Redecorating

My love for country decor ran deep. It was more thrifty, antiquey country decor than cutesy country that I hate.  My tastes have really changed.  The problem is...I have ALOT of country stuff.  I really don't know how to classify my taste now.  Definitely vintage (40's and 50's), kitchy, macabre, altered art, I don't really know.  I guess all of those elements make up what I love.  It will take a small fortune to change my decor, but a little at a time will have to do.  Rome wasn't built in a day, right?  I will keep some stuff,  mostly the antique stuff and stuff that can kinda pass in both directions.

Retro Redheads is a really cute site for  vintage kitchen stuff.  I love this tea towel!

I also have gained a deep love for Jadeite.

I can't post the picture, but here is a link to a totally awesome altered art piece that I would LOVE to own.  This is totally my style.

 Need the bee picture for my yellow hallway upstairs.

This pink beauty is going under my Christmas tree this year:)

Relocated..finally

Well, the last beehive was moved last night.  It really was quite a struggle.  It's the biggest hive,  I swear it weighed about 150#.  Abby and I rushed over at 6pm and started getting it ready.  Along with being the biggest, it was the most temperamental...yes, it is my hive.  After we strapped it down and smoked the girls, they were really pissed.  I didn't think we could lift it, but dh is afraid to work with the bees, so it was just me and Abby.  He man strength took over and in the truck they went.

It was almost dark when we got them back to the new beeyard.  There were ALOT of stragglers that crawled under the hive.  We had to use a little smoke to calm them down.  Somehow one of the girls managed to get inside my veil!  So I ripped that off.  When I got back to the house I heard some buzzing near my head and realized they were in my hair!   DH was laughing and  I was doing the freak out dance.  He did help me get them out though.  He did ask me how someone so scared of bugs decides to get three beehives...and then shook his head and said only you:)

I needed a break from the peep today so she went to the sitter's. I should have been home doing stuff, but went shopping instead. That is how I relax. I haven't been to Hanks for awhile so I swung buy to see what they had. Plus I just got Cat Borhi's sock book and wanted to try some stuff. I am going to knit the trial pair for the peep on this awesome tie dye yarn from Skacel called Crazy Zauberball....Yum!



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Farwell Country

Up until a week ago we lived on 5 acres in the country. I wanted that. The old farmhouse and all. Well I got it. I grew up in a small town in Pa, but in the city. I've lived all over in big cities. Boston, San Fran, San Diego, Seattle, Washington DC, Hartford, Phoenix, etc.
The culture and convenience was awesome, but the grass is always greener.

The country life enthralled me. I am an animal person, so naturally the thought of having a vast amount of space to have all of my critters was intoxicating. 5 years people. I lived my dream for 5 years. Within that 5 years I sadly realized that I am a city girl at heart. I hated all the bugs, the upkeep of the property was a chore, the isolation and quiet sometimes got to me and it was pitch dark at night.

I finally had it with everything and threw in the towel. We moved one block from downtown in a quiet residential neighborhood. Yes, once agin I have neighbors. I can decorate and pass candy out to trick or treaters. I can walk to the quaint restaurants near by. I can see at night.

My new house is an old house, built in 1942. 2 stories with a charming upstairs balcony/porch that reminds me of a Parisian apt. It has a picket fence...yeah...and a little over an acre of property. Just enough for a garden, my beehives(they are city dwellers now), my dogs, bunnies and will house 2-3 chickens when I get my eggloo. I am what you would term an urban farmer.

So my love affair with the country has ended...sniff....it's bittersweet, but my love for the city has been rekindled... with a country flair:)

Dirty Little Secrets

Frank Warren has a new book out. For those not familiar he is the founder of Postsecrets...a public art project that encourages people to write down a secret on a decorated postcard and send it to him. In leui, he posts so many each week on his website and publishs them in his forthcoming books. Now my kids are the ones who got me hooked. In fact my 80 year old grandmother couldn't put one of the books down at Christmas.

It is engaging and many times heart wrenching to hear some peoples innermost hidden worries, failures, elation's, smiles, and the list goes on. I am so sorry that I missed him a few weeks ago at UF. Once again the daily grind of work has stopped me in my tracks.

Instant Cuppa Joe

Every morning when I work in Gainesville, I swing by Starbucks. I can't help it...I have to pass by so I midas well stop. I strictly drink decaf because my ticker hates caffeine. What's the point, some ask....the point is that I love the taste and smell of coffee. Especially the taste of freshly ground coffee beans. Chocolate covered espresso beans...yum! Instant coffee always reminds me of old people. My grandparent's drink that stuff. I ont he other hand use it for distressing fabric. At least I did when I was a doll maker. When I went to Starbucks this weekend they were giving out sample packs of their new......INSTANT COFFEE! Italian and Columbian. I was skeptical, but intrigued.  I must say after sampling it ain't your grandmother's Sanka!  I think it was $9.95 for 12 packets.  Not bad if you need Starbucks, but are in BFA somewhere.

New Foodie Books

This week brings some new residents to cookbook row. Jaden Hair, foodie and blogger from Steamy Kitchen has this great book out, as of yesterday.

Ad Hoc looks like it is comfort food with a fru-fru twist.

Another Asian must have. I know I must have Asian ancestors in my family tree because I love their culture so much.