Thursday, May 11, 2017

Second Thursday Tutorial: On hiatus


There will be no tutorial this Thursday.  I am attending a funeral, so the tutorial for this month will have to wait.  However, I will share a few photos of my home with you.

Before the cats tear the house up too badly, here are a few shots of my kitchen and part of the living/dining area.

For those who like to count rocking horses, you will not be able to keep up and count them all.   They are everywhere, hidden, in plain sight, and on every surface available.


This is a sight you won't see again.



This is a 12 month color swap I hosted which has turned into a cat magnet.

I have to keep it hidden or the boys drag bits and pieces of tags and fibers away.

Now for my kitchen.  Note the copper above the cabinets.  I have no room for them otherwise.  I use a step ladder to reach something I might need from there when I entertain.  My friend Joseph and I created that ceiling using a homemade anaglyptus stamp and copper acrylic paint.

As you can see, my kitchen is white with cobalt blue and copper accents.


Look who I caught trying to get into the office to hide.

When he realized he wasn't going to get in, he tried to make his escape

to no avail.

I realize this is a woefully bad photo, but it shows more of my copper that sits above my cabinets.

I see I should have hidden my scrap bucket that holds my coffee grounds and veggie scraps that go into my compost pile.  I empty it every day if it isn't raining, and you can see it has just been emptied and cleaned.

The paper bag holds dill seeds I collected last year.  The bag overshadows everything when I look at the photo.

In case you don't realize it, I use these copper pots.  I used to own a large home with a big kitchen where I could hang the cheese grate from the ceiling.  Now it takes up a lot of room on one wall.




There is lots of copper here and not much cobalt blue.

We are now back to the dining/living area.
 
You can tell this was right before Easter when I took these photos.


The tulips were just beginning to bloom.

The front flower bed was still quite bare

and the tulips, unlike last year, were few and far between.

The hostas were just beginning to emerge,

but the beautiful lilies of the valley

that I hadn't seen in three years, suddenly emerged.

These tulips, always the first to bloom, didn't do anything this year.


Hidden from view among the tulips was the first of my iris, though.  Everything else was pretty sad.  I think it's because we had a very limited winter this year.

Fast forward to Tuesday, and I mowed before the rains set in.

What really impressed me was my rose bush, which I had not cut back this year, 

already had two roses on it.

I especially like the buds as they are forming.

But as I was mowing, I also noticed my peonies were in full bloom.  Very early, I thought.

My flower bed has certainly filled out in the past three weeks.

It's obvious I need to edge around my bricks and in front of the house.  I also swept after I took these photos.

Then yesterday this was the scene from my front porch.  You would never know I swept, but at least you can tell I've mowed.

Today the funeral will happen rain or shine.    People going to the cemetery will have to put up with more rain and dreary weather.

Thanks for joining me today.  I hope you enjoyed a brief peek at part of my home.  Thanks, too, for your continued support.

20 thoughtful remarks:

Helen said...

hope today goes as well as these things can.. it will be a hard day for everyone of course, but I am sure you will all support one another. your home looks great.

chrissie said...

A wonderful artistic looking home and surrounding area Elizabeth.

Hope all goes well at the funeral and my thoughts are with you.

Take care

Love Chrissie xx

CJ Kennedy said...

Your home is so cozy and inviting. I especially loved the cobalt accents in the kitchen. The copper really makes the blue stand out. Enjoyed seeing Squiggles, too.

Today will be a hard day to pass for you. I hope happy memories of your friend can ease your heart. Rain at funerals makes me think even the angels are crying.

Valerie-Jael said...

Lovely to see the photos of your house and garden, and also the glimpses of your furry friends who didn't want to be caught! I hope the funeral will make some closure for you all possible. Hugs, Valerie

Sandra Cox said...

Your home and garden are lovely and warm.
I love rocking horses too:)
So sorry for your loss. I hate dreary days for funerals. I like CJs take though, when it rains at a funeral it's the angels crying.

froebelsternchen said...

I am thinking of you and your friend's children Elizabeth!
Your home and garden is so utterly beautiful! I love your white kitchen with the copper - and even a artsy ceiling! Fantastic!

oxo Susi

Divers and Sundry said...

Thank you for welcoming us into your lovely home. I'm drawn to your porch and imagine sitting there overlooking that peaceful yard with its changing flowers. The color of that rose is gorgeous!

Meggymay said...

Thank you for sharing these lovely photos of your home. The copper pots looked amazing, you have them on display beautifully, it good that you use them as well.

I hope today went as well as it could for your friends children and yourself.
Yvonne xx

Rita said...

Always sad for funerals,but thank you for the lovely tour of your home. :)

Cindy McMath said...

Thinking of you.

My name is Erika. said...

I love the copper 👍 It's really beautiful in your kitchen. And wow. You are really ahead of us in your garden. But we r surely catching up pretty fast. I apologize for any spelling issues as I am posting this from my phone as I wait to fall back to sleep. Hope all is well. Hugs Erika

Sami said...

I think a rainy day adds to the sadness of a funeral.
Thanks for the lovely tour.
You collect a lot of pretty things Elizabeth. I love the cobalt blue bottles as I love anything blue! I have a lot of blue ornaments in my house.

Gibby Frogett said...

What a lovely warm and cozy home you have Elizabeth - I love the copper and blue - really beautiful.
Still thinking of you and imagining you are probably very tired from yesterday but hoping you are ok...
Gill xx

Let's Art Journal said...

Your home is so beautiful and inviting, I enjoyed spending time with you and your kitty cats 😊. I love the copper, it looks fabulous! Thinking of you and sending you wishes of peace and comfort. J :-)

Sandy said...

Oh Elizabeth - thank you for inviting us into your home. I loved all the pictures and found your ceiling quite lovely! Do you think you have enough copper!!! I do love your tea kettles!!!!
Sometimes I think when it is raining during a funeral, it is the earth's way of shedding tears of sadness too.
sandy xx

sheila 77 said...

Hello Elizabeth.
What a treat to be invited into your characterful house, I've now been through it twice, and enjoyed each room view.
And ......... drumroll (quietly) ........ Squiggles! Hurrah! You knew I would like that, didn't you.
Lovely to see your flowers and garden too.
I hope you found some peace today.
love
Sheila

sheila 77 said...

Oh!!!!!!! and now I am wondering if it was Squiggles? We see him so rarely.

sheila 77 said...

I've just checked past posts.
Of course it is Squiqqles.
Sorry, Squiggles, how could I doubt it was you.
Hope all goes well with what you are doing to help the children, Elizabeth, nothing is more important just now.
love
Sheila

Jeanie said...

I love your home, Elizabeth. It has the warmth and coziness that I crave in my own personal environment. I love the furniture and the wood and it really speaks to your own creative personality and interests.

And the kitchen! Fabulous! Love the copper and your glorious dining table and the blue accents. What a cheerful place to start the day. Thanks for sharing it.

I hope things go well with the funeral. I know that will be terribly difficult.

pearshapedcrafting said...

Oh Elizabeth - the views of your beautiful home have me wanting to ask all sorts of questions….. but Yay! I know where your mail box is now - I have no idea how it works as in England our mail comes through a letter box (unless the package is too big - in which case the post will knock on the door) and lands on the floor!
I do hope that the funeral went as well as funerals can go and that you and your friends children are OK. Hugs, Chrisx