Playroom Under The Stairs

Photo by Suburban Renewal Inc You are never too young to have a room of your own, are you?

UPDATE: The RBG movie is being repeated on Sunday 9/9/18 on CNN. Check your guide for times in your area. In my area (New York Metropolitan) it is being rebroadcast twice. At 8PM and 10PM. This information comes from Vickie H and it's on in her area at 9PM. Click here to view my original blog post about this movie. Many of you missed it but will have another chance to see it this Sunday night on CNN.

Gallery Wall in My Spare Room

I can almost declare this room finished. I still have to take out the screen and scrub it and clean the window inside and out. This is not easy. It is not a tilt window and I have to get out a ladder to do the outside. I have virtually torn this room apart, bit by bit. I got a new mattress for my bedroom months ago and took off my old Tempurpedic mattress. The foam mattress on my antique rope bed in my dressing room/guest room was rock hard and I had been wanting to replace it for ages but it was a custom size. It was a full size in width but 4" shorter in length. I knew the Tempurpedic could be cut down but I didn't have an electric knife. This week I decided to search Youtube for instructions and I found you could use a regular knife. The old mattress had been stored under this antique bed and the room was a mess. SO I decided to switch the mattresses. I easily cut down the one on the floor, took off the rock hard mattress and switched them. After I put on the mattress pad and fitted sheet, it was perfect and ever so much more comfortable. Success! Now I have a mattress that is virtually brand new standing up in my kitchen. Will I ever get the whole house together at the same time? I doubt it. Anyway, back to the photo above. I have cupboards under my built in bookcase and I could never open the door on the left side and was missing out on some excellent storage for pajamas and such. I had an armless leather chair there before with a small stack of leather suitcases on it. It was too bothersome to move to get in the cupboard so it was virtually empty inside.

I decided to move the chair to the other side of the bed and arrange some  artwork on the wall for interest. I like it. Here is another view of this room featuring the draperies I remade for the two front windows. LOOK HERE. Will I ever finish getting things just the way I want them?

See you later. xo

The Ultimate Country House

Plain and simple with one shade tree and a path cut through the field to the garden. This would be a nice place to grow up with plenty of fond memories to look back on. via

Portrait of a Chicken Pot Pie

This pie is simple and to the point. Don't you love the chicken cutout. Chicken Pot Pie is one of my favorite things to eat in cold weather. It is still boiling hot here at my cottage but I've been working through it and getting stuff done. School buses are back on the road and fall is just around the corner. xo

RBG MOVIE -- TONIGHT ON CNN 9PM

If you cannot see the YouTube video above click here.
I missed this movie when it played for a very short time near me. Several people who saw it said it was wonderful and I am excited about seeing it tonight on CNN at 9PM. Check your tv guide for times in your area.

Kalman visits with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

"I think, move over Jane Austen as my imaginary best friend forever. Make room for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who would have gone to my high school for music, if her parents had let her. Whose favorite artist is Matisse. (I rest my case.) Who went on to study law because she wanted to combat the forces of injustice (McCarthyism) and graduated tied for first in her class at Columbia Law School, but could not get hired as a lawyer."

Maira Kalman loves Ruth. She wrote an article in the NYTimes called "And the Pursuit of Happiness" - The three illustrations above are from MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT.

H A P P Y   L A B O R   D A Y !

UPDATE: This movie is being repeated on Sunday 9/9/18 on CNN. Check your guide for times in your area. In my area (New York Metropolitan) it is being rebroadcast twice. At 8PM and 10PM. This information comes from Vickie H and it's on in her area at 9PM.

Yay. So many of you missed it and will have another opportunity to see it. Free is good. You will love. Thanks again Vickie ! ! !

September First

I designed this graphic and posted it one year ago today. Maybe it will be new to some of you. I have been distracted for the past two weeks. My PC computer running on Windows XP finally gave up the ghost and I was unable to get it up and running again. It had been giving me trouble for a long time and I put up with it because it had Microsoft Word, Photoshop, and was connected to a scanner and a printer. I disassembled everything and moved my iMac to the same spot where I have a very comfortable computer chair. 

