Recreating Print Rooms

Print rooms were popular in 18th and 19th century England where they served as charming exhibit rooms for prints.

An unusual way for those returning from grand tours abroad to display a sort of souvenir album of visited landmarks, print rooms often featured engravings of favored classical ruins and city scenes.

I photographed these two print rooms from one of my design books: Decorating with Paper by Donna Land and Lucretia Robertson. They were created by English artist Nicola Wingate Saul. What a fun way to display old prints and engravings.

Wonderful Wall of Books

I love books and I love cubbies so this bookcase wall really caught my eye. I'm not at all comfortable with an open fire surrounded by all that wood though. Something like that would send the building/fire inspectors into orbit around here. via

Yawning Cat

Looking at this yawning cat makes me sleepy. I think I'll close up shop and catch up with programs on my DVR. First on the list is 'The Good Wife' recorded last night while I was watching Downton Abbey. Oh, by the way was anyone out there but me annoyed when a big red rectangle appeared on the screen asking viewers to go to Facebook and discuss something or someone? I think it wanted members to vote for the man they wanted most for Mary. If this is going to be commonplace, I hope there is a way to disable it. I watch TV to get away from the computer! via

Today I Will . . .

Today I will be more like Miss Pomeroy even though I have Walter tendencies. I photographed this image from 'Today I Will, A Year of Quotes, Notes, and Promises to Myself' by Eileen and Jerry Spinelli.

My Paperwhites are in Bloom

Narcissus papyraceus

I snapped this photo with my iPhone last night just before I tucked myself in to watch the first episode of Downton Abbey Season 2 on PBS last night. I was listening to NPR yesterday afternoon and they kept reminding everyone to watch DownTown Abbey. Whatever you want to call it you should definitely try to catch this 2-hour episode or watch it online before next Sunday.
I bought 15 paperwhite bulbs and started them the week before Christmas and only two are in bloom. One is in a bulb-forcing vase and the other is in soil. The one that is blooming in the clay pot with soil has another bulb beside it that has barely started to grow. I guess they have their own internal clocks. At this rate, I might have blooms in the house all the way up until Easter. This would be fine with me because they are very strongly scented. If they were all blooming at once you could easily fall over from perfume shock upon entering the room. How does your indoor garden grow?

Blue Pantry Cupboard in The Ford Mansion

I have always liked open pantry cupboards and this one is a beauty. I photographed it while on a tour at the Ford Mansion or Washington's Headquarters in Morristown NJ. 

Decor for the New Year.

Now that the Christmas tree is down it's been fun playing house and doing some new tabletop decorating here at the cottage.
Mother Hubbard's cupboard is bare and poor lucky Webster had to eat Cheerios and cat food with soy milk for breakfast. Needless to say he was thrilled.

DIY Postcard or Photo Papered Wall

I love the idea of a doing this to a small single wall. Looks like an easy weekend project, doesn't it? via