One man's trash is, indeed, another (wo)man's treasure! One chilly Monday morning as we were drinking coffee on the front porch, a friend pulled up in our alley. Their family had been cleaning out the garage over the weekend, and his wife "encouraged" him to get rid of some things that had been lying around. So, he brought this vintage 1905 (same year The Good House was built) port box by (along with another item I'll share later) - and did I want it? Um, yes. Very ... View Post
In the Lair of the Naturalist
When our oldest daughter started devouring the Spiderwick Chronicles, we dove in right alongside her. I was particularly riveted by the way Arthur Spiderwick's office was depicted, all rife with leather-bound field journals and specimens and glass cloche domes covering interesting objects. It wasn't the series that kicked off this interest, I'm afraid: it's long-standing. A magazine article years ago (which I'm disappointed I can't seem to locate) introduced me to a New England home with a ... View Post
Belt It Out {Leather Bracelet Giveaway}
Once in a while, you encounter some pretty meaningful things. They're still just inanimate objects, but they may be rife with symbolism, memories or just a degree of character that tells you they were lovingly and well made. As I've been on a somewhat lengthy quest to hold on to fewer objects and clear the clutter (I have a long way to go...), I'm still acutely aware of the way that an object can represent so many emotions. In fact, it's one of the reasons I've been posting #StuffIHeart on ... View Post
The House Dress
I love all the pictures of my Mom in South America in the 1970s with what appear to be very chic caftans and muumuus. At least, that's how I'm going to glamorize them. I'll find some pictures to share. I have a couple of super cool (as in, not toasty) dresses that can go with or without straps, and they are my summer staples. I call them my house dresses, and only partly tongue in cheek. I loving something effortless to survive warm weather and chores around the house and garden that is at ... View Post
Grandmother’s Birdhouse
Around here, it has to be almost Wordless Wednesday, because I can't really live without words. I'm using these posts to share a few of the small but meaningful things around our home - the tattered remnants and found objects that make me smile. There is a massive tree in the front yard of my grandmother's old home in Texarkana, Arkansas. She cobbled together this birdhouse that hung on that tree for as long as I can remember. A few years ago, my Dad divided the entire item into three parts, ... View Post
1956 Handprints
Around here, it has to be almost Wordless Wednesday, because I can't really live without words. I'm using these posts to share a few of the small but meaningful things around our home - the tattered remnants and found objects that make me smile. This image is from the carport that was added decades ago to our 1905 home. I love thinking that the two kids who made those handprints are probably in their 60s. ... View Post
