My love for vintage fabrics started long before I began sewing. I have had this duvet cover for many years. So happy to bring it out for the occasion. Natalie belonged to Emily's grandmother. She was a toy in the parlor of her home as a young girl.

My dad's family is from northern Maine (Aroostook County anyone?). There is a sweet lady named Bernadette who lives on the way to Fort Kent, she makes these quilts, tons of them, all sizes. She practically gives them away. I think I paid $20 for this one.  And she sent us on our way with dinner rolls fresh out of the oven, too!! I believe my mother has over 20 of these quilts. Yes, that many.

The dress up clothes now hang on a simple coat rack. Why did it take me nine years to figure this one out? A perfect way to keep all of these used daily items off the floor but right at hand, while taking up very little space. The vanity is one like I always wanted as a little girl. This one was found on the side of the road with a teeny tiny price tag. It simply couldn't be left behind.

Emily's work in progress. I love how she thought to have the cat stalking the fish bowl. Funny.

Why is hand embroidery practically given away at flea markets and tag sales? It always makes me sad to see how little it goes for around here. I feel the need to rescue it all as I find it. The nifty fifties pillowcase was my mom's as a teenager. Isn't it swell?

This darling white dresser stands about 2 1/2 feet tall, and is for dolls. Emily's grandparents sent it up from the south a few weeks back. It is the perfect addition to this space, I've never seen anything like it. And don't you love that little iron doll bed? Also for you enjoyment is a photo of our kitty, who Emily points out regularly is not well represented on this blog. Here she is, meet Queenhazlefreshhazle, aka Hazle.

Emily named our house last spring and put a sign on our front lawn. It case you are looking for us, we are Slim Zack, House of People. Do you think that will go over well with all the folks in horse drawn carriages on the tour?

New curtains made from vintage fabric I've been hanging on to for about 7 years. This is the perfect use, so warm feeling. Remember these fluffy curtains? After about a week I began to feel like Emily was living inside a wedding cake, all sticky and sweet. For now a few reside on the dress up rack (see above), we put a drawstring through the rod pocket, they make great skirts or capes! I just can't bear looking at four windows covered in them right now. This is simpler. Still, no regrets about salvaging their frilly goodness from the flea market! Thanks for sticking around, there are a few more details to add, but this room is close to being ready. Check one off the clipboard...

And yet another photo of Emily and Sukha. This dog does the mellow thing very well. Thought I'd wish you all a happy weekend. It'll be pretty rainy and cool here. In honor of that (and my dog) I decided to share a couple of musical treats on the mellow side.

• B.B. King & Tracy Chapman Undeniable groove
• Joan Osborne A lot of what she does is cover stuff, still, I think she's very underrated. Lot's of soul.
• Gillian Welch she's such a favorite of mine
• more Gillian yes...
• and even more Gillian because what says rainy mellow weekend like Gillian Welch and David Rawlings?
• Perhaps Norah Jones singing my favorite Gram Parsons song. Yeah, that's good and mellow too.

Okay, that's probably enough, well not really, what's on your  rainy, lazy weekend playlist?

Never without a map to navigate.

"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

Somebody great said that, I wish I could remember who. Still, I thank them, whoever they are.

Pronounced keen-wah, Quinoa was held sacred by the Incas, who considered this to be the mother of all grains.

I know this is not the best photo, so sorry. The sun went behind the clouds for a moment, when it came back out, my camera battery died. This is the best salad however, and you really should rush off to collect the ingredients to make this wholesome little treat for yourself. 

I made one substitution, using dried cranberries in place of the called for pomegranate seeds (still used the pomegranate juice though).

Oh my, this was so good. I'm always happy to have a big bowl of  something on hand in the fridge for quick lunches and snacks. Go ahead, eat well, try this.

Recipe here.  Quinoa Salad with Herbs, Feta and Pomegranate

Good Monday Morning to you all. I am one of those people who adores Monday's, the clean slate, everything seems possible for the week ahead.

I need this optimistic outlook very much right now, as I'd love for everything to be just so for the house tour. I am really taking this family life theme by storm, thanks to your inspiration on my first design dilemma post. The Victorian era being a time of social rules and formality, where children were seen but not heard, and so on. Our house is a bungalow, and symbolizes the antithesis of that lifestyle. In our home there will be evidence throughout of an active family who lives in their home, happy children at play, social engagements that are festive yet informal. Of course, all 'vignettes' will be in keeping with the period of the house. Do you ever have so many ideas swirling around in your head it becomes essential to organize and track it all with charts and clip boards?  That is totally where I'm at right now... so posting may be a little sporadic over the next few weeks. I may be mostly posting to shamelessly seek out fabulous design ideas from you all, it's temporary, I promise.

However, a few weekend highlights... my first gluten free baking attempt was a success! Find the recipe for this Apple Struesel Coffee Cake here. Yum!

We were also thrilled with the arrival of our new picnic set, as you can see, it hasn't left our dining room table... I just want to keep staring at it! Thanks Amanda, it is so lovely. Stay tuned as this little number will have a special role on the house tour...

And did someone say something about a little giveaway? You are all so sweet for playing along, and what kind things you had to say and share about yourselves. Thank you so much, and to all of you who de-lurked, a special thanks, nice to meet you. Sooo... Emily did the honors first thing this morning, congratulations Beth! Please email me your shipping info and your new bag will be on it's way! How much fun was that?

In my caffeine induced, sleep deprived, 72 hour mad dash to prepare for a last minute show, this part of the work seemed to make the world stand still. Making straps. Sixty of them. On one level this was tedious, on another, it was the most quiet, still time I had in three days, so in that sense it was greatly needed. I couldn't be racing on to the next thing, bouncing back and forth between bag designs, adding display items to the pile by the door, making labels. I believe there is a Zen saying, "when making straps, you need to simply just make straps", something like that.

The day was great. The best part was getting to see many people I hadn't seen in ages. A woman who I love and adore, she was my second mom through my teenage years, an old friend from high school, and a bunch of very thoughtful peeps from my old job came. And then there were the new folks I met. The guy behind me made these wild metal garden sculptures, he lives in a cabin in the woods with no electricity. I was very intrigued as this is a fantasy plan of ours. (someday...) I hope I didn't drive him crazy with my questions. 

Let's not forget the bartering. It's been years since I've done shows, I had forgotten all about this! Until the very nice soap lady came up and asked if I would trade a bag of mine for a pile of her handmade soap goodness... why yes... yes I will my new best friend, I will indeed. I think I'll be doing this again.

Taking a break to say hello... what a busy 24 hours. And the next 48? No slowing down in sight. It's okay though, I was accepted last minute into a craft show at a nearby art center, this Saturday! I was literally driving through their town on Monday, saw the sign, thought it would be fun to try (crazy lady that I am, not taking into account my basically non-existant inventory). I emailed them a letter on Tuesday with photos begging requesting they consider having me at this late date. They obliged, and I have been sewing ever since. I will most likely continue sewing until the sun rises on Saturday. Thought I'd share a few photos of the progress, and wish you all an early happy weekend. I won't be around until Monday. Take care. Oh, and I apologize for the terrible photos, no time to take projects out of the basement studio for pretty, well lit photo session, you understand.