As I write this, we are up at our mountain cabin. It is overcast, drizzling and chilly temperatures and oh, so very quiet. When you live in a busy city, you ignore all the noise (sirens, traffic, lawn mowers and blowers), but here it is silent. Wow. I haven’t been here since Thanksgiving, so naturally there is much tidying up to do (spider webs for example). I don’t believe I have seen another person here, except my husband. Well, happy Saturday and I am so happy you are here today to discuss all good things this week.

The Drive Up

The drive to the mountains is generally 3.5 hours. On the freeway in Phoenix, my car thermometer registered 104 degrees. About 1.5 hours out of Phoenix, the temperature drops to 87 degrees. But shortly thereafter, I run into a very dark and spooky weather storm and the temperature quickly drops to 53 degrees. Look at that ominous sky! Isn’t Mother Nature just amazing?

Surprisingly Good Find at Costco

Other than their salmon with pesto butter, I tend not to buy seafood at Costco. However, this week I purchase a 5 lb. bag of live farm raised Manila clams and boy, are they delicious. At $4.79 a pound, it is a pretty good deal. They must be seasonal because I do not see them featured on the Costco website. Steaming them in white wine, a little water, garlic, fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro), I serve them with a French baguette (for dipping into the sauce) and a glass of a crisp white wine~an easy and delicious dinner.

Since we had leftover clams, I take them out of the shell and freeze them in the cooking liquid. I’ve never frozen clams before but hoping to use them in a linguini and clam recipe in the future.

Peaches are Ripe!

The hardest part of being out of town is not picking peaches daily. There are still many that are hard on the tree so I’m hoping they will stay until I get home. These “bend over and eat” peaches are so juicy and flavorful. They remind me of peaches growing up. For some reason, the ones you buy in the grocery store today are lacking in flavor and fuzz. I see peach pie in my future!

Spaghetti Squash, any one?

I am afraid I am going to have an abundance of spaghetti squash. Like anything else, the first few are delicious and then you get your fill. If you live nearby and like spaghetti squash, let me know. I haven’t picked any yet, but my guess is that they will be ready very soon.

Thought you might enjoy this photo….the pollinating of my squash blossoms. I’ve never stuffed squash blossoms but that might be a solution to nipping the numerous spaghetti squashes in the bud.

Out-of-Sync Week

Do you have one of those weeks that nothing goes right? Not sure why this happens, but my week has been fraught with one problem or obstacle after another. Are the planets out of alignment? For me, this is often a sign to slow down.

What do you do to reverse an out-of-sync week? In 2020 I wrote a post, Ways to Navigate Life Now, and quite honestly, I just re-read it and it is balm for the soul. Apparently, in 2019 was also a stressful time as I wrote the post, Ways to Decompress. Anyway, if you are experiencing a sense of being overwhelmed, you may find value in reading these.

Fun Things on the Internet

Check out with this Elegant Budget Friendly Before and After house remodel. Featured on The Glam Pad, you get to look inside the beautiful home of Courtney from Tuft & Trim. Renovating on a limited budget, you will be inspired by the transformation.

Need Memorial Day decorating ideas? My very talented and industrious friend, Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse has 25 Patriotic Decor Ideas for you. There are so many suggestions-from simple to more complicated. You can see it here.

Memorial Day is 10 days away. What? Are you gathering with family and friends to honor this holiday? Wendy from WM House Designs has a blog post filled with party ideas from food to games, as well as this delicious looking Watermelon and Cucumber cocktail. So much is packed into this post you won’t want to miss it here.

Are you growing flowers this year? If so, you will find such great information from my gardening friend, Kim from Shiplap and Shells. My garden is mostly vegetables but this year I am trying to plant more flowers. Her post on Pinching Cut Flower plants is filled with tips on how to make the most of your cut flower plants. This is timely for me as many of the flowers I am growing from seeds are the right height to pinch (yet I’ve never done it as I am a bit apprehensive). Plus Kim has the most beautiful pictures of her home and garden so you won’t want to miss it.