I was able to connect a scanner and a printer quite easily and I am loving my new setup. I had the disc for Microsoft Word but it would not install on an Apple computer so I am learning Google Docs and can pretty much do what I did on Word. There is a workaround for almost everything, isn't there? I have been organizing my attic and it is an endless job but I have moved mountains. 

I don't have cable in my studio/computer room/sewing room/ and I've been missing it. It's nice to have a movie or the news on while I am sewing, ironing or organizing. I usually listen to a podcast or NPR on the radio and I will continue to do so. I'm very excited to report I found internet TV with movies, live news and so much more. It's called Pluto TV ( https://pluto.tv/ ) and it's wonderful. There is a yellow circle in lower right corner that will pull up the tv guide. The movies are amazing and there is a huge selection of shows. It works on any device....desktop computer, laptop, phone, or iPad. I found a blog post on cordcutting.com that explains it in detail HERE. There are commercials but I have found them to be entertaining as they are mostly about what else is playing on Pluto. Try it if you don't have cable in a room where you are working. There is no pause, repeat, or going back but it's totally free so that's fine with me. Let me know if this will be helpful for you as well.

Happy September. Enjoy the long weekend. xo

Best Guesthouse Ever

Yes, please. I have always loved a settle bench at the front door. This guesthouse in the Hamptons is charming! The main house is large and very nice with an understated classic interior filled with antiques. See it too in the link below.

The guest cottage has a cozy living room off the kitchen.

via Architectural Digest

Art Gallery in A Master Bath

What an amazing space. This master bath is a real sanctuary full of wonderful nautical artwork and antiques. The architecture is wonderful too. I love the clerestory window in its own dormered nook instead of a skylight. The floors are wooden, all the walls are shiplap boards, and I don't see any tile at all. The owners must be sailors and want to be reminded of their boat while at home. I love what they've done to showcase their collections in such a clever, tasteful way.

Stay cool as we enjoy the last week of August going into the Labor Day Weekend. xo

A Painting in My Collection

Lillian Cotton (1892–1962) was an American artist known for her portraits, especially of high-society figures and well-known actors, writers, and artists of her day.

She was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. Her father was Nathaniel Hugh Cotton, a West Indies shipping merchant born in Barbados, and her mother was Harriet Emma Clapp. Cotton developed an interest in art as a young child, drawing detailed portraits in sketchbooks as early as age ten, and attended the Boston Museum School. Between 1915 and 1917, Cotton studied at the Art Students League of New York under Robert Henri and George Bellows. In 1924, Cotton moved to Paris and studied at the André Lhote Academy. While in Paris, she met Arthur Elia Impey, a British army officer, and married him in 1926. The couple lived between Paris and New York.

Artist Information found here.

I have always wondered who this adorable child is, ever since I bought this painting with a left bid at an auction. It is signed lower left: L.Cotton 1913 when she was still at the Art Students League studying under the famous artists mentioned above.

I just discovered the magnifying glass on my iPhone and decided to use it on the horse embroidered on my baby painting's smocked outfit. You can see the texture of the canvas and the brush strokes of the oil paint.

I adore babies in smocked garments, a trend that is long out of style here where today's babies are dressed as miniature adults. Why rush it? They have their whole lives to wear khaki pants and button-down shirts! England's Royalty dress their children in age-appropriate styles from an age gone by. I love the way Prince William and Duchess Catherine are dressing Prince George, Princess Charlotte and I can't wait to see more of baby Prince Louis' attire. xo

Laundry Room, Home Office and Porch

Was once a porch so it required its own heat/ac unit.

Same house with a great home office.

The house with the best front porch. Swoon.

Photos found when searching the MLS today.

Summer Sleeping Porch Love

Everybody needs a dedicated space for catching up on their reading and napping. I have always been obsessed with sleeping porches even though I've never slept on one. via

Gather Ye Rosebuds

I photographed one of the crests from my old book, "The Royal Book of Crests" and this quote seemed fitting. I collect silver trophy cups and was drawn to this engraving. All of mine are engraved but I don't have one that was awarded for winning a flower prize. 

It's hard to believe next week is the last week of August, isn't it? That is usually the signal for the end of summer and a very popular vacation week. I got very behind in my mowing and tackled the back yard yesterday. Hopefully, I will do the front tomorrow and a final weeding of my front garden.

