000-07:00

Have you ever come across a quote that when you read it your heart skipped, your breath got caught because the words, the sentiment, resonated so deeply within your soul that you wanted to memorize the words and make them your own?

Here is mine.

"I went to the woods because I wished to lived deliberately.

To front only the essentials facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach,

and not, when I came to die, discover I had not lived."

~ Henry David Thoreau.

I ordered a canvas of the quote...before the first logs were even stacked.

I know disappearing into the middle of the woods might not be for everyone, but I think discovering the most important parts of our lives is.

Summer Friends Art

2010-04-25T04:23:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, I wasn't sure what I was going to hang on the walls in the girls' room in the cabin. I wanted something to tie in with our farm theme, but I also wanted something that would still fit once they out grew their barn beds. I searched high and low on the internet and nothing seemed quite right. Then I went to my parent's house one day. I was in their basement rifling through an old box of books trying to find something to read to the girls when I came across it, the perfect old picture book from my childhood.

It's called Summer Friends and it is the story of Suzie leaving the country at the end of the summer. She goes to all of her summer friends- the cow, the chickens, the frog- and asks if they would like to come back to the city with her. But alas, none of her friends want to go to the city. So ingenious little Suzie decides to draw a picture of her summer friends. "Now," she said, "I will not forget my summer friends when I go home to the city."

I remember reading this book as a child. It was actually reprinted the year I was born. You can tell I loved it because there are my scribbles on some pages and some are taped back together.

THIS was the perfect book for the room. The illustrations were just darling and perfectly fit the farms and the pond near the cabin. Plus, I adored the theme of the book that Suzie's friends would always be with her.

However, the book was falling apart. Also some of the illustrations that I wanted to use were on the opposite side of the same page so I didn't want to just take the book apart and frame the pages.
Instead, I decided to make my own art. I bought canvases at the local art store and painted them red, white and blue. I scanned the illustrations into the computer and printed them out. Then once the paint dried, I decoupaged the prints onto the canvas, as simple as that.

For right now, there are three prints on each side of the room. Eventually the girls will have bunk beds in this room and then I can hang all six in a series.
I love that their room has a little piece of my childhood in it now too.

Here is the promised close up photos of their window treatment...

...and one of my flea-market finds, a chair for $4,

perfectly distressed and ready to use in the corner of their room.

Link Parties

Painted Buffet for Cabin

2010-04-19T02:58:00.000-07:00

I scooped up this small buffet from my sister when she got a new dining room set. Originally, it was dark wood with gold handles. When I first brought it home, Mr. Cabin looked at me like I was nuts when I said it was going to the cabin. "Trust me I said. All it needs is a little paint." He didn't look too convinced, but I went on with my plan undaunted.
I painted it red as you can see. Then I went back and painted the dentil molding pieces white and blue. It's such a great pop of color against the log walls. Plus it fits perfectly behind the front door.
However, the reason why I am really loving it now... extra storage! Gotta love that.

Link Parties

Spring Walk at the Cabin

2010-04-14T18:44:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we made our first trip up to the cabin since the winter. We left behind 80 degree days at the cottage all week and actually arrived at the cabin amid an ice storm Friday night. When we woke up Saturday morning, there was a dusting of ice and snow on the ground. I had hoped to capture fern fiddleheads popping up all over. Sigh. You would think by now I would learn- spring and summer come later at the cabin, fall and winter come earlier.
We didn't let the chilly weather deter us though and we still walked down to the pond bundled up in all our winter gear. Even though I didn't see any fiddleheads, it was a pleasant surprise to capture the ice crystals on moss.

Signs that spring is really on its way.

Cottage Office

2010-04-12T03:16:00.000-07:00

What's black, white and red and read all over?

Our cottage office. :)

We'll begin our little tour by first checking out Mr. Cabin's handiwork~ my gorgeous new bookcase. I am beyond thrilled with the way they came out.

I love the little details in the trim. We painted the oak wood white and distressed it so it looks as if it has been in the house forever.

My scrapbooks fit perfectly on the bottom, as my custom builder promised me they would. Love him.
I plan on rearranging the books soon. Right now the girls have claimed four of the shelves for their own and they are in a constant state of upheaval. But they love their books and being read to, so for right now I am quite content and happy about the messy conditions.

