Posting from "my office"...creating a workable wardrobe for 3 weeks in France using a carry on.

Our arts and crafts bungalow circa 1912, was designed before home offices were even on the radar, so I use our kitchen as my "office."

This is the view from our trestle table where my Mac sits waiting for me...

it's handy too as I spend many hours in our humble kitchen.

It's a pleasant space in which to write as there is a window beside the table and many birds are in the side yard.

I sip my tea, look outside

 and ponder...

It might not look like much right now as the beds are "resting up" for their displays in the spring and summer...

there are two dwarf fruit trees, roses and hydrangeas.

I am a messy cook and so I always wear an apron when I am cooking and when I am cleaning...

Here's the newest one handmade by my friend LA, a thoughtful Xmas gift.

Thanks L!

OOTD...

White long sleeved Tee ~ Ellen Tracy

apron

jeans ~ Talbots

cashmere socks

Timberland boots

While the laundry spins...

I am hard at work trying to figure out my travel wardrobe.

3 weeks travel in France...

2 weeks in Paris with just a small carry on...

I've been writing notes and lists

 then...

editing, editing editing...

Over the holidays I went out with my lovely daughter and we did a bit of a shop.

I found an inexpensive fun new top in a bright shade of coral...

in the same shade as my new Lands' End cashmere cardigan, which is also coming with me to Paris.

If the weather is sunny and warm I will wear this top when I venture south to visit our friends.

Love the lacy details...

now I am looking for some ethnic jewelry to pick up the same shade.

 I have the cardigan...

I have that Jones of NY dress with splashes of coral in the pattern.

I am trying to tie it all together so living out of a carry on for three weeks will be easy.

I am taking layers...

tanks and tees and two pairs of pants.

One is a pair of jeans and the other Eileen Fisher black knit pants.

The tweedy black Banana Republic dress is coming too...

I think I will take this vintage navy leather bag 

 inside this Longchamps expandable bag as my personal item.

I have to work on the accessories that I will bring...

 I have one scarf so far...

It's quitting time in "the office" I've done enough work for one day and I am closing up the laptop...

preparing dinner is next!

Mr. HB and I are ready for the season 5 premiere of Downton Abbey tonight.

Will you be watching?

The Ugly Truth ~ The Humble Bungalow Living room before and after

Renovation and restoration of our Humble Bungalow have kept Mr. HB and I busy for the better part of our "spare time" over the past 30 years...
The living room was a disaster when we moved in...
there was a big black stain on the carpet and the neighbours told us that a renter had changed the oil of his Harley Davidson in the living room....
maybe that's why renters often have a bad reputation!

We had wall to wall carpet installed in place of the stained carpet and knew this would be a temporary measure.

The front porch previously had been opened up and made a part of the living room.

Bungalows typically have porches so this was an unfortunate "muddle."

We made the best use of the space and then one year when we were on the train coming back from Palm Springs  visiting Mr. HB's parents' on their snowbird expedition we decided that we wanted to put the porch back 

despite the fact that it would make our living room tiny.

Before...

Fir wainscoting

Here you can see just how much space we are losing in order to restore the front porch

approximately 6 X 12 feet.

This wood window was made by Vintage Wood works 

you'll have to trust me when I say that it was an "investment" piece.

(Several thousand dollars and we got a deal!)

The wall backing onto the newly restored front porch....looking good!

These photos are old and we have had the Morris chairs reupholstered.

The wall to wall carpet is gone and has been replaced by area rugs.

We have a few more bits and bobs in the room now and you'll see when I post the next few images.

We are so comfortable sitting in our Humble Bungalow living room...

it is a great place to entertain.

Mr. HB did most of the work...

 I did do some of the painting, even though Mr. HB says that I am not "a very good painter!"

Good help is hard to find but the price was right!

(scary 80's hair)

More Ugly Truths to come...stay tuned.

Peeking Inside the Humble Bungalow...Summer 2014.

I was inspired this Monday by Dani BP Mop Philosopher's post...
Dani purchased a chevet after a 2 year search and it is the perfect piece for her bathroom.

