the strongest conjuration

I'm back at Moss Hill after a week away visiting family on my old turf. It had been a long while since I was last there, and I had more than a few flashback moments, not the least of which was seeing my niece's 14 yr old daughter, so like her mother was at that age that I openly gawked.

I spent a good lot of time crashing into memories, all good, but still - so much.

It has me thinking again of just how broad our definition of "home" is:  Besides where we live now (which may or may not be "home"), and where we wish home could be, home may be where our parents are, or were; our childhood home; the streets and skyscapes of our past; where the people are who knew us "when". To that, add the small town where my parents were born, raised, married, and started their family, my sister and brother born there, the place of grandparents and cousins and aunts and uncles. How many Thanksgivings did we spend there, when there were more of us, when "we" meant "all of us"? Too few, maybe, but enough to mark my heart forever.

Besides all that, what do we think of these chairs?

They're 6 for $75 on craigslist. They come with a table, which I don't want. I do, however, need chairs. I would paint and reupholster them,  natch. I have the promise of a sister coming to help with projects in the spring. 

Lots of choices for fabrics. I like these:

 mouse over images for source

Do you have a favorite, or an alternative option to suggest? 

Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; 

stronger than magician ever spoke,

or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.

~Charles Dickens

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what is given

Someone on craigslist has offered to give me this leather-topped desk, and I've happily accepted. I am certain it's a diamond in the rough and will be magnificent after some TLC. Wifey disagrees, but I'm paying her no mind.

Sometimes the low-hanging fruit is the sweetest.

Always fall in with what you're asked to accept. Take what is given, and make it over your way. My aim in life has always been to hold my own with whatever's going. Not against: with. 

Robert Frost 

UPDATE: Easy come, easy go... Mr. Friendly on craigslist ended up giving the desk to someone else. I am only slightly miffed, as it was never mine to begin with, and I pretty much live by the rule that things happen as they should.  



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where you least expect it

A quick trip to Indi's thrifts netted some sweet scores (partial list below), but most of all I came home inspired to change things up, using what I already had on hand in my "well stocked" garage.

See these examples, below; please forgive the shitty pictures, which got progressively worse as the  battery took its dying breath, then died altogether.

1) Everything on these shelves came from our garage except the galvanized tin bucket (now full of chalk for the giant blackboard) and the tiny tin birdhouse, which is destined for the porch. Oh, and the bamboo shelves? CRAIGSLIST!

1.

2) I moved the gateleg table from the opposite wall (where the shelves are now) to this corner. It's wider, so I opened one leaf, and has an outlet, so I added the lamp.  It was in the living room, but in Indi I got a gorgeous fat blue ceramic ginger jar lamp w/ a black base to use instead, so this lamp was available. YAY! I would show you a picture of said lamp in the newly restyled living room, but the camera battery died before I got to it. The worst part about it is the fact that I can't find the charger. Anywhere.  

2.

3) This is all stuff I've had forever, except the miniature picture; it was a weekend score. I'm very happy with the way it all works together. (Notice how the photos are getting worse? Grrr.)

3.

4) This mirror was above the fireplace until yesterday. Over the mantel now is a HUGE white-framed mirror; the lamps have been changed as well, to small uplights, kind of like this:

I would show you a photo of the newly restyled mantel, but, ummmm...yeah, the camera. 

4.

Okay, so EVEN THOUGH THEY SUCK, here are some tiny little pics, from my bberry, of the new lamp, coffee table, and restyled mantel. Hard to tell, I know, but all the changes made a huge difference... The much needed additions of blue and white cooled things off a bit, and balanced out the reds, toasty warm yellows, and golden wood tones.

So, what else did I get, since none of it is in these pics? 

• 20 or so canning jars that will be starring in a role as table centerpieces at a wedding coming soon (more on that later!)
• 2 vintage (70s) drapery panels, bamboo print, that are destined for a new life covering the seats on my porch chairs (previously thrifted.)
• A granny-chic afghan for the guest room
• An umbrella stand! Yay! (I seem to collect umbrellas.)
• 2 white cotton shower curtains, 1 seersucker, 1 Battenburg lace. Nice for Spring-i-fying the bathrooms.
• Vintage crouquet set, with all the pieces, for $2.99. LOVE!
• Other stuff I can't think of. 

Chance is always powerful. 

 Let your hook be always cast; 

in the pool where you least expect it,

 there will be a fish.

- Ovid

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a stop sign somewhere

Since I've found some of the things on my craigs-wishlist, I figured I ought to update the list:

• I still need something to use as side-tables beside the chairs flanking the fireplace. I still really want them to be ceramic garden stools, but I'm open to other possibilities.
• I still need to figure out what - if anything - to do about the wall space above said chairs.
• And I'm REEEEEALLY ready for a different coffee table.

In the meantime, I've got a garage full of cool stuff that I brought from the other house, but that I can't really find a spot for here. So I'm thinking about listing it on my local craigslist, to make a little extra ka-ching, and to clear some space. 

Here are a few items:

GINORMOUS green chalkboard w/ wood frame, 5' x 3'

shabby-licious white corner cabinet with glass doors

6 oak dining chairs, good condition

shabby little side table

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Seriously, our garage is packed. See?

more cool stuff in the garage

Another option is to just pile it all in the truck and haul it to a very cool and funky thrift/antique/junk shop nearby, where the owner has offered to give me "store credit" for anything I dump on her doorstep that she then sells. We haven't discussed percentages, but the idea is appealing, because it would be a hell of a lot simpler than dealing with the craigslistings/buyers/etc.

What's your vote? Craigslist for more $, or one-stop for ease?