Here is the rest of the room. The comfy reading chair I inherited from my parents, not exactly the ideal but it works for now. I hope one day to purchase a worn brown leather chair for this room.

An old childhood chair offers extra book storage

and is the perfect place to rest a plant by the sunny window.

Old black and white photos of both of our parents. There needs to be an entirely seperate post about Mr. Cabin's gargolyes some of which you can see here on the shelf.

The desk, where all of my work and sometimes procrastinating takes place.

The telescope, one of the things I wish I had more time and energy to use.

And of course, I had to throw in one before photo...

...and after.

Hope you enjoyed my little tour of our cottage office.

Link Parties

Cherry Blossoms

2010-04-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung and just in the nick of time I have finally gotten a digital camera. Yippee!

Can you believe I started this whole blogging thing without one? My scanner sure has been getting a workout! Here are some of my first photographs with the new camera. It is the weeping cherry we planted in the garden the year our daughters were born. I have really enjoyed capturing it blooming the past few days.

Linking to:

Cottage Dreamers

Outdoor Wednesday

Easter Inspiration

2010-04-02T05:22:00.000-07:00

This is my grandmother's spoon rest.

Just one of the many treasures I was able to take when we moved her out of her home into assisted living two years ago.

This little carrot inspires me.

It is not so much the carrot itself, although it is darling especially this time of year. My entire life this carrot has been on my grandmother's stove . I like to think about how this little carrot was right there as my grandmother cooked and served meals for her family year after year. There is a crack in the back and I am sure my grandfather crazy glued it back together for her. I like to wonder about about that little "accident" and think about the story behind it.

I have many treasure from my family...my great-grandmothers dining room set, my grandparent's clock. These are the things that inspire me the most. Far more than any treasure I could ever buy in a store. They represent our real inspiration, the people we love. The reason why we decorate and nest, refresh and renew and seek to create homes that nuture.

So on this Easter weekend filled with bunnies and chicks, eggs and carrots, I share with you my favorite little carrot. I hope it inspires you as well to treasure our true inspirations.

May you enjoy a Happy and Blessed Easter with the people you love.

Inspired By Easter: The Inspired Room

Bookcases: Project & Inspiration

2010-03-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

"The greatest university of all is a collection of books." ~Thomas Carlye

I adore books. They are by far my biggest weakness. My dream home would have bookcases in every room. So building bookcases for our office was a given. I am one lucky girl to have a husband who is a carpenter. Even luckier, that he gave into my crazy scheme of building our own custom shelves. Especially when it meant that he had to toil for hours in our low-ceiling basement with barely an extra two inches of clearance for his head!

Here are some photos of the man at work.

Here is the bottom portion. He custom built them so they would hold all my 12 x 12 scrapbooks. Ah, love!

I still have to take photos of the finished project, but in the meantime I thought it would be nice to share some other bookcase inspiration.

Coastal Living

Country Living

House Beautiful

Better Homes and Gardens

House Beautiful

Better Homes and Gardens

House Beautiful

Southern Living

Country Living

Cottage Living

Southern Living

Linking to:

Twice Remembered: Make It Monday

DIY Day: A Soft Place to Land

The Inspired Room

Dollar Store Divine: Ladybug Lemonade Favors

2010-03-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

It may be hard to believe that I experinced divine intervention in a dollar store. But I did. Really.
I am in the midst of planning a little sprinkle for my sister who is about to have her second child and her first girl. I am giddy with excitement. I made the invitations...

We chose a ladybug theme and since it is going to be small, only about twelve people, I thought I could have a little fun with the favors. The sprinkle is at the beginning of the summer so lemonade popped into my head.

Pink Ladybug Lemonade.

Cute, right?

So off to the local dollar store I went searching for pitchers and containers for the lemonade.

All I could find were these clear pitchers. Not too bad. But there were only two white lids- not twelve. I decided I could make them work anyway and took twelve off the shelf.

So there I am walking around the store with my arms full of pitchers when the owner comes up to me.

"You know there are lids for those, right?"

"There were only two on the shelf and I need twelve."

"I keep them in the back. What color you want?"

"Color? There were only white ones on the shelf."

"Yellow. Green. Blue."

"Pink?"

"Pink? No, no pink. I'll go check."

Ta-da (hear the angels singing?).... out the owner walks with twelve PINK lids.

Just when I think it can't get any better than this, my little eyes spy a PINK container.

