Cartier’s 100th Anniversary in America, a Sparkling Collection Goes on Show . . .

Dazzling Menagerie of antique animal, reptile, and insect jewels by Cartier.

Read the entire article that appeared in May 2009 Architectural Digest.

Thanks for stopping by the cottage to view some amazing jewelry. ♥Rosemary

It's a Good Day [Video] with Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman . . .

For some reason this song was stuck in my head all day yesterday when I was outside priming the new nailers for the picket fence. I've always liked it and hope you will too. You can sing along since the lyrics are printed (using a wonderful font). It should get you ready to face Monday and the week.
Thanks for stopping by the cottage. ♥Rosemary

Three goats saying their prayers . . .

I thought this photo called "Prayer Meeting" was very fitting for a Sunday. It's by an unknown photographer.
There are two days left to get a free tall coffee from Starbucks just for tasting their new instant coffee Oct. 2-5. Read details here.
Thanks for stopping by the cottage for an extremely short post. It's a beautiful day with bright sun after a rainy Saturday. I plan on spending most of it outdoors. Webster and I hope you enjoy yours too. ♥Rosemary

Great article about The Recycled Houses . . .

I stumbled upon this wonderful article in The New York Times about a very talented self-taught carpenter who builds low-income housing in Texas using trash, found objects, salvaged items, recycled building materials and does a beautiful job. Left-over roofing shingles in many colors are artfully arranged on this home. Click on the photo to see all of the photos in the slideshow.

Kristie Stevens rents one of Mr. Phillips's houses. She is working with him on building a house of her own nearby, since Mr. Phillips requires the eventual owner of a house to help with its construction.

Mr. Phillips's houses use scrap wood for siding. City officials worked closely with him to set up a recycled building materials warehouse where builders, demolition crews and building product manufacturers can drop off items rather than throw them in a dumpster headed for the landfill.

A wood-burning stove from an old ship found a new home in Mr. Phillips's "tree house."

A chair's back is fashioned out of cattle bones. Read the full article. Source: Photos + text: New York Times.
Thanks for stopping by the cottage for some inspiration about a one-man habitat for humanity. Have a great weekend. ♥Rosemary

Life's Little Instruction Book, page 135 + some saved photos . . .

To be continued. I'm really going to miss this book by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Don't you absolutely love this greenhouse with the bookpress and old books? If I were to learn a new trade, it would definitely be bookbinding.

Swoon. Nothing grabs my attention like lots of open shelves. I am not a closet person. I like to be able to see what I own.

So simple and elegant. I'm mad about this built-in chest with the bookshelves above. What a nice thing to look at when you first wake up.

Such a clever use of space. This would drive the building inspector wild in my town. No railing. He would probably start foaming at the mouth if he had to inspect this job. I can see the orange "failed sticker" on that nice white wall.

Ha Ha. I can so relate to this. Most of my friends are younger. People my own age seem so old.

This cat appears to be very interested in something on this page. I'm guessing it's about mice. It's about time for them to start trying to get in my house. Oh, how I dread dealing with them.

I am starting to like the wrap-around text. I always put my captions below the pictures and this placement of text makes it quite evident. Thanks for stopping by the cottage. ♥Rosemary

Georgia O'Keeffe :: Exhibit of her Abstract Paintings at Whitney Museum of Art . . .

 

Details about the exhibit with 130 paintings by the iconic O'Keeffe at New York City's Whitney Museum of American Art.

Thanks for stopping by the cottage today. I'm running a little late in getting my daily blog post up and running. Enjoy. ♥Rosemary

Architectural masterpiece by Robert A. M. Stern in Seaside, Florida . . .

“It’s like a modern yacht—we had to think of how to get the maximum amount of space out of a minimum amount of floor area,” architect Robert A. M. Stern says of the three-story beach cottage he designed for Robert and Lisa Nesbitt in Seaside, Florida. The architect had to adhere to the community’s strict design requirements, which limit height, roof slope and materials.

On The Florida Coast, a Singular Structure Engages with its Site and Redefines the Beach. Architecture and Interior Design by Robert A. M. Stern Architects. Text by Gerald Clarke/Photography by Peter Aaron/Esto. Published April 2008 Read complete Architectural Digest article here: Making a Splash in Seaside

The kitchen’s pocket doors open to views of the town. Ann Sacks backsplash tiles. Urban Archaeology ceiling light. Conrad Roman shades. Wolf range.

