Saturday, May 30, 2015

Third Times The Charm. . .

There's something about the rule of three's. . .
if at first you don't succeed, try, try again!
and then there's. . .Strike three. . .You're out!



However, for me, On Crooked Creektt. . .
it was the third unsuccessful attempt to $ale this primitive cabinet 
that made me realize. . .it was meant to be.







"Mr. Ed" and I acquired this primitive cabinet 
while residing on the other side of the Prairie.

Through the 25 plus years that we've owned this cabinet,
it has served us well. Most recently, we used it as a display cabinet.



So~o~o. . .
I decided that three was a reasonable amount of times
to try to transact a $ale. . .and made the administrative decision to keep it.

Can I say that "Mr. Ed" was not 'overjoyed' 
to carry this beast back down the stairs? ? ?

Now that it is in its final resting place,
I decided this primitive cabinet needed a "fresh role "
in On Crooked Creektt's Family Room!



This cabinet is the "perfect piece" for housing "Mr. Ed's" Trout dinnerware!

I began by filling the narrow top shelf with dessert/salad plates,
coffee mugs, a decorative votive candle holder and a brass dinner bell.



Next,
came the short shelf, which was a "perfect fit" for all the dinner plates,
and the rest of the bowls and dessert/salad plate.





Then,
what I call the "challenging shelf"!

Due to its narrow and long interior, 
this shelf has always been one to test my styling patience.



Using the Complete Outdoor Encyclopedia as a riser,
I filled this space with a mug rack and the remainder of the coffee mugs.
Behind the mug rack, resting at an angle, is a hand carved wooden fish tray.






I finished the interior of the primitive cabinet 
with some vintage pine cone decor plates 
that "Mr. Ed" and I primarily use during the holiday season.

The a d o r a b l e white squirrel resting upon an acorn
is a "gift" from my dear blog friend,
Lynne @ Lynne's Gifts From The Heart (here) this past year.

Atop the cabinet,
I used an heirloom butter churn and some dairy crocks 
from "Mr. Ed's" boyhood Family Farm.
I combined them with some decoratively hand painted Rainbow Trout.






Try,  try,  try as I could. . .
I couldn't $ell this primitive cabinet!






I guess for "Mr. Ed" and I. . .
On Crooked Creekttthird times a charm!





Until next time. . .



On Crooked Creektt will be joining



And. . .



And. . .



And. . .



And. . .





Each and every week,
seeds of inspiration bloom from these host and hostesses linky parties.
Be sure to visit and delight your family dwelling with brilliant interior design.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Re~claiming My Creative Space!

My creative space is affectionately called Studio One!



For the past two years,
"Mr. Ed" and I have been busily creating and designing 
handmade new and repurposed "finds" into home decor accessories and gifts.
The majority of those items have been made in Studio One.

However, with "Mr. Ed's recent health problems,
we made the decision to close our business, Bits 'n Pieces.
Now that our Out~Of~Business~$ale (here) is over. . .
I'm re~claiming my creative space!



Studio One is located in the unfinished portion 
of our lower level living area On Crooked Creektt.

I adore the unfinished concrete walls 
that flank the entire Southern side of my Art Studio!



On numerous occasions,
"Mr. Ed" has offered to paint or re~finish the Southern walls for me.
Each and every time, I smile and answer with, "No thank you, dear."

"Mr. Ed" and I moved this storage cabinet against the Southern Wall.
This is now the first thing you see as you enter from the Family Room.



This area has now become my design area.



Most times, 
I begin with a pencil paper design.

From the design area,
I carry the paper pencil design to my creative/work station.



My work station was designed and made 
by two of the main loves of my life.

The two single door cabinets were handmade by my Dad.
The six foot top and the two~tier shelf were made by "Mr. Ed".





I keep the pencil paper design close~at~hand for reference.





All the while I'm creating,
I keep subtle vignettes among the creative space to provide a tranquil setting.







Some of the my greatest designs are created 
while listening to the classical piano music that softly floods Studio One.





Seasonal handmade TAG letters combined with the subtle color palette
of Studio One are truly motivational for my creativity.




Soft scented creamy ivory candles,
creamy ivory and white buttons in vintage crystal and silver lidded jars
and remnants of similar hued satin ribbons in a vintage silver compote
fill my head with aromatic fragrance and visual stimulation.



Directly behind my work station
sits a vintage three drawer chest~of~drawers that contains
adhesives, creative punches, ink stamps, rubber stamps
and a h u g e selection of card stock and scrapbooking papers.






Bolts of French silk ribbon and crocheted lace 
stacked atop handmade pillars and a galvanized mail sorter
filled with vintage library book plate holders are pleasing to my mind's eye.

 Every afternoon, I partake of a cup 'o tea.
It is quite fitting that Studio One have a beverage center.



An heirloom vintage lamp combined with a white wrought iron double planter
a vintage teapot and Bavaria hand painted china creamer and lidded sugar
make this afternoon ritual a pleasure, indeed.









Closing a Cottage Industry may have had its bittersweet moments,
but here On Crooked Creektt, re~claiming my creative space 
has given me a spiritual, soulful lift.














With  no hectic "dead lines" to reach,
the tranquil relaxing atmosphere, is now indulgent 
to design and create as my heart desires.











Each day as I descend the stairs from the upper level living areas~
to the lower level living areas On Crooked Creektt,
I will be entering my re~claimed creative space, Studio One!



The possibilities are endless. . .
Until next time. . .


On Crooked Creektt will be joining




And. . .



And. . .



And. . .



And. . .




Each and every week,
seeds of inspiration bloom from these host and hostesses linky parties.
Be sure to visit and delight your family dwelling with brilliant interior design.