Could it be too good to be true?

Not only was it too good to be true- it was better.

PINK containers with LADYBUGS !!!!

Jump up and down in the aisle and don't care if you look like a lunatic joy!

I still have to find wooden spoons, make little ladybug lemonade recipe favor tags and put it all together. I promise to post it when they are done but finds like these you just want to share. With the universe. Immediately.

Monday: Making the World Cuter ,

Tuesday: DIY Day- A Soft Place to Land

Wednesday: http://www.thethriftyhome.com/

Friday: http://decormamma.blogspot.com/

Inspiration: Garden Show

2010-02-26T05:17:00.000-08:00

Went on a little picnic this weekend and bought some flowers for the garden.

I WISH!

As I write this, we are being buried under feet of snow. The photo is from this past weekend when we went to our local flower show. We have been going faithfully for the past several years and I love the reminder that we will not be snowbound forever. Soon, hopefully, I will be able to get some dirt under my nails. The flower show always gives me that extra boost of inspiration at the end of February when I am starting to think I will never see my garden again. Here are just a few of things I found really inspiring this year.

A rustic gazebo of sorts built out of branches. I can totally picture this somewhere on the mountainside.

A closeup of the ferns that were hung on each of the corners.

Some daisies in an arrangement. Just because they are my favorite.

My must-do idea I walked away from the show with this year was to add more sculpture to our garden. I am always hesitant to add any statutes to our garden. I think there can be such a fine line with garden sculpture between just right and too much and I am always afraid I am going to cross that line accidentally. But look at how cute these owls are.

Aren't they a hoot?

And Mr. Ribbit just jumped right into my heart. Love him.

At our show, they even have table centerpiece displays. This was one of my favorites. I love the lanterns hanging from the branches. I always see these lanterns in the store and would love to use them.

Isn't this a great idea?

Hope you enjoyed our highlights from the show.

I am inspired enough now to get through a few more weeks of winter.

Do you have any place special you go to for inspiration to beat the winter duldrums?

Linking to other inspiration @ The Inspired Room

Backyard Renovation Part II: The Paver Patio

2010-02-23T03:48:00.000-08:00

The road to the outdoor room of our dreams was paved with good intentions... and sand, gravel, pavers and a lot of sweat.

The first step was removing the old patio which was made out of concrete and bordered by an asphalt pathway. We are lucky we have friends who have all these wonderful power tools. Even more lucky that they are willing to come over and help us by using them!

Once all the concrete was out, everything had to be leveled off.

Then came truckload after truckload of stone, crushed stone and sand.

We had to tamp eveything down. Then finally we were ready to begin laying the pavers.

Progress!

Almost done and we realize we don't have enough pavers left. Ugh!

Ice Castle

2010-02-10T08:35:00.000-08:00

After a little bit of a tragedy with Frosty...

We were somehow able to redeem ourselves in the eyes of two three year olds by building...

an Ice Castle.

Although redemption probably would have been granted also

with just a few more marshmellows in the hot chocolate.

Outdoor Wednesday

Stick to Every Little Branch

2010-02-10T05:14:00.000-08:00

Snow Day. Stick to every tiny little branch snow.
Just when I think I am ready for Mother Nature to start giving me some signs of spring, she sends us this stunning display.
I love how something as simple as a few fluffy snowflakes can take your breath away.

Sorry, the quality of these photos is so poor, I took them with my phone. You will just have to trust me that the real view from my little porch IS breathtaking.

Outdoor Wednesday

Magnetic Kid's Art Wall

2010-02-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

As much as I love my children's art projects...I do, I really do... the fact that they were slowly starting to invade all the empty walls of the house was becoming a problem. Especially when the projects had to be attached with tape - lots and lots of tape. Peel off the paint tape. Ugh.
Can't anyone invent child-proof scotch tape?

Enter Rustoleum with this little can of magnetic wonder. It turns any wall, any surface, magnetic.

The best part is, because it is a primer, you can paint over it any color your little heart desires.

My little heart was desiring lime.

Although hubs was a little hesitant to paint anything that bright.

The compromise and the solution- our back entrance way. It is a small pass through from the back garden into the kitchen with two closets; one we use as a pantry, the other as a coat closet.

It was un-used wall real estate: the perfect place to showcase our little budding Picassos.

