New Look Under My Pantry Window

I did a slight rearrange in my pantry yesterday and got so much more surface space. I put this old blue shutter on top of the bucket bench that houses my microwave, my stand mixer, Instant Pot, Panini Press, and so many more kitchen related items. It extends almost to the doorway and over the wooden counter where my platters live. It makes my pantry much more efficient and I like it for now. This window overlooks my red barn/garage and I overwinter my large Rosemary plant in this spot. I arranged my cookbooks, my plastic bag storage and it took forever. I have a huge bag of paper egg cartons to drop off and recycle at a local farm that sell farm-fresh eggs at the top of their driveway. They will be thrilled. 

My Kitchen Today

I had some good sunlight shining on my farm table after lunch today. I had three pots of rosemary plants overwintering on the counter where my TV used to be but they died from neglect during the Christmas season. Thankfully, I still have a giant plant that is thriving in my pantry. Yesterday I moved some cookbooks to that spot and I'm loving the new look. I had an old wooden bookstand that I could never find a use for -- until yesterday and I'm so glad I didn't donate it. I moved all the cookbooks I reach for first to this location and I'm going to make pumpkin muffins with raisins later today thanks to the inspiration. Click photo to enlarge.

New year, New look.

Cat in Bathroom Drawer

I love old furniture in a classic bathroom and a cat in a drawer too. via

Home Office with Murphy Bed: AWESOME!

It's a home office with storage for office supplies, right?

Wrong. It's a bedroom or guest room in disguise.

I couldn't love this more. I found it in my iPhone photos and I've been saving the photos for a long time and have no idea where I found them. Isn't this the best home office ever? xo
UPDATE: California Closets designed this room and there are other Murphy Bed Designs HERE.

DIY Twine Holder from Wooden Hanger

I am definitely going to make one of these today. Isn't this an absolutely brilliant idea? I have a closet full of vintage wooden hangers and a basket full of twine. Put them together and what have I got? A gorgeous twine holder that will cost me nothing. Found on Pinterest.

My Home Office in Pantry: Rearranged

Click on either photo to enlarge. When I sit at my drafting table under the window to work on my laptop and pay bills, I needed more room to spread out my papers, make entries in my check book and file the papers until they can go to the attic filing cabinet.

I added a side table for a more efficient work space. It's an old cutting board attached to an antique adjustable wrought iron base on wheels found at a rummage sale years ago. It had been in use in my basement kitchen that is no longer in use since my mother passed. I got the brilliant idea to put it in the pantry for more horizontal space for my favorite things. I do best when everything is in plain sight rather than in drawers. There is a small separate bookcase that fits perfectly underneath to hold wire baskets for unpaid bills, etc. I am thrilled with the way it all worked out. I have played around in there for a couple of weeks and yesterday I finally declared it perfect.

Vintage Attic Storage Inspiration

I love this attic print storage and art room. I have something similar in the attic of my cottage and am always looking for new ideas. via

Pumpkin Pie Crusts for Fall

If you could ever find these little leaf and pumpkin cookie cutters, you could make these beautiful pies. Actually, after I typed the previous sentence, I searched and found them here. Pumpkin pie is my favorite because it isn't too sweet and has some nutritional value too. Get ready, the season is coming, ready or not.

I am feeling very smug and pleased with myself because I got rid of a lot of junk this week at annual trash day in town. I put it out several days early as did my neighbors, so people driving by could stop and take what they wanted and it worked! I searched my neighbor's pile too and discovered a 10-ton log splitter they were getting rid of. I immediately called a friend who helps me with big tasks and he came right over and got it. I guarded it while he was in transit. Luckily, he was nearby in his truck. Some things are just meant to be, right?

Thanks for stopping by. I have been disappointed in my blog lately and most days I have to force myself to post. My readership is way down and when Google discontinued Feedburner I lost about 3,000 followers. Instagram is so much easier to post and respond to comments as you know. But I'm hanging in there for my loyal few. xo

DIY Fabric Shoe Bag to Love

I found this photo in a box of magazine clippings I've been saving and I still love. Sorry, there were no instructions. I made a shoe storage bag without a pattern years and years ago. I made it the width and height of my closet door and it was wonderful. My mother ended up with it in her condo in Charlotte before she came to live with me, so it lived a long life. We gave it to one of her friends so it's still being used. If you have some fabric that makes your heart sing (yes, there are such things), this is a great project for you. This one was designed around the width of the clothes hanger. The one I made had metal eyelets across the top for nails and the fabric was folded over several times for reinforcement to hold the weight. The one above illustrates the creative uses you can come up with for your own needs, such as storing and saving seed envelopes. 

I found a youtube video with instructions https://youtu.be/30idKV4qZnk - there is a link within for illustrated step-by-step instructions.