Speaking of beautiful flowers, you have heard me many times say how much I LOVE lilacs. However, we cannot grow them in Phoenix. But, they do grow in the mountains! I am so excited that we are here during lilac bloom and naturally, I cannot help myself from cutting bunches and bunches. Ah, simple pleasures that melt away the stress.

I had hoped to post this week but was having some computer challenges. As requested, I will soon share my sourdough bread recipe. Until then, have a marvelous weekend and keep the faith!

The mudroom is perhaps the most used, and abused room in our home.  Located right off the back door of the house, the mud room is also adjacent to the kitchen, laundry room and library. This small room has 4 doors and a back stair case up to the 2nd floor.

The Before

Here is a “before the restoration” picture. Stained linoleum floors, security bars on the window and a Norman Bates style elevator adds to the creepy vibe in this room In adding a new kitchen, we are able to increase the square footage and have a much better mud room floor plan.

The After

Where the old window above the wash sink was, is the new entrance to the back of the house. I just love Dutch doors for their charm and function. Some of these pictures are taken around the holidays so look past the decorations.

Flooring

This room is designed to withstand a steady stream of muddy feet, wet bathing suits, dogs, cats, and sometimes chickens (when one is ill).  The stone floor, a blue slate, holds up beautifully to lots of traffic.

A 2′ x 3′ washable cotton rug from Dash & Albert is rarely clean for long but is surviving multiple washings. The 5′ x 8′ diamond natural sisal rug is from Ballard Designs and still looks new. You can find it in two colors here.

The Desk Area

Originally this area is designed as an additional desk/office space. However, with a 10 foot long countertop that is accessible to the entire family, it became clear that keeping this a personal office space would prove difficult.

Instead, it is an active craft room area. Flat plastic boxes in the cubbies below hold everything from decorative paper to stencils. The green fabric boxes are filled with inspirational catalogs and magazine.

The cabinet doors open up to create a proper knee hole, but close to hide anything stored beneath.

Mail slot cubbies hold cards and stationery. Galvanized buckets from Ikea capture all the pens, pencils and markers.

My ribbon tree is handy for quick gifts. To see how I made this, click here.

Storage Areas

To the right of the Dutch door, there is a broom closet which houses all the cleaning supplies, batteries, light bulbs, vacuum cleaner and tool box. As you can see this 9′ x 15′ room wears many hats.

The kitchen is to the right of the hat rack.  Santa hats go up in the day after Thanksgiving and are removed after January 6 (the Epiphany). The rest of the year the rack is used for every day hats. The cow wall art is a gift from my friend, Gwen.

Command Central

As we move around the room, to the right of the kitchen door, is command central.

All the brains/technology to the house are located in the top 3 cabinets.  The doors have metal screens for mechanical ventilation.

The cabinets and doors are painted a Dunn Edwards Cottage White SP113 semi-gloss and the walls are the same color in satin. Polished nickel pull and handles are used on all the cabinets.

All the equipment is on sliding metal racks for easy access and maintenance.

Gift Wrapping area

Below the mechanical equipment and behind the middle oblong cabinet is the gift wrapping center.

Flanking the gift drawer are several smaller drawers labeled accordingly for miscellaneous items~scissors, tape, glue gun, and ribbon pieces.

Laundry Folding and Gift Wrapping Spot

When we initially designed this room, we hoped to have the washer and dryer beneath this countertop. But the basement staircase is interfering with this space.

Instead we add this pull out table surface as the laundry folding area or a place to wrap gifts. The drawer pulls out when needed and provides a nice, large flat work surface.

The narrow upper cabinet is where various rolls of ribbon are stored.  What a good use of a typically wasted space!

Back Staircase

When you keep going to the right from the command center and gift wrapping area, you reach the back staircase. Here is a picture of it before the renovation in early 2021.

Here is how it looks today. Much cleaner and brighter. To see that complete (lengthy) project, click here.

Laundry Room

Tucked behind the pocket door to the right of the back staircase is our primary laundry room and half bath.  Even though we have an additional washer and dryer upstairs, this laundry room gets the most use.

