Bungalow Books...storage angst and solutions.

Mr. HB and I are readers...he keeps most of his and rereads them.

 I take mine to the local bookstore in the village where they give me credit to feed my habit!

I keep a few choice books but as a resident here in the Humble Bungalow (read as space challenged)

I cannot keep much of anything.

I got tired of looking at a shelving unit down in the unfinished portion of the basement that had books stacked haphazardly this way and that.

I set out to find a solution and look what I found.

This is an improvement, neatens up the space and I can walk by without wincing.

Warning look away...

The drywall mud is still scary!

 I want to have the unfinished part of the house finished...

I hope it happens before I retire!

Now I need to tackle this mess...

"The Wave" was painted shortly after we returned from Tofino last May. 

I was inspired by the storm watch and the surfers as they rode the curls...

if I had a beach cottage it might be hung there...it's far too big for the Chris Craft!

Spring weather inspires me to de-clutter and pare down.

The sunshine illuminates the cobwebs that have gathered in the dimly lit days of winter,

hence the cleaner in me is awakened!

It's a renewing of interest in the domestics on the homefront that spur me on and fuel my actions.

The garden needs weeding and the edges need trimming and how fortunate that the sun is shining!

 I am planning to go to the nursery sometime this weekend and choose some vegetables to plant in my new raised beds.

Enjoy your weekend,

Hugs from the Hostess!

Black and white, pure and simple.

I have been loving the colour black lately.
I am in a black phase...I have recently painted all my wicker  porch furniture black...
I love white too...crisp white shirts, pearls, and white tees...

Chanel camellia

I have purchased all white Egyptian cotton sheets to replace the threadbare set I have had for over 5 years...these new ones are super wrinkled when they come out of the dryer...they have a high thread count and soft sateen finish ( I briefly wondered if I should iron them!)...they feel silky, soft and cool....love to lay longer in my bed now!

I found a wicker table free for the taking on the boulevard last week...it was in need to some TLC...I promptly painted it black!

My BFF has been on a cream kick, she's painted all her wicker porch furniture cream.

I am hoping that she will allow me to come over and take some photos of her divine porch and post them here.

She came over the other day and gave me this...

A vintage wire birdcage!

She has a larger one that looks more like a house and she painted hers cream and put an ivy in it.

I will be painting it black, and 

I aready have an ivy!

I have wrapped the giftaway parcel...just waiting until the June 17th draw date to find out who will be receiving it.

This quote is one of many from the book that I borrowed from the Library.
 "CHANEL."
...the book is a glimpse into the life of a famous Coco Chanel...she apparently had the very first tube of lipstick designed for her personal use. She needed it when she was driving in her car... mindful that her red lips might need touching up! It is chock full of interesting facts and beautiful images.

My friend Janet over at the Gardeners' Cottage loves black and white and I have been reading her blog for months now and I think she's onto something very Zen and elegant.

I really do not run a B&B just have friends who like to stay...
I do leave the "Welcome" mat out all the time...that's the kind of Hostess I am.
 I mentioned in a very early post that we had to replace our mat once as the "Welcome" was worn out!
(see sidebar image at right)

Simplicity

Elegance

Purity

Bungalow Comfort-Family, food and furnishings

We have been eating homemade Mac n' Cheese since the children were young. 

It was a budget stretcher and a well loved casserole.

Back in the 80's I had a habit of shopping for arts and crafts furniture and pottery using the food budget money!

The kids were active participants in my escapades.

Partners in crime!

I'd buy some new piece and have it in the Volvo, the 3 of us would bring it inside, rearrange the furniture, put some fresh picked flowers or greenery in some vases, and I'd make dinner...mac n' cheese.

When Mr. HB came home I'd have a drink ready for him and would hand it to him as soon as he took off his coat....that was when he would look around and say OK...what's new?

The kids would be giggling and waiting for his reaction. I would be somewhat sheepish, crossing my fingers and hoping that he would approve of the newest item.

Those were the days when arts and crafts furniture was uber trendy and Barbra Streisand was paying top dollar for her Stickley pieces at auction.

I found most of our furniture in local shops and was a recognised collector. 

I patronized the various establishments on a weekly basis.

I splurged and bought a lovely glass fronted china cabinet which cost $500.

  That was the year of our 10th year anniversary, July 1984.