We have been collecting arts and crafts quarter sawn oak furniture for the past 32 years and it took quite some time to find. We had to consider the size and scale of each piece as our Humble Bungalow is small and we were mindful  of our limited budget as we were undertaking restoration projects from the very beginning of our ownership.

We still need to do our master bedroom and there are new front stairs and an exterior paint job on the do list...
it is a labour of love being stewards of a heritage designated home.

With the glorious and bright summer sunshine and riotous blooms in the garden it has been easy to forget that we live in a dark and cozy heritage home.

You can plainly see our front stairs are in dire need of repair and the paint on the exterior is peeling.

Having said that, heritage homes are always in need of maintenance.

Thank goodness ours is not as vast as Chatsworth or Highclere Castle!

Our Humble Bungalow is filled with dark arts and crafts oak furnishings...

many have been reupholstered at a local shop which is considerably more expensive than buying new reproduction pieces.

Wendy has blogged about this recently too...

We like to add a few bits and bobs to perk up the space.

You can see that we have kept our Christmas fairy lights strung up along the beams near the ceiling...

nothing like plugging them in when we entertain for a twinkle effect and more lighting!

Rugs underfoot are a must as our 1912 bungalow can be frightfully cold and draughty in winter.

Runner rugs and area rugs add a punch of colour...

we purchased these new at Chintz and Co.

Original art hung on Bradbury and Bradbury hand made period wallpaper.

We have art in our bathroom too..

Our dear friend Cheryl Fortier gave us this one that she painted when she was in France.

Arts and crafts book shelf re purposed for towels.

Our bathroom renovation was done by a contractor friend and designed by Mr. HB

It has in floor heating and I love the results...

The standing lamps in the living room were purchased new through Sager's Furniture and they are from California. They are oak and of a scale that suits the rest of the furniture.

The lights in the rest of our bungalow were made at Waterglass Studio in town.

Mr. HB designed the kitchen and many people think it is the original one which we take as quite the compliment!

(please overlook the tea towel left casually on top of the granite countertop...)

I hope you've enjoyed the tour today...

It's such fun when other bloggers fuel and inspire a response...

 to one that they have posted.

Be Well and Be Kind.

Hostess

Sunlit Sunday... a peek inside The Humble Bungalow.

Do you find the grey days of January and February a wee bit long and tedious?
I know it is my attitude that affects how I view these days and one that I can alter by adopting a grateful approach but some days I just don't have the energy. Weak in spirit and ebbing low on energy make for some moodiness.

To get happy I stop focusing on the negative...
I get busy, take action.
Apart from putting on cheery red shoes which are an instant mood lifter I use a few of the following strategies:

Like going for a walk outside,
cooking or baking for my husband and family.
Spending a few quiet minutes in the tub soaking in scented bath salts.
A mini facial seems to wake me up and helps my skin I skip make up for the rest of the day
leafing through the saved issues of Country Living magazine with a hot mug of tea.
Calling a friend, reading blogs, reading Simple Abundance a Day Book of Comfort and Joy.
Reaching out and helping others.
Watching a favourite film.
Reading a great novel.
Writing down things that I am grateful for or posting them on the blog.

What do you do to get your happy on?

Mother Nature had her own idea of perking up the day.
Bright sunshine shone through the dirty salt speckled windows and filled The Humble Bungalow with a radiant warmth that transported me from my funk to a place of joy and beauty.

Raw silk scarf in turquoise and sienna brown.

Black quilted Barbour vest.

Grey Segments Merino tee.

Gap Boyfriend jeans

(cozy and worn grey slippers perfect for schlepping around the Bungalow)

This Silk Road blend is divine so I brewed a pot and took my cup to the bedroom

and lay upon our duvet for some quiet meditation.

I indulged in a little reading on the bed in the sunshine...

the cats snuggled up and cozied beside me.

Still Life is the first book by Louise Penny.

It's a grand read and she has 4 more!

Here are some images of our Arts and Crafts Bungalow

bathed in sunshine.

can you see where the cat was snoozing?

it would be fun to saunter through the piazza

Our furniture is made up of years of collecting vintage arts and crafts era pieces.

Mr. HB and I love to sit and read beside the fireplace.

OOPS! "someone" needs to clean out the fireplace.

I feel rejuvinated!

"Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you."

~ Walt Whitman ~