With a laundry shoot from our master closet, all the dirty clothes land in the basket against the headboard wall.

Library Entrance and Ironing area

Moving past the laundry room, our next stop is the library room entrance and the small area at the end of the long countertop. See the cabinet mounted to the wall? This is one of two ironing boards which is conveniently located next to the laundry room. The other ironing board is in our master closet.

The artwork is now different in this room as all the black and white photos have been removed and an original painting put in its place.

Out of all the rooms in the house, I feel like the mudroom is the most versatile and utilitarian.

Of course, our Maine coon cat, Donovan, likes to sit in the office chair. My little helper.

Thank you for taking the time to read another edition of Room by Room. If you have missed any others, you can find the links below.

Room by Room Series:

A Peek into Our Library

The Wine Cellar

The Butler’s Pantry

The Front Hall

The Master Bedroom

The Living Room

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

I am getting ready for turning 60 pounds of fresh tomatoes into jarred tomato sauce, so having enough room in the pantry is critical. It seems that every few years I need to organize the kitchen pantry. Here is the story of before and after and how I use this small, yet efficient space. The pantry is original to our historic home so all the narrow shelving and bead board reflect kitchen life over 100 years ago.

The Before~Messy and Unorganized

As embarrassing as this is, I have to show you the “before” picture of my kitchen pantry.  How do things get this messy?  It becomes the room that we just toss stuff in.  You can’t even walk inside.  Moan. After hanging onto the door frame and stretching long and reaching in, nearly breaking my neck, I decide it was time to clean it.

Sorting and Organizing

This first step is removing everything from the pantry. There is a breakfast table nearby for easy access to stack and see what items are actually currently in the pantry. I throw out all the expired food (2017, really?) and donated all the “near” expiration dates and those items I have multiples of (way too many garbanzo beans). Surprisingly, this removes a good percentage of the canned goods.

All the food items are now organized alphabetically.

Making a decision on how to use this space may vary per family member. I use this for all canned goods, back up supplies (plastic wrap, coffee pods, etc.) and cookbooks.I do not use this for small appliances that I infrequently use (such as a crockpot). But when you live with others, they can just dump things in here when they don’t have a better location. That is always a challenge.

Beverages are now organized and in one place. The open shelves allow a quick glimpse to see what is in stock.

Do you have alot of recipes?

I finally sort and organize piles of recipes I had cut out of magazines or printed off the internet. Years ago, when I was busy with 3 little children, I hired my friend Linda to sort and organize my recipes.  She created these fabric covered binders which I use ALL the time.

Each recipe is in a plastic sheet protector which proves beneficial around this messy cook.

After my aunt passed away, I was delighted to get her handwritten recipe cards. I am currently looking through and sorting them. What a fun glimpse into foods from decades ago. These will be placed into the binders in their appropriate tab.

I reduced my cookbook collection significantly, only keeping those I use frequently or cherish.

Staying Organized

Shelves are labeled so hopefully, other family members will know where things are located.

Cleaning out this room made me realize we don’t need to buy Ziploc bags for a long time! It also helps to create a grocery list where items are needed and encourages me to use those products where I have multiples.

My sweet husband polished all the copper Martha Stewart cookie cutters I purchased long ago.  The salami and cheese ball are fake, but fun to use when staging for a party.  The miniature utensil rack is a gift I received several years ago from my sister, Joanie. No reason not to make your pantry pretty.

The After

Here is the “after”:

Ok. So I’m a little giddy over this.  I can actually walk in the pantry, finally!

There are 9 foot ceilings in our home and I use the upper sections for hanging large platters that don’t seem to fit anywhere else.

The original pantry had one door that unfortunately would swing right into the adjacent door to the basement.  We resolve this by putting in two narrow swing doors with metal mesh screens.

We feel so fortunate to have this space within the kitchen area. As I try to can and preserve food from either the garden or a local farmer, this space is ideal.

Often I am inspired to tackle a project after seeing someone else sorting and organizing. Hopefully you will feel a need to tidy up an area of your home after reading today’s post.

Have a wonderful week!