See you tomorrow. xo, Rosemary

Open Shelves in a Hudson NY House

Antique white stoneware on open shelves and topiaries on antique mounts, I'm in love!

“Just to have everything laid out in front of you has been wonderful and we really use everything on a daily basis,” the owner says.

The dining table, chairs, chandelier, and stools are all antique finds from the owners' travels. “We used old architectural pieces to define the spaces,” she says. Read more about this Historical Home in Hudson, New York and tour the other antique-filled rooms here.

Topiary Collection

This looks like a private home but it may be a shop. Either way, the topiaries are lovely and beautifully clipped. Photo found on Google Images.

Coastal Cottage: Roanoke Island, NC

Very charming indeed. via

Tiny Beach Cottage

WOW. This looks like the perfect little beach cottage, doesn't it? found on Tumblr

The BEST Marble Bathroom

via

This bathroom is wonderful. I love the floor with the black marble continuing up the wall instead of a wooden baseboard. I think this must be an old house with a remodeled bathroom and isn't it wonderful? Even the pipes under the sink are gorgeous. I give this room two thumbs up, five stars and an A+. Maybe one day I'll find more photos of this house to share. xo

Country House w/ Garden Oxfordshire UK

via

Country House, Oxfordshire, England.
Photograph by Andrew Montgomery.
I wish I could see the whole landscape with the quads around the sundial. 

Ali MacGraw Now

This is what 78 looks like and I love that Ali MacGraw is growing old so gracefully.

She's as beautiful as ever. She wrote a great article about how she has found inner peace.

Her clothing designs are beautiful and she wears them so well.

A fire burned her house down in ‘93 and took with it many of her designer treasures, including original Halstons. MacGraw has since stuck to a uniform: tees, black skinny jeans and ballet flats, plus accessories — just like what she’s wearing in the above photo — and, “one or two things a year that are hair-raisingly expensive but I know will last my lifetime.”

Mourning Dove at My Birdbath

I have many dove families living in the spruce trees in front of my house. This one stayed in the same position for a very long time, seemingly hypnotized by the raindrops falling softly in the dish. Then he took a really long drink but didn't fly away. I think he must be a juvenile. Luckily, I was sitting at my laptop in my pantry looking out the window, wondering what I could post for my followers to see. Problem solved. xo

My Sewing Thread Jar

One of my friends gave me this glass jar with the rope handle last summer and I could never find the perfect use for it until I decided to use it for my huge collection of sewing thread. I put the jar next to my sewing machine for scale in this photo that I enhanced using the Snapseed App. The wall behind my sewing table really isn't grungy at all. Most of these spools are wooden and many contain silk thread. Somewhere along the way, I must have purchased someone's thread collection because I will never have a use for many of these colors. I had them all in a jumble in a large hat box and in a desk drawer when I was looking for a spool of white thread and it hit me that I should display them in my jar. It sits on the ledge below my three windows with the new blue and white checked curtains I made this month. I put this photo on Instagram yesterday and people are loving it. Do you have a lot of thread too? Why not display it in one of those large lidded cookie jars like Ina and Martha use for flour on their cooking shows? I pulled out the spools of white and black thread and the heavy thread you use for sewing on buttons and put them in a drawer. I know I'll have to dump the jar if I need a specific color that might be buried in the center of my stash but I don't mind. It makes me happy to look at it when I'm up in my attic sewing room. See you later, xo.

Seaside Vacation: Jill Barklem

via

I don't know this book but I love this seaside vacation scene. The children can play while the parents gather seagrass and make baskets. 

Sea Story: Primrose and Wilfred Sail to Sandy Bay (Brambly Hedge) The tale of Primrose and Wilfred's meeting with their seashore cousins.

Content in a Cottage on Instagram

Here is the link to my frequent Instagram Posts.

The photo above is a screen shot from my phone showing my most popular posts from the hashtag called #contentinacottageblog. It changes from day to day depending on the number of clicks on various posts. The first photo is a dark cloud I spotted when I walked past one of the French doors in my living room on the way to my kitchen. I grabbed my phone and snapped the picture of the pointing finger cloud and uploaded a graphic from my blog. The center photo is of a snow swag on my picket fence several winters ago. The snow melted slightly and then the temperature dropped and froze the swag in place. You can follow me on the first link and follow my hashtag on the second link. Thanks in advance. xo

Outdoor Dining Room

It's mid-August and summer has been quite a challenge recently for planning outside entertaining. via

I love this teak outdoor dining set. It gets filtered sun now but I spy the newly planted wisteria that will provide shade quickly, once it gets established.