Socks for My Ironing Board in Attic

Don't laugh. I made a long stocking and two little socks for the legs of the ironing board in my attic. I used remnants from an old Fair Isle sweater vest that had holes in it. I tried leaving my ironing board up all the time but it was in the way. Leaning it against the wall was leaving marks that I was able to remove with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Yesterday, I got the bright idea to make covers for the three legs. I made a stocking for the long leg and was able to turn the fabric inside out to hide the seams. The other two legs were too narrow so the seams of the short socks are on the outside, trimmed closely. It was a quick project with wonderful results. A friend gave me this sign since everybody always asks my advice for some reason. They know how grounded I am and they see the wise choices I have made for myself. I have it hanging here when the ironing board isn't being used. 

Here is another view of my attic workroom. The flat file is full of antique prints. I am still working up here and will post other views soon. We are having fall weather all week with no sun until Saturday. I need to bring in my house plants before it gets any cooler. It is noontime and the temperature is only 61° outside. I melted all last with the central air running night and day so I am not complaining about the abrupt weather change. I know we will have some more warmer days before fall sets in for good. I'm going to put the cover on my outside air conditioning unit though. I refuse to use it again until next year. Have a good Monday. xo

Interior Design in A Walk-in Closet

This curated closet is gorgeous and must be a happy place to get dressed for the owner. He has such good taste! via

Drawers Under The Stairs

I like the six drawers under the stairs that have wainscot fronts to continue the wainscoting pattern above and beside. They would be perfect for scarves and mittens and small personal items that you don't want to display but need on your way out. This is probably a back staircase and not the main formal one. via

Organizing My Closet

I have only just begun, but this is an early view of the closet in my second bedroom. The room where I sleep doesn't have a closet so that's why I call this my dressing room. I dare not take a photo of the rest of the room right because it looks like a war zone. That's the only way I can work, by tearing everything apart and slowly putting it back together again. The two stacked shoe organizers, purchased yesterday at the church rummage sale, started it all. I have a way of stepping out of my shoes when I first enter my kitchen and leaving them there. No more! Now each pair has a home.

The books on top of my lingerie chest, decoupaged on all sides and inside the drawers with old sheet music, houses all the books I got at the church sale too. The chest was a garage sale purchase years ago that my mother enjoyed for many years. I need to look through the books before they find a permanent home. Most are on gardening. By the way, my nasturtium seeds are beginning to sprout!! There is more depth on either side of the closet for hanging clothes so it's larger than it looks with storage above for winter blankets, etc. I'm still not finished organizing my clothes into keep or donate piles, plus I wear the same few things all the time. Don't we all?

Here's a closer view. The two vintage shoe organizers with dividers are made from heavy duty cardboard and are covered with paper that makes me happy every time I open the double doors of my closet. When they were new, they were sold folded and flat and required some assembly. Someone kept them in perfect condition and they waited for me until I could get to the sale on the second day. Lucky me!

Trophy Cups on my Mantle

I decided to have a graduated display because I wasn't pleased with anything else. I brought out some of my miniature boxes and chests from other parts of the house and came up with this as my final staging. The silver trophies haven't been polished since before Christmas and they don't look that bad in this photo but in person they are quite tarnished. Once I get started, it won't seem like such a chore. I enjoyed polishing my newest addition yesterday but it's time to do something else around the cottage. Enjoy this Mother's Day Weekend. xo

Home Office Under the Stairs

This dear little home office under the stairs is well thought out and I could sit there happily to pay bills. I would, however, need a handrail for those beautiful white twisty stairs. Even a fat rope tight to the wall like you see on boats would be fine. Safety first! Have a wonderful weekend. xo 

via

Reading Nook Under the Stairs

This is so much better than a closet under the stairs, right? via

Organizing Your Potting Shed

Whether you store your gardening items in its own potting shed or in your garage, as I do, you might get some ideas from this article. The few nice days we had this week sent me into a frenzy of pulling every weed in sight and more. Yesterday, I deep cleaned my Trex balcony floor with my hose on the jet setting to clean out all the fine debris from the cracks. After that I scrub brushed it by hand with a mixture of Dawn and bleach and it looks almost brand new. It was way too early in the season for this task but I wanted to take advantage of an 80° day. I might have to do it once more later but it will be much easier the second time around with just a mop. Have you been killing yourself outside too? 😅

Glass Jar Love

This collection of glass jars in so many shapes and sizes makes me happy. I have been using French glass refrigerator storage containers since 1973. It just made good sense to me back then and I never fell into the tupperware trap. via

Kitchen Island with Drawers

I like this kitchen island with drawers instead of an overhang to accommodate stools for sitters. Do we ever have enough cabinets? via

Bookshelves under the stairs

I am always attracted to storage under the stairs and I love these open bookcases. tumblr photo