Good Morning Sunshine

It's COOL. . .It's SUNNY. . .It's QUIET. . .except for the cicadas singing. . .I see Little Bit (the barn cat) stretching after a long night's rest. . .Everything looks FRESH and NEW but still a little sleepy. . .and I'm enjoying it all with my first cup of coffee on the much less cluttered BREEZEWAY PORCH. . .A wonderful place to wake up. . .and plan for the coming day. . .

I will admit that for most of the year this same porch was filled with boxes of cast-offs among boxes to open and go through. . .It was an absolute mess. . .and embarrassing when folks stopped by. . .I ignored it each morning as I headed out with coffee in hand to the outside porch and my favorite rocker. . .Then the storm hit. . .We lost the front porch. . .mosquitoes were bad. . .I decided to move inside and enjoy the screen doors. . .to the BREEZEWAY PORCH. . .Of course I had to do something with all those boxes and make it more peaceful without the chaos. . .I rolled up my sleeves and set my mind to the task at hand. . .After all, this is August and I haven't used the breezeway except as a 'warehouse'. . .It took me days to get all boxes where they needed to go and the furniture moved back in. . .Then came the cleaning and dusting. . .the addition of plants. . .and making all COMFY. . .This is a place to ENJOY--not picture perfect magazine style. . .although. . .I do think even in it's simplicity, it's very CALM and INVITING. 

Another LIFE LESSON remembered. . .how the loss of one thing is only the OPPORTUNITY to begin another. . .We'll get our front porch back by FALL (I hope). . .where I can sit and look out over the FARMSTEAD. . .but for now. . .I'm sitting in the comfort of a LOVELY room. . .with the breeze calmly blowing through the screen doors. . .just sipping my coffee. . .and thinking how BLESSED we are. . .As I often say at the DUNCAN FARMSTEAD:

"LIFE IS GOOD" 

 

 Yes. . .IT IS. . .ISN'T IT?

 

 

Changes in the Bedroom

Well LADIES and GENTS, it's been another one of those Summers. . .where nothing has gone as planned. . .I DID take a little time this morning to gather up a few of  the junkin' finds and fabrics for the 'new' VINTAGE BEDROOM. . .I'm only experimenting. . .Nothing is etched in stone. . .but I thought I'd show you what I'm thinking. . .It always amazes me how different a bedroom--or any room--can look with a minimum of expense. . .especially if you go a little bit shabby and a little bit farmhouse. . .or as I've said many times before. . .PLAIN AND SIMPLE. . .

Absolutely love the new BLACK FLOORS. . .John did such a wonderful job. . .They look old and painted. . .which is just what I wanted. . .I've noticed in Country Living either this month or the last one that black floors are beginning to show up more and more. . .Mine have actually been down since the first of the year. . .I chose them for two reasons. . .With the black and white checkerboard FLOOR in the kitchen, I thought black floors in the living room off the kitchen. . .and in the bedroom off the living room. . .would compliment each other really well. . .The second reason was the price. . .I actually hadn't thought about a painted floor until we were shopping around for  flooring. . .It all looked too new for our old FARMHOUSE and for MY STYLE. . .Then the salesman said in jest, 'I have lots of old-looking black I'll sell you. . .Can't get rid of it". . .You should have seen his face when I said, "Let's go see!". . .He was kidding. . .I wasn't. . .Way, way back in the warehouse was where we found the pallet. . .I fell in love with it right away. . .but I didn't want to seem too enthusiastic. . .I needed a deal. . .AND I got one!!!!  Only 88c per square foot. . .It retailed for much, much more. . .He was almost ready to pay us to carry it off! . . .Sometimes things just work out, don't they? 

I thought the black might be a bit hard to keep clean, but honestly it's not. . .I keep an old-fashioned dust mop at hand. . .A quick swipe when necessary is all it takes. . .

The next challenge I had to meet was the ceiling fan. . .I needed one, but nothing looked old enough. . .Easy to find a fan alone that looks old. . .not so easy to find a light fixture. . .I did not see anything locally that fit the bill. . .'OH, JOHN. . .'    Bless his heart. . .He's always game to try out my ideas. . .

We bought the fan in black. . .Found a silver cage that we spray painted black. . .John gathered all the other makings. . .and in a few short hours, the one-of-a-kind FARMHOUSE FAN was completed. . .The above right photo is the fixture I took down. . .a little fancy for me. . .Remember. . .I'm PLAIN AND SIMPLE. . .

