Hey y'all... it's been MONTHS since we have had something to post about. Our ideas on our farmhouse have evolved into a house that currently looks like those houses you built as a kid with Popsicle sticks... there's nothing to show about the current farm situation... other than that vision... but I've got visions a plenty for you.... because it is the visions of beauty I see in my head that doesn't make me faint every time I walk into the Popsicle stick home we own.Bill has been complaining lately that the farm has been trying to kill him. About a week ago I read somewhere in some magazine on an overnight in some city... that someone else had complained that the house they were renovating was trying to kill her, and a friend of hers told her she needed to name the house and tell the house that she was trying to make her pretty... and then things would start going well... I decided that was a damn fine idea.... Bill and I bounced names off that were somewhat old fashioned and time appropriate... until we came up with the perfect name. Penelope. We figured that since she was gonna cost us a pretty penny that we could tell our Penelope she'd BE a pretty Penny. He says his sweet talking her isn't working... I'm thinking I may have to come in with burning sage or something... because y'all know Bill's idea of sweet talking is rather unique... Case in point... one of the first times he told me he loved me he said and I quote "I'm horrified at how much I love you..." I took one look at him and rolled off the bed unable to breathe because I was laughing so hard... never had anyone been horrified to love me before... But I digress... I'm gonna have to help him be very sweet to our prickly Penny... She doesn't understand that in between the f bombs and the gosh darnits that he's telling her he loves her and he means it... I may have to go explain to her what she just isn't getting... She just doesn't understand what any good southern woman understands... a face lift hurts like hell but is worth the lifetime of youth and beauty after...
We've got upcoming surgeries scheduled for Penelope... Mid January she gets a sump pump installed.... as soon as that happens she'll get new plumbing... including a tank less heater... on CITY water... yes, she's no longer dependent on a well... that well will take care of the plants in her garden... Her floors will be reinstalled and shined... As much of the original hardwood will go back down.... Bathrooms are getting grey slate tiles. February she gets insulation, electricity redone and a new HVAC... cuz no southern woman wants to be seen perspiring... If all goes well... she should have drywall up by April... and that's when I'll be joining Bill again down there... because I can actually help paint... or just stand in the way planning his next thing to fix.... By our anniversary we should be finalizing what cabinetry and counter tops we want in our kitchen.... Around that time I'll also need to go out to my mom's to figure out how to ship my grandfathers banquet table out here...
Now we've come up with some really cool ideas while we have been staring at the sticks we call our farm... We've decided since the front door has a transom window, we'd carry it all the way to the back of the house down the hallway, with three other antique transom windows we had shipped down here from Bill's hometown... Bill has also been saving what can be salvaged of any wood he's needed to cut out and reframe Penny to code... there's a few beautiful beams that aren't going back up... that he's promised to make into to our kitchen island counter... and the pantry barn door... they'll be stunning re-purposed. We also bought old Indian doors that are going to be our master bathroom doors... and this is what actually lead me to blog today... the tie in of looks across the house...
Hang tight while I back step a minute... Penny has three fireplaces... We have one original mantel that we're keeping and reusing... the other two were put up by people who didn't understand Penny's age and class... So we're bringing her from a gawky youth of 113... to a stately, timeless, age appropriate grande dame... when mom was out in July we found these amazing antique British and French transfer ware tiles... and a vision started forming... actually it may have been me foaming at the mouth and seeing all the old fireplace mantels I've ever seen and drooled over in my lifetime... here's two to help you see my vision... I simply can't wait to get these up in our living room with a bad ass honey made mantel/surround... right next to my hidden wine closet... two things of beauty next to each other that will make me grin daily...
Anyway, in case you think I've digressed too much... there really is a point of me leaping from Indian doors to English tiles... We found the tiles for our master yesterday... oh Lord thank you Jesus they're the cost a box that one of my beauties were priced at... the more I see invoices for the January February work, the more I get realistic in my dreams... well as realistic as an only child can be.... but look at these closely... they'll be a muted version of the living room... but similar mantel... and if you turn them just soo..... they look like a gate or a door... kinda vintagy like the Indian doors that will be on the opposite wall... right? The heavens opened up and we sang hallelujah at $1.97 a tile... yes please and thank you... the box is in the garage waiting til... um.... June babe?
But wait there's more... in looking for this tile for this blog... I went and looked at more tile online.... Ohhhh yeah baby... I've got to go see this one close up... cuz I'm thinking the Master bathroom may need it... Fire place surround? Or in the shower egress/nook for the shampoo? That with the grey floors and calsomethingcutta marble look counter tops? Sigh... Can you catch what I'm putting down? It's inexpensive too... run with me babe on this while I'm thinking pretty and cheap... before I run off with mom on another junkin adventure that leads to $20 tiles...
As I come out of my daydreaming of days to someday come... I realize what Penelope's problem is... honey... You are in danger... just because Penny is country, that doesn't mean she's not a respectable southern lady... she's quite proper and doesn't like her knickers being down... better get her dressed soon!!!! Or maybe we should post pictures on her exposed beams so she can see what she has coming for her... I CAN see, but she can't...If that doesn't work... tell her after we've made her pretty we're gonna build a nice strong barn for her... and we've already named him... Buck...