I’ve had a few requests to share pictures of the guest cottage interior. This sweet small building sits in the quiet northwest corner of our property and is very secluded from the main house. We estimate the age of the guest cottage to be from the 1930 to 1940. So let’s take a peek.

I recall the first time we toured the house with the realtor. When we opened the side door to the guest cottage, you couldn’t see in as it was packed from floor to ceiling with stuff. After some substantial cleaning and a second visit, we did get a glimpse inside only to find the entire bathroom ceiling on the floor and in the tub. Apparently, a roof leak several years earlier caused the collapse and the debris was left for years. Sigh.

Here is a photo of the guest cottage when we bought the property back in 1999. The guest cottage became the first building to undergo a complete renovation, as we needed a place to work, meet with contractors and put up guests who were courageous enough to visit our job site.

Size and Space

The guest cottage is approximately 576 square feet and has one bedroom, one bath, a living room and eat-in kitchen. It has everything anyone would need including a washer/dryer and its own parking space.

The guest cottage has the original single paned window on a rope and pulley system. Note the large roof overhangs which keeps the direct sun off the sides of the cottage. Old green shutters are from France and a thrifting find. The front door overhang is a custom made piece to help accentuate the front entrance. It is clad in a type of shiplap-style siding before shiplap became so trendy.

Behind the cottage is a very large, mature Hong Kong orchid tree which provides a colorful backdrop with its fragrant purple blossoms.

By the front door an old vintage/antique mailbox hangs below the lantern. To see how I updated this sweet old mailbox, click here.

Interior

When you enter the front door you arrive in the living room. There is no foyer or hallway. The floor is carpeted with a thick berber rug. Vintage wood framed pictures of mallards hang on the wall. A skirted table sits in the corner allowing additional storage below.

To the right of the sofa is a small scaled secretary with a writing desk. The wing chair provides extra seating.

Though not ideal, the wicker coffee table is a $35 find at a second hand store. I really need to find a rectangular or oval table. The pull-out sofa and loveseat are Ethan Allen purchases from decades ago (really..) and covered in Sunbrella fabric. Same with the wing chair.

Since the guest cottage is heavily shaded, the living room tones are neutral with soft blue accents.

All the accent pillows are from a previous Pottery Barn purchase but you can find beautiful pillows online for great prices, like these 2 gorgeous ones here for only $14.99!

Across the room from the sofa is a distressed white console and a wall for the television.

The Bedroom

The bedroom’s grand carved headboard is from an 1897 Victorian house I owned in Alameda, California.  The previous owner left it in the master bedroom and it has moved with me to each house ever since. 

Lampshades and decorative pillows are from Pottery Barn.  The matelasse coverlet and sheets are from J.C. Penney. I really love this coverlet and I’ve been unable to find another one. The skirt to the bed is the same coverlet but in white. The edges are scalloped and it is a nice weight.

The JC Penney store by us has closed and not sure what their status is~but I always had good luck with their bedding.

The Bathroom

The full bathroom has a stackable washer/dryer and plenty of storage. The mirror over the sink is from an old dresser and the wall lamps are added to the frame. Walk-in shower and plenty of storage in this small room.

Kitchen

The kitchen is actually a pretty good size and is fully equipped with a gas stove, refrigerator, dishes, pots and pans and silverware.

An antique drop leaf table allows more dining for guests. Both the kitchen and the bathroom have engineered hardwood plank flooring. It’s hard to believe that something with this small square footage has everything you need!

The journey to the guest cottage is a bit magical as the walkway is through an arch of vines. During the spring, the arch is covered with fragrant white clematis. Not only do our guests enjoy their privacy tucked away in this corner of our property, but we do as well.

I hope you’ve enjoyed peeking into the guest cottage! Happy Wednesday!

If you enjoy this post, please share or save on Pinterest.

I just love looking at pictures of Before and After shots, mostly for home design and decor, but also weight loss, or hair styles. Why are we so drawn to seeing the Before and After or drastic changes? I believe it’s because we always hope to do better and seeing improvement means making progress. It’s an act of moving forward and now, more than ever, I long for the movement. Today we will focus on home renovation or redesign but please tell me about your favorite before and after photos.