I hung a few of my vintage tin signs. Added "PANTRY" and "COATS" to the closets doors with decals.

Goodbye, scotch tape.

Hello, cute little magnets.

Link Parties:

Get S'More Love

2010-01-24T12:59:00.000-08:00

My thoughts for the doing something sweet for the family for Valentine's Day went something like this.

If Valentine's Day = Love + Chocolate

and The Cabin = Love + Campfires

and Campfires = S'mores

and S'mores = Chocolate + Graham Crackers + Marshmallows

THEN ...Valentine's Day= S'Mores

I sincerely apologize to all my former math teachers for my horrific equations.

Math was never my best subject.

Nonetheless, they got me to the wonderful idea to create some type of s'more creation for Valentine's Day, when everyone wants s'more love.

It is still many months before we will be making actual s'mores before a campfire, so I love these twists on the traditional. Now it is just a matter of deciding which one to make.

S'more Sundae

Link to S'more Sundaes at Martha Stewart

S'more Cookies

Link to S'more Cookies at Martha Stewart

S'more Bownies

Link to S'More Brownie Recipe at Food Network

S'more Pie

Link to S'more Pie Recipe at Family Fun

Or...the really easy- no bake S'more treat!

I even found some cute crafts to make with the kids.

Oriental Trading

I hope you find a way to show your family s'more love on Valentine's Day too.

Excuse me now, I really need to go find a piece of chocolate. Fast.

Inspiration: Ferns

2010-01-14T18:25:00.000-08:00

Today I read a wonderful post by Melissa over at The Inspired Room Inspiration from Farmhouse Style: 10 Things I Love. It showcased some of the same things I had been admiring too in the Pottery Barn catalog that came a few days ago. It got me thinking how similiar farmhouse and camp/cabin styles are. The lanterns, the time worn furniture, the cozy blankets and pillows- bringing the outdoors in. My wheels were starting to turn thinking of writing about it. Then, lo and behold, in my mailbox today was another Pottery Barn- their smaller Bed and Bath catalog and on the cover was one of my favorite things. Ferns.
Ferns are all over the mountainside of our cabin. When we arrive, usually late at night, one of the first things I do is take a deep breath and inhale all of that wonderful fern goodness. That smell means relax- you are where you really want to be.
In the spring, we watch for the little fiddleheads popping through the leaf cover on the forest floor. In the summer, I sit on the porch and watch the lacy fronds sway in the breeze. I have even tried to transplant a few into our cottage shade garden. Ferns are simple, elegant. A symbol of the forest to me.
Tucked in here and there among the trees, like we are tucked in, in the middle of our mountain.
I am not sure that I would use all of these new fern "lovelies" from Pottery Barn. They are not exactly the vintage rustic style I am want to create for the space. But perhaps I can use them in our little cottage in the middle of suburbia- a constant reminder of the cabin and the forest of ferns waiting for us there.

Country Living

Linkin' Love: Inspired Room

Wooden Wonders & Ode to Our Tree

2010-01-12T18:21:00.000-08:00

I love wood.
That might be obvious because we did build a small log cabin. But I think wood is a thing of such beauty. A single piece of wood with its patterns of grain, knots and texture can be an exquisite masterpiece.Whether your style is cottage or cabin, coastal or contemporary- wood pieces in a home are beautiful. Traditionally we think of wood floors and furniture, but look at all of the wooden treasures below. What a wonderful way to add warmth and charm. A simple birch candle, a twig mirror, wooden wind chimes- a way to bring the outdoors in...even in the middle of the winter.

Wood Wonders by betweencottageandcabin on Polyvore.com

And because I am in the middle of my tribute to wood, I would also like to indulge a little and share the loss of one of my favorite pieces of wood, a majestic tree in our backyard.

This tree was a gigantic oak. Its roots rumpled all around the surface of the ground, and in those nooks and crannies I planted flowers and succulents. The path around the tree was one of my favorite parts of our garden.

Then last spring we discovered a hole at the base of the tree. We couldn't tell how big the hole really was but we knew it went down deep into the center of the tree. We were no longer sure how stable the tree was. I started having nightmares during wind storms that the tree would fall and crush the house and us. Finally, we made the painful decision to have it cut down. Many of the people we called for estimates wouldn't even attempt the job because of the sheer size of the tree. Eventually, we did find a company willing to take the job. The day the tree came down I cried. I felt so terribly guilty for the loss of this noble giant.

