Homebound

There is something about just being home that I enjoy.  I have been on the go for so many months that I decided that January was going to be my month to snuggle in...to make stews and breads, to watch old movies I have been urning for, to redecorate, to take long baths and actually read a book.  To work on the office cottage and make sandwiches for lunch.

 I celebrated my 33 birthday this past Monday...at home. My coffee hour girls brought coffee hour to me along with cheesecake and merriment!  All morning we sat around my kitchen table and just visited.    It feels so good to be domestic and to catch up on the things that matter most; such as finding Glenn's missing toy chicken or folding his cloth diapers while listening to Adel and pressing the replay button.   I hope you too are getting a break from the rush, enjoying this new year and loving your home, after all...that is what home is for.  Kindly, Jennifer

Office Cottage: If these walls could talk...

We are back on track.  It was a wonderful holiday season, but sadly I had to put aside work on the office cottage for most of the past couple months.  We put up the insulation, windows and door  (blog post on that to come later) and locked up until earlier this week after Christmas was all packed away.

 The first order of business was to start the interior so I can get moved in soon.   I am not very conventional so the idea of heading to the hardware store for drywall made me…cringe…I needed more.   I did not want just ordinary drywall walls (not to mention how much I despise mud and taping) I needed texture.  I remember walking into so many old farm buildings; chicken coops, woodsheds, canning sheds…and thinking what wonderful work spaces they would make!  I think what I liked the most were the wooden board walls…such soul they had…

I decided I wanted to cover the walls in old boards keeping in mind I am trying to create a building that looks as if it has been here for the past 100 years.  Boards are expensive though, and I was not going to get the style I wanted in new boards anyhow…so I went to my “save until later pile”. 

Last summer I saw an old fence that had been torn down and thrown out.  I asked the owners and they were happy to have me haul it away.   I had no idea what I was going to do with it, but I loved the amount I had salvaged, endless possibilities.

So, I decided this fence would make wonderful walls.  I took them apart with my handy dandy drill and cut the ends off to make them even.  So far I am thrilled with the outcome.  I love that my walls were once something that surrounded a home, kept little ones safe, had conversations held over gardens with neighbors and most of all has been given a new life, another story to live. 

One of 4 piles of salvaged fence.

Thank heaven for tractors!

Luckily the boards were put together with screws, and I can re-use them!

Ready for installing!

Just the look I was going for!

Halfway done!

Just right.

Not sure If I will paint the walls, the color is growing on me.  I had enough boards to cover three walls, so the 4th wall will be old vintage wallpaper...because I think a little pretty is always a nice thing!
Thanks for visiting! more to come...  Love, Jennifer