Friday, April 4, 2008

Some of My Favourite Things

I did not know what to blog about this week, I have begun stressing about the fact that I am about to go to France for a week and murphy's law of real estate says "plan something and you get busy" so not actually busy yet but stressing anyway. It does look like I am likely to get another listing next week (yay!) but my old listing is still hanging around. Anyway in a renewed marketing effort for the current listing I have been taking new photos and making new feature sheets and it gave me an idea. What about my life, my house. Well here goes a few snaps shots of my world and some of the "stuff" I have picked up along the way.

This first one is of my hallway, this chair has been re-upholstered by me twice, I bought it when it was down to the springs for $45 in Montreal back in the early '90's - it is Eastlake I have a dressing table in the same style. The quilt, also made by moi, in a quilting class, when we lived in Montreal. Back in those days I wasn't allowed to work in Canada and so had a lot of time on my hands. The mirror is made from an old window frame I found left behind in the garage of a house we rented, actually again in Montreal, so I stripped it and put the mirror in. My daughter covets it, and I have promised it will go to her when I die!!



The next two are just of my living room, see my first ever cross-stitch, remember time on hands, you will see another one below. I don't do any hand crafts these days, no cross stitch, no quilting, it just takes far too long to thread the needle now! I should get back to knitting - note to self!












I have three of these prints by Graham Clarke, I bought these cards from an art shop in the UK many years ago, they used to be in plain clip frames but I have just upgraded and I am pleased with the way they look. They are etchings and I have tried to find this artist again. I did meet someone years ago who had one hanging in her hallway (again in Montreal) she, like me, loved the style but we were never able to find any others. Another note to self - find more.

This dresser I managed to snag with a matching bedside table for $15. They had been painted in a dreadful red stain, so again I rolled up my sleeves and revealed this lovely cherry wood. (Are you sensing a theme, if I can't make it, I want a bargain). Unfortunately it is suffering from too many moves and is a bit fragile these days so I don't think this will make it to France with us. Another cross stitch, it is supposed to be a Christmas angel but after the hours it takes me to make these things, there is no way they are only coming out once a year. GWE bought me the lovely big jewellery box for Christmas last year from Bombay Company, not quite the one I had pointed out, but he means well!!



And finally my kitchen, here again a bit of DIY by me, I did the tiling when we first moved in. Quite pleased with it actually. The plate on the wall is Jerusalem pottery, one of the few that have survived the gypsy lifestyle of this family. We picked it up in the Old City when we lived in Israel back in the '80's.

So there you go - a little taste of my world. If anyone else wants to join in, please do. Like I have already confessed (and it is what I do for a living) I love looking at other people's houses and stuff.

14 comments:

Almost American said...

Is this the Graham Clarke you mean:

The pics in the catalog look somewhat different to what I could see in your photo - but there are a couple of etchings of cottages that seem to be similar.

If it is the same artist, you are in good company. His website says:
Examples of his work are held by Royal and public collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, the Tate Gallery and the National Library of Scotland in the United Kingdom, as well as by Trinity College, Dublin, the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., the New York Public Library and the Hiroshima Peace Museum. Many more are to be found on the walls of private homes all over the world, collected systematically by devotees, as well as singly by ordinary art lovers who "know what they like".

softinthehead said...

Hi - I think you may be right but the link didn't work, I will do some research. Thanks for dropping by and for the info.

katy said...

wow you sure have done some beautiful work, I know what it is like to keep moving, we are planning yet another move! alas ours will still be in the same country!

menopausaloldbag (MOB) said...

I am jealous! I have no practical or creative ability at all but I sorely wish that I did. Your home looks lovely and clearly unique because you personalise so much of what you have there. Fabulous dear woman and OH am I excited for you that you are going to France soon. Au revior mon ami!

softinthehead said...

Merci beaucoup, MOB, tu es tres gentil! :)

Stinking Billy said...

I asked a short while ago whether you originated from NE England, remembering how 'soft in the head' was one of my mother's favourite sayings, so can I assume now that it is just as popular in Jerusalem? ;-)

softinthehead said...

katy - thanks for dropping by again and your kind comments. Loving the photos of your trip.

SB - for some reason the name seemed appropriate because of the crazy life I lead and the projects I take on - always with an optimistic attitude - I don't see hurdles (that's hubby's job) I see solutions - hence softinthehead - gotta be - right? So no NE England origin.

Almost American said...

That's what i get for trying to be clever with the link. Here it is again:
http://www.grahamclarke.co.uk

aims said...

What a change of life and type of house you will have when you get to France!

But - and obviously - it is exactly what you will love! Rolling up your sleeves and getting to work fixing things up!

Everyone knows I love renovating!

The barn is 90% done now - but at the moment I am just too tired to get at the last 10%...but that doesn't mean I'm not jealous of your upcoming move!

I love your handiwork around the house...it is just lovely!

And - I can see you have your house colors set up for an easy sell. Don't they say neutrals are what you need in your house when you are selling it?

Make sure you check out Stinking Billy's blog today...he is whining about the estate agents...

softinthehead said...

almost america - thanks, yes that is him, I can see why I haven't bought any more -pretty pricey, I am looking for prints as opposed to originals and they are hard to find. Maybe I need to get some more cards and enlarge them!! thanks :)

Aims - thanks for your kind words, yes neutrals sell, my punch colour is is a cranberry/claret red and sometimes I toy with painting one wall that colour but maybe I will save that for France! I saw SB's comments, that is frustrating to go to all that unnecessary effort.

Debra in France said...

Hi SITH, your house looks gorgeous! You certainly have a talent for renovating furniture - that will come in very useful over here! Hopefult once you get here you will have more time too quilt and sew, it seems a shame to be so good at something and not have the time to do it. Well done you!!

softinthehead said...

Debra - furniture rehab is something I am hoping to get into over there, I love brocantes. You will have to let me know where the good ones are. It is a week today that I fly out, please keep me posted on the weather so I know what to pack. Having said that I usually pack almost everything I own and then wear the same three things!! As far as sewing it is the eyes that have given up on me not the will that's why knitting seems like a good compromise - with big needles and chunky wool! :)

Georgina said...

Hi softinthehead, wow your house looks way too tidy, just wait till your in France you'll be too busy just living to clean house. Debs

softinthehead said...

Debs. That sounds good to me, where do I sign up? :)