(And if you can suggest anything great to do with the chalkboard let me k now , because I do really like it - but keep in mind, that entry wall is the only wall in the entire house that's big enough for it...)

We're all collectors by nature. But if you're talking about an orderly life, there has to be a stop sign somewhere. Building a collection requires a strong constitution and the ability to resist. 

~ Albert Hadley

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one skein of geese

Today is the vernal equinox, and Spring has come to Moss Hill. The geese return in ragged, honking vees to the ponds and lakes. The fields are blushing green, and the sunlight, after traveling 93 million miles, is warm and heavy on my skin. Inside, the half-finished rooms are calling me - open the windows, shake out the rugs, unpack the boxes waiting in corners... 


Inspired by Jenny's great craigslist finds over on MFAMB, I've spent the past week poking around dusty flea markets and dingy thrift stores, and I've had some luck filling the gaps. Remember the dining chairs I hated, and wanted to replace? Here, let me refresh your memory:

old chairs in former house

I found spotted these replacements at a speedy after-work thrift store stop a few days ago, and for $19.95 each they were mine, snatched up 5 minutes before closing. What do you think - SO much better, right?

new chairs in new house

I really need 6 chairs, but there were only 4 of these, so I continued my search, hoping to find two more chairs that would "go" (matching is not high on my priorities.) I found these yesterday, for $10 each; I think I'll paint the wooden slats (any suggestions for color?),  reupholster the seats, and place them at the head/foot of the table. If I don't like the way that looks, I'll happily use them on the porch:

thrifted chairs, awaiting their cinderella moment

I also found this black wooden lamp at Old Time Pottery, for $30. It's perfect in the living room:

Now I'm headed to the craft room/office, the final room awaiting unpacking. I've already gotten the books unpacked - 7 totes and 4 large boxes full. That's all I've done in there, though, and as you can see, I'm nowhere near finished. And yes, I share this room with the cats:

So, what are you doing today?

"One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, 

cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring."

-  Aldo Leopold

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return with the bird

So a few days ago Jenny, of MFAMB, rather bravely (and/or fool-heartedly) challenged her readers to send in their wishlists and their local craigslists, and declared she would find them the good stuff they were looking for. Jenny, it should be noted, lives in Atlanta, and they have a better-than-average craigs. Specifically, she said: 

"lots of you tell me that your town's craigslist sucks donkeykong dicks. i simply don't believe you. so i invite you to challenge me to find shit for you using your craigslist. you just need to tell me a. what you're looking for or b: what your style is. or both. duh. oh and your nearest craigslist. double duh. think about it, get back to me. my email address is somewhere on this blog."

She did not disappoint. First up was Cristin from Austin. Yeah - Austin. I would expect their craigslist to be superior, wouldn't you? And it was. But Jenny rocked it beyond expectations, and we were all agog. 

Next came Jessica, of Lincoln. As in Nebraska. Yikes. But once again, our fair Jenny pulled rabbits out of hats, made silk purses from sows ears and spun gold from straw. Once again This time, we were agog clamoring for our turns.

Then there was Sonchia, in Telluride CO. The fearless Jenny waded in, but this challenge was so great that she expanded her range, and declared that all other comers must submit to a new rule: in addition to our own local craigslist, we would also need to tell her the the next 3 closest cities to which we would be willing to drive for awesome deals. Who could blame her? We're asking her to find needles in haystacks, and she's doing it, all out - for free! (Although the general consensus is that she should charge, but not until she's panned all our lists for gold first!) Anyway, back to Telluride...again, Jenny left us all agog.

all images craigslist(s) via MFAMB

Then, in response to my comment on her blog, I had a message from Jenny herself: "What are you looking for?" (I know - the eternal question, really - but in this case we're focusing on design & decor. Unless Jenny has other wish-granting skills I'm unaware of?) So, here is my answer, complete with crappy pictures of my messy-ass, unfinished house, and pack of naughty dogs:

Dear Jenny,

Since you asked...

I need 2 small somethings to use as side tables beside the 2 chairs-and-a-half w/ ottomans that flank the fireplace. I'm thinking not-wood because it's already a forest in there. I really love the ceramic garden stools you found in Austin, and actually found some nice ones at T.J. Maxx tonight but now I'm stumped for color, because all I want is those aqua ones! 

The space for the tables is small, but I just need a place to put a drink and cell phone beside the chairs.  The walls are yellow w/ natural wood trim, and a hardwood floor. Oh, and there's a large seagrass rug w/ black binding in the center of the room, but ignore it, because we just bought a ginormous oriental-type carpet in brown, cream, red, a little blue that's rolled up in the front hallway as I type; it will be going down tomorrow.

I've had the coffee table forever (it was in my childhood home) but I'm sick of it. So I guess I need something to use for a coffee table, too. We also have 6 (yes, SIX) terriers, so nothing too precious, please. 

While we're at it, what should I do with the wall space above the chairs? And window treatments? (We've just moved into our new home on 7 private acres after living the past 6 yrs in an urban neighborhood with neighbors in our laps, so we're loving not having to block the view, but in photos the windows look quite unfinished, don't they?)


Finally, I need 6 dining chairs. I love the table but hate these chairs. HATE:

(dining room in former house, staged to sell)

I like these rooms a lot:

scroll over images for source

Here are my local lists; only the first one is two are actually close: 
http://louisville.craigslist.org/
http://lexington.craigslist.org/
http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/



I await your instructions, Jenny, Queen of the Craigs!

If you turn the imagination loose like a hunting dog, 

it will often return with the bird in its mouth.

William Keepers Maxwell, Jr

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