 I ran across this BEAUTIFUL QUILT while cleaning out the sewing room. . .I've had it about 20 years. . .always loved the detail. . .the SMOCKING and CURLICUES. . .Lots of movement. . .I didn't notice until I was editing the photos that the whirls mimic the METAL DOOR piece leaning against the wall. . .

Looks as if I did that intentionally, doesn't it? . . .Of course, I did. . .(grin). . .I'm trying to find the WHITE DRESSER I bought a few years back so I can replace the dresser you see here. . .I don't know where we stored it. . .If I don't find the white dresser soon, this one may 'turn white' one day when I have an extra minute or two. . .Like I said. . .these are all elements I MAY use. . .I've been known to change my mind. . .(wink). . .

FABRIC is forever my friend. . .Found this piece of BLACK FLOWERED UPHOLSTERY in my stash. . .I laid it on the CHAIR I plan to use in the bedroom. . .not tacked down. . .in case I find something I like better. . .The more I look at it, though, the better I like it. . .

The colors certainly compliment everything else, don't they? What do you think?

On the floor beside the bed is another REMNANT find. . .

It's a bit blurred but I'm sure you get the jist of it. . .I bought the heavy upholstery to make an area rug for the living room. . .Had searched and searched for a black and white check rug with no luck when I ran into this find for $5 (It's doubled in the photo) . .figured I'd make a rug. . .Now I don't know if I want to use it in the bedroom or the living room. . .I may have to search further for the living room. . .I'm liking it right where it is.

That's about all the time I had to play. . .On to other things the rest of this week. . .I do have an up-date on the porch. . .In case you missed the post, we had a bad Summer storm that took the front porch roof with it. . .Since that post, it's been verified that we had a tornado. . .We are so blessed that we had a house left. . .blessed and thankful. . .

We had damage to other buildings also that we are gradually repairing as the weather permits. . .Neither John nor I can work in a heat index of 115!!! . . .Looks like this Fall we'll have to remain closed for maintenance and repairs. . .instead of having our tours. . .The storms threw us off schedule. . .and we do want it safe for our visitors. . .It's almost like we're starting over again in many ways. . .

Sure hope YOUR Summer is going well. . .Miss not being as in touch with you all but the time flies away each day before we know it. . .I do have a NEW COLLECTION of. . . .Oh. . .I think I'll save that for another post. . .Give you something to look forward to. . .I promise I'll share soon. . .They are prim and farmhouse and inexpensive (right now). . .Who knows. . .I may be setting another trend? (grin)

 Sending BLESSINGS your way

Soda Crates in Farmhouse Style

Photo by Brian Woodcock, Country Living Magazine, July-August 2015 

"These fizz-tastic finds—from crates to coolers to syrup dispensers—are bubbling over with retro style."

One day last week I actually took a break and sat down with the newest issue of COUNTRY LIVING magazine. . .only to find that once again I was ahead of the game in FARMHOUSE décor. . .Let's face it. . . I do think outside the box many times in my decorating style. . .often finding a year or so later that the trend is heading that exact way. . .Doesn't bother me that I'm different. . .I enjoy buying while the prices are low. . .and challenging myself to use the great finds with FARMHOUSE STYLE. . .

"In the early 1900s, the burgeoning soda industry was made up of local drugstores who mixed and bottled small-batch recipes and delivered them in hand-stenciled crates. Today those rare boxes fetch up to $200. More recent specimens (like the 1950s and 1960s ones shown) go for $20."

Yikes!!!! $200!!!!! My point exactly. . .Only two or three years ago. . .when no one wanted soda crates. . .I was picking them up for $5 and less. . .Pickles!!!! (my word for 'heck'). . .Some people GAVE them to me and were glad to get rid of them. . .They probably laughed as I drove off.

I was actually collecting them for OUR OLD COUNTRY STORE displays. . .but a few did end up in the house. . .I especially enjoyed them in the summer. . .Maybe you remember?

 In June 2013: Coke Case & Cola Bottles--Farmhouse Style (click to see more)

 

 

In August 2013: Summer Farmhouse Kitchen (click to see more)

 

 

 

It shows up again in August of 2014 on the back porch:

Vintage Ads+Graphic Art+Apple Red Metal=Smiles (click to see more)

 

 

 

Cotton Pickin' time brought out the SODA BOX WAGON

 

 

 

and. . .a DOUBLE COLA BOX  by the fire was handy in WINTER. . .

