Vintage Tartan Plaid Clothes Pin Apron from Scotland

Here is another item I'm selling on ebay. I got this cute little handmade apron from an elderly lady who had me help her clean out the house while it was on the market. More photos here. Thanks for looking! xo

Front Yard Mowed Today

My walk behind power mower started on the second pull after being in the garage all winter. I was so happy. I trimmed along the brick wall after I took this photo so I am officially finished front and back. Today was a beautiful cool sunny day, perfect for working outside and drying laundry there too. I am looking forward to tucking in early to watch some recorded TV shows. xo

Best Laundry Room (Closet)

Isn't this great? I love the old office door on the barn door track so much in this setting. There are so many clever people out there, aren't there? via

A Real Laundry Room

This looks like a real laundry room and I like it.

Recent Instagram Photos

My Instagram @contentinacottage

I have been trying to drink more water and I like drinking out of glass. This French Limonade stoppered bottle holds almost 4 cups. I try to drink at least two of them during the day. Last night, I noticed lots of bubbles had formed inside for some reason even though it was tap water.

Strong morning shadows on my kitchen wall. I love the radiator key projected on the wall.

Long afternoon shadows from the kitchen window on the gable end.

A vintage handmade clothespin apron from Scotland. I love the embroidered heather.

This is a closeup of the writing on my water bottle. Happy Friday, it's almost the weekend!

Kitchen w/ Aga and Laundry Drying Rack

You know I love this kitchen!!! It has my favorite color scheme, a tiny Aga cooker and an overhead drying rack. The cabinetry is wonderful too. via

Delightful Laundry Room

I like it, don't you? via

Laundry Room Mud Room Combination

This is the perfect setup for anybody, isn't it? I love the herringbone brick floor and the plank ceiling painted porch blue. This one was my favorite but there are more multi-purpose laundry room setups to consider here at Houzz. Who knows, you might prefer the one in the butler's pantry across from the wine. (smile)

Grueby Tile and A New Laundry Detergent

I should have cleaned off the two coffee stains before taking the picture. I put my coffee cup on this tile every morning. It's a big one 6" square stamped Grueby Boston. We had a surprise downpour yesterday and I had clothes drying outside on a big expanding rack and just barely got them inside before they were soaked. I slept on freshly laundered linens last night and they smelled like lemons thanks to the new detergent I'm using. It's overcast again today so the same thing will probably happen. Then we are supposed to have 4 straight days of sun, sun, and more sun. I'll believe it when I see it. I'm off to do errands now. 

This is the aforementioned detergent I picked up on a whim at the grocery store because it was on sale. It says the scent is Clean Burst but believe me when I say the clothes smell like lemons whether you dry them outside or in the dryer. I'll never buy anything else. I am thrilled I finally found something I like. Watch, it will be discontinued shortly. I must stock up, just in case. 

Laundry Day by Andrew Wyeth

This makes me want to hang out clothes even though I can't since I lost the tree that held up one end of my clothesline. I still plan on having a post set in the ground to take its place but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I might even get one of those upside-down umbrella contraptions, and I might not. We are having another rainy day so hanging out laundry wouldn't even be a possibility. I washed all the windows and doors and screen on the outside of my lower level yesterday and one was in the laundry room. I think I'll do the insides today. I don't like to wash windows on a sunny day because it seems like drudgery. For some reason, I am in a cleaning mood so I must keep up the momentum. See you later. via

Repurposed Tin Tub Sink

This is such a great idea for a laundry room sink, isn't it? The cutout for the backsplash is perfect for this location. I would love to see more of this delightful room. via

Laundry Day in the Country

Is she doing laundry or dyeing fabric? I can't tell and I want to know more. I love the house and the setting. I'm sure this rustic scene is in England, right? Andrew Montgomery photo. via
UPDATE: The lady is Polly Lyster and her firm is Dyeworks. I have the best researchers working for my blog. Thank you!

Can A Basement Laundry Room Be Beautiful?

This transformed laundry room is in Norway and the website is in Norwegian. Thank goodness for Google Translate! 

The original basement laundry was dark and dreary. It had the only the washer and dryer but no storage or work space. The room did not have a sink with running running water for hand washing sweaters and such. It does look pretty dismal doesn't it? The couple kept the original cement floor and painted it with a checker board design.

Don't you love the hand-made linen closet? Instead of spending a lot of money on new furniture, the owners chose to invest in recycling. Two old doors they found in a thrift store for building materials were the starting point for the custom linen cupboard. The hull was made of particle board and moldings were used for trim. The large cabinet holds a lot and is one of the things the owners are most satisfied with in their laundry room. More photos and text here. It's amazing, isn't it?

No More Clothes Line :(

We have been having some amazingly mild days recently that would have been perfect for hanging out laundry. That is, if I still had a clothesline. The three trees on the right were taken down after Hurricane Sandy because they were diseased and dangerous. The one one the left is still there. I can't wait to have a post put in so I can hang my clothes outside again. I really miss doing this. The dryer just doesn't leave that air and sunshine smell I know and love. This is an older photo. I think I will like not having those trees. They were not attractive at all and they blocked my view to the way back. I love my new 'big sky' view. I can see more stars at night too. Webster says hello.

Clothespins and Pinecones

Just playing around with overlays on PicMonkey having fun. After the hurricane I had to cut down the other tree holding up my clothes line. When spring comes I will put in a post because I miss it very much.

Great Laundry Room

This is a wonderful laundry room, isn't it? The cabinets are wonderful and I really like the white porcelain farm sink. I can only imagine how fabulous the rest of the room must be. via

Laundry Day in Rome

I love this shot of laundry hanging outside against the ivy in Rome, Italy. There is nothing like the smell of clothes that were dried outside in the sunshine. Having greenery behind is a super bonus! via

Laundry Day Upstairs

I have looked and looked at this photo and I cannot figure out how they got the clothes on the line. I don't see a pulley system; just stretched lines. It looks all but impossible to me. I have a couple of loads of wash I hope to be able to hang outside tomorrow. We have a cloudless sky today so I think I'll be okay.

The Chickens and The Underwear

This made me laugh. The shadows are much more graphic than the laundry hanging in the courtyard.

via

Laundry Day in Winter

I am glad to see someone else thinks it's never to cold to hang out the clothes. By Alec Soth, Sleeping by the Mississippi. Peter’s Houseboat, Winona Minnesota 2002

We are still having unusually mild weather and I have already put in my first load. Monday is the traditional laundry day after all.