In this photograph, you can get an idea of the size of the tree. The fence post next to it is seven feet tall.

Once the tree was cut we were able to investigate the hole. In the photo, Hubs is holding a standard size shovel. He was able to put it into the hole and drop it about another five feet down. Knowing the depth of the hole, helped to ease the guilt I felt. For the safety of our family and our home, I think we made the right decision. But I still look in the backyard where this beautiful tree once stood tall and proud and I mourn our loss.
Linking to:

Winter's Dream, Spring's Scheme: Backyard Reno Part 1

2010-01-12T18:19:00.000-08:00

The hydrangeas are hibernating.

The pitcher that is usually filled with their beautiful blooms has evergreens for winter now.

Everything is as it should be in my little corner of the universe in the middle of winter.

I've pulled out the gardening books and I am pouring through the seed catalogs. I am dreaming and scheming for spring. I can't help it...I do this every winter and the fire in my imagination and the glow of possibility always help keep me warm. I think I would be an awful gardener if I didn't have the winter to plot, plan and then start all over again.

This year while I'm dreaming and scheming, I thought I'd share a little stroll down memory lane too. Here is some of our backyard renovation six years in the making.

The back of our cottage, six years ago.

Not much of an explanation needed, it was falling down...it was hideous...it HAD TO GO.

Enter the men with the tools. Big...bad...POWER TOOLS.

Now you know men and their tools, right?

So it won't be a shock when you see that the tools got just a little bit bigger as time went on.

As you can probably tell this is a Saga

(Also the Part I in the title gave it away too, huh?)

So I'll just skip a little bit ahead for now.

In the future, I will write all about the new paver patio...

...and the new deck.

Of course this isn't the "Final Reveal" photo...this is only Part 1.

I hope whatever it is you are dreaming or scheming for this spring and summer, your wishes will help to keep you warm all winter long.

Linking to these wonderful parties:

Cork Cottage Kitchen

2010-01-10T16:18:00.000-08:00

The kitchen in the cottage, luckily, did not need a major renovation- just a little charm. But what started out as, "Honey, can we just change the drawer pulls?" turned into... changing the faucet, the countertop and the floors. You know how it goes, no need to bore you with the messy negotiation details. So straight to the pics.

First, the before: green laminate countertop and backsplash, silver hardware on the cabinets and silver faucet.

The Update:

New countertop is cherry butcher block- a little high-maintance, but... soooo worth it. For the backsplash, we installed white bead-board. It is classic cottage, I couldn't resist.

I needed extra storage space for the cookbook collection; this cabinet I was lucky enough to grab when my grandmother moved.

Finally, my love- my new cork floor. When we were researching all of our options for flooring, cork kept coming up as one of the new "eco-friendly" options. So my interest was a little peeked. But once I saw the graining in one of the samples, I feel in love. I didn't even realize at the time that one of the best things about it is how it feels. If you stand in kitchen for any length of time cooking or baking, your feet will adore this floor just as much I as mine do. Compared to the old ceramic floor, you can feel such a difference. My happy, little feet thank me every day. And for anyone wondering, it is also very easy to clean. They put this stuff on the walls in the new HGTV Dream House!

Close-ups of my two cork crushes...

..hehe, the Wino in me couldn't resist!

Here are my Linky Parties for the week!

Lofty Dreams

2010-01-06T10:53:00.000-08:00

The loft is probably the last place at the cabin I will be able to get my little decorating hands on. Afterall, we still need kitchen cabinets, living room furniture and the list goes on and on. However, it is the space I am most excited about. This is where our guests stay so I want to make it as comfortable and inviting as possible. So first the progress and then the dreaming...

In the buliding stages...at least now it has a roof!

Still without the railings and the ladder, but at least we won't get wet!

Now...on to the dreaming...sigh...

In this first inspirational photo the colors are all wrong, (there will be no white- washed walls, Hubs would freak!) but I like the placement of the two beds by the window and the slope of the roof is about the same. Plus, I already found a trunk! I found it on one of my antiquing adventures two summers ago. I wish I had taken a picture to share, but it is on my list of photographs to take the next time we go.

Coastal Living

This is the bed I am swooning over. Distressed red metal - how perfect would that be?

Ahhhh...someday.