 

 

SODA CRATES are still relatively inexpensive. . .You can find them for much less than $200. . .We went junkin' in Missouri last week and ran across many for $20 or less. . .They are so versatile for a FARMHOUSE look that I'd encourage you to add one or two to your decorating style. . .And while you're at it, don't forget about the VINTAGE SODA BOTTLES. . .They are super with the crates. . .Try putting a couple of daisies in the bottles and you'll have a instant eye-catcher with a lot of impact. . .

 

Country Living Magazine



SEE: COUNTRY LIVING'S "A COLLECTORS GUIDE TO VINTAGE SODA POP FINDS

 

Decorating FARMHOUSE STYLE is so easy. . .All you need is a make-do attitude. . .and an eye for possible uses other than the norm. . .Think outside the box (a soda box?). . .then set back and accept the compliments. . .

 

 

 

Remember the Front Porch?

 

Remember how COOL and INVITING the FRONT PORCH was just a couple of weeks ago?

Well. . . .HERE IT IS NOW. . .

The BIG BAD WOLF was certainly trying to BLOW our house down this past Tuesday. . .He howled and blew and blew and blew with WIND up to 80 mph. . . drenching RAIN and a little HAIL to boot. . ..We huddled inside. . .HOPING and PRAYING that once the storm was over, we'd still have a home. . .and barns. . .and buildings. . .READ MORE. . .

Guess you can see what we'll be doing in the coming weeks?

. . .from my broken 

but still standing 

farmhouse to yours. . .

holy COW!!!!

 

The COWS have left the barn. . .and found a cooler spot in the LIVING ROOM. . .Yes. . .I've been at it again--working on the living room decor--snatching a few minutes here and there in between these very busy SUMMER  days. . .

We were 'COUNTRY COME TO TOWN' for a few days recently. . .leaving the farm to visit our state capital of Little Rock. . .I was shopping for a new Town and Country van (which I found) but could NOT pass up an opportunity to do some junkin', too. . .It was at BLUE SUEDE SHOES ANTIQUE MALL that I spotted the COWS and had to have them for the living room. . .for a POP OF COLOR. . . I also loved their sweet faces. . .

My decorating style is always based on the history of our farm. . .Until now COTTON has been the focus. . .so I was just a tad hesitant to add cows to the room. . .but I had to have those adorable faces looking at me. . .They make me smile. . .It wasn't until we'd been home for a week or so that I discovered that in the early days (1930s) of my Granddaddy's ownership of this farm that he had lots of CATTLE. . .along with the cotton and other crops. . .Coincidence? . . .(GRIN). . .

Whatever it was, the THREE COWS are bringing the living room together. . .almost as if the room woke up and went beyond 'okay'. . .What I enjoy about my decorating style is that it evolves. . .I can write down all kinds of plans and color palettes but then I'll find something that looks so much better. . .to me anyway. . .I'm always open to a CHANGE. . .

Yet, I haven't gone too far off THE PLAN (CLICK HERE). . .The BLACK PAINTED FLOORS. . .the shades of GRAY and DENIM BLUES. . .the dominance of SOFT WHITE throws on the couches (I have two). . .the galvanized 'FARM THINGS'. . .RUSTIC SYMPLICITY is working out beyond my expectations. . .I'm only giving you a few snippets. . .a tease. . .I admit. . .but I don't think you'll be disappointed when I get to the GREAT REVEAL. . .later. . .

So here are the 'TEASE' photos. . .See what you think. . .

Pull Up A Rocker and Sit a Spell

Summer has definitely arrived here at the FARM. . .and the very best place of all to sit, relax, enjoy a tall GLASS OF ICED TEA is on the wraparound PORCH. . .where there are plenty of ROCKERS. . .and a COOL BREEZE most of the time. . .It's here that our guests enjoy themselves the most. . .where we sit a spell and visit with neighbors. . .and where John and I meet while resting from the daily list of 'CHORES'. . .Ahhhhh. . .COUNTRY LIVING at it's best. . .

Blogging has certainly taught me a lot about my decorating preferences through all the trials and errors of the past three years. . .SIMPLE. . .NOT FUSSY. . .DOWN-TO-EARTH FARM STYLE. . .This is real FARMHOUSE LIVING. . .not 'cookie cutter' farmhouse style. . .It's the real thing. . .We live it each and every day. . .and it's what I LOVE the most about our little farmstead. . .no pretense. . .just good farm living. . .

Like to JOIN us?

I'll save a ROCKER for ya. . .(grin)

(singing). . ."SUMMERTIME. . .and the living is EASY. . .

Fish are jumping. . .and the COTTON is high. . ."

ATTENTION ALL RAG RUGGERS. . .

There's a tip for weaving with T-shirts at: 

OUR OLD COUNTRY STORE