The guest room off the entrance hall. Vaughan lamp. Stone-and-marble floor from Walker Zanger.

One of the children’s bedrooms has a whimsical built-in sleeping nook fit for a princess. Bedcovering, pillow and drapery print from Manuel Canovas. Brunschwig & Fils ticking. I published this photo on an earlier blog post and am so pleased that I found the original source.

The master bedroom opens onto a porch shown below. Bergamo chair and ottoman fabric. Sutherland bar table, with Giati chairs.

To support the porch roof, Stern conceived a dramatic single column. “The house is visible from the beach, and we wanted a gesture to make it stand out,” says Brewer. Sutherland furniture.

The south façade. Says Stern, “The house shows that the classical language of architecture can be as lively and fresh as any other.”
Images: Architectural Digest

Thanks for stopping by my beloved cottage for some over-the-top architecture by Robert A. M. Stern. I love the unkempt natural lawn. ♥Rosemary




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Life's Little Instruction Book, page 134 + a great quote . . .

...To be continued...

My symphony...I love this by William Ellery Channing

What a nice reading room.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend; I know I did. I feel energized and ready to tackle a few jobs I've been putting off. Thanks for stopping by the cottage. ♥Rosemary

Time to bring the plants inside . . .

I have started bringing the plants inside. I especially love the geraniums. They make me happy all winter long. The round leaves are considered to be lucky too. I have no idea where I am going to place my huge rosemary plant. It has gotten way too big for a normal indoor setting. It really needs to be in a greenhouse or a conservatory but then I couldn't walk by it to release the wonderful aroma of the rosemary oil that fills the air when you touch the plant. I'll just have to get creative with its placement. I am sure I can work something out. You can see it through the window, behind my old faux bois birdbath--the real thing, not a reproduction. The great antique wire basket on the left is normally filled with nice dry firewood. I practically emptied it on Friday night when I had my first fire of the season. Today is very mild with a wonderful soft rain. Perfect Sunday weather! I can see a movie in my future today. The sale at the firehouse and surrounding grounds was such fun yesterday. I got some great adjustable sawhorses similar to the ones they sell at Ikea, a wonderful small vintage fan for my computer room, and some great books. It was a fun day. When I got home I completely rearranged my computer room using the sawhorses to lower my table to a more comfortable height. It is much better now. The previous base I was using wasn't adjustable. I am thrilled with the way things are shaping up in my attic studio. Pretty soon I will be ready to nest up here for the winter. Thanks for stopping by the cottage for your Sunday viewing. Enjoy your day and come again soon. ♥Rosemary

First Fire for Fall 2009 . . .

It was pretty chilly yesterday and I decided to light my first fire. I had a blacksmith do some work on my cast iron fireplace grate. Actually he was a welder and I asked him to cut off some of the depth so the fireplace wouldn't smoke. He did a great job. I got the very early antique fireback you see behind the flames a couple of years ago at an estate sale. It is definitely one of the heaviest things I've ever purchased. I somehow got it in the house and put it in place and now I can't move it no matter how hard I try. Instead, I had the grate resized and I was very anxious to see if it improved my fire quality. It works better than I hoped. No smoking at all. Now the draft draws perfectly. I am so happy. I'm off to the annual fireman's auction and sale this morning. I really hope I don't find anything I can't live without. I have no more room! Thanks for stopping by the cottage for a bit. Have a wonderful weekend and come back soon. ♥Rosemary

Seed Saving Envelopes for 2009 :: Free Download . . .

Click on the thumbnail above for full-size printable images with 2 envelopes per page.

I had a special request from a reader to design a seed saving envelope for 2009. I used a little play on words for some gardening humor :-)

You might want to look at other seed saving packets I've offered in earlier posts.

Thanks for stopping by the cottage for another DIY free download. Collect some seeds this weekend if you can. Give them to your friends as gifts. These little envelopes are perfect to insert inside a card of any sort. Christmas will be here long before I am ready for it! ♥Rosemary

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