I remember the date because Mr. HB gave me diamond studs!

We were frugal in some areas and that allowed us to slurge in others.

Bungalow Mac n' Cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain.

Grate strong cheddar cheese, set aside.

Make a white sauce or roux.

In the same pot that you cooked the pasta add 1/2 c. butter melt, and whisk in 1/2 c. flour until blended and smooth, add 2 c. milk, and cook stirring 5 -10 minutes and then add 2 c. cheese.

Whisk until blended.

Remove from heat and put pasta in a casserole, add cheese sauce.

Top with panko crumbs and scatter on top 1/4 c. cheese.

I put foil on top of casserole to keep it moist while cooking.

Put into the oven 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

 Bungalow Mac n' Cheese is very nostalgic nosh.

It transports me back a few decades.

I smile when I remember the mischief that we got up to in those early days of home ownership, and the joyous days of raising our family.

I revel and cherish the memories of when our children were young.

The adventures and simple joys in our daily round.

  Most activities were free or cheap.

We made our own fun and laughed a LOT!

We had to, that was what sustained us, and bound us together, it was the glue factor.

Are there comfort foods in your home?

Do they stir up memories of times past?

Stickley circa 2010...100 years later.

I received an early birthday gift from Mr. HB yesterday. We have been searching for a small scale chest or bureau for my lingerie...all my new French lacy "unmentionables", which I have mentioned, even blogged about and are all quite remarkable...and I am very happy to say that they now have a lovely "Home."

New Stickley Oak chest...

I have not filled it to the brim,

 so there is more room at the "inn."

Most of the furniture here in the Humble Bungalow is original arts and crafts circa 1910-1920 era mission oak, so this is a bit of a leap for us buying something new that is made in the" arts and crafts style."

The quality of the Stickley company is not in question, it is simply a fact that a piece like this would not have been produced during that era.

The company advertises it as a jewelry chest as it has several top drawers that are divided and lined in felt with a lock for security. As luck would have it,  the liners are removable and I kept several in place for some of my jewelry and the rest for my lingerie.

Stickley chest

The company manufactures a large variety of furniture as I saw in the catalogue at the showroom. 

This might turn out to be one of several pieces that we might acquire...their catalogue is vast and very enticing.

The salesman was quick to point out that they do anything that the customer desires, just double the price and double the time for delivery.

....it's only money!

Vintage in the Humble Bungalow

I found this miniature bureau in an antique shop and fell in love with it. I was told that it might have been a traveling sales mans' sample piece.  I knew that it would be invaluable for storage of small things in my 1913 home.

Tiffany necklace which I wrap twice around my wrist and use as a bracelet.

West Coast First Nations Baskets

I love baskets and find they can be beautiful as well as functional.

This wee carving is a mouse, it is unusual. More commonly depicted in carvings are Frogs, Ravens, Eagles, Salmon, Whales and Seals.

Vintage West Coast First Nations Baskets in the Humble Bungalow

  

 Contemporary Sterling silver salad servers

in an early First Nations basket.

The Humble Bungalow lends itself to items from nature. The arts and crafts philosophy evolved from the Victorian era almost as a protest to the clutter and excesses that were common in Victorian times. Honest, simple understated designs using organic natural materials often found on site or locally gave the architect and builder their inspiration.

People were breaking away from the need to amass and accumulate.

Furniture styles were simplified and many pieces were made by the home craftsman. Patterns for furnishing projects were commonplace and featured simple unadorned designs.  Companies that did produce furniture printed and distributed catalogues from which the homeowner could order from.

Our furniture is mostly from that early arts and crafts period. The pieces that we own are in what is commonly referred to as "museum condition" meaning that they have not been refinished and the blemishes that have been acquired over the years are retained.

One chair in particular has a flat and heavy armrest into which someone, likely a child, has carved R.I.P. with a cemetery cross!

As the current resident of the Humble Bungalow I have chosen to decorate within these parameters of simplicity, form and function.

Collecting vintage and using items from nature are most appropriate.

Berried branches from the boulevard in a vintage Weller vase.

Mrs. Plant, a former long time resident of the Humble Bungalow.

She raised 3 children in this small home, tended her cottage garden and worked as a dressmaker to support the family.

The Humble Bungalow is on the Heritage Registry to save it from demolition in the future. Our job is to maintain and preserve it for the next generation.