Favorites from the Internet

Now look at the amazing curb appeal!

What a difference a little paint and landscaping will do.

I find this transformation with faux shutters and an eyebrow entry to be so elegant.

Just by adding an overhang, new paint, landscaping and window boxes this house goes from drab to fabulous.

Of course, the masters of renovation are Chip and Joanna Gaines. I know I have watched my share of Fixer Upper. This particular project resonates with me as I love rescuing old homes.

Here is another charmer. The trees along the front plane of the house really help reduce the awkward spacing of the windows.

Our Home~Exterior

Which leads us to our rescue projects, the great transformations of our home, a 1912 Mission Revival house. We bought it in 1999 and it was uninhabitable. No central air conditioning, the old Frankenstein switch to turn off the electricity, cloth wire and knob and tube connections with an old coal chute to the basement.

Even with all the dated infrastructure, historic homes are typically built with consideration of the sun patterns, the best placement on the lot with smaller rooms to heat and cool. Large overhangs and a bumpy exterior are all designed to keep the home cool during our hot summers.

The restoration/renovation took 3 full years vs. the 1 year our contractor promised (long story here), as everything needed to be replaced and updated. We are officially listed as the Olney/Ellingwood House by the United States Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historical Places.

To see more before and after photos and a detailed post on the front of the house restoration, click here.

The Guest Cottage

The year we purchased our home, in 1999, we had an open house for friends and neighbors. As part of the fun we asked our guests’ thoughts about our purchase, and one clever person wrote that our guest cottage looked like a sharecropper’s cottage. The bathroom ceiling had collapsed due to a leak and it was clearly uninhabitable.

We renovated this structure first so we could have a place to gather with the architect and contractor.

It is time to paint this cute little house again and wondering if I should keep the green or consider something else. Surrounded by so much foliage, I like that it blends in with the environment.

The Well Tower

One of the original structures on the property is a well or water tower. Dilapidated and non-functioning the scary looking condition existed years before we bought it. With a collapsed roof, the well tower became a big pigeon sanctuary and was ankle deep in pigeon poop. So gross.

Here is the well tower today. The first level is my potting area and you can reach the upper two levels by 2 circular staircases. For fun and in case of fire, the fireman’s pole is added to the rear.

To read the full post on the well tower restoration project, click here.

My Last Restoration Project

I have renovated many homes for resale. The restoration of a 1922 Jeffersonian home is really a highlight and accomplishment for me. This home stood empty for 20 years and the backyard was a rabbit warren of small, creepy apartments. Certainly a passion project for me and now it is owned by a young family who call it their forever home.

Though it is hard to see the neglect and decay of this home on the photo below, here is the front before ~aluminum siding, rotted columns, porch roof collapsing and security bars on the doors.

Here is the after with a new roof, original siding restored, shutters repaired or replaced, new landscaping and a beautiful front entrance.

The back of the house had a horrible addition (one large room, no windows). That was removed and a new 2 story addition with a family room and an upstairs master suite are added. Stone patio and landscaping make a big difference.

After demolishing one of the creepy apartments in the back yard, we find the original garage with barn doors that are not salvageable.

What do you think? Isn’t this the sweetest guest cottage? Now the bougainvillea is growing over the arbor.

There is a much more detailed post showing this renovation of both the inside and out here. This is one of my longest posts, but I promise you will not be disappointed to see the outcome of this gorgeous old home.

In Summary

I could go on and on about restorations, renovations, before and after photos. I have done 9 homes and all were in very poor condition. There is such joy gained from rescuing these older homes that are filled with memories and history. I am longing to tackle another.

If you would like to see more about the restoration of our home, I have written 5 chapters called the Restoration Chronicles. Just use those search words on my blog page, and they will pop up.

Thanks for joining me today! Happy Wednesday, friends.

P.S. Remember Prime Day ends today so if you are looking for great bargains online, check out yesterday’s post on everything you need to know about Prime Day here.