I woke up to rain this Monday morning and I wish I could send it where it is so desperately needed in California. Sending prayers instead. xo

Sunday Sketch

I love this playful illustration. via

Have a good one.

Cooking Corn on the Cob in Microwave

Step One: Shuck and desilk your corn.

Step Two: Tear off a length of wax paper longer than your ear of corn so you can roll up the ear and twist the ends. I guess I will eat this ear for lunch after I microwave it for 4 minutes or so. 

Last night I ate 2 ears and cooked them for 6 minutes. I have a small, countertop microwave. For me this is the only way to cook corn. Boiling pots of water in the summer is something I avoid at all cost.

I had a corn stand for three years at my previous house, High Meadow Farm in New Vernon NJ. I had a farm assessment and the first year I planted corn in my big front field, it was fabulous. The second year, the deer discovered it and it was only so-so. The third year was my last year. Even though I planted a lot of Indian Corn around the perimeter to try and fool the deer, it just wasn't worth the work.

I sold herb vinegar too. I had printed notes for customers to cook their corn in the microwave and always got little notes back, along with the money in my honor-system cigar box, saying they were thrilled with the results.

Let me know if you do this and how it worked for you. You might have to experiment with the cooking times.

Support Farmers

Buy local, eat local, and support your local farmers by way of their farm stands, their store near the farm, or local farmers markets. via 

I had fresh tricolor corn tonight and it was delicious. I cook mine in the microwave. I wrapped two ears (that had been shucked and silks removed) in waxed paper and microwaved for 6 minutes. It was perfect. I have a small countertop microwave, not a huge one. I started out with 4 minutes and that didn't seem enough. After 2 more minutes, it smelled right and it was. The ears were pretty big. Try it, you'll like it!!!

Conservatory

This new conservatory isn't trying to look old. via 

Tiny Cottage Love

via

It might be a studio. Whatever this little outbuilding is used for, it is perfectly delightful from the outside.

Wisteria

This townhouse is impossibly lovely with its floral decoration by Mother Nature. Wisteria is pretty wild when left to its own devices so this vine must have had some help from a landscape design expert who trained it well. via

Backsplash and Oven Hood

The tile work behind the Wolf cooktop is simple and beautiful and I love the woodwork around the range hood. It looks like a fireplace wall with mantel and elaborate ceiling moldings. The open cupboards on either side are perfect. via

Cat: Enjoying the View

Cats have a way of getting into the most unusual positions that appear uncomfortable but they end up staying in them for long periods. via

Cottage

Perfection!

Every detail, including the size of the bushes, shows planning. Even the dog is perfectly placed!

Seaside Cottage Bedroom

Isn't this sleeping nook delightful? I love the shiplap walls and ceiling, the crewel embroidery on the headboard and curtain, the built-in bookshelves, and the bed linens. YES! 

‘Seaside Cottage’ Gary Brewer Robert A.M. Stern Architects, NYC. Peter Aaron photo.

Simple Narrow Entrance Hall

The view from the front porch looks gorgeous. I love this sisal/jute rug in a chevron pattern bound with a gray border. I have always loved old house with transom windows over the doors. They must be so nice at night when the door is closed and the transom is open to let in fresh air. via

It has been too hot here for me to open my windows at night. It is 90° at 6:30pm and my house is nice and cool as I have been running my central air. I don't use it that often but when it's really hot, I am glad I have it, especially if I am working in the attic. See you tomorrow. xo

Mending Day at My Cottage

Yesterday, I decided to do some mending. One of my favorite percale sheets had a three-cornered tear and had been in my mending basket for way too long.

Here it is before mending. I like percale sheets because they are so nice and cool in the summer.

This is the reverse side after mending. I used a plain zig-zag stitch first and then topped it with another decorative stitch for stability. Then I trimmed away the excess backing material.

This is the side that faces the mattress when the bed is made. I ironed the sheet and changed my bed linens and it was good